WWE SmackDown 09/04/18: R-Truth is in the Main Event
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 The IIconics, or Asuka is Gonna Kill Them…
For weeks Billie Kay and Peyton Royce have been a thorn in Naomi’s side, with both defeated her in matches. This week Peyton Royce looked to double up on victories, but Naomi someone snuck in a pinfall. This didn’t sit well with The IIconics, and they beat her down post-match until there was an unexpected save by Asuka. It seems like a weird use of Asuka since we haven’t seen her since her feud with Carmella, but I think it still works.
Asuka is no longer undefeated, so they can use her in storylines without worry about making sure she wins all the time. She also shouldn’t constantly be around the title, because the women’s division can exist outside of just the one story involving the champion. It’s good to see a return of multiple women’s storylines on SmackDown as we had lost that for some time. You can be cynical and say this is only because Evolution is coming up, and I can’t necessarily blame you. This is WWE after all.
About Samoa Joe Showing Up…
Last week Samoa Joe mentioned he was considering stopping by the Styles house for a barbecue last night, and I had all these ideas about how they could battle around there ending with someone going through a window. However, Joe had me fooled and was on SmackDown instead to talk into the camera to Wendy Styles about how he made AJ actually care about his family and be home with them. However, Styles doesn’t actually care about his family and is actually just obsessed with Samoa Joe trying to make him look bad and he was at the arena too for a brawl.
I’m not entirely sure how to feel about AJ Styles right now as a character. He continues to be so hot-headed and obsessed with his opponents, who seem to easily get into his head. The only problem is he’s too good in the ring that he still ends up winning. I also don’t want to side with Samoa Joe, because he is an asshole. I guess I’ll just have to watch these two have another excellent match at Hell in a Cell.
About Rusev Day, Or Whatever SAnitY Was Wearing…
The second Triple Threat tag match happened this week to set up the #1 Contender’s Match for The New Day’s titles, and the champs were strangely absent this time around. What we did have though were Rusev Day, The Usos, and SAnitY in awful new ring attire. Seriously, they traded on their cool dark outfits for these red and blue monstrosities and I was not a fan. Putting Killian Dain in a singlet made him lose a bit of his Celtic brutality and just seem like a dude. The match itself was excellent, but the finish was surprising. Instead of having The Usos get one step closer to battling The New Day yet again, Rusev Day got the victory.
Next week is a relatively fresh match between The Bar and Rusev Day, with it seeming like they’re pushing Rusev and Aiden English as big faces in the division. But it’s more likely they’re doing this to keep The Usos in their back pocket for later. Rusev Day can take the loss, either next week or Hell in a Cell. And it’s probably going to be at the latter since they already announced that The Bar get a title shot in Australia. Would be weird to have them get two title shots back-to-back so quickly, unless they’re winning the belts.
About R-Truth…
R-Truth is a genius. Throughout the episode, he had a plan to get into the main event and it worked perfectly. He continued to chase Carmella for a title shot, and mistook Maryse for her which irritated The Miz. The Miz had just been forced by Paige to compete against “anyone who wanted the fight him” and this interaction with his former tag partner was enough to cause him to want the fight. Truth later ran into the real Carmella and told her the shit-talking she was given behind her back by Maryse to get her to be in his corner, and everything was set for a main event calibur match (by weekly television standards). It was quite ingenious, and it even resulted – with the help of Daniel Bryan – in a victory!
R-Truth has been on fire ever since his return to SmackDown, with him actually being funny and entertaining to watch. I’m glad he’s being given television time every week, and it’s given us a bit of Tye Dillinger too! Yeah, his Kid Rock Line wasn’t that good but they were in Detroit. So I guess it works.
About Daniel Bryan and The Miz…
The Miz, Maryse, Daniel Bryan, and Brie Bella continued their heated rivalry this week, in a storyline that ran through the entire show. Bryan and Brie opened the show calling out their opponents, only for Renee Young to point out that they tried to call them out hours before the show in an empty arena and have since left for a dinner date. So instead, we got to see another excellent match between Bryan and Andrade “Cien” Almas with Bryan getting a clean win this time. They then left to “have dinner” too, which lured Miz back and led to all the R-Truth nonsense. After that match Bryan and Brie too out Miz and Maryse to end the show on a happy note.
I enjoyed the opening match Almas and the empty arena call-out, but dragging this thing out through the whole show felt like it was a bit much. I would have preferred if they gave time to more people who are not showcased on the show regularly. But I guess since it’s the top storyline on the show they want to beat us over the head with it. Unfortunately I already had my fill of the Bellas on Raw.
What did you think of this week’s SmackDown? Let us know in the comments!
