5 Things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown: Former world champion quietly turns babyface, Huge title change to happen in two weeks?
Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown. It was a fun episode of the blue brand, which flew by quickly.
While there were a few underwhelming segments, some could argue that the show over-delivered with what was advertised. That isn't saying much, but SmackDown could possibly need to amp up as the build to SummerSlam heats up.
What did WWE subtly tell us on the blue brand this week? Keep reading to find out:
#5. Jinder Mahal and Shanky have had a quiet character change
Come on, @JinderMahal, show us your moves 🕺
#WWE #SmackDown @DilsherShanky https://t.co/TK81ciaaLT
The New Day came out on SmackDown dressed as The Viking Raiders and put on a skit mocking the former tag team champions.
The real Viking Raiders came out but were met by Shanky and Jinder Mahal, with the former WWE Champion in particular seemingly turning babyface in the process.
It happened quietly and has set up an interesting few weeks to come for the Indian star.
#4. The chaos and inevitability of the tag team title match at SummerSlam
As announced by Adam Pearce on #SmackDown, Double J will be the special guest ref at #SummerSlam!
#WWE | @RealJeffJarrett https://t.co/61XARISKwW
The main event of SmackDown saw Angelo Dawkins controversially defeat Jimmy Uso in almost the exact same fashion as The Usos defeated The Street Profits at Money in the Bank 2022.
Jimmy Uso's shoulder was up, but the referee counted the pinfall anyway. Adam Pearce then announced that Jeff Jarrett would be the special guest referee for their undisputed tag team title match.
The Usos will complete a year with their titles in two days, and it is possible that WWE is hinting at ending their reign at SummerSlam.
#3. Pat McAfee seemingly confirms the TV-14 ratings report on SmackDown
.@PatMcAfeeShow promises to smack the bad tattoos off Bum-A** Corbin at #SummerSlam!
#WWE #SmackDown https://t.co/dNkpveNPlz
Color commentator Pat McAfee referenced the TV-14 reports on SmackDown this week. In the opening promo of the show, he took shots at Happy Corbin, his SummerSlam opponent. He called him "do**ebag Corbin" and said that he knew it wasn't TV-14 "yet" - hinting that there could be serious considerations backstage to change the rating of the show, subsequently ending the PG Era.
Apart from that, the segment was mostly a good promo and back-and-forth between him and Corbin. McAfee's charisma is also instrumental in driving the feud forward.
However, the only real subtle part of this segment was the above-mentioned TV-14 reference.
#2. No triple threat SmackDown Women's Title match
The #SmackDown Women's Champion @YaOnlyLivvOnce picks up the win! https://t.co/pguRxoXQ3y
Championship contender matches normally lead to champions losing just so the challenger can get a title shot in the future. That was our fear when it was announced that Natalya would face Liv Morgan despite losing to Ronda Rousey last week on SmackDown.
Thankfully, Morgan beat Natalya decisively, and the story being told is that she may not be as skilled as Ronda Rousey, but nobody wants the title more than her. It's a breath of fresh air to see her character grow and develop, and WWE arguably needs to keep the title on her longer as it has been a big catalyst for a change in character.
As for the SmackDown Women's Title match, there will probably be no triple threat at SummerSlam.
#1. WWE is holding off on Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus for a bigger stage
Things are far from over between these two!
#WWE #SmackDown
@DMcIntyreWWE | @WWESheamus https://t.co/McMQ3IFBZY
Drew McIntyre was supposed to face Sheamus again, but the #1 contender's match keeps getting postponed. Last week, The Celtic Warrior joked about getting COVID to escape his match and used Butch as his sacrificial lamb against Drew McIntyre.
This week, it was Ridge Holland who did the dirty work, only to lose. It's clear that WWE is delaying the feud as much as possible.
While one part of it may seem repetitive to watch, the other part is the fact that McIntyre and Sheamus are set for a collision course at SummerSlam - one that is likely to deliver.
Suggested: Want to know more? Watch WWE Friday Night SmackDown post show review here