SmackDown set the stage for Saturday Night's Main Event, but several questionable choices left fans puzzled.

Drew McIntyre's distrust of WWE management and SmackDown GM Nick Aldis was on full display. He initially refused to sign the contract for his Undisputed Championship match at Saturday Night's Main Event, demanding that Cody Rhodes be unable to retain his title through countout or disqualification. Aldis eventually agreed to the stipulation after Rhodes himself supported it.

The problem came when McIntyre, after loudly rejecting the original paperwork, ended up signing that very same version without the new clauses written in. While the company will likely honor the verbal agreement, the entire sequence undermined McIntyre's stance. He made a spectacle of refusing the first contract, only to contradict himself by signing it anyway.

Nia Jax has built her reputation as one of the most despised heels in WWE, often bullying her way through the roster. Yet on SmackDown, she was the one who suffered from questionable tactics. Alexa Bliss faced Jax with Charlotte Flair in her corner.

Although Jax never laid a hand on Flair, The Queen still influenced the outcome. She climbed onto the apron as Jax prepared her finisher, distracting The Annihilator long enough for Bliss to trip her and score the pinfall. Commentary even highlighted the double standard. Corey Graves asked Michael Cole for his thoughts, and Cole could only mutter,“Well, their friendship paid off.” Had the roles been reversed, Cole would have been outraged at the unfairness.

This week's SmackDown and Saturday Night's Main Event both emanated from Salt Lake City, Utah. WWE leaned heavily into promoting a college football clash between the Utah Utes and Cincinnati Bearcats, a game with Big 12 implications. The issue? The matchup wasn't even airing on USA Network.

Across the broadcast, at least three separate segments hyped the game. WWE even aired a pre‐recorded mascot wrestling skit before the MFTs took on the Motor City Machine Guns. While one mention would have sufficed, the repeated plugs felt excessive, as though the wrestlers themselves were somehow involved. The constant reminders distracted from the wrestling product fans tuned in to see.

Halloween is tailor‐made for a faction like the Wyatt Sicks, whose eerie personas fit the season perfectly. Yet on SmackDown, their presence was almost nonexistent. Nikki Cross briefly appeared backstage after Chelsea Green's match was set against Women's U.S. Champion Giulia for next week, but the rest of the group was relegated to the background.

During a heated exchange between the MFTs and Rey Fenix, the Wyatt Sicks were visible only if you didn't blink. Later, after the MFTs defeated the Motor City Machine Guns, Rey Fenix, and Shinsuke Nakamura, the stage was set for a dramatic appearance. Instead, the group stayed hidden, missing a golden opportunity to make an impact on the holiday most suited to their mystique.

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