'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bray Wyatt was set to make his much-anticipated appearance on WWE SmackDown. It was one of the biggest segments fans were looking forward to this week.
Meanwhile, NXT Superstar Roxanne Perez appeared to pick Raquel Rodriguez as Cora Jade’s opponent for next week’s episode of the developmental brand. She teamed up with Rodriguez and Shotzi to pick up a loss at the hands of Damage CTRL later.
Braun Strowman made quick work of his opponents before coming face-to-face with Omos. MVP helped build tension between the two monsters. It looks like WWE plans to have the two massive men compete at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
Trending
LA Knight also made his return to the ring on SmackDown this week. A former NXT Champion was also attacked and injured during the show.
Take a look at the five things WWE SmackDown got right on this week’s episode.
#5. Sami Zayn defeated Kofi Kingston to kick off WWE SmackDown
The New Day made its way out on WWE SmackDown for the night's first match. Meanwhile, Sami Zayn was seen giving a pep talk to Solo Sikoa.
He received a phone call from Roman Reigns backstage, and Sami complained to him about Jey Uso. The two seemed to be having a light chat as Reigns rebuked Jey over the phone.
Zayn entered soon after to take on Kofi Kingston in a one-on-one match. Kofi started well and put Sami on the backfoot before The Honorary Uce took control.
The former WWE Champion hit an SOS for a near fall before Zayn ran out of the ring. Jey took out Xavier Woods at ringside as the match ticked on. Kingston nearly rolled Zayn up for the win, but Jey pushed them, allowing Sami to reverse the pin for the win.
The match was fun and could lead to a short rivalry between New Day and The Usos. However, the angle around the match seemed more important than the match itself. It’s only a matter of time before Jey Uso loses his cool and goes after Sami Zayn or Roman Reigns on SmackDown.
#4. LA Knight successfully returned to the ring
LA Knight broke out of his Max Dupri character last week to reveal his true self. The babyface took on his former client Mansoor in a singles match on WWE SmackDown.
Knight sent Mansoor out of the ring. Maxxine got involved in the action to allow her client to get into the contest. Mansoor hit some good moves before getting a near fall.
The former Million Dollar Champion fired up soon after and took Mace down outside the ring. He pinned Mansoor with the BFT to pick up a statement win on SmackDown.
WWE is trying hard to keep Maxxine and her group relevant on SmackDown. It was a great move to take Knight out of the storyline and turn him heel after the match. He has made it clear that he doesn’t want the fans chanting for him.
The turn will likely allow him to shine as a top mid-carder in the coming months. The win will give him the momentum he needs to get into some bigger storylines.
#3. Legado Del Fantasma scored a win over Hit Row on WWE SmackDown
Legado Del Fantasma arrived on WWE SmackDown with Zelina Vega by their side last week. They made a statement at the expense of Hit Row, and the two factions went head-to-head on this week’s show.
The two teams went at each other on the ramp before the match. They fought their way into the ring as the match started with Top Dolla taking the upper hand over Cruz Del Toro.
Del Toro tagged his partner, and Legado Del Fantasma got in control of the contest. Santos Escobar got involved and dragged Ashante off the apron. Vega leveled B-Fab outside the ring as the heels kept control.
Ultimately, Legado picked up a big win by hitting Top Dolla with the Sacrificio. The booking went well as Top Dolla took a fall to end the match. It made Legado come out even stronger, thanks to the finish.
While it was too early to give Hit Row a loss on SmackDown, the creative team did well to build the rivalry. However, WWE will need to do a little more to introduce Legado Del Fantasma to the fans who aren't familiar with their work on NXT.
#2. Rey Mysterio became the new No. 1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship
A car crash opened WWE SmackDown, and Drew McIntyre appeared to beat down Karrion Kross. The Scottish Warrior nearly ripped Kross apart before officials got involved. Due to the beatdown, The Herald of Doomsday was ruled out of the impending Fatal 4-Way Match.
Meanwhile, Rey Mysterio appeared backstage and told Triple H that he did not wish to fight his son in WWE and wanted to quit instead. Hunter stated that he understood his emotions but spoke to him about the decision before making anything official.
Later, Mysterio joined Ricochet, Sheamus, and Solo Sikoa for the Fatal 4-Way match to determine GUNTHER’s next challenger. Rey took Karrion Kross’ spot in the match and put on a great show.
The match went well as the veteran picked up the win with a 619 and a splash to Ricochet. The victory will lead to an Intercontinental Championship match between GUNTHER and Rey Mysterio down the road.
The decision to move Rey from RAW to SmackDown could prove to be a good one. It will allow Dominik to shine without getting involved with his father for some time. It will also allow the creative team to book a solid contest between The Ring General and The Master of 619.
#1. Bray Wyatt had a heart-to-heart with the WWE Universe
The much-anticipated return of Bray Wyatt headlined WWE SmackDown on Friday Night. The Eater of Worlds was welcomed to the ring with a brand-new theme song. He came out in plain clothes and directly addressed his fans.
Wyatt said he was nervous and grateful to be in front of the WWE Universe again. He thanked fans for believing in him and bringing him back. The former Universal Champion said he lost a lot in just one year and was looking to regain all that soon.
A masked figure appeared on the titantron to interrupt Wyatt, the same as his return at Extreme Rules. The figure spoke cryptically, claiming that fans did not know what they were dealing with as SmackDown went off-air.
The segment was very different from Bray Wyatt's earlier run. He was frank and used little theatrics while addressing them until the end of the segment. It kept fans guessing what was next for The Eater of Worlds. The crowd left asking more questions at the end of the show.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
