Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly WWE SmackDown hits and misses series.
The final episode of SmackDown on FOX emanated from Rogers Place in Edmonton (Alberta), Canada. WWE’s Friday show is moving to the USA Network next week.
Here’s what went down on 9/6 SmackDown.
Hit – Bayley vs. Tiffany Stratton
Bayley and Tiffany Stratton kicked off the action on WWE SmackDown. Both women went back and forth until Nia Jax showed up to cause a distraction. Bayley stunned Nia with a suicide dive. She then planted Stratton with a Rose Plant for the win.
A solid match between the veteran and a future world champion. Stratton pulled some great-looking offense. Those dropkicks looked brutal. Bayley hit a nasty Rose Plant. Tiffany costing Nia the women’s title seems inevitable at this moment.
Miss – Giovanni Vinci’s terrible luck on WWE SmackDown
Giovanni Vinci made his SmackDown in-ring debut after weeks of hype. The former Imperium member stood across Apollo Crews inside the ring. Crews took advantage of a heavily distracted Vinci to count him down… 1, 2, 3.
They did Vinci dirty. I was expecting a solid one-on-one match-up between Vinci and Apollo. Both men are more than capable of putting on a great match. If what I’m seeing is how they intend to book the Italian superstar, poor Vinci.
Hit – Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory vs. Grayson Waller
Kevin Owens, Austin Theory, and Grayson Waller collided in a triple threat match. KO took out Waller early with a powerbomb through a table. He then began to systematically destroy Theory. A-Town Down Under showed signs of implosion. The Prizefighter picked up the win following a stunner on Theory. The heels jumped Owens after the match.
A really entertaining match between the three men. Well, it was more of a two-on-one situation. Owens showed his veteran instinct by isolating Waller from Theory. KO’s swinging fisherman suplex never fails to impress me. Theory capped off an awesome match with an even better sell to the stunner.
Miss – Chelsea Green vs. Michin
Chelsea Green got a massive pop for her entrance. She took on Michin in singles competition. Michin brought the offense to Chelsea, but Piper Niven caused some major trouble. Chelsea capitalized on the distraction for the win in her home country.
This was an underwhelming match. At least, we got the right winner. Chelsea got a similar reaction from the NXT Universe this past Tuesday. It remains to be seen if Triple H will pull the trigger on her face turn in the near future.
Hit – Eight-man tag team match on WWE SmackDown
The Bloodline collided with The Street Profits and DIY in a multi-man outing. Tana Loa took some beating. Tanga Loa brought the fight. Angelo Dawkins and Johnny Gargano worked well together. Jacob Fatu, once again, proved to be a difference maker. The Samoan Werewolf tagged in Solo Sikoa who hit Montez Ford with repeated Samoan Spikes for the win.
A great tag team main event featuring eight of the most promising stars on the WWE SmackDown roster. The double tag to Gargano and Dawkins was a clever spot. Montez Ford looked great as usual, but Gargano and Dawkins were the workhorses of the match. Ciampa’s suplex off of the top rope made for a great spot.
Honorable Mentions
- Cody Rhodes kicked off WWE SmackDown. The American Nightmare called out The Bloodline. Cody tried to set up Jacob Fatu by giving him a title shot. Fatu denied the opportunity. Nick Aldis announced a Steel Cage title match between Solo and Cody for SmackDown’s premiere on the USA Network next week.
- LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes, and Andrade had a decent segment at best. Melo and Andrade can’t hang with Knight on the mic but they can for sure go toe-to-toe with him inside the ring. Melo’s selling of the BFT was top-notch. The winner of the grudge match between Melo and Andrade will face Knight for the United States Championship.
READ MORE: WWE SmackDown Results (9/6/24)
