WWE SMACKDOWN & SNME HITS & MISSES (5/23): R-Truth from the Heart, Guilia goes to Hollywood, Alexa gets the crowd popping, Ciampa and Sabin falls flat, J.C. Mateo slow out of the gate, more

Often, when there are big PLE’s following Smackdown, I choose to provide my Hits and Misses after the entire weekend. The advantage of having Friday storylines pay off immediately on Saturday allows us to view Friday through a different lens. That being said, after watching Smackdown, Saturday Night’s Main Event, and NXT Battleground, I’ve reached a conclusion I hate to admit: WWE feels a bit undercooked lately, and while it wouldn’t take much to regain the magic, creative fatigue is starting to set in.

What will provide the much-needed boost of oxygen and adrenaline? Will it be Cody’s return from Saturday? It certainly isn’t the arrival of JC Mateo, who has yet to be presented as anything that demands seriousness, let alone fear. It’s time for the weekend post-wrestling post-mortem. As always, I’m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you believe I’ve ‘Missed.’

HITS

ALEXA GETS THE CROWD POPPING

It’s no surprise that Alexa Bliss continues to elicit massive crowd reactions. Her recent start-and-stop booking could have stalled her momentum, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The crowds are ravenous for Bliss, and her ability to get such a reaction amid a much-improved Tiffany Stratton promo should tell us something. The delivery of Bliss’ promo is effortlessly smooth, natural, and exudes a kind of pathos that very few performers achieve. One can only hope she emerges victorious at Money in the Bank, especially now that we know Charlotte Flair is out of the way. Speaking of which…

GIULIA GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

I would have preferred Giulia to pin Charlotte Flair to earn her right to climb the ladder, but still, it is exciting to see new talent getting pushed into such prominent roles. There were awkward moments in the match that seemed to stem from poor communication, which can easily be smoothed out. I am glad that she is not orbiting in the same sphere as Stephanie Vaquer, as it will allow her uniqueness to shine in ways that highlight her individuality on the women’s roster.

B-FAB AND MICHIN HUSTLE FOR THE WIN

I doubt WWE’s legal department or Warner Brothers would allow this, but Michin suggested a pitch-perfect name for her tag team: Rush Hour. There is a dynamism at play between these two, a dynamism that could be refined into something explosive. Though she has not been in the spotlight, there is something about B-Fab that makes me smile. I love the self-assuredness that both she and Michin exude in their performances. There were a few moments of brilliance in the match, yet the wrestling itself felt formulaic, not unlike most of the show. The highlight of this match was allowing Rush Hour to keep rising in the ranks. I love these women!

R-TRUTH FROM THE HEART

R-Truth’s promo and subsequent story beats from Saturday Night’s Main Event provide a good example of how simplistic storytelling can betray something more profound. Since his return, R-Truth’s character has been so linked to John Cena that it has felt reductive, nearly becoming an unfortunate parody. However, in this short feud, it has paid off as a means of redemption. Truth is able to connect with the essence of John Cena, a truth that persists even in the face of Cena’s desire to mask it through his unvirtuous behavior.

R-Truth has transformed from a clown into a compelling force for change in the heart of a man bent on ruining wrestling, and consequently, himself. Therein lies the beauty of R-Truth: he’s not interested in saving wrestling; he’s focused on saving his hero. He recognizes that something good exists beneath the evil, and his willingness to reclaim that represents a surprising source of inspiration in a television show characterized by melodrama and staged combat.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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MISSES

ZELINA DESERVED BETTER

While Zelina Vega is enjoyed by the crowd, I would not call her beloved. She has yet to elicit a pop that compares to even the quietest Chelsea Green ever received. So, seeing her eat the pin in a match she didn’t even need to be in is extraordinarily frustrating. This loss does nothing for her title reign, which is already on shaky ground. I’m growing tired of Triple H’s penchant for having champions lose in ways that devalue their stature.

All this to say, I believe it will be sooner rather than later that Zelina drops the belt back to Chelsea. It’s hard to watch a performer who should be cheered receive only a smattering of applause and adulation. I feel for Zelina; following Chelsea’s performance as the inaugural women’s US Champion was going to be impossible for almost anyone. Knowing now that she retained the belt on Saturday night, the decision to have her be pinned in this qualifier is even more perplexing.

CIAMPA AND SABIN FELL FLAT

We know these two wrestlers are capable of so much more, yet what they delivered was mediocre. The great sin here is that, while their mediocrity may be someone else’s excellence, they did not rise to the occasion of a rare singles match for the tag team experts. For that reason, though it pains me to say it, I must declare this match a miss.

The feud itself feels perpetually stuck in third gear, though the addition of Candice LeRae should open up new avenues of storytelling. I fear she will be reduced solely to a managerial role, which would be a great travesty. Time will tell, though I’m not holding my breath for anything stellar to come from her addition, and the blame would not be placed on her.

J.C. MATEO ALREADY NEEDS A REPACKAGE

It shouldn’t be this way. It shouldn’t be the case that Jeff Cobb, now JC Mateo, has already become something of a laughingstock in just three weeks. I noticed his shirt was untucked in his initial segment on Friday. Did WWE listen to all the comments? There has been nothing ferocious about this man. There has been nothing vicious or violent that should suggest anyone should be afraid of him. In fact, there has been the exact opposite.

He has won matches, yes, but his ring attire and presentation in the last two weeks have rendered him almost a meme. It is not his fault. The fault lies squarely at the feet of WWE, who have bungled the introduction of someone who could have been a ferocious monster but now seems like someone who overcompensated for their height by becoming stocky instead. There needs to be intentional care given to how he is presented over the next several months, or I fear he will never become what he could be. And that is a shame.

L.A. KNIGHT TO LOS ANGELES

My opinion may not be shared by most fans, but I’ll share it anyway: I have turned on LA Knight. When I first came back to WWE, he was an early favorite. I loved his bravado. I love his swagger. However, over the last three years, little has been done to advance his character, and I have grown tired of his limited ability in the ring. I would have preferred Alistair Black to make his way to Money in the Bank, so we could have seen some black magic from the esoteric striker.

NON-FINISHES IN TITLE MATCHES NEED TO BE BANNED

All I need to say is that it’s a terrible booking decision to have a massive and anticipated title match end this way when the Wyatt Sicks could have simply returned after a clean and decisive victory for one of the teams. Mere minutes, and all would have been well.