5 things WWE SmackDown got right before Extreme Rules: New faction arrives; The Bloodline suffers another setback
The go-home episode of WWE SmackDown before Extreme Rules hosted the Intercontinental Championship match between GUNTHER and Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior was looking to take the title away from The Ring General before the six-man Donnybrooke match between Imperium and The Brawling Brutes at Extreme Rules.
Logan Paul arrived on SmackDown to confront the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. The two men had a short exchange that helped build their rivalry for Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
Shotzi teamed up with Raquel Rodriguez to defeat Sonya Deville and Xia Li during the episode of the blue brand. It’s unfortunate to see how Xia Li has slipped down the ladder after making an impressive debut on the main roster.
A new faction also showed up on SmackDown and attacked Hit Row. Meanwhile, The Bloodline suffered another setback this week.
Check out the five things WWE SmackDown got right on the episode before Extreme Rules.
#5. Logan Paul had a showdown with The Bloodline
The Bloodline made its entrance on WWE SmackDown after Triple H kicked off the show. Logan Paul came out to a chorus of boos to interrupt Roman Reigns and his stable before their fight at Crown Jewel.
Paul Heyman mocked the Paul brothers and referenced people who had nothing to do with the industry. The Tribal Chief made it clear that he would destroy Logan at Crown Jewel.
The YouTube megastar tried to pit Jey Uso and Reigns against each other by claiming that the former should be the actual Tribal Chief. Jey tried to defuse the tension, but Reigns stared him down before Sami Zayn interfered.
The Honorary Uce lifted the segment before it came to an end. SmackDown kicked off on the right foot, but the opening segment wasn’t all too great. Heyman wasn’t as impactful as he usually is, while the creative team could not get the crown behind Logan Paul.
Sami Zayn was the star once again and worked well to save the segment from completely falling apart. However, the match at Crown Jewel will possibly take the industry by storm.
#4. Solo Sikoa defeated a former champion on WWE SmackDown
Ricochet was looking to undo The Bloodline on this week’s WWE SmackDown. He took on Solo Sikoa in a singles match in hopes of picking up a big win.
The former NXT North American Champion started well and sent Ricochet out of the ring early. He took him out with a big dive before throwing him back inside the ring. The One and Only recovered and hit some big moves before taking Sikoa off his feet with a crossbody.
He sent The Street Champion outside and kicked him off the apron when he tried to get back in. The One and Only hit a series of good moves before rocking Sikoa with a Superkick.
He headed to the top of the ropes for a 450 Splash, but The Enforcer caught him in mid-air and planted him with the Flying Solo to pick up the win.
Ricochet is one of the finest performers on SmackDown. The creative team should look to give him a meaningful rivalry rather than booking him to lose clean in big contests. Meanwhile, Solo Sikoa is being built up as a top force in the brand. It will be interesting to see what he can do for The Bloodline in the coming months.
#3. A modified Legado del Fantasma took over the show
Hit Row was making their entrance on WWE SmackDown when a masked trio and returning Zelina Vega attacked them. They took out all four members of Hit Row before revealing their faces.
They were none other than Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, and Cruz Del Toro of Legado del Fantasma. Vega said that they were ready to take over SmackDown and become the premiere faction of the brand.
The short segment helped bring forward one of NXT’s best factions on the main roster. For those unaware, Legado del Fantasma first made their mark in NXT 2.0 and have now been promoted to the main roster to showcase their talents.
The group seems to have come under the management of Zelina Vega, while Elektra Lopez will likely remain on the developmental brand. It seems to be the right move, as Lopez isn’t seemingly ready for the main roster yet.
A rivalry between Legado del Fantasma and Hit Row will elevate the entire show. This could turn out to be Triple H’s best move yet.
#2. Braun Strowman teamed up with The New Day to defeat The Bloodline
Backstage on WWE SmackDown, Sami Zayn and Jey Uso were seen quarreling before Roman Reigns interrupted them. Reigns told Zayn that Jey was a hothead and put him in charge of The Usos going forward.
Later, The Usos and The Honorary Uce ran into The New Day and challenged them to a six-man tag team match on SmackDown. The Bloodline was stunned when Braun Strowman came out as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods’ partner for the match.
The New Day sent The Usos outside the ring early and hit them with double dives. The heels bounced back, beat down Kofi, and isolated him from his partners for some time. Kofi got a knee strike in before tagging Strowman into the contest.
The Monster Among Men ran through The Bloodline and hit some big moves on Jimmy Uso. Outside the ring, Jey and Sami got into an argument. Strowman knocked them over before The New Day hit their finisher on Jimmy Uso to pick up the win.
The match was entertaining and helped create more problems for The Bloodline. Zayn is working well to keep the faction on top of SmackDown. Strowman could target Roman Reigns in the coming months, while The Master Strategist could cause the downfall of The Bloodline.
Missed the show? Check out the results here.
#1. Sheamus and GUNTHER put on another banger on WWE SmackDown before Extreme Rules
Sheamus was ready to put on another banger on WWE SmackDown as he challenged GUNTHER for the Intercontinental Championship. The challenger sent the champ into the barricades early and tried to retain the upper hand.
The two heavyweights hit each other with some big moves and kept the action ticking. GUNTHER hit a massive suplex and punished his opponent with some strikes. The Celtic Warrior got in some chops of his own before hitting White Noise for a near fall.
GUNTHER hit a powerbomb of his own before a frog splash nearly earned him the win. The Celtic Warrior locked in the Irish Curse, and GUNTHER barely made it to the bottom rope.
A brawl broke out on the outside, and GUNTHER hit Sheamus with a shillelagh while the referee was distracted. It spelled the end for Sheamus, who fought extremely hard but could not survive the three-count.
The match was phenomenal and elevated the entire show before Extreme Rules. GUNTHER had to use unfair means to defeat Sheamus, which could lead to another rematch between the two heavyweights. It will possibly depend on whether The Brawling Brutes win at Extreme Rules. It was the right way to end SmackDown this week.
What did you make of the last episode of SmackDown before Extreme Rules? Let us know in the comments section below.