SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
With Survivor Series in the rear view and Saturday Night’s Main Event just on the horizon, this week’s episode of Smackdown was angle-heavy and surprising in a few places, too! The action was fast and furious, apart from the opening match, which could hardly be called fast-paced.
As always, I’m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think I’ve missed!
HITS
Gable On The Move
With talk of a Transfer Portal as WWE moves to Netflix, Chad Gable was able to visit Smackdown and confront the WWE Champion himself, Cody Rhodes. Should Gable become a permanent fixture on Smackdown, it could do wonders for his trajectory. His conflict with the Wyatt Sicks seems to have stalled, having gone really nowhere to begin with. However, a move to Smackdown would allow him to grapple with Andrade and Carmelo Hayes, two of the best in-ring workers on the WWE roster. This is a good omen.
Bianca and Piper Threw Down
Piper Niven deserves high praise for the role she plays in WWE. Often a glorified jobber, tonight she was able to stand toe to toe with WWE’s powerhouse Bianca Belair. Though losing, she was presented as an almost overwhelming obstacle for Belair. I’ve been critical of WWE’s booking of Belair, slotting her into the overprotected babyface role. But to have surprised us all by having Niven win the match would have cost Belair nothing. For Niven, it might have meant everything! No matter the finish, the match was solid and a great showcase for featuring strong women beating the hell out of each other.
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)
DIY Turn to the Darkside
Like so many teams within WWE, DIY have taken a turn towards the Dark Side. Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, Johnny Gargano shocked the world by betraying his mentor and stealing the gold. The turn itself has yet to be explained, as we’ve got no real motivation for Gargano giving in after appearing so concerned with Tomasso Ciampa’s recent behavior. Yet, in saying all that, perhaps there’s nothing else needed. One team simply decided to do whatever it took to win, and win they did. I hope this heel turn gives DIY new momentum, a new force behind their character. I want more substance, more meat on the bone. To see them have a fierce, calculated run of antagonistic matches would be incredible.
Cody’s Storytelling
The match last night between Cody Rhodes and Chad Gable was nothing fancy. But in its ‘unfanciness’, it was phenomenal. Two mat geniuses, two warriors fighting for their own personal honor. Just earlier in the evening, Gable stared into the champ’s face and called him superficial. Those words cut deep. They cut a man to his bone. Cody couldn’t stand for it, and so he had to educate Gable. The match wasn’t unbalanced and allowed for both men to shine. Yet, when Gable stripped the boot from Cody and began wrenching his unshod ankle, it felt angry. It felt vengeful. Our man, of course, got the win, going so far as to perform a top-rope Cody Cutter with a shoeless foot! All in all, this match was a crowd-pleasing piece of classic American professional wrestling, something that seems to be a feature of Cody’s reign. And that’s a good thing.
MISSES
Failure of a Triple Threat
The most glaring and egregious of misses, this match never came together. The glue binding the performers never gelled, and we were left with three people who seemed to be one step behind each other. Visible, glaring errors of timing and body placement, along with a very slow-work rate, left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m unsure how far they’ll let Tiffany get into the tournament, as I doubt they would put the new title on her while she still holds the briefcase. I would have preferred to see Naomi win, as they could have milked a conflict between Naomis and Bayley.
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