WWE SMACKDOWN HITS & MISSES (7/25): Hulk Hogan shouldn’t have been celebrated, Jelly Roll and Impaulsive TV celebrity obsession, Jade and Chelsea, Bliss and Perez, more

Everything changed in the world of professional wrestling when Hulk Hogan died. His death cast a shadow over Smackdown, making it hard to imagine how different the atmosphere would have been without such a significant loss. However, the episode itself suffered from an over-reliance on celebrity culture, which unfortunately meant that legitimate performers were overlooked once again, and poor pacing. As always, I’m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think I’ve Missed.

HULK HOGAN MEMORIAL: MISS

While we do not want to unnecessarily vilify someone in death, we are also not obligated to celebrate them in a way that obscures their past. The particular kind of racism that Hulk Hogan expressed throughout his life carried a unique cruelty that should have disqualified him from this kind of remembrance. Additionally, his well-known anti-union sentiments raise questions about whether professional wrestling truly is better because if Hogan. Speculation won’t help here, but I find it telling that in all the public tributes to Hulk Hogan on social media, I only saw one from a person of color. The faces of the performers standing on the platform conveyed much of the discomfort I am expressing. While it seemed necessary to offer condolences to his family, I wish we could allow our heroes to die as villains when they have revealed themselves to be villainous all along.

IMPAULSIVE TV, JELLY ROLL, AND CELEBRITY OBSESSION: MISS

I have very little good to say about Jelly Roll’s continued involvement in WWE programming. I am not going to body shame the man, but it truly defies believability that he could be considered equal to the other three men he will share the ring with at Summerslam. He and Logan Paul are not equal when it comes to being celebrity wrestlers. At this point, Logan Paul is more of a full-time wrestler than Roman Reigns. He certainly has the stamina necessary to perform on the massive stage of a PLE match. But to feature Logan Paul and Jelly Roll as the opening segment is nasty work, certainly capable of generating numbers, but at the cost of artistry. Listen to Joe Tessitore as he screams “Jelly!” into his headset. Is this what we want? It is only what we want when they tell us this is what we want. And it is to their shame to have Joe Tessitore suggest the Performance Center produced Jelly Roll’s horrid shoulder tackle. Farcical.

ALEXA BLISS AND ROXANNE PEREZ: HIT

What struck me immediately about these two performers is that their similar size and characteristics allow for a fluidity of motion, enhanced by their shared sense of gravity. While we often discuss the psychology of wrestling, we don’t frequently address the physics involved. This is a great example where the laws of motion come into play in the context of a wild and energetic wrestling match. Alexa Bliss has been unstoppable since her return, even in her loss tonight. She is captivating to watch, and her wrestling skills appear effortless. Roxanne Perez continues to rise in popularity, although her character risks becoming one-dimensional, as she communicates primarily in two ways: either through sarcastic grins or loud shrieks. It’s unfortunate that this match wasn’t featured as the opener.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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JADE CARGILL AND CHELSEA GREEN: MISS

I struggle to understand the purpose of these segments and what they aim to accomplish. We know that Jade Cargill is a dominant force, and Chelsea Green can take a comical beating. However, aside from featuring these two performers in a confrontational moment with Tiffany Stratton, nothing significant seems to have been achieved. I refuse to believe this is the best that WWE creative can come up with for Chelsea Green. I hope she can be placed in a role that highlights her impressive skills rather than just her comedic talent.

THE MIZ AND JACOB FATU: MISS

Much like Chelsea Green before, The Miz served only one purpose: to take a beating while making the crowd react. Having these segments so close together highlighted the superficial nature of both. Shows that are near a PLE will obviously be full of lead-in material, but our time spent watching them should be rewarded with some modicum of substance. This would make the major conflicts of the storyline feel even more consequential and not like anomalies of quality in a desert of mediocrity.

TAG TEAM CHAOS: HIT

The highlight of the show was saved for last, which is exactly what you want in a main event. Unfortunately, everything leading up to that moment was rather dull, but the match itself was decent. What happened afterward is sure to capture everyone’s attention. All the tag teams on Smackdown have been putting in the necessary effort to demonstrate why they deserve to be featured as main event performers week after week. My excitement is through the roof, and the six-pack TLC match at Summerslam is already shaping up to be the match of the weekend.