Smackdown
Date: November 1, 2024
Location: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

We’re taped from last week as tomorrow is Crown Jewel in all of its glory. That means it is time to give us the final hammering home before the pay per view, including the big push towards the Bloodline vs. whatever the other team is called, which was announced earlier this week. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here is Nia Jax to get things going. She wants the Crown Jewel Title and she tends to get what she wants. The last time she was in Saudi Arabia, she wanted to become Queen Of The Ring and that’s what happened. She’s going to win the Crown Jewel Title and Morgan will be crying on the floor.

Cue Morgan, with Raquel Rodriguez and Dominik Mysterio, to talk about how she won in Saudi Arabia too. Morgan beat her the last time they fought but here is Tiffany Stratton to interrupt. She promises to cash in, but she’s not sure which one it will be. Maybe something could change her mind though: if she takes Morgan’s title, does Dominik come with it? She could use a little dirty in her life (Dominik shakes his head no). Morgan thinks Stratton has enough dirty in her life and the fight is on, with a call for a referee. Adding some stakes, even if they’re not guaranteed, to the Crown Jewel match helps so much.

Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton

Non-title and joined in progress with Morgan taking her to the floor for some rams into various things. Back in and a dropkick sends Stratton into the corner so she grabs the briefcase. Nia Jax pops up on the apron but Morgan uses the distraction to grab a rollup (with trunks) for the pin at 2:27 shown.

Post match Nia gives Morgan the Annihilator.

We look back at Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton being made for Crown Jewel.

Owens has sent in a video saying he doesn’t want to fight Orton because he never wanted to hurt him. Now he’s going to hurt Orton like Orton hurt him.

Street Profits vs. Pretty Deadly

B-Fab is here with the Profits. Pretty Deadly has Playbills for their upcoming musical and talk to Lin Manuel Miranda (of Hamilton fame) in a likely smart move. The villains jump the Profits before the bell and it’s Ford getting knocked into the corner, with Prince getting to dance a bit. Wilson comes in for some stomping of his own but Ford slips away and brings in Dawkins to clean house without much trouble. A middle rope Codebreaker cuts Dawkins down but B-Fab cuts off the choking and slams Prince. The Doomsday Blockbuster finishes Wilson at 4:01.

Rating: C. Pretty Deadly has fallen pretty far in the last few months as they have very little to do save for talking about their musical, which doesn’t exactly seem likely for some big payoff. The Profits are stuck in this weird place where they’re good enough to challenge for the titles but have lost so many big matches that it doesn’t seem likely. They need to figure something out though, because this is only going to hold out for so long.

Nia Jax isn’t happy with Tiffany Stratton, who says it’s all part of the plan. Bayley and Naomi aren’t convinced.

Naomi/Bayley vs. Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae

Hartwell pounds Bayley down to start and then punches her in the face for a bonus. LeRae adds a dive off the apron to drop Bayley again and we take a break. Back with Bayley fighting out of a chinlock and hitting some knees to Hartwell in the corner. Naomi comes in to slug away on LeRae, including a middle rope splits splash for two with Hartwell making the save. Everything breaks down and the Bayley To Belly hits Hartwell, but LeRae is back up with the Lionsault to Bayley. That’s not worth a count though as Naomi is legal, meaning she hits the Rear View for the pin at 8:50.

Rating: C. As usual, there is only so much you can get out of a match with so much missing, but they were trying well enough. I’m not sure how much drama there was in the match as Bayley and Naomi are much bigger stars, plus the whole Hartwell is released thing. If nothing else, I’m surprised LeRae took the fall, but it only makes so much of a difference.

We look at the recent Bloodline situations, resulting in the Usos joining forces with Roman Reigns to fight the villains.

Here are Jimmy Uso and Roman Reigns to officially clear the air with Jey Uso. Jimmy says he and his brother made up and it’s time for Roman to make everything ok of they’ll lose at Crown Jewel. Cue Jey Uso, who wastes no time in taking off the sunglasses. He gets right to the point in saying that this is about him getting back at Solo Sikoa. This isn’t ok with all three of them yet because he remembers how Reigns treated him.

There was physical, mental and emotional damage, but now they have to show the next generations that it’s family above all. Reigns isn’t going to be the boss though and they’re all equals right now. Reigns can keep going that way or he can act like Jey’s cousin and they’ll be together at Crown Jewel. Jey looks at him as Reigns thinks about it….and says YEET to quite the reaction. Jimmy and Jey hold up the fingers and Reigns joins the pose to blow the roof off the place.

The Motor City Machine Guns are in the back when A-Town Down Under interrupts them. The villains invite them to be on the Grayson Waller Effect next week and the champs are in.

Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair vs. Lash Legend vs. Piper Niven

Their respective partners are here too. They pair off to start with Belair hammering on Niven and avoiding a charge in the corner. Niven runs Belair over as Legend drops Sky onto the apron. Back in and Legend and Niven hit a double clothesline for a double knockdown. Niven breaks up Sky’s Asai moonsault but gets taken out by Belair. Legend and Niven drop Belair though and we take a break.

Back with Niven hitting a backsplash for two on Sky, with Legend stealing the cover. Belair comes back in with a high crossbody to both of the, followed by a spinebuster to Niven. Legend takes out Belair but Sky is back in to hit both villains in the corner. Niven and Sky go up but get Tower of Doomed back down by Belair.

Legend plants Belair but Chelsea Green makes the save as the brawl breaks out on the floor. Back in and Niven backsplashes Legend and piledrives Belair. Legend cuts off the basement crossbody as Cargill cleans house on the floor. The KOD hits Legend but Sky comes in with Over The Moonsault to hit Belair and steals the pin on Legend at 12:04.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of formula that tends to work best for these matches as it was a bunch of people going nuts and trying to get in as much stuff as they could. That made for an entertaining match and I had a good time with it, especially when you add in all of the others on the floor. Good stuff here, even if it means almost nothing for the title match.

Cody Rhodes asks Randy Orton to save him a piece of Kevin Owens.

Andrade, Carmelo Hayes and LA Knight are ready for the triple threat for the US Title.

Crown Jewel rundown.

Solo Sikoa isn’t happy with Roman Reigns and the Usos being together again and promises to take them out.

Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes vs. Imperium

Cody and Gunther get things going…and we’ll make that Kaiser instead before anything happens. A gordbuster sends Kaiser outside and Rhodes hits a big dive as we take an early break. Back with Gunther kicking Rhodes down so Kaiser can hammer away. The double kicks in the corner have Rhodes in more trouble and Kaiser grabs the chinlock.

That’s switched into an abdominal stretch until Rhodes hiptosses his way to freedom. A double clothesline leaves both of them own and Rhodes is able to hand it off to Orton. The hanging DDT hits Gunther but he blocks the RKO. Rhodes and Kaiser come back in to slug it out, with a Cody Cutter connecting. The RKO and Cross Rhodes finish Kaiser off at 10:14.

Rating: C+. They could only do so much here as the question was more about which one would pin Kaiser for the win. What matters here is giving us just a taste of Gunther vs. Rhodes, which is what they pulled off, but at the same time, their showdown doesn’t feel that important. This helped the match a bit, but it was facing quite the ceiling.

Post match Kevin Owens runs in with a chair to Orton as Gunther chokes Rhodes out to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I am not feeling Crown Jewel in the slightest and this didn’t do much to help things out. The best thing here was the addition of teasing a cash in for the women’s match, as it at least gives the match some bigger stakes. The Bloodline match isn’t that much better, as it’s clearly just a warmup for WarGames. That’s the problem with Crown Jewel in general: it feels like a show that we have to get through to get to the important stuff and that’s not great. This show boosted it a bit, but it could only go so far.

Results
Liv Morgan b. Tiffany Stratton – Rollup with trunks
Street Profits b. Pretty Deadly – Doomsday Blockbuster to Wilson
Bayley/Naomi b. Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae – Rear View to LeRae
Iyo Sky b. Lash Legend, Bianca Belair and Piper Niven – KOD to Legend
Cody Rhodes/Randy Orton b. Imperium – Cross Rhodes to Kaiser

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: October 25, 2024
Location: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re just over a week away from Crown Jewel and the big story this week is that Raw World Champion Gunther will be here to confront Smackdown World Champion Coy Rhodes. The problem is they’re going to have to find a way around the low stakes that come with the Crown Jewel Title. Other than that, the Bloodline will likely get its usual focus. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Randy Orton gets this week’s walk through the back to the Gorilla Position…where he stops to talk to HHH in a conversation we can’t hear. With that done, Orton hits the ring and wants to know why he can’t face Kevin Owens. Since Nick Aldis has said it was above his pay grade, he wants HHH out here right now to make the match, because otherwise it feels like HHH is protecting Owens. Cue HHH, who guesses we have to do this. Orton thinks HHH is protecting Owens, but the match isn’t going to happen.

HHH says he’s trying to protect Orton, which gets a gasp from the crowd. Orton drops to a knee next to the ropes before HHH talks about how Owens will turn on anyone at any time. HHH: “You know what that’s like, you do.” But then Owens trusted Orton and Cody Rhodes and HHH is worried. Orton just came back from 18 months away and Orton could put him away permanently.

Orton didn’t want Paul Levesque out here, but rather the guy who broke into Orton’s home with a sledgehammer and threw him through a window. He wants to be allowed to handle this the same way they have for years, right in this ring. The fans are behind it and HHH hopes they know what they’re wanting. HHH makes the match at Crown Jewel. That’s a big time match and they needed to make it feel special.

Long recap of Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade

It’s the rubber match with the series tied at 3-3 so LA Knight is guest referee. This is also billed as Game 7, which is fine for a sports metaphor but sounds really weird in wrestling. Knight is wearing the US Title as he counts two off Andrade’s early rollup. Back up and Hayes uses Knight as a shield to get in a cheap shot (Knight doesn’t approve) but Andrade sends him out to the floor. The big flip dive over the top takes Hayes out on the floor and we take a break.

Back with Andrade hitting the springboard flipping reverse Spanish Fly, only for Hayes to hit the spinning faceplant for the same. Andrade gets his own rollup but the kickout sends him onto Knight. That means Hayes’ rollup doesn’t get a count so Andrade hits Two Amigos, with the third being reversed into a suplex cutter. Knight doesn’t feel like counting and instead pulls Hayes outside and sends him over the announcers’ table. Both of them get BFT’s and Knight throws it out at 9:46.

Rating: B-. The action was good while it lasted but this was more about setting up the triple threat match which has been the pretty obvious goal for a good while now. That’s not a bad thing, though Knight has been acting rather heelish lately. He certainly isn’t going to turn or do anything insane like that, but there is very little heroic in what he has been doing.

Post match Knight declares himself the winner. Cole and Graves are split on the decision.

Nia Jax is annoyed that Tiffany Stratton was gone last week and has gotten Candice LeRae to take her place. Stratton isn’t pleased.

Nick Aldis yells at LA Knight and makes a triple threat match at Crown Jewel. Aldis didn’t say it was a title match but I’d guess that’s implied.

Naomi vs. Candice LeRae

Indi Hartwell is here with LeRae, who works on the arm to start but Naomi easily powers out. An ax kick gives Naomi two but LeRae is back with a Downward Spiral onto the apron. We take a break and come back with a frustrated LeRae hammering on Naomi and grabbing the neck crank. Naomi fights up and hits a quick hanging faceplant for two, followed by a springboard spinning kick to the face for the same. LeRae’s neckbreaker out of the corner sends Naomi outside, where Hartwell gets in a posting. Cue Bayley to take out Hartwell, leaving Naomi to hit a Bubba Bomb for the pin at 8:54.

Rating: C. They didn’t have much time to do anything here as, again, the match was cut off by the break. Otherwise, this was something of a makeup for last week, as LeRae got the big upset so Naomi needed to get a win back (even if she didn’t get pinned last week). I can go for more of LeRae, but she still doesn’t feel like she is ready to jump up to the next level.

Here is Cody Rhodes for a chat, but Gunther interrupts his entrance. Gunther asks Cody what he wants to talk about, but Cody says it should be obvious. Gunther apologizes for bringing Cody’s daughter into this because that wasn’t necessary. He finds it interesting that Cody keeps trying to do something for someone else. Wrestlemania was about making Dusty Rhodes happy and then he wanted the John Cena schedule to live up to Cena’s reputation.

If you take everything out of this, what does Cody want from this match? Cody says you can’t take the people out of this and he grants them their WHOA, which Gunther cut off. Where was Gunther yesterday and the day before that? Cody was in Las Vegas promoting Wrestlemania while Gunther couldn’t bother getting out of bed.

Gunther says he gets the same requests but has the guts to say no to everyone. On the other hand, Cody has to keep saying yes because if he stops saying yes, his story is over. That makes Cody a gutless champion and secondary to him. Cody says that his career is based on guts, which is what it takes to do this, and the fight is on. Ludwig Kaiser comes in for the brawl but Randy Orton makes the save. This was the best segment in the build to the match yet, but egads it still feels like something we have to get through rather than an interesting match.

We recap the Bloodline beating down Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso to end last week’s show, then going to Raw to cost Jey Uso the Intercontinental Title.

The three GM’s are in the back to announce that Bianca Belair/Jade Cargill will be defending the Women’s Tag Team Titles in a four way against Chelsea Green/Piper Niven, Meta Four and Damage CTRL at Crown Jewel.

Motor City Machine Guns vs. DIY

For a future Tag Team Title shot and commentary goes over Shelley’s influence on the current generation. Sabin comes in off a blind tag and the Dream Sequence gets two on Ciampa. Gargano comes in for a jawbreaker into a basement dropkick for two and it’s already back to Ciampa. The Guns hit their own Meet In The Middle on the apron but Gargano hits the slingshot spear, meaning it’s the DIY double applause as we take a break.

Back with Sabin fighting out of trouble and a Downward Spiral/missile dropkick combination gets two. Gargano’s rolling kick to the head hits Sabin and there’s a running knee to give Ciampa two of his own. Meet In The Middle is broken up and Gargano superkicks Ciampa by mistake, meaning Skull & Bones can finish Gargano at 11:20.

Rating: B. This is how you build up a team, as the Guns get another win over some former champions in a good match. The Guns have hit the ground running here and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them getting a title shot at Crown Jewel. At the same time, commentary was putting the team over hard, as they were explaining the Guns’ history and telling stories about them. That’s a great bonus and has helped so much.

Post match here is the Bloodline and post break, Solo Sikoa demands acknowledgment. The OTC chants get on Sikoa’s nerves and the Guns introduces themselves. The Guns are ready anyplace anytime, so Sikoa says let’s do it right now. Nick Aldis says no but Shelley says if the Bloodline wants to do it, now, let’s do it.

Tag Team Titles: Bloodline vs. Motor City Machine Guns

The Guns are challenging and knock the champs outside, only for the dives to be cut off as we take a break. Back with the fans wanting Roman (Reigns) and Shelley fighting back. Sikoa gets on the apron but here is Jimmy Uso to cut him off. Jacob Fatu joins Fatu in the beatdown but here is Roman Reigns to help brawl the villains to the back. We’re down to two on two and Sabin dropkicks Tama down, only to walk into a spinebuster. The referee is bumped so the Tongas grab chairs but here is Jey Uso to take Loa out with a superkick and a spear. Skull & Bones gives us new champions at 7:25.

Rating: C+. Remember how I said the previous match is how you make stars? This was the upgraded version, as the Guns don’t just hit the ground running but score another major win in the process. The match was little more than a backdrop for the big fight with the Bloodlines and there is nothing wrong with that. Awesome moment here and the kind of insanity that worked, as the Bloodline was already playing with a big advantage.

Post match the Guns leave and Jimmy comes back. Jey isn’t sure about this but we get the big hug for the reunion to end the show (Guns vs. Usos at say the Rumble works fine for me). This was a huge moment as the road now turns to Survivor Series and WarGames, but the good guys are going to need one more name. Either that’s a random new member of the team, or they might need an Honorary Uce.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show where it felt like they turned on the jets, with a big angle to start, two matches set for Crown Jewel, a title change and the big reunion at the end. That’s a heck of an episode and I was caring about things like I haven’t in a little while. The Guns winning is a great thing to see, but the Usos being back together (for now) is the big step in the main story and that’s the really important part. Pretty strong show this week.

Results
Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade went to a no contest
Naomi b. Candice LeRae – Bubba Bomb
Motor City Machine Guns b. DIY – Skull & Bones to Gargano
Motor City Machine Guns b. Bloodline – Skull & Bones to Tama

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Monday Night Raw
Date: October 14, 2024
Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re taped this week as the roster is over in Europe. That means it’s time for a show in front of a slightly worn out audience but hopefully they get a good show. Crown Jewel is on the way and needs something more than the champion vs. champion matches which have already been announced. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We follow Rhea Ripley into the ring to get things going. Ripley isn’t done with Raquel Rodriguez or Liv Morgan so get down here for a whipping. Instead it’s Tiffany Stratton interrupting with a message from Nia Jax. She wants Ripley to stay out of her business or it will be a big problem. Ripley has no time for this and threatens to beat up Stratton in Morgan and Rodriguez’s place. Cue Morgan and Rodriguez to beat on Ripley, though Morgan hits Stratton with the Money In The Bank briefcase.

Video on Bianca Belair/Jade Cargill vs. Damage CTRL for the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

Rhea Ripley tells Adam Pearce she wants to face Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Pearce is fine with that, as long as Ripley has a partner. Tiffany Stratton comes in and wants a match of her own. Pearce to Ripley: “What about her?” The match is on.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Jade Cargill/Bianca Belair vs. Damage CTRL

Damage CTRL is challenging. Cargill shoves Sky down to start and a double slam puts her down even harder. Sane comes in off a blind tag and a double dropkick hits Belair. Everything breaks down and Sane drops Cargill with a dive as we take a break. Back with Sky rolling Belair up and hitting a double stomp for two. Belair fights up and hands it back to Cargill to pick up the pace, including a backbreaker to Sane.

Everything breaks down but Cargill’s Dominator to Belair only hits mat (instead of Sane). An elbow gives Sane two but Over The Moonsault misses. The champs argue with NXT’s Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson (in the front row) and get wiped out by an Asai moonsault as a result. Not that it matters as Belair is back with a KOD to pin Sky and retain at 9:47.

Rating: B-. This is a match that felt like it could have gone longer and been even better but what we got went well enough. That being said, I really do not need to see Legend and Jackson involved in the title picture. They had their title shot and lost in short order. Why do I need to see them get another shot?

Finn Balor wants a rematch with Damian Priest but Adam Pearce says Balor needs to worry about the Tag Team Titles. A #1 contenders tournament is announced. Balor is annoyed and Liv Morgan introducing Raquel Rodriguez doesn’t make it better.

American Made thinks they’re pretty spiffy and are willing to be YOUR heroes.

Bron Breakker says Jey Uso got lucky to win the Intercontinental Title and showed him respect, but Uso never showed him the same respect back. Uso is living off his family’s name but Breakker is doing it on his own. Makes enough sense.

We get a sitdown interview with Adam Pearce and Bronson Reed. Pearce says Reed has made an impact and Reed apologizes, but blames Seth Rollins for the loss against Braun Strowman. Make the match against Rollins and the problems go away. Pearce is intrigued.

#1 Contenders Tournament First Round: Alpha Academy vs. War Raiders

The Raiders (and yes the WAR Raiders, not the Viking Raiders) are back after some long time off due to injuries. Ivar misses a charge at Tozawa to start so Erik plants him down. Everything breaks down and the pop up powerslam hits Tozawa. Otis is dropped and a belly to back suplex/top rope splash (Fallout) finishes Tozawa at 2:24. There is always going to be a place for a team like the Raiders and this worked fine.

Adam Pearce (he’s busy tonight) talks to Seth Rollins about a potential match with Bronson Reed. Pearce is hesitant because he doesn’t want Rollins getting hurt, but Rollins says they both need this match.

Here is Cody Rhodes in a special cameo for a chat. He’s a traditionalist and talks about the history of wrestling in St. Louis leading all the way up to right now. Something happened in this very building though and it changed his life forever. This was the first place to chant WE WANT CODY and he thanks the fans very much. So….what do you want to talk about?

Cue Gunther (I bet he wants to talk about kittens and ducks) to interrupt, saying that he usually dresses down his opponent a bit, but he’s not going to do that here. He sees Cody sucking up to everyone and wants Cody to fix things with Kevin Owens so Gunther gets the best version of him at Crown Jewel. Cody talks about how Gunther can get rattled when things don’t go his way and brings up some of his bigger wins, including slaying a Beast. They shake hands and part in peace.

We look at New Day’s recent issues.

Video on Dragon Lee, who talks about how great a year he had. This includes joining the “legendary” LWO. Dragon Lee does not know what the word “legendary” means.

Kofi Kingston vs. Bron Breakker

Non-title and no Xavier Woods with Kingston, who starts fast with a running dropkick. Breakker runs him over again and fires off a hard whip into the corner. Back up and Breakker knocks him hard to the floor as we take a break. We come back with Kingston fighting out of a chinlock and firing back, including a quick Boom Drop and the SOS for two. Breakker isn’t having that and suplexes him down, setting up the spear for the pin at 8:26.

Rating: C+. Kofi isn’t as good as he used to be but he’s still someone you can put in there to many anyone look good. Breakker gets another win as he is likely on the way to a title rematch at Crown Jewel, which is a logical way to go. Good enough match here, though again, an eight minute match should not have a break in the middle.

Post match Breakker keeps up the beating but Jey Uso and Xavier Woods come in for the save.

Damian Priest asks if Rhea Ripley wants him out there tonight but she’s got this. Ripley says it’s time Priest gets his title back, which Priest thinks is right. If she needs him though, he’s there.

Jey Uso goes to his locker room and finds his brother Jimmy, who asks if Jey has a second.

R-Truth vs. The Miz

R-Truth offers a handshake and Miz can’t believe that he still doesn’t get it. The Wyatt Sicks hack the feed for a bit but here is the Final Testament to interrupt. The distraction lets R-Truth get a rollup pin at 1:02.

Post match the AOP throws R-Truth back inside for a Skull Crushing Finale for R-Truth.

Jimmy Uso is looking for someone and finds Jey, who gives him an emphatic NO. Jey tells him to get out of his face.

Rhea Ripley/Tiffany Stratton vs. Liv Morgan/Raquel Rodriguez

Morgan tries a headbutt to start and has to slip out of Ripley’s arms as a result. Rodriguez comes in for the big staredown but Stratton tags herself in, much to Ripley’s annoyance. Ripley and Stratton argue on the floor, so Rodriguez powerbombs Morgan onto them as we take a break.

Back with Morgan hitting what appears to be a third Amigo (if the ensuing Eddie Dance is any indication) and stomping Stratton down in the corner. Rodriguez’s suplex gets two and she grabs a backbreaker to keep Stratton in trouble. Back up and a missed charge in the corner allows Ripley to come back in and hammer on Morgan. Riptide connects but Rodriguez makes the save. Stratton goes up but here is Nia Jax to jump Ripley for the DQ at 8:40.

Rating: C-. I get the idea of having Ripley taking anyone to get her hands on Rodriguez and Morgan, but that didn’t make the match worth seeing. Instead we were stuck with a pretty lame match as Stratton has no reason to go after Rodriguez or Morgan, save for an out of nowhere cash-in attempt on the latter. Having Jax run in made an already not so interesting match feel lame and I wasn’t into this as a result.

Post match the brawl is on with Morgan getting dropped. Stratton teases the cash-in but Dominik Mysterio makes the save before she can make it official to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This is a show that should be grateful it was only two hours. I’m not sure if it was due to the show being taped or due to the focus being on the nothing champion vs. champion matches, but this was one of the weaker Raw’s they’ve had in a good bit. Morgan vs. Jax and Cody vs. Gunther for bragging rights and a big belt that means nothing 72 hours later isn’t enough for me for Crown Jewel, but thankfully they have time to add in something new.

Results
Bianca Blair/Jade Cargill b. Damage CTRL – KOD to Sky
War Raiders b. Alpha Academy – Fallout to Tozawa
Bron Breakker b. Kofi Kingston – Spear
R-Truth b. The Miz – Rollup
Rhea Ripley/Tiffany Stratton b. Liv Morgan/Raquel Rodriguez via DQ when Nia Jax interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Smackdown
Date: October 11, 2024
Location: Bon Secours Wellness Center, Greenville, South Carolina
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

Other than the birthday for the twins in the Parent Trap, it’s the show after Bad Blood and the big story took place after the show went off the air. Kevin Owens attacked Cody Rhodes in the parking lot, finally turning full on villain again. Other than that, the Rock showed up again and that could go in a few directions. Let’s get to it.

Here is Bad Blood if you need a recap.

We get a quick preview of the card.

We look at the main event of Bad Blood, with Jimmy Uso returning to help Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns defeat the Bloodline. The Rock returned after the match to glare at the winners.

Here is Jimmy Uso to get things going. He’s been on the shelf for six months so we pause for the WELCOME BACK chant. Six months ago, Solo Sikoa jumped him from behind and put him on the shelf, so tonight it’s big brother vs. little brother. Cue Roman Reigns to interrupt, but we’re going to do things a bit different this time.

Instead of acknowledging him, Reigns wants the crowd to join him in welcoming back Big Jim. Reigns isn’t an older brother so he doesn’t get the older vs. younger and he’s not a wise man so he doesn’t make big plans. Instead, he’s the Tribal Chief so he takes whatever he wants. They had money, power and titles. He doesn’t like where things are right now though because things are out of control.

Jimmy says he sees a chief with no tribe right now. He came back at Bad Blood because Reigns needed help and now they need more help. Roman: “No yeet.” Jimmy says Reigns will always be his Tribal Chief, but he is the only one in the family that acknowledges him. Jimmy leaves and Reigns has to think about that.

US Title: LA Knight vs. Carmelo Hayes

Knight is defending and drops him a few times to start. Hayes gets knocked outside and yells at some fans, allowing Knight to dropkick him through the ropes as we take a break. Back with Knight fighting out of a chinlock as Andrade is at ringside. Knight’s pop up powerslam into the jumping elbow gets two and Knight stomps away in the corner.

Back up and Hayes scores with a superkick and the trade rollups for two each. Knight knocks him down again and hits the top rope elbow for two more. The BFT is countered into an ax kick and a suplex cutter gives Hayes two. Nothing But Net misses so Hayes backflips out of a belly to back suplex, right into the BFT to give Knight the pin at 9:01.

Rating: B-. Nice enough here as Knight racks up another win. This feels like it is setting up a triple threat with Andrade and Hayes getting title shots, which doesn’t make for the most appealing match when Knight has already beaten both of them. Odds are we get yet another Hayes vs. Andrade match though, which almost has to have some kind of prize for whomever finally wins the whole thing.

Jimmy Uso runs into Cody Rhodes, saying that was a favor on Saturday but don’t get used to it.

Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson are here from NXT to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

We’re ready for the Women’s Tag Team Title match but here is Kevin Owens (in a Dusty Rhodes shirt), who isn’t supposed to be here, to say that Rhodes caused all of their issues. Cue Rhodes but agents hold him back, only for Randy Orton to come in accidentally get hit in the face. Orton drops Owens with one shot.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Lash Legend/Jakara Jackson vs. Bianca Belair/Jade Cargill

Belair and Cargill are defending, NXT Champion Trick Williams is in the crowd, and Piper Niven/Chelsea Green are at ringside. The challengers jump them to start and it’s Legend (the bigger and stronger) coming in to hammer Belair down for two. A wheelbarrow faceplant/cutter combination gets two with Cargill making the save. Everything breaks down and the assisted wheelbarrow suplex finishes Jackson at 2:10.

Randy Orton and Nick Aldis get Cody Rhodes to leave because Orton will deal with Kevin Owens. Aldis: “Randy Orton, voice of reason?”

Here are Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton for a chat. Jax praises Bayley for a tough fight but no one can beat her. This includes her Raw counterpart Liv Morgan, who will be annihilated at Crown Jewel. After that’s done, Stratton can cash in on Morgan! Cue Naomi to interrupt to say Stratton saved Jax’s title. Naomi and Jax are ready to fight so Jax says get a referee out here. We get a referee but we also get Morgan, Dominik Mysterio an Raquel Rodriguez. Morgan says they’re here to see Jax lose, just like she will at Crown Jewel.

Naomi vs. Nia Jax

Non-title. We’re joined in progress with Naomi slipping out of a fireman’s carry but not getting anywhere with a sunset flip. Instead Naomi kicks her in the head for a stagger but Jax takes it to the mat for a double arm crank. Back up and Naomi is sent hard into the corner (that sounded awful) and we’re back to the chinlock. That’s broken up and Naomi kicks her out to the floor, setting up another kick to the head. Jax isn’t having that and hits a Samoan drop, setting up a glare at Morgan and company as we take a break.

Back with Naomi hitting a high crossbody for two, with the kickout leaving her confused. Jax is sent outside again for another dive but Rodriguez steals the Money In The Bank briefcase. The distraction lets Jax load up the Annihilator, but Stratton goes for the briefcase again. Naomi pops up and hits a powerbomb out of the corner for the pin at 9:53.

Rating: C+. I like that they’re setting something up with Naomi as a threat to Jax along with Morgan vs. Jax, but it is a bit difficult to get fired up for a champion vs. champion match with neither title on the line. I’m curious to see who is coming after the title next, though hopefully they find a way to spice up the Crown Jewel title match, because there isn’t much to what they have.

Post match here is Rhea Ripley to go after Rodriguez, drop Jax, and take Morgan out. Well that worked.

Carmelo Hayes complains about Andrade costing him the US Title. Nick Aldis makes one more Hayes vs. Andrade match, with the winner likely getting a US Title shot. With Hayes gone, Legado del Fantasma comes in to ask about their title shots. That works for Aldis, who says Angel and Berto will face a special team next week.

Solo Sikoa is ready to make Jimmy Uso acknowledge him.

We get another Detroit themed car vignette, with whomever it is showing up next week.

We look at last week’s Tag Team Title ladder match with the Bloodline retaining.

Nick Aldis says the Street Profits and DIY had their shots and now there’s a new team coming in next week. A lot of arguing ensues but Aldis calls security over because Kevin Owens has attacked Randy Orton.

We look at the Florida Panthers receiving their NHL rings.

Video on Drew McInyre vs. CM Punk inside the Cell at Bad Blood.

Solo Sikoa vs. Jimmy Uso

The Bloodline is here with Sikoa. They stare at each other a bit to start and Sikoa offers him the chance for some acknowledging. Jimmy fights out of the corner but gets elbowed own, only to low bridge Sikoa outside. That means the required dive but Sikoa drops him again inside. Sikoa knocks him to the apron for a clothesline as this is already taking its time. Jimmy gets knocked outside for a cheap shot from Jacob Fatu and we take a break

Back with Sikoa hitting the running Umaga Attack, setting up the running spinwheel kick. Back up and Jimmy manages a quick superkick but walks into Spinning Solo for another near fall. Another running Umaga Attack connects but Jimmy manages a kick out of the corner for a needed breather. A high crossbody into a Samoan drop gets two on Sikoa but Fatu gets in a quick crotching. The Samoan Spike finishes Uso off at 14:00.

Rating: C. There was no reason for Sikoa to lose here but Uso coming back and losing his first match after a six month hiatus is kind of a weak way to go. Granted he’s little more than a foot soldier for Reigns, but you couldn’t build this up for a few weeks and give Jimmy some wins? Anyway, the match was long and fairly sluggish until the Bloodline cost Jimmy, which was the point of the whole thing.

Post match the beatdown is on but Roman Reigns comes in…and gets taken out too. The Bloodline leaves and Reigns looks at Jimmy, as if to say “ok, we need help.”

Overall Rating: C+. This was kind of a rough sit as it was more the show that you have to get through before you get to the bigger stuff. Reigns and Uso are going to need help and this week was more to establish that fact rather than seeing them get any kind of help. At the same time, Owens is a full on villain, as he should be, and we have some things being set up for the next few weeks. This show wasn’t exactly great, but it did what it needed to do for the future.

Results
LA Knight b. Carmelo Hayes – BFT
Bianca Belair/Jade Cargill b. Lash Legend/Jakara Jackson – Assisted German suplex to Legend
Naomi b. Nia Jax – Powerbomb
Solo Sikoa b. Jimmy Uso – Samoan Spike

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Bad Blood 2024
Date: October 5, 2024
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

For reasons I’m still not clear on, Bad Blood is back after a twenty year hiatus. In this case it’s once again about the Cell, with Drew McIntyre and CM Punk being locked inside to presumably wrap up their feud for good. Other than that, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns are teaming up to face the Bloodline. Let’s get to it.

The opening video is a mini movie with HHH and Cody Rhodes in a parking lot talking about their plans for the evening, with HHH saying text Roman Reigns if you get in trouble. Then Rhodes and someone named Metro are sitting in a car watching the arena, apparently for the last several weeks. After a look at the bigger matches, Rhodes and Metro agree that it’s time and go inside. This was….certainly a thing.

Rhodes and Metro (last name Boomin) arrive in a banged up Ford.

Here are your hosts for the evening: Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi. Their offering at the moment: announcing that the Cell is lowering.

Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk

Inside the Cell. They take their time staring at each other until McIntyre knocks him into the corner and hammers away. McIntyre sends him outside but gets whipped into the Cell to give Punk a breather. A table is pulled out but McIntyre knocks him down and grabs a wrench from a toolbox. The big shot only hits post though so McIntyre rips the legs off a table. Punk takes them away and chokes before sending McIntyre back first onto the bottom of the table.

They head back outside where McIntyre hits a quick Claymore for a needed breather. Punk is busted open and McIntyre certainly seems to like that. The steps to the head have Punk in more trouble and McIntyre says Punk’s wife is going to leave him. Back in and the wrench is dug into the cut on Punk’s head before another table is pulled in. Punk manages a running knee in the corner though and goes up top for an ax handle to the head.

A top rope wrench to the head is countered into a suplex to send Punk flying as the fans approve. The threat of a Claymore sends Punk outside, where he finds a toolbox to bash McIntyre in the head (the blood is gushing, with Graves making a Muta Scale reference). Two more toolbox shots to the head have McIntyre rocked and the GTS…sends him rolling out to the floor. Back in and Punk grabs a not exactly great Sharpshooter but McIntyre gets in a wrench shot.

We actually pause for the referee to wipe the blood off of McIntyre’s face and they slug it out again. McIntyre gets the better of things and suplexes Punk off the apron and through a table. It’s McIntyre up first but he has a lot of trouble getting the steps inside the ring. The delay lets Punk hit a quick GTS for two and they’re both down again. McIntyre is able to come back with White Noise onto the steps for two and another double down.

Punk manages a quick Anaconda Vice but McIntyre grabs the wrench…which Punk takes away and smashes onto McIntyre’s head. McIntyre begs off and catches Punk with a low blow to put them down again. Back up and McIntyre pours a bag of beads, like in the bracelet, onto Punk’s head. The Claymore is loaded up but McIntyre misses and lands BACK FIRST ONTO THE EDGE OF THE STEPS for the terrifying crash (I’m hoping he accidentally left it short because if that was the plan that man needs help.). Punk pours the beads into McIntyre’s mouth and hits the GTS (with a chain around his knee) for the win at 31:15.

Rating: A. Sweet goodness that was a war and Punk survived rather than won. After that, you almost have to imagine Punk gets into the World Title scene sooner than later, as there isn’t much else for him to do at the moment. As for the match, they did some good stuff with the wrenches to make it feel all the more violent and bloodthirsty. What matters here though is they wrapped up the feud with a fight befitting the Cell, which hasn’t always been the case for a long time.

Post match Punk slams the door and walks out but collapses in the aisle, with the medics coming out to give him oxygen. Punk pulls that off and walks out again.

We recap Bayley challenging Nia Jax for the Smackdown Women’s Title. Jax beat her for the title at Summerslam and Bayley wants the title back. Tiffany Stratton is lurking around with the Money In The Bank briefcase.

We go to the VIP suite where the hosts talk about various legends who are in the background and awkwardly talk about the rest of the show.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley vs. Nia Jax

Jax is defending and they run around a bit first, only for Jax to hit a hard clothesline. The running hip attack in the corner sets up a leglock of all things and even commentary isn’t sure what to make of that. Bayley gets up and slides between legs before sending Jax outside. A slingshot legdrop hits Jax but it’s to early for a suicide dive. Instead Bayley hits a baseball slide dropkick and hammers away on the floor but the suicide dive only kind of bounces off of Jax.

Back in and Jax runs her over, only for Bayley to break up the Annihilator. Bayley’s powerbomb out of the corner is countered into something like a hurricanrana (ok more like Jax pulled her forward but that could have been worse). A Bayley To Belly plants Bayley for two but Bayley is back with a sunset bomb, with Jax landing on Bayley’s leg in the process. The top rope elbow his Jax, who bails out to the floor for a breather.

Back in and Jax runs her over again, only to charge into a Samoan drop of all things to give Bayley two. Jax crushes the referee though….and it’s Tiffy Time. Stratton drops Bayley with the briefcase and wakes up the referee, but Jax does an Undertaker situp. That’s enough for Stratton to bail, only for her to throw the briefcase at Bayley for a distraction. Jax plants Bayley and hits the Annihilator for the pin at 14:12.

Rating: C-. This really didn’t work as Jax was trying some different things but couldn’t make them go well. It didn’t help that Bayley felt like a lame duck challenger throughout and the cash-in tease was treated as a bigger deal. They both need to move on, though I’m not sure who is supposed to be next to come after Jax’s title.

Xavier Woods gets to play a Dragon Ball game early.

We recap Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest. Balor turned on Priest at Summerslam and kicked him out of Judgment Day so Priest has been on a path of revenge, leading up to tonight.

Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest

Priest chops him hard into the corner and then punches him in another as the beating is on in a hurry. Balor gets in a shot of his own though and fires off the Kawada kicks, followed by some jumping stomps. Priest pops right back up for the big staredown, only for Balor to elbow him back down. Back up and a right hand rocks Balor so hard that commentary is nearly cringing, but Balor is able to grab a spinning Russian legsweep for a near fall.

Priest hits some more loud right hands, setting up a spinning kick to the head and a clothesline for two. The Pele kick gives Balor a breather but Priest is right back with a Razor’s Edge to send Balor outside. Something close to a Pounce sends Balor onto the announcers’ table and Priest drops him onto the apron.

Cue Carlito for a distraction though, allowing JD McDonagh to come in for a cheap shot. The Coup de Grace gets two and Priest takes out the rest of the team. South Of Heaven is countered into a rollup for two and Balor hits a top rope double stomp to the back. That doesn’t work either though and Priest hits South Of Heaven for the pin at 12:50.

Rating: C+. This was ok enough but not exactly great, with Priest just shrugging off the interference and winning. That’s the way the ending should have gone, but it was never exactly a dramatic match on the way there. I’m not sure what is next for Priest, though it’s hard to imagine Judgment Day being big time players that much longer from this point.

Here is HHH for a big announcement, complete with a pedestal labeled Crown Jewel and something covered up. HHH talks about his time in WCW when he was “terra ryzing” WCW and here are are with 16,092 in attendance. In four weeks, WWE will be returning to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel in the beginning of a new era.

There will be an annual event at Crown Jewel, where the two World Champions (both men and women) will face off in non-title matches. However, there will be a definitive winner for both, with the winner being named the Crown Jewel Champion, which is the title underneath the sheet (and is gigantic).

Cue Gunther to interrupt, saying he’s looking forward to winning the title in four weeks. Gunther laughs off the idea of Sami Zayn taking the title from him on Monday before moving on to the legends who are already here. This would mean Goldberg, who really isn’t one of Gunther’s childhood heroes. How could anyone be impressed with a one trick pony like Goldberg? Gunther looks over at Goldberg’s son and says he hopes Goldberg is a better father than he is a wrestler. Goldberg comes over the barricade and security breaks it up, only for Sami Zayn to run in and brawl with Gunther to the back. HHH and Goldberg pose.

There was a lot here and neither of it is overly positive. This is the same thing they did with the Battle For Brand Supremacy for years and all that does is make one champion look weak. I’m sure the Saudis requested something like this so WWE is stuck but that doesn’t make it much better. Other than that…sweet goodness can we just move on from Goldberg against these big stars? Have him beat up some midcard goof (Finn Balor or someone) and get his nostalgia pop so we can not have to sit through another wasted World Title match.

Various legends are here.

Back to the VIP suite where Chelsea Green shows up and smells bad. Piper Niven is willing to stay though.

Raw Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan

Ripley is challenging and Dominik Mysterio is locked in a shark cage. Hold on though as Ripley says Dominik is scared of heights too so raise that cage! Ripley knocks her to the floor to start but gets sent into the steps after looking up at Dominik for a bit too long. A dragon screw legwhip over the ropes keeps Ripley in trouble and it’s a half crab to make it worse.

That’s broken up and Ripley slugs away, only to have her leg taken out again. The leg is rammed into the apron and a spinning kick to the head staggers Ripley. Morgan hits a sunset bomb into the barricade and a middle rope Codebreaker connects back inside. Oblivion is broken up with a roll through (would have been better without the bad leg), only for Morgan to snap off a crucifix bomb for two more.

Ripley is back up with a toss powerbomb but Dominik has managed to open the shark cage door. The frog splash sets up the Prism Trap but Morgan rolls out to the floor. Morgan gets sent into the barricade, followed by the Riptide on the outside. Dominik teases climbing down…but winds up hanging upside down by his foot. Rather than finishing Morgan, Ripley grabs a kendo stick and, after wishing herself a happy birthday, beats on him with the stick. Cue Raquel Rodriguez of all people to jump Ripley for the DQ at 14:30.

Rating: C-. That ending was all kinds of messy and it hurt things badly, though they weren’t doing well in the first place. At the end of the day, it’s just not that easy to buy Morgan as a threat against Ripley, even if Ripley is hurt. Rodriguez should be a lot better as she can match up physically with Morgan, but they need to let Ripley get the win, crush Dominik, and move WAY on because this feud is running out of steam in a hurry.

Post match Rodriguez puts Morgan on top of Ripley, presumably for a pin, which makes me wonder if the DQ wasn’t the planned finish.

We recap Roman Reigns/Cody Rhodes vs. the Bloodline. Reigns and Rhodes are sick of them and are teaming up to get rid of them, with Reigns saying he’s coming for the title after it’s over.

Bloodline vs. Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns

Rhodes is played to the ring by the Arkansas Pine Bluff marching band, who played his song during a college football game a few weeks back. Not to be outdone, Reigns has his own band playing him out. Cody and Fatu start things off with the early Disaster Kick being shrugged off. It’s (slowly) off to Reigns vs. Sikoa, with Reigns hammering away in the corner.

Sikoa headbutts him down but gets clotheslined outside, meaning Fatu comes in to glare at Reigns. That’s enough of a distraction for Sikoa to deck Reigns and start the headbutting. Sikoa hits the running Umaga Attack, followed by Fatu hitting his own. Fatu misses a charge and goes head first into the post though and it’s back to Rhodes for the Flip Flop and Fly. The Cody Cutter puts Fatu down but a Sikoa distraction lets him come back with a pop up Samoan drop.

Things slow back down with Fatu getting to hammer away, including a double wishbone with Sikoa. Fatu grabs a nerve hold to keep Rhodes in trouble and then does it again for a bonus. Rhodes fights up and manages to drop Fatu, which is enough for the tag back to Reigns for the house cleaning. The Samoan Spike is countered into a crucifix of all things to give Reigns two, followed by a Superman Punch of the same.

Rhodes whips Fatu into the steps before avoiding a charge, sending Fatu through the barricade. Some superkicks put Fatu onto the announcers’ table and a splash off the post puts him through it. Now it’s Reigns getting to clean house but cue the Tonga’s, allowing Sikoa to hit a spear for two. Cue a guy in a hoodie to superkick the Tongas because Jimmy Uso is back. That’s enough for Reigns to spear Sikoa down for the pin at 25:43.

Rating: B-. This match felt like a car that kept stalling before finally turning on just enough to get you where you needed to go. It desperately needed about eight minutes cut off as the heat segments on Rhodes weren’t working. Fatu feels like a beast but Sikoa just isn’t quite living up to the same hype. The Uso reveal was good and it was a nice moment, but this was a long main event at the end of a not so great show and it felt like that the whole way.

Post match Reigns and Jimmy hug and reigns has a brief staredown with Cody before leaving. The Bloodline is back up and jumps Cody though, with Jimmy saying they should go back for the save. Reigns thinks about it before going back in and cleaning house. With the Bloodline gone, Reigns picks up the title and hands it back to Rhodes for some applause. Rhodes holds up the title….and the Rock is here (with the People’s Champion belt and someone from his team reaching their arm around the edge of the screen to film it from behind). The Rock glares at Reigns, seems to count to three (I’m guessing because he pinned Cody at Wrestlemania) and walks out to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The opener is an instant classic (partially because it was the ONLY Cell match on the card rather than one of two or three) and the main event is enough to get by, but this was a two match show and the rest of the card falls off a cliff outside of those two. Balor vs. Priest was acceptable enough, but sweet goodness those Women’s Title matches did not work, with the Crown Jewel announcement being about on the same level. It’s not a terrible show, but the Cell match is the only thing worth seeing in the slightest.

Results
CM Punk b. Drew McIntyre – GTS with a chain
Nia Jax b. Bayley – Annihilator
Damian Priest b. Finn Balor – South Of Heaven
Rhea Ripley b. Liv Morgan via DQ when Raquel Rodriguez interfered
Roman Reigns/Cody Rhodes b. Bloodline – Spear to Sikoa

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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For some reason, WWE has decided to bring this one back and I’m really not sure why. Bad Blood was never anything more than one of those shows that you mostly forgot ever existed and it hasn’t been around in over twenty years. Now we’re getting a fresh version with a pretty big card and that could make for a rather nice show. It almost has to be better than the last time they brought this thing back. Let’s get to it.

Raw Women’s Title: Liv Morgan(c) vs. Rhea Ripley

The catch here is that Dominik Mysterio will be suspended above the ring in a shark cage. That could open up a few options, as the question isn’t so much will he cheat but rather how, along with will he have someone helping him. That has to be done though, as otherwise Ripley would destroy Morgan in all of eight seconds. This is still one of the biggest feuds on Raw at the moment, but I’m not sure where it goes next.

As much as I want to say Ripley gets the title back here, I’m not sure if it’s a big enough stage. Therefore, we’ll say Morgan escapes again, even if it feels completely wrong to say that. At some point, Ripley is going to absolutely crush Morgan and get the title back, though it almost has to take place soon. I’m thinking they squeeze one more match out of it though, with Morgan retaining here through some kind of screwiness.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Nia Jax(c) vs. Bayley

This is the only other title match on the show and it’s a rematch from about two months ago at Summerslam when Jax took the title from Bayley. Just like last time, Tiffany Stratton and the Money In The Bank briefcase are hanging around but that is still a get out of title reign free card. Bayley isn’t feeling like a big challenger, but there aren’t many other options at the moment.

I can’t imagine Jax losing the title so soon and Bayley isn’t feeling like a strong challenger in the first place, so yeah Jax retains here. Maybe they do something ridiculous like having Naomi turn on Bayley, but there is no reason to change the title here. Stratton can cash-in later, with or without success, but that isn’t something I can imagine happening here. Teases of course, though not an actual title change.

Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest

Here we have a grudge match as Judgment Day and the Terror Twins explode. Priest has been wanting to get his hands on Balor for a good while now and there are going to be more than a few lackeys there to help save Balor. While Balor isn’t quite as vulnerable as Morgan, he loses is Priest can even the odds enough, which very well could end this feud once and for all.

I’m thinking that’s exactly what happens, as Priest beats Balor and finally gets to move on. Priest is already a former World Champion and could easily be moved back into the main event picture with a nice win here. Judgment Day is already losing steam and I’m not sure how much longer it needs to stay around. Priest should win here and hopefully be done with the whole thing.

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre

This is the Cell match and somehow reportedly not the main event. That would seem to be the kind of match that would headline the show, but in this case there is a good chance that it opens the show for the sake of saving some time. Punk vs. McIntyre has been the runaway Feud Of The Year so far and if they can stick the landing here, the whole thing goes even higher up the all time list. But who wins?

I keep going back and forth on this one, but I think I’ll go with Punk winning. It’s the good guy (ok the better of the two rather than the good) winning in the end and McIntyre can come back later to do something else. Punk can take a bit of a hiatus and move on to something else as he only has a limited time in the ring to go. I could be wrong here, but I’ll take Punk going over here.

Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns vs. Bloodline

This is the main event and that makes me think something big is going to happen here. Reigns vs. Rhodes III almost has to be in the cards sooner than later but I don’t think that’s a WrestleMania match again. We can get there later though, as this is about the forces combining to face their shared enemy. That makes me wonder how we get through the match, though one result seems more likely than anything else.

Barring some big interference, I can’t imagine Reigns or Rhodes taking a fall here. That leaves either some kind of a double DQ finish or some kind of major return, perhaps the Rock, who has to be back sooner or later. That being said, I’ll go with Rhodes pinning Sikoa and then…whatever happening next. Rhodes vs. Reigns III certainly seems possible though and we might be seeing that as a result, but for now, the new Mega Powers win.

Overall Thoughts

This is the definition of a one two punch on top, as there is a heck of a drop between the top two matches and the three underneath. If those two matches deliver then we are going to be in for a huge show, though it’s likely to take its sweet time as well. I’m interested enough in the show, but it’s going to depend on what happens during/after that tag match, because it almost has to be the big moment on the show, which is looking pretty nice.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: September 27, 2024
Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re closing in on Bad Blood with the big Smackdown match being the tag match between Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns vs. the Bloodline. Other than that, we could be in for another match being added this week, though there might not be many options. There is also a good chance that another big match is added for next week’s SmackDown, as tends to be WWE’s custom. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here is Randy Orton to get things going and the fans sing his song for a nice moment. He hasn’t been around much lately but he loves being back in a Smackdown ring. There are very few people he trusts in this industry but he trusts Cody Rhodes. That’s why he doesn’t get why Rhodes is teaming with Roman Reigns at Bad Blood, so could Rhodes please come out here for an explanation?

Cue Rhodes, who says he looks like a fool but he would rather look like a fool than a coward. Reigns has kept his word to Rhodes so far so he’s going to do it again here. Rhodes thinks it is time to kill the Bloodline and hopes Orton doesn’t have a problem with that. Orton doesn’t seem to but here is Kevin Owens to interrupt. Before he can say anything though, here is the Bloodline to interrupt.

After shrugging off an OTC chant, Solo Sikoa says that Rhodes better hope that he can trust Reigns, because he’s better than the two men in the ring with Rhodes right now. They have failed to take out the Bloodline, so acknowledge that Rhodes. Owens shrugs that off and asks for a tag match. Rhodes is ready to make it a six man but Owens says Rhodes already has his tag match, so tonight it can be Owens/Orton vs. Sikoa/Jacob Fatu (Rhodes didn’t seem to mind). They have all the makings here for either a heck of a WarGames team or a big turn (or both).

Nia Jax rants to Tiffany Stratton about what happened last week with Naomi and Bayley. She grabs Stratton by the throat and says if this ends badly for Jax, it ends VERY badly for Stratton. With Jax gone, Stratton doesn’t seem pleased.

Bayley vs. Naomi

For the Women’s Title shot against Nia Jax at Bad Blood. Bayley rolls her up for two to start and Naomi isn’t pleased so some shoving ensues. A middle rope armdrag sets up a missed running kick at Naomi’s head and she sends Bayley outside. That means a big dive and we take an early break.

Back with Bayley taking Naomi down for a change but the Rear View gives Naomi two. The headscissors driver plants Bayley for two more and a top rope Blockbuster gets the same. Bayley is back up with a gordbuster into a sunset flip into the turnbuckle (didn’t quite work but it looked ok) for two of her own. Bayley To Belly is countered and Naomi hits a bulldog onto the middle buckle. Naomi goes up but dives into the Bayley To Belly, setting up the top rope elbow to send Bayley to Bad Blood at 10:00.

Rating: B-. Right off the bat, major points for this not being a draw of some kind to set up a triple threat. They went with one of them going over and that is what it needed to be. Bayley vs. Jax II is only so appealing, but it’s a lot better than the multi challenger option. Bayley isn’t likely to win, but at least they set up something for the title match.

Post match Naomi shows respect but looks frustrated.

We look at LA Knight retaining the US Title over Andrade last week but teasing another match.

Andrade runs into Knight and isn’t pleased with the lack of a handshake. Knight lost Andrade’s respect, which doesn’t sit well with Knight, who gets jumped by Carmelo Hayes.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade

Andrade starts fast by stomping away in the corner. They go to the apron where Andrade hits a powerslam and we take an early break. Back with Andrade fighting out of a chinlock and firing off some elbows to the ribs. A double clothesline puts them both down again though before Andrade goes after the leg.

Hayes grabs the First 48 to pull him out of the air for two but the running knees in the corner. Andrade’s running knees connect for two but Hayes’ springboard DDT gets the same as we take another break. Back again with Hayes crotching him on top but Andrade manages to reverse into a superplex.

Hayes manages the suplex cutter for two but Andrade catches him on top. Another superplex attempt is countered into a cutter (that was sweet) for two more. Andrade knocks him down and Hayes rolls outside, only for LA Knight to interrupt. Andrade tells him to get out but Hayes rams them into each other, setting up a rollup to give Hayes the pin at 16:48, tying the series at 3-3.

Rating: B. I’m not sure about that ending, which was more about making Knight look like he was getting revenge rather than anything involving the two of them. Hayes will likely get a title shot somewhere in there but there is a good chance this winds up being a triple threat. For now though, I’ll setting for another engaging match between these two.

Post match Knight wants Andrade’s handshake but Andrade walks away, looking rather annoyed.

Cody Rhodes comes in to see Kevin Owens and Randy Orton, saying they need to talk. Owens says they have a match to worry about and tells Rhodes to stay back here before leaving. Orton says if it gets bad out there, they would love for Rhodes to have their back.

AJ Styles is back next week.

Michin vs. Piper Niven

Chelsea Green, with a trashcan, is here with Niven. Michin hammers away to start as Green yells about Cole smelling bad. A hurricanrana out of the corner staggers Niven but she’s right back with a toss out of the corner. The backsplash misses though and Green offers a distraction, allowing Niven to hit a cannonball off the apron.

We take a break and come back with Niven hitting a cannonball but Michin manages a crucifix bomb. Niven knocks her off the top and out to the floor, which has Green up off the floor. Michin avoids the cannonball into the trashcan and, after kicking Green off the apron, hits Eat Defeat to pin Niven at 9:56.

Rating: C. I’m still not 100% sure why we’re seeing a dumpster match between Green and Michin but having Michin beat green’s muscle on the way there is perfectly logical booking. This match wasn’t much to see but Michin has been on a heck of a run in recent weeks. She’s being pushed more than she has in a long time and she’s making something of it.

Next week, the Bloodline defends the Tag Team Titles against DIY and the Street Profits in a ladder match. All three teams are ready.

We look at fan signs.

Bayley apologizes to Naomi for the loss but Naomi says Bayley isn’t sorry…just like Naomi wouldn’t be if she had won. Everything seems ok and Bayley leaves. Tiffany Stratton comes in and Naomi is so sick of her that she wants a match next week.

We look at Jey Uso winning the Intercontinental Title on Raw.

We look at the Georgia Tech showdown between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes last week.

Kevin Owens/Randy Orton vs. Bloodline

Owens and Fatu slug it out until Sikoa comes in for more brawling. With that not going anywhere, Fatu and Orton come in, leaving the fans to yell at Sikoa. Fatu wastes no time in knocking Orton outside, where Orton drops Fatu onto the announcers’ table. Fatu pops up so Orton does it three more times…and throws in one for Sikoa as well. The fans are WAY into this as we take a break.

Back with Sikoa hammering away on Owens in the corner and hitting the running Umaga Attack. Fatu hits one of his own and Sikoa cuts off a comeback attempt to stomp away even more. Owens gets in an atomic drop into a clothesline and it’s Orton coming back in to clean house. The hanging DDT connects but Fatu beaks up an RKO attempt. Sikoa gets in a Samoan drop for a breather as they’re both down. Owens comes back in and plants Sikoa, setting up the Swanton for two.

Cue the Tongas for a distraction, allowing Sikoa to hit Spinning Solo for two more. That brings out Cody Rhodes to brawl with the Tongas and the RKO drops Loa. Fatu dives onto Rhodes though and throws him inside, where the referee is knocked down. That means no count on Sikoa, leaving Fatu to hit some superkicks to pin Owens at 15:06.

Rating: B. This was a match where you could pretty easily figure out what was going to happen and that didn’t hurt a thing. At the end of the day, Owens is going to have problems with anyone who works with the Bloodline and that makes perfect sense. I’m not sure if it is going to lead to a turn from him, but that is the story they are setting up and it is working well.

Orton has to hold Rhodes and Owens apart to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was another show that wasn’t the most important but it did a good job of building things up for later. Next week has a dumpster match, a ladder match for some gold, and the return of AJ Styles. That is not a bad way to go for one night and this show helped get it ready. Throw in a pair of pretty good matches and this was a rather nice way to go.

Results
Bayley b. Naomi – Top rope elbow
Carmelo Hayes b. Andrade – Rollup
Michin b. Piper Niven – Eat Defeat
Bloodline b. Kevin Owens/Randy Orton – Superkick to Owens

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: September 20, 2024
Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We are getting closer to Bad Blood and that means it is time to get ready for a big tag match. Bad Blood will see Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns teaming up against the Bloodline, which should make for an important Smackdown main event. As for tonight, LA Knight is defending the US Title against Andrade. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of Cody Rhodes defeating Solo Sikoa last week to retain the Smackdown World Title. Roman Reigns then made the save from the post-match beatdown, eventually setting up the Bad Blood tag match.

Earlier today, the Bloodline arrived and didn’t like being checked in the metal detector. Jacob Fatu beat up security because that’s just what he does.

US Title: LA Knight vs. Andrade

Knight is defending and starts fast with a BFT attempt to send Andrade outside. We take an early break and come back with Andrade hitting a high crossbody for two, setting up the chinlock. Knight fights up and elbows him in the face before they go outside with Knight sending him face first into the announcers’ table over and over.

The slingshot shoulder gets two on Andrade back inside but he manages a quick posting for a breather. Andrade hits a top rope moonsault to the floor and we take another break. Back again with a double knockdown giving them a double breather. Andrade is up first but misses the running knees in the corner, allowing Knight to grab a DDT for two.

A neckbreaker gives Knight two but Andrade scores with the running knees in the corner for the same. Knight comes back with a powerbomb and the top rope spelling elbow but the BFT is blocked. The spinning elbow gives Andrade two more but he misses a missile dropkick. The BFT retains the title at 17:28.

Rating: B. Rather strong match here, which is what you want to see from Knight as he continues to build up his title reign. Beating one star after another is a good way to go and Knight looked strong in his third title defense. Andrade was hot coming off of his series with Carmelo Hayes but for now, Knight getting boosted up is the right way to go.

Respect is shown post match.

We recap the setup of tonight’s women’s tag match, with Bayley and Naomi fighting for a Women’s Title shot while Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton are trying to get rid of them both.

Stratton isn’t overly focused on the match so Jax says Stratton should lose if she doesn’t win tonight.

Carmelo Hayes mocks Andrade over the loss and the fight is on again.

Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns met on the field at Georgia Tech’s football stadium (Cody’s hometown and Reigns’ alma mater). Reigns talks about what he has given on this field, which is his stadium and his city. Rhodes talks about what his family has done in this city because while it is Reigns’ field, it is Rhodes’ home. Reigns says the Bloodline has taken everything away from him and now there is nothing for him to lose.

Rhodes warned him that this would happen before Wrestlemania and now we have both a Tribal Chief and a WWE Champion, but it isn’t Reigns. If Reigns can’t beat the Bloodline, who is he? Rhodes wants Reigns’ word that he’ll have his back at Bad Blood. Reigns agrees, but he’s coming back for what is his, meaning the title, after the match. Rhodes says it isn’t Reigns’ to take, but Reigns says he’s in his way. That was a heck of a setting for a staredown, which worked well, though it felt a bit too big for a match at Bad Blood rather than…well any of the big shows.

Kevin Owens isn’t sure what he just saw.

Apollo Crews vs. Giovanni Vinci

Vinci isn’t happy with his previous loss and hammers away to start, setting up a clothesline out of the corner. Vinci’s fireman’s carry is loaded up but Crews reverses into a rollup for the pin at 1:36. I’m kind of chuckling at this.

Post match Vinci beats him down.

Kevin Owens will talk about Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes in the arena.

Here is Owens for a chat. Owens is about to talk about what he just saw with Reigns and Rhodes but here is the Bloodline (minus Solo Sikoa) to interrupt. Tama Tonga threatens violence but Owens wants to fight. The beatdown is on so here is DIY to clear things out, with Nick Aldis coming to the ring to make the six man tag main event.

Bayley and Naomi are cool with each other before their title match and they both want to win.

Bayley/Naomi vs. Nia Jax/Tiffany Stratton

Texas Tornado. If Bayley or Naomi win, they get a title shot, but if one of them is pinned, they leave Smackdown. It’s a brawl to start (as it should be) with Bayley and Naomi getting in some double teaming to stagger both villains. A double sliding lariat gets two on Jax, who is back up with a toss to Naomi. Something like a middle rope version of Cryme Tyme’s old G9 getting two on Bayley as we take a break.

Back with Jax on the floor and being sent into Naomi’s kick to the head. Bayley and Naomi hit some dives on Jax and a springboard kick to the face/German suplex combination hits Stratton. Naomi won’t let Bayley get the pin but she does take a shot from Stratton for her. Jax is back in to clean house but Bayley saves Naomi from the Annihilator.

Bayley and Jax get stereo covers for near falls (commentary isn’t sure how that would have worked either) but Naomi X Factors Jax out of the corner. Stratton’s Swanton hits Jax by mistake and a 1D puts Stratton down again. Jax Samoan drops Bayley but Naomi grabs a rollup, with Bayley helping, for the double pin at 11:06.

Rating: B-. The tornado rules were a way to set up the ending, which is either setting up Bayley vs. Naomi or the triple threat title match at Bad Blood (or both). For now though, it was a good way to make Jax look vulnerable and it’s a lot more acceptable to have her take a fall in a tag match. Good enough match here, with the result being what it needed to be.

It’s not clear who gets the title shot.

We look at some fan signs.

Chelsea Green goes to take out some trash but gets sick of the smell. She’s training to face Michin in a dumpster match, which would be on Michin’s home turf. As usual, Green is hilarious in stuff like this.

Michael Cole is VERY enthusiastic about the dumpster match and even gets up to demonstrate throwing someone into a dumpster.

Nick Aldis makes Naomi vs. Bayley next week for the title shot.

Kevin Owens/DIY vs. Bloodline

Hold on though as we cut to the back where the Bloodline has taken out DIY. Owens goes to the stage and fights all three of the Bloodline on his own, which goes as well as you would expect. Cue the Street Profits for the save though and Owens hits a flip dive as we have some replacement partners.

Kevin Owens/Street Profits vs. Bloodline

Owens hammers on Tama to start and it’s off to Dawkins to do the same. Ford gets to stomp Loa in the corner but a clothesline gets him out of trouble. Fatu comes in and the fans approve as he kicks Ford down in the corner. A suplex into Tama’s slingshot hilo has Ford in more trouble and a sliding lariat makes it worse. Ford finally fights out of trouble and hands it back to Dawkins to fight off Fatu.

Back up and Fatu hits a superkick out of the corner into a gorgeous moonsault as we take a break. We come back with Dawkins getting double teamed down but managing to kick Tama away. Fatu cuts off the tag attempt though, only to miss a charge into the post. That’s enough for the tag off to Ford to fight back, including a standing moonsault for two on Tama.

Owens comes back in and picks the pace up even more, with a splash off the apron to Loa and a cannonball to Tama. The Swanton connects but Fatu makes the save, leaving Tama and Owens to go to the top. After some very obvious spot calling, Owens reverses into the swinging superplex for two. The Stunner connects and Loa sends Owens into the steps, which is actually a DQ at 14:48.

Rating: B-. This got some time and the ending was a big of a surprise, though I’ll take the doing something a bit different than the same old stuff. The Profits didn’t need to take another loss here so the result was a nice thing to see. Owens was fighting as hard as he could again, which has been his thing for a long time now now.

Post match the brawl stays on with the Bloodline getting the better of things but here is DIY for the failed save attempt. Cody Rhodes makes the real save with a chair and hits Fatu with a Cody Cutter. Owens picks up the chair and stares at Rhodes, with Cody offering him a handshake. Owens drops the chair and we get a hug to end the show. They were teasing something there and we never heard what Owens actually thought of the video with Roman Reigns.

Overall Rating: B. Pretty nice show this week with the Reigns/Rhodes video being quite well done and seemingly setting up some issues with Kevin Owens down the line. The Smackdown side of Bad Blood is coming together nicely, but again it’s feeling kind of small compared to a Cell match and likely World Title match on Raw. This did a nice job of getting things ready for the show though and that’s what matters with about two weeks to go before Bad Blood.

Results
LA Knight b. Andrade – BFT
Apollo Crews b. Giovanni Vinci – Rollup
Bayley/Naomi b. Nia Jax/Tiffany Stratton – Double pin to Jax
Kevin Owens/Street Profits b. Bloodline via DQ when Loa sent Owens into the steps

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: September 13, 2024
Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s back to USA as the FOX run has ended after five years. The new era is starting with a bang too as Cody Rhodes is defending the Smackdown World Title against Solo Sikoa in a cage. That should be more than big enough but now we get to see where things are going for Bad Blood as well. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence, complete with new theme song and logo.

Here is HHH to say it felt like yesterday when he was main eventing the first episode of this show against the Rock. Now it’s 25 years later and we’re starting big.

The cage is lowered.

We recap Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa. Rhodes retained the title at Summerslam with an assist from the returning Roman Reigns. Now Sikoa wants a rematch and it’s inside a cage to keep things interesting.

Smackdown World Title: Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa

Rhodes is defending inside a cage. Sikoa knocks him into the corner to start and hits an elbow early on. A bulldog doesn’t do much to Sikoa but ramming him into the cage a few times does. Sikoa is right back with a backdrop into the cage and a splash against it makes things worse. There’s the running hip attack to drive the back of Rhodes’ head into the cage and the front of his head is busted open.

Sikoa misses the running headbutt in the Tree of Woe but he’s fine enough to send Rhodes into the cage again. A toss powerbomb sends Rhodes into the cage as this is mostly dominance so far. Rhodes manages a quick Cody Cutter and they fight to the top, with Rhodes slamming him into the cage. They both go up to the top of the cage, with Sikoa getting a rather scary looking superplex to bring Rhodes back down.

A pair of Spinning Solos gives Sikoa two but the Samoan Spike is blocked. Rhodes hits a quick Cody Cutter for two and they’re both down again. Sikoa is back up to send him into the corner for the running Umaga Attack and a Samoan drop. Sikoa actually goes up and a Superfly Splash gets two.

Another Umaga Attack connects but Rhodes flips over him and Cross Rhodes gives Rhodes two of his own. With Sikoa down, Rhodes goes up and hits a high crossbody for a rather near fall. Rhodes goes for the door but gets is slammed onto his head to give Sikoa an opening. The Samoan Spike is blocked though and another Cross Rhodes retains the title at 16:20.

Rating: B+. This was a heck of a match and probably Sikoa’s best match ever. The title didn’t exactly feel like it was in jeopardy for the most part but what mattered was Rhodes had to work for the win. It felt like a big fight for Rhodes and could have been a pay per view title match on one of the lower level shows. That’s a great way to start the new run on USA and it was a rather solid performance from both guys.

Post match the Bloodline runs in and the big beatdown is on, with Jacob Fatu hitting the triple moonsault. Fatu goes up top….and Roman Reigns is back. Reigns locks himself in the cage and cleans house, even shrugging off Sikoa’s comeback. Reigns has the big staredown with Fatu, who is ready to fight, but Sikoa pulls him out. The Tonga’s come back up and beat on Reigns but Rhodes makes the save. Reigns slowly turns to look at Rhodes, seemingly thanking him without actually saying or doing anything.

Post break Nick Aldis says everyone has been sequestered in their dressing rooms but Solo Sikoa has an offer for a match, which Aldis doesn’t know just yet.

Michin vs. Piper Niven

Chelsea Green is here with Niven. Michin slugs away to start and sends Niven outside, where a big dive can connect. With Niven down, Michin kendo sticks Green and, after shrugging off Niven’s shot back inside, hits a belly to back superplex. Eat Defeat ends Niven at 2:02.

Post match Green and Niven lay Michin out, including the Unpretty-Her onto a trashcan.

We look at some classic Smackdown moments over the years.

Rob Van Dam, Vickie Guerrero and Gunther/Ludwig Kaiser are here.

Kevin Owens/??? vs. A-Town Down Under

Owens’ partner is…..a bald guy that no one recognizes. Owens admits that the guy isn’t his first choice but his original partner had travel issues, so this is (after a whisper from the partner) Ricky! Hold on though as a production member comes over to say Owens’ partner is here. That means a Stunner to Ricky and we have a substitute.

Kevin Owens/Randy Orton vs. A-Town Down Under

It was going to be him or Sami Zayn. Owens hammers on Waller to start but they quickly head outside, where Owens is dropped onto the announcers’ table. Waller mocks Orton’s pose, which Cole says is not a good move for his career. We take a break and come back with Owens hitting a clothesline but Waller breaks up the tag attempt. Waller loads up a superplex and Graves points out that THIS NEVER WORKS.

Owens knocks Waller down and then does the same to Theory, setting up the Swanton. Waller pulls Orton down though and the tag is delayed again. Owens fights out of the corner though and rolls outside, then runs around the ring and slides back in right in front of Orton (that was brilliant) for the tag. Everything breaks down and the villains are dropped onto the announcers’ table. Stereo hanging DDTs set up an RKO and Stunner to give Orton the pin on Waller at 9:20.

Rating: C+. There wasn’t much in the way of drama about who was winning here and that is not a bad thing. It’s ok to have a match where you can just see the bigger stars beat up the goofy villains and that is what happened here. Owens rolling over to the corner was a smart spot and I liked this well enough, though it’s time for Owens to move on to something new.

Post match, Orton says “Sorry Ricky!”.

Nick Aldis has a contract in hand for a tag match at Bad Blood: Solo Sikoa/Jacob Fatu vs. Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns. Sikoa and Fatu have already signed the contract (which Aldis points out they haven’t read) but Rhodes comes in to say he’s done with the Bloodline, making it Reigns’ problem alone. He won’t be signing the contract and walks away. Aldis has to talk to Reigns.

More classic moments, set to a different Smackdown theme.

Booker T., Queen Sharmell, Sheamus and Michael Hayes are here.

Here is Nia Jax for a chat. She talks about her dominant year since her return and now it’s time for her do annihilate someone else at Bad Blood. While she doesn’t know her opponent, she’s ready to beat anyone. Cue Bayley to say Jax has had a better year than her return, but it wasn’t like she had a hard bar to clear. Bayley wants her rematch but Jax says she doesn’t need a posse like Damage CTRL. Bayley asks why Tiffany Stratton is always around and wonders who owes whom what.

Cue Stratton, who doesn’t like what Bayley is saying. Bayley points out that she beat Stratton last week, with Stratton saying it was Jax’s fault. That doesn’t work for Jax, but Naomi comes out to even the odds a bit. Naomi wants the title shot too, so Jax suggests a tag match next week for the title shot. But if Jax and Stratton win, whoever takes the loss is gone from Smackdown permanently. That’s a big stipulation and enough of a twist to keep things from feeling stale.

Roman Reigns has an answer about the tag match and will address things after the next match.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade

They’re 2-2 in their first four matches and Hayes jumps him before the bell. The beatdown is on as we officially start but Andrade takes it to the floor for a moonsault. A big boot drops Hayes and they fight onto the barricade, where Andrade hits a jumping reverse Spanish Fly for the big crash. Thankfully they both seem ok as we take a break. Back with Hayes hitting the First 48 but Andrade hits the spinning back elbow for two and they’re both down again.

The double jump moonsault only hits knees but Nothing But Net misses. Instead Andrade is back with a Canadian Destroyer to send Hayes into the corner. The running knees in the corner connect but Hayes avoids a split legged moonsault. Hayes puts him on top for a kick to the head but gets reversed into the super swinging double underhook neckbreaker for the pin at 9:52.

Rating: B. Good stuff here, as has been the case with the entire series. Odds are this sets up Andrade as the news challenger to the US Title and that’s what it should be. They have had a competition now and one of them has won the series, at least in theory. It was a positive for both of them here and that is always nice to see.

Post match LA Knight comes out and says Nick Aldis has names Andrade the next challenger to the US Title, with the title match coming next week.

Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill are ready for all comers. Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton come in to say that Naomi needs to keep her nose out of things, with Jax reminding the champs that she beat both of them on the way to becoming Queen Of The Ring. Belair and Cargill are not impressed.

Here is Roman Reigns to respond to the challenge. With Nick Aldis joining him, Reigns takes the mic and says he doesn’t change. Aldis doesn’t need Aldis or a contract, because this is family business. He doesn’t need a partner, and especially not Cody Rhodes. No matter what he has, he is still the Tribal Chief and the ONLY Tribal Chief and this is still his show and WWE.

Cue a rather serious Cody Rhodes (he doesn’t even do the WHOA) to say it WAS Reigns’ WWE. It hasn’t been since Wrestlemania, which is enough to make the both drop their mic’s. Cue Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu for a distraction, allowing the Tonga’s to jumps them from behind. Reigns and Rhodes fight them off and Reigns signs the contract, with Rhodes doing so as well. That’s certainly a Smackdown main event for the show and I like it a lot better than another middle of the road title defense.

We actually get some credits (ok two of them) to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. Very good opener, good main event, solid main event segment and stuff being set up for next weeks. That’s a heck of a starting point for Smackdown as this was a hot show that gave ans a reason to want to come back. I had a great time with this one and it flew by, with Reigns making things feel that much more important. Keep doing this and Smackdown is going to be the A show again in a hurry.

Results
Cody Rhodes b. Solo Sikoa – Cross Rhodes
Michin b. Piper Niven – Eat Defeat
Randy Orton/Kevin Owens b. A-Town Down Under – RKO to Waller
Andrade b. Carmelo Hayes – Super swinging double underhook neckbreaker

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Smackdown
Date: September 6, 2024
Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re done with Bash In Berlin and that means it is time to get ready for Bad Blood, which is about a month away. Cody Rhodes is going to need a new challenger after beating Kevin Owens, which could open up a variety of options. Other than that, Bayley is back and wants the Women’s Title again so let’s get to it.

Here is Bash In Berlin if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of Cody Rhodes retaining the Smackdown World Title over Kevin Owens at Bash In Berlin.

Here is Rhodes to get things going. After saying hello to the fans in the upper deck, Rhodes welcomes Michael Cole back to Smackdown. He knows he’s going to be interrupted any second so he just invites the Bloodline out here right now. Solo Sikoa says he had Rhodes beat at Summerslam but Roman Reigns interfered.

Rhodes thinks there should be a title defense on the season premiere of Smackdown and it should be the person who stepped out of Reigns’ shadow. Sikoa likes that idea…but Rhodes is talking about Jacob Fatu. That seems to work for Fatu, but Sikoa stares at him and Fatu bows. Rhodes says it was worth a shot and Sikoa is wearing the red lei meaning the Bloodline revolves around him.

The difference is Rhodes is wearing the WWE Title, meaning everything revolves around him. The title match seems to be on for next week but Sikoa wants to fight now. DIY and the Street Profits run in, with Nick Aldis popping in to say we’ll do this in the main event. Aldis says the title match is indeed on for next week….and we’ll do that in a steel cage. While there is a good chance Roman Reigns returns next week, this was both a way to set up a major title match and also further Sikoa controlling Fatu, which is not likely to end well.

Tiffany Stratton and Pretty Deadly are getting ready for next week when Nia Jax comes in to ask if Stratton was going to cash in on her last week. Stratton says of course not and blames Chelsea Green, with Jax offering to be in her corner tonight.

Bayley vs. Tiffany Stratton

Bayley goes after the arm to start and wraps it around the rope for a bit before a middle rope armdrag gets two on Stratton. They go to the apron with Bayley trying a sunset flip, earning herself a kick to the face as we take a break. Back with Stratton hitting a rather handspringy elbow in the corner for two, followed by a dropkick into the ropes.

They go outside where Bayley reverses her into the post, setting up a running knee to the head for two back inside. The top rope elbow gets two and now Nia Jax comes out. Stratton uses the distraction to hit the Alabama Slam for two, only to walk into a Bayley To Belly. Bayley dives onto Jax, which draws her up to the apron for a distraction, meaning the referee doesn’t see Stratton’s backslide for a good while. Not that it matters as Bayley gets up and hits the Rose Plant to finish Stratton at 10:13.

Rating: C+. Bayley needed a win after her loss at Summerslam and what would Stratton be if she didn’t lose a few matches while holding the briefcase? They’ve been teasing the cash in already and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them burn the thing off next week on the season premiere. I’m not sure if Stratton will get the title, but if she does, Bayley is right there as another challenger after getting the win here.

A-Town Down Under pesters Kevin Owens about his loss so he says they should have a triple threat tonight. And he steals their Edmonton Oilers belt because it’s too nice for them.

Legado del Fantasma wants more success.

Giovanni Vinci vs. Apollo Crews

Vinci is described as a High Performance Human….and Crews rolls him up for the pin at 7 seconds. I will absolutely take this after seeing Vinci doing pretty much the same character in NXT and being about as uninteresting as imaginable.

Chelsea Green and Piper Niven rant to Nick Aldis when Michin interrupts. Aldis makes Michin vs. Green for later.

Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory vs. Grayson Waller

Owens knocks them to the floor to start and hits a cannonball off the apron. The villains get together and load up a table, only for Owens to powerbomb Waller through it as we take a break. Back with Owens hammering on Theory, who drops him with a running forearm to the face. The rolling Stunner is cut off with a DDT though and everyone is down. Owens drops the backsplash on Theory and hits the Cannonball in the corner.

The Swanton connects for two as Waller makes the save, allowing Theory to hit a rolling Blockbuster. Waller steals the near fall and that doesn’t sit well with Theory so the argument is on. Owens knocks the villains off the ropes and hits a super Regal Roll for two on Theory. The swinging superplex gets two on Waller, setting up the Stunner to give Owens the pin on Theory at 9:46.

Rating: C+. This was little more than target practice for Owens, who needed a win after his loss over the weekend. Waller and Theory are little more than jokes at the moment, which is amazing given how hard Theory was pushed for a bit. There is still more than enough time to see things turn around, but dang it’s going to take a big moment to make it happen.

Post match Waller and Theory lay Owens out.

Video on Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade, which is now 2-2.

Commentary thanks FOX for five years and we look back at the show’s run on the network. That’s a nice thing to see.

Here is LA Knight for a chat. Knight is about thirty days into his title reign and he already has two successful title defenses. He knows everyone is coming for the title and here is Carmelo Hayes to interrupt. Hayes talks about stealing the show week after week while Knight is just running his mouth. He’s beaten Andrade twice in a row and that puts him in line for a US Title shot.

Knight points out that the two title defenses in a month are the same as the previous champion (oddly not named) had in ten months, which sounds like him getting in a point he forgot or didn’t get to say earlier. He’s not worried about having the match of the night because he cares about winning, which brings out Andrade, who brings up his two wins over Hayes. Knight cuts off the argument but Andrade speaks Spanish. That all goes over Knight’s head but he doesn’t like Andrade’s tone. The fight is on and Knight hits the BFT on both of them.

They didn’t say that the next Hayes vs. Andrade match would be for a title shot, but assuming that is the case, I would hope that they give it one winner rather than a draw to set up a triple threat. At the same time, that’s exactly what the series needed: a prize to fight over that both of them would want.

A-Town Down Under wants a tag match with Kevin Owens and anyone he can find next week.

Chelsea Green vs. Michin

Piper Niven is here with Green and Michin is banged up after last week. Michin snaps off some armdrags to start but gets kicked down as we hear about Green’s time in TNA. A hurricanrana out of the corner puts Green down but Michin comes up holding her ribs. Niven’s distraction lets Green get two off a rollup, only to have the I’m Prettier broken up. Another distraction lets Niven kick Michin in the face, followed by a backsplash. Back in and I’m Prettier finishes for Green at 3:58.

Rating: C. Michin was fighting through the injury here but Green is on the rise and needed a win here. At some point Green is going to be turned to the good side because the fans won’t be able to ignore her awesome charisma. If she can back it up in the ring, she could be a rather big star pretty quickly. This might not have been the big turning point, but it was a nice win.

DIY and the Street Profits want to take out the Bloodline.

Bloodline vs. DIY/Street Profits

It’s a brawl to start until a triple teaming knocks Fatu outside. We settle down to Dawkins hammering on Loa and suplexing Ford into a moonsault onto him for two. Loa is back up with a clothesline and Tama comes in, only to get caught with Gargano’s slingshot spear. Ciampa comes in as well but gets dropped over the top rope by Fatu. Sikoa sends Ciampa over the announcers’ table and we take a break.

Back with Fatu missing a charge into the post and Ciampa kicks Tama away before tagging…Dawkins and Gargano at the same time. Commentary and the referee are both confused, even as Dawkins neckbreakers Sikoa for two. It’s back to Ciampa as things get back to normal, including a Spinning Solo for two. Ciampa goes up top and superplexes Loa onto the pile at ringside. Back in and Ford hits a 450 on Loa but Fatu makes the save. Fatu cleans house, including the impaler DDT to Ford, setting up a pair of Samoa Spikes to give Sikoa the pin at 11:58.

Rating: B. Fun main event here with the Bloodline, and Sikoa in particular, getting to look strong on the way to next week’s title match. That’s a good way to go and the Profits/DIY are teams with enough value that beating them still means something. I’m not sure how much drama there was about the result, but at least the action was good on the way there.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was in a tough spot as it was the fallout show from Bash In Berlin, which didn’t have much from Smackdown, and serving as a preview to next week’s big premiere. There was enough to keep me interested throughout, but next week is where things happen and that didn’t leave much for this week to cover.

Results
Bayley b. Tiffany Stratton – Rose Plant
Apollo Crews b. Giovanni Vinci – Rollup
Kevin Owens b. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller – Stunner to Theory
Chelsea Green b. Michin – I’m Prettier
Bloodline b. DIY/Street Profits – Samoan Spike to Ford

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