8 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (July 16)

2. Babyfaces Pop The Crowd

The balance between booking compelling episodic television and pleasing a live crowd has started up again, but WWE managed it just fine on Friday night. Post-heel win in the six-man, Edge went berserk with a chair and then choked Roman Reigns out with that steel support he's been using since 'Mania.

That spot masked the heel win nicely.

Edge was all sorts of fired up, so much so he almost snapped Roman in half during the crossface. This, ladies and gents, was the correct way to build towards that Universal Title showdown on Sunday at Money In The Bank. Everyone played their parts to the hilt.

Side note: Reigns was on fire. What an absolute joy it was to see him heel it up in front of actual fans for the first time. The guy's a natural. He carried SmackDown on his back at times during the pandemic, and seemed to have a ball sneering at Houston's masses.