WWE: More “downs” than “smacks” for Feb. 28, 2020

Nine days from Elimination Chamber and five weeks from WrestleMania, how did WWE SmackDown advance their stories for the events? What worked and what didn’t? Here are your “smacks” and “downs” for the Feb. 28, 2020 airing.

After last week’s lackluster SmackDown that received more “downs” than “smacks” from me, did WWE do any better with last night’s show?

Short answer: yes, but with a huge caveat: WWE, if anything, is somehow simultaneously illogical yet predictable.

Here’s a reminder of how I evaluate what is a “smack” (hit) and a “down” (miss). First, I generally won’t go segment-by-segment. Second, just because something is a “smack” or “down” doesn’t mean it’s overwhelming; it could be slightly either, or it could be solidly either. Third, I try to tie my analysis to the macro context: what stories are wrestlers currently involved in, what’s their histories, etc.?

We had Goldberg to start the show and the returning John Cena to close the show. There was Kofi Kingston vs. Robert Roode (w/ Dolph Ziggler; Naomi vs. Bayley which quickly became Naomi and Lacey Evans vs. Bayley and the returning Sasha Banks; and Intercontinental Championship match contract signing for Elimination Chamber; Daniel Bryan vs. Curtis Axel (w/ Drew Gulak); and The Usos vs. The Miz and John Morrison.

To begin, let’s go with a “smack” to start things off on a positive note.