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Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown! It was an intense episode as a whole with an intense and interesting ending as well.
We feel that the ending will get a polarizing reaction, but we'll jump into it on the next page. Without wasting much time, let's take a look at what WWE subtly told us on SmackDown!
#6. RETRIBUTION vs The SmackDown locker room - who will lead the way?
Did you know a top WWE Superstar just wrestled outside the company? More details HERE
We like storylines where good guys and bad guys have to put aside their differences to face the common enemy. In this case - that enemy just so happens to be RETRIBUTION.
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Unlike RAW where they just vandalized things and threw a cinder block into the WWE Performance Center (without entering). We liked the impact they had on SmackDown last week and tonight, the locker room was only slightly more prepared for RETRIBUTION.
However, the SmackDown locker room only anticipated their arrival - not where they would arrive. When Big E and John Morrison were set to face off at the beginning of SmackDown, they were interrupted by RETRIBUTION and their match was pushed to later.
In their second meeting on the night, the locker room crowded around the ring anticipating RETRIBUTION once the lights started flickering. There was an assault backstage on referees and staff, with one member spray painting the "W" sign that seemingly represents the faction.
It's going to be interesting to see where things head to, especially since the entire SmackDown locker room seems to be involved in it. We anticipate that Big E could end up becoming one of the names on SmackDown that leads the charge against RETRIBUTION. It would certainly be a much better way to get him over as a singles star over any regular feud.
With that said, he eventually defeated John Morrison after submitting him. Does anyone else feel like The Miz and John Morrison are being used as filler-feud opponents on SmackDown?
#5 The creepy final segment of SmackDown and what to interpret from it
There is a lot to unpack from the final segment on SmackDown this week. While Braun Strowman - now bald, went to confront 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt, he was met by his good friend Alexa Bliss instead.
Alexa Bliss was on two segments with 'The Fiend' in the last two weeks of SmackDown and it seemed to traumatize her character. She was in a sit-down interview where she was asked about her personal relationship with Braun Strowman and it ended abruptly when she was asked about a possible romantic connection between them.
Throughout their SmackDown promo and segment, Braun Strowman refused to look at Alexa Bliss right in the eyes. Paranoid, he reaffirmed her that his comment last week saying "I don't give a damn about Alexa" was true, though she didn't seem to believe it was. The tensions boiled over, with Braun Strowman certain that 'The Fiend' changed her as he did to everyone who went through him.
He was on the receiving end of slaps and he even picked Bliss up to toss her away, but 'The Fiend' showed up and suddenly, Strowman was gone. SmackDown ended with Braun Strowman on the screen maniacally laughing while 'The Fiend' did the same.
It was quite an interesting ending, foreshadowing a seemingly-inevitable heel turn for Braun Strowman soon.
#4 Whose hair is it, anyway?
We like that Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville are finally going to have their proper grudge match. They've technically had a SmackDown match on free TV after WrestleMania 36 as well, but that didn't feel like the payoff.
With WWE resuming the feud on SmackDown recently, the two women are finally going to get their time to have the payoff - and this time, the stakes are bigger than ever. Dolph Ziggler vs Otis may have been for the "Mandy Rose prize" so to speak, but the Mandy Rose-Sonya Deville feud will culminate with one woman losing all her hair.
That's right, Mandy Rose laid out a challenge to her old tag team partner to face off at SummerSlam in "Hair vs Hair" match this past episode of SmackDown. We haven't had that in a long time. Sonya Deville liked the idea of Mandy Rose without her golden head of hair and accepted the challenge. It's going to be interesting to see who loses their hair - and we expect Mandy Rose to finally get her revenge, ending the SmackDown rivalry.
#3 The summer of Asuka spills on to SmackDown?
There was a triple brand battle royal on SmackDown this week to determine Bayley's SummerSlam SmackDown Women's title challenger. As expected, we had women from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT, but it was a surprising name who emerged victoriously.
Former RAW and SmackDown Women's Champion Asuka made her presence known on the Blue brand and lasted till the end to secure a title shot against Bayley. That's right - Asuka will now have to face both Bayley and Sasha Banks at SummerSlam 2020.
This is going to be an interesting one to see. When Becky Lynch left for a long hiatus, we never expected Asuka to be this heavily-featured - let alone on both shows. However, Asuka vs The Golden Role Models is the central feud of the WWE Women's division on RAW and SmackDown and SummerSlam is going to be a busy night for The Empress Of Tomorrow. Will Asuka walk out with two Championships as well? Will we start to witness the summer of Asuka?
#2 King Corbin out to reclaim his Kingdom on SmackDown - Is Shorty G getting a name change?
King Corbin is trying to use the RETRIBUTION situation on SmackDown to gain clout and overall popularity with the locker room. Assuming leadership in the matter, it's clear that he's only interested in one person - himself.
He recently got into a tangle with Sheamus and his new SmackDown ally Shorty G faced The Celtic Warrior in a losing effort on SmackDown this week. Later backstage on SmackDown, there was an interview with Matt Riddle and he was confronted by Shorty G. Surely enough, King Corbin attacked him from behind.
What was interesting about that interaction was two things. One, Matt Riddle teased being a big part of the battle against RETRIBUTION. Secondly, King Corbin was impressed with Shorty G and told him that he knew he'd be of some use, before intentionally referring to him as "Chad".
The indication seems to be that Shorty G could go back to Chad Gable very soon. For his sake, we hope that's the case.
#1 AJ Styles' newest feud for the summer on SmackDown
The face of SmackDown AJ Styles was with Joseph Park to introduce the new "Phenomenal Intercontinental Statistic System" - where he was out to show people who belonged in the ring with him. Surprise, surprise - it was nobody on the list.
If you're not aware, Joseph Park, a WWE producer, was the famous "Abyss" in TNA/Impact Wrestling - someone AJ Styles is all too familiar with. He was confronted by Jeff Hardy and it ended with the WWE legend Jeff Hardy laying the SmackDown on AJ Styles in his "home ground", so to speak.
While it set up an Intercontinental Championship match against Jeff Hardy next week on SmackDown, we can't help but feel that the match is going to end in a way that leads to them immediately having a rematch at SummerSlam.
Unfortunately, Jeff Hardy would make for AJ Styles' most underwhelming SummerSlam opponent yet, but we could see Styles bringing out the best in Hardy in years. Is it the right direction to go with the face of SmackDown?
