SmackDown In A Nutshell: Can Family Fight Together?

We end this wrestling week as we end all others-with SmackDown In A Nutshell. Heading into this one, I ponder an important question: can family fight together?

As in, will Roman Reigns co-exist with cousin Jey Uso? The pair tag together this week, but will do battle for Reigns’ title at Clash of Champions.

It’s an interesting question, and an angle WWE will surely heavily exploit between now and the actual title match.

Beyond that main event level fun, we’ve got a few other stories developing.

What’s next involving the Intercontinental Champions? You’ve got Jeff Hardy as champion…but Sami Zayn has a claim, too.

AJ Styles is in the mix too, though he lacks a title belt currently.

There’s also the intensely personal feud between Bayley and Sasha Banks. The Legit Boss returns to ThunderDome this week to discuss that brutal beating she got from Bayley.

So, buckle up my friends.

It’s SmackDown In A Nutshell…

Can family fight together?

Let’s find out!

Best Match of the night:

For my money, this goes to Sami Zayn and AJ Styles.

The only real gripe here is that you had a heel fighting a heel, but it worked out because they are both exceptional workers.

Also, it paid off at the end of the match, with Jeff Hardy coming down to attack both men and set up a triple threat ladder match for the Clash.

Worst match of the night:

Shinsuke Nakamura and Gran Metallik. Look, they are both talented…but I just can’t get into this program all that much.

It is filler on the show.

Star of the Night

I have a few.

I liked what we got out of all three Intercontinental Championship match participants. Lots to like there.

Roman Reigns was very heelish too, and it’s been fun to see the dark side come out again.

Spot of the Night:

I really don’t have one. Maybe this Reigns spot?

Jobber of the Night:

Honestly, not much in the way of a jobber here.

I guess I could go with Lacey Evans, since she ate the Sister Abigail on the outside.

Though, that guy Big E beat up? He might like a word…

Upset of the Night:

Nothing tonight. Things were fairly paint-by-numbers.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

Speaking of paint-by-numbers…there wasn’t really a big shock tonight.

Well, I take that back, sort of. Big E did return, and it seems he’s going with a bit more of an edge and less comedy.

Maybe it was just this return, and comedy returns (I like the comedy at times), but it’s nice to see.

LOL Moment of the night:

The whole lawsuit angle makes me laugh.

From Miz and Morrison claiming their show is news, and Otis is harming them…to Otis saying he and Tucker are in trouble and Tucker just bails?

Yea,  it may bore me eventually, but for now, it made me laugh.

Noteworthy Moment:

For me, the big one was the ladder match announcement.

Granted, the match itself (ladder or otherwise) was predictable. You could see it coming from weeks away.

Still, that we are going to get a triple threat match, and a ladder one at that? It made me happy.

Overall lowlights:

This show felt…safe? Bland?

Not sure what else to say, it was a little too uneventful.

Overall highlights:

Where it might have been uneventful, it was still good from the character development perspective.

Specifically, look at what we saw between Reigns and Uso, or Alexa Bliss, or Bayley and Sasha…or even Otis and Tucker.

Lots of development and growth, and plenty going on to keep things interesting.

After the final bell:

Looking at things after the fact, this one feels less like a wrestling show and more a character driven effort. Sure, we had matches, but I think the stories out of the ring drove the show.

I think this one did just enough to make the next few weeks interesting. There wasn’t just action to set up Clash of Champions-there was an effort to set up for what comes after.

That kind of development leaves me cautiously optimistic.