Roman Reigns' downfall, underutilized star receives huge spotlight - 4 things WWE got right on WWE SmackDown

WWE Friday Night SmackDown last night was held in Orlando, Florida, and featured well over 13,000 fans in the building and potentially as many as 15,000. It was a packed show, to say the least.

The blue brand's latest installment featured a lot of big names. The likes of Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Nia Jax. LA Knight and Solo Sikoa, among others, were either in action or appeared in some way.

With a lot of star power and numerous exciting stories, World Wrestling Entertainment has been drawing more fans than it has in decades. A show like SmackDown last night should keep that trend going, as the company did a lot of good things during the two-hour event.

This article will take a look at four things that happened on last night's show that Triple H and World Wrestling Entertainment got right. This includes Roman Reigns' downfall, an underutilized star being thrust into the spotlight, and more.

Below are four things WWE got right on WWE SmackDown.

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#4. The Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes feud has reached new heights

Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes has quickly become one of the most intriguing rivalries in WWE. It started relatively tame, with both men having a standard singles bout to show off their skills and an incredible performance in the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

Over time, however, things have taken a turn. Carmelo Hayes lost to Andrade in their first two singles matches. This led to him getting more rude and condescending, ultimately leading to a rematch on SmackDown this week. This time, Melo defeated Andrade.

Post-match, however, saw WWE kick things up a notch. When Melo was further disrespectful towards El Idolo, a brawl broke out. Referees and agents came down to separate them as the fans chanted, "Let them fight." This has raised the stakes and intensified the feud, and fans seem more hooked than ever. Both men are going to be bigger stars coming out of this rivalry.

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#3. Michin has been given the spotlight

The first segment on WWE SmackDown was a special championship celebration hosted by Tiffany Stratton in honor of Nia Jax. Jax had won the WWE Women's Title at SummerSlam. The two were joined by the theatrical and silly Pretty Deadly.

While Nia Jax was a despicable heel during the segment, Tiffany Stratton showed signs of becoming a babyface. Before things could go too far, however, Michin showed up and laid out all four stars with a kendo stick, which she said was in honor of herself and Bayley.

This was an excellent decision. Michin had long been underrated and underutilized by the company. Her 2024 run has been a marked improvement, and now she has a title shot against the powerful Nia. This elevated Michin to a new level, and it was excellently done.

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#2. Tag team excellence was on full display on WWE SmackDown

WWE's tag division has been hot and cold under Triple H's leadership. While it is generally treated far better under The Game's leadership than under Vince's, there were times when it got a bit funky. Post-WrestleMania, for example, saw the tag team scene weaken considerably.

Triple H and WWE have clearly been working to fix that, and SmackDown was another major step in the right direction. The Street Profits and DIY clashed in a big-time bout to crown the new number-one contenders to take on The Bloodline.

Both teams worked together to put on a truly special match. It was as good as just about any tag team bout you'll see. In the end, The Street Profits won, but DIY, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford all felt like bigger stars and more credible performers coming out of it.

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#1. The downfall of Roman Reigns made him appear vulnerable

Roman Reigns made his epic return at WWE SummerSlam to confront and attack Solo Sikoa. During last week's episode of SmackDown, The Big Dog laid out Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Solo Sikoa. This week, however, things took a turn.

It was looking as if Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga were doomed when The Tribal Chief showed up. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Jacob Fatu made his WWE television return post-SummerSlam, and he took out Reigns. Solo, Tama, and Jacob then hit a Shield-style Triple Powerbomb through the announcement table and stood over his fallen body.

For the first time in a while, Roman Reigns looked vulnerable. He wasn't the one beating down others. In fact, from the outside looking in, this scene looked like his downfall. This was a great move, as it legitimized Jacob Fatu and the new Bloodline in a way that they hadn't been legitimized prior. It also builds sympathy for Reigns.