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Cody Rhodes kicked off the final WWE SmackDown before his contract signing with Kevin Owens at Saturday Night's Main Event. The two will clash in a Ladder Match for the title.
The Undisputed WWE Champ didn't compete, but Owens did after Jimmy Uso interrupted him. Damian Priest joined SmackDown while A-Town Down Under got shipped to RAW.
The Miz found out he was traded to SmackDown after accidentally blabbing that he got The Wyatt Sicks sent to Friday nights. He then attempted to recruit the former tag champs and then Andrade for his battle with the faction.
Charlotte Flair announced her predictable participation in the 2025 Women's Royal Rumble in another vignette. What worked and what didn't? Here's the best and worst for WWE SmackDown.
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#3. Best - The SmackDown tag team division
For much of its existence, AEW had the best tag team wrestling. WWE rivaled it from time to time. However, the new promotion stood out due to the top-level teams and matches from the likes of Proud and Powerful, The Young Bucks, FTR, Lucha Brothers, and others.
The SmackDown tag division has put on classics every week lately. DIY, Motor City Machine Guns, Pretty Deadly, Los Garza, and the Street Profits have all wowed the crowd over the past few months.
Pretty Deadly almost beat Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin a few times but ultimately fell to the former champs. It's refreshing to see this focus on tag team wrestling, especially since the rematch between DIY and the Guns will take place at the Rumble.
#3. Worst - Going back to a tired old trope
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven teamed up to face B-Fab and Michin in tag action. The match was largely forgettable and was mainly a set-up for Michin to get another shot at Green's United States Title on next week's SmackDown.
B-Fab is still extremely green (no pun intended) in her wrestling career. While Michin got the pin on the champ, it means the former Hit Row member has a win over Green on her resume.
WWE needs to find other ways to set up title matches other than "X has pinned the champion!" It devalues that titleholder just for the sake of a match. The heels could have lost via disqualification and Aldis could have seen fit for a rematch.
#3. Best/Worst - Damian Priest is on SmackDown to beat Carmelo Hayes
It was nice to see former World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest move over to SmackDown during the random and confusing "transfer window."
He fought Carmelo Hayes in one of the better showdowns on SmackDown. Hayes hung with Priest and could have picked up a shocking win at a few points.
While the outcome was never in doubt, it's a bit disappointing to see the talented Hayes continually lose. It's not as bad as losing to The Miz or Chad Gable but fans need a reason to invest in Hayes as a part of the WWE's future.
#2. Best - DIY outsmart themselves
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa have routinely been a step ahead of Pretty Deadly, Apollo Crews, and the Motor City Machine Guns. They've continually talked down to Kit Wilson and Elton Prince in a truly one-sided alliance.
Crews has always been a talented performer but never had top-notch charisma to stand out. He faced Gargano and picked up a win tonight after the Guns distracted Gargano. Ciampa had interfered previously but it wasn't enough to get the win.
The actions led to a rematch at the Royal Rumble. With the tag titles (not including women's tag titles) consistently left off of premium live events in 2024, it's great to see them finally getting a spotlight at a major show.
#2. Worst - Jimmy Uso nearly beating Kevin Owens
Love him or hate him, Jimmy Uso shouldn't beat Kevin Owens. That doubles with Owens embroiled in an ongoing feud with Cody Rhodes.
Yet after talking himself into a match with The Prizefighter, Jimmy almost beat Owens on several occasions in the main event.
The Prizefighter is one of the top stars in wrestling and shouldn't be nearly defeated by a star who's primarily been a tag team specialist for his career.
Jey Uso has at least been on his own for almost two years. Jimmy embarked on his own singles journey on SmackDown within the last month.
#2. Best/Worst - Featuring most of the women's division in the same spots
Outside of Nikki Cross, Blair Davenport, and a supposedly injured Jade Cargill (she's been posting a lot on social media), almost every woman on the roster appeared on SmackDown. Elektra Lopez briefly appeared backstage with Legado Del Fantasma.
B-Fab, Michin, Niven, and Green were in one spot while the rest of the women were pigeonholed into a random six-woman tag team match. The effort to feature more women is nice but they've been booked in the same, tired old feuds.
Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan were supposed to be done with each other on RAW on Netflix but opposed each other again. How many times do Bianca Belair and Naomi have to face Nia Jax and Candice LeRae?
Those feuds have been ongoing since WarGames. It was a bit of a shock to see Liv pinning Belair, but it had to be a roll-up and not a definitive victory.
#1. Best - LA Knight salvaging Bloodline scraps
With Roman Reigns always gone and Solo Sikoa walking out on last week's SmackDown, LA Knight has stepped up to battle the remnants of Sikoa's group.
He beat Tama Tonga in one-on-one action after a heated promo. He still has the United States Title in his sights but wasn't letting Jacob Fatu or Tonga off the hook.
While Fatu tried to interfere a few times, Knight was one step ahead. The Samoan Werewolf did get in some damage after the match, but Braun Strowman made the save.
Tonga tried to hold Fatu back but was pushed away. It was another subtle wrinkle that The Samoan Werewolf could indeed be more unhinged and dangerous without Sikoa holding him back.
#1. Worst - Killing the three-hour format
WWE's excuse for this particular three-hour episode of SmackDown was for half the women's division to speak. Tiffany Stratton, the brand's champ, tried to talk but was cut off by Ripley. She reminded Tiffy that she was also a champion.
This predictably brought out Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. After wasting more time with their words, Bianca Belair and Naomi danced to the ring just to declare for the Royal Rumble.
Liv Morgan closed the neverending promo parade to do the same thing. It was all filler before the six-woman match. Why do we have to hear every person declaring for the Royal Rumble?
If they don't have better things to say, bookers should come up with better ideas. Can't Shinsuke Nakamura compete? Where's Blair Davenport?
#1. Best/Worst - Cody Rhodes contradicts himself
Cody Rhodes had a good start to his show-opening promo. He praised Kevin Owens as someone with a high in-ring IQ, which he has. The problem was that Rhodes said Kevin "takes the easy way out 10 times out of 10."
He forgets that he hit a Cross Rhodes on top of a steel chair at the first Saturday Night's Main Event. He also telegraphed Randy Orton's inevitable return. Rhodes also mentioned how Owens was on the "island of self-righteousness."
The American Nightmare, however, was the one who said he teamed with Roman Reigns because "it was the right thing to do." For who, Roman? Owens later commandeered the show to ask why he didn't receive equal interview time before their contract signing.
He then took on Texas's favorite son, Matthew McConaughey. Jimmy Uso put his foot in his mouth by saying Owens talked too much. Jimmy must have forgotten that Owens came out because of a lack of equally booked interview time.
