Anytime you WWE has a large multi-person match to build to, you’ll typically get a segment just before the pay-per-view previewing said multi-person match. In this case, we got multiple wrestlers in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match confronting WWE Champion Sami Zayn on Friday Night SmackDown this week in Denver.
Je’Von Evans, Penta, and Trick Williams all showed up to cut a promo on Zayn, stating their case for why they’re dangerous and to be taken seriously as a threat. Neither Penta nor Williams really needed to do so — both are clearly on the right trajectory to get to the main event and win a world title someday.
I’m not sure the same could be said about Evans going into this evening. I’m still not sure the same can be said for him coming out of it but I’ll be damned if he didn’t cut one hell of a promo that really started to turn the tide, at least for me.
Prior to this evening, Evans has been a high flying, exciting wrestler who can do some really great stuff between the ropes. But there’s a lot more to the industry than that and you can — and I probably would — argue it’s the least important part of the equation when you’re dealing with WWE. The one skill you absolutely must possess is an ability to connect by simply speaking.
I no longer wonder if he can do so after his showing here.
I have to give you two clips, because WWE didn’t want to just release the entire thing (though they should). First, the start of his promo:
Then, the finish of it is right at the top of this highlight of the entire segment:
It wasn’t quite enough to make me think he’ll win the Money in the Bank contract but it was absolutely enough that I wouldn’t hate it if he did. Let me be clear: I don’t think he should. He’s still just 22-years-old. There’s plenty of time to polish his overall game.
But he took a gigantic leap in the right direction tonight.
