WWE SmackDown Recap: Montreal Magic, Title Changes, And An RKO To Send Us Home
Listen, there are wrestling crowds, and then there are Montreal wrestling crowds. If you’ve been watching this sport as long as I have, you know that bringing a show to the Centre Bell is like injecting caffeine directly into the veins of the broadcast. This week’s SmackDown, the final stop before Saturday Night’s Main Event, leaned heavily into that Canadian energy, specifically regarding the hometown hero, Sami Zayn.
The show did exactly what a “go-home” show is supposed to do: it moved the pieces around the board, changed the stakes with a title switch, and ended with enough chaos to make you want to tune in tomorrow night. Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the chaotic from Friday night.
Sami Zayn vs. The World
The show opened exactly how it had to: with the roof blowing off the place for Zayn. The man could read the phone book in Montreal and get a standing ovation. But the segment wasn’t just a love-fest; it set the stage for the Fatal Four-Way implications.
Trick Williams interrupting Zayn was a nice touch of arrogance. Williams is fantastic, but standing toe-to-toe on the mic with Zayn in Montreal is a trial by fire. When Damian Priest and his leather-clad intensity joined the party, the segment descended into the inevitable brawl. It wasn’t Shakespeare, but it was effective pro wrestling booking 101: put the local guy in peril to hook the audience immediately.
Chemistry You Can’t Teach: Hayes vs. Dragunov
Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov are incapable of having a bad match. Their chemistry is borderline telepathic at this point.
This U.S. Title match was an absolute banger. Dragunov, battling through a cut near his eye that opened up again, brought that frantic, violent intensity he’s known for. Hayes matched him step for step. The double clothesline spot actually looked impactful, which is rare.
The SmackDown ending was classic “protect the loser” booking. The Miz’s interference to cost Dragunov the match adds heat to a future Miz rivalry and keeps the belt on Hayes without making Ilja look weak. A solid A- grade for the in-ring work here.
The Bloodline Reclaims Gold
In a bit of a stunner, we saw a title change. The MFTs (Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga) dethroned The Wyatt Sicks to recapture the Tag Team Championships on SmackDown.
I have mixed feelings here. The Wyatt Sicks gimmick is fantastic, but they lose a bit of mystique when they take losses this early. However, the finish protected them. Talla Tonga using the lantern as a weapon while the ref was distracted is the kind of heel nonsense I live for. It re-establishes The Bloodline as a dominant force with gold around their waists, which seems to be the direction we’re heading for Mania season.
Chelsea Green Is a National Treasure
Can we talk about Chelsea Green? She came into SmackDown in Montreal playing the heel, but the crowd wasn’t having it. They love her. And honestly, how can you not?
Her match against Jade Cargill was more competitive than I expected. Green bumped around the ring like a pinball, making Cargill look like a million bucks. The suicide dive from Green was a legitimate “whoa” moment. Even though Cargill got the win, Green proved once again she’s one of the most entertaining workers on the roster. The post-match tease with Jordynne Grace suggests we are heading toward a powerhouse clash soon.
The Chaotic Conclusion
The main event on SmackDown saw Priest take on Trick Williams, but this was never about the match. It was about the post-match angle.
The match itself was solid, with Priest looking like a beast and Williams showing that scrappy resilience. But the DQ finish was inevitable. You can’t have these guys pinned clean right before a Fatal Four-Way. The brawl involving Zayn, Priest, and Williams was fun, but the cherry on top was Randy Orton.
“The Viper” striking with an RKO out of nowhere on Williams was the perfect visual to close the show. It reminded everyone that while the other three are fighting for position, Orton is the predator waiting in the weeds.
The Verdict:
SmackDown benefited massively from the Montreal crowd. The wrestling was tight, the title change felt significant, and the build to “Saturday Night’s Main Event” was logical. It wasn’t a perfect SmackDown. Some of the women’s tag stuff was a bit clunky, but it was an entertaining two hours of television.
Final Grade: B+
