9 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Dec 11)

3. Bryan Claims The Spirited Ali's Scalp

Daniel Bryan Mustafa Ali
WWE.com

Daniel Bryan vs. Mustafa Ali was predictably strong. One is among the best wrestlers of his generation, while the other is a dazzling athletic marvel who has quietly built one of the strongest in-ring resumes in the entire company this year. They were always going to craft something wonderful together, no matter the runtime, and their 12-minute opener hit all the right notes.

The WWE Champion controlled the early proceedings. Ali's athleticism eventually bought him a way back in, and his hop spots popped the crowd, though each was cut down by Bryan's increasingly grinding offense. A spectacular Tornado DDT scored a nearfall and a failed 054 attempt, but that's when Daniel's surgical leg-work really kicked in, and inevitably, Ali was felled by his decorated opponent.

That's exactly how the match should've gone. Bryan's the top dog, and Mustafa is a Cruiserweight tourist. They shouldn't have been presented on the exact same level, and while the 205 Live standout did look strong, the story was all about boosting the WWE Champion before his big showdown with AJ Styles.

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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.