4 Things Triple H Got Right on WWE SmackDown This Week

The Vision, Drew McIntyre
The Vision & Drew McIntyre [Image Source: WWE.com]

The latest episode of SmackDown saw the progression of the feuds and storylines for Survivor Series. The show has been under the fans' radar lately due to its degrading quality and lack of compelling elements. However, when comparing the recent episodes of Friday Night SmackDown, last night's show turned out to be a little better.

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Triple H apparently made sure to give the WWE Universe a delightful show at the MVP Arena. The feuds and storylines for the two WarGames Matches shifted gears, and Ilja Dragunov also continued his United States Championship open challenge. Besides, WWE also pulled off a massive surprise return in the "Last Time is Now" tournament.

Let's take a look at four things Triple H got right on WWE SmackDown this week.

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#4. Bringing Zack Ryder as a shock factor

Friday Night SmackDown was lacking any substantial return or surprise element for months. Well, Triple H took that problem into notice and pulled off a jaw-dropping surprise last night. Zack Ryder made his much-anticipated return to the main roster as a mystery opponent for LA Knight in the "Last Time is Now" tournament.

The moment his theme song hit the arena, it swept fans away in nostalgia, taking them back in time. Ryder's return on SmackDown was a delightful surprise for the WWE Universe, something that fans have been clamoring for for the past few months. John Cena's tournament needed some non-WWE names, and Zack Ryder's involvement made things intriguing.

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#3. Giving LA Knight a much-deserved victory on SmackDown

LA Knight has been struggling to get back into the spotlight over the past three weeks as his booking has turned upside down. The once-hot Knight is now submerged under the ocean of obscurity on the main roster. However, Triple H finally gave him a direction last night by making him win the first round of the "Last Time is Now" tournament on SmackDown.

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The Megastar defeated Zack Ryder clean to advance in the contest. It was a much-needed victory for him to revive his momentum and get into the spotlight. WWE did the right thing by handing him that win, as a loss could have taken a toll on his current run. LA Knight finally has something substantial to look forward to in the coming weeks.

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#2. Keeping things natural between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley

Last week on RAW, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY came to the aid of Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. It looked like four members of the babyface team for the Women's WarGames Match were all in. However, WWE pulled off a twist in the story last night on SmackDown when The Queen refused to team up with SKY and Co., citing her bitter history with The Eradicator.

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Well, it was just the right move. Ripley and Flair do have a tremendous history. The once-bitter rivals simply teaming up and pretending nothing had happened between them would have been weird. Therefore, Triple H giving a nod to their past animosity and showing tension between them was just the right call. It made things look more natural and genuine.


#1. Adding Drew McIntyre to the Men's WarGames Match

One of the best decisions Triple H made this week on SmackDown was adding Drew McIntyre to the Men's WarGames Match. The Scottish Warrior became the fourth member of Bron Breakker's team for Survivor Series. McIntyre joining the heel team for WarGames was the perfect move, as he has a history with all the members of the babyface team.

Drew McIntyre's deep-rooted animosity with The Usos, his bad blood with CM Punk, and his current rivalry with Cody Rhodes make his addition very reasonable. This will add more drama and intensity to the Men's WarGames Match, making the clash riveting. Hence, adding The Scottish Warrior to the heel team for Survivor Series: WarGames was poetic justice.

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Edited by Subhasish Deb
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