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WWE SMACKDOWN FEUD TRACKER: Assessing and grading Bad Blood, Triple Threat Tag Team Ladder Matches, Rhodes vs Owens, The Bloodline’s return, and more!

By Tejav Narayanan, PWTorch contributor


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

Before we begin, a few quick pieces of housekeeping:

• A.J. Styles has confirmed his leg injury following a botched move two weeks ago against Carmelo Hayes. While the moment seemed to initially be a work, Styles confirmed the shoot injury via TwitterX this week. It is unknown how long Styles will be out of action. Despite proclaiming himself to be near retirement, it’s clear that Styles is still one of the best performers in the world, and we wish him a speedy return to the ring.

• Rhea Ripley recently signed a new five-year deal with WWE, with rumors of a significant pay rise. In the Triple H regime, Ripley blossomed from a talented wrestler to one of the biggest and most popular stars in the history of the women’s division. Following a lengthy championship reign and marquee WrestleMania spots, it’s clear that WWE views Ripley as a franchise player for years to come, and we wish her congratulations on her continued deal.

• Following her release from WWE, Xia Zhao (f/k/a as WWE’s Xia Li) has signed with TNA full-time after several guest appearances in 2024. Zhao, in her brief run with WWE, proved herself to be a talented in-ring performer but never felt like she got the main event stage she needed to truly display her skills and athleticism. Congrats to Zhao and TNA for their new working relationship.

With Crown Jewel set to be anchored with two cross-brand rivalries, the dynamic across Smackdown has drastically changed in the past few weeks, with both champions and their respective feuds bleeding over to Raw. Despite the drawbacks of the brand split system, the last few weeks have definitely highlighted how consistent Triple H & Co. have been with adhering to their own rules. It truly felt surreal seeing Raw wrestlers invade Friday night programming last week. It should hopefully lead to some storytelling shakeups as WWE heads into the winter.

Interestingly, I love that it no longer feels like all current storylines are paused in favor of cross-brand warfare. When a Smackdown wrestler goes to Raw, all their baggage goes with them and we get feuds intersecting in a way that highlights the roster.

It’s a higher level of storytelling, plain and simple. And especially now, when both Raw and Smackdown will spend early 2025 acclimatizing to new platforms, maintaining their consistent audience by having cross-brand feuds is a major plus.

In 2023, having The Bloodline saga on both major shows drastically raised viewership, as Smackdown-only loyalists found themselves tuning into Raw to catch the newest updates. Hopefully, the same effect will happen as WWE heads into Crown Jewel.

A lot happened last week, so let’s get to the assessment of the top feuds…


KEVIN OWENS vs. RANDY ORTON (& CODY RHODES)

Latest Developments:

Following his betrayal of Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens tried to address the audience in-ring last week but a furious Cody ambushed him. Mutual ally Randy Orton attempted to separate the two, telling Cody to focus on his upcoming championship match against Gunther while he smoothed things over with Owens.

During the brawl, Orton accidentally struck Owens, leaving Owens looking hurt. In a backstage segment later that night, Owens laid out Orton backstage in a fury before storming out of the arena.

Analysis:

Ladies and gentlemen, we have angry Kevin Owens! Owens is at his absolute best when railing against the world, and we saw that this week in spades. His intensity came through so clearly this week, and it was nice to briefly see the immutable Cody Rhodes immediately snap and begin beating down Owens. While Rhodes is currently tied up with Gunther, this feud’s already teasing some single-minded violent mayhem.

Randy Orton in the peacemaker role is definitely a stretch (given his history of treachery), but the WWE writing team definitely made it as plausible as possible by portraying Orton as a more genial and fun-loving figure since his return. The man’s a living legend completing side-quests, and this feud looks like we might finally see him return to serious mode.

The segment clearly set up Orton vs. Owens as the primary conflict over the coming weeks, which feels slightly tacked-on. Owens isn’t mindlessly evil, so theoretically he shouldn’t have the same major issues with Orton. Hopefully that will be fleshed out in the next few weeks.

Overall, a brief but intriguing tease at the coming months and the formal acknowledgement that Kevin Owens is a babyface no longer.

Grade: B+


CODY RHODES vs. GUNTHER

Latest Developments:

Last week on Smackdown, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes beat down former ally Kevin Owens for betraying him due to allying with The Bloodline at Bad Blood. Rhodes left the ring at the behest of Randy Orton.

Meanwhile, on Monday’s episode of Raw, Rhodes appeared alongside World Heavyweight Champion Gunther in anticipation of their match at Crown Jewel. The two faced off in a fiery promo segment, applauding each other for their success before swearing victory. Gunther belittled Rhodes for allowing his personal squabbles to get in the way of his business in the ring, while Rhodes fired back by pointing out that Gunther crumbles when faced with an opponent who won’t stay down.

The two shook hands and parted ways.

Analysis:

Not much to say here. A simple segment that served to get the two champions face-to-face, and cement that this feud will likely keep Cody on Raw until Crown Jewel as a neat way to remove him from Smackdown so its existing feuds (Orton-Owens, Bloodline) can advance without every wrestler saying, “Where’s Cody?”

In comparison to the women’s champ vs. champ feud, this face-to-face felt pretty perfunctory. Outside of a few asides from Gunther, there wasn’t a huge effort to intertwine the champs’ storylines.

Overall, the Rhodes-Gunther match almost exists in a vacuum. While I don’t normally have an issue with that, it makes the feud feel extremely bland when compared to the women’s feud directly afterward, which had a chaotic vibe thanks to each champ bringing their baggage with them, like the Attitude Era-Smackdown of old.

Grade: C


NIA JAX & TIFFANY STRATTON vs. THE JUDGEMENT DAY

Latest Developments:

Over the past few weeks, Ms. MITB Tiffany Stratton has grown increasingly angry at the paranoia-fueled tirades of her mentor, WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax.

Last week on Smackdown, Jax cut a promo talking down to Raw’s Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, claiming that taking down Morgan at Crown Jewel would be easy. Later that night, Jax faced off against old adversary Naomi in an impromptu match with The Judgement Day (Morgan, Dominik Mysterio, and new inductee Raquel Rodriguez) at ringside. Stratton attempted to help Nia, but The Judgement Day laid her out. Rhea Ripley appeared and took down her old enemies The Judgement Day as the segment chaotically ended.

On Monday’s episode of Raw, Stratton interrupted Rhea Ripley to warn her to stay out of Jax’s business. The two were met by The Judgement Day, and in the chaos a tag team match was greenlit for later that night. In the main event, Ripley & Stratton bickered but managed to pull out some great teamwork against Morgan & Rodriguez. Jax interrupted, laying out Morgan to send the match to a no-contest before leaving with Stratton.

Analysis:

This week’s booking was a cross-brand rivalry done to perfection. Not only did it lend a decent amount of heat to Liv vs Nia (a match that was pretty random on paper, not to mention heel vs heel), but it melded the pair’s individual rivalries in seamlessly.

Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton being forced into each other’s orbit by proxy, and melding well together was an extremely unexpected surprise. The pair’s opposite vibes played perfectly off each other, and felt like a clear signal about the future of the women’s division. The Judgement Day appearing on Smackdown genuinely felt unexpected, but thematically made sense with Jax slowly being less and less able to run her mouth without consequences.

Not to mention, we got to witness Liv and Raquel working together for the first time as heels (a very pointed counterpart to their oft-overlooked tag title reign last year), while the Jax and Stratton relationship was deepened as Stratton shined brighter the longer she remained out of Jax’s orbit. And Jax eventually interfered to send the Raw main event to a no-content, subliminally hogging all the spotlight to herself.

Every single relationship between the four women came away stronger and more complex from this booking. This was intertwined feuds done perfectly.

Grade: A++


A NEW TAG TEAM ARRIVES

Latest Developments:

Over the past few weeks, mysterious vignettes aired on Raw signalling the arrival of a mysterious new force tonight. TNA faithfuls may have recognized signs of the new team being the famous Motor City Machine Guns.

Meanwhile, following their chaotic three-way tag team ladder match against The Bloodline, DIY, and The Street Profits were arguing over their failed opportunity to reclaim the WWE Tag Team Championships. Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis shut them down, claiming that both teams had to earn new opportunities, and that “new players” were waiting in the wings.

Later that night, Santos Escobar accused Aldis of not giving Legado Del Fantasma the same opportunities as others on the roster. Aldis agreed, booking LDF members Angel & Berto in a tag team match for tonight against an unknown set of opponents.

Analysis:

The Motor City Machine Guns are here!!!!!! As a TNA fan, I’m so dang excited for this. For anyone who doesn’t know, MCMG (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) have been on the scene for nearly two decades, and their style has influenced many of the most prominent tag teams in the world including WWE. Like how Kenta influenced C.M. Punk and Bryan Danielson, MCMG has done the same for tag teams.

In the age of NXT callups, WWE has done a great job making MCMG’s arrival feel hyped up and different. While many young wrestlers are either called up or unveiled at a press conference (i.e Jade Cargill), the vignettes are a very different way to debut two characters from scratch, effectively. And, while light on the two’s history, the vignettes capture the team’s effortlessly cool vibes perfectly. Thanks to Nick Aldis’s constant name-dropping, the Smackdown Tag Team Division looks to have an exciting new player.

Do I see them immediately unseating The Bloodline? No. With how Triple H uses tag belts to bolster the aura of a faction, I could see The Bloodline holding tag team gold until well into 2025 uninterrupted. Normally, I’d feel this would undercut a new team’s debut. BUT, it looks like WWE is finally putting effort into the non-title division.

Los Garzas probably won’t last much longer than a squash tonight, but that still plays wonderfully into their narrative of Escobar being disappointed in his underlings, and continues smoothly from the storyline beat of Aldis and Escobar last week.

Meanwhile, MCMG gives DIY and/or The Street Profits a new target. Both teams feel like made men following their acclaimed ladder match, and both have a right to be angry at a new team jumping the line. With their segment being largely hostile bickering (a notable comparison to their pledge three weeks ago to work together despite going for the same gold), we could be on the horizon for one of these two to turn heel. Likely DIY, since the stench of the heel Profits still lingers from last year.

If all goes well, we’ve got several ready-made feuds in the Smackdown Tag Division, and an arrival that makes an easy character beat for multiple players. Stellar booking.

Grade: A+


CARMELO HAYES vs. LA KNIGHT (vs. ANDRADE)

Latest Developments:

Amidst the acclaimed ongoing best-of-seven series between Andrade and Carmelo Hayes, both of them became entangled with U.S. Champion L.A. Knight. Andrade eventually lost a title shot to Knight, which Hayes mocked him for.

Following his controversial match with A.J. Styles two weeks ago, Hayes also earned a title shot against L.A. Knight last week on Smackdown. The two faced off with Andrade at ringside, and after a fierce battle L.A. Knight secured a clean win to retain.

Later on, Hayes complained to Nick Aldis. Aldis commented on the Hayes vs. Andrade best-of-seven series standing at 3-3, and offered the winner of the final tiebreaker another title shot against LA Knight.

Analysis:

So, let’s get this out of the way: Styles is injured. Despite last week’s shaky ending, this week bounced back as smoothly as possible, re-integrating Carmelo Hayes and Knight back into a U.S. Title feud with Andrade seamlessly. Knight got to play the fighting champ to perfection, scoring a clean win in a promotion where those don’t come easy.

I love the subtle storytelling of Hayes not getting a handshake of respect, while his rival Andrade did. It’s such a fun subliminal way to cement the face-heel alignment between Hayes and Andrade to loyal viewers, especially in a feud where the two have oscillated between hero and villain.

I loved the teases for next week, with the Hayes vs. Andrade best-of-seven series culminating in another title shot. For one thing, it’s great that mid-card title shots truly mean something in WWE again. For awhile, it felt like those were just handed out in comparison to the world title. It’s interesting to see how much the U.S. Title has been built up, to the point where fighting for it feels like a prize again.

Additionally, with both Hayes and Andrade already losing a title shot, a second try doesn’t feel super appealing to either man. Could we be getting a triple threat? Or perhaps a team-up, a la The Bar? Both men are in a similar situation, being singles competitors stuck in a creative rut. Why not complete the cycle? Having these two team up and bicker with each other would be a hoot, while Knight could continue elevating the mid-card using the U..]S. Title. Overall, a very interesting tease for the future, thanks to a classic old-school TV title shot done to perfection.

Grade: A


BIANCA BELAIR & JADE CARGILL’S NEW CHALLENGERS

Latest Developments:

Last week on Smackdown, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill defended their titles against NXT’s Meta-Four (Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend), with Chelsea Green & Piper Niven jawing at them ringside. After a quick squash, the champs retained.

On Monday’s Raw, Belair & Cargill defended against Damage CTRL following several weeks of back-and-forth between the two teams. Despite an even match between the two teams, Belair & Cargill narrowly retained their titles after Meta-Four appeared in the crowd and ambushed the heels mid-match.

Analysis:

A pair of segments that FINALLY gave the tag champs some decently built rivalries. Both Damage CTRL and Meta-Four have had their eye on Belair & Cargill following non-title losses, and I love the detail that the pair have amassed enemies across multiple brands. It really helps differentiate the Women’s Tag Titles as the only belt to truly be cross-brand belts. For the first time, the champs didn’t feel untouchable in the ring. They were still dominant babyfaces, but the in-ring storytelling finally leaned more toward the defensive against Damage CTRL, a welcome change from the duo’s recent defenses.

I don’t foresee Belair & Cargill relinquishing the titles anytime soon, but for the first time, it really feels like there’s some mileage in this reign beyond leading to the pair’s eventual breakup and feud. While Cargill’s in-ring skills are still lacking, they’ve at least differentiated her and Belair enough that Cargill doesn’t feel like a pale imitation. She has a swag all her own.

However, I wasn’t a fan of Meta-Four’s entrance getting interrupted by Kevin Owens. I understand the booking logic, it makes KO look unpredictable. But you shouldn’t do that for a team making their Smackdown debut, against champs who have already had trouble finding plausible contenders. It made Meta-Four look weak and unimportant. Yes, I know they’re still NXT talents, but there’s ways to signify their lack of experience without undercutting their characters.

Grade: C+


Check out the latest episode of “Wrestling Coast to Coast” with Chris Maitland and Justin McClelland, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)


THE BLOODLINE CIVIL WAR

Latest Developments:

After a lengthy hiatus, Jimmy Uso returned at Bad Blood to save Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes against Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu.

Last week on Smackdown, Cody Rhodes thanked Jimmy for his help but Jimmy made it clear he and Rhodes were still not friends. Later, Roman Reigns publicly acknowledged Jimmy for his loyalty, before pledging that the two of them would build their way back up to success. Jimmy was skeptical, claiming they needed more men to stand against Sikoa, He suggested Jey Uso, but Reigns was hesitant to embrace his cousin-turned-enemy.

Later that night, Uso faced off Sikoa in his return match. Predictably, Sikoa’s Bloodline quickly interfered for Sikoa to get the win. Reigns tried to save Uso post-match, but the numbers game overwhelmed the babyfaces.

On Monday’s episode of Raw, Jimmy reunited with Jey and implored him to come home, but Jey rebuffed him.

Analysis:

This week was largely storyline setup, and the pacing across both shows felt like The Bloodline of old. At its apex, the storyline was so engaging because the champs appeared on both shows. But more importantly, each episode made sure to advance the character dynamics in some way, and we saw that this week. On Smackdown, the dynamic between Jimmy and Roman was solidified and the return of Jey Uso was floated. On Raw, the Usos interacted for the first time since WrestleMania, and Jey brushed off his brother. Top-notch, well-played storytelling that laid out everyone’s current mental state in advance of the eventual team up.

Going back a bit, let me take a moment to applaud the character dynamics. Seeing Roman rebuild his relationship with Jimmy on a more even platform is genuinely gratifying after the years of gaslighting. Additionally, a vulnerable Roman still feels like an entirely new character, while Jimmy finally gets the chance to be the story’s emotional center rather than just comic relief. And he nails it, going from caring about Roman to standing his ground against his old enemy Cody. Please let WWE keep Jimmy closer to the core of this arc, as it could seriously elevate him just like the “Ucey” arc did for his brother.

Eventually, the two opposing Bloodline factions need to face off, and when that happens, I’m worried that Sikoa’s faction could be swallowed up on the mic. Given how nuanced Reigns’s group is, Sikoa’s group feels emotionally empty. (And yes, I’m aware that WWE is trying to make Sikoa look inferior to the Original Tribal Chief, but there’s ways to do that while keeping us invested in their characters). My hope is that Sikoa gets more promo time with Fatu and The Tongans, because the four-on-four match down the road will hit so much harder if audiences can get invested in BOTH sides rather than just one.

Grade: A


RECOMMENDED NEXT: WWE RAW HITS & MISSES (10/14): Ripley & Stratton teaming together against Liv & Raquel, Truth vs. Miz, Breakker vs. Kingston, Cody-Gunther exchange, American Made vignette

OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: McGuire’s Mondays: Will Jon Moxley and AEW stick the landing?

(You can always reach PWTorch editor Wade Keller at kellerwade@gmail.com.)

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