5 things WWE SmackDown got right this week: Roman Reigns celebrates his record; RAW Superstars dominate

WWE SmackDown picked up the pace as the Royal Rumble draws near. Roman Reigns was expected to come out early on the show to celebrate his record-breaking reign as the Universal Champion.

Sami Zayn delivered another hilarious episode of InZayn, but he could not get the better of Johnny Knoxville. Sheamus defeated Ricochet after a quick match that did not help either man get over.

Meanwhile, Sonya Deville let Charlotte Flair battle Naomi on the show only to hand her another loss. It looks like the rivalry between the two female superstars is far from over.

The Viking Raiders defeated Los Lotharios after delivering The Viking Experience. The two men are now looking to challenge The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.

There weren’t too many great matches on this week’s show. However, many segments helped build towards the upcoming Premium Live Event.

With that said, check out the five things that WWE got right on this week’s SmackDown.

#5. Roman Reigns celebrated his record-breaking title reign on WWE SmackDown

The Usos kicked off WWE SmackDown and introduced Roman Reigns on his 508th night as Universal Champion. The Tribal Chief came down to the ring and ordered Nashville to acknowledge him before kicking off his celebration.

A video package put over Reigns’ accomplishments as the Universal Champion before he delivered a short promo. However, Seth Rollins soon came down to rain on his parade.

The Visionary mocked the champ and criticized him for sending The Usos to do his dirty work on RAW, referring to the twin’s attack. Reigns questioned whether John Cena had written Rollins’ promo.

Seth pitched an idea for a match between him and a partner of his choosing and The Usos. He said if his team won, The Usos would be barred from ringside at Royal Rumble.

Kevin Owens entered the arena to reveal himself as Rollins’ partner. Reigns upped the ante: If The Usos won, Rollins would lose his title shot.

The opening segment of WWE SmackDown was fantastic and built towards the biggest match of the night. The arrival of two top stars from RAW allowed the creative team to lay the platform for a high-stakes contest.

The Universal Championship picture has been the best in WWE for over a year. The creative team continues to deliver some great segments and matches to build up the championship matches.