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After Sunday Night’s Money in the Bank, this week’s WWE SmackDown looked to build storylines on its way to the next pay-per-view, Backlash. SmackDown’s Mr. Money in the Bank was also at the show, but unlike Asuka who found the RAW Women’s Championship inside her briefcase, Otis didn't find himself to be that lucky.
Dana Brooke got another big match to shine as she defeated former SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi in a short match that helped build the Superstar for future bookings.
The Intercontinental Championship tournament also got underway during the night, as fans got to witness the first two matches of the tournament comprising of some top Superstars.
The Queen of WWE was also present at the show and she cut an interesting promo that may decide the future of the SmackDown Women's Championship.
Last, but not the least, Universal Champion Braun Strowman also got involved in some in-ring action during the night just days after he defeated Bray Wyatt to retain his title.
In this article, we will look at the 5 things WWE SmackDown got right on the show after Money in the Bank.
#5 Elias picks up a victory
Elias finally took to the WWE SmackDown ring to compete once again as he was put up against King Corbin in the first match of the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Sami Zayn’s inability to show up on SmackDown led to WWE stripping him of the title and announcing a tournament consisting of eight top Superstars who could go on to win the Intercontinental title.
Elias tried to gain the upper hand but the power of Corbin helped the heel keep The Drifter down long enough to do some damage. The action spilled over to the arena floor where Elias was able to escape an attack from Corbin and then take him out with a dive to gain control of the match.
While both men did enough damage to each other outside the ring, they were unable to put the other away with near falls inside the ring.
The King broke Elias’ guitar and reentered the ring to hit the End of Days on him, but The Drifter managed to hit a high knee and then rolled up the King of the Ring tournament winner to pick up the victory.
The King of SmackDown has to take on the WWE Champion
While this was an ordinary match, it showcased both men’s potential in the ring. A weak finish helps Corbin as he is set to take on WWE Champion Drew McIntyre on RAW next week, while Elias progressing in a tournament will help the Superstar finally get some prominence on the mid-card.
#4 The Queen plants the seeds for The Boss’ turn
NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair decided to make her way onto WWE SmackDown just days after Becky Lynch announced that she’d have to take a break from the ring.
With Lynch gone for at least a year, Flair has the chance to once again become the top woman in the company while working with Bayley and Sasha Banks could be a great idea.
The show had three of the biggest Superstars on WWE in the SmackDown ring
Three of the Four Horsewomen took the ring as Bayley and Banks interrupted Flair during her promo. The two best friends teamed up to poke fun at the most decorated woman in WWE, but Flair did not back down and tried to drive a wedge between the two Superstars.
After trading some insults, The Role Model challenged The Queen decided to a match down the line, and the latter accepted, resulting in a Champion vs Champion match that is now scheduled for next week.
This was a good segment that allowed WWE to build upon the second coming of the Wild Card Rule that has likely been put in place to increase ratings. Flair played her role perfectly well and helped create more cracks in Bayley and Banks’ friendship.
Will we finally watch The Boss turn on her friend at Backlash?
#3 A RAW Superstar for the SmackDown title
Former Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn was unable to show up on SmackDown for weeks after WrestleMania to defend his title, forcing WWE to strip him and set up a tournament to crown a new Champion.
While seven SmackDown Superstars were put in the race for the title, it was interesting to see WWE push in the name of AJ Styles from RAW to shake things up. Styles had a good time as the United States Champion on RAW over the past few months and came close to becoming Mr. Money in the Bank before his butterfingers allowed Otis to catch the briefcase.
WWE is looking to mix things up with a new rule
WWE is heading towards another Wild Card sort of rule and Styles is the perfect man who can represent RAW to the fullest on SmackDown. He currently has no rivalries on RAW, and a good show in the tournament can help fans get some stellar matches as he is set to take on Shinsuke Nakamura in the first round.
While it seems unlikely that the company will allow Styles to win the title and take it over to RAW where the United States Championship is already doing the rounds, it will be interesting to see how the heel dows in the tournament. Styles will have a chance to not only take on Nakamura but possibly also take on Elias and another veteran.
#2 Daniel Bryan and Drew Gulak light up SmackDown
The second Intercontinental Championship Tournament match of the night allowed two good friends from SmackDown to compete against each other to bag a spot for the semi-finals. Former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan looked to go over his mentor Drew Gulak in what was set to be the match of the night.
Both men shook hands before the match to show mutual respect before they got down to business. They displayed their technical precision from the opening bell and took each other down with counters and holds.
The former Cruiserweight Champion Gulak was looking to continue his rise on the SmackDown brand as he continued to keep Bryan down for as long as possible. However, The American Dragon’s experience helped him lock in the Yes Lock on Gulak to pick up the victory and advance to the semifinals of the tournament.
WWE will be looking to make up some interesting matches
While fans may have wanted to watch Gulak progress to the semifinals, it made sense to have Bryan go through as several veterans are competing for a spot and can give Bryan a good fight in the semifinal and possibly the final.
With AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Sheamus, and Jeff Hardy competing for a spot in the semifinals, the possibilities are endless.
#1 Otis - the face of SmackDown?
WWE SmackDown kicked off with Miz TV as The Miz and John Morrison welcomed their guest for the show, Otis. Otis won the Money in the Bank briefcase this past Sunday, a victory that shocked many in the WWE Universe.
Miz was first to congratulate the big guy for his victory, but Otis reminded him that his biggest accomplishment in WWE to date was winning over Mandy Rose’s heart.
The Shaman of Sexy and The A-Lister then teamed up to mock Otis’ weight, something that did not help lift the mood of the night. Miz demanded Otis to call out Tucker and help his friend compete in a tag team match against them, but Tucker wasn’t at the WWE Performance Center this week.
Otis then found WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman backstage and asked the big guy to team up with him to take on the former SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
The match between the two teams was the main event of the night and allowed Otis to shine with three of the biggest names in the industry. While Mr. Money in the Bank was unable to pick up the victory himself, his partner delivered a powerslam to Morrison for the win.
After the match, Rose came out to celebrate with Otis while the babyface teased to cash the briefcase in, only to reveal that he was kidding.
The opening and closing segments of the show heavily built Otis as the next face of SmackDown, and just a week of good work has helped him become one of the biggest players in the company. With Otis teasing to cash in his briefcase against Strowman, we now know that the big man might have some interesting plans as he looks to use his MITB contract wisely.
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
