By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown Hits
Kofi Kingston vs. Kevin Owens in a non-title match: The verbal segment that opened the show was solid with Owens doing a good job of developing heat, and a fired up Kingston rebutting him. It’s interesting that Owens denied attacking Big E. It could be a case of the Owens character lying and therefore meaningless, but it’s also possible that it could play into a bigger storyline, perhaps involving a Big E heel turn if they want to go in that direction. The actual match was well worked and it was nice to see a long match so early in the show, especially after seeing very little wrestling during the first hour of Raw.
Bayley vs. Lacey Evans in a non-title match: The toughening up of the Bayley character continues. And as much as I adored the Bayley character in NXT, Vince McMahon’s complete failure to book the character properly on the main roster required a change. The post match angle with Charlotte roughing up Lacey Evans was a surprise. It’s a fun twist, I just hope it doesn’t mean the highly entertaining heel Evans character is being pushed aside.
Daniel Bryan, Rowan, and Heavy Machinery: WWE’s obsession with pointing out its flaws continued in the form of Bryan pointing out how bad the Smackdown tag team division is. If only there had been a recent Superstar Shakeup that lasted three weeks and company officials could have rectified this situation. Oh, wait… Anyway, the minor Hit is more about my feeling that this could turn out to be a fun feud. And it better be given that Bryan and Rowan don’t have any other notable contenders in the weak division.
WWE Smackdown Misses
Roman Reigns and R-Truth vs. Drew McIntyre and Elias: The outcome seemed obvious once Shane announced that he was suspending the 24/7 rule for then champion Elias. Worse yet, the outcome seemed obvious the moment they announced the match because Roman Reigns doesn’t lose these days no matter how much the deck is stacked against his character. It’s a shame because Vince McMahon had a chance to learn from his mistakes while Reigns was sidelined, but he’s simply picked right up where he left off by making him look as dominant as ever.
WWE 24/7 Title: WWE never bothered to explain why a wrestler would want to hold this title. There’s been no indication that it comes with a financial reward or that it puts talent in line for shots at more meaningful titles. Really, the whole thing just comes off like it’s way more trouble than its worth for the wrestler who holds it.
Mandy Rose vs. Carmella: The ol’ point to the Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine distraction finish. Hey, did you know that Mandy Rose is on the coverage Muscle & Fitness Hers? They may have pointed this out once or twice.
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Gursinder Singh (a/k/a Tony Gill), who explains why he asked for his release from Impact Wrestling. He also discusses his background, being trained by Lance Storm, being in the Desi Hit Squad, his future, and more.
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