9 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (13 March)

Downs...

2. The Elimination Chamber Re-Run

First, the few blemishes SmackDown had.

Although this week's show was obviously produced by a skeleton crew of staff members and wrestlers, that near 40-minute Elimination Chamber re-run on a two-hour show felt unnecessary regardless. Some may find it strange to complain about this considering the circumstances, but re-airing the SmackDown Tag Title Chamber bout in full harmed the special atmosphere.

Something original would've been preferable, and WWE had that option. The Miz and John Morrison were in attendance, and they could have dropped more hints that they did about what's in store at WrestleMania 36. Where were The Usos? Where was some storyline development to follow-up on the situation between Otis and Dolph Ziggler?

It wasn't enough to have Miz and JoMo come out and say almost nothing. Their empty heel promo was an oddity on a broadcast tinged with elements of reality, and it didn't fit.