Vince McMahon did not attend the tapings for SmackDown Live this week, but that did not stop him from tearing up another script. As the writers become more frustrated, both SmackDown and Raw seem to make little sense. Here is what we know about the incident and the repercussions for Raw and SmackDown.
Vince McMahon Missed SmackDown For XFL Team Announcements
According to Bryan Alvarez from F4WOnline.com, Vince did not attend Raw or SmackDown tapings this week. He allegedly spent his time at his XFL promotion; this in preparation for the XFL team announcements.
I have to be honest here my fellow wrestling fans. The fact that Vince McMahon is spending so much time on XFL at this time makes little sense to me from a business point-of-view. Main roster WWE is not exactly doing well at the moment, so it almost feels like Vince has one foot out of the door already.
While there is no problem with CEOs’ delegating their duties, this is a delicate time for the WWE. The arrival of AEW gives fans an alternative, so this is not the time to start the event tapings with less preparation.
Even though Vince McMahon was not physically present at Raw or SmackDown, it is claimed that he ripped up the script and held discussions over the phone. Still, this gives him little creative control over the show itself, as changes are often made when the show is on. I believe this is not only frustrating for the writers, as talent needs to change their preparations at the last minute, too.
The Ups And Downs Of SmackDown Live
SmackDown Live felt very weird in terms of storylines and future buildups. That being said, there were a couple of things that stood out for me.
The event of the night was the match between Ali and Buddy Murphy. It is no surprise though, as both individuals are extremely talented and exciting to watch in the ring.
On the flip side, the match between Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable was scheduled to be longer. If it had been longer, it would have been more interesting.
The weirdest segment of the night – according to many – was the segment between Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, and Rowan. Not a lot of fans appreciated it, and it frankly felt like something that was contrived at the last minute.
Since Clash of Champions is the next pay-per-view on the schedule, I am not really hopeful for an exciting event so far. The frustrating thing about it all is the loads of talent backstage. While the best talent could turn a horrible script around with a good match, for example, Buddy Murphy and Ali, not all of the talent are able to do so. Some superstars like Roman Reigns are already under scrutiny, so whatever they try or do in the moment will not be enough. Without a decent storyline and some proper buildup, I fear we will be left with another lackluster pay-per-view with only one or two exciting matches.
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