5 Things WWE Subtly told us on SmackDown after WrestleMania 38: Major title change not happening on RAW, defeated superstar to get a world title shot soon?
Welcome to the special edition of things WWE subtly told us on the SmackDown after WrestleMania. It was an eventful episode as we saw the in-ring debuts of Butch and GUNTHER (fka WALTER) while Marcel Barthel is now going by the name Ludwig Kaiser.
Raquel Gonzalez, a potential future Women's Champion, debuted as Raquel "Rodriguez," becoming yet another superstar to get a name change. Drew McIntyre, meanwhile, began a small TV feud with Sami Zayn, meaning that he wasn't Roman Reigns' first challenger as many predicted.
Apart from that, here's what WWE subtly told us on an eventful episode of SmackDown:
#5. What is the fate of the Women's Tag Team titles after Sasha Banks' shocking loss on SmackDown?
WOW!!!
@YaOnlyLivvOnce scores a huge win over Sasha Banks!!
#SmackDown https://t.co/K3hcH2CUU0
Sasha Banks faced Liv Morgan on SmackDown this week. The Women's Tag Team title feud began on RAW, where Ripley and Morgan lost to Sasha Banks and Naomi in a championship contender match. Despite this, they still got a title shot and will face Banks and Naomi this Monday on RAW.
Meanwhile, Morgan appeared on SmackDown without Ripley and managed to pull off one of the biggest wins of her career against Sasha Banks. While it was a big shock, it was a subtle indication that The Boss & Glow duo aren't going to lose the Tag Team titles this Monday on RAW.
#4. Roman Reigns' unexpected first post-WrestleMania challenger
Bloodline Love! 馃槼
#SmackDown https://t.co/3a7D6nIbNt
Roman Reigns came out on SmackDown this week, with fans hoping that the segment would serve some purpose, unlike his promo on the post-WrestleMania RAW.
Thankfully, it wasn't the same. While Roman Reigns emphasized The Usos having to unify the tag team titles and their pursuits against RK-Bro, he was interrupted by an unexpected superstar in Shinsuke Nakamura.
Nakamura lost at WrestleMania to The Usos when his tag team partner Rick Boogs suffered a severe injury. While he may have lost, he looks to be the first to get a world title shot against Roman Reigns - presumably at WrestleMania Backlash.
#3. A face turn and the fallout of the break-up
.@MadcapMoss has had enough!
#SmackDown @BaronCorbinWWE https://t.co/3592TXNpwL
The Happy Folks are no longer together. Happy Corbin blamed his WrestleMania loss to Drew McIntyre on Madcap Moss and began insulting him for making WrestleMania weekend "all about himself."
Madcap Moss wasn't pleased with what was happening and made a joke targeting Corbin, signaling the end of their partnership. The timing was right, and the crowd was behind Madcap Moss, even chanting his name for the first time.
It was clear that WWE sees Madcap as a star with potential, and he will finally step out of Corbin's shadow. The latter will always be utilized in his role, but this segment indicates that WWE sees bigger things in Moss than just being an upper mid-card superstar.
#2. The New Day continue their feud with The Fight Night crew
Huge win for @AustinCreedWins over Butch!
#SmackDown https://t.co/LJnBjzxEgs
The Fight Night vs. New Day feud has been going on for a while now, and this week, the rabid and unhinged "Butch" fka Pete Dunne made his in-ring debut.
He faced Xavier Woods and lost to him, with The New Day getting a much-needed upper hand after their loss at WrestleMania 38. Butch slapped both Holland and Sheamus, indicating how unhinged he was.
It was a match meant to establish Butch's character while also giving Woods and Kofi Kingston a much-needed win on SmackDown.
#1. Ronda Rousey's pursuits to finally succeed?
Ronda Rousey is getting her answer tomorrow!
#SmackDown https://t.co/uIgW8N6IMW
Ronda Rousey opened the first SmackDown after WrestleMania 38. She declared her intentions to continue pursuing Charlotte Flair and the SmackDown Women's Championship.
While acknowledging that she had made Flair tap out, she didn't whine that the referee wasn't looking, simply stating that she didn't get the job done when it counted. The promo was an apparent attempt at WWE's damage control to make Rousey look like a strong babyface and not a sore loser.
Either way, she proposed an "I Quit" match between herself and Flair at WrestleMania Backlash - a challenge that the champion declined. Rousey confronted Adam Pearce, who said that he would give her an answer soon.
It seems Rousey's pursuits will finally succeed, and this promo was the first step towards becoming a women's champion again.
We recommend you check out this video showcasing WWE Superstars who returned to the ring after giving birth!