9 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown 1000 (Oct 16)

3. An Unexpected Title Change

The Big Show The Bar
WWE.com

SmackDown's awesome tag division was completely absent from last week's show. A big disappointment, as the brand's elite duos can always be relied on to deliver a good-to-great TV bout, but they shot back into focus on SD 1000, as Sheamus and Cesaro mounted a challenge for The New Day's gold.

Big Show's turn prompted the title change. That's the main talking point, but the action preceding it surpassed what was ultimately a flat conclusion. Both sides worked hard for 13 minutes, producing a textbook momentum seesaw of a match that won't win any awards, but was a welcome breather from the show's nostalgia-based content.

The title change was the biggest surprise on the show, and a welcome one. The Bar haven't done much since joining SmackDown. Now, they're minted, and The New Day will always find ways to get back over. Though there wasn't any danger of the division growing stale, Big E and Xavier Woods' loss gives it a shot in the arm, a jolt of adrenaline, and a new direction.

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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.