Welcome or welcome back to our weekly WWE SmackDown hits and misses series where we recap some of the biggest ups and downs from the show.
The January 17 episode of SmackDown continued to build towards WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event 2025. There was no Roman Reigns or The Rock’s appearance but we still got a teaser of what may be next for The Bloodline.
Here’s what went down on the episode.
Miss – Women’s tag team match on WWE SmackDown
It was a decent match featuring Nia-Candice versus Bianca-Naomi but not what you could call solid. WWE seems hesitant to pursue Nia versus Tiffany at the moment because of the whole heel versus heel dynamics. The writer gets it but is still clueless as to where they are moving when it comes to the partnership between Nia Jax and Candice LeRae.
Hit – Carmelo Hayes vs. Jimmy Uso
We got a great match between Carmelo Hayes and Jimmy Uso. This writer has always seen Jimmy as the better of the two Usos – at least from a wrestling skills perspective. Jey’s got the entertainment factor figured out. Jimmy is cool in his own way. As for Melo, his biggest strength is the ability to make his opponents look good.
Miss – B-Fab vs. Piper Niven on WWE SmackDown
They kept it short because B-Fab clearly hasn’t reached the level it would take her to deliver a good singles match. This writer is glad Piper got the win. She’s super underrated, in my humble opinion. It’s clear WWE doesn’t want Chelsea Green vs. Michin feud to end. It needs to though.
Hit – MCMG vs. Los Garza
It was good to see Los Garza actually have a 10-minute plus match against Motor City Machine Guns. If Legado can’t get over with their character, let them prove their worth inside the ring. MCMG didn’t need the interference spot to become the contenders to WWE Tag Team Champions #DIY. It seems WWE wants to turn Yes Boys into babyfaces on WWE SmackDown as seen during post-match interaction with Gargano and Ciampa.
Miss – Charlotte Flair return teaser on WWE SmackDown
This teaser kind of ruined the surprise, assuming Charlotte is returning at the 2025 Royal Rumble. She did post a video on socials seemingly hinting at her return. Charlotte is one of the best wrestlers in the world. There’s no questioning her skills or her resume but WWE could’ve avoided the spoiler for a star of her status.
Hit – Tiffany Stratton vs. Bayley
Tiffany’s first title defense saw her take on former WWE Women’s Champion Bayley. They showed Bayley interacting with Roxanne during the match. Given how both women were at each other’s throats this past Tuesday on NXT, I’m surprised Roxanne didn’t cost Bayley the match. Instead, we got the Role Model losing clean to Tiffany. Cool!
Honorable Mentions
- Solo got booed out of the building so Jacob Fatu took over the mic. Is Jacob the next big thing? He better be. Fatu’s promo was followed by Braun Strowman’s return to WWE SmackDown. This writer is hyped for their match at Saturday Night’s Main Event 2025.
- Rey Mysterio and Kevin Owens had a solid scrap. Rey never fails to impress with his athleticism even at the ripe age of 50. They have reduced the stunner to a mere signature move, which is a travesty. It should be the match-ender, not the setup to the finishing spot.
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