This week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown seemed to flow very well, and viewers could clearly trace one event to the next. This is an extremely positive sign of the influence of SmackDown’s new Executive Director Bruce Prichard.
I have a feeling SmackDown on FOX will become a must-see weekly wrestling show with the newfound creative influence of Prichard each week. One cannot completely discount the possibility that the early success of AEW may have played a rather large role in motivating WWE to make this switch of the SmackDown Executive Director.
The only aspect of the show that was somewhat disappointing was that Roman Reigns did not claim the Intercontinental Championship from Shinsuke Nakamura. When this match was first announced I thought to myself “If there is no outside interference, then I cannot feasibly see a scenario in which Reigns does not win the title.”
But because there was outside interference from King Corbin, it seems that a match will surely be announced for Survivor Series on November 24 between Corbin and Roman. Reigns is already the captain for Team Hogan at Crown Jewel, and Corbin will most likely be involved in the match as well.
It also seems that, because of the result of the tag team match that occurred later in the night, Daniel Bryan will get an opportunity at IC Champ Shinsuke Nakamura. This might not happen until Survivor Series, however, because Bryan has refused to participate in Saudi Arabia events citing his dissension over political issues and how the kingdom has dealt with issues.
Another Crown Jewel update is that The Undertaker will not be competing at the event. This will mark the first WWE event in Saudi Arabia that The Undertaker won’t be a part of. Maybe WWE is becoming aware of his diminishing abilities physically. Or, maybe they just figure that they already have enough part-time stars performing at the event since the likes of Cain Velasquez, Tyson Fury, and Brock Lesnar are already competing at the event. Or, maybe WWE is gaining trust in their current roster of full-time superstars. Regardless of the reason, this marks a change in the tide for WWE. It doesn’t necessarily mean The Undertaker is quite finished in WWE just yet, but it could very well mean he is inching closer to retirement.
The Women’s Division on SmackDown looks to be in much better shape than people might have guessed after the conclusion of the WWE draft. I personally thought it was a little thin, but after seeing the women in action in the six-pack challenge to determine the no. 1 contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship I am rather confident in what I see. Dana Brooke and her flex appeal seemed to shine brightest of the six.
Nikki Cross will make a great next challenger for Bayley after apparently ending her partnership with Alexa Bliss. This was expected since they were drafted separately. But the most prominent story of the night was the fact that Bayley is doing a very good job of playing a believable heel who has a fractured and extremely bleak outlook on life. In addition, her new entrance suits her as well.
Ali also looks to have the makings of a big-time superstar. His major push got derailed in February when he was injured way before the Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View. The reason the WWE universe was okay with it was because #KofiMania began, which led to a much deserved six month stretch for Kofi Kingston as WWE Champion. This validated his 11 years of grinding and giving his heart and soul every night.
Side Note: The eight-man tag match was very entertaining and a great way for the guys involved to showcase their abilities heading into the World Cup match at Crown Jewel.
Shorty G is carving a niche for himself as an upper midcarder, even though he didn’t necessarily need the name change. The WWE universe was behind Chad Gable during the KOTR tournament as “Chad” and they will continue to love him as Shorty G.
Lastly, Drew Gulak deserves better booking than being fed to Braun Strowman for dinner. Unfortunately, Braun doesn’t care if Drew’s a former Cruiserweight Champion – The Monster’s gotta eat.