Best and Worst of SmackDown after WrestleMania 39: 40-year-old star finally getting pushed again after one year, former champion returns to feud with The Bloodline (April 7, 2023)
Welcome to the best and worst of SmackDown after WrestleMania 39. We have to say that right off the bat, it was a significantly better episode than RAW this week. Perhaps it has to do with the possibility that Triple H was fully in charge while Vince McMahon wasn't present.
Speaking of Triple H, he announced that the WWE Draft would return for the first time since October 2021. This will happen in a few weeks, and it's set to change the landscape of both brands.
But that aside, let's look at the ups and downs of SmackDown this week:
#3. Best: The Judgment Day and Damian Priest being dominant on SmackDown
.@ArcherOfInfamy & @DomMysterio35 wins!!!
#Smackdown https://t.co/S1FWVRhCHy
Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio defeated the duo of Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar. LWO, aka Latino World Order, was out at ringside, as were Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley.
Despite the LWO trying to neutralize Judgment Day, Damian Priest got a dominant victory for his team. This is the second episode now that WWE has made him look strong again, and it seems like the 40-year-old is in line to get a serious push after a year.
#2. Worst: Sami Zayn lost in the main event of SmackDown
Solo hits Sami with the SPIKE. 👍
Jey gets the W. ☝️
#SmackDown #WWE https://t.co/rj4Qb1mqx5
The Bloodline story got a bit interesting on SmackDown this week as Paul Heyman hinted to Solo Sikoa that if Jey Uso couldn't get rid of the Sami Zayn problem, then it would essentially be time to take Jey out.
Main event Jey Uso faced Sami Zayn in the final match, but before that happened, Kevin Owens was assaulted, presumably by Solo Sikoa. In the main event, it was the disappointing similarity of The Bloodline winning in the same way.
Jey Uso defeated Sami Zayn thanks to Solo Sikoa's help, and although Matt Riddle returned to feud against The Bloodline, we feel it was too early to have Sami Zayn lose.
#2. Best: LA Knight
He broke the controller. 😭
#SmackDown #WWE #LAKnight #XavierWoods https://t.co/z5u5buFMKQ
LA Knight is getting better reactions than the babyfaces now. He was backstage on SmackDown this week slamming Xavier Woods, who was playing video games with Madcap Moss (and Emma).
It was a good promo, with the crowd fully on his side, and it set up a rematch between Woods and Knight next week. We expect LA Knight to win and start getting a big push from now on.
#1. Worst: An average women's tag team match
.@YaOnlyLivvOnce & @RaquelWWE get the W! ✨
#SmackDown #WWE https://t.co/xW8U5MOjVu
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez faced the duo of Natalya and Shotzi in what we can only describe as a pointless match.
It helped build their momentum ahead of the Women's Tag Team Title match next week, but apart from that, it didn't do much that was effective.
Overall, it just felt like a filler match on SmackDown.
#1. Best: An incredible opening match
Brutes & Imperium never miss, do they!?
#SmackDown #WWE https://t.co/B4z3Yf6gnT
The opening match of SmackDown was the highlight of the show. The Brawling Brutes faced Imperium in a six-man tag team match, and as you may have expected - it didn't miss at all.
It was a complete banger, and both teams did incredibly, but the Brawling Brutes walked out victorious, thanks to Sheamus getting the job done.
It indicated that he would continue his feud with Gunther heading into Backlash 2023.