It’s time for our weekly review of WWE SmackDown.
The latest episode went down at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre, PA. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Bianca Belair, and Logan Paul, among others, worked the show.
The show featured several first-round matches in the King and Queen of the Ring tournament as well. So, without further ado, let’s recap some of the biggest hits and misses from WWE SmackDown this week.
Hit – Cody Rhodes meets his next opponent
Cody Rhodes kicked off the show this week. The American Nightmare met SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis in the ring. Aldis introduced Rhodes to his opponent for the upcoming King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event.
Logan Paul showed up. The United States Champion said he’ll kick off the “Logan Paul Levesque Era” by beating Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The two men will sign the contract for their “Champion vs. Champion” match next week on SmackDown.
Miss – Ending to Nia Jax vs. Naomi
While this was a really good match, the closing sequence ruined it for me. I’m not a fan of the superkick routine WWE superstars have adopted from the indie wrestling scene (referring to the superkick spot by Naomi). Also, Nia’s powerbomb and leg drop combo looked weak.
The former RAW Women’s Champion picked up the win following a Banzai Drop. She’ll meet Jade Cargill in the second round of the Queen of the Ring tournament next Friday on WWE SmackDown.
Hit – Jade Cargill’s singles debut on WWE SmackDown
This was much better than Jade’s singles debut on RAW after WrestleMania, which was essentially a squash match against Chelsea Green. The one-half of the WWE Women’s Champion took on Piper Niven in the first round of the QOTR Tournament on WWE SmackDown.
Piper carried Jade to a solid match. Both women dished out some power moves on each other. Jade’s pump handle slam variation looked great. The powerhouse won the watch with her finisher, Jaded.
Miss – Another controversial win for The Bloodline
The Bloodline’s Tama Tonga made his singles in-ring debut on WWE SmackDown this week. Tama took on Angelo Dawkins, who subbed for an injured Bobby Lashley. This match had some good spots, especially Montez Ford’s dive onto Solo Sikoa and Tanga Loa.
That said, they should’ve let Tama pick up a clean win to make him look strong. I know clean wins have never been Bloodline’s forte, but there’s always room for exceptions. Tama advances to the next round in the King of the Ring Tournament.
Also, his finisher looks horrible.
Hit – Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles on WWE SmackDown
Randy Orton and AJ Styles main evented WWE SmackDown this week. The two former rivals collided with an opportunity to advance to the next round in KOTR. This match was clearly limited by TV restrictions but still made for a great main event.
We saw multiple reversals, near falls, and everything in between. Orton ultimately won with an RKO. The Viper will face former NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes next week on SmackDown.
