The penultimate episode of WWE SmackDown for WrestleMania XL went down at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. From Logan Paul’s awful mind games to Jade Cargill’s blockbuster arrival, the show featured plenty of hits just days before the grand PLE.
SmackDown also had a few misses. WWE RAW was the better show this week. The red brand pulled off some big surprises on the road to WrestleMania 40. With that said, let’s take a look at the major hits and misses from SmackDown.
Miss – The Unholy Union’s segment with Nick Aldis
I’m struggling to make sense of The Unholy Union’s current booking. The pairing captivated me when they first started together in NXT. Shawn Michaels did a great job creating the mystique and intrigue around Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn’s characters.
The former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions had a backstage segment with Nick Aldis on WWE SmackDown this week. It seems Alba and Isla are set for a rebranding in the wake of their segment with Aldis on the blue brand.
Hit – Logan Paul gets caught red-handed
Superstars actually acknowledging the giant TV screen is becoming my favorite thing about Triple H’s booking. Don’t get what I mean? Let me provide some context. This week, Logan Paul cost Randy Orton and Kevin Owens their tag team match against Pretty Deadly in the SmackDown opener.
The Maverick appeared from under the ring to hit KO with a right hand. WWE pulled off a neat trick by having Orton and Owens actually watch the match replay on the big screen. The Viper turned to the fans, who snitched on Paul’s whereabouts. Orton pulled the ring cover to find his WrestleMania opponent.
However, Pretty Deadly arrived to help Paul escape from the Viper’s fangs. Elton Prince and Kit Wilson, however, ended up on the receiving end of a Stunner and an RKO. Orton and Owens attempted to get their hands on Paul, who managed to escape in the nick of time.
Miss – Los Lotharios fail to qualify for WrestleMania XL
Los Lotharios had a huge opportunity to qualify for a major title match at WrestleMania XL. Angel and Humberto took on New Catch Republic in the Six Pack qualifier on WWE SmackDown tonight. The heel duo had received a beatdown at the hands of the lWO before the match.
Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne defeated Angel and Humberto to punch their ticket to WrestleMania XL. The line-up for the tag team match at WrestleMania XL features four babyface and two heel teams.
Ideally, the six-pack challenge would’ve featured an equal number of heel and babyface teams. With that being said, Los Lotharios would probably be involved at WrestleMania 40 in some capacity.
Hit – Jade Cargill’s entrance on WWE SmackDown
Jade Cargill is a superstar. She has that special aura about her. Now, she’s the latest free agent to join Friday Night SmackDown. The former AEW TBS Champion signed her contract on the blue brand this week.
From her awesome entrance to her in-ring gear, everything about Jade’s appearance was done to perfection. WWE kept the segment sweet and short. It seems they are taking their time with Jade’s first feud.
Miss – Dakota Kai lands head-first on the mat
Dakota Kai squared off against Bianca Belair in the main event of WWE SmackDown this week. Both women seem to be lacking communication during the match. A couple of moves were botched.
At one point, Belair seemingly shoved Dakota to the mat way too hard, causing her to land head-first. There was an awkward pause as Belair waited for Kai to adjust for the next spot.
The EST won the match with a KOD. It appears the Kabuki Warriors failed to reach the ring in time to stop the count, which might’ve been the original spot.
Hit – LA Knight one-ups AJ Styles
The LA Knight-AJ Styles feud keeps getting more explosive as we head closer to WrestleMania XL. The Megastar invaded the Phenomenal One’s home last week. Knight would be eventually apprehended before he could cause some serious damage.
He pulled off one of the oldest tricks in the books by disguising himself as a security guy on SmackDown this week. This was a sweet callback to Steve Austin and Vince McMahon’s angle inside a steel cage from years ago.
Knight attacked Styles inside the ring before trying to take him out with a steel chair. Styles evaded the assault and ran away into the crowd. Both men will collide in singles action at WrestleMania 40.
READ MORE: AEW Dynamite Hits And Misses (3/27/24)
