Cody Rhodes in Nick Aldis' office!? What is happening!?

road dogg on color tonight

making the sex tape to get them fired from the company

eskbar getting real heel heat the dom kind

LOL man WWE never learns.

They are trying to setup this Iyo/Charlotte showdown, and the fans are chanting "Becky Becky Becky", just like everytime they try to push Charlotte.

That should just be the storyline: Fuck you, I’m better than you, but the people love you because they think there’s a chance you’ll blow ‘em.

So I watched SmackDown for the first time in ages. Just didn’t feel like it last week, despite the Punk buzz. My thoughts:

* I don’t get this Kevin Patrick as an announcer. He’s obviously in the WWE mould. He brought up an interesting tidbit every now and then, but it’s just still that annoying Vince style.

* The opening segment was good in terms of story told, but it went FOREVER. Jimmy Uso was a bit hammy with his acting. Paul Heyman’s facial expressions are gold. Orton is great. It’s just…so long. It could be told a lot quicker.

* Carmelo Hayes looked impressive as shit. Man he’s a talent. Grayson Waller can go too. He’s quite innovative.

* Logan Paul’s little inserts were about as entertaining as the matches themselves.

* Owens and Theory was good wrestling too. Told a story around the hand. Theory seems to be doing more acrobatics. A nod to Waller teaming with him? He’s such a talent. Owens seems better than ever, to be honest.

* The women’s tag was alright. Seems like they’re abandoning the Bayley leaving the group storyline. That’s kind of interesting. Wonder if it’s kayfabe a strategy to put Charlotte off they don’t need now or if it’s still going to be a factor? I like Bayley has a specific goal in the Rumble.

* They advertised a lot for next week. The women’s tag and the US Title semi-finals. Dragon Lee vs. Butch is an interesting choice.

* Not sure I buy this Karrion Kross stuff.

* Jimmy Uso is quite the worker. I enjoyed his match with Orton. Dude is legit in that top mix, huh? The ending of the show was quite dramatic. Roman got physical, the drama between the top faces (and top heels) continued. The AJ return was well done and I’m intrigued by his heel tun. My guess is he’s reconsidered going against the Bloodline like Anderson suggested, and got annoyed seeing LA Knight take his spot and end up fine and getting a title shot.

Bloodline in general is like that. It's like Days of Our Lives. I don't mind jt as I always want to know going to happen next and the twists and turns are intriguing.

Yeah Carmello Hayes is solid. Kind of annoyed that Austin Theory loses everytime he wrestles.

They need more women's teams. It seems like it's always x and x teaming up randomly.

I'm still hopeful for Karion Kross. He just needs something/someone interesting.

Glad they're doing something with LA Knight beyond being Randy Orton's buddy. AJ Styles is a solid way to keep him busy.

I like the idea of Theory & Waller as a team. If there were two Tag Championships, I could definitely see them ruling the roost on Smackers.

I’ve noticed a ramping up of the women’s tag division. They emphasized The Kabuki Warriors as an actual team. Yim & Zelina even had an aesthetic this week. Don’t know how long that lasts. But I’m pretty sure Triple H’s prerogative is to make the women’s tag scene better than AEW’s men’s tag scene. :lol:

That's a good idea. They'd be good tag team champions.

Oh yes - that reminds me. Two things:

1. Heard Raven say years ago about how unrealistic it is for wrestlers to get kicked in the gut and stay hunched over waiting for a move (happened a lot with Booker T). It's bothered me ever since. It looks far better when they drop to a knee, try to correct themselves by using their hand to push off the mat and then take the move. Almost all wrestlers just wait. Been noticing it especially with Carmelo's finish as he has to climb to the top rope.

2. Is this holding onto the ropes with both arms and hanging in mid air waiting for your opponent to hit you with a move new? Saw Dom do it on NXT and Waller do it on Smackdown. Horrible.

Lol, such a competitor, must still be angry with the ratings tweet Tony put out when NXT beat AEW. Heard the other day more about Triple H going over CM Punk after he won the WWE title. I know Punk implied it but it was interesting to hear Nash confirm that Triple H did deliberately try to sabotage him by telling Nash that Nash was no longer going to wrestle Punk and that he was going to and beat him. All because Punk pissed Triple H off.

AJ Styles looked absolutely jacked last night. But I guess he is from GAINSville, so.

Didn’t notice AJ being jacked honestly. Was probably distracted by his glorious hair.

Points to Roman for letting his hair fly when the brawling started. It’s the little things.

Yeah, that holding onto the ropes spot is a little much. I guess the “psychology” is that the wrestler is trying to pull themselves up, but there isn’t enough visible struggle.

Hayes does sooooo many things incredibly well, but maybe that particular spot should go.

now this site works time for a good smackdown

:heart:

game time

aj jobbing again

HHH: "Here's the thing..."

So now Rock is officially in The Bloodline. OK, I'll bite, but the payoff had better be worth it.

Interested to see how this plays out.

Built this promo up in my head to where there was no way it was going to actually going to be as good. It was fine - looking forward to stronger promos in future. Not a fan of The Rock dressing like Ricky Starks...

That was the classic $500 shirt, or a version of it anyway. So if anything, ricky starks dresses like old school rock.

I hope we get more $500 and $800 shirts.

Very nearly posted this but figured BR had to be joking…

it is very funny seeing the rock do his 1999/2003 schtick in 2024 and just being surprised when it does not go very well

like i know "fatty" was something he used to say all the time in his promos but he dropped it on smackdown in that bit about smacking the guy's herpes off his lips and of course he is now in the year of our lord 2k twenty four being vocally dragged for fat shaming lmao

:lol: more pointing out that he looked like a blown up version of Ricky Starks. Aware of the $500 shirts from the 90s. Don't recall them being in vest form though!

also idk man he seems weaker on the mic than he used to be? like he is a very lazy promo writer now. big reliance on just rolling out The Hits

i will be genuinely interested to see how he goes in the ring. doesn't seem like there's a tonne of steam in the tank but here's hoping he surprises me with what he's cooking

perhaps my sense of smell deceives me, as it were

i have googled ricky starks and am delighted to report he looks much too little to believably be dressing that way. a deeply unserious choice

That Bloodline segment was absolutely sick, love this iteration of The Rock. Gonna get him over as a heel with him being this cool if they're not careful.

That's the challenge. They're starting to cheer him again. Looking forward to seeing him go face to face with Cody.

Has been mildly infuriating to see kids crying about the Die Rocky Die sign, not researching it at all, or realizing that it's a callback to when The Rock first turned heel.

Forum holding for Smackdown!?

Look at him now!

Good. Thank goodness it's not Austin Theory jobbing again.

I am a fan of the tag rope. They need to bring this rule back consistently.

Logan Paul. So good.

Naomi heel turn?

LA Knight needs to be a world champion. Crowded at the top!