WWE SmackDown 07/03/18: Oh Hell No
About Last Night is a quick reflection on the matches and segments, or random observations, from a wrestling show that sticks out to us the morning after we watch them. If you would like to get your comments featured, chime in below in our comments section or tweet us. You can also help support us on Patreon.
About Jeff “Union Jack” Hardy…
Jeff Hardy continued the United States Championship Open Challenge this week and once again was in his dark room talking a bunch of nonsense with his eyes closed. I think he was trying to be patriotic and talking about bald eagles? Whatever it was, it still is compelling to me as I continue to try to figure this character out. He’s part Brother Nero, part inner monologue Jeff Hardy, and part the Jeff Hardy that feuded with CM Punk while on all the drugs. Regardless, he held the challenge and it was answered by The Miz.
The match was solid, as was their Money in the Bank qualifier. But the highlight of this was Corey Graves calling out that Jeff’s face paint looked like a Union Jack when he’s the United States Champion and the 4th of July was the next day. Tom Phillips’ response to try to cover for him was, “It’s red, white, and blue. He’s… he’s an abstract artist!” The match ended with The Miz arguing with the referee after he was caught trying to pin with his feet on the ropes, leading to a Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb. I’m enjoying this title run for Hardy so far, so it’s a shame it’ll end next week at Extreme Rules.
About Pancake Eating…
The New Day held The First Annual Third of July Pancake Eating Contest, and an ecstatic Byron Saxton got to host. I enjoyed how into everything Byron was and doing a big announcer voice while Tom and Corey were talking shit under their breathes. The New Day came out, had red, white, and blue pancakes, and even graphics to keep count of the pancakes. But that didn’t last long, as SAnitY cut off the lights a couple seconds in and obliterated The New Day. It was fun to see all the work they put into the bit for only a few seconds, and it makes perfect sense the one three-man team would feud with the other. I’m curious if the matches will be actually good since the bar has been set so high after The New Day’s feud with The Usos.
About The Battle of the Sexes…
After we had a surprisingly good match last year between James Ellsworth and Becky Lynch, I was looking forward to another “Battle of the Sexes” between Ellsworth and Asuka. Unfortunately it did not live up to the other match. We did get a pretty amazing spot where Asuka slapped the ever-loving shit out of Ellsworth that make a sickening noise, but then the two ran through the crowd and got counted out. This was just to set up Carmella jumping Asuka as they were jumping over the barricade to get back to the ringside area.
At least there will be another opportunity next week to make a solid match out of this. Paige stopped Ellsworth and Carmella backstage and made the rematch as a Lumberjack Match featuring the SmackDown women’s roster.
About Becky Lynch…
Becky Lynch continues to be on this weird winning streak, with no real goal in sight aside “maybe she’ll get a title shot at some point.” This week’s victim was the lovely Peyton Royce. She and Billie Kay actuall cut a serious selfie promo before the match about how Peyton was going to end this hot streak and make Becky suffer, and I was very much into it. I love these two being goofy, but I also want them to have an edge when it gets down to competing in matches, especially since they seem to always lose on the main roster. Unfortunately that didn’t change here as Becky made Peyton tap out in a fairly short match. I hope they eventually start pushing The IIconics, because I feel like there’s so much wasted potential right now.
About Team Hell No…
Last week out of nowhere we had the return of Team Hell No as Kane saved Daniel Bryan from The Bludgeon Brothers. Similarly out of nowhere, Paige gave them a tag title shot at Extreme Rules. In the opening segment of SmackDown The Usos interrupted an in-ring interview of Team Hell No by Renee Young to point out how messed up this all is and how they deserve a title shot more. They point out that all these two did was hug last week, so Jimmy and Jey hugged to try to get a title shot too. Paige came out and instead gave them an opportunity in the main event, pitting them in a match against Team Hell No where if they win they’re added to the match at Extreme Rules.
But before that, in the interview and again later in the night Daniel Bryan points out how the last time he and Kane were in the ring together, Kane was trying to end his career. Kane answers by trying to pull the WWE writer card, in that we should forget everything that is older than 6 months. It was a funny acknowledgement and I appreciate they at least addressed it before they made up and formed the team fully. The dynamic between these two is still just as fun as it was five years ago.
The finish of the match with The Usos was equally fun. The Usos went for the Double Uce off the top rope, but Kane caught them both by the neck while he was lying down. He threw one to Daniel Bryan who took him out with his running knee, and chokeslammed the other for the pinfall victory. This was a fun diversion to keep us away from The Bludgeon Brothers, who only appeared at the end to silently stare at them from the entranceway to close out the show. I hope those two are able to step up to the plate at Extreme Rules and not drag down the match like they have been during their entire title reign.
What did you think of this week’s SmackDown? Let us know in the comments!
