OVER & UNDERS – WWE SMACKDOWN (5/17): Solo’s Heyman impression, Slappy Time, Fan Sign of the Night, L.A. Knight chewing gum, Logan’s flub, Orton gets slobbery

We’re just shy of one week from getting royal in Saudi Arabia, so let’s dive into the most overrated and under-appreciated moments from a show that is filled with quarter-final clarity, contract signings and likely a lot of talking because we’re so close to a PLE.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – SOLO’S HEYMAN IMPRESSION

If you look at Solo Sikoa as he’s entering the arena, his bleach blonde fohawk is shorter than normal, and with the sunlight hitting it just right, it looks like he shaved the top of his head and he’s doing his best impression of Paul Heyman…ladies and gentleman. It’s worth a second look. Maybe a third. Okay one more. Yep, still funny.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – THAT WHICH ELUDED ORTON

That was a nice hype package for the King and Queen of the Ring. Per usual the WWE promos team packs more punch than a hit from Braun Strowman (okay nothing packs that hard of a punch), but I was sitting here wondering why they’re wasting a slot on Randy Orton…until now. I didn’t realize this is really the only accolade that has eluded him his entire career. Them’s some stakes y’all. Whoever has the job to track all of this is an absolute saint, and deserves a free premium autograph signing at WWE world. It’s expensive. I’m still feeling the dent of meeting Cody Rhodes.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – SLAPPY TIME

Tiffany Stratton and Bianca Belair have some great in-ring chemistry, but Tiffy’s slappy time to Belair takes the cake, hell, it just repossessed the whole bakery. That slap could be heard in the cheap seats by Stevie Wonder, with noise-canceling headphones on, surrounded by French fans.

OVERRATED – I KNEED TO KNOW THE TRUTH

I’m loving this Tiffany Stratton versus Bianca Belair match. It’s hard-hitting, fluid, fast-paced, and I’m more entertained than a kid with A.D.H.D. in a bounce house after eating a bag of Halloween candy. But exaggerated metaphors aside, if you’re going to have Belair favor the knee in a continuation of the storyline of last week, maybe don’t have her skip to the ring during her entrance like her knee is healthier than Donald Trump claims to be in every medical exam. Is the knee injured? Is it not? I KNEED to know the truth.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – SIGN OF THE NIGHT

Looking for great fan signs from WWE fans is like partaking in a “Where’s Waldo” book if it were written by Judd Apatow. So far, the sign of the night goes to “My Dogs Love to Wrestle.” Classic dogs, amiright?

OVERRATED – UNINTENTIONALLY FUNNY

During the Tiffany Stratton versus Bianca Belair match, did anyone else notice the hilarious timing of a Cory Graves line right when a graphic promoting the UFL came up? He said “Bianca Belair does not know the meaning of the word ‘quit’.” Juxtapose that with the UFL graphic, formerly known as the XFL, and I think it’s time to cue the meme of Leonardo DiCaprio’s inquisitive look from “Inception.” Google it. I’ll wait. And…you’re welcome.

OVERRATED – L.A. KNIGHT CHEWING GUM

In seeing L.A. Knight emerge from Nick Aldis’ office, am I the only one that still cringes when I see him still addicted to chewing gum? After choke-gate, mid promo a few weeks ago, I still have P.T.S.D. How about a Jolly Rancher? An altoid? Or just pretend. You can’t choke on imagination…yeah.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – TAMA “THE GREMLIN” TONGA

Okay, I don’t know if Tama Tonga is trying to come off as feral, or doing his best gremlin impression, but whatever primal sound he is making backstage with the bloodline is terrifying and I’m here for it. It’s like watching the dog in “Cujo.” I’m terrified but I can’t look away.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – L.A. KNIGHT

The backstage promo between Camelo Hayes and L.A. Knight was fire, largely due to the multitude of chili peppers Knight was spitting out non-stop during the segment. That was one of his best promos in a while, and served as a nice reminder that he’s not a fad. He’s the real deal and could talk a fish into doubting its own ability to breath under water.

OVERRATED – TANGA LOA’S CAVITY

This match between Tama Tonga and L.A. Knight is solid, if not a little clunky due to Knight’s limited moveset. That said, I’m so distracted by whatever cavities are clearly causing Tanga Loa pain. He clearly needs a root canal with all the wincing and seething he’s doing with his teeth. Flossing is important Mr. Loa.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – ANOTHER GREAT SIGN

During Logan Paul’s entrance a fan held up a sign that said “Logan Paul is the reason shampoo has instructions.” Dearest fan, please go write for a late night talk show. You are comedy gold.

OVERRATED – LOGAN FLUBS A LINE

Logan Paul is a fantastic heel, but one flubbed line changed the entire dynamic of his contract signing segment with Cody Rhodes. He said “Your contract is on the line, not mine.” Contract? So his job is on the line?? Logan, you could have said title, championship, hell, Vince McMahon is gone so you could have even said belt. Contract? You didn’t just put your foot in your mouth with that screw up, you just at a rack of them at Payless.

OVERRATED – NIA JAX UP THE EPIC ENTRANCE

It was bound to happen eventually. WWE has been doing one of these epic talk then walk to the rings each week. A mistake had to happen at some point. After Nia Jax painfully mucked her way through a poorly acted promo, she got on track for the weekly epic entrance. The only problem? She walked too fast and once the cameraman got through the curtain, Nia had seemingly vanished. It’s kind of hilarious if you go back and watch it. Who does she think she is, John Cena? There’s only room for one invisible superstar around these parts.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – A PAT ON THE BACK FOR THE CAMERAMAN

I like D.I.Y. as much as the next NXT fan, same with Legado del Fantasma, but I absolutely hate the D.I.Y. self pat on the back gimmick. I’d like to personally thank the cameraman for moving away from them right before they did it, in favor of A-Town Down Under mocking them. I think he deserves a pat on the back for avoiding the pat on the back, in favor of a team mocking the pat on the back.

UNDER-APPRECIATED – RANDY GETS JIMMY USO’D

If you go back and watch Randy Orton’s entrance, he signs a fans shirt, then goes to fist bump her, and she totally ignores him. He shrugs it, hilariously making the best of an awkward fail. It just goes to show you. It doesn’t matter how big of a star you are, no one is safe from fist bump rejection.

OVERRATED – RANDY ORTON GETS SLOBBERY

I don’t know if Randy Orton has a cold, or if he’s allergic to cats and Carmelo Hayes has one, or if maybe he just has a virus, but he’s extra slobbery during his promo. If I were Solo Sikoa, I’d get an umbrella, because he’s flinging liquid like a 90s sprinkler, and not the fun kind you can run through. RK NO thank you.