WWE SMACKDOWN HITS & MISSES (2/28): A focus on the U.S. Title Qualifying matches including Knight vs. Escobar, Strowman vs. Carmelo, Andrade vs. Jacob Fatu

I entered the weekend believing that whatever happened at Elimination Chamber would overshadow whatever happened on Smackdown. I have been proven right. John Cena answered the corporate call and embraced the dark side of the Final Boss. This hurts almost worse than Hogan’s turn. This is John Cena, Superman in the real world! He’s gone! He’s gone, my friends. And that’s all we can talk about. The turn. The brutal beatdown of Cody Rhodes. But there was actually something phenomenal that happened on Smackdown, and it deserves to be remembered and broken down despite how game-changing Elimination Chamber was: the United States Championship No.1 Contender’s Tournament! So, let’s dive into the matches and see what might be in store for the future. As always, I’m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at chrisowj@gmail.com if you think I’ve Missed.

HITS

FATU BREAKS THE BODY OF THE IDOL

My most recent columns have all started by praising Jacob Fatu, and this week is no exception. He was the standout of this episode and the tournament itself, and he was denied his ultimate victory. We’ll address that grievance later.

Originally, Solo Sikoa was supposed to face off against Andrade, but Solo graciously offered his spot to Jacob as an act of love. While I’m sure there are dubious motives behind the scenes, it nonetheless gave us the chance to see Andrade compete against a worthy opponent. The match was, in a word, beautiful.

As soon as Fatu entered, I felt certain he would be the victor. Still, the match served as a masterclass in wrestling with the sense that real stakes are at play. Every move felt significant, every action intentional, and everything purposeful. Both men gave of themselves so willingly for the audience’s enjoyment. They surrendered their bodies to each other, as the trust required to perform with such intensity must be extraordinarily high. And intensity is exactly what we witnessed.

As the match neared its conclusion, and Andrade fell victim to multiple hip attacks, an Impaler DDT, and a moonsault, I was convinced we were finally witnessing the ascent of a Gilded Jacob Fatu. Alas, my hopes were dashed. I will touch on Fatu’s ultimate loss later, but I want to conclude with a thought about Andrade.

Andrade seems to always begin his matches with little to no heat, then halfway through, he gets over. As much as the crowd loved Fatu, they also embraced and appreciated Andrade. WWE should capitalize on that with more than just a Speed Championship. Let him hold this belt sometime soon, but not before the Samoan werewolf.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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L.A. KNIGHT TAKES TO THE AIR

Let’s be clear. This match was saved by one thing: the BFT in midair. As a whole, I found myself unmoved by the match. We’ve seen these two dance before, and they lacked chemistry in the past, just as they do now. The more I watch L.A. Knight, the more tedious he becomes, as well as noticeably sloppier in some of his execution. Santos Escobar, however, continues to impress with the crispness of his wrestling and the fluidity of his movement. The precision needed to make the BFT in midair look real was perfectly achieved, giving the match a tremendously exciting finish.

HAYES WITH ANOTHER LAYUP

Creativity and psychology were the tools Carmelo Hayes needed to slay the monster Braun Strowman. By pulling off a classic maneuver made famous by Eddie Guerrero, peace be upon him, Hayes left the ring smiling with another victory to his name. I’m grateful to see Hayes on a winning streak, as his character desperately needed some momentum. It was beginning to feel like he was buried by stagnation. Although I’m unsure about his future and highly critical of his partnership with The Miz, he was showcased very strongly. Though he did not win the tournament, he still achieved something significant. He reminded us all that he really is one to watch, which in the world of professional wrestling might be just as valuable as gold.

MISSES

A VICTORY OF MEDIOCRITY

While I wasn’t heartbroken over L.A. Knight securing the contendership, I wasn’t pleased either. When Nick Aldis announced that the tournament was opening up for the contendership, it felt like an opportunity to correct the wrongs of the past few months regarding the U.S. Championship. It has been held hostage around the waist of Shinsuke Nakamura, and that isn’t his fault. It’s the fault of creative. It’s the fault of those making the decisions.

Therefore, having the belt around someone who just lurks in the shadows and appears to be no threat diminishes the championship, making it something less than what it could be. If Jacob Fatu desired it as a prize worthy of bringing honor to his family, it would have positioned the title as something worth fighting for again. As it stands, Knight wants the championship merely to get back at Nakamura. The motivations behind the story must run deeper if the title is to be pulled from irrelevance. It requires more than just a standard feud. Knight needs to genuinely desire the honor of this championship.

If the World Championships are about power and the Intercontinental Championship represents hard work, perhaps the U.S. Championship could become a championship of honor, one that adds an almost moral value to the life of the titleholder. My idea isn’t fully formed, but it does seem to involve more thought than what WWE has put into the title lately.

Having Knight as the contender yet again gives us a match that nobody wanted to begin with. It’s a tedious rematch between someone floundering in his new direction and another whose character has not evolved at all. This title could mean something. Right now, it feels like a whole lot of nothing.