Best and Worst of WWE SmackDown: 11-Time champion returns from injury, time wasted with unnecessary "high stakes" match

Welcome to the penultimate edition of Best and Worst of SmackDown before Clash at the Castle 2022. We're just over a week away from the big show in Cardiff, and this was the last live episode before WWE heads to Wales.

It was an excellent episode as usual - in line with the new creative regime under Triple H. It wasn't a perfect episode, as you will see in the "worst" section, but it also wasn't so bad that it put a stench on the whole show.

With that said, let's begin and look at the ups and downs of SmackDown this week:

#3. Best: The Xavier Woods return and New Day segment

The Viking Raiders stepped right into @TrueKofi and @AustinCreedWins' trap!

#SmackDown #WWE https://t.co/9wDvwlAYda

While we initially dreaded the New Day-Viking Raiders segment due to its monotonous nature, we were pleasantly surprised. This week on SmackDown, Xavier Woods came in a wheelchair while he and Kofi Kingston looked dejected.

This set-up The Raiders coming out as they were ready to end The New Day for good. However, it all turned out to be a well-laid-out trap that revealed that Xavier Woods was OK.

Using two kendo sticks, they drove the Raiders away. It was a nice change in tone, and a good segment overall as the 11-time champion Woods was revealed to be medically cleared.

#2. Worst: The Fatal-4-Way match on SmackDown

The team of @NatbyNature and @SonyaDevilleWWE pick up the W and ADVANCE to the semi-finals!

#WWE #SmackDown https://t.co/NB7zYFQtDi

The Fatal-4-Way "second chance" match on SmackDown turned out to be a complete waste of time. Why would they have Natalya and Sonya Deville win, only to almost instantly lose to Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah?

The match was just a mere formality, and the champions of the women's tag team championship tournament are highly predictable. The so-called high-stakes second chance match was unnecessary, and it's clear that Dakota Kai and IYO SKY are winning the tag team titles.

#2. Best: Gunther, Sheamus, and the power of silence

Get ready for an epic FIGHT at #WWECastle! #ICTitle #SmackDown https://t.co/Wa1MzQtuRi

Vince McMahon once spoke about a particular segment between Triple H and The Undertaker in 2011. For those who don't remember, the segment on RAW saw The Undertaker get confronted by the returning Triple H. Neither man said a word, and The Game looked to the WrestleMania sign while The Phenom gave his throat slash gesture to signal that the challenge was on.

Why are we talking about this random segment from a decade ago? It was because Vince McMahon emphasized how the power of silence could get everything across so easily and beautifully - almost like art.

We saw a glimpse of that on SmackDown this week in what we felt was an incredible segment between Sheamus and Gunther. While we love Sheamus' late-career resurgence, we are enjoying Gunther's Intercontinental Championship reign even more.

The sight of the two big men staring down without saying a word while Ludwig Kaiser was brawling with Ridge Holland and Butch was incredibly well-done. It's not something you see very often, which is why we loved it so much.

#1. Worst: Hit Row's return storyline

Bruh, it ain't even their bus 💀
#WWE #SmackDown https://t.co/HbnELbAcub

Hit Row getting their jobs back and returning is positive, and we fully understand that they have a solid fanbase. However, we're not feeling their comeback so far, and their feud with Maximum Male Models has been average at best.

This week saw MMM use Angel and Humberto to vandalize their vehicle, only to be told that it wasn't theirs in the first place. While we got a small chuckle from that, this story isn't doing much to enhance WWE television.

#1. Best: Building Drew McIntyre's case for a title win

Message brutally delivered.

#WWECastle #SmackDown https://t.co/YeYpqKQFeb

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre has had a solid feud on SmackDown. While McIntyre got the better of The Tribal Chief last week, Reigns made sure that the tables were quickly turned.

Sami Zayn's alliance with The Bloodline is shaky but entertaining and is likely to develop into its own story on SmackDown. However, the main event was a solid one with the right outcome, and the post-match attack was also brutal.

It made a good case for McIntyre to end Reigns' title run, and this week's ending certainly signified that.

Recommended Video: Watch Wrestling legend Dutch Mantell review SmackDown and AEW Rampage: