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Before we begin, a few quick housekeeping notes about the state of WWE:
- Tonight’s episode is the first installment of WWE Smackdown to premiere on the USA Network. While rumors suggest that WWE isn’t planning any drastic changes to the product, the loosened restrictions on basic cable should definitely be noticeable, if Fox’s annoying habit of crowd censoring is anything to go by.
- Raw will be moving back to two hours through the rest of 2024 starting next month. It is unknown what the program’s running time will be on Netflix in 2025. While many groaned when three-hour Raw was announced, the show seems to fly by these days. I’ll actually miss the third hour, believe it or not. Well done, Triple H.
- Rumors indicate that WWE is planning a Saturday Night’s Main Event primetime special on NBC. For any fans of ’80s wrestling (i.e me), this proves exciting. The original SNME specials revolutionized free-to-air TV wrestling, and laid the groundwork for modern PPV pacing and special events. I can’t wait to see a modern interpretation (excluding the 2006 specials; those were awful).
Last week’s episode of Smackdown was one of the more interesting PPV fallout episodes of 2024. With many ongoing feuds de-emphasized and new rivalries opened, there seemed to be a noticeable shift in focus that feels less common in the era of year-long stories.
I like it! It makes the show feel fresh, shakes things up, and luckily for fans the blue brand’s character dynamics, feel solid enough that WWE can easily go back to established rivalries if they need to.
With WWE looking to make a big impression in their new network home, tonight’s episode should be a doozy. Very little has been announced, which probably means a lot of surprises. Let’s go over where things stand after last week.
CODY RHODES vs. THE BLOODLINE
Latest Developments
Following Bash In Berlin, Solo Sikoa challenged Cody Rhodes to a rematch for the WWE Championship. Rhodes agreed, and met the Bloodline in the ring last week.
Following the recent string of losses, Rhodes tried to sow discord in The Bloodline by offering a title shot to Bloodline standout Jacob Fatu instead, but Sikoa ordered Fatu to stand down. Rhodes eventually laid down the challenge to Sikoa, who accepted.
The Bloodline tried to jump Rhodes, but he was saved by fellow Bloodline adversaries DIY & The Street Profits.
Tonight, Rhodes and Sikoa face off in a steel cage for the WWE Championship, to open the show.
Analysis
Returning to this rivalry so soon felt like an odd choice. Cody’s continued interactions with The Bloodline post-Wrestlemania already felt clunky, but they also felt necessary to establish new players and show that the stable was still a main event act.
But, especially after the Kevin Owens feud highlighted “win/loss records”, Solo’s inclusion into the main event scene feels…. odd. This leads me to believe that tonight’s steel cage match will instead be used to kick off an angle. Triple H’s booking is more stipulation-averse than his predecessor (remember when we had a random HIAC match on Smackdown), and combined with the match’s placement opening the show, this will likely sow the seeds for a Roman Reigns return and/or other groundwork for Bloodline vs. Bloodline.
Also, last week’s promo did a great job at solidifying Solo’s increasing insecurity and tenuous hold over Jacob. Like his own dynamic with Reigns, there’s so much tension to be mined from a leader scared of his own enforcer. Following tonight, it’s likely that The New Bloodline will have been built up enough to silo them from the main show’s storylines somewhat, so they can build to an inter-faction war (likely culminating at Survivor Series).
All in all, this week’s segment felt like a tease for an obvious plot point, while tonight’s steel cage match has the potential to rival “Tribal Court” in terms of iconic beats in Bloodline lore if executed correctly.
Grade: A-
DIY vs. THE STREET PROFITS VS. THE BLOODLINE
Latest Developments
The two babyface teams joined forces to ally with Cody Rhodes against The Bloodline last week. To avoid a brawl, Nick Aldis booked them in an 8-man tag match later that night.
Both teams reaffirmed their loyalty to each other and vowed to kick The Bloodline’s ass. In the main event, despite a valiant effort, the 4 lost to The Bloodline.
On the following episode of NXT, The Profits stepped in as last-minute replacements for The Rascalz. Following their NXT Tag Title match, The Bloodline appeared and laid them out.
Analysis
DIY and The Street Profits joining Cody was a cool moment, solidifying the babyface upper and mid-cards against a common heel. While The OG Bloodline ran through the roster as well, they always managed to keep their enemies at bay (RK-Bro, Owens, Zayn, Rhodes, New Day, etc.). In contrast, showing the new Bloodline’s inability to finish rivalries conclusively makes them seem in over their head and shows Solo’s weaknesses as a leader. Beautifully done subliminal booking.
Last week’s main event match didn’t live up to previous matches between the 8 men, but once again displayed that Jacob Fatu’s power is carrying The Bloodline HARD (which amps up his character as a wild card between the old and new Bloodlines beautifully).
While both babyface teams aren’t being given much to do character-wise, their continued interactions have injected some much needed momentum in the Smackdown tag division. When The Bloodline eventually drop the tag titles, there’s at least some decent prospective challengers waiting in the wings.
However, presently this three-way feud feels pretty directionless. With The Bloodline and Profits appearing on NXT, it looks like The Profits are being set up for a tag title shot, while DIY will likely shift focus elsewhere. Which…. sure, it sounds watchable, but the lack of heat really drags down this feud to mid-level.
Grade: B
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NIA JAX & TIFFANY STRATTON vs. BAYLEY
Latest Developments
Two weeks ago, Tiffany Stratton attempted to cash in her MITB briefcase on an unconscious Nia Jax for the WWE Women’s Championship, but Jax came to before she could do so.
Last week, Stratton (after chatting with Pretty Deadly) successfully fooled Jax that she never actually tried to cash in. In return, Jax was at ringside for Stratton’s match with Bayley later that night.
Despite the Role Model’s best efforts, Stratton secured the win thanks to a distraction from Jax.
Analysis
First off, the concept of Stratton somehow convincing Jax she was innocent was pretty goofy. This is what happens when you raise the bar for logic in your wrestling promotion: little hand wave-y moments like this stand out like a sore thumb. Jax has access to PLE footage, she could see the betrayal if she wanted. Hopefully it comes out that Jax is just playing along, otherwise I’m not a fan of this.
However, the little character interactions this week beautifully served to build up Stratton as a looming threat. Establishing that she’s still on good terms with Pretty Deadly (while Jax isn’t) provides her with allies in case she needs backup. Additionally, despite Jax providing a brief distraction, it’s telling that Stratton beat Bayley far more decisively than Jax has in the past. All these details subtly build up Stratton as a force that could plausibly take out a hoss like Nia Jax. The eventual confrontation between them will hit like crack.
Bayley’s booking continues to confound me. With little character development, slotting her in as a simple antagonist against Stratton feels like a disservice to her character. The former ace of NXT should be more than the third most interesting part of a storyline between two heels. In an era where clean-cut babyfaces are suddenly in vogue again (hi, Cody Rhodes), WWE has put Bayley against two of the most hateable heel factions in WWE (Damage CTRL, and Nia Jax/Tiffany Stratton) and both times it’s felt underwhelming.
Grade: B-
ANDRADE vs. CARMELO HAYES (vs. L.A. KNIGHT)
Latest Developments
Cocky Carmelo Hayes, fresh off his second win from Andrade, called his shot against US Champion LA Knight last week. Andrade interrupted, reminding Melo that Andrade beat him twice too, while butting heads with LA Knight as well.
Eventually, the three began brawling, and the US Champion laid out both his prospective challengers with a BFT.
Analysis
Melo and Andrade both were let down by their mic work this week. Their promos felt stilted and oddly bland, given the escalation of their blood feud in the ring over the past few weeks. Weirdly, putting live mics in their hands somehow made their rivalry feel so much less intense, almost forced. I don’t understand, given all the ammo was there for a fiery three-way verbal joust. Instead, the two spat out boring lines while LA Knight thoroughly cooked them both.
Speaking of, Knight has comfortably settled into his role as the gatekeeper of the midcard. WWE has pointedly stayed away from giving him a long-term feud thus far. For me, this has been a great choice, as he can now serve as an end goal for the entirety of the men’s division who don’t feel like plausible world title contenders. During much of the Logan Paul era, the midcard had nothing to fight for and as a result the roster felt extremely top-heavy. Knight can pull a good feud out of anyone, which should bode well for Hayes and Melo (the eventual triple threat should be an absolute BANGER).
Additionally, this gives his feuds a different flavor than Cody’s earnest babyface act. And diversifying the vibe of Smackdown will always win points from me. It’s amazing how every men’s champ in WWE has a distinct style to them right now.
Grade: B
LEGADO DEL FANTASMA’S INTERNAL STRIFE
Latest Developments
Last week, Angel and Berto celebrated their recent win against foes Apollo Crews & Baron Corbin. Santos Escobar, however, berated them for being complacent and claimed their name should be synonymous with victory.
Analysis
Not much to report here. Santos continues to be the dictator leader never happy with anything. If anything, this segment existed simply to remind us that this faction exists, which I appreciate. More than anything, it’s an acknowledgement that wrestlers aren’t being forgotten week-to-week, and it keeps these lower-card factions in the minds of viewers.
Bear no mistake, LDF is ice cold right now, which is a shame given the talent involved. But there’s just enough hateability from Santos, that you could very easily heat them back up. And having these short segments make the overall roster feel so much deeper.
One of the pluses of the Attitude Era was that every one felt like they were doing something, even the jobbers. This is a step in bringing back that feeling. Even if this story gets phased out, it’s better than half the roster sitting in catering each week.
Grade: B
BIANCA BELAIR & JADE CARGILL vs. THE UNHOLY UNION
Latest Developments
At Bash In Berlin, Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill won their match against The Unholy Union for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. This Monday on Raw, the champs won their rematch.
Despite not making a Smackdown appearance last week, the two offered to defend their titles on NXT next Tuesday via Twitter.
Analysis
The booking trend of, essentially, a post-PPV epilogue match really felt like it dragged down the second reign for Belair and Cargill. Normally, these matches are a nice way to put a button on a feud, so both teams can move on conclusively. But, after how one-sided this feud already felt, revisiting it post-PPV really felt like a slog.
It’s crazy how one single episode of television can really halt the momentum of a reign, especially at the beginning. I have high hopes for Belair & Cargill, who are two of the most talented stars on the WWE roster, but the tag belts have increasingly felt like anchors to any team holding them. The Unholy Union’s goodwill is gone despite their limited screentime, and the women’s tag division feels so incredibly heatless because Belair & Cargill dominated the airtime even when they weren’t the champions.
Hopefully, Monday’s match was the end of the current feuds, and Belair & Cargill can re-establish themselves as the end bosses of the women’s division. I’m incredibly enthusiastic for their NXT showing on Tuesday, and soon hopefully new challengers will emerge to revitalize the division.
Grade: C
GIOVANNI VINCI’S GRAND DEBUT
Latest Developments
Giovanni Vinci had his debut match under his new “Italian Stallion” gimmick, after weeks of vignettes claiming he would raise the bar for Smackdown.
After a lengthy entrance, Vinci took his sweet time posing for the audience and taking off his expensive jacket, until opponent Apollo Crews squashed him in under five seconds.
Analysis
To all the naysayers complaining about Vinci being buried, I sincerely disagree. Beyond anything else, this was hilarious. This felt like a squash out of the Attitude Era – complete comedy, zero in-ring work, but beautiful and quick storytelling.
And, most importantly, it had a different vibe to anything else on the card last week. This is important because it establishes Vinci better than a competitive match ever could. Now we know he’s a heel with a chip on his shoulder, he has an achilles heel (vanity) that his opponents can exploit, and he has a ready-made rival in Apollo Crews. This is another mini-feud that could really juice up the midcard and immediately establishes Vinci’s place on the Smackdown roster.
I know, in eras past, such a humiliating squash would be due to backstage heat and lead to an eventual burial. But, the purposeful filming of Vinci and Crews’ faces, and the pronounced comedy felt like this was a purposeful attempt to lead to something. Have faith, people.
Chelsea Green’s WWE return was a 0.2 second showing at the Royal Rumble, and she’s doing just fine.
Grade: C-
CHELSEA GREEN IN ACTION
Latest Developments
With an assist from Piper Niven, Chelsea Green defeated Michin in a brutally one-sided match.
Analysis
Speaking of, Chelsea Green got the chance to show out against Michin in a brief but impactful match. Here’s why I wanted to highlight this:
First off, the choice of opponent is notable. Michin has slowly been built up as a fiery babyface over the past few weeks due to her recent challenge against Nia Jax. Pitting Chelsea against her, and having her win in a notably more decisive manner than most of her recent matches, elevates Chelsea to a heel equal in prowess to Michin.
Also, watchers of NXT will know that Chelsea faced off against NXT’s biggest new signing Giulia in her debut match. Interestingly, Chelsea got in a lot of offense despite losing. Given that Giulia is expected to essentially steamroll through the NXT women’s division according to rumors, it’s clear this match was to build up Chelsea for that.
This adds a layer to the booking that I love: everything serves a purpose, even if not immediate. It would have been so easy to throw on a random women’s division squash here, but instead this was used to build up an opponent on a different brand. Even though WWE has been pretty adherent to the brand split this year, this elements of continuity are a great subtle way to keep viewers hooked on all three TV programs. Nice.
And the added side effect is Chelsea continuing to be built up as a serious contender. With Survivor Series in her home country this year, we could be in store for another Chelsea Green star-making performance.
Grade: A-
KEVIN OWENS VS. A-TOWN DOWN UNDER
Latest Developments
Last week, A-Town Down Under mocked Kevin Owens following his loss to Cody Rhodes at Bash In Berlin. Owens challenged the two of them to a triple threat match later that night.
In the match, Owens won by scoring a pinfall on Theory, but the heels laid him out post-match.
Tonight, A-Town Down Under faces Kevin Owens and a mystery partner in a tag match.
Analysis
Kevin Owens chose friendship at Bash In Berlin, so of course the universe is testing him with A-Town Down Under. These 3 have some of the best chemistry on Smackdown. Watching Theory and Waller constantly needle Owens until he’s just barely ready to snap is absolutely hilarious.
I love the story being told, that every booking decision is almost configured to enrage Owens further. From a triple threat in which the other two competitors gang up on him anyway, to Waller’s constant insults mid-match. Watching Owens continually try to avoid sliding into villainy is supremely enjoyable, as he proves that no one can sell internal conflict quite like him. Comedic or tragic, watching Owens sow the seeds for a heel turn is incredible television.
As for tonight’s tag match, Owens’ supposed mystery partner feels tailor-made for a big return. Randy Orton’s return to the blue brand feels like the most likely option (given that Triple H isn’t historically a fan of surprise debuts without foreshadowing). Could this be a setup for Orton v Owens? We saw a glimpse of that at Wrestlemania, where the two began fighting after Orton tried for a surprise RKO. But this Owens is a different Owens, one ready to unleash his heel beast. If Orton tries another sneak attack, he may not escape this time.
In any case, being one of the only announced segments for tonight definitely suggests a big moment, and it’s likely that said moment will likely lead to Owens’ feud moving into Bad Blood and beyond.
Grade: A-
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