WWE SMACKDOWN HITS & MISSES (6/6): Bakersfield Brawl, Even More DQ Finishes, Cody and Jey together, Jimmy Uso, Slim Jim Tables, more

Smackdown has found a groove after WrestleMania, though it may not be the groove WWE desires. It remains a decent show – a fun show even – but rarely a great one. It’s lacking a compelling anchor, like the Bloodline Saga and the subsequent Cody Rhodes storyline. As they find their footing and explore new directions, some elements are clicking faster than others. There were moments of brilliance, while other angles felt forced and unnecessary. Three hours for a wrestling show isn’t a death sentence, but it requires engaging booking throughout. Right now, Smackdown isn’t consistent enough to fill three hours on a Friday night, but I believe it could be in the near future. As always, I’m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think I’ve missed something.

HITS

JIMMY USO KICKS US OFF: Regarding Jimmy Uso, one might say he’s finding his way into the limelight. His mannerisms and ring presence differentiate him enough from Jey Uso, though he would do better to completely drop “Yeet” from his repertoire if he truly wants to stand out. The glitter in his jersey was a nice touch. J.C. Mateo continues to disappoint, mostly owing to how he has been presented. Rarely is he blocked by the camera in such a way as to make him look imposing. Rather, Mateo often appears to be lost, out of place in an entertainment culture he has yet to assimilate to. Let’s hope he can rise to the occasion, as I would love to see a more unleashed J.C. Mateo.

WOMEN’S TAG TEAM MANIA: The tag team extravaganza featuring all six women in the Money in the Bank match showcased why they are all in the ladder battle: they give their all in the ring. Despite being on basic cable, the match had all the elements of a pay-per-view classic. Interwoven stories built over the years came into play as veterans and recent call-ups fought for supremacy in this exhibition. It was an exciting match leading into MITB, made even more enjoyable by further teasing a contest between Stephanie Vaquer and Rhea Ripley. Overall, it was a very strong showing for Friday night!

PENTA AND ANDRADE STOMP AMERICAN MADE: While I’m not sure that having two luchadors beat American Made will dispel the accusations of derivative treatment of Latinos, there has been a significant improvement in how people of Hispanic origin are portrayed on WWE TV. Penta and Andrade reminded the world why they are two of the most electrifying wrestlers alive. Their death-defying dives, flips, and bone-crushing spinning elbows enabled the luchadors to send American Made packing. I am confident that WWE’s recent acquisition of AAA is contributing to the representation of Hispanic talent. Hopefully, this trend continues into the future, as WWE cannot afford to further alienate its fan base by reductively booking luchadors into race-based feuds.

CENA, CODY, LOGAN PAUL, AND JEY USO FACE-OFF: Words aren’t as entertaining to watch as fists, yet this segment paved the way for good things to come at Money In The Bank. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso are a strange but lovable pairing. The bad boy and the boy scout are somehow best friends, and the vibe they exude is one I bet WWE wishes it could bottle up and sell. After a segment where Cody and Jey air their grievances, sneak attacks by Logan Paul take our heroes down. From here, the segment finally gave us a visual that could indeed ruin wrestling: Logan Paul holding the World Heavyweight Championship. If he ever holds that belt, it will mean that WWE has become late-stage WCW. Let’s hope such a thing never happens.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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MISSES

BAKERSFIELD BRAWL WAS MEANINGLESS: Chelsea Green, who didn’t even compete in the match, received a substantially larger pop than Zelina Vega, the reigning U.S. Champion. That is a problem. Week after week, the crowds seem not to want Vega as their champion. They prefer the dastardly deeds of the Secret Hervice. It’s indicative of the crowd’s turn towards cheering for heels rather than babyfaces. So, Green gets the pop and the champion gets silence. It’s difficult to watch. But so too was this match. There was a distinct lack of chemistry between Piper Niven and Zelina Vega, so much so that I began to wonder if there was intentional sandbagging occurring. Nevertheless, it was a boring affair that seems to exist only as a vehicle to, one day in the near future, put the title onto Giulia. The tedium was not the worst part of the match, however. That belongs to the branded table.

SLIM JIM TABLES ARE DISGUSTING: The marketing has transcended the acceptable range of normalcy. It’s astounding that companies are willing to cede all their visual real estate to logos that diminish the viewing experience, which is the experience the vast majority of their consumers have day in and day out. Thus, they run the risk of alienating their base by reducing them to mere consumers, as the presence of this table has done. To be treated as so malleable as to be seduced by Slim Jims because of logo placement is offensive when nearly every other aspect of WWE has already been marred by greed.

WHO ORDERED THE EXTRA DQ FINISHES: One of the greatest sins of Paul Levesque’s booking is the over-reliance on non-finishes in matches. Why can’t there be post-match run-ins that don’t make the match itself feel primarily like a means to an end? While “sloppy” seems too harsh, I struggle to find another, more appropriate word.