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The first episode of WWE SmackDown after Elimination Chamber was an intense one as the creative team worked on many rivalries. Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER teamed up with Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser to compete in a six-man tag team match to kick off the show.
Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley came face-to-face on Friday night. The Queen also took a few shots at Dominik Mysterio to make herself look like the better woman in the rivalry.
Bray Wyatt introduced a new Firefly Fun House and asked viewers if they could keep a secret. Wyatt appeared in a brand new mask, and it looks like he has something fresh for fans that can help him get a rivalry for WrestleMania 39.
Jimmy Uso also looked to get some answers out of Jey during the show but was interrupted by a familiar foe. Roman Reigns will likely appear on next week’s SmackDown to address the problems between Jey and The Bloodline.
Take a look at the five things WWE SmackDown got right on this week’s show.
#5. Imperium picked up a notable win over Ricochet, Braun Strowman, and Madcap Moss
Imperium took on the makeshift team of Ricochet, Braun Strowman, and Madcap Moss in a six-man tag team match on WWE SmackDown. Moss started for his team before Ricochet tagged in and found himself on the back foot early.
The heels kept him from tagging Strowman into the contest and isolated him for some time. GUNTHER vented his frustration on The One and Only before he finally got the tag to The Monster of All Monsters.
Strowman had a brief exchange with GUNTHER before Moss had a showdown with The Ring General to remind fans of their Intercontinental Championship match. However, Moss fell short as a distraction, allowing GUNTHER to hit the powerbomb for the win.
Imperium hasn’t worked together on SmackDown as often as they should. They are among the best factions in the company, and the win will help them march forward and hopefully get into a rivalry with The Bloodline down the line.
After the match, The Viking Raiders attacked Drew McIntyre before Sheamus came out to help his partner. Strowman and Ricochet helped out The Banger Bros and sent them running to end the segment.
#4. LA Knight promised a WrestleMania Moment on WWE SmackDown
LA Knight came out on WWE SmackDown and addressed his status for WrestleMania 39. He said that he wanted to make a name for himself at The Grandest Stage of Them All and would give fans an "LA Knight Moment" in Hollywood.
Knight’s party was interrupted by The New Day, who made their return after a short NXT Tag Team Championship run. After the two sides took shots at each other, Adam Pearce booked a match between Knight and Kofi Kingston.
The former WWE Champion started hot before Knight came out with some moves of his own to slow down the high flyer. He hit some big slams on Kofi and nearly took him out with a neck breaker. Kingston got the Boom Drop on Knight but missed his finisher.
However, he still got the better of the former Million Dollar Champion and connected with Trouble in Paradise for the win.
LA Knight is an extremely entertaining superstar who deserves to get the spotlight at WrestleMania. He could get a segment that draws heat toward his character before being taken down by a legend.
The loss against Kofi Kingston did not make much sense as it did not help his cause. A tainted victory would have allowed him to grow as a heel on the blue brand.
#3. Shayna Baszler defeated Natalya before Tegan Nox made a big statement
Natalya and Shayna Baszler met in a singles match on WWE SmackDown. Ronda Rousey watched on as The Queen of Harts unloaded on Baszler early before being locked into a submission hold.
Baszler continued to work on Natalya’s injured arm and did not let her recover for long throughout the contest. She took off her knee guard and went for a knee strike, but Natalya countered it.
The Queen of Harts took control and went for a Sharpshooter, but Rousey distracted her from outside the ring. The distraction allowed Baszler to get a knee strike on the apron, followed by an armbar for the win. The heels looked to do more damage to Nattie’s injured arm before Tegan Nox made the save and sent the heels running.
The match was entertaining, and it was good to see Nox back in the fold. She could partner with Natalya for some time to get a push on SmackDown before going ahead as a singles competitor on the main roster.
#2. Karrion Kross picked up a much-needed win over Rey Mysterio on WWE SmackDown
Karrion Kross faced off against Rey Mysterio on the latest episode of WWE SmackDown. The veteran took Kross out of the ring early and hit a modified 619 followed by a dive outside.
He countered with some moves from Kross and kept him on his toes with some quick offense. The Herald of Doomsday tried to hit Rey with a big move off the top of the ropes, but the legend turned it into a Poison Rana. He was in control of the match, but Scarlett and then Dominik got in his way.
Dominik tried to get his father to hit him, but the legend refused to do so. The distraction allowed Kross to lock in the Kross Jacket for the win. Dominik continued to humiliate his father after the match, but Rey refused to raise his hand at his son.
The match was decent, but it is frustrating to see someone like Kross constantly requiring help from the outside to pick up victories. He can never come across as champion material if he doesn’t win matches himself.
It looks like Rey Mysterio will lose his patience sooner rather than later, leading to an all-out beatdown of Dominik. The two superstars could then meet at WrestleMania 39.
#1. Jimmy Uso cut a promo before Sami Zayn got the better of The Bloodline
Jimmy Uso was under pressure all night long as Jey did not appear on WWE SmackDown. Paul Heyman made it clear to him backstage that Roman Reigns wanted him to take care of Jey and solve the problem, or else he would appear himself next Friday night to do so.
Jimmy came out in the final segment of the show to cut a promo. He said that he knew that his brother was hurt, but he was there for him. Sami Zayn came out of the crowd and entered the ring but told Jimmy that he wasn’t there to fight him. The Master Strategist reminded Jimmy of the good times they shared and said that when they betrayed him, it hurt him.
He pointed out that Roman Reigns treated The Bloodline wrongly, and he wanted to help them out. Jey appeared in the crowd, and Jimmy used the distraction to attack Zayn.
The Master Strategist fought back and hit him with a Helluva Kick before retreating so Solo Sikoa couldn’t get his hands on him. The exchange between Zayn and Jimmy was great, and the creative team did well to give the two men the spotlight on SmackDown.
Jey didn’t do much but exchanged an intense look with Sami to keep fans guessing as to whose side he is on. The storyline involving Zayn and The Bloodline is still the most captivating one on SmackDown.
