WWE SmackDown 5 Takeaways: Raw Makes Long-Awaited Statement

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4. A Brock Lesnar Appearance Would Have Upped the Ante at Survivor Series

When The Phenomenal AJ Styles dethroned Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship on the Nov. 7 edition of SmackDown, the WWE universe rejoiced at a changing of the guard.  SmackDown’s future is bright with Styles as champion, but Survivor Series is potentially very bright with Styles in the fold.

The Phenomenal One replaces Mahal as the opponent for Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series and will likely save what was viewed at by most as a terrible idea pitting Mahal against Lesnar.  And while Lesnar and his advocate Paul Heyman appeared on the Nov. 13 edition of Raw, their appearance was greatly missed last night on SmackDown.

Heyman acknowledged Styles’ greatness, but put over Lesnar in dominating fashion.  And last night, SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan served as Styles’ advocate for the night and delivered an awesome promo while taking shots at Lesnar as well.  Styles responded with fighting words of his own, but the segment was missing something, namely Lesnar and Heyman.

Had the dynamic duo made an unexpected appearance on SmackDown last night, it would have greatly intensified the showdown between Styles and Lesnar at Survivor Series and would have been an all-around awesome moment.  It wouldn’t even have required a physical confrontation, but a simple face-to-face with The Phenomenal One and The Beast would have done wonders leading into Survivor Series.

The WWE Champion vs. Universal Champion match looks much better than it did, but a Lesnar appearance on SmackDown would have upped the ante leading into the marquee battle at the WWE’s fall classic.