SmackDown was live from Sacramento, California, last night, and WWE gave fans another fantastic show in its second week on the USA Network. We saw mega-stars both in and out of the ring solidify their current positions in terms of storyline and championship status. The action in the arena was delivered as per our high expectations, but the cinematic out-of-arena segment may have stolen the show.
The MegaStar’s Mega Defense
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“L…A…Knight…Yeah!” as the megastar continually goads fans to repeat, it perfectly sums up his championship defense against Andrade. The in-ring action, surprisingly devoid of interference by Carmelo Hayes, was the intense output that each superstar could produce and included some fun top-rope spots. Andrade had a near fall toward the end of the contest after a lightning-fast spinning backfist maneuver. The competition was close, but Knight trudged through and eventually hit the BFT for the win. Andrade looked good and like he is on Knight’s level, if not a touch better.
Roman and Cody Epic Cinematic Encounter
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Cody Rhodes, Undisputed WWE Champion, met Roman Reigns midfield at Georgia Tech’s football stadium, where Reigns played college football. Roman said that the stadium was his and asked what Cody had done for this city. Cody seriously explained how generations of his family bled here and that Atlanta was his home. After the initial posturing, Roman asked what Rhodes wanted. Cody was there for one reason: for Roman to give his word that he would have Cody’s back in the tag match at Bad Blood. The scene was as cinematic as anything the WWE has ever produced. A must-watch.
Tornado Tag-Team Turmoil
Tiffany Stratton teamed with Nia Jax against Naomi and Bayley in this tornado tag team match. The stipulation was simple…sort of. If Bayley or Naomi gets the pin, then whoever does so gets a shot at Jax’s title at Bad Blood. If either of them gets pinned, they would need to leave SmackDown.
The tornado stipulation eliminated the need for tags, and all four women were in the ring at once. The superstars performed at a main event level, and you have to give credit to all of them. There wasn’t a weakness among any. The finish saw both Naomi and Bayley get a roll-up pin on Jax, and it was not clear who pinned the champion. Stratton looked fantastic, as did Naomi. These women are the top four on the blue brand right now.
Additional Highlights
Giovanni Vinci vs Apollo Crews: Vinci came down to the ring pissed off at Crews for the embarrassment from two weeks ago. Vinci, sans jacket, was all action once the bell rang. He was taking it to Crews and looked intense in his attacks. The Italian superstar hit multiple slams on Crews, where Apollo’s leg hit the bottom rope violently. Vinci did not take advantage of this and wound up falling victim to a high-cross-pinning combination from Crews. Vinci looked dominant the whole match, but the pin was the same quick ‘schoolboy’ that he suffered the first time they met.
Kevin Owens and The Street Profits vs The Bloodline: This match was set up earlier in the night when Kevin Owens was about to give a promo, but The Bloodline attacked and DIY made the save. DIY, however, was taken out backstage by Jacob Fatu and the Tongans afterward. So the main event then featured the Street Profits teaming with Owens to take on their rivals, The Bloodline.
The action was as good as The Bloodline matches, but this one included DIY and Cody Rhodes by the end. It was again teased that Owens was thinking about double-crossing Rhodes and potentially hitting him from behind with a steel chair. The two eventually shook hands and hugged.
SmackDown Review
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns Epic Encounter: A
This epic encounter must be watched to fully capture the essence of what WWE was presenting. The music, the style, and the overall cinematic quality of this segment gave us perfection. A fresh difference from the usual in-ring promos.
Andrade vs LA Knight: B
The match was not the greatest United States Championship match of all time, but it was a fantastic opener to SmackDown and was more than serviceable for a title bout. Andrade looked good. A very awkward moment between the two after the match, when Knight tried to fist-bump Andrade out of respect, but Andrade extended a handshake instead. Andrade had to forcibly open Knight’s hand to try to shake. Weird.
Giovanni Vinci vs Apollo Crews: B+
How WWE Creative has booked Vinci to lose to Crews in these matches has earned him a B+ this week. This one was hilarious, and admittedly, I thought that the match was just going to be a redemption squash for Vinci. I am glad that I was wrong! Starting this way on SmackDown, Vinci’s storyline has now become funny and something to talk about instead of just another wrestler trope. Well done.
Naomi and Bayley vs Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax: A-
SmackDown found a new way to determine the number one contender to Jax’s title but didn’t follow through with it. Bayley and Naomi will need to battle next week to determine who will face Jax at Bad Blood. The match gave us really fun action and solidified that Bayley and Naomi are evenly matched right now. Giving the two a double pin for the win sets up next week and keeps the storyline interesting.
Kevin Owens and The Street Profits vs The Bloodline: B-
We have seen the numbers game for The Bloodline as their determinate factor in winning matches and holding dominance over the WWE for so long. Tonight was no different. It took the three competitors in the match, plus the addition of the former tag team champions and the WWE champion, to finally clean house and get the best of The Bloodline in this one. We have seen it before, but yet it is still entertaining.
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