WWE SmackDown - Best and Worst - Real reason why CM Punk joined Roman Reigns; top champion seriously injured
The final live episode of WWE SmackDown before Survivor Series was a mixed bag. We got some huge moments ahead of the premium live event, but it wasn't perfect.
A few niggles affected the show, even if the biggest moment was a massive success. So, let's get into it. Here are some positives and negatives from tonight's episode of WWE SmackDown.
#3. Best: Chelsea wins
Chelsea Green's dream of winning the Women's United States Championship is still alive. She defeated Blair Davenport and Bianca Belair on SmackDown to advance to the semi-final of the tournament after The EST of WWE abandoned the match.
Belair was in control of the bout when she saw Jade Cargill unconscious on a car windshield on the titantron. She ran to the back and ended up accompanying her tag team partner to the hospital. Nia Jax denied attacking Cargill, which could lead to some interesting possibilities.
It remains to be seen how this affects the women's WarGames Match, especially with Bayley seemingly ready to sub in. Meanwhile, Chelsea Green is one step closer to the Women's US Title. She is thriving right now.
#2. Best/Worst: KO explains himself on SmackDown
Kevin Owens was finally allowed to explain his actions over the past two months on SmackDown. The former Universal Champion mentioned how Cody Rhodes betrayed him by teaming with Roman Reigns at Bad Blood before promising he would cross the line during their match.
It was an impassioned speech from KO, while The American Nightmare responded well. Rhodes suggested Owens is the only person to blame for his failures, even bringing up their match at Bash in Berlin. As fiery as this promo was, Kevin Owens seemed to ignore the elephant in the room.
His literal best friend has rejoined The Bloodline. Why is KO ignoring that? Is he too hurt by what Sami Zayn did? Either way, the lack of explanation feels like a cloud over the story between Owens and Cody Rhodes. He needs to acknowledge it sooner rather than later.
#1. Worst: Not the greatest follow-up
Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE return last week looked to spark a new beginning for him. While his promo on SmackDown tonight was solid, it seemed to be cut short. LA Knight directly went into a United States Championship match against Santos Escobar, who didn't gain anything from this title shot.
Knight didn't even get a chance to retaliate, as Nakamura attacked him right at the end of the match. Hopefully, WWE will give this feud additional depth, especially after the Japanese legend's promising video package. He needs to take advantage of this latest opportunity.
#1. Best: CM Punk is back in WWE
Paul Heyman came clutch for his Tribal Chief on SmackDown.
While unavailable last week, The Wiseman was seemingly hard at work. He called CM Punk for a favor, with The Best in the World obliging. The former AEW star came out after Heyman revealed he found a fifth member for the OG Bloodline's WarGames team.
Roman Reigns was baffled by this. After all, there is no love lost between him and Pink. However, their common bond is their love for Paul Heyman. He is the reason the OG Bloodline isn't outnumbered anymore.
Their dynamic inside the WarGames double cage will be interesting, as will Seth Rollins' reaction to the ordeal. Revealing CM Punk on SmackDown instead of Survivor Series was a good move, too, as his relationship with Roman Reigns can be explored better now.
