Another of the newly brand specific WWE pay-per-views came and went Monday morning [GST], this time SmackDown’s No Mercy romping through Sacramento.
Outside of the “Big Four” PPVs throughout the year, these offerings are now a chance for both RAW and SmackDown to tempt viewers to their product, especially in these still early days of the draft.
And it’s been a case of so far, so good for both brands.
They have delivered very different shows, pushed a variety of messages but stayed true to WWE’s New Era push as a whole.
No Mercy was no different, serving up an enthralling show from start to finish.
Here, we look at five things that stood out to us watching the blue brand’s second instalment.
We also want to hear from you. Tell us what you made of No Mercy and the current state of the WWE by commenting below, using #360fans on Twitter or getting in touch via Facebook.
SMACKDOWN DO IT THEIR WAY
Anyone tuning in to No Mercy without any prior warning will have probably thought they were watching the show backwards.
You would have been forgiven for your surprise at seeing John Cena come out to a huge pop, the World Championship on the line as the first order of business.
Later on, the women’s number one contender storyline provided a warm-up to Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt at the top of the billing, while in between it all were a variety of titles and mid-card matches.
It would have been unthinkable to have seen such a sight in WWE PPVs of years gone by. Can you imagine Stone Cold vs The Undertaker as the first fight and Miss Kitty vs Ivory as the prelude to the main event? Not on your nelly.
But this is the New Era and boy did it work.
The triple threat match for the title was an instant classic and it got everyone on their feet for what was to come, setting the bar for the rest of the locker room, none of whom disappointed.
Not only that, the promos were altered in SmackDown’s image, playing out at what looked like odd junctures but it all came together in a fashion that shows there is true originality to both lead WWE shows since the latest split, which is only a good thing for the fans.
Tonight! First time ever @WWE leads off a PPV with the main event! #NoMercy
— John Layfield (@JCLayfield) October 9, 2016
STYLES VS CENA COULD BE GREATEST EVER FEUD
After the last meetings between these two, we were left in awe.
The WWE billed their showdowns as the meeting of two of the best to ever do it and the more you watch them, the more you see that statement for its true value.
Quite simply, AJ Styles and John Cena are mesmeric performers and they continue to get the best out of each other when they step inside the ring together.
They were allowed to play out all their brilliance in this triple threat title match and throwing Dean Ambrose in alongside a controversial Styles tap-out and ultimate victory was the least the WWE could do.
All three were superb but in Styles and Cena we are building towards an epic WrestleMania match-up that has been irresistibly setup for Cena to make history by taking Styles’ title.
Cena vs Styles is the gift that keeps on giving and such is the ability of both men both in the ring and on the mic that the rivalry just cannot go stale.
BRAY WYATT GOING OVER WILL BE WORTH IT
In our TLC column last month, we asked if Bray Wyatt would ever go over a big opponent ever again.
Fortunately, he did. At No Mercy, Wyatt got a massive win over Randy Orton that finally validates his psychotic character with a God Complex.
Orton is such a big name that Wyatt’s win means a lot to the WWE Universe and these moments have been nearly non-existent during his time as head of the Wyatt Family.
He did get a major assist from the returning Luke Harper but that also will do us all huge favours. Harper is Wyatt’s strongest ally and the best singles performer other than Bray in the Wyatt clan.
The fact the Universe was sold on his return tells you everything you need to know about his popularity and with him at the side of Wyatt, Bray can become a real title contender.
And let us not forget, this could potentially set up a huge turn for both and an eventual feud between Wyatt and Harper that would allow the title picture to continue in another direction and add value to their own positions on the SmackDown card.
THE SMACKDOWN COMMENTARY TEAM IS TOP NOTCH
Sometimes you may forget what these guys add but without them the athleticism of the Superstars would have little context.
The greats, like Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler always made you care, their emotion and analysis giving insight us mere mortals could never attain outside of wrestling gyms.
And SmackDown now have a three-pronged attack that is up there with the best of them.
JBL has been doing it for years and is the seasoned pro of the group, adding his own insight into former battles with some of the best on show.
That’s all well and good but it’s in the guise of David Otunga and Mauro Ranallo that we hear something so different.
Otunga perfectly counters JBL’s heel analysis with his own colour commentary, while Ranallo has been a revelation.
He has all the emotion of JR and the scientific breakdown of moves that McMahon had.
It makes listening to him not only make you more interested in the show but also more aware of the technical aspects of what the performers are doing.
Omg! Yes!!! @HEELZiggler won and saved his career! Can't believe it and @mauroranallo was on fire calling this match! pic.twitter.com/dzs0C99Uxt
— Brandøn Marshall (@Broken_cena16) October 10, 2016
DOLPH ZIGGLER DESERVED LATEST TITLE WIN
Like our Wyatt call to arms, Ziggler has been a Superstar we have been desperate to see have another push for a long-time.
He has flitted around the mid-card, selling every storyline that he’s ever been in, remaining hugely popular with fans and cutting decent promo after decent promo.
But he had somewhat stalled in the past year or so. That was until the brand split.
Since then, he has had a shot at the World Title in what was a career defining performance with Ambrose and then positioned himself in the Intercontinental Title picture with another constant in the middle of the card: The Miz.
Both of them seem comfortable here, not in a lazy way but in a way that brings out the best of them.
They have a legitimate title to vie for and they resonate with the Universe like few others outside of the big title pictures.
As Ziggler defied the odds to pick up the win, it was a well deserved moment for him and the crowd reaction was testament to how perfectly both he and The Miz play their babyface and heel roles.
