WWE SmackDown Fallout: Lars Sullivan's Aura Destroyed in Needless Promo and More

Credit: WWE.com

Tuesday's WWE SmackDown Live may have served as the final hype for a Super Showdown event featuring the first-ever dream match between The Undertaker and Goldberg, but it also included two instances in which current stars were hurt by creative decisions.

From Lars Sullivan cutting his first promo on the main roster to Bayley and the SmackDown Women's Championship being underserved by more of the same old, same old, the writing team's shortcomings are at the forefront of this week's SmackDown fallout.

Find out why with this recap of Tuesday's show.

WWE Creative has a bad habit of hot-shotting significant moments in a character's development for no particular rhyme or reason. That habit reared its ugly head this week as the mystery and intrigue surrounding Lars Sullivan's silence on the main roster was broken by an ill-fated promo that was neither good nor effective in putting over his worthless midcard rivalry with Lucha House Party.

Sullivan rambled and ranted, the crowd greeted his overwritten promo with chants of "what," and no one involved benefited in any way whatsoever.

Except, maybe, Kayla Braxton, who is way better than her cumulative screen time each week suggests.

Sullivan had the aura and sense of danger that surrounded him upon his main roster arrival stripped away, and now he is really no different than any other beastly big man on the roster.

Sometimes, we do not need a motive or a reason for chaos. We don't need to know why a man does what he does or what his thought process is. It makes that given Superstar more intriguing and compelling.

The moment Sullivan opened his mouth on SmackDown, he lost that intrigue and became just another guy on the roster. 

Fans were greeted with more of the same this week as Carmella, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss battled for the right to challenge Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship in a Triple Threat match.

There was nothing inherently wrong with the match itself. The problem lies in the fact all three competitors have been staples of the women's title picture for the last year or more.

Bliss winning was a nice surprise since fans almost continue to expect Flair to win every time she is in one of those situations, but The Goddess is hardly a new face in the scene.

In fact, she feuded extensively with Bayley in the past, and their rivalry played a significant role in the dismal portrayal of the champion's character on the main roster. 

The Bayley we see now is different, for sure. She is more aggressive, less willing to let others walk all over her and has been booked like a deserving champion. Hopefully, WWE Creative does not fall back into that trap of highlighting Bliss at Bayley's expense.

It would not have to worry about such a thing if it had scripted the opportunity for someone like Ember Moon, Liv Morgan, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville or Mickie James, all of whom are on the blue brand and could use the heat and credibility that comes with a championship opportunity.

Remember when Goldberg was a clunky promo at his absolute best during his time with WCW? When he exhibited zero confidence on the microphone and would ramble?

That Goldberg is dead. Long live Da Man who confidently put over his match with Undertaker, vowed to unleash the ass-kicker The Deadman had watched for two decades and stood fearless in the face of The Phenom as he made a surprise appearance.

Goldberg's promo was a focused one that put over the match, gave fans a taste of the character they can expect in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday and sold the war of attrition that will unfold between two of the greatest icons the industry has produced.

You cannot ask for more than that from a star making what amounts to a guest appearance for a glorified house show.