SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
A few updates to go over before we get down to the analysis:
· Several days ago, Triple H stated that WWE would return to Perth, Australia in fall 2025. Following an extremely successful outing for Elimination Chamber 2024, it’s exciting to see WWE making another trip down under to provide for an underserved wrestling audience. I have no idea why they only keep going to Perth, but it’s worked out well so far.
· Following a tumultuous release from AEW, rumors state that Rey Fenix is set to join WWE in the next few months alongside his real-life brother Penta. Penta has caught fire as a singles star upon his debut, leading to speculation that WWE will not immediately reunite the Lucha Bros tag team upon Fenix’s arrival. Whatever the case, it’ll be exciting to see how WWE treats one of the best luchadores in the world.
· WWE announced a slew of events in Tampa, Fla., most notably the third installment of Saturday Night’s Main Event on May 24. The following day is marked for NXT Battleground, “coincidentally” airing at the same time as AEW’s Double Or Nothing. Ahhhhhh, pettiness. The secret sauce of professional wrestling.
· WWE Evolve premiered on Tubi this week, a continuation of WWE’s development program featuring WWE ID wrestlers competing to be moved up to NXT. More than anything, the program features much greater diversity in wrestling styles, calling attention to how homogenized WWE/NXT wrestling can sometimes become. Hopefully extra eyes on Evolve leads to more calls for different wrestling styles on the main roster.
As WWE sprints down the road to WrestleMania 41, I have a few major thoughts about this year’s build, namely the fluidity of it all. In the past two years especially, the major title matches were all but confirmed following Elimination Chamber, and much of the card could be accurately guessed by long-time viewers of the program.
This year, things feel murkier and stranger. Outside the title shots set by the Royal Rumble / Elimination Chamber winners, the card feels much more subject to change. With two title changes in the last few weeks, there’s a lot more volatility up and down the card. And it’s only exacerbated by the much longer gap between Chamber and Wrestlemania than usual. When was the last time we got a title change a month before Mania? At least a good couple of years.
I have mixed thoughts on this year’s build. On one hand, I tend to like shorter builds. Long-term storytelling aside, there’s very few feuds in wrestling that truly require more than two months to effectively build a match. And I like that certain proposed matches (Sky vs. Belair, McIntyre vs. Priest, DIY’s title challengers) have one or more wildcards thrown into the mix that could drastically affect the final card. There’s a level of uncertainty that keeps audience guessing, which can feel more natural than semi-finalizing the year’s biggest card two months out. It’s Wrestlemania, everyone should be fighting to get on the card, or at least interacting with the champs in an effort to throw a wrench into the works.
On the negative side, there’s a noticeable lack of hype among hardcore fans for the card beyond the few fights already confirmed. Not a huge deal, but still noteworthy. With The Bloodline saga largely segueing to midcard feuds and Cody Rhodes embroiled in feuding with two part-timers, it’s clear that the Triple H era’s magnum opus (the “finishing the story” arc) is in the rearview mirror and there isn’t a long-term main-event feud that’s really taken the reins to replace it. Rollins-Punk is on its way, but the sheer amount of promo time both have already gotten on Raw makes me question just how much further that feud can go. I mean, there’s not that much left to say, is there? Again, this is complete nitpicking. WWE is the hottest it’s been since 2001, and shows no sign of slowing down. But, for the first time, the future’s starting to feel a little unclear.
THE U.S SECRET HER-VICE
Latest Developments:
Last year, Chelsea Green defeated Michin to become the inaugural WWE Women’s US Champion. Over the next few months, Michin continued being a thorn in Green’s side, continuing to earn her way to rematches only for Niven to interfere and thwart her repeatedly.
Over time, Green took on a comedic political edge to her gimmick, recruiting Niven as her government protection. Last week, Green took on Michin in a Street Fight for the Women’s US Title. After a lengthy match, the returning Alba Fyre appeared and cost Michin the match.
Later, Green recruited Fyre into their alliance as “Slaygent A” of the US Secret HERvice.
Analysis:
I didn’t mention the political edge to Green’s gimmick in the past few weeks because it largely felt like window-dressing to her championship reign. Now that it’s become more prominent, let’s discuss: it’s absolutely hilarious. A Karen-ized feminist version of governmental bodyguards is an old-school heel move with a brilliantly modern twist. Throw in Green’s goofy humor and the real-life insanity in US politics, and you’ve got a winning recipe. Perhaps a little too buffoonish for a midcard champ, but it’s so gut-bustingly funny and the wrestlers are so committed to the bit, I can’t help but giggle like a child every time they appear on screen.
Alba Fyre as Green’s newest goon was a brilliant touch. Her and Niven have amazing chemistry from their years on the indies (check out their matches in ICW, phenomenal work), and this provides Fyre the opportunity to develop more character following years of being relegated to jobber status. According to Niven, Fyre’s role in the stable is “classified”, which will likely lead to more absurdity, which is exactly the shift Fyre needs. Like it or not, goofy sells in WWE, and this could be the first step to a more consistent push.
On its own, the inclusion of Michin for yet ANOTHER rematch would make me roll my eyes. It’s been over six months, and there’s other contenders WWE should be building up instead of running the same matches over and over. Michin used to be on fire, but her crowd reactions have slowly been dwindling due to everyone being over this feud. However, it’s clear that last week’s match was only to develop Fyre, so I’m not too mad at it. But somebody new now, please.
Grade: A-
RANDY ORTON’S BACK, AND HE’S OFFICIALLY PISSED OFF
Latest Developments:
After witnessing Cody Rhodes team with longtime enemy Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens turned heel and called out Rhodes for being a hypocrite. During a lengthy feud with Rhodes, mutual friend Randy Orton found himself the victim of a brutal beatdown from Owens, writing him off television.
At the Royal Rumble, Rhodes won a championship ladder match against Owens with Sami Zayn at ringside. Following the match, Owens turned his attention to Zayn, lambasting him for his “betrayal”, stalking his home, and eventually challenging him to a brutal Unsanctioned Match at Elimination Chamber, which Owens won. Post-match, Orton made his return and violently beat down Owens as revenge.
Last week, Orton cut a promo in the ring, showing his disgust at Owens and John Cena for their selfish actions. Orton vowed to let his more vicious side loose once more, because Owens had successfully pissed him off.
Analysis:
A bit of a palate cleanser promo last week, allowing audiences to get a read on Orton’s character. After weeks of Owens ranting against every single opponent coming his way, it was nice to get a breather and allow Orton the room to talk honestly with the audience. It’s still so surreal to see Orton, of all people, absolutely nailing a solo babyface promo. While no slouch, Orton never was the most compelling as a talker, but here came across as both a grizzled vet and a disappointed friend ready to let the demons loose.
Letting Orton base his promo lambasting selfishness was a great to hammer home that, despite the Viper coming loose, Orton will unquestionably remain the babyface in this feud. Even the brief inclusion of John Cena was strategically placed, allowing his heel turn to feel bigger by everyone on the card taking notice, calling back to Cena and Orton’s long-term rivalry, and allowing Orton to appear even more sympathetic in comparison. The poetic justice of the unshakeable good guy turning evil while the career-long psychopath remains good is so interesting, and their eventual clash will be incredible.
I always love the dynamic of a heel that receives his comeuppance by accidentally pissing the wrong man off, and this promo delivered that surge of adrenaline into every single one of my bones. It feels like WWE is foreshadowing the eventual face-off between Owens and Orton to have a markedly different tone to it. Likely, we’ll see Owens’ trademark ranting being shut down by Orton’s predatory viciousness, which will put Owens on the backfoot for the first time. The perfect example of building up a heel so the eventual crash hits even harder.
A simple promo that effortlessly raised the hype level for Wrestlemania and beyond.
Grade: A
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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NAOMI’S BETRAYAL
Latest Developments:
Last week, Bianca Belair & Naomi challenged The Judgement Day to a match, putting their women’s tag titles on the line. This backfired, and The Judgement Day won the match to become the new champs.
At Elimination Chamber, Belair & Naomi separately qualified for the women’s chamber match to earn a shot at Rhea Ripley’s WWE Women’s Championship. As the match began, Cargill made a surprise return and brutally beat down Naomi, taking her out of the match. A shocked and conflicted Belair overcame the distraction to beat the odds and win the match.
On the following Raw, Iyo Sky defeated Ripley to win the Women’s World Championship, thus confirming Sky vs. Belair for WrestleMania, while Ripley sulked in the corner ruminating.
Last week, Belair addressed the conflict between her two best friends, before Naomi arrived to plead her case. However, after some pushback, Naomi admitted to taking out Cargill months before, so she and Belair wouldn’t be held down. The two devolved into an argument, when Cargill arrived and immediately brutalized Naomi.
Cargill and Belair shared a nod of acknowledgement as the segment closed.
Analysis:
This promo continues to be the best character work both of these women have ever done. While I’m not particularly a fan of “I did it for you, I did it for us” style promos since they come across stilted and overly dramatic, Belair and Naomi’s argument actually felt messy and raw. The two talked over each other, felt hostile, and Naomi called Belair an “ungrateful bitch”. After months of happy-go-lucky WWE-style speeches, seeing this output from the two was genuinely affecting. While the actual plot of the feud is filled with logical gaps, and had an extremely predictable outcome, the wrestlers involved are selling the hell out of it.
Cargill, however, continues to be the feud’s weak link. Despite being the wrestler at the center of the entire story, it’s extremely telling that WWE continues to not put a mic anywhere near her, letting Belair do much of the emotional heavy lifting while Cargill gets a quick beatdown and superhero pose. Last week’s segment seemed to take the first steps in segueing Belair away from Cargill and Naomi and more towards her Wrestlemania title match. I’m very curious to see how this feud plays out without its strongest performer.
Additionally, I love the layered storytelling of Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair continuing to be stunted by their friends (Belair distracted by Naomi, while Ripley has begun to FINALLY show some introspection and realize she’s weaker without The Judgement Day), while Sky continues to win because she has the support of those around her. It’s a unique enough story for a Wrestlemania title match, but it still feels like Belair would be better served remaining in her own orbit while Ripley and Sky face off at Mania. The Cargill-Naomi-Belair story is one of the only women’s stories not involving a title that has any semblance of heat behind it, and diminishing it just to rush Belair into the title scene again feels like an unfortunate decision.
Grade: B-
BRAUN STROWMAN vs. THE BLOODLINE
Latest Developments:
Following his loss to Roman Reigns at Raw On Netflix, Solo Sikoa went AWOL leaving Jacob Fatu to represent The Bloodline. Upon returning, a humbled Sikoa found Fatu growing more ambitious in his absence and progressively losing respect for him. Meanwhile, Braun Strowman had been on the long list of babyfaces that had developed beef with The Bloodline’s constant heel presence on Smackdown.
Last week, Strowman faced off against Sikoa, but the match quickly derailed into a DQ when Tama Tonga interfered. The ensuing brawl left Jacob Fatu being slammed through a table while Strowman stood tall.
Analysis:
Death, taxes, and Braun Strowman beating the tar out of some Samoans. The more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s been crazy to witness the once-omnipotent Bloodline slowly become constricted to the mid-card. But with the majority of players injured or moving on to other feuds, The Bloodline has slowly become just another heel stable. I have no doubt Paul Heyman has big plans for these men behind-the-scenes, but they’ve fully moved into the position of an act that’s seemingly outlived their use.
Even the dynamic of Sikoa slowly ceding the alpha role to Fatu feels like a rehash of the Reigns-Sikoa feud from last year with a few minor changes. And that element of the feud feels like it’s being put on the back-burner until Wrestlemania. It’s still surreal watching the Bloodline go from dominating PPV card to most likely not making it to Mania beyond potentially joining a multi-man match.
Strowman killed it as usual as the babyface with a vicious streak. A great callback to his “I’m not finished with you!!” beatdown days, but with an evolved babyface character style and moves. Yet again, a subtle but effective reminder that these characters change and evolve over time. I don’t see what the endgame here is for Strowman, BUT as long as we get loads of powerhouse brawls along the way, you won’t hear me complaining.
Grade: B-
CHARLOTTE FLAIR IS BETTER THAN YOU
Latest Developments:
Following her return from injury, Charlotte Flair won the women’s Royal Rumble and called out WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton. After some back-and-forth, the two were confirmed for a title match at Wrestlemania.
While Flair sparingly appeared on programming, Stratton continued warding off enemies like Nia Jax, Candice LeRae, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. Last week, following a match against Niven, Stratton was attacked by Flair before officials broke it up. Flair got on the mic, calling the entire division soft before B-Fab appeared and challenged her to a match next week.
Analysis:
After dragging their feet on this buildup, it looks like WWE has finally solidified the dynamic between Flair and Stratton. Early promos between the two focused on their aesthetic similarities and didn’t commit to portraying Flair as a full-blown heel, but the crowd reception was flat. So, judging by her newfound brutality, it looks like Flair’s finally going to lean into her pedigree, and employ more elitism in her heel persona.
I really enjoyed this. Flair has never been the most plausible babyface, and attempting to lean into the famed “return pop” did her no favors following the Rumble. It’s good that WWE re-calibrated, as Flair nailed the haughtier tone in her post-match promo last week. And seeing her with a more brutal edge finally felt like a character evolution, after years of stagnation. The Mercedes Mone method: if your babyface character feels inauthentic, turn it up to 11 and be a heel.
Booking Flair to appear so little has given Stratton more shine by comparison, battling multiple rivals in the division and coming out victorious. The working babyface vs. the elitist heel who never shows up. Stratton is blossoming into an elite talent, and it’s time to push her TO THE MOON!
With Flair on the docket for a match next week, we’ll likely see the full extent of her brutality, which should cement her as a threat for Stratton to climb. I didn’t think they could do it, but this is developing into a nice little build that could really bring Stratton to the next level.
Grade: A-
L.A. KNIGHT vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Latest Developments:
Last year, LA Knight lost the US title to Shinsuke Nakamura (who, side note, has done little to nothing with the belt ever since). Since then, Knight repeatedly vowed to reclaim his belt.
Two weeks ago, Nick Aldis announced a 6-man single-elimination tournament to find the title’s next contender. LA Knight secured the win in the triple threat finals later that night, earning his rematch against Nakamura.
Last week, after a hard-fought battle, Knight defeated Nakamura to become a two-time WWE US Champion.
Analysis:
So, in hindsight, what was the point of Nakamura becoming US Champion? He won the belt with a brand new entrance, did nothing but skulk around in the background for three months, then lose the belt back to Knight. I understand the philosophy of “the money is in the chase”, especially in regards to the fast-talking Knight whose own first reign lost a lot of steam due to his mic time being cut. But, here’s the thing: Knight wasn’t even chasing him half the time. Just a few lackluster rematches ending in a swift DQ, before an admittedly awesome one-night tournament to build him back up into a babyface contender.
It felt like a waste of time, and if you told me it was only done so Nakamura could have gold around his waist for his match in NOAH, I’d believe you (that match against Ulka Sasaki was passable, but a far cry from Nak’s days in NJPW). Not to mention, each time WWE tries to push Nakamura then abruptly drops him, it gets harder and harder to build him back up as a threat. His heel personas have had a genuine menacing vibe to them, truly unlike any other heel act. But the promotion’s tendency to keep phasing him out makes him feel like the 21st century version of the old monster characters WCW would bring in to lose to Hulk Hogan and then do nothing with.
In addition, there’s no clear contender for Knight seven weeks out from Mania, which means it’s highly likely the US title won’t make the card in the era of Triple H’s all-killer no-filler PPV approach. And, following the year Knight’s had, it feels like he should be showcased more prominently. Hell, they had him celebrating with Cody Rhodes last year. This year, if he makes Mania at all, it’ll likely be in a thrown-together multi-man.
I know I’m being overly negative. Nothing about this was legitimately “bad”, but it reeks of missed opportunities and is by far the worst-treated title in a promotion firing on so many cylinders right now.
Grade: C-
DREW MCINTYRE VS. DAMIAN PRIEST
Latest Developments:
Drew McIntyre recently developed a rivalry against Damian Priest following Priest eliminating him from both the Royal Rumble and the Elimination Chamber, and pointing out the logical flaws in his quests for revenge over the last year.
Last week, McIntyre opened the show by immediately attacking Priest. Later, McIntyre squashed Jimmy Uso (who he’s continued to target over the past year), and Priest returned post-match to get his revenge. Priest swore he would not stop targeting McIntyre.
Analysis:
I spoke about this feud’s potential in detail last week, so I won’t waste your time restating my thoughts here. Essentially, it’s not bad, but both men feel like they could be doing something more interesting.
Last week’s booking was pretty forgettable, with McIntyre immediately gunning for Priest without thinking of the consequences, and Priest making him suffer the consequences. The final lines of the segment essentially set up the rest of the build. Old-school brawls, over and over and over with both men descending into obsession with the other. Classic booking, needed to break up the increasingly promo-heavy episodes of Smackdown. Potential for some amazingly violent moments, but nothing special to speak of story-wise.
Not really much to grab me, here, but a serviceable mid-card Mania match.
Grade: B-
TAG TEAM INSANITY
Latest Developments:
Last week, Nick Aldis detailed the madness that’s occurred in the Smackdown tag team division in the past few months: *takes deep breath*
Four months ago, The Motor City Machine Guns defeated DIY to win the WWE Tag Team Championships. The Street Profits were next in line for a title shot, but DIY intervened. Later, The Profits were attacked backstage, taking them out of action. DIY turned heel, stole their title shot and recaptured the belts.
When The Profits returned, they were informed by Pretty Deadly that Los Garzas had been their attackers, causing the two teams to brawl. But it was revealed that Pretty Deadly had framed Los Garzas, with DIY promising them a title shot in return. Eventually, The Profits and Los Garzas exposed the truth, while Pretty Deadly turned on DIY after weeks of constant evasiveness over their title shot. At the Royal Rumble, MCMG vs. DIY was yet again interrupted by The Profits, wanting to be the ones taking DIY down personally.
To stop the constant brawls, Aldis greenlit The Profits’ title match against DIY for next week. While that night, Pretty Deadly won a triple threat between the remaining teams to ensure they would be next in t\line.
Got all that?
Analysis:
I won’t lie, I wasn’t looking forward to recapping the increasingly tangled tag team division. So thank you, Mr. Aldis, for doing my job for me.
It’s honestly impressive that WWE’s been able to book a title scene with this many challengers this cohesively for this long. Everyone (some more than others, but still) feels like a plausible contender, everyone’s motivations are pretty clear, and the pacing week-to-week has evoked the strongest points of the crash TV era.
DIY has been stellar as the big bads of the division, which is not a character dynamic I normally associate with them. Ditto with Pretty Deadly as the overlooked underdogs and The Street Profits as Stone Cold-esque wildcards. Both teams got massive pops at the end of the night, proof that long-term character pays off. Keep in mind, both were coming out to crickets several months ago. Not only has this web of feuds elevated every player, but it’s allowed them to deepen and evolve their characters far beyond the one-note bases many of them were relegated to. Especially compared to Raw, where the New Day is YET AGAIN facing off against the LWO for no apparent reason, it’s crazy how expansive Smackdown feels.
The end-game here seems to be pointing to a multi-man match at Mania, arguably one of the most well-built ones in recent memory. Whatever permutation happens, I really hope Triple H gives the tag division the in-ring time they deserve. With enough care and attention, we could be looking at the next evolution of tag team wrestling. Now if only Apollo Crews wasn’t injured….
Grade: A+
CODY RHODES vs. JOHN CENA
Latest Developments:
Since turning heel and feuding with Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania XL, The Rock seemingly reconciled with Rhodes the following week, teased a future championship match, and departed WWE programming.
In January, The Rock returned and faced off with Rhodes in-ring, wanting Rhodes to be his corporate champion. Last week, Rhodes was gifted numerous items by The Rock, including a custom car and a private dressing room. After getting advice from various wrestlers like Seth Rollins and CM Punk, Rhodes made his decision at Elimination Chamber, telling The Rock to go f**k himself.
Meanwhile, John Cena stated his intentions to retire at the end of 2025. After losing the Royal Rumble, a more serious Cena stated his intent to win the Elimination Chamber at all costs. After doing so, Cena turned heel (!!!) and joined The Rock, alongside rapper Travis Scott. The two left Rhodes bloodied and beaten before leaving the ring.
Last week, Rhodes addressed the audience, giving Cena his flowers for his long career but condemning him as a man no longer righteous. Rhodes set up a confrontation between the two in the future before leaving the ring.
Analysis:
The Cody Rhodes special: a simple promo that puts his opponent over as a threat but still gets the audience on his side thanks to his sheer lovability.
There wasn’t much new stuff here, to be honest, except one crucial detail: the acknowledgment that Cena will continue to preach as if he’s in the right. This is an important detail, as it establishes the basis of the Cena heel character. As an “eternal babyface”, it would have made sense for Cena to fully lean into knowing what he did was wrong, but not caring and continuing on for his own selfishness. Was it wrong to turn on Rhodes? Yes. But winning the championship one more time matters more.
Instead, Rhodes essentially hinted that Cena believed he was in the right. And this hints at a much more nuanced version of Cena, one who hasn’t abandoned his morals but gotten them warped by insecurity. Here’s why that matters: a wrestler with their morals is much easier to be redeemed. All they have to do is realize what they’ve become, and all will be forgiven. This lays the groundwork for Cena to eventually reclaim his babyface status before the year ends. As earth-shattering as this heel turn was, I SINCERELY doubt that Cena will end his career as a villain. He’ll eventually retire as a babyface, and this puts us on the track to get there.
Grade: A
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