{"id":184782,"date":"2024-09-14T15:25:42","date_gmt":"2024-09-14T20:25:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=184782"},"modified":"2024-09-15T20:40:33","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T01:40:33","slug":"wwe-smackdown-hits-misses-9-13-adams-assessment-of-cody-solo-in-a-cage-roman-reigns-return-michin-vs-niven-hayes-vs-andrade-new-logo-opening-theme-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/09\/14\/wwe-smackdown-hits-misses-9-13-adams-assessment-of-cody-solo-in-a-cage-roman-reigns-return-michin-vs-niven-hayes-vs-andrade-new-logo-opening-theme-more\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE SMACKDOWN HITS &#038; MISSES (9\/13): Adams&#8217; assessment of Cody-Solo in a cage, Roman Reigns return, Michin vs. Niven, Hayes vs. Andrade, New Logo &#038; Opening Theme, more"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-3015240954\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>With a new network and a new season for Smackdown comes a new contributor for Hits and Misses! I\u2019m Christopher Adams, and I\u2019ll be sharing my takes on Smackdown every week here at PWTorch. If you ever think my articles Miss, feel free to email me at <a href=\"mailto:cadamsowj@gmail.com\">cadamsowj@gmail.com<\/a> and give me your thoughts. Just don\u2019t be too cruel! Now, onto the season premiere of Smackdown!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>New Logo\/Opening\/Theme \u2013 Hit: <\/b>It\u2019s appropriate that the show received a repackage to distance itself from the Fox Era, and the team at WWE didn\u2019t miss with their efforts. The logo is, overall, a nice re-design. It looks best when the words aren\u2019t stacked together, as the combined &#8220;S&#8221; and &#8220;D&#8221; isn\u2019t as clear as it should be. That\u2019s a minor complaint, as the overall redesign is successful enough to signify a new beginning while retaining the familiar elements of the brand. &#8220;Neva Play&#8221; by Megan Thee Stallion plays as the new theme, a great choice as WWE continues its alliance with the juggernauts of pop culture. The wrestlers highlighted in the opening credits are a nice reminder of how much star power Smackdown has. Raw has its work cut out for it if it wants to seem as relevant as Smackdown this season.<\/p>\n<p><b>Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa \u2013 Hit: <\/b>By far, this is the best match between Rhodes and Sikoa, eclipsing their match at SummerSlam by leaps and bounds. It\u2019s undeniable that Solo Sikoa isn\u2019t of the same wrestling caliber as Rhodes, who holds the Undisputed WWE Championship for a good reason. Yet, Sikoa\u2019s performance here was the best I\u2019ve ever seen him. Cody was able to elevate the match with the risks he was willing to take and the punishment he was willing to endure. The off-the-cage Cody Cutter was a near disaster, but it made for a great visual once landed. It was a physical match, with a little bit of color, that made for a great opener. Cody wins, and we hear him say, &#8220;We\u2019re done.\u2019&#8221; Let\u2019s hope so, as Cody needs a new challenger.<\/p>\n<p><b>Bloodline Beatdown and the OTC \u2013 Hit: <\/b>The expected Bloodline beatdown of Cody was still entertaining, with Jacob Fatu shining with his acrobatics and overwhelming power. Likewise, the expected return of Roman Reigns injected &#8211; to borrow from our friend Cody Rhodes &#8211; &#8220;adrenaline in my soul,&#8221; as it seemed to do for the crowd, too. After beating down the Tongans and Sikoa, Reigns\u2019s face-to-face with Fatu promised an incredible rivalry once they square up in the squared circle. Roman\u2019s facials continued to be a highlight of his performance. The surprise is that it appears Roman and Cody are set to be allies against the Bloodline, as it was Rhodes who came to Reigns\u2019s rescue when the Tongans re-gained their fighting spirit.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro to stream Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/wwe-smackdown-post-show-9-13-keller-leclair-roman-returns-cody-roman-vs-solo-fatu-set-up-ricky-debuts-live-callers-emails--61562325\">CLICK HERE<\/a> to stream (or search \u201cwade Keller\u201d on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=61562325&amp;theme=light&amp;playlist=false&amp;playlist-continuous=false&amp;chapters-image=true&amp;episode_image_position=right&amp;hide-logo=false&amp;hide-likes=false&amp;hide-comments=false&amp;hide-sharing=false&amp;hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Cathy Kelly and Nick Aldis\u2014Hit: <\/b>This backstage segment has great energy. Aldis continues to shine as an authority figure, and Kelly is a natural in her performance.<\/p>\n<p><b>Michin vs. Piper Nivin \u2013 Miss: <\/b>The first miss of the night, and it isn\u2019t the fault of the wrestlers. Michin and Nivin put on a great match, and I look forward to this rivalry continuing. However, it feels insulting to the performers when their entrances are drastically shortened or outright ignored. The match needed more time, but the post-match beatdown with Chelsea Green delivering an Unprettier to Michin onto a trash can was tremendous and looked brutal. Good chemistry couldn\u2019t save what felt like a rushed or abbreviated segment.<\/p>\n<p><b>RVD \u2013 Hit: <\/b>How could we not pop for an appearance of the &#8220;Whole Damn Show!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><b>KO and Ricky\u2014Miss: <\/b>The fans seemed to enjoy the brief pairing of KO and a hairy wrestler named Ricky, but the segment felt flat and unnecessary for a white-hot show with story angles and god-like rivalries.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-811920784\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><b>KO &amp; Randy Orton vs. A-Town Down Under \u2013 Hit: <\/b>We all knew Randy Orton would be the mystery partner, but we love it anyway! These two teams have great chemistry together, and the veterans seem to enjoy working with the younger wrestlers in Austin Theory and Greyson Waller. The match was nothing new in terms of storytelling, but the in-ring work remains vibrant, energetic, and enjoyable to watch. In particular, A-Town Down Under shine in their selling, and deserve more credit than it seems the Internet wants to give them.<\/p>\n<p><b>Cody Rhodes and Nick Aldis \u2013 Hit: <\/b>It\u2019s a hit because he said the quiet part out loud. We\u2019re all ready for Cody to move on from the Bloodline.<\/p>\n<p><b>Nia Jax\/Tiffany Stratton\/Bayley\/Naomi \u2013 Hit, but just barely: <\/b>While all four women have star power and can hold their own with promos, the conversation felt stilted in places and lacked energy. The stipulation for next week felt consequential enough that this segment didn\u2019t Miss, but it certainly came close.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>SUBSCRIBE TO THE WADE KELLER PRO WRESTLING POST-SHOW (with shows after Raw, Dynamite, and Smackdown) ON APPLE PODCASTS:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-post-shows\/id1340490567\">CLICK HERE<\/a><\/h3>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes \u2013 Hit: <\/b>These two could wrestle weekly for the next ten years and we wouldn\u2019t tire of their matches. Flawless chemistry and phenomenal athleticism allowed for a faster work rate and a stiffer physicality. Both men endured heavy hits, but Andrade\u2019s Spinning Back Elbow into Hayes\u2019s face shook my TV. The finish to the match was incredible, taking place precariously atop the turnbuckle. Back and forth they went until Andrade executed an Avalanche Message, nearly putting Hayes through the ring itself. A great rivalry that is simmering until it\u2019s time to fight again.<\/p>\n<p><b>L.A. Knight Promo \u2013 Hit: <\/b>How could it not be a Hit? It\u2019s L.A. Knight, who reminded Andrade and the whole world why he runs the whole damn game!<\/p>\n<p><b>Roman Reigns\/Cody Rhodes\/Bloodline \u2013 Hit:<\/b> Here it is. The answer we were all waiting for. At Badd Blood, it\u2019s as if Coke and Pepsi or Marvel and D.C. are teaming up. Bitter, storied rivals coming together. This isn\u2019t two mid-carders paired together to fill a segment. These are the two top guys of their generation, of the entire industry, tagging while holding onto their hatred. It\u2019s not set aside. It\u2019s still there, but they&#8217;re willing to do what needs to be done to put Solo and Fatu into the dirt. It\u2019s clear Reigns won\u2019t be a traditional babyface. That\u2019s still Rhodes\u2019s domain. But he\u2019s not the worst of the worst any longer. The crowd seemed more behind Rhodes than Reigns, which made my heart happy. Seeing Rhodes square up to remind Reigns who really is the quarterback promises excellent things for Smackdown\u2019s future.<\/p>\n<p><em>Stay right here and keep the flow going. We think you&#8217;ll like to read this next&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>RECOMMENDED NEXT:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/09\/13\/wwe-smackdown-results-9-13-kellers-report-on-season-premiere-on-usa-network-triple-h-appears-cody-vs-solo-in-a-cage-kos-mystery-partner\/\">WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS (9\/13): Keller\u2019s report on season premiere on USA Network, Triple H appears, Cody vs. Solo in a cage, KO\u2019s mystery partner<\/a><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3958196099\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong>OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/prowrestling.net\/site\/2024\/09\/13\/wwe-smackdown-results-9-13-barnetts-review-of-cody-rhodes-vs-solo-sikoa-in-a-cage-match-for-the-wwe-championship-kevin-owens-and-a-partner-vs-grayson-waller-and-austin-theory\/\">WWE Smackdown results (9\/13): Barnett\u2019s review of Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa in a cage match for the WWE Championship, Kevin Owens and a partner vs. Grayson Waller and Austin Theory<\/a><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wade Keller Post-show (9\/13) - WWE Smackdown w\/cohost Brandon LeClair\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Dc_sbEFNKdw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2078302612\"><div id=\"pwtor-3034407076\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>With a new network and a new season for Smackdown comes a new contributor for Hits and Misses! I\u2019m Christopher Adams, and I\u2019ll be sharing my takes on Smackdown every week here at PWTorch. If <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/09\/14\/wwe-smackdown-hits-misses-9-13-adams-assessment-of-cody-solo-in-a-cage-roman-reigns-return-michin-vs-niven-hayes-vs-andrade-new-logo-opening-theme-more\/\" title=\"WWE SMACKDOWN HITS &#038; MISSES (9\/13): Adams&#8217; assessment of Cody-Solo in a cage, Roman Reigns return, Michin vs. Niven, Hayes vs. Andrade, New Logo &#038; Opening Theme, more\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":184783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,52,28,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-184782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlightarticles","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-14-at-3.09.53\u202fPM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=184782"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":184784,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184782\/revisions\/184784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/184783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=184782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=184782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=184782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}