5 things WWE SmackDown got right this week: Cracks continue to form in The Bloodline; Uncle Howdy appears
A loaded episode of WWE SmackDown kicked off with a segment and match involving The Bloodline. Things got even more interesting after the first match, and cracks continued forming between The Bloodline members.
Karrion Kross returned to the ring this week after being viciously attacked by Drew McIntyre a couple of weeks ago. He made an example out of Madcap Moss before sending another warning to The Scottish Warrior.
Ronda Rousey took to the ring for her first SmackDown Women's Championship defense. However, no one was ready for who her opponent turned out to be. Meanwhile, Rey Mysterio suffered the wrath of GUNTHER and Imperium backstage. The Master of the 619 will have a mountain to climb if he wants to take the Intercontinental Championship away from The Ring General.
It was another entertaining episode of SmackDown that confirmed a few more matches for the upcoming Crown Jewel Premium Live Event. Take a look at the five things WWE SmackDown got right on this week's show.
#5. Jey Uso cost Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa their match on WWE SmackDown
WWE SmackDown kicked off with The Bloodline talking backstage. Sami Zayn told Jey Uso to work with him as Roman Reigns wasn't in the arena. Zayn and Solo Sikoa teamed up to take on the Brawling Brutes in the first match of this week's Friday Night show.
Butch started well before the heels worked together to take him down. Distractions from The Usos helped Zayn and Sikoa remain in control of the contest.
Ridge Holland used his strength to get his team back into the contest before Butch went for the Cloverleaf. The Usos broke it up, and Zayn missed the Helluva Kick.
Jey dragged Zayn out of the ring and the two men got into an argument. Sikoa tried to stop them from arguing before Holland wiped out the big man and Jey at ringside. Sami Zayn got back in the ring and was rolled up by Butch for the pinfall.
The match was fun before tensions in The Bloodline gave the Brawling Brutes a big win. Butch and Holland will make the trip to Saudi Arabia to challenge The Usos for the Undisputed Tag Team Championship. The argument between Jey and Sami led to a massive segment soon after.
#4. Cracks continued to form in The Bloodline
Sami Zayn and Jey Uso continued to argue after the match as Jimmy and Solo Sikoa tried to calm them down. Roman Reigns made his entrance on WWE SmackDown and surprised the four superstars.
The Tribal Chief came down to sort out the matter and told them to stop fighting like kids. Reigns said he did not want to treat them like kids on the show.
The Honorary Uce tried to defuse tensions and offered Jey a truce and a handshake, but Jey wasn't up for it. He said he didn't like Sami and wanted him away from The Bloodline. The two men got into an argument and Jey disrespected Reigns by saying he doesn't give a damn what The Tribal Chief says!
The Head of the Table told him to control himself, or he would have to make Sami a full-time Uso and call him Sami Uso. Jey was stunned, while the fans were ready to accept Zayn a an Uso as the segment came to an end.
The creative team and the superstars involved seem to be having a lot of fun with the storyline. It shows because The Bloodline segments have been spot-on every week.
It looks like Jey will be unable to control himself for long, and Sami will finally get what he is looking for. It will lead to another great performance from The Honorary Uce.
#3. Emma returned to challenge Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women's Championship
Ronda Rousey came out to make her first WWE SmackDown Women's Championship defense this week. She issued an open challenge for anyone at the back to take her on. Emma made her return to WWE after five years to answer Rousey's challenge.
The two women got down to business right away, and Rousey tried to pick up an early win. As Emma rolled out of the ring, the champion followed her outside before sending her into the steel steps.
Rousey tried to kick Emma against the steel steps, but the returning superstar dodged it. The two superstars continued to trade some good moves to entertain the fans. Emma pulled out some good moves to show that she's still one of the best wrestlers in the industry.
Rousey went for the ankle lock, but Emma rolled through to break the hold. The Rowdy One couldn't find a way to take her out, so she poked her eye before hitting Piper's Pit for the win.
It was good to see Emma return and give the SmackDown Women's Champion a good match. It also helped establish her as a babyface as Rousey used some dirty tactics to pick up the win.
#2. Shinsuke Nakamura joined Hit Row to defeat Legado Del Fantasma
Legado Del Fantasma came out on WWE SmackDown to take on Hit Row and a partner of their choosing. Shinsuke Nakamura returned to the blue brand and teamed up with Hit Row for the match. A brawl broke out before the match and the babyfaces took Legado Del Fantasma out one by one.
The match got underway, and Adonis was isolated by Legado early on. He broke free and tagged Nakamura, who went after the heels and took down Santos Escobar.
Top Dolla came out and threw his opponents around before hitting a big dive. Escobar suffered Down Town Three by Top Dolla into a Kinshasa from Nakamura to end the match. Hit Row and Nakamura celebrated their big win.
It was surprising to see Escobar take the fall for his team. None of the other members of Legado Del Fantasma could have taken the pin instead. Other than that, the match was solid and gave Hit Row an upper hand in the rivalry. It was also good to have Shinsuke back after his match on NXT last week.
#1. Bray Wyatt addressed his demons in the final moments of WWE SmackDown
Bray Wyatt came out in the final segment of WWE SmackDown. He said that he was himself again and wasn't anyone hiding behind a mask anymore. Wyatt said he was there to do big things and lost control of himself at times.
The former Universal Champion said he didn't care if he did bad things before following which a mysterious figure appeared on the big screen. It said that they were the ghost of the man who sold the world. It said that Bray would never be able to hide from him.
The person on the screen called himself Uncle Howdy before the show went off the air. This week's Friday Night show had some good matches and segments, however, this left fans asking the most number of questions. It was a good way to leave the fans guessing at the end of SmackDown.