After an exciting season premiere last week, Wow SmackDown came from Sacramento, CA on the road to Bad Blood. LA Knight kicked off the show with a successful title defense over Andrade, who reignited his long-running rivalry with Carmelo Hayes afterward in a backstage brawl. Confusion reigned as Naomi and Bayley both claimed victories over Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton, resulting in the two being placed in a number one contenders match on the next week’s show.
The night was all about Roman Reigns and Cody RhodesWhich has a face-to-face confrontation for the ages at Georgia Tech Stadium. It is a ‘must see’ promo for the ages. The main event involved Jacob Fatu and The Bloodline vs. Kevin Owens and The Street Profits (after The Bloodline took on KO’s original partners, DIY) vs. a no contest. It’s been quite the week for the Canadian, as Kevin Owens continues to be conflicted about Reigns and Rhodes’ newfound partnership.
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns
Eight minutes of greatness from the biggest star in the game
WWE’s production value and storytelling have been described as “cinematic” in wrestling circles (especially when in conjunction with Roman Reigns). This segment is must-see TV for anyone with an interest in WWE In the Renaissance period. A big budget feel gave the entire promo a sense of occasion, with a fleet of SUVs, an empty football field under the floodlights at Georgia Tech, the two biggest stars in WWE, and plenty of tension.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the kind of segment that will be talked about for years. Roman Reigns shows an emotional range that ranks among his best work to date. This is not hyperbole. This is extraordinary. Cody Rhodes proved every bit his equal. In bravado without bravado, Cody has no problem letting Reigns know whose year it’s been so far and that Georgia is his home. WWE’s story continues to plateau. It’s incredible to see.
LA Knight vs. Andrade
Living the United States Championship, one week at a time
LA Knight’s victory over Logan Paul at SummerSlam felt like a huge moment For the mega star and the US it. Championship. After months of whining about Logan’s inaction when it came to defending the title, something had to give. LA Knight has successfully defended the United States championship more times in 48 days than the social media guru in 273. It really makes a difference to SmackDown’s mid-card, as both tonight’s opponent, Andrade, and the looming figure of Carmelo Hayes have something tangible to chase.
Andrade may be short, but his performance is fantastic. It was a great summer for restoring his reputation. El Idalo was greeted by Hayes in a backstage segment and the pair broke up again. Having already five matches together, it might be considered overkill if it wasn’t that big. Is a best-of-seven series a real possibility?
Jacob Fatou and the Bloodline
A dominant night for James Fatu and the Bloodline
James Fatu has been dropped from the line-up in the absence of Solo Sikoa On this week’s Smackdown. Along with his bloodline brothers, Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga, Fatu took DIY out of action before starring in the main event against Kevin Owens and The Street Profits. His agility is mesmerizing, and he has the rare quality of seeming genuinely unhinged.
Being block-down with Ko felt garantchuan. He has yet to really start in solo competition, but his singles run will be a spectacle worth waiting for. While Roman and Cody had to keep one eye on each other and half an eye on Kevin Owens before their match at Bad Blood, Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline were locked in and on the same page.
Apollo Cruz and Giovanni Vinci
Where on earth is this going?
One of the most comforting things about Paul Levesque’s WWE is that even when things don’t seem to make sense when they happen, faith has been sound in things that play out in the long run. It is difficult to have faith in what is happening between Apollo Cruz and Giovani Vinci. After Crews won a goofy encounter with Giovanni Vinci with a roll-up two weeks ago on Smackdown, it didn’t feel like a win that did anything for either party. A sneaky win and a loss for a returning superstar felt disjointed.
With Cruz also winning the contest with a creative roll-up, once again, It’s hard to see what this is doing to anyone. Vinci lays waste to Apollo after the bell with a devastating brainbuster, but it feels like an awkward detour on an otherwise incredible Smackdown.
Bailey and Naomi
Victorious but not winners
Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton and Naomi and Bayley’s tag team match felt Unnecessarily overcomplicated with complex stipulations. Whoever got the pin from Bayley and Naomi would get a shot at Nia’s WWE Women’s Championship, but if either of them got pinned, they would have to leave SmackDown. Instead, Naomi and Bayley both laid claim to the victory as the pair simultaneously pinned Nia Jax. As such, no is given the title shot and The duo will participate in a number one contender’s match on next week’s show.
Although Nia has been an incredibly dominant champion and Tiffany’s Money in the Bank briefcase is a source of constant intrigue, The build-up surrounding the Women’s Championship on the road to Bad Blood hasn’t quite ignited yet. There are two more SmackDown episodes between now and the PLE. They need to make them count.
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Jacob Fatu superkicking security near the venue’s metal detectors. He must be a nightmare at airports.
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Roman Reigns made 12 sacks and 90 tackles in 39 career games for Georgia Tech.
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Tama Tonga’s noises are what every child dreads hearing from under their bed.
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Huge pop for the man in the front row in the shirt saying make better Nia Jax shirts.
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Andrade was the last United States Champion for 63 days after beating Rey Mysterio for the title on December 26, 2019.
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Chelsea Green vs. Mitchin in a Dumpster Match has been confirmed for the October 4th episode of SmackDown. It is the first Women’s Dumpster Match in WWE history.
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The last Dumpster Match in WWE saw The Street Profits defeat The Alpha Academy on August 1, 2022.
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Kevin Owens and DIY have never tagged along. Owens last tagged with Johnny Gargano to defeat Alpha Academy in September 2022.
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Kevin Owens last worked heel in his program with Stone Cold Steve Austin in April 2022.