Reverse Hipster what did matter
1.Edge turns Heel
I was unsure after Fast Lane whether Edge was heel or face. In the first segment of Smackdown, they made it very clear that Edge is a heel. After Edge cursed at Bryan and hit him with a chair, there was no coming back.
Edge even started working with Roman and threatening the general manager to keep Daniel out. I liked the way Adam Daniel and Roman, and especially Edge, were handled on Smackdown.
I like Daniel stopping Smackdown and refusing to leave the ring until he gets what he wants, which is another match with Roman. I also liked his promo where he pointed out how Adam Pearce had double standards for Roman reigns because it was okay for Daniel to have a match back to back but not Roman.
I like Adam Pearce deciding if Daniel will be added or not at the end of the night because it gave Smackdown a story that could be developed through the night, and I’m always a fan of that. I also liked that Daniel used his past experience as a general manager to appeal to Adam. that was a nice moment of continuity.
I also liked that Roman worked with Edge but still does not like him. It is only to get Daniel out of the picture. When Adam added Daniel, I was ecstatic. I am honestly rooting for Daniel to win it all and get the face title run he did not get because of injury in 2014.
However, the story here was Edge, who went absolutely berserk, destroying everyone in sight with a chair, even officials. This is the Edge we need to take this main event to the next level. Heel Edge is the best Edge.
2.Rey Mysterio vs Dolph Ziggler
This match stole the show. Rey and Dolph had me at the edge of my seat. A few notable spots were Dolph power bombing Rey over the barricade and then superkicking Dominik. Then Dolph zigzagging Rey as he tried to jump over the ropes. In the end, Rey got him with the 619, but this match was just exhilarating and creative. The Smackdown tag division is on fire.
3.Mid card tag match
This was an intriguing match. The Street Profits and Big E vs. Alpha Academy and Apollo (Triple-A)I did not know if WWE would give the street profits their win back or give Apollo his win back. They went with Apollo, and I think it was the right choice because he really needed a reason to face Big E again. Outside of the story implications, the match was just entertaining. Everyone was flying around; nobody was dead weight in this match. However, the surprising MVPs of this match were Alpha Academy. The Smackdown tag match can't stop won't stop.
4. Fast lane Redemption
So remember when I said there was no way Bianca should have let Sasha walk away after slapping her. Well, apparently, Twitter lit Wwe up for that, too, because they felt the need to address it.
Because Bianca explained being taught to be the bigger person to protect her business, I do not believe this explanation it does not make sense. Fighting Sasha would not have jeopardized the match. It would have hyped it even more. Also, I will bet Bianca was taught what we were all taught, not to let someone put their hands on you.
WWE was not even really buying their own explanation because when Bianca slapped the life out of Sasha at ringside during Bianca's Natalya match, Sasha got up and put her hands on Bianca. She didn't decide to be the bigger person for the business.
I like that the intensity between Bianca and Sasha is amping up. I like that Sasha has taken up the heel role, and I think Bianca looks good even though Sasha took her out because she beat Natalya.
5. Cesaro is ready to rumble
I like the segment where Cesaro accepted Seth's challenge. It was actually hilarious. Seth said Cesaro would never embarrass him again, never never, never, and Then Cesaro embarrassed him again, attacking him and swinging him around. He then accepted Seth's challenge for Wrestlemania.
Honestly, this Seth Vs. Cesaro feud, from a story-only perspective, has been lackluster. However, a one-on-one match between Seth and Cesaro could steal the show if they are given enough time. It could change Cesaro's career because Seth and Cesaro are two of the best in the company, and if the match reaches its potential, I cannot see how WWE would hold Cesaro back afterward. So I am looking forward to this match.
Rob’s What mattered
1. WrestleMania official matches
This SmackDown was a master class in closing slow burn feuds and booking the matches for the biggest show of the year. The opening segment between Daniel Bryan, Edge, and Adam Pearce was incredible. Bryan delivered another amazing promo and threatened to take over the show like he did in 2014. The natural rivalry between Edge and Bryan is undeniable. Edge gave great rationale for why he’s so mad at Bryan. Edge has been waiting 10 years for the opportunity to return and compete for the title again. He won the Royal Rumble at number one. Bryan makes great points too. His first match against Roman Reigns was unfair, and he got Reigns to tap out in the second match. Pearce was a great presence throughout the night. He has shined as an authority role that is objective and doesn’t detract from the superstars. In the last segment of the night, Pearce announced it would be a triple threat match at WrestleMania. Usually, triple threat main events are sort of contrived and someone forces their way in, but this triple threat is compelling and natural. All three of the competitors have rivalries with each other, and their characters are shades of gray that make good points. This is absolutely the main event of WrestleMania this year. SmackDown has masterfully built this feud, and I can’t wait to see the match at WrestleMania. With everyone involved and the story in the rivalry, it should be fantastic.
Down the card, they confirmed Apollo Crews vs. Big E, the natural progression of their non-finish match at Fastlane. This rivalry is also worthy of a WrestleMania spot, especially as a mid-card title match. They also confirmed Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro, as we’ve been expecting. Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura had another great match on SmackDown, even though it was a rematch from just last Sunday. It’s clear from the way they’ve built this rivalry that Cesaro is getting under Rollin’s skin, but the most important thing is showcasing these two excellent superstars in ring at WrestleMania.
Speaking of, they booked two of my personal favorites to face off again at WrestleMania. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will continue their destiny to fight forever on the biggest show of the year. I’m excited to see what they can do given this platform. Every one of their past matches have been amazing, and it shows that they’ve built chemistry over time from small indy shows to now the biggest show in the business. The KO show segment was amazing. Owens continues to be a super over babyface fighter. Zayn’s character has progressed to the point of completely insane in a delusional way. If Logan Paul is actually coming to next week’s SmackDown to see Zayn’s documentary, WWE is showing they can book some pretty solid star power to assist in ratings. If he’s not coming, it shows that Zayn’s delusion is at an all-time high. It’s a win-win. I just want to see these guys have a match of the decade contender at WrestleMania. I’m such a big fan of both these two, and they have such great chemistry.
Rob’s What didn’t matter
1. Big E and Apollo Crews tangle up again
Because of the nature of their passionate feud and the powerful style of both these guys, I wanted to see them kept apart for longer. Think about some of the iconic ending segments before a PPV where the whole roster has to come out to hold two guys apart. I think the SmackDown before Fastlane gave the perfect amount of this: just a taste of these two fighting but not too much to give away the match. Now, I feel like WWE has given away too much between the two. Apollo Crews needed to pin Big E to make him a threat after losing, but I wish SmackDown came up with a more creative way to build Crews without overexposing the match in the heat of the rivalry. I was more into this match two weeks ago, but I’m optimistic SmackDown will find a way to reignite this feud before WrestleMania.
2. SmackDown Tag Division Unclear
I think all the talent in the SmackDown Tag Division is incredible. While other feuds have been slow-built and compelling, I’m not sure what the direction is for the tag division. I feel like the whole division is being ignored relative to everything else going on. The Street Profits and Alpha Academy were side attractions in a match meant to highlight the Intercontinental Championship feud. Rey Mysterio faced off against Dolph Ziggler in single’s competition, which implied that the Mysterios could be challenging the Dirty Dogs, even though Alpha Academy beat the Mysterios last week. Personally, I think we are headed toward a four way tag match at WrestleMania. All of the tag teams in the division have wins over each other and have a claim to the title. The match, given time, will be absolutely phenomenal, but I’m urging WWE to consider booking stories going into it instead of just announcing the match the week before Mania.
Reverse Hipster what didn’t matter
1.Seth Rollins vs Nakamura
I hate pointless rematches right after a ppv but I was willing to give this one a chance because they needed redemption after underperforming at fastlane but then they proceeded to have the same match with the same result. It was a complete waste of time.
2. Sami zayn vs Kevin owens
I like both guys, and I might even be into this feud, but I am not currently. I'm still into Sami's Character, and I am excited about the doc, but this match doesn't feel well built. I would have liked it better if they would have let Kevin Owens just attack Sami, but they let Sami talk. By the time Kevin Challenged him, it just felt like he was beating up a crazy person. It did not feel like Sami was in his right mind or even wanted to fight Kevin. Also, last week was worthy of a counterattack. Sami kicked Ko, so Ko attacks him back. It was not worthy of an entire Wrestlemania match. This isn't just a KO and Sami problem. WWE has been announcing mania matches way too early and not building feuds that make these matches worthwhile they are asking the talent to carry the entire feud in between the ropes, and that is a lot of pressure.
3. Thanos snap for the women's division ?
How can there still be no Billy Kay, no Riot squad, no Carmella, no Bayley? All of these women have been gone for weeks. I get it they are not in big title matches, but they are still talented women with fans, and they deserve screen time. They could, at the very least, help build the existing feuds.
Point of contention
Did you enjoy the Seth match or could you have done without it?
Fan question
What was the best match/segment on Smackdown?
What was the worst match/segment on Smackdown?
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