{"id":198011,"date":"2025-05-17T12:09:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-17T17:09:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=198011"},"modified":"2025-05-20T12:45:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T17:45:21","slug":"wwe-smackdown-hits-misses-5-16-tiffany-stands-tall-michin-shines-in-triple-threat-fraxio-flies-higher-aleister-preaches-violence-j-c-mateo-flat-out-of-the-gate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/05\/17\/wwe-smackdown-hits-misses-5-16-tiffany-stands-tall-michin-shines-in-triple-threat-fraxio-flies-higher-aleister-preaches-violence-j-c-mateo-flat-out-of-the-gate\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE SMACKDOWN HITS &#038; MISSES (5\/16): Tiffany stands tall, Michin shines in Triple Threat, Fraxio flies higher, Aleister preaches violence, J.C. Mateo flat out of the gate"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4070203425\" 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>A fine Smackdown was had on Friday night. That\u2019s not a compliment, nor a complaint. There were far more Hits than Misses, yet the whole show never felt like it got past third gear into overdrive. Aleister Black\u2019s ominous entrances stand out, which testifies to how effectively he has been reintroduced. There\u2019s plenty more to celebrate, so let\u2019s get to it. As always, I\u2019m Chris Adams, the Super Suplexer, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think I\u2019ve &#8220;Missed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>HITS<\/h3>\n<p><strong>FRAXIOM FLIES HIGHER:<\/strong> By the farthest margin possible, this was the Match of the Night. It felt urgent, nearly reckless, with DIY fighting with an angry brutality. It\u2019s as if Paul Levesque told both teams to showcase the brilliance of tag team wrestling in a way that left us breathless. There was no wasted movement, though the moves and sequences didn\u2019t feel practiced or rehearsed. It was a brilliant spectacle belonging more on a PLE than cable television. Watch this match for the athletics, but stay for the nuanced storytelling. Within the ropes, a story was told by the vengeful acts of DIY, and it has the chance to finally make the Smackdown tag division something to look forward to each week.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MICHIN SHINES IN THE TRIPLE THREAT:<\/strong> My God, did Michin look like a star! A true star, but one that burns brightly on the fringes. She has yet to be given anything to showcase her expansive skills and character work, and I had hoped she would come out on top. Alas, a false finish that gave way to an admittedly stellar finishing sequence meant Michin\u2019s dreams of holding the case were put to bed. The match was very fun, with a tremendous back-and-forth feel that kept your interest engaged until the final bell rang. Alexa Bliss got the loudest pop, but Chelsea Green wasn\u2019t far behind. If only the same respect were shown to Michin! Let her star burn brightly!<\/p>\n<p><strong>ALEISTER BLACK PREACHES VIOLENCE:<\/strong> Though I\u2019m not as skeptical as I once was, I\u2019m not sure how sustainable in the long run the pairing of Carmelo Hayes and The Miz will be. That being said, it\u2019s working now, with a strange chemistry between the two that makes it believable that Hayes would seek the wisdom of the Miz. The eventual implosion of the duo will be very satisfying. Turning back to the match, watching Aleister Black dismantle Hayes\u2019 body was deeply entertaining. Each punch and flying knee felt like part of some dark ritual, with Hayes as the victim of Black\u2019s High Priest. The back-and-forth rhythm of the match was outstanding, yet it ended with a DQ. An absolute disappointment. It allowed for Hayes to stand tall while giving Black the win, but it simply didn\u2019t move me. Still, the lame finish can\u2019t take away from the awesome match as a whole.<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/wwe-smackdown-post-show-5-16-keller-adams-analyze-tiffany-vs-nia-jax-mediocre-j-c-mateo-jeff-cobb-debut-snme-developments-more--66127583\">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\" title=\"WWE SMACKDOWN POST-SHOW (5\/16) - Keller &amp; Adams analyze Tiffany vs. Nia Jax, mediocre J.C. Mateo (Jeff Cobb) debut, SNME developments, more\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=66127583&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><strong>TIFFANY STRATTON STANDS TALL:<\/strong> It was a women\u2019s main event, and they rose to the occasion! Both Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax continue to show the chemistry that exists between these two performers. This was a highly physical match, with both performers pulling off incredible feats of strength and acrobatics. Highlighting Nia Jax&#8217;s fluidity and athleticism is a necessity, as giving credit where credit is due just doesn&#8217;t happen enough in this world. This was an incredible main event, and I hope the story continues to play out and evolve between these two.<\/p>\n<p><strong>R-TRUTH BRINGS THE TRUTH:<\/strong> A short note, but one that\u2019s necessary: this was a well-executed promo, with a level of depth we haven\u2019t seen in R-Truth since his return, and perhaps ever during his tenure in WWE. His unwavering faith in John Cena will make the inevitable beatdown feel even more impactful, like a meteor leaving a crater in the desert. We will be broken, just as R-Truth will be. Damn.<\/p>\n<p><strong>GIULIA IS HERE:<\/strong> There wasn\u2019t much to the segment, but Giulia\u2019s arrival signals a fresh evolution for her character away from Stephanie Vaque and Roxanne Perez. A great addition who will bring some chaotic violence!<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-627769627\" 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><strong>ANGEL OOZES CHARISMA:<\/strong> It was another short segment, but highly effective nevertheless. The conversation between Angel and Santos Escobar was natural, authentic, and stood out as the most compelling backstage segment of the night. We need more of these men week in, week out!<\/p>\n<p><strong>SOLO PREPS FOR A CLIMB:<\/strong> Jimmy Uso is gradually carving out an identity for himself beyond the Kingdom of Yeet. He still has a long way to go if he wants to be as memorable and unique as Jey Uso, but he&#8217;s on the right path. He and Rey Fenix played well off one another, which supports a point I\u2019ve been making recently: Lucha Libre works very well when played off multiple competing styles. The styles between Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso are varied enough that Rey Fenix was able to shine under several spotlights. I\u2019d be remiss if I didn\u2019t mention Solo\u2019s Big Leg Drop, which seemed to be a new addition to his moveset. And how about the Fatu chants even though he just stood ringside in his shades? This man, this MONSTER, is over! With Solo\u2019s victory, he now has a bit more he can use to legitimize himself again. Could this be the year of his true ascendancy?<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>MISSES<\/h3>\n<p><strong>J.C. MATEO IS NEARLY DOA:<\/strong> If it wasn\u2019t clear before, it\u2019s clear now: Jacob Fatu outshines Solo Sikoa in every way. This segment did very little to advance Solo\u2019s character, and his characterization, being more exaggerated, simply didn\u2019t match that of Fatu. Jeff Cobb is now J.C. Mateo, a twist we all saw coming but hate now that it\u2019s here. His presence in the segment was awkward and did not serve as a good introduction to a fairly high-profile act. All in all, this segment just didn\u2019t deliver on anything other than a Fatu showcase.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A MATCH NOBODY ASKED FOR, A NOBODY WANTED:<\/strong> Nick Aldis wasted no time getting J.C. Mateo into the squared circle, but I would guess the reaction isn\u2019t what WWE wanted. The match was a strange inclusion in the show. It was a contest nobody seemed to ask for, as the crowd was dead for most of it. J.C. Mateo\u2019s persona, being so undefined, meant that most of the fans weren\u2019t sure what to expect. The match began with a very slow pace, which worked against them in catching a good rhythm. At times, it felt like there were struggles to figure out where to go next. Certainly, J.C.\u2019s attire didn\u2019t help his ability to move with speed throughout the ring. Rather than looking like a ball of muscle, he appeared out of shape and grasping for fashion trends that simply can\u2019t work with his body. After the first commercial break, we saw a massive improvement in the feel of the match. It finally felt as if there were some real emotions between the two. I was surprised to see J.C. Mateo win clean by catching L.A. Knight in mid-air, then spinning him in a crazy power slam. L.A. Knight won\u2019t suffer from the loss, but neither will J.C. Mateo gain much from the win. A shame.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wade Keller Post-show (5\/16) - WWE Smackdown w\/cohost Christopher Adams\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wbQCJo6pAX4?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-3659091576\"><div id=\"pwtor-4052854978\"><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>A fine Smackdown was had on Friday night. That\u2019s not a compliment, nor a complaint. There were far more Hits than Misses, yet the whole show never felt like it got past third gear into <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/05\/17\/wwe-smackdown-hits-misses-5-16-tiffany-stands-tall-michin-shines-in-triple-threat-fraxio-flies-higher-aleister-preaches-violence-j-c-mateo-flat-out-of-the-gate\/\" title=\"WWE SMACKDOWN HITS &#038; MISSES (5\/16): Tiffany stands tall, Michin shines in Triple Threat, Fraxio flies higher, Aleister preaches violence, J.C. Mateo flat out of the gate\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":198012,"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-198011","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\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-17-at-12.07.46\u202fPM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198011","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=198011"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":198013,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198011\/revisions\/198013"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/198012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=198011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=198011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}