SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Leading up to Saturday Night’s Main Event, Smackdown moved fast and furiously to add tension and wrinkles to the feuds making up the match card. Legacies will be cemented as the Women’s US Championship match features two underappreciated wrestlers who deserve all the flowers coming their way. A fabulous episode indeed! As always, I’m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think I’ve missed.
HITS
Michin With A Clean Victory
Over the last year, I’ve noticed a slow but steady upward push for Michin. I wondered where it was going, but now we know! I am so unbelievably happy that Michin won this semifinal match in the Women’s United States Championship Tournament. I am also frankly astounded that not only did she beat Tiffany Stratton, Miss Money In The Bank, but she beat her clean. This is perhaps her most high-profile match, and she delivered in spades. Even the footage of her walking into the arena had the air of a champion. HH is winning when it comes to Michin’s presentation, which means that we as the fans are winning, too.
DIY-MCMG Promo Battles
Last week, I called for a new edge to be given to DIY. I wasn’t around for their Black and Gold days, so I may have missed that edge in the past. But their promo this week feels like they are a blade put to a sharpening wheel, and we can see that edge being applied ever so precisely. The black and white filter only added to the harshness, the starkness, their anger palpable and their egos on full display. It’s the story of an apprentice coming to slay his master, and it even resonates with the primally human conflict between fathers and sons. This brewing battle feels like a true fight between good and evil, but all of it under the guise of a street fight between two teams crackling with punk rock energy.
Solo’s Growth
As harsh as I have been towards Solo Sikoa in the past, I feel I owe it to him to acknowledge that I see a great amount of growth both in his character work on the mic and in his technical work in the ring. His match with LA Knight was a good showing, as it should be, since they were paired up on a house show circuit for 20+ matches. I’m glad to see that he has obviously been putting in the work necessary to enhance his character and really come into his own.
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
Chelsea FTW
She did it. She did it! Chelsea Green secured the most important victory in her career, or at least the most crucial one since returning to WWE. Like Michin, Chelsea Green deserves the spotlight. Whether she wins the title or not, she will go down in history as one of the two women competing for the chance to be the first-ever United States Champion. I’m torn between Chelsea and Michin. I’ve been calling for Chelsea to be strapped up, but Michin’s performance tonight meant that she will give Chelsea a run for her money. I believe Chelsea can emerge victorious, as we saw her put down one of the best and most storied women in WWE history in Bayley. I wish she would have won the match without interference from Piper Niven, but that just comes with her character. We are in for something wild in Long Island,
Cody-KO
The pressure cooker is ready to explode. I’m not sure that Kevin Owens’ heart can take any more of his anger. In all his most recent promos, it feels like a tidal wave of anger is being held back by the most poorly constructed dam of self-control. We’re seeing the slow metamorphosis of a man into the very embodiment of rage and aggression. And it’s even beginning to infect the heart of our champion, Cody Rhodes. Did you see Cody striking with punches the security guards who were simply doing their job? Cody is our Superman, but Superman would never do that. Anger and hate only lead to suffering for everybody involved. I’m honestly not sure about the outcome of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Will both men crack under the pressure of their rage and anger, stooping to levels that they know are beneath them? Will they sacrifice their own integrity to be proven right? This is why professional wrestling is such a fantastic medium. We can explore questions of ethics and virtue, all while talking about two men putting their bodies on the line for our enjoyment. A paradoxically beautiful yet violent way to construct meaning in the world. Oh, and KO’s Stardust shirt won the night.
MISSES
Jimmy Uso Opening
While I love Jimmy Uso’s theme, and I believe he has compelling in-ring energy, he lacks a bit of star power, or aura, when called upon to open the show. His promo was spoken well, but it meandered and stumbled in places it shouldn’t have. I’ll give him the credit that he might still have a bit of rust to shake off, but it wasn’t the best way to open the show. That being said, he took Drew McIntyre’s Claymore like a champ.
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