The June 28th WWE SmackDown is now in the books, and it was a thrilling affair from beginning to end. WWE kicked off the show with a ready-to-brawl Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens and capped the show with one of the biggest moments in the post-WrestleMania 40 Bloodline saga, as Paul Heyman took a stand against Solo Sikoa and stayed loyal to Roman Reigns. In between all that, there were also three big Money in the Bank qualifying matches, and a few fan favorites ended up making the cut. Combine those with some NBA cameos and some unfortunate blackouts and you’ve got yourself an unforgettable episode of WWE television. Let’s get to the positive first, shall we?
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Best Moments
The Women’s MITB Ladder Match is Stacked: The Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match got the most attention tonight, with Tiffany Stratton and Naomi securing their spots in the lineup. They join a match that already includes Iyo Sky, Chelsea Green, and Lyra Valkyria, and that’s a simply outstanding lineup with one spot still left to reveal. The Women’s Money in the Bank match is already promising to be one of the most thrilling matches on the card, and it remains to be seen who else will join that impressive group.
The Loyal Paul Heyman: The Bloodline saga has once again become must see TV every single week, and someone instrumental to that is Paul Heyman. While Solo Sikoa and the new members of the group have been settling into their characters, Heyman has been doing some of his best work yet, delivering the emotional aspects of the story through his interactions with other superstars and with Solo. That all boiled over tonight though, as against a now confident Solo Heyman defied his command to be acknowledged and stayed loyal to Roman Reigns, and that got him put through a table. Heyman has now become one of the biggest babyfaces on the roster, and as the crowd revolted against Solo, you can just imagine how loud the pop for Reigns’ big return will be when it finally happens. Well done Heyman, well done.
Worst Moments
The Constant Blackouts: Most Raws or SmackDowns will feature occasional moments of muting or screen blackouts, typically due to crowd chants, a sign in the crowd, or some sort of wardrobe malfunction, and typically those last a few seconds, and then the action is back on screen. There have been some chants that have caused more blackouts than normal, but tonight’s number of blackouts was a bit absurd at times, with whole sections just going dark for unknown reasons. Then other sections were muted, and this happened multiple times in a short span. The occasional one happens, but tonight it was glaring, making it a bit difficult to just ignore.
Losing Ways: Once again, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell both ate losses tonight, and while you love that Naomi and Stratton won, it’s a shame that it was at the expense of LeRae and Hartwell. Now, again, this does seem linked to an ongoing story, as Hartwell’s indecisiveness was mentioned a few times on commentary, and if that’s the case then I’m fine with it since it’s building to something. DIY is set to have a Title shot next week, so much will be revealed depending on if they win that match or what happens with Austin Theory specifically, as he seems to be the key to the hopeful reunion of The Way.
Highlights
Randy Orton Cody Rhodes Tease: This was a small moment but one with a potentially big impact. As Rhodes mentioned the Undisputed WWE Championship in his promo, Orton turned his head to look towards Rhodes with a very interesting look on his face. It appeared that his interest peaked when the Title came up, and as fans are very much looking forward to Orton and Rhodes getting a spotlight feud sooner than later, this was a welcome sign of things to come.
Knicks vs Pacers Rivalry: If you’re going to work celebrities and athletes into a match, this is how you do it. Not only did you get a hometown hero in Knicks star Jalen Bruson, but you also had Paul bring in Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who the fans loathe because of the Pacers knocking the Knicks out of the playoffs this year. Aligning them with the heel and face of the feud is an easy win and it worked brilliantly, and it only helps that they are both WWE fans.
Blair Davenport Shines: Davenport might not have won the Money in the Bank qualifier, but she certainly shined throughout the match. Davenport is a bit of a wild card, and SmackDown fans have started to see more of her in promos and backstage segments but haven’t had a chance to see what she can do in the ring. That all changed tonight, as Davenport showed off a ferocity in the ring that should help her quite a bit moving forward. Those stomps were vicious, and leaning into that will only serve her will as she becomes a bigger heel force on the blue brand, Plus she didn’t have to take the pin either, so overall good night for the newest member of SmackDown.
Tonight’s Results
- Money in the Bank Qualifying Match – Tiffany Stratton def. Jade Cargill and Candice LeRae
- Money in the Bank Qualifying Match – Naomi def. Blair Davenport and Indi Hartwell
- Money in the Bank Qualifying Match – LA Knight def. Logan Paul and Santos Escobar
Next Week’s SmackDown
- WWE Tag Team Championship Match: A-Town Down Under vs DIY
- Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill vs Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
- Street Profits vs Pretty Deadly
Money in the Bank Updated Card
- World Heavyweight Championship: Damian Priest (C) vs Seth Freakin Rollins
- Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn (C) vs Bron Breuker
- Cody Rhodes (C), Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens vs The Bloodline
- Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
- Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Poll Question
When will Roman Reigns return to WWE? Here are the options, and you can vote in the tweet below.
- Money in the Bank
- SummerSlam
- Bash in Berlin
- SmackDown After SummerSlam
What did you think of tonight’s SmackDown? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!
