SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
Itâ€s difficult, in these days of professional wrestlingâ€s boom period, to accept the back-and-forth nature of Smackdownâ€s quality. Both week-to-week and within each episode, we see the twin poles of beauty and horror, excellence and mediocrity. With a recent change in the writing staff, I had hoped for more consistency. But given reports that Triple H has been missing more shows behind the scenes, it makes sense that quality continues to fluctuate.
There were true gems of wrestling brilliance, which is no surprise given that the Mad Dragon is on the show, breathing fire through his fists. Thank God. As always, Iâ€m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think Iâ€ve Missed.
CHARLOTTE, ALEXA BLISS, AND THE WAR GAMES DRAMA: MISS
Smackdown opened with a segment that was painfully awkward, and the dead air at the end clearly wasn’t what they intended. Or maybe it was what they wanted, but it fell flat, much like Charlotte Flair’s ongoing struggle to deliver effective and compelling promos.
WWEâ€s persistent reliance on tired, outdated promo segments and structures feels forced, and the drama could have been more engaging with a more natural approach to dialogue and conflict. I also don’t buy Charlotte’s hesitation to accept Rhea Ripley. There’s been nothing between them since earlier in the year; thus, the tension felt superficial, more like a bad CW drama than real wrestling storytelling. This was a disappointing opener, leaving me neither eager for more from this feud nor interested in the War Games match. Overall, it was completely unsatisfying.
JEY USO VS THE MIZ: HIT
Opening the show with Jey Uso vs. The Miz was definitely a bold choice, but I am incredibly pleased because their performances exceeded my expectations. I was initially doubtful and critical of starting with this match, but it delivered with some intense, hard-hitting sequences that werenâ€t typical of their usual styles.
They also appeared unusually sharp, especially Jey Uso, who executed a spear on The Miz that was his best of the year. The Miz made sure everyone remembered his name and why he’s a two-time Grand Slam Champion.
Honestly, I didnâ€t expect Jey Uso to win, as I thought the booking would be more surprising. However, I can’t argue with the outcome or the match itself. I assumed it would be a letdown, but it turned out to be really good. What a hit.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
ILJA DRAGUNOV SPEAKS: HIT
The promo by Ilja Dragunov was everything and embodied why I love him so much. He talks about honor, virtue, hard work, and discipline. He’s incredible. What can be said about this match that could even capture its beauty? Words can’t fully capture Dragunov’s power, smashing his feet into Axiom’s face repeatedly. His kicks were so massive tonight, and they felt as if they would tear off Axiom’s jaw, masked or not.
These two warriors went to battle tonight in an incredible exchange of offense and defense. I was surprised at how much Dragunov sold for Axiom. In fact, Iâ€m surprised Dragunov sold for Axiom at all, and I’m surprised at how aggressive Axiom was presented. The stunning nature of the violence, the force, the power – all of it came together as the match of the night. This match felt like two spectacular gladiators trying to walk the fine line between exhibition and real battle.
JADE CARGILL VS. B-FAB: MISS
This was a nice vehicle for Jade Cargill to establish her dominance as a gilded champion, but we’ve seen this before. We saw this in AEW, and we’ve seen this during her run in WWE. The match was okay, and some of that blame must be laid on the feet of B-Fab. She needs to develop new types of offense beyond the same few kicks on repeat.
Cargill herself would benefit from adding more tricks to her arsenal, as the limitations of both wrestlers were on display by the sheer absence of dynamism. The short duration of the match was a plus for everyone involved, especially the audience. Michin stepping up to Cargill was nice, as I am a huge fan of Michin. But once again, she is likely going to be fed to someone else in a championship scene, which doesn’t do justice to her wrestling skills.
CODY RHODES VS. BRONSON REED: HIT
The setup for the match was fantastic, a showdown between the two men that built up until it exploded in an egotistical moment of pride by Cody Rhodes. The tension was palpable, and Nick Aldis and Paul Heymanâ€s background layer of admonishment and bloodlust enhanced the moment.
Cody and Bronson delivered a fundamentally classic wrestling match that, unfortunately, suffered from the overbooked DQ finishes typical of Triple Hâ€s recent booking. This was not befitting of the work by the two men. They had phenomenal chemistry that should be further exploited.
There was a fluidity between the two that felt like two objects floating on the same river, moving with the same force and in the same rhythm. There are still matches when the setup for the top rope Cody Cutter forces the wrestler on the ground to stand there egregiously long, which was the case tonight. But that’s a minor quibble for a good match that had a bad finish. Run this back, and let these men cook!
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