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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

Approaching Crown Jewel, Smackdown loaded itself with cross-show talent, including several faces from NXT that promise incredible things for Friday nights. Unlike last week, most of the segments were fun and full of great energy. There were a few slower parts, which we will address. The show had more hits than misses, so we all came out on top. As always, Iâ€m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think Iâ€ve Missed!

CODY RHODES, RANDY ORTON, AND THE VISION: HIT

This was a segment where Paul Heyman carried the entire scene, demonstrating why he is so highly regarded. He commands the microphone, which means he commands the audience. The case he made for Randy Orton’s eventual betrayal of Cody Rhodes made perfect sense.

Initially, I was not a fan of this being booked as a tag match, but by the end of the segment, I saw the reasoning, especially given Heyman’s cautionary words. There isn’t much to write home about, but if you want to see a master at work, here is a segment for you.

SAMI ZAYNâ€S OPEN CHALLENGE: HIT

Since the beginning of my time with PWTorch, Iâ€ve been a huge fan of Carmelo Hayes. I love his bravado and the confidence in his skills. The charisma he displays is nigh untouchable. For a brief moment, I thought he might be the one to take the belt off Sami Zayn in a surprise upset. However, the Miz then came in to exact revenge on Hayes for an earlier breakup of their tag team. Always the opportunist, Aleister Black then walked out, deciding to accept the open challenge.

Simply put, this match was amazing! These two fought back and forth, with a growing sense of desperation as they fought for the gold. Blackâ€s natural ring awareness and presence complement Zaynâ€s fast-paced, high-flying style perfectly. In my opinion, Blackâ€s strikes are the best in WWE, and you could really feel each kick to Zayn. Damien Priestâ€s slow walk created a great moment for him and Black to have a stare-down, which momentarily distracted Black, allowing Zayn to hit his new finisher, the Helluva Kick followed the Blue Thunder Bomb. A fantastic match!

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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THE ARRIVAL OF ZARIA, SOL RUCA, AND THEIR TAG ASCENDANCY: HIT

First seen in a backstage segment, Zaria and Sol Ruca confronted the reigning tag champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. They have arrived to showcase their fluidity in the ring and earn more gold! Not wanting to give a title shot to newcomers, it was decided that Zaria and Ruca would earn their stripes on Smackdown by fighting Chelsea Green and Alba Fire.

The match was quite fun, largely thanks to Chelsea Green’s generosity. It’s clear she has no problem losing, and losing spectacularly, if it means putting over new talent. The back-and-forth energy made it feel like an actual contest rather than a one-sided squash for entertainment only. Plus, Rucaâ€s finisher, the Sol Snatcher, is officially the best cutter on Smackdown.

CONTRACT SINGING WITH STEPHANIE VAQUER AND TIFFANY STRATTON: MISS:

A slow-moving, clunky segment with virtually no payoff, this was a disappointment. I found Tiffany Stratton’s cherry-adorned gear to be distractingly cheesy next to the commanding elegance of Stephanie Vaquer. I’m not sure how this segment ended up being so dull, but it added nothing to the build toward a match that should be decidedly one-sided, resulting in Stephanie Vaquer wiping the floor with Tiffany Stratton.

Contract signings need to be rethought if they are not going to have any kind of true explosiveness. I would hardly say the invasion of Giulia and Kiana James was explosive. Their insertion felt extremely artificial, perhaps only existing to boost Giulia’s star power by having her engage with top talent.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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LOS GARZA VS. JEâ€VON EVANS AND RAY FENIX: HIT

Unquestionably, the match of the night. The infusion of Jeâ€von Evans on Friday nights has been what Smackdown has needed. A different style of wrestling, a different kind of personality, a different way of engaging with the crowd. He represents a form of cultural engagement that is surprising given WWE’s own track record with people of color and engaging with, broadly speaking, Black culture. I sincerely hope that Evans is given the proper spotlight he deserves now.

Moving onto the match itself and the other wrestlers, this was stunning, unpredictable, with a finish that was uncertain given the structure of the match and the fact that neither team was the obvious winning favorite from a booking and card position perspective. But my God, were we given a treat—a buffet of high-flying acrobatics and hard-hitting impacts. Los Garza continues to shine as the most consistently fluid tag team. This match was breathtaking!

CODY RHODES, RANDY ORTON, AND THE VISION: HIT

This match was better than average but nothing extraordinary. Cody Rhodes looks every bit the heroic champion, and one shot in particular tonight positioned him as something of WWEâ€s true Superman. He exudes greatness and kindness, qualities that can inspire children and adults alike to aim for greatness in their own lives.

Randy Orton, as the battle-hardened veteran still chasing gold, plays his part well: fighting for his partner but with an eye still on the prize. The Vision, embodied here by Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker, is growing as a threat, and their matching spiked jackets add a surprisingly commanding presence! What made this match work so well was how it answered the prophecy given by Paul Heyman at the beginning of the match.

Randy Orton was pinned, and that will inevitably cause discord in his relationship with Cody. The appearance of Seth Rollins added intrigue for the upcoming match at Crown Jewel. Could Orton betray Cody and align with The Vision at Crown Jewel? Not likely, but wouldnâ€t it be something if it happened!

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