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This week’s SmackDown had an eye on the WWE Backlash pay-per-view, but most of the fans tuned in to treat themselves to the finals of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament set for this week’s show.
The night began with a bizarre yet hilarious contract signing segment between Jeff Hardy and Sheamus and then progressed into a non-title match between SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day and the heel team of Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura.
The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions had something to celebrate this week, but they were rudely interrupted by their challengers for WWE Backlash, The IIconics, who spoiled their party.
Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles put on a wrestling clinic for the Intercontinental Championship that stole the show, while the main event saw three top babyfaces team up to compete against SmackDown’s three biggest heels.
With so much crammed into two hours of television, fans got what they were looking for from this week’s SmackDown.
In this article, we will look at the 5 things WWE got right on this week’s SmackDown just in time for WWE Backlash.
#5 Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura's victory over The New Day
SmackDown Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and Big E arrived at ringside took a knee before preparing to take on Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in a non-title match.
The two heels seemed fresh and determined to pick up a win and controlled the early stages of the match, as Kingston and Big E tried to regain control of the match. Big E found himself on the ropes, but a belly-to-belly suplex allowed him to bring Kingston back into the match.
Kingston took the fight to The Artist and The Swiss Cyborg, but he fell prey to Nakamura’s tactics as he countered a big splash from Kingston with his knees and rolled up the former WWE Champion to pick up the victory.
Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura need to get back on top of WWE SmackDown
While this was an average match, it feels that SmackDown is trying to build Cesaro and Nakamura into a tag team worthy of a shot at the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
The Miz and John Morrison have already won the titles and are in a rivalry against the United States Champions. The Heavy Machinery, on the other hand, have taken a bit of a backseat after Otis’ Money in the Bank victory. The Forgotten Sons are still rebuilding.
Considering all of this, it could be good to push Cesaro and Nakamura as legitimate threats to the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
#4 The bizarre yet hilarious segment between Jeff Hardy and Sheamus
At WWE Backlash this Sunday, fans will be treated to some top quality Championship and non-title matches to highlight the event. While there are many matches on the card which could have done with a contract signing segment prior to it, SmackDown picked the match between Jeff Hardy and Sheamus for the segment and for good reason.
The Celtic Warrior arrived at the SmackDown ring with a doctor in tow to ensure that the fans knew that the contract signing won’t be as traditional as it’s supposed to be.
With Hardy out in the ring, Sheamus insisted that The Charismatic Enigma of SmackDown take a urine test to prove he is clean. Hardy said a few words related to his struggles before agreeing to the test.
Sheamus wasn't expecting what he got on WWE SmackDown this week
Hardy then stated to Sheamus that “it’s better to be p***** off than p***** on” before throwing the urine sample in the former WWE Champion’s face. Sheamus tried to take down Hardy but the babyface made his escape from the spot.
This was a bizarre yet hilarious segment that helped make things even more bitter between these two men. While a contract signing between Randy Orton and Edge or Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre would have made more sense, SmackDown once again took Hardy’s real-life struggles and included it into their storyline in an attempt to make this feud even more personal.
#3 Braun Strowman, Otis, and Tucker pick up the victory
The main event of the night saw The Miz, John Morrison, and Dolph Ziggler team up and face the babyface team of Tucker, Mr. Money in the Bank Otis, and Universal Champion Braun Strowman.
While Otis and Tucker do not have any matches booked for WWE Backlash, Strowman is set to defend his Universal Championship against Miz and Morrison in a handicap match during the event.
The babyfaces had control of the match early before the screen showed King Corbin approaching Mandy Rose backstage and confronting her about toying with his crown along with Otis.
This took Otis to the back where he took down Corbin, as his partners continued to fight in the ring. Tucker was the man who was targeted by the heels the most but he managed to hold his own and get back into the match.
Otis returned to the ring and took out the competition with Strowman, after which the babyfaces pinned Ziggler to pick up the victory.
WWE SmackDown seems to be building towards a new rivalry
Even though the match was nothing special, it helped create some differences between the Universal Champion and Mr. Money in the Bank. Otis also seems ready for his next rivalry which will likely be against King Corbin.
Mr. Money in the Bank had a lot to say during his interview with Sportskeeda a few weeks ago:
Surprisingly, Otis does not have a match for Backlash but the company shouldn’t overexpose him as he looks for his opportunity to cash-in his briefcase.
#2 The perfect Intercontinental Championship Tournament Final
While “The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever” is booked for this Sunday’s WWE Backlash, SmackDown fans got their own version of a great match two days earlier on the show.
Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles were set to compete in the finals of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament and give fans a match to remember.
Bryan used his expert techniques to keep Styles down and attacked his left arm early to keep the option of the LaBelle Lock open. He controlled most of the match early on before Styles got back in the match after ducking one of the Yes Kicks. The two men exchanged some great technical maneuvers to ensure that the SmackDown roster knows who the premiere wrestlers on the brand are.
WWE SmackDown put on a match worthy of being called the final
The highlights of the match saw Brayn slip out of a Calf Crusher, Styles delivering a near-perfect Pele Kick, and then catching Bryan during his running knee attempt to counter it into a Styles Clash.
He followed it up with the Phenomenal Forearm to pick up his first-ever Intercontinental Championship and make the wait worth it.
This was a picture-perfect match that can well go down as one of the best matches of the year.
Why this match wasn’t booked for Backlash is beyond us, but we are glad that we got to watch Styles and Bryan compete in the finals and deliver as expected.
#1 AJ Styles as the Intercontinental Champion
AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan put on one of the best matches we’ve watched on WWE SmackDown this year. Bryan and Drew Gulak have been outperforming their opponents lately, while we now understand why Styles was moved back to SmackDown from RAW.
Even though Bryan had all the momentum and the backing of the WWE Universe, it seems like SmackDown made the right choice by crowning Styles as the new Intercontinental Champion.
Not only does this allow Styles to pick up his first Intercontinental Championship, but it also gives the heel a chance to push ahead without The O.C. by his side.
Could WWE SmackDown have crowned a better Intercontinental Champion?
While Braun Strowman is the Universal Champion, many would agree that Styles would now be considered the face of the brand with the secondary title in hand as he is the bigger Superstar in terms of how much he has achieved on the Blue brand, taking into consideration his first stint on SmackDown too.
AJ Styles has had a great career in WWE already, as can be seen in our video below:
He is a consistent performer who can give the mid-card babyfaces a good fight, similar to what he did on RAW against men like Ricochet and Humberto Carrillo. Even though Bryan winning the title would have been as exciting, the future of the heels on the mid-card is a bit more uncertain at the moment as compared to the faces such as Drew Gulak, Mustafa Ali, and the soon-to-be-debuting Matt Riddle.
