WWE Friday Night SmackDown: The good, the bad, & the ugly
WWE officially began a new chapter in its illustrious history with Friday Night SmackDown. Debuting live on FOX, the show was rumored to be a WrestleMania caliber event and certainly lived up to the lofty expectations. Complete with wrestling's top Superstars, a blue carpet kickoff, and celebrities galore, WWE once again defined the term sports entertainment.
Complete with analysis, match by match breakdown, and NFL style interviews, Friday Night SmackDown did its best to present itself as a legitimate sport and succeeded in that effort. Having Tyson Fury and Cain Velasquez involved certainly helped with that, as well.
Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Seth Rollins and even Rambling Rabbit showed up to celebrate WWE's latest chapter. There was a Lumber Jack Match and a Ladder Match. One WWE legend made his exit from the company and a new WWE Champion was crowned.
Join us as we offer analysis for the very first Friday Night SmackDown on FOX with a very special edition of The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly.
The Good - A Legitimate ratings draw as WWE Champion
Brock Lesnar did what he is always expected to do. Lesnar dominated Kofi Kingston, ending his six month WWE Championship reign in mere seconds. To his credit, Kingston went right after 'The Beast,' showing absolutely no fear. The display of courage ultimately cost Kingston, however, as Lesnar hit him with a devastating F-5 to become WWE Champion in record setting fashion. Sometimes being brave doesn't pay.
Kingston's meteoric rise to success aside, the move makes sense for WWE. This is the FOX era and the new world of wrestling demands cold hard numbers. Sometimes that means putting heart second.
Facing stiff competition from AEW and more demand than ever from corporate sponsors, WWE must produce ratings immediately and consistently. There is no better way to do that than with Brock Lesnar as WWE Champion. Some wrestling fans may not like the idea of another championship run for 'The Beast,' but Lesnar is well known in the sports world and an instant ratings boost.
The new WWE Champion already has a new big name challenger in Cain Velasquez. The Mexican, who defeated Lesnar to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship, made his WWE debut tonight alongside the injured Rey Mysterio. Velasquez took Lesnar down almost immediately and subjected him to a barrage of devastating lefts and rights. The two fight stars engaged in an intense stare down to end the show. The blockbuster feud promises high ratings, as viewers will tune in to see how this all plays out.
ALSO READ: 5 Things You Should Know About Kofi Kingston