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SmackDown on FOX's draft-centric episode tried to be the most eventful sports-oriented affair for the most part.
Unfortunately, those efforts came off as glossy and forced. The bits including FOX personalities and USA/FOX executives were intended to make the draft appear like a big deal, but the draft picks themselves weren't that shocking or unpredictable in the end.
On the good side of things, it looks like Bray Wyatt's sports-entertainment approach towards WWE still works effectively after a disastrous Hell in a Cell outcome last Sunday.
Here are a few interesting observations from this week's WWE SmackDown:
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#3 Samoa Joe's 'clean', 'uncanny' personality during the episode might lead to a bigger plot next week
It was genuinely surprising to see a casual Samoa Joe breaking down the draft like an expert analyst.
We usually see him as a relentless wrestler with a chip on his shoulder, and the fact that he took a backseat at this week's SmackDown despite not being drafted before some underwhelming acts has raised some suspicion online.
Maybe this clean-chit attitude will lead to an outburst next week, that is, if the Samoan Submission Machine remains undrafted.
From a different perspective, Samoa Joe's casual attitude might just be a part of the Blue brand's sports-centric approach towards professional wrestling, and nothing more.
But I sincerely hope that this turns out to be an 'angle' building towards something big.
After all, being relegated to a sports panel after having been subject to multiple instances of shoddy booking is not what Samoa Joe's character would stand for. And this especially doesn't make sense when The Lucha House Party seems like a bigger priority than the Samoan Submission Machine during the draft process.
Let's hope that Samoa Joe's schtick as a casual sports expert will be a catalyst for bringing him back to the top ranks of WWE.
#2 Roman Reigns becomes SmackDown's #1 Draft Pick
If there is one major takeaway from the first night of this year's WWE Draft, it is that SmackDown's initial picks are all based in terms of popularity and current relevance, which plays into the brand's overall strategy of adopting a 'bigger is better' approach towards professional wrestling.
Roman Reigns is WWE's ultimate top dog. Despite not being a current champion, Reigns has solidified his position as one of the biggest stars of the company with a worldwide fan following.
So it makes a lot of sense for the blue brand to pick him as a part of a roster that needs to make headlines every week.
Monday Night RAW, on the other hand, has picked diverse, talented uperstars for its roster last night, but can any of the names match up to the current relevance of Roman Reigns or "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt?
Which brand won the first night of this year's WWE Draft?
#1 WWE repackaged Bayley as a wrestler who finally accepted her 'heelish' personality in the end
There came a point in Bayley's run as a glittery babyface where nothing new could be done to make things better.
The character had reached a saturation limit because of which her booking had become quite stale.
But Bayley's persona got a makeover last night. She destroyed the 'Bayley Buddies' and debuted a new look with an edgier attitude.
Eventually, she became the new SmackDown Women's Champion once again, and the truth is, she needs the title now more than ever to stay relevant in WWE.
This is because WWE has caught onto a gimmick that could potentially lead to greater things, and not capitalizing on this opportunity might be a huge misstep by the creative team.
Moreover, it has now become quite obvious that the Creative is aiming for more title wins for Charlotte Flair in the future. Her short stints as Women's Champion are ridiculous, simply because they negatively impact current feuds and are only meant to add more digits to her title win record.
So let's hope that this new version of Bayley, one that has truly accepted her heelish personality, gets a stable run as the current SmackDown Women's Champion.
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Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
