Ah, a two-hour wrestling show. Really the ideal length for one, at least one of the episodic weekly variety.
Sure, there’s going to be less screen time for people on a roster already using talented people as extras. But that was the case when SmackDown was a three-hour show too. The extra time ends up feeling like padding; it doesn’t appear WWE has a real plan for how to utilize the additional 60 minutes to maximize opportunities for more people to connect with the audience.
That was my big takeaway from the SmackDown that was taped Monday night after Raw and premiered Fri., July 3 at its usual time on USA Network or Netflix. Other than that, to steal the catchphrase the new WWE champion stole from and used on the former one in Atlantic City, New Jersey, “so, what do you want to talk about?”
It’s mostly about the opening segment and the main event, I’d wager. We’ll hit everything else to do, though. Refresh your memory on all of it via a live blogger I’m always ready to talk about. That would be Claire, and her live blog of SmackDown is here.
Undeniable
Professionally, spoilers were not something I could really avoid. As some of you no doubt did, I went into SmackDown with full knowledge of from the start that it was leading to Cody Rhodes challenging new WWE champion Sami Zayn on the next episode of Raw, where other significant SummerSlam-related things are rumored to and just seem likely to happen. Zayn is a performer and character (or characters… pro wrestling is such a weird thing) I’ve followed for decades across multiple promotions and brands. This particular audience member feels a strong connection to the new WWE champ, and I’ve already asked myself how I’ll react if/when what very may well happen happens this upcoming Monday night.
You know what though? That didn’t cross my mind watching the opening segment. At least not until Sami wanted it to, that is.
He’s doing character work throughout his time on the microphone, teasing how he’ll gloat over a one-on-one over Rhodes or use a short reign to further fuel his heel-ish tendencies. It kicks into high gear when his first potential challengers arrive. Sami can’t just accept a “congratulations” from Cody, instead wanting to readdress the real and imagined issues between them that led to Zayn being added to Night of Champions main event in the first place. QB1 did eventually get honest the way the Last Real Good Guy pushed him to, after Jey Uso couldn’t just say “congratulations” to his dawg and instead made it about history.
My heart broke a little bit for SZ when he realized a handshake and honorary Uce status wasn’t thicker than Blood, but I thought all three of these guys nailed it in this scene. In addition to that, there’s a ton of history between them, and each has added layers to their character since some of the biggest moments in that history. I’ve watched lots of hours of lots of wrestling shows that I couldn’t say that about, including what felt like some lengthy stretches of WWE programming.
For this speedrun through a WWE title program, that we know who these wrestlers are and generally understand their motivations is very welcome.
When it came time for the match itself… again, I knew the outcome, and that neither Zayn nor anyone else got involved. Maybe that was why it felt very much like “just a TV match” to me? I don’t really think so, though. Cut them some slack because this was a couple days and a lot of travel miles for two dudes that just wrestled in Saudi Arabia last Saturday. Or have the whole “is Jey Uso good?” debate, if you want. I’m not gonna partake.
Anyway, the finish looked rough. Uso’s sloppy attempts for a sleeper hold and the rushed lariat follow-up that Cody countered into Cross Rhodes do fit Jey’s desperation to bring gold back to The Bloodline however.
There was no post-match staredown or online follow-up that I’ve seen. We did see the WWE champ elsewhere on the show earlier. Zayn complained to Adam Pearce about his defense in Chicago. The Raw General Manager was filling in as SmackDown General Manager with Nick Aldis sent home and headed toward a SummerSlam match with Gunther. He had no sympathy for Sami, who will now hopefully reform his iconic Mixed Match Challenge team with Becky Lynch, united in their hatred of Pearce. He also teased making Monday a “supershow”, so I guess the WWE title won’t be the only Friday night regular on Netflix July 6.
Following that, Sami had his latest interaction with the catatonic Johnny Gargano and Gargano’s exasperated wife Candice LeRae. There have been fun because they’re mostly just Sami riffing. Not sure where they’re going though, or where Gargano and LeRae fit on the main roster right now (and I’ve been fans of theirs almost as long as I’ve been Ride or Die for El Generico Sami Zayn).
Okay, we’ll see what happens Monday night — and how we Ride or Dies respond to it. As for the Last Real Good Guy? Sami Zayn has proven to be too interesting, funny, and reliably good in the ring for WWE to keep off the screen for long. He’ll stay a big part of SmackDown, win or lose in Chicago.
Elsewhere on SmackDown…
Alexa Bliss made an appearance in a backstage segment with her bestie Charlotte Flair, and wasn’t thrilled Flair kept her out of the loop on the whole “fly to Saudi Arabia and cost Jade Cargill the United States championship” plan from NoC last weekend. They banter before and after U.S. champ Tiffany Stratton arrives to thank the Queen for her unsolicited help in the KSA. Chelsea Green arrived to entertain me at the end.
Flair, Stratton & Green’s match with Cargill and her unofficial Baddies Michin and B-Fab was next. Chelsea was mostly responsible for entertaining me here too; she took Jaded and the pin after being isolated with the former Women’s champ. WWE is clearly still high on Jade, and this helped her rebound for her loss in Riyadh.
Rey Fenix defended the AAA Cruiserweight title again, this time against El Hijo del Vikingo. When I was last on Friday night recap & reactions duty three weeks ago, I wrote that Fenix’s AAA Cruiserweight title defenses were a great idea when WWE has “a bunch of TV time to fill”. They’re still a good idea when you have 60 less minutes.
After Kiana James crashed what had been a solid Giulia interview to tease continuing their angle after the Beautiful Madness’ win over her former representative last week, Blake Monroe followed up her debut by attacking Giulia again. When Kiana tried to gloat about that, she got her head bounced off a production cart too. It’s better than “coming soon” vignettes, and hopefully it’s generating some interest in a feud, which could be good for both the former Stardom wrestlers.
The Bloodline doesn’t wait for supershows, and Jacob Fatu and Big Jim Uso were on SmackDown looking for Solo Sikoa. They didn’t find him, or WWE didn’t tell us if they did. They did find Royce Keys, who made an appeal to Fatu based on their history. Uso told Keys the Samoan Werewolf was with their family now. Jacob didn’t agree or disagre, but he left with Jimmy. I’m gonna be pretty disappointed if Fatu isn’t working a long con on Roman Reigns…
Lil Yachty got almost as much time as former United States champ Carmelo Hayes in a scene setting up a non-title match for Melo and current U.S. champ Trick Williams next Friday. What it mostly set-up was a stiff-looking backhand to Hayes from his former hype man and heavy, which Melo answered by taking Trick Willy out with a dive. All of this worked for me, and really made me want to see HIM serve some humble pie to Williams and especially the rapper who kept taking “short” shots at Hayes. He’ll get some next week to set-up a title match I assume, but I’ll be surprised if he ends Trick’s reign.
A match-hausen against the guy with the head who follows Dominik Mysterious around at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Madison Square Garden? Brilliant-hausen. We also found out that in addition to whatever may emerge from the Baron Corbin-sized experiment Danhausen’s been working on, our Very Nice, Very Evil friend has a possibly not-imaginary friend meeting him to help out with against JD McDonagh in New York City. I hope it’s fellow Knicks superfan The Rizzler, but it’s probably just NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson or something. In addition to Matt Cardona still showing signs of Zack Ryder not being that dead, it also seems The Miz and Kit Wilson have now been electrocuted into not only saying old catchphrase, but have now also been Freaky Friday-ed into each other’s bodies.
Laney Reid’s win over Brie Bella was even more “just a TV match” than the main event. Using Women’s Tag champs Bella and Paige to build up Fatal Attraction is the right move, though.
And last but not least, after giving Cody some motivational words in exchange for being welcomed to SmackDown, Finn Bálor got taken out by Tama and Talla Tonga. One last feud for Bálor’s fellow Bullet Club alums before the end of their WWE road? Or is there a Tongan push coming up?
The AAA match was the only one really worth seeking out, but it set-up a Raw main event that sets up one of SummerSlam’s and gave us a few other noteworthy developments or interesting scenes. My goodwill for its return to two hours and who its current champion is probably bumped this up a notch, but I’m giving the July 3 SmackDown…
Grade: B-
So… what do you want to talk about?
