8 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (June 5)

3. Samoa Joe Does It Again

Samoa Joe
WWE

Death, taxes, and a Samoa Joe promo landing on the positive side in a WhatCulture Ups & Downs column. These are life's three certainties, and the big man was on fire again last night, spitting nothing but lava for the brief time he was onscreen.

Joe cut interviewer Dasha Fuentes off mid-sentence, and barked that he'd already proved his power by sending Daniel Bryan to the shadow realm last week. Him scaling the ladder was a message. Joe took his prize, just like he vows to do at Money In The Bank, and he felt every single SmackDown star recoil when they realised they were watching a vision of the future.

This guy could probably read his shopping list on SmackDown and it'd still be one of the most compelling things on the show, such is his skill on the stick. Joe is money. He spews words like nobody else on the roster, making him not only one of WWE's most effective heels, but an elite character. WWE could do a lot worse than have him snatch the case next weekend.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.