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WWE SmackDown sets up fresh rivalries heading into Survivor Series
WWE

Pro Wrestling

WWE SmackDown sets up fresh rivalries heading into Survivor Series

History was made on SmackDown, and the picture for Survivor Series is becoming clearer.

SmackDown this week opened with the Usos, the soon-to-be longest reigning tag team champions in the history of WWE so long as they can get through the final boss for this accomplishment: Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods of The New Day. The two tag teams gave it their all to put on what was to be a historical match. Jey, with an injured hand and all, went high risk and high flying. As for The New Day, there was no cracking jokes or playing to the crowd this match. The stakes were high as The New Day were not about to just hand over their record as the longest reigning champs. Well, they were, but not by choice. Kofi got himself in a tricky situation on the top turnbuckle and both Jey and Jimmy were able to capitalize, scoring the 1D combination finisher from the top rope. The Usos closed shop victorious to secure what will be a new record, exceeding The New Day’s 483 day reign.

No big celebrations just yet, but Roman was pleased backstage with his cousins – that is, before swiftly moving onto his own business.

WWE SmackDown sets up fresh rivalries heading into Survivor Series

WWE

The first match in the first round of the new SmackDown World Cup Tournament was up next. Shinsuke against Santos Escobar of the lacklustre Legado del Fantasma. Shinsuke gets the match advantage early, is able to pull out some vintage moves, but Zelina Vega distracts the referee, allowing Santos to get the upper hand.

For such a newcomer to defeat a veteran would be a major upset in any other universe, except of course WWE. Santos Escobar secures a victory and moves on to the next round of the World Cup.

Here is where the night hits a jarring rough spot. Liv Morgan gets her entrance and the stakes are narrated by commentary. The winner of the following Six Pack Challenge gets a title shot at Survivor Series against Ronda Rousey. Then commentary has time to plug Roman’s “special moment” happening later on. Because you know, Liv is just out there to look good while the real business is taken care of.

Then for some reason we cut backstage to a promo with Eli Dra— cough cough LA Knight, who is interrupted and head-butted by Bray Wyatt. All the while Liv is still just waiting in the ring for her match to start. But by the time we get back to her, three other opponents, Sonya, Lacey and Xia are already in the ring. So by the dismissal of allocating them TV time for their entrances, you know without a doubt how critical their role will be in this match. Then come the true contenders, Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez, who both get their entrances.

The match itself played more like a tag match with two women facing off at a time in the ring while the other four float around outside the ring. The one actual highlight spot of the match was when Raquel pulled out a table, which didn’t go to plan. It seemed like Liv was supposed to come out of nowhere, leaping from the barrier to the announce table, interrupting Raquel and putting her through the table. But instead they all came crashing down to the floor, hardly touching the table at all.

WWE SmackDown sets up fresh rivalries heading into Survivor Series

After all this, it’s Lacey who loses the match for everyone, and to Shotzi of all contenders. Shotzi gets her push while Liv and the other legitimate talent are swept aside.

The newly returned Emma praises Shotzi in a promo backstage, before Shayna Baszler interrupts. For a second you think she is just being Ronda’s mouthpiece, but turns out Ronda is actually in the house. Rousey throws out an actually funny one liner “clean up on isle green”, after Baszler chokes Shotzi down and out. A clear and simple way of setting Shotzi up as the helpless babyface in their rivalry and upcoming title match.

Ricochet cuts a promo backstage but is interrupted by Gunther and his goons, essentially setting up their match for the World Cup tournament.

Jinder Mahal is back and he is ringside stumbling over his words about that fancy new trophy. But before he can remember what it is he’s actually fighting for, he is interrupted by Braun “Red Jeans” Strowman. Mahal jumps Strowman from behind to get an advantage early in the match, but the momentum is eventually reversed and Braun delivers a Monster Ball to eliminate Mahal from the tournament.

Zelina Vega makes her way to the ring for a match. Now it finally makes sense why she was dressed in ring gear earlier and her two henchmen were suited up. If only they had promoted this match just once throughout the night instead of Roman’s “special moment” three times already. …it is a match, right?

Well, B-Fab of Hit Row enters with both Ashante Adonis and Top Dolla by her side. Then all of a sudden, red lights… fog horns… it’s the Viking Raiders! And it’s Sarah Logan, she’s back, after weeks and week of vignettes, she is finally back. But let’s not mention her name until we see her face on camera, okay commentary?

So it takes a good minute of Logan being out in the arena before we actually see her face due to either poor camera work or poor production backstage. That wasn’t the actual angle, was it? To conceal her identity for that brief moment, while she attacked everyone in sight? We all knew it was her! Either way, the payoff for such a long build to her return was underutilized and could have set up something much bigger and much better, much faster.

WWE SmackDown sets up fresh rivalries heading into Survivor Series

So as it turns out, there was no match. There was supposed to be a match, but we got so excited, we just forgot the match.

Finally, the main event of the night, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, Roman Reigns’ “Special Moment’. So uh, what is it? Logan Paul’s out with an injury, who is the big dog gonna bark at this month? Well, Roman says three words, the city name and his catch phrase. Then the mic is passed off to the real mouthpiece of this faction, Paul Heyman.

But before Heyman can say anything of substance, the Bloodline’s “oh so Special Moment” is interrupted by Ridge Holland and Butch. So this is the new rivalry, but theres only two of them, and four of the Bloodline. Well the Brawling Brutes do have a third member – cue Sheamus’ big return. But still, they’re outnumbered, who in the world can help even the odds… well, Drew McIntyre, that’s who.

That’s the main event, no match, not even a special moment, no bangers, just interruption after interruption after interruption. Some seemingly fresh rivalries were set up, but that’s about it. Let’s just hope they pay off at Survivor Series.

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