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The first SmackDown after the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event answered a few lingering questions from the weekend. Multiple rumblings claimed Cody Rhodes was injured even though he stood tall after beating Kevin Owens.
The champ main-evented SmackDown by teaming with Jey Uso against Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga. They weren't the only enemies Rhodes had to worry about, however, as a former enemy returned.
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair made their first appearances on SmackDown in years. The Street Profits explained they attacked both DIY and Motor City Machine Guns because the Guns gave DIY their title shot. They forgot they've had numerous title shots over the last two years.
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Here's the best and worst of WWE SmackDown after the Royal Rumble.
#3. Best - A real-life issue addressed on SmackDown
AJ Styles "moved" to RAW as the transfer window ended before the show. Drew McIntyre mentioned he joined SmackDown after emerging from the ashes of the Royal Rumble.
He mocked RAW, Adam Pearce, and the people who stopped him from trying to tell the truth. Jimmy Uso came out and again forgot history, saying that Drew simply lost his championship match at Clash at the Castle.
Jimmy must have missed his brother, Solo Sikoa, who interfered to help Roman keep the title during the finish. LA Knight came out last ahead of the Elimination Chamber qualifier.
He subtly addressed the rumors of mishaps during Drew's elimination from the Rumble. He also said while it was okay for grown men and boys to cry, Drew's crying was too much. The match let everyone shine but The Scottish Warrior qualified for the Chamber match.
#3. Worst - Carmelo Hayes gets a win over . . . Akira Tozawa
Carmelo Hayes is a former NXT Champion and a first-round draft pick. Part of his booking is to show him that despite first-round status, it doesn't mean you automatically have success.
After great matches with Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes during his first year on the main roster, Hayes continues to lose and lose. He lost to Braun Strowman and Damian Priest.
He picked up a victory over Akira Tozawa stemming from his attack on him during his Royal Rumble entrance. The former NXT Champ won, but a victory over the Japanese star does little to help Hayes move up the ladder.
#3. Best/Worst - Pretty Deadly wins by cheating
One ongoing layer in the tag team title scene is how DIY mistreats Pretty Deadly despite the Englishmen helping DIY retain the titles.
That came back to bite the tag champs as Nick Aldis granted his countrymen a chance at a title shot after Kit Wilson and Elton Prince said the "alliance" was over.
The match showcased a lot of usual chicanery from both teams. Pretty Deadly won after holding the ropes during the pin attempt. It's great for Wilson and Prince to get one over on Ciampa and Gargano.
However, it sends the wrong message that it's okay for faces to cheat. This happened when Rhodes beat Kevin Owens at Saturday Night's Main Event after dropping him on a chair after hitting the Cross Rhodes. Rules should apply to both sides.
#2. Best - Shreds of truth in heel promos
Kevin Owens' actions may not be completely justified, but his reasoning makes some sense when given the time to explain himself. Cody Rhodes stood tall after beating The Prizefighter at the Royal Rumble. Sami Zayn came out during the match.
He didn't do anything until after Rhodes dumped Owens through a ladder head-first. Owens explained Zayn's lack of action during that moment while also helping Roman Reigns during the Rumble was his reason for attacking his lifelong friend.
It makes some sense. Why would he not help his best friend at a moment that could have legitimately ended his career and helped Reigns? The Miz also had a sensible moment by saying he'd have Cody's back since they're both "old school."
Rhodes rejected the offer but Miz reminded Cody that last year's march to WrestleMania was all about his story. This year, it's about Jey's story. He also knows what having the title does to people and their friends.
#2. Worst - Bianca Belair defeats Piper Niven
The two competitors received totally different treatment before their Elimination Chamber qualifying match. Fans saw Belair and Naomi backstage heading to the ring.
Once SmackDown returned from commercial, Niven was already in the ring without receiving an entrance of her own. Belair then came out and the match started. The pairing didn't inspire much faith unless something big happened.
Niven has lost nearly all her matches on SmackDown and is primarily used to make the faces, like The EST, look good. The match was fine and both women had some good moves, but the outcome was never in doubt.
#2. Best/Worst - The orbit around Tiffany Stratton
WWE promoted Charlotte Flair would be on SmackDown to talk to Tiffany Stratton about WrestleMania. Flair did the flip-flopping she did on RAW to start the promo but really laid into her heel side by mocking the WWE Women's Champion.
Stratton defended herself by saying the world didn't stop while Flair was out. She's right to a degree since she became overwhelmingly popular over the past year.
The Queen demanded that Stratton get on her knees and beg her to choose her for WrestleMania. Nia Jax then came out to posture for yet another title shot.
Jax is almost Flair's opposite - she always comes out to demand a title shot but loses. Flair does the same but is always booked to win. It led to Jax getting another shot at a title on next week's SmackDown.
#1. Best - Welcome back, Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss was also out for more than a year but was given less fanfare during the Royal Rumble. The live crowd gave her arguably the loudest reception but she didn't get fireworks like Flair or Roman Reigns.
She also competed in her first match in nearly two years, beating Candice LeRae to qualify for the Women's Elimination Chamber. The former multi-time champ continued her tribute to Bray Wyatt, even hitting her version of his DDT finisher.
Fans may have missed it but a few glitches came across the screen during the match. It certainly telegraphed crossing paths with The Wyatt Sicks. The faction hasn't been on screen since their move to the blue brand for weeks but an angle with Bliss could be magic if done right.
#1. Worst - No Shinsuke Nakamura again
If you didn't know, Shinsuke Nakamura is the current United States Champion. After beating LA Knight at Survivor Series in November, The King of Strong Style has been booked like creative has nothing for him.
That's unacceptable for one of the brand's champions. The Women's Tag Team Titles/Champions have been all over programming for the last six months. They've been on RAW, SmackDown, and NXT.
Bron Breakker even called out Adam Pearce for the same treatment on RAW as Intercontinental Champ. Why can't Nakamura get at least half of that treatment instead of random spurts of stalking around backstage for seven seconds?
#1. Best/Worst - Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga lose twice on SmackDown
Rhodes and Jey Uso kicked off SmackDown to address the possibility of facing each other at WrestleMania 41. No decision was made, but a match with Fatu and Tonga was after they interrupted. Rhodes and Jey stood tall to end the segment.
As is the case when Rhodes is involved in a match, he and Jey picked up the win over The Samoan Werewolf and Tonga. The loss is just another in a recent string of losses for the talented Fatu.
He hasn't been pinned but lost by disqualification or when Tonga ate the pin. The match was a setup for Solo Sikoa's return. He hit Cody with a Samoan Spike after the win. Where does everyone go after this?
