Best and Worst of SmackDown before WrestleMania 38: Unpopular star to suffer surprising defeat, Big mistake made with two top feuds
It was the SmackDown before WrestleMania, and a few big things happened. It wasn't that crucial an episode despite being a night before The Show of Shows, and there wasn't too much action.
Drew McIntyre closed the show, and it was the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal that opened it. There were a few key matches, but nothing more, as even Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar were only highlighted in video packages.
Here were the ups and downs of the night before WrestleMania:
#3. Best: The Pat McAfee-Austin Theory feud on SmackDown
This guy...
#WrestleMania #SmackDown @austintheory1 @PatMcAfeeShow https://t.co/SDzFCGqbex
The Pat McAfee-Austin Theory feud has been one of the best ones heading into the WrestleMania season. Some might argue that Theory annoying McAfee shouldn't be considered a good feud, but it's been presented so brilliantly that you can't help but hate the former's guts.
From Austin Theory being annoying to Pat McAfee's tense interaction with Vince McMahon to Michael Cole's role of being the one with the cool head, it's been an underrated rivalry. It was one of the highlights of a weird episode of SmackDown.
#2. Worst: An uneventful SmackDown before WrestleMania
Statement made!
Can @SashaBanksWWE & @NaomiWWE take home the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at #WrestleMania 38?!
#SmackDown https://t.co/1ErMVi0XiD
It was a weird episode of SmackDown because it felt a lot longer than usual. Fans often complain of how long the three-hour episode of RAW can be, and understandably so. But this felt more like a long, dragged-out episode of RAW than a short and crisp SmackDown.
There was no Roman Reigns-Brock Lesnar interaction and we only saw a video package. Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair only had a promo each, although that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Overall, this didn't feel like a show that was on the caliber of a go-home show to WrestleMania. It was a big mistake to not feature the world title and women's title feuds prominently on SmackDown.
#2. Best: Madcap Moss' unexpected win on SmackDown'
.@MadcapMoss makes history!
A round of applause for the 2022 Andre the Giant Battle Royal WINNER!
#WrestleMania #SmackDown https://t.co/RH00jfgqj0
Madcap Moss is the 2022 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner. He was a surprising winner because he last eliminated Finn Balor, the US Champion, to win it.
It's a big indication that he is set to get a big singles push post-WrestleMania, and it wouldn't be surprising to see his alliance with Happy Corbin end soon. It was an unexpected result, but that doesn't mean it was bad.
It seems clear that WWE sees a star in Madcap Moss, and it wasn't the wrong decision to have him win the battle royal on SmackDown.
#1. Worst: Finn Balor getting pinned
.@FinnBalor is here trying to help out @PatMcAfeeShow.
#WWE #WrestleMania #ManiaWithSK #SmackDown https://t.co/KZEPt0JcsD
Finn Balor had two matches on the show this week and won neither of them. The fact that neither he nor Ricochet is on the WrestleMania card is unfortunate because it just goes to show how WWE treats the "mid-card champions".
Balor got pinned by Austin Theory in a six-man tag team match. It was the second time Theory pinned a champion this week, as he defeated Ricochet on RAW. However, having Finn Balor get pinned as the champion a night before WrestleMania is a bad decision.
#1. Best: Ricochet finally getting a big win
And still your #ICTitle Champion @KingRicochet!
#WWE #SmackDown #WrestleMania #ManiaWithSK https://t.co/7yKDewIQHt
Ricochet faced both members of Los Lotharios in a triple threat match in what was a crucial Intercontinental Championship defense. Although he lost last week and on Monday (in two minutes, no less), he finally picked up a big win.
He defeated both Angel and Humberto after the two began to argue with each other, eventually beating them and retaining the Intercontinental title. It was one of the highlights of the episode because it wasn't that action-packed.
Will Ricochet be a successful Intercontinental Champion?