SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Before we begin, a few quick housekeeping updates:
• Ilja Dragunov has reportedly torn his ACL and will be off TV for 6-9 months. The injury was announced on Raw last Monday. Dragunov’s callup to main roster programming was hotly anticipated, and despite a lack of prominence in recent months, it was clear that WWE viewed him as a hot commodity. Wishing all the best to Ilja in his recovery.
• Following his acclaimed “Last Monster Standing” match on Raw last week, Braun Strowman is also rumored to be out with an injured groin. Strowman was noticeably limping in the closing stretch of the match, but managed to finish the match. If true, this will be the 2nd major injury for Strowman since 2022 following the neck issues that shelved him for the majority of last year. Strowman has been a reliable player in the Raw midcard since his return, and we wish him all the best in his recovery.
• Rumors indicate that WWE is aware of criticisms that African-American men have been underrepresented on PLE events. While WWE’s history with non-white representation has been spotty (at best), the new regime has proved open to highlighting minority communities in a less offensive light. Diversity allows children worldwide to see a superhero figure on TV that looks just like them. As an Indian-American man, that appearance matters more than people might think, and hopefully the groundswell of online chatter continues motivating WWE to give their black talent the platform they deserve.
It’s the go-home Smackdown for Bad Blood, and tensions are a-brewin! As we draw closer to the PPV, it’s become clear that WWE has planned Bad Blood as a spiritual successor to Hell In A Cell (only without the requirement of multiple HIAC events, which heavily devalued the stipulation as the ultimate burner to a blood-feud).
The go-home cards have begun to resemble the Attitude Era’s Sunday Night Heat, which would frequently tape matches the day before a PPV, to be packed together with the event itself for viewers at home. This prevented PPVs from running overly long, but made sure fans at home got their money’s worth. Obviously, there’s no need to replay matches nowadays thanks to the ease of online streaming, but it’s interesting to see the evolution of “PPV-worthy” events being spread out to peripheral WWE events.
As Smackdown continues to prepare for the move to three hours, the structure of the show is subtly changing. While the 3-hour Raw often featured feuds interweaving and long workrate-heavy matches, Smackdown in 2024 has largely felt more sectioned off. Many feuds feel like they’re in their own little bubble, and the main event scene feels almost entirely locked off from the rest of the show.
However, last week’s show featured a steady throughline with 3-4 different rivalries all informing the show-long tease to Kevin Owens’ supposed betrayal. This felt noticeably different, and perhaps a taste of WWE’s plans to keep USA viewers hooked over a longer timespan.
RANDY ORTON & KEVIN OWENS vs. CODY RHODES (vs. THE BLOODLINE)
Latest Developments:
Cody Rhodes agreed to team up with longtime enemy Roman Reigns against The Bloodline at Bad Blood, in a desperate attempt to take down the faction once and for all.
Cody’s allies Randy Orton and Kevin Owens were both unhappy with this decision, having both been enemies of Reigns for years. Two weeks ago, Owens repeatedly refused to share his thoughts on Rhodes, before seemingly deciding to embrace him.
Last week, Orton and Owens demanded an explanation. Rhodes explained that their previous wars against The Bloodline were lost because they didn’t take every single possibility into account. Reigns is a wild card, so Rhodes sought to team with him. The trio were interrupted by The Bloodline, and an enraged Owens demanded a tag match that night: Orton & Owens vs Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu.
Owens asked Rhodes not to interfere, but Orton later secretly told Rhodes to use his own judgement if he thought the Tongans would interfere.
In the main event, Owens and Orton put up a fight against The Bloodline but threatened to be overmatched when The Tongans joined the fray. Rhodes chose to intervene, allowing Sikoa to pin Owens in the chaos. Post-match, Orton attempted to calm an irate Owens down, and the babyface trio wound up hugging it out.
Analysis:
Kevin Owens continues to be the underrated protagonist of Smackdown. No one can portray exasperation and anger as well as Owens without saying a single word. As many predicted, the program last week focused on Orton and Owens’ displeasure at Rhodes teaming up with Reigns.
Credit to WWE’s writing team for making these wrestlers so fleshed out that the program can lean so heavily into character motivation and still keep an audience entertained. The writing for both sides were top-notch, with Owens’ anger juxtaposed against Rhodes’ surprisingly intelligent reasoning. He was right; The Bloodline required every ally they could possibly muster and like it or not, Roman Reigns could decide victory or defeat. Beautiful writing that really sold the conflict without making either side feel deluded.
While the plot device engineered to make Owens angry with Rhodes felt a little too contrived this week, the execution was flawed. The post-match argument was genuinely tense until Owens hugged Rhodes. Given the ticking time-bomb nature of the Kevin Owens character, I still believe a heel turn is on the horizon. But it’s fascinating how much mileage they’ve got out of his inner conflict.
The only wildcard, however, is Orton. First off, seeing the damn VIPER of all people playing peacemaker is laughably surreal. Not only that, the backstage moment between Orton and Rhodes felt like Orton was sowing discord between the babyfaces. No stranger to sudden turns, I wouldn’t be surprised if WWE swerved the audience and turned Orton heel instead of Owens. Given they’ve begun to play up Orton wanting a title shot again in recent weeks, a Rhodes v Orton program could soon be on the horizon.
Grade: A-
BAYLEY & NAOMI vs. NIA JAX & TIFFANY STRATTON
Latest Developments:
Following a double-pin two weeks ago in a tornado tag match to determine Nia Jax’s challenger at Bad Blood, longtime allies Bayley and Naomi faced off in a tiebreaker match. The two put on a hard-hitting bout, where Bayley won with a diving elbow drop to officially face Nia at the PPV. Post-match, Naomi amicably wished Bayley luck and the two pledged to have a rematch after Bad Blood.
Meanwhile, Jax continued to berate her protégé Tiffany Stratton for failing to win the tornado tag, threatening to make Stratton’s life hell if she didn’t improve. Stratton later attempted to mock Naomi’s loss, but the amused Naomi simply made a match official between them for tonight, leaving Stratton to stew.
Analysis:
Despite Bayley and Naomi both receiving huge pops from the audience, this might be the 1st week I truly noticed their in-ring work slipping. Naomi, for example, felt a half-step behind and their #1 contenders’ match felt slow and sluggish compared to the rest of the women’s division. Additionally, the decision to have Bayley win felt oddly low-stakes. This match felt like a perfect way to transition Bayley out of this program while allowing Naomi the chance to show out in a singles PPV match. Running back Bayley vs Nia again, after people generally agreed their last match at Summerslam this year was one of the night’s weaker matches, was an odd choice.
Additionally, this also puts Naomi on the backburner yet again, with tonight’s match making her the faceless antagonist for a match that only serves to further the angle of Stratton being unable to perform up to Jax’s expectations. Their backstage work was the highlight of the program last week. The slow progression of Jax’s egotistical gaslighting has been infuriating to watch, and WWE has basically trojan horsed a Stratton face turn by allowing her repentance to quietly transition into simmering rage. Throw in a few intentional shots of the MITB briefcase, and the seeds are being set for a monster pop when Stratton eventually turns on Jax.
At Bad Blood this weekend, I respect that WWE isn’t attempting to force a blood feud with Bayley and Jax when the heat just isn’t there. On the road to Summerslam, the writing attempted to give Bayley some fire by referencing their rivalry in 2017, but it failed to land with the audience. This time around, while the writing isn’t skimping on displaying both competitors’ dislike of each other, it doesn’t feel forced and overdone.
Grade: B+
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MICHIN vs. CHELSEA GREEN & PIPER NIVEN
Latest Developments:
Ever since Smackdown GM Nick Aldis made a Dumpster Match official between Michin and Chelsea Green, Green has been hard at work “training” amidst trash heaps. But before that match tonight, last week Michin challenged Green’s tag partner Piper Niven to a tune-up match.
The two hosses put on a brief, but beautifully chaotic brawl. Green attempted to interfere but Michin managed to blast her off the apron and pin Niven for the win.
Tonight, Green and Michin finally face off in the long-awaited Dumpster Match.
Analysis:
Not much to say here. A filler match that was made to make Michin look like a force of nature. Ending the match with a babyface overcoming a two-on-one beatdown is a surefire way to make them seem invincible. Seeing Michin do so cements her as a heavyweight babyface that can decimate her opponents.
The Dumpster Match stipulation has been hyped up far more than a typical TV match, suggesting a platform for one or both opponents to show out. Michin’s performance informs the general match layout of next week, which will likely be an immovable hoss throwing around Green like a ragdoll.
The stipulation is ripe for comedic moments, and with Green’s Karen character being prone to freakouts, we could be in for a legendary performance. The training vignettes of Green being prissy around garbage are laying the stage for shenanigans more obnoxious than anything Green has ever attemped. And seeing Michin humiliate her like a force of nature sounds like S-tier programming. Then you add Piper Niven into the mix, and you’ve got a 141 2/3% chance of an amazing TV match.
Grade: A-
DIY vs. THE STREET PROFITS vs. THE BLOODLINE
Latest Developments:
Ever since winning the WWE Tag Team championship before Summerslam, The Bloodline’s Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa have been pursued by former champions DIY, intent on reclaiming their belts. Meanwhile, The Street Profits also began targeting The Bloodline, intent on regaining their momentum by becoming tag champs once more.
In the ensuing weeks, the two babyface teams were continually a thorn in The Bloodline’s side as they tried to assert dominance against Cody Rhodes. Last week, Smackdown GM Nick Aldis made a 3-way tag team ladder match official for tonight.
Analysis:
A three-way tag team ladder match on free TV? Are we in the Attitude Era all over again?
This three-way rivalry has been a perfect (if sometimes a little underserved) backdrop to The Bloodline’s main event plotlines, firmly selling the faction’s enemies lie all across the Smackdown roster.
The tag division across both brands have suffered in recent months thanks to Triple H’s tendency to wrap up the tag belts in faction-heavy storylines. But on Smackdown, it’s nice to at least see the belts being defended. DIY and The Profits are the hottest they’ve been in months, and their drastically different vibes have allowed both teams to flesh out their characters. It’s been nice seeing DIY be more relaxed, and the Profits work matches in the DIY indie rhythm.
And compared to the Usos’ lengthy title reigns, it’s nice to see tag feuds interweaving with the singles title storylines. Seeing DIY and The Profits stand alongside Cody instantly elevated both teams, but more importantly signaled to the audience that tag title feuds were equally as important as singles title feuds.
Tonight’s match should be an absolute barn-burner, if the six-pack ladder match at Wrestlemania was any indication. Ladder matches were instrumental in elevating the tag division at its height, with the ladder set-pieces allowing each wrestler to claim an individual moment (an invaluable resource in a tag match; you get your teams over but also lay the seeds for potential solo acts by showcasing individual high spots).
And even for the WWE haters, seeing Tanga Loa in a ladder match makes me morbidly curious.
Grade: A
ANDRADE vs. CARMELO HAYES (vs. LA KNIGHT)
Latest Developments:
Andrade and Carmelo Hayes renewed their rivalry after Andrade lost his US Championship title match against LA Knight. The two shook hands in respect after. Following the match, Hayes mocked Andrade leading to a backstage brawl.
Last week, Andrade got into an argument with Knight, claiming he didn’t respect him. Hayes joined the fray, insulting the US Champ.
Later that night, the two faced off in the sixth match of their series: Andrade looked noticeably cockier in this match, slowing the match down and taunting the enraged Hayes. Knight came down to ringside, allowing Hayes to sneak out a win against Andrade and even the series up at 3-3.
Post-match, Knight ran off Hayes, while an angry Andrade confronted him.
Analysis:
The in-ring work here was spectacular. Andrade, fresh off his title shot, felt reinvigorated and it showed. Not only has he been less willing to entertain Hayes’ posturing since last week, but his in-ring style was devoid of the raw anger that cost him several matches in the series. Instead, he looked like the confident star that he was in the very 1st match of the series.
Meanwhile, Hayes felt increasingly desperate last week. It feels as if he could sense Andrade moving on from him. Given Hayes’ character is built on craving attention, his insistence on continuing to target Andrade has begun to feel tiresome (but in an intentional way). Showing Hayes cheat more and more openly, while claiming his victories as equal is a hilarious heel move, and it speaks to the wrestler’s skill that he’s been able to convincingly sell smugness despite a subpar win-loss record.
Annoyingly, the only part of this program that drags is Knight. Following the pointed show of respect after their title match, having Andrade openly say he doesn’t respect Knight feels like a weird piece of storytelling to try and force a three-way rivalry dynamic. And the execution just isn’t there. Andrade and Hayes have felt believable because a small dislike continued to grow and grow into full-blown hatred over several months. The attempts to fast-track that same hatred with Knight have led to some confusing storytelling beats, and feels ultimately extraneous to the feud.
Move Knight to another challenger, let him continue elevating the midcard. He doesn’t need to be sucked into a blood feud.
Grade: B
THE RETURN OF A.J STYLES
Latest Developments:
After recently publicly stating his career was near its end, AJ Styles focused his efforts on reclaiming the WWE Championship against current champ Cody Rhodes. Following a series of acclaimed matches that saw Styles sink further and further into villainy (including a retirement fake-out that would make Mark Henry proud), Styles took a break from WWE programming.
Last week, a vignette aired announcing AJ’s return to Smackdown tonight.
Analysis:
A.J. Styles sits in a peculiar position on the Smackdown roster, because there isn’t anywhere he neatly slots in. Both men’s singles champions are already in long-term feuds, he longer has a stable to go after multi-man championships, but his kayfabe character has largely been built around his obsession for gold in the final years of his career.
But, to me, this makes his impending return much more interesting. A heel Styles acting as a wildcard for either Cody Rhodes or LA Knight (both men he already has extensive history with) lends this episode of Smackdown a level of suspense it wouldn’t normally have. Most teased heel returns are normally telegraphed. There’s a feud they’d comfortably slot into, and the audience can infer where they’d be worked into storylines. Styles doesn’t have a clear path upon his return, but his aura and in-ring work is so strong he could fit in anywhere.
It could also be interesting pairing Styles with midcard talents and letting him elevate them similar to Knight’s work with the US championship. After all, in kayfabe he’s no longer a credible title contender after losing to Rhodes twice. Perhaps a small filler feud with Santos Escobar, for example, could allow him to rack up some wins before re-entering the title picture.
Grade: A
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