Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships Number 1 Contenders Gauntlet Match
Friday Night SmackDown kicked off with Kayla Braxton being ignored by Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman before it was time for a Gauntlet match to see who would be next in line for a shot at the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The match started with the Street Profits facing off against the Brawling Brutes and after a short but decent contest, Sheamus delivered a Brogue Kick to Angelo Dawkins to get the victory. The O.C.’s Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson were the next team in the match, but the two were also eliminated by a Sheamus Brogue after Anderson got a little bit too confident. The LWO were next and Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde brought the fight to the Brutes with some quick-paced offense. However, they too would be eliminated, but it was Ridge Holland’s turn to get the pinfall. Hit Row then ran into the ring only to be eliminated immediately after the Celtic Warrior hit yet another Brogue Kick (onto Top Dolla) which meant we were down to 2. The Brawling Brutes VS Pretty Deadly definitely got the most time and it was probably the best contest because of this. Sheamus and Ridge Holland tried everything to pull off a clean sweep, but in the end, Elton Prince and Kit Wilson used their smart minds to pick up their biggest victory on the main roster to date. After their win, Pretty Deadly cut a promo on how and why they’re going to beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in two weeks before the tag team champions chased them off. KO and Sami VS PD should be amazing, but I’m just not so sure that the Gauntlet match itself was.
Grade: C+
Iyo Sky VS Zelina Vega, The Grayson Waller Effect
Roman Reigns demanded that Paul Heyman goes and speaks to Jey Uso in a backstage segment before Damage CTRL’s Iyo Sky went one-on-one with the LWO’s Zelina Vega. This match was set up on “SmackDown LowDown” last week and it didn’t take long for Bayley to get involved. However, her attempts to help Iyo Sky backfired miserably and Sky voiced her frustrations at the Role Model which allowed Zelina Vega to hit the 619 to pick up the surprise victory. Whilst I’m not a big fan of Iyo losing, there was at least a story to this and I thought Vega’s 619 was excellent.
Grade: C+
Bianca Belair went to Adam Pearce looking to find out when she’s getting her rematch against Asuka. Pearce told Belair that she’s just going to have to stay patient at the moment which the EST was furious about as she warned the WWE Official that she’s “going to take matters into her own hands”. Finally, Bianca Belair has a character! Damage Control were then arguing in the back before Shotzi came in and challenged Bayley to put her spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match on the line next week. Bayley didn’t seem interested, but she’ll have to compete anyway because Iyo Sky accepted on her behalf. It was then time for another edition of the Grayson Waller Effect and the Arrogant Aussie was clearly in a good mood as he’d managed to book Charlotte Flair on his hit talk show. Charlotte declared that she has Asuka’s number before Bianca Belair interrupted and questioned why Charlotte Flair left after WrestleMania and just decided to return and get another title shot. The two went back and forth and whilst what they were saying was good, the delivery just felt a little bit off. However, Belair’s mic drop at the end made it feel a bit better. A Charlotte-Bianca feud is something I’ve wanted to see WWE probably do since all the way back in 2020 when Flair took Belair out at NXT Portland and had the delivery been better, this could’ve been a really good segment. Also, it’s cool that Grayson Waller is getting to be around top stars like this, but it doesn’t feel like WWE are establishing Waller as anything other than a happy host which is the complete opposite of what the Arrogant Aussie should be doing.
Grade: C+
AJ Styles and Michin VS Karrion Kross and Scarlett, Santos Escobar VS LA Knight
Paul Heyman found Jey Uso backstage and apologised to him about Jimmy Uso. Jey Uso responded by apologising to Paul about his stance that if “I’m in, you’re out”. It was then time for a mixed tag team match as AJ Styles and Michin (who’s seemingly dropped the Mia Yim name entirely) took on Karrion Kross and Scarlett. I’m glad that Scarlett gets to wrestle from time to time given she was pretty decent in Impact Wrestling, but you could also tell that it’s been a while since she wrestled on live TV. Michin also struggled to carry her opponent along whilst AJ Styles mostly had the edge on Karrion Kross. However, a distraction from Scarlett allowed Kross to nail Styles with a bunch of his finishing moves to shockingly pin the Phenomenal One. Whilst the match quality wasn’t high, Karrion Kross getting a victory certainly gives this whole segment an upgrade.
Grade: C
Paul Heyman told Roman Reigns what Jey Uso said and this clearly bothered Solo Sikoa as he scared the Wiseman off. Roman told Solo that they’ve still got time to solve everything. Rey Mysterio then came out and praised Santos Escobar before Escobar thanked Rey Mysterio for helping him (what for I’m not sure). LA Knight then arrived and just straight away shoved the Hall of Famer which was quite funny and this led into a match between Escobar and Knight. Santos Escobar and LA Knight were two of the most over acts in NXT when they were there and one of those guys is certainly over with the main roster crowd as well. However, it didn’t help the Megastar as LA Knight suffered yet another loss after Escobar sealed the roll-up victory. After the match, Knight attacked the Emperor of Lucha Libre before Rey Mysterio chased him off.
Grade: C+
Will Jey Uso fall in line?
Jey Uso walked past Sami Zayn backstage before Roman Reigns’ music hit as the Tribal Chief took his time to get down to the ring (like always). However, Reigns couldn’t really say anything before Jey Uso arrived. Roman told Jey that he’s going to be the Tribal Chief one day, but not right now before Jimmy Uso arrived. Jimmy continued to say that Reigns is the problem before Paul Heyman and the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion revealed that everyone was happy about the idea of Jey Uso being the Right Hand Man except Jimmy. Jey then cut a brilliant promo on his brother that felt 100% true before he said to his brother “You’re out... and I’m out too”! With that, Jey Uso Superkicked Roman Reigns in the face and the crowd erupted in cheers. Jimmy and Jey then delivered a pair of Superkicks to Solo Sikoa before the Usos nailed Roman once again to end the segment and the Bloodline (as we know it). This was absolutely sensational as everyone played their parts to perfection. However, Jey Uso was the star as he did something that people have been wanting him to do since November 2020. Many people don’t like wrestling because it’s “fake”, but the storytelling and acting of the guys that have been involved in the “Bloodline saga” since August 2020 are as good as Marvel, Star Wars, Disney or anyone else in Hollywood. Just WOW!
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