3 Issues We Hated And three Issues We Liked

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.’s weekly assessment of “WWE SmackDown,” the present the place there’s at all times time for prolonged Anoa’i household promo segments now that Roman Reigns is again on TV! Not solely did “The OTC” return to his emotional cousin-confronting methods this week, however Jey Uso got here again to “SmackDown” too, so it is actually only a matter of time earlier than a complete episode will get dedicated to a bunch of Pacific Islanders standing within the ring and speaking about their emotions. In that approach, the blue model is kind of like this column, which is all concerning the emotions the WINC employees had about “SmackDown!”

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Past the Bloodline stuff, we’ll cowl each matches within the tag group mini-tournament that launched the Motor Metropolis Machine Weapons to WWE, Lash Legend profitable her predominant roster singles debut, and Cody Rhodes speaking to a title belt, principally. Sorry, second girls’s match — we’re glad you occurred and we had been much more glad to see Candice LeRae and we had been much more glad to see Candice LeRae win, however WINC readers should take a look at our Friday evening outcomes web page to get knowledgeable on that one. With that in thoughts, listed below are three issues we hated and three issues we cherished concerning the 10/18/24 episode of “WWE SmackDown!”

Do not get me incorrect, I like this Kevin Owens heel flip storyline from a personality standpoint; he is doing nice work as he at all times does and it makes complete sense that, because the one man who’s been combating The Bloodline for the reason that very starting, the return of Roman Reigns as a babyface would make him snap. It is the half about WWE making an attempt to maintain him off “SmackDown” that I do not actually perceive. The flip occurring “off digital camera” was cool, however why is he not being allowed to deal with Cody Rhodes or the group? Why would somebody greater up than Nick Aldis — Triple H, presumably — need to hold Owens vs. Randy Orton off the Crown Jewel card? It is so ridiculous that Owens even needed to lampshade it in the social media promo they performed on the “SmackDown” broadcast, the place he accurately factors out that WWE stars have come again to TV after doing far worse issues than Owens did. I can not think about what a logical rationalization can be, however they have not even tried to provide us one.

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In fact, the precise motive for it appears to be that WWE is enjoying on current experiences of Owens being in contract talks, making an attempt to craft a narrative that blurs the road between fiction and actuality. There are two issues with this. First, there is not any level. Within the yr 2024, wrestling promotions haven’t got expertise publicly deal with contract disputes if the expertise is not already re-signed, so the truth that that is getting into the storyline simply confirms to me that Owens is staying in WWE. Second, Owens has already accomplished one thing like this in his Ring of Honor days, again when he wrestled beneath his actual title, Kevin Steen, and if you wish to have a prayer of being in contrast favorably towards that storyline, we do not want Kevin Owens reducing quiet, somber promos from house. We want Kevin Owens on the present each week, combating safety, wrecking folks and being dragged away. He is been in comparison with Steve Austin so many instances, and but he is by no means actually been allowed to trigger violent chaos the best way Austin used to. And possibly that is coming, however Owens wasn’t on the present this week attacking Rhodes or Orton with crazed bloodlust in his eyes so this episode goes within the “loss” column; I do not make the principles.

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Written by Miles Schneiderman

I wrote final week that I cherished Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend getting a predominant roster shot for the Ladies’s Tag Group Championships towards Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill, which had beforehand been introduced. This week, I cherished the looks of the Meta-4 women much more, as a result of I did not notice we might be seeing extra of the pair on the principle roster following their title loss, particularly not with Legend in singles motion. Legend scored her first predominant roster singles victory towards Piper Niven, who was a wonderful dance associate for it, with Chelsea Inexperienced being an ideal adversary for Jackson to take out on the surface. With going through Niven, Legend was capable of showcase what places her aside from a lot of the different women on “WWE NXT,” her energy. Legend was capable of get Niven up quite a few instances on her again and shoulders, seemingly (and hopefully) with out hurting herself, to hit large strikes to attain the spectacular victory. I initially thought we might see Legend lose to Niven, as Niven and Inexperienced are nonetheless fairly over, however I already had myself satisfied I cherished Legend even getting singles likelihood on “SmackDown.” I used to be pleasantly shocked that she scored the victory, particularly with Belair and Cargill watching from the viewers.

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There’s been no official announcement as as to whether Legend and Jackson have been known as as much as the principle roster, however they have not been utilized on “NXT” a lot in current weeks. The Meta-4 as a secure has been floundering on the developmental model since an damage to Noam Dar has him on the shelf for just a few extra months, and Oro Mensah is caught in a feud with Lexis King that basically is not going anyplace. So, to me, it is smart to have the women get some reps on the principle roster when there is not actually a lot for them on “NXT.” In fact, Belair and Cargill can, and have, defended their gold on “NXT,” however the tag group championships will ceaselessly seem to be a predominant roster championship, and it appears uncertain that any actual tag groups in “NXT” have an precise shot at profitable. So, why not deliver the “NXT” groups to the principle roster so as to add depth to the ladies’s tag division? It makes all of the sense on the planet to me.

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Whereas Friday’s match was quick, Legend appeared extraordinarily spectacular towards Niven, and in case you’re a fan of “NXT,” you possibly can inform how far she’s come as an in-ring performer. Regardless that Jackson did not get within the ring herself, she was wonderful interacting with Inexperienced. If Jackson is not as prepared as her tag group associate for singles motion, she’s an ideal valet for her pal to assist out at ringside whereas she continues to work as a tag group expertise. Lash Legend is a creating star, in my eyes, and Jakara Jackson is shut behind, and I actually imagine these two have shiny futures on the principle roster, formally, sooner reasonably than later.

Written by Daisy Ruth

One other evening, one other Cody Rhodes promo with a number of speaking and never a lot being stated.

“SmackDown” is barely a two-hour present with a restricted variety of slots for segments, so having a complete portion of the present devoted to selling Crown Jewel and the Champion vs. Champion Match between Rhodes and GUNTHER appears pointless, particularly when it was already promoted loads by commentary at different factors on the present and on “Uncooked” this previous Monday. There was no motive to have Rhodes come all the way down to the ring and recite a complete essay as to why he must be the primary ever Crown Jewel Champion. WWE might very simply be utilizing the time within the segments they’ve had Rhodes and GUNTHER in over the course of the previous a number of weeks to construct up some kind of storyline like they’ve with Nia Jax and Liv Morgan, however as an alternative, they’ve determined to spend their time merely doing promotion. It is pointless, and eats up an pointless period of time on the present.

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Written by Olivia Quinlan

I really feel like I’ve written about this right here earlier than, however I do not love a number of the methods fashionable wrestling makes use of particular kinds of match finishes to guard the picture of the dropping wrestler(s). It appears like we get a number of distraction finishes as of late, a number of “the ref does not see the interference” finishes, lots of people kicking out of the primary and possibly even the second ending transfer. Typically these finishes will even get strung collectively; for instance, a wrestler may get distracted and get rolled up, however then kick out of the roll-up, then get hit with a finisher which additionally they kick out of, and many others. This is not a WWE vs. AEW factor both — each firms do that, although usually at completely different instances and in numerous methods. And I get it, folks do not like taking clear losses and also you need your stars to be protected, however there’s one other approach, and it was showcased within the first three-way tag group match on “SmackDown.”

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For individuals who do not bear in mind or did not watch, the match ended with referee Jessika Carr delivering a three-count whereas Tommaso Ciampa and Montez Ford had been pinning Equipment Wilson and Elton Prince, respectively, on the identical time. Usually the trope right here can be that there isn’t a definitive winner and we have to have one other match or one thing. As a substitute, Carr defined to ring announcer Alicia Taylor that Wilson was the authorized member of Fairly Lethal within the match, that means DIY had been the winners since Ciampa pinned the authorized man (Carr did not make clear whether or not Ciampa himself was authorized, however no matter). There isn’t any second match, they did not do the bizarre factor the place the ref did not discover who the authorized man is despite the fact that that is actually her job — Ford did visibly pin somebody, nevertheless it wasn’t the suitable particular person and Carr was on prime of it, so DIY wins. The top.

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I are likely to push again on the concept of creating wrestling really feel extra like sports activities, however that is one space the place I feel wrestling advantages from having a sports activities mindset. Typically two sports activities groups play one another and so they’re each actually good, however considered one of them wins as a result of one little factor goes proper. A soccer participant fumbles and the opposite group occurs to get better it; a basketball participant hits a game-tying three-pointer on the buzzer, just for it to be dominated a two-pointer as a result of his toe was on the road. These items occur in sports activities and they need to occur in wrestling, and so they’re far more plausible to me than a wrestler kicking out of a second finisher. WWE has seemingly been vibing with this philosophy currently, to some extent — see additionally Sami Zayn vs. GUNTHER from a current “WWE Uncooked” — and the result’s that everybody comes out trying good in a approach that additionally feels genuine. To me, that makes wrestling really feel extra like “actual” sports activities than blood or sophisticated match guidelines or (god forbid) a rating system.

Written by Miles Schneiderman

The Motor Metropolis Machine Weapons had been one of many largest free brokers in wrestling, however their debut wasn’t handled as such. Final week, Nick Aldis hinted at their arrival with a shock tag group opponent for Los Garza. Shortly after an advert that stated “MCMG” was coming subsequent week. There goes that shock. After which, previous to Friday’s present, a video was posted to WWE’s socials displaying Aldis assembly with Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley following their contract signing. Aldis talked about their historical past earlier than letting them know that their tag match was now a three-way. The winner might be going through the winner of the opposite three-way tag match for a shot on the tag group titles.

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MCMG made their approach to the ring and the followers seated by the ramp did not react to them (though the group noise would recommend in any other case). In fact not everybody goes to know who they’re, particularly those that did not watch TNA previous to their relationship with “NXT” or do not sustain with the indie scene in any respect. Corey Graves instantly established their significance by stating “they’re your favourite tag group’s favourite tag group.” He continued to place them over all match lengthy, whereas Wade Barrett did the alternative, speaking up the opposite groups within the match as an alternative. It felt like when Vince McMahon used to inform commentary what to say of their headsets. Whereas he wasn’t burying them, it was giving a vibe of “they did not make names for themselves in WWE, due to this fact they are not as essential as they assume.” I’ve seen it occur many instances and was considered one of my issues when it was reported they had been WWE-bound.

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The match itself was nice, if on the shorter facet. They obtained to indicate the WWE Universe a style of what they’ll do and hopefully they’re going to get to indicate much more towards #DIY. One other constructive is that the Weapons might be within the title image shortly. Then again, a dream match towards #DIY is being hotshotted to their second match with the corporate with every week’s construct. Assuming MCMG win, they’re going to face Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa for the tag titles, that are within the New Bloodline vortex and are not prone to depart it anytime quickly. Then what? How do you deal with a group with as a lot status as MCMG dropping their first title shot?

Aldis advised Shelley and Sabin that they had been on the blue model to shake up the tag group division. It stays to be seen simply how severe that assertion is, or whether or not they’ll as an alternative be misplaced amongst the tag groups that are not orbiting the Bloodline.

Written by Samantha Schipman

What drew me to “Tribal Chief” iteration of Roman Reigns and the next Bloodline story was the psychology on show throughout the household dynamic, from the origins of the faction when Reigns beat each of the Usos into submission and subservience to the recruitment of Sami Zayn purely as a approach of demoting Jey throughout the faction. Whereas everybody throughout the group has their very own arcs and subplots, the faction is rooted within the battle between Jey Uso and his cousin. He was screwed out of turning into the WWE Champion three separate instances by his household, actually advised he was nothing with out them successfully daily after the actual fact, however has since received his first singles title with out them. He did what he got down to do, proving he was greater than a member of The Bloodline. And now, as a result of Reigns is on the receiving finish of the abuse he dolled out, Jimmy expects Jey to return again to the fold.

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Friday evening was one more logical step within the thoughts of a personality like Jey Uso present process the arc he’s on, coming to the ring alone to confront his little brother as an neutral occasion. He did not need to be part of both facet of one other Bloodline civil warfare, however he additionally did not need the familial drama to proceed, and he additional took situation with Sikoa’s entourage of the Guerillas of Future and Jacob Fatu. I particularly loved that they’ve offered lore for Fatu, concurrently addressing why he wasn’t introduced in sooner (He was in MLW) with the concept he was thought of too harmful. It truly helps to cement Sikoa’s Bloodline as a faction of mercenaries, extending the concept he is not the true “Tribal Chief,” as he has to conscript assist from these on the surface.

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Because the evening went on, Reigns and Uso got here head to head backstage, and the “Unique Tribal Chief” advised his former “Proper Hand Man” that he was happy with him. That was extra of a slight than something to the Intercontinental Champion, contemplating all that they had been via maybe the phrases ought to have been, “I am sorry,” however as I’ve stated beforehand this can be a Reigns who has to confront himself earlier than he may even dream of stopping his enforcer’s mutiny. He’s nonetheless simply too unchanged, too boastful, and too self-centered to recover from this hurdle, a component that was touched on in his predominant occasion section with Sikoa; peace was by no means going to be an possibility, as Reigns merely views everybody round him as less-than, and Sikoa handled him with the identical malice he had beforehand to his title challengers. It really feels just like the story goes the suitable approach, for the “Unique Tribal Chief” to be taught humility and resolve in direction of his kin, reasonably than simply placing the OGs again collectively for the sake of attending to the purpose, and it makes for excellent episodic TV as its being constructed up.

Written by Max Everett