The June 7th edition of WWE SmackDown is now in the books, and with only one week to go before the anticipated Clash at the Castle premium live event, it was a surprisingly subdued episode. The two big focal points of the night were Cody Rhodes vs AJ Styles and The Bloodline, but only one of those was able to deliver some energy. There were still several other highlights outside of Cody and AJ, including the big additions to Clash at the Castle, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill, and a possible new alliance taking shape. Overall though, this was one of the most underwhelming episodes of the year, but before we go there, let’s get to the high points.
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BEST MOMENTS:
Cody’s Aggression: Rhodes has been on a high since his epic win at WrestleMania 40, and it’s resulted in mostly chill vibes during his appearances on SmackDown, even when his back is against the wall. That changed tonight though, as after the attack from Styles last week, Rhodes was seething, waiting on the dock to attack Styles as soon as he came through the doors. That carried into a fiery promo that raised this feud up several notches, and the aggression was a nice change of pace for the Champ.
Clash at the Castle Additions: Not much actually happened during tonight’s episode (more on that later), but the two big additions to the Clash at the Castle card were unmistakably highlights and at least gave the episode some forward progression. Cody vs AJ was followed by the Women’s Tag Team Championship Triple Threat match, and both should be highlights of an already stacked card.
LA Knight vs Logan Paul’s Battle of Words: Another unexpected high point was the back-and-forth between LA Knight and Logan Paul. Despite not being in the same location, Knight’s calling out of Paul and his always reliable skills on the mic added fuel to the rivalry’s fire, as did Paul’s rather comedic response, shooting down the challenge at least for the moment. This was pretty entertaining, and the match will likely follow in those footsteps.
WORST MOMENTS:
Ceremony of the Bloodline: Tonight’s Bloodline ceremony was along the lines of what we’ve seen before from the group, though this was notable because of the Bloodine 2.0 lineup that has assembled in Roman Reigns’ absence. The end goal for this current chapter of the story is huge, as it is all setting up a babyface return for the Tribal Chief that will likely blow the roof off of whatever arena is lucky enough to witness it in person. That said, this didn’t hold a candle to past segments of this type, and just lacked the charisma and power that Reigns brought in spades.
Mounting Losses: Another mid-act story involves the teams of DIY (Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano) and Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. Both sides are mounting an alarming number of losses in recent weeks, and the losses only continued throughout tonight’s episode. Now, between what’s happening on screen and on social media, it would appear that this is building towards a long-awaited reunion of The Way, and coupled with what’s happening with Austin Theory lately, this could be the path to bringing them all together. That said, until that happens, two stellar teams are taking a lot of hits, so hopefully things turn around soon.
Was This a Rerun?: I’m not trying to be hyperbolic here, but tonight’s SmackDown felt like the epitome of treading water, and at times it almost felt like a rerun. Without some of the aforementioned highlights, this episode would have been a total whiff, as few stories actually felt like they progressed in a meaningful way. It was slow going early too, not really picking up until about the halfway point. With one week before Clash, it just seems like odd timing, but here’s hoping next week gets back on track.
NOTABLE HIGHLIGHTS:
A Credible O.C. Threat: The Good Brothers are back to being presented like a legit threat, something that’s been missing pretty much since they were initially moved to SmackDown. That only became more prominent when Styles turned heel, but now they are right back in the thick of things, and it’s a welcome sight.
Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton Team-Up?: Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax isn’t an alliance that was on my bingo card, but it’s one that has immense promise for both superstars. Jax hit the ground running after her Queen of the Ring win, and Stratton has been on fire since jumping to SmackDown. Putting the two heels together kind of makes all the sense in the world, and I’m intrigued to see where the tense partnership goes from here.
Piper Niven Shining on the Mic: Bayley will be taking on Piper Niven for the Title at Clash at the Castle, and tonight’s segment shined a light on how underrated Niven is on the microphone in her statement to the Champion. Niven was earnest and direct in her promo, and Chelsea Green’s animated mannerisms at her side was the perfect compliment. Niven hasn’t had a lot of chances to deliver promos, but when she does she’s effective, and hopefully we get to see that happen more often moving forward.
SMACKDOWN UPDATED RESULTS:
- Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill (C) def. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
- Grayson Waller (C) def. Johnny Gargano
- LA Knight def. Carmelo Hayes
- 6-Man Tag Team Match: Kevin Owens and the Street Profits def (via DQ) The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa)
NEXT WEEK’S SMACKDOWN CARD:
- Naomi vs Chelsea Green
- Michin vs Nia Jax
- The Grayson Waller Effect: Special Guests DIY
CLASH AT THE CASTLE CARD:
- Undisputed WWE Championship I Quit Match: Cody Rhodes (C) vs AJ Styles
- World Heavyweight Championship Match: Damian Priest (C) vs Drew McIntyre
- Women’s Championship Match: Bayley (C) vs. Piper Niven
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships Match: Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill (C) vs. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn vs. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark
- Intercontinental Championship Match: Sami Zayn (C) vs. Chad Gable
WWE’s Clash at the Castle streams on Peacock on Saturday, June 15th at 2 PM ET.
What did you think of SmackDown tonight? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!
