8 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night’s WWE SmackDown (15 Nov)

2. Rhea Ripley Helping Shayna Baszler

Bayley Rhea Ripley Tegan Nox Dakota Kai
WWE.com

Part of the problem with Survivor Series is that it interferes with other issues going on in WWE's world. For example, why would Rhea Ripley join Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox in saving Shayna Baszler from a SmackDown-sized beatdown at the hands of Bayley, Sasha Banks and pals?

Ripley and Baszler are feuding on Wednesday nights.

Not only that, they'll be on opposite sides of the ring in a bloody War Games match the night before Survivor Series. WWE really expect fans to put that to the back of their minds all so some phoney brand loyalty angle can take centre stage, and it's depressing. If anything, Ripley should want to see Shayna eat some boots.

Michael Cole and Corey Graves didn't bother attempting to explain what was happening at the upcoming TakeOver special. They were far too busy (and so was Rhea) putting across that 'NXT stars love NXT' and 'SmackDown stars love SmackDown'.

Advertisement
Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.