SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
If two weeks can be considered a trend, then it feels like Smackdown’s quality is trending upward! The road to WrestleMania has been bumpy near the beginning, but it’s smoothing out and the vision is becoming more clear. We had several high-quality segments this week, not least of which is Naomi’s revelation and LA Knight’s victory. Even still, the gap continues to widen between the quality and enjoyment level of Raw and Smackdown, with the blue brand in need of a shot of adrenaline. Did we get it this week? Keep reading to find out. As always, I’m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think I’ve Missed!
HITS
RANDY’S RETURN: Randy Orton injects a distinctly human element into any show, and I say that positively. The emotion comes forth, the performance feels raw and unrehearsed, and the violence seems natural. Orton’s second return in less than two years was no less thunderous, and it continued on Smackdown. It remains to be seen who he faces at WrestleMania, but regardless of who it is, one thing is certain: we need Orton vs. John Cena before the big man hangs it up for good.
PRETTY DEADLY ARE DEADLY ENOUGH TO WIN: These two gentlemen deserve all the flowers! They have been putting in the effort on TV, and one imagines on the house show circuit, too. Are they championship material? I’m not sure. At least, I’m uncertain about them in their current form. Perhaps some character development is needed before they are awarded the belts, but that can’t take away from their well-deserved victory. The match was chaotically entertaining, and I hope they can deliver when it comes to competing for the championships!
NAOMI COMES CLEAN: Since I wasn’t here for Naomi’s first run in WWE, I am unfamiliar with the level of depth she experienced previously. So far, what I have seen has lacked a certain depth and nuance. It felt quite perfunctory and shallow, lacking roots and showing little to no progression. This segment, however, erupted in a burst of emotionality that was incredibly delivered by both performers. However, the highest marks belong to Naomi. She truly sunk her teeth into a performance that was vulnerable, defiant, angry, sad, and everything in between. It was almost uncomfortable to watch, as it felt like we shouldn’t be privy to this disclosure. But we were, and what we witnessed was amazing. The subsequent beatdown by Jade Cargill was phenomenal, and WWE absolutely needs to deliver on this storyline. Black women must be featured and represented in high-profile stories beyond championship bouts. This is a good start.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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)
ALBA FYRE JOINS THE HERVICE: I feared Alba Fyre was heading down the same path as Isla Dawn. Not so much dawn as dusk on a once-promising career. The revelation that Fyre has joined the Secret Herice was unexpected but welcome. Hopefully, Fyre’s profile is elevated by spending time alongside Green. She deserves to be seen and heard weekly!
CODY ON THE WARPATH: What more can I say to convince any doubters that this is the man of the hour, the man for the job, the man whom everyone should fear? With a battered face, Cody Rhodes stood defiantly against the hypocrisy and betrayal of John Cena. He remained strong in the embrace of the crowd, who firmly supported their champion by booing John Cena without hesitation or reservation. One hopes that Cena and Cody will meet face-to-face before WrestleMania, as the feud needs fuel to keep the fire burning bright. Nevertheless, Cody delivered tonight, as he always does. We truly are living in a new Golden Age of Professional Wrestling.
L.A. KNIGHT IS ON TOP: L.A. Knight ended the disaster that was Shinsuke Nakamura’s title reign. Let’s pretend it didn’t happen, and then we can return to normal programming. Andrade and Melo for the title, please?
MISSES
FLAIR’S NON-PRESENCE: Nothing new. Three weeks now, and nothing new. No explanations. No motivations. Just questionable fashion choices and bad beatdowns. If Charlotte Flair wins at WrestleMania, it will be difficult for me not to look at the recent booking of Tiffany Stratton as more damaging in the long run. A damn shame.
MCINTYRE AND PRIEST NOT FIRING: Without being too critical of two wrestlers I very much enjoy, their pairing doesn’t move me, and I hope there is a pivot before WrestleMania. The less said the better.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.