5 things WWE SmackDown got right this week: Roman Reigns goes missing; Shotzi Blackheart shines
WWE SmackDown had a few surprises in store for fans this week. While Roman Reigns was missing this week, Charlotte Flair stepped in to fill the void. She delivered a promo, followed by a good match to get things started.
A Halloween-themed Trick or Street Fight took place between Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs against Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss. Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza arrived in the match to take Boogs out, helping the heels pick up the win.
An angry and vengeful Adam Pearce made a prominent announcement on Friday night. He revealed that in addition to his indefinite suspension, Brock Lesnar would be fined $1 million for his actions on SmackDown last week.
Paul Heyman was questioned about Brock's possible response to the fine, but he chose to dodge the question. Drew McIntyre showed off his superiority on SmackDown once again, while New Day hosted another significant segment.
Take a look at the five things WWE got right on Friday Night SmackDown this week.
#5. Roman Reigns took a break from WWE SmackDown
Roman Reigns was absent from this Friday's SmackDown, which came as a big surprise to many fans. WWE Universal Champion has been a top performer and pillar of SmackDown for over a year now.
Reigns' absence showed just how much the entire brand depends on its Tribal Chief. Without his promo segment and a possible showdown later in the night, a huge void needed to be filled.
However, his absence allowed the roster to step up and get more screen time. SmackDown built other rivalries without the presence of The Head of the Table.
It was the right call to have him step back for a week. There is no need to build a challenger for Reigns at this point with Survivor Series coming up.
He will likely face Big E at the pay-per-view, and the creative team could look to build a challenger for him after the event.