8 Ups & 8 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Mar 26)

Ups...

8. Setting The Scene

AJ Styles
WWE

AJ Styles' pre-match promo did everything it needed to ahead of the Kurt Angle bout, particularly given the way that match ended up going down.

A solid table-setting diatribe saw Styles say he was honoured to give his old TNA foe his last SmackDown battle. AJ claimed to feel privileged to have been part of his career, and that he was proud to share a ring with him, before saying "this is no exhibition match." Kurt may have laid the foundations, but "this is still the house that AJ Styles built." Fin.

Nothing groundbreaking from 'The Phenomenal One,' but more than enough to raise anticipation ahead of the bout, which served to enhance the disappointment at the match's conclusion. Styles built the Angle bout up so that Randy Orton could tear it down. Textbook stuff, but effective.

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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.