WWE Smackdown analysis: The pros and cons of the invasion
By Jefferson Lake
Last Updated: 15/11/17 1:16pm
SmackDown went off the air this week with Shane McMahon laying in a crumpled heap.
The blue brand's general manager was on the receiving end of both a triple powerbomb from The Shield and an Angle Slam from his opposite number Kurt Angle.
The Hounds of Justice were in North Carolina after interrupting The New Day's match against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who very quickly departed before chaos descended and a brawl featuring the vast majority of both rosters erupted.
The reaction in the arena and among the wider WWE fan base has been hugely positive, with viewers delighting in the glorious carnage of the latest instalment of the invasion-based build to Survivor Series.
One of the main reasons why such storylines are so warmly welcomed is the intriguing mixture of competitors they can throw together.
In these days of separate brands, some wrestlers go years at a time without ever crossing paths despite being employed by the same company.
Of course, this is not without its issues. Arguably the biggest problem with an inter-brand invasion such as the current one is that it takes the suspension of disbelief to a new level.
For example on Tuesday night, the Raw women's division - the vast majority of whom strongly dislike Alexa Bliss - joined forces to help their supposedly hated champion get the better of her SmackDown rival Charlotte Flair.
And in the end-of-show brawl, as brilliant as it was, there were notable absentees in John Cena and Randy Orton, two megastar members of the elimination team who were nowhere to be seen when the fists started flying.
Merging together several plot points in a multi-man storyline can be problematic but the majority of the time it generates intrigue and interest in a unique way.
In the five-on-five men's match this Sunday, those participants not in the match are almost as notable as those in it - one or more of Kane, Zayn, Owens or Jason Jordan could easily have an influence on the match outcome.
Jinder Mahal may look to make his presence felt in AJ Styles' mouthwatering match against Brock Lesnar. The possibilities are almost endless.
And then, underpinning everything, is arguably the most intriguing storyline of them all, the perennial sibling rivalry between Shane and Stephanie McMahon.
Shane has been rightly praised throughout the invasion for his traditional bump-taking brilliance but Stephanie has also been superb, adding both a layer of star quality and crowd animosity for her corporate-style haranguing of Kurt Angle.
Without ever appearing on screen at the same time, the rivalry between the McMahons has been made very apparent and that concept is one which is easily relateable for the majority of the audience.
Going forward, WWE - if they wanted to - has a ready-made long-term program all set with those two, and their respective brands. The possibilities for that plot really would be limitless: talent raids, buy-outs, betrayals and physical invasions would make for great television.
But for now, the focus is on Survivor Series. The card is stacked with highly-anticipated matches from top to bottom and it should be a great night in Houston.
The five-man elimination match feels like the epicentre of the weeks and months of planning - and Sunday's colossal collision between the two brands might only be the beginning.
