General Manager Nick Aldis was on the scene this week to put over how much he tries to make Friday Night SmackDown the best show in all of pro wrestling. One way he does that is with big money signings like this one.
Jade Cargill has, finally, well and truly arrived.
Cargill hit the scene thoroughly underdressed for a contract signing but a contract was signed nonetheless. She was given a microphone for her first official in-ring promo as a member of the WWE roster.
“If you ask me, Nick, it’s about damn time. And since we finally put pen to paper let me make myself crystal clear — we have one of the best female rosters in the world. But they’re not Jade Cargill. They’re not the headline. They are not a once in a lifetime Superstar. And let me give you another weather update: the storm has arrived.”
Her delivery was solid if unspectacular and what she lacks in charisma she makes up for in sheer physical presence. It should be interesting to see how she’s booked from here.
We didn’t have to wait long to find out would could be next.
The main event of this show saw Bianca Belair pin Dakota Kai in what looked like it may have been a botched finish with the Kabuki Warriors late on a run-in? It was hard to tell, especially with Corey Graves sure to say the match will stand as official. Then again they had the music cued up for Belair before Damage CTRL commenced the post-match beatdown, even with Naomi rushing in to help out. With Bayley seemingly gone, off brawling with Iyo Sky from a prior interview, who would help Naomi and Belair?
None other than Cargill.
She laid waste to everyone, looked impressive doing so, and stood tall alongside Naomi and Belair, the show fading to black with the three shoulder-to-shoulder. This felt like the setup for a six-woman tag match, maybe next week, maybe at WrestleMania. Either way, it’s not a bad idea to bring her in with, protecting her by giving her hugely capable teammates while also allowing her a chance to shine on a big stage.
All told, a solid rollout.
Dirty Dominik Mysterio isn’t done with dear old dad just yet.
Santos Escobar and the rest of Legado del Fantasma enlisted the help of Rey’s son in their ongoing feud with the LWO and came to SmackDown this week to thank him for the assist. Dom vowed to continue making life miserable for his father because, well, that’s just how it has to be.
Yes, he was booed mercilessly and that continues to be one of the most fun things about pro wrestling in 2024.
Ultimately, Rey hit the scene to reveal he’s got a new protege, introducing a new member of the LWO in Dragon Lee. He also came with a challenge for a tag team match between the two at WrestleMania 40. This is a damn good way to get these stars on the card for what will undoubtedly be a fun match.
They made things even more interesting when Judgment Day spoke among themselves backstage and learned Dom did all this on his own, even opting not to tell Rhea Ripley about it. Dissension in the ranks continues, with Dom the focal point.
Could we be seeing the beginning of the end of one or maybe multiple relationships here? Something to keep an eye on.
All the rest
- The friendly alliance between Randy Orton and Kevin Owens was tested again this week in the form of a tag team match against Pretty Deadly right at the start of the show. The two actually managed to get along just fine during the match, which was cruising right along until Logan Paul made a surprise appearance from under the ring, running in to lay Owens out with the brass knuckles, giving Pretty Deadly the win. That’s when Orton got upset, although he changed his tune when he watched the Titantron and saw what happened. They did a fun bit where Orton hunted him and found him under the ring, dragging him out and setting up like he was going to hit an RKO on the announcer’s table. Instead, Pretty Deadly came to the rescue and ate a couple finishers in his place. He ran away and nothing more came of it. I’m a bit surprised they didn’t do more to drive a wedge between the babyfaces here.
- Iyo Sky gave an interview saying she’s disgusted at fans for feeling sorry for a narcissist like Bayley. She acknowledges the help she got from her but claimed to outgrow her, realizing her to be “an embarrassment to this company.” When the interview cut, perfectly timed, Bayley rushed Sky and the two brawled all around the set while workers waited just long enough to let them get some shots in before breaking it up. A standard angle but they looked like they were working as stiff as they should for the story here.
- A-Town Down Under defeated The Street Profits in the first qualifier for the Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed tag team titles at WrestleMania 40. Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins had things under control until The Final Testament crashed Bobby Lashley’s party backstage and created enough distraction to cost the Profits their spot. It will be a surprise if this doesn’t lead to faction warfare in Philadelphia, at least on a Kickoff show if nothing else.
- New Catch Republic defeated Angel & Berto in a match that came immediately after Legado del Fantasma got into a brawl with the LWO. Not exactly a fair fight but that’s the cost of feuding in a faction like this. The match was fine, and the result unsurprising considering how Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne have been presented of late.
- The Bloodline is promising to take out Jey Uso before he ever gets to WrestleMania and the currently planned match against Jimmy. They’re doing this by having him square up with Solo Sikoa next week which, considering Sikoa’s record, isn’t as intimidating as they intend it to be.
- AJ Styles blamed fans for his feud with LA Knight going as far as it has, what with the home invasion and all that. They encourage his nonsense. He vowed to show everyone that he’s an overachiever come WrestleMania. He didn’t trust that ol’ LA wasn’t really in the building despite Aldis asking him not to show up, and they had some fun with disguises and Knight surprising Styles before putting the boots to him. Big pop for stomping a mudhole in the corner. Styles was run off and Knight worked the gimmick on the mic. This man is still as over as ever and I sincerely hope the match delivers come WrestleMania. It could do a hell of a lot for his future prospects.
This didn’t quite feel like a show just two weeks out from WrestleMania but it was good nonetheless.
Grade: B
Your turn.
Source link
credite