5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (10 Oct - Results & Review)
MFTs get a new look; Zelina Vega joins Aleister Black; Crown Jewel gets tepid 'go home' hype.
The "SPOILERS" warning in all caps is there for a reason. This week's episode of SmackDown took place in Australia and aired in select international markets earlier than in the United States. Folks stateside will still get their blue brand fix at the usual time, but those of us in the UK have already seen it. Admittedly, some in the US might've done so too depending on how they watch programming.
It was fair to put a warning up there anyway, then...spoil that by showing Aleister Black standing with Zelina Vega. Oops!
Seriously though, even though the 'Ups' and 'Downs' counts might not seem that way, this was a return to form for SmackDown in the eyes of many. The Crown Jewel build was wonky in some places and practically non-existent in others, but WWE booked some fun returns, gave one faction a much needed (and literal) paint job they desperately needed, lined up a few fresh title challengers, and put on a few tidy matches.
Sami Zayn's United States Title 'Open Challenge' was a highlight yet again, and the main event 'Last Man Standing' war between regular foes Damian Priest and Aleister Black had a funky finish you should honestly go out of your way to see.
The only downsides came in the form of that aforementioned WWE PLE ignorance and some more Wyatt Sicks mediocrity that's honestly strangling SmackDown's tag-team division. What happened to that?! It was one of the hottest things going earlier this year.
Here's all the good and bad from the last TV stop before Crown Jewel takes centre stage.