What went right/wrong on the Aug. 18 WWE SmackDown

After weeks (months) of heavy focus on the Bloodline saga, the Aug. 18 episode of SmackDown put the spotlight on Hall of Famer Edge, which made sense given that the show emanated from his hometown of Toronto.

The two-hour broadcast was a celebration of “The Rated R Superstar’s” 25th year with the promotion, and this commemoration culminated with a main event match against Sheamus. Additionally, Friday’s show featured a United States Championship number one contender’s match, a fun women’s tag affair, and a grudge match between the new-look Street Profits and The O.C.

So, how did this edition of SmackDown go? Well, that’s what we’re here to discuss.

Here’s what went right and wrong on the Aug. 18 SmackDown.

Right: Bayley and IYO SKY vs. Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair

A week after ruining the Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka match with their shenanigans, we got to see Damage CTRL in action (for the first time since IYO SKY won the WWE Women’s Championship) against the superstar pairing of Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair.

In a refreshing departure from the last time Belair and Flair teamed up, the two eschewed the “Can they co-exist?” trope and worked a traditional tag bout with Bayley and SKY, and it resulted in an entertaining match. In a storyline sense, it also led to a win, as Belair hit Bayley with the K.O.D. to score the clean pin to get the protagonists back on track.

While it’s not great to see Damage CTRL taking another look, at least Bayley took the pin instead of the champion. Besides, the heels got their heat back minutes later when they attacked Belair backstage and aggravated her pre-existing knee “injury” with a couple of chair shots, an angle likely designed to give Belair some time off while Flair chases after the women’s title.

Wrong: LA Knight loses to Austin Theory via distraction

If WWE wanted Austin Theory to earn another U.S. Title shot, it could’ve found any other babyface for him to beat. Instead, it picked one of the most over ones on the roster in LA Knight to do the job.

The creative team tried to protect Knight in defeat. However, doing so by booking Knight to get easily distracted by The Miz and rolled up by Theory doesn’t accomplish that. Instead, it makes Knight look silly and makes the ultimate goal of building his credibility much harder.

Right: 25 Years of Edge

Edge’s final night with WWE didn’t quite reach the emotional highs of his 2011 farewell, but the company still did an excellent job highlighting his Hall-of-Fame career. Between the video package that spotlighted the myriad of memorable moments and the countless WWE stars expressing their appreciation for him, this felt like a fitting celebration for someone who has produced so many fond memories for millions of fans.

Facing Sheamus didn’t hold the same significance that wrestling, say, Rey Mysterio would have, but “The Celtic Warrior’s” recent track record likely gave WWE faith that he could work a match that’s worthy of Edge’s swan song.

Well, they were right. Sheamus and Edge put together a fun main event. Sure, you could quibble with the finisher kickout stuff (a clear attempt to make the match seem more epic than it was) but the crowd enjoyed it, and that’s what matters at the end of the day.