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On the go-home episode before this Sunday’s WWE Backlash, Smackdown Live delivered where it was needed. The six women involved in the six pack (now elimination) challenge for the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Backlash all made their presence known, with Carmella gaining momentum by making Nikki Bella tap.
The Usos attacked American Alpha after being upset in a quick defeat, injuring Chad Gable in the process. Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles went face to face, with Styles getting a measure of revenge for the ending of last week’s show.
These were the main takeaways from the show, but each segment had something to offer. Here is reading between the lines of each segment from this week’s episode of Smackdown Live.
Opening Women’s Division Promo:
Main Point: Glad to see that WWE opted to open the show with the women. It allowed the six-pack bout at Backlash to feel a little more significant, even if this was only to further set up the six-woman tag match for later in the night.
This was a solid opening segment, although it felt like a cheap way to allow all six competitors to set up the tag match later in the night. Becky Lynch was the only woman who really stood out, getting a decent amount of time to talk about her goal of being the inaugural champion.
At least we got to see the women open the show.
The Miz vs Apollo Crews, Dolph Ziggler Confrontation:
Main Point: This feud hasn’t been built up very well, but to be fair they’ve only really had two weeks to try and make the match at Backlash feel significant.
This was a decent match between Crews (who is amazing in the ring, just doesn’t have a compelling personality) and Miz (who is an underrated wrestler), and was a much better match than their Summerslam contest.
Crews was allowed to look dominant for most parts of the match, and Miz only picked up the win due to miscommunication between Dolph and Apollo. The post-match segment between Ziggler and Miz did well to tease a physical confrontation, but instead Maryse retrieved the IC Title for Miz, playing up the coward factor that has been present in this story throughout.
Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton Promos:
Main Point: They are really emphasising this predator targeting his prey for both men. Hopefully this leads to a glimpse of the darker Randy Orton character that we saw in 2008-2009. Not a flat-out heel turn, but rather that extra edge and danger about him.
Bray’s promo was decent, but once again Wyatt’s words feel like empty promises.
Unless he can gather some momentum this Sunday at Backlash, I feel like people are going to start losing faith in his character. Orton’s promo was something different, as he attempted to craft a story like Wyatt had earlier.
The snake, rabbit and man analogy worked to a certain point, but felt a little forced. It probably would have been better giving these two a physical confrontation before Backlash to hype things up rather than two separate promos.
Six Women’s Tag Match:
Main Point: Lynch and Bella are the only two of the six women really over with the crowd, but a shock title win on Sunday for one of the other four could help with their cause.
The in-ring action wasn’t the main focus, but rather the storytelling. Bella was the revenge-seeker, Lynch the underdog who is clawing her way to the top, and Natalya the arrogant, vicious heel. Despite these three shining, it was Carmella who developed a wave of momentum, making Bella tap in the middle of the ring.
Although WWE might go with Nikki Bella on Sunday, I have a feeling they are going to keep this Nikki and Carmella feud alive and elevate someone else (hopefully Becky) as champion.
The Usos vs American Alpha ( Tag Team Tournament Semifinals):
Main Point: Finally! The Usos turned heel. In a much-needed character reinvigoration, Jimmy and Jey look set to be top heels in the division.
This was a glorified squash match, but that doesn’t matter. Gable and Jordan were made to look strong with a quick victory over two-time tag team champions, and the Usos finally rebooted their characters as heels, targeting the leg/knee of Gable.
The storytelling was great, with the veterans being upset by the newcomers.
Angry at their shortcomings, the brothers let out their frustrations on American Alpha, cementing themselves as the new top heels of the Smackdown Live tag division. With Gable (kayfabe) being out for 2-4 weeks, it looks like Jimmy and Jey will take their place in the final at Backlash.
Fandango and Kane Segment:
Main Point: This was a confusing segment that served as another excuse to let Kane decimate someone. Hey, at least it wasn’t a milkman.
For the second week in a row, Kane was sent out to destroy someone. Kudos to Fandango for sticking to his guns and dedicating his all to his silly character. I feel like Breezango should be of more prominence, as both Breeze and Fandango are underrated in their roles.
Let’s hope these Kane segments lead to something.
Maybe Kane is being built up as a threat again to put someone over? Baron Corbin, maybe? Let’s hope so.
Hype Bros vs Rhyno and Heath Slater (Tag Team Tournament Semi):
Main Point: Kudos to Smackdown creative, Heath Slater and Rhyno are over as hell right now.
A decent match once again, the winners were always certain. Rhyno and Slater have come too far just to fall to the Hype Bros, and now it looks like we are set for Rhyno and Slater vs the Usos at Backlash.
After Jimmy and Jey’s heel turn, expect the crowd to be hot for the Man Beast and the One Man Band. They received some of the loudest pops last night, and the involvement of Slater’s kids in the front row was great.
It honestly wouldn’t feel out of place and would be a feel-good moment if Rhyno and Slater became the inaugural Smackdown Tag Team Champs.
Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles, Face to Face:
Main Point: Styles heel work in earlier backstage segments was brilliant. Breaking an employee’s phone, threatening to get another employee fired because he showed the footage of AJ falling on the ropes last week, it was awesome!
He even managed to draw some boos from the crowd that popped big time when he first appeared on screen.
I’ve seen some people criticising this ending but to be honest, I felt it accomplished the goal of finishing the build to their match at Backlash. AJ Styles was the cold, arrogant heel with his sights set on the title, and Dean Ambrose was the laid back, confident champ who took things to a more serious level (his best level) when Styles said something distasteful.
With both men cutting intense promos towards the end of the segment, Styles finished proceedings with a low blow to the champ. Although a further beat down would have left a lasting image, this was enough to define Styles as the cold-hearted heel who will stop at nothing to win the title on Sunday at WWE Backlash.
Thanks for reading! Check out my other articles on my profile including 7 possible shocks that could happen at WWE Backlash!
