HEYDORN’S SMACKDOWN RECEIPT 6/10: Riddle momentum should lead to good business with Reigns

This week’s episode of WWE Smackdown has wrapped. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the madness.

-The opening contest this week between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus may have been their best match together yet. This thing was hard-hitting and important due to the Money in the Bank qualifying situation. The finish? Eh. Smells like the beginning of a “last chance” match to get into Money in the Bank.

-Also? I kind of love Butch. The gimmick is beyond silly, but Pete Dunne is doing his best to make sure it’s not each wee on WWE Smackdown.

-Lacey Evans was better this week? Maybe? She for sure toned back the narrative around her character significantly and while it still feels like she’s reading her promos, the formula worked much better. Given how much Vince McMahon and company like Evans, she’s a favorite to win the women’s MITB ladder match.

-Even the most babyface of lines sound heelish when Ronda Rousey delivers them. She just does not have the ability as a performer to adjust her tone to sound likable. Per the norm, her match was good with Shotzi, but it’s hard to invest in her when she comes across as so blunt and bitter.

-Gunther as WWE Intercontinental Championship just feels right at this point. A cherry on top of a damn good main roster run so far. How high can he go? If he keeps this up, pretty high. Size, look, promo – all skills that the main roster calls for in 2022.

-Paul Heyman and Sami Zayn were just perfect in their backstage segment prior to Zayn’s match. Heyman walked the line of encouraging and threatening in supreme fashion. Zayn sold it like a million bucks.

-As for Riddle vs. Zayn? Great match. Both guys worked really hard and the crowd was along for the ride. Riddle winning wasn’t a foregone conclusion given Reigns not being around, but it should do some nice business next week.

-Speaking of Riddle, he’s found a nice mix of serious and old Riddle that’s really playing well for him right now. Obviously, he isn’t beating Reigns next week, but the momentum he has culminating with this match should get him over even more than he already is – losing aside.

CATCH-UP: HEYDORN’S DYNAMITE RECEIPT 6/8: An epic miss of a show with a lot on the line for AEW