SmackDown Struggles for Heat as SummerSlam Seeds Get Planted

SmackDown on July 24 felt short on heat despite several SummerSlam setups: Gunther’s long-running “Career Killer” gimmick is getting stale, Nick Aldis returned to set up a clash with him, and a four-way for the #1 contender to face Sami Zayn at SummerSlam (Damian Priest, Royce Williams, Finn Balor, Trick Williams) provided a clean finish. Sami Zayn’s evolving role keeps him in the title-picture orbit, while Cody Rhodes and CM Punk banter and Bloodline business anchor the show. The women’s side delivered multiple matches and Nikki Bella’s return, plus Jade Cargill/Charlotte Flair fodder, but overall the two-hour format left the card feeling busy rather than compelling, earning a D+.