Best and Worst of SmackDown: 12-time Tag Team Champion finally getting singles push after 10 years, big mistake made during the end of the show (April 21, 2023)
It was certainly an interesting episode of SmackDown this week. We are now only one week removed from the WWE Draft, which hopefully means there will be a massive shake-up in the process.
Backlash is likely to serve as the platform for some feuds to conclude, but looking at the show's line-up, we question what feuds there are, but more on that later.
SmackDown wasn't that impressive this week, but there were still some positives. Here are some ups and downs of the show:
#3. Best: The Intercontinental Championship match on SmackDown
#AndStill,
@Gunther_AUT retains the Intercontinental Championship!
#WWE #SmackDown https://t.co/chwUvodWI0
Xavier Woods got a shot at the Intercontinental Championship for the first time in his career, and he instantly proved why he belonged. Gunther has bangers with everyone, which was no different in the case of Xavier Woods.
While some could argue that Woods got too much offense against a dominant heel like Gunther, we would counterargue by suggesting that it was WWE's way of indicating that they are serious about pushing Xavier Woods as a singles star 10 years after his main roster debut.
Also, his new look was cool.
#2. Worst: The same old finish on SmackDown
.@WWESoloSikoa defeats Riddle on the main event of #SmackDown!
#WWE https://t.co/exOZaAtnSd
Matt Riddle faced Solo Sikoa in the main event of SmackDown, and surprise, surprise! The Bloodline stood tall in the end.
For some reason, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn weren't present for their friend, and the no DQ main event, while entertaining initially, had an all too predictable result. Except for his match against Cody Rhodes on the RAW before WrestleMania 39, every bout that Solo Sikoa is in is predictable.
We don't see anybody else getting singles victories over him, and The Usos' interference made the main event as bland as can be. WWE needs to try better because no fan will want to see the same thing every week.
#2. Best: A genuinely clever finish to the Women's Tag Team Championship match
.@YaOnlyLivvOnce & @RaquelWWE with some payback.
#WWE #SmackDown https://t.co/6Fu5bZuGhn
How often do you see babyfaces utilizing the fact that referees aren't that smart? We see heels do it all the time, so it was a breath of fresh air when Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez used a blindside moment to get the pin and retain the Women's Tag Team Titles.
It wasn't necessarily a great match, but the finish was really good, and we liked the water spot involving Liv Morgan and Chelsea Green. The latter is getting an A+ every time she appears on WWE TV, and SmackDown this week was no different.
#1. Worst: The most random matches being announced for Backlash
Thoughts on this?🤔
#WWE #SmackDown https://t.co/iMsZxbdmfs
Seth Rollins vs. Omos was announced for Backlash, and we can't get our heads around just how little sense it makes. The event card is historically considered important because of the immediate WrestleMania fallout that follows.
This year, however, the card has been more or less randomly put together. Apart from this, Zelina Vega will face Rhea Ripley for the SmackDown Women's Title, which makes sense since she is of Puerto Rican heritage in a show that will take place in Puerto Rico.
Meanwhile, Bronson Reed and Bobby Lashley will challenge Austin Theory for the US Title in a Triple Threat match. A bit of a link, but nothing about the US Title was mentioned to set up this match. The randomness of the card is admittedly disappointing.
#1. Best: Braun Strowman and Ricochet's impressive win
Braun Strowman & Ricochet pick up the win against The Viking Raiders!
#WWE #SmackDown https://t.co/Heu9W2OKjy
Braun Strowman and Ricochet picked up an impressive win on SmackDown this week. They faced the Viking Raiders, and while we don't necessarily agree that it was the right result, the performance from both teams was fantastic, and the crowd response spoke for itself.
The odd-pair duo is doing well without many realizing it, and we hope it continues this way.