Two Women’s Feuds In One
Smackdown Live put a big emphasis on two women’s feuds, with Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Bella ending in a disqualification and adding Becky Lynch and Carmella into the mix. The women’s tag team match was a nice way to put two storylines together and add multiple segments to make it feel important. Carmella and Nikki remind me of two high school girls, who are popular, fighting to be the leader of their pack. I like that idea. For Alexa and Becky, it is more about disrespect and Alexa trying to think she is deserving of something. Becky gets hit with Alexa’s finisher and the challenger picks up a pinfall victory over Becky.
There is no way that Becky drops the title on Sunday at No Mercy. NONE. But, WWE has to do whatever it takes to put a little bit of doubt in our minds. It was smart to give Alexa a victory over the champion tonight, while making sure some spotlight was shared on Nikki Bella and Carmella. A solid night for these women, which was more about keeping up with Charlotte and Sasha. It is really apples and oranges right now, but Smackdown does have more options than RAW. Right now, it all about Sasha and Charlotte which is deservedly so.
Tag Team Action
The Hype Bros picked up a nice win over Simon Gotch and Aiden English, as The Vaudevillians become more and more irrelevant in WWE. Mojo and Ryder are full of energy and intensity, something that does not really seem forced from their day to day personalities. Fans want to connect with a gimmick and connect with certain superstars on their level. These two men provide that and are providing Smackdown Live with another solid option in the tag team division. Does it crush The Vaudevillians? Yes.
How far have these guys dropped over the past 4 months. From being SO CLOSE to winning the WWE Tag Team Championships at Money in the Bank in June to losing consistently on Smackdown, Gotch certainly ticked off the wrong person. I like the idea of their gimmick, but it seems to be another NXT Tag Team that cannot connect with the crowd and make a consistent progression.
Speaking of progression, Jason Jordan picked up a victory over Jey Uso in singles action. As The Uso’s get ready for Heath Slater and Rhyno on Sunday, they make their impact known by saving a beating on American Alpha at the hands of Jimmy and Jey. The Uso’s street fight attacking after the match is the perfect way for them to continue to get heat. I love how they throw their opponents outside of the ring, into the steel steps and really focus on a dirty assault. They want to add a tough mentality, so do it this way instead of grappling and wrestling. Good booking and it makes you want to see them get their butts kicked at No Mercy. Heath and Rhyno did just enough tonight to be seen and put an old school approach to their feud with The Uso’s.
