SmackDown after Crown Jewel

            The night after a pay-per-view is always exciting. Let's see if the SmackDown after Crown Jewel is no exception.

            Universal Champion, Roman Reigns is accompanied to the ring by his cautiously looking advocate Paul Heyman. Reigns lists his accolades to the point that he beat Brock Lesner so bad that now he is tweeting about beating up the champ. The champ stands in the middle of the ring waiting for Lesner to show up. And show up he did. The Beast is back and so are Heyman's acting skills. Keep your eyes on Paul throughout the entire assault. Brock is a man of his words, few as they are. The Usos come out to the unsuccessful aid of their cousin. Others get involved only to get demolished by Brock. You know what I often think about during segments like this? If refs, camera operators, etc get hazard pay or is it just the nature of the business. 

            After the commercial break, Adam Pearce is in the center of the ring, announcing that Brock is indefinitely suspended due to his actions. Brock comes back to the ring with nothing to lose. He sends Adam on a trip via a F-5, twice. Poor Pearce is lying in the ring mangled with a ripped pair of dress pants. I hope this is not the last we see of Lesner.

            The first official match of the evening is between the newly drafted Drew McIntyre and the longest tenured member of SmackDown, Sami Zayn. Drew is not in the mood for any of Sami's games. Zayn gets in a couple of good shots but that only enraged McIntyre straight into a victory via a Claymore.

            Now it is time for the official crowning of Xavier Woods. Kofi Kingston is in the ring to officiate the coronation ceremony. I am so happy for King Xavier. WWE fans, we have come a long way since the days of Harley Race and Jerry Lawler.

            The second match of the evening has Mansoor squaring up against Mustafa Ali. The newcomer gave the veteran a run for his money. Mansoor wins and Ali picks up another loss.

            Hit Row has moved up to the main roster from NXT. I have been saying since May of this year that I was over this group the moment they debuted. I am only interested in seeing AJ Francis in one on one competition. Re-read my posts from May 11, 2021 and Aug 3, 2021. Sadly, my wish of seeing Francis and Bronson Reed in a match will not happen. Maybe AJ can face Big E, Apollo Crews, Commander Azeez, etc. Until then, he and his posse pick up the W tonight on their SmackDown debut. 

            Shinsuke Nakamura is back in action against Happy Corbin. Their storyline is continuing as is their character evolution. Shin is no longer a king and Corbin is no longer down on his luck. I have a feeling that their rivalry is the springboard for Rick Boogs and Madcap Moss. Sure enough, the action outside of the ring was just as inviting as the action inside of the ring. This distraction would cost Nakamura the win.

            Two champs are in the ring to exchange titles since being drafted. Supervised by Sonya DeVille, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair are suppose to just simply switch titles. The exchange happens but not as smoothly as it should have been. And to add to the drama, Sasha invites herself into the ring. Becky relocates herself to the locker room so Charlotte and Sasha can establish a new storyline between the two of them. Becky doesn't need to get involved until Survivor Series.

#BringBackBraun  

SmackDown Oct 1, 2021

            The wait is over! It is the first night of the WWE Draft. Adam Pearce and Sonya DeVille are at the podium and they get right to it. The first pick has Roman Reigns remaining on SmackDown. The second pick has Big E staying on Raw. The third pick for SmackDown has them taking the queen Charlotte Flair, and her belt, off of Raw. The fourth and final pick of the first round has Bianca Belair going over to Raw.

             Not only is this the first night of the draft, but it is also the first Friday Night SmackDown since Extreme Rules. With Roman Reigns in the ring, I am very interested in seeing how the champ explains the controversial ending to his pay-per-view bout against Finn Balor. Well, the champ didn't explain. Paul Heyman did the majority of the talking. I still do not know how he is still by Roman's side since the return of Brock Lesner. Speaking of Brock, here comes the Beast! Good God! The man is fine! Brock is back and he sent the champ to Suplex City twice before taking care of the Usos.

            From one fighting machine to another, Kevin Owens is next. He will be squaring off against Happy Corbin. Corbin comes to the ring with Madcap Moss. Moss is already annoying. Now Corbin doesn't need Moss, but it is a decent storyline to re-introduce us to Moss since his ACL injury. By the end of the match, Corbin is the winner with Moss standing by his side.

            Adam and Sonya are back at the podium for round 2 of the draft. SmackDown is taking Drew McIntyre from Raw. Ohhh....this could be very good. I still have to find out where Jinder Mahal ends up, but my first thought was McIntyre V. Lesner. For the second pick of round two, RK-Bro will be staying on Raw. Next SmackDown selects Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, taking them off of Raw. The final pick in the second round has the Rated R Superstar going from Friday nights to Monday nights.

            Speaking of the Rated R Superstar, here comes Edge to confront Seth Rollins. He calls out Rollins. However, Seth is on the jumbo-tron and he is apparently at Edge's home. As he is touring the Copeland's home, Edge is on the phone with his wife instructing her to go to her brother's house with the kids. I do not like storylines involving family where young children are concerned.

            Moving on, Carmella is in the ring wearing wedding night attire. She is set for a re-match against Live Morgan. Not invested in either athlete at all. I think Carmella won. It was just weird.

            Back to the draft. In the third round, SmackDown keeps Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss. Raw chooses to keep Rhea Ripley and Nikki Cross. SmackDown shakes things up when they pick NXT's Hit Row. I like that all four superstars have moved up to the main roster. What I really want to see is AJ Francis go solo. For the final pick of the third round, Raw selects Keith "Bearcat" Lee. I am happy to still see Keith is still with the company. I am not sure about the "Bearcat" part but I am already envisioning Lee v. Francis.

            There is action in the ring with the Street Profits teaming with New Day as they face the Alpha Academy and the Dirty Dawgs. Eight man tag matches are like mini royal rumbles. Too much going on to truly appreciate until you are down to the last two athletes in the center of the ring. Xavier Woods of the New Day pinned Robert Roode picking up the win for his team.

            Before we get to the long awaited SummerSlam re-match between Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks, Adam and Sonya will tell us about the superstars in the fourth round of draft picks. First up is SmackDown and they select Naomi. Raw steals away Rey and Dominik Mysterio from Friday nights. Back to SmackDown who chooses to bring back Jeff Hardy. The final pick of night one of the draft has Raw bringing back NXT's Austin Theory to the main roster.

            Now for the main event of the evening. Bianca v. Sasha. First, props to whoever designed the ring gear for Sasha. Such a long overdue upgrade. UGHHH!! Before any action can take place, Becky Lynch makes her way down to the commentator's table to enjoy the match. Predictably, Becky gets involved and costs Belair the win. However, the night would end with Charlotte Flair standing in the center of the ring with her Raw Championship belt high in the air as Becky Lynch holds high her SmackDown Championship belt. This is an old rivalry. Maybe, if Lynch isn't drafted to Raw, we could see Becky "Two Belts" Lynch again. 

#BringBackBraun

SmackDown before Extreme Rules and Predictions

            "Big Time" Becky opened this past Friday's SmackDown before Extreme Rules. She would soon be joined in the ring by the EST of WWE, Bianca Belair. A great verbal build-up to tonight. I am predicting the Becky will retain the gold.

        

            King Nakamura is next in a championship match against Apollo Crews. An obvious outcome with Nakamura winning the contest. Equally obvious was the drama on the outside between Commander Azeez and Rick Boogz. 

            Next is a match that I could care less about. Zelina "Red Rooster" Vega squares up against Liv Morgan. I am still dumbfounded that WWE released Alisteir Black and brought back his wife, Vega. Black is the better athlete and the bigger draw and headliner. An absolute headscratcher. The head scratching continues with Zelina picking up a win over Morgan. 

            Now it is time for something that I am completely invested in. It is the debut of Happy Corbin on the premiere episode of Happy Talk. True to character, his first guest is himself. However, Kevin Owens would have none of it. As Owens is making his way down the ramp, he is attacked by Riddick Moss. The happy host joins in on the chaos. And there you have it folks. Within 10 minutes, Happy Talk is now a segment and Moss has returned.

            It is back to women's action with the contest between Nikki Cross and Natayla. And in less than 5 minutes, Nikki wins. But wait, there's more. Shotzi Blackheart and Teagan Nox make their presence felt. How long before we see a championship title match between Shotzi and Nox verses Rhea and Nikki?

            I am torn about the storyline of the next superstar. Naomi got in the face of Sonya DeVille last week. Will that interaction lead to Sonya getting back in the ring? Or will Naomi join her husband and brother-in-law within the Bloodline? According to Naomi's speech in the ring, she wants a one on one with Deville who is at the top of the ramp exercising her duties as Naomi's boss. She refuses Naomi's challenge and has two security guards escort her out of the arena. 

            Moving on in the evening, it is Montez Ford in a bout against Roman Reigns. In my opinion, this was a filler match with the predictable ending of Roman winning. The Tribal Chief goes into tonight's pay-per-view as champ for the past 391 days. I predict Reigns will retain tonight against Balor. At the same time, I am wondering how long it will be before we see Lesner v. Reigns.  

            Here are all my predictions for tonight's Extreme Rules.

• Roman Reigns (C) v. Finn Balor - Roman retains
• Becky Lynch (C) v. Bianca Belair - Becky retains
• Charlotte Flair (C) v. Alexa Bliss - Alexa wins the title
• Damien Priest (C) v. Sheamus v. Jeff Hardy - Damien retains
• Usos (C) v. Street Profits - Usos retain
• Liv Morgan v. Carmella - Liv wins
• Usos (C) v. Street Profits - Usos retain

#BringBackBraun

SmackDown 8-13-21

            The buildup to SummerSlam this Saturday continues with John Cena in the ring. Yes, John, I do think Roman Reigns will beat the hell out of you at SummerSlam and he will WIN. The Head of the Table comes to the ring and answers the Professor of Thug-A-Nomics face to face. He tells the Marky Mark wannabe to give him something fresh and new. I cannot wait for this match to come and go so I can be rid of Cena. 

            The first match of the evening is for the Intercontinental Championship. The challenger King Nakamura will face the current champ Apollo Crews for the gold. I very much welcome Nakamura winning the belt, but I must admit that I am anxiously awaiting the day when Boogs and Azeez go at it. But on this night, both sidekicks would be sent out of the arena by the ref. The winning streak for Shinsuke continues as he becomes the new Intercontinental Champion. The WWE Universe joins Boogs and McAfee in celebration of the king.

            Next we have the Street Profits squaring up against the Alpha Academy. McAfee on color commentary referred to Otis as a nibble Clydesdale. Despite such praise, the Street Profits pick up the win.

            Seth Rollins is up next and I don't know what's more offensive, him or his suits. Does the company pay someone to re-purpose couch material from the 1970s? After a skewed video package, Seth vows to stomp Edge at SummerSlam this Saturday. 

            A second tag team match is on the card with the Mysterios facing Dolph Zigler and Robert Roode. Dominik is all set to hit the 619 when the Usos try to distract him on the big screen. It had little effect because Dom picks up the win for him and his father.

            Baron Corbin is in the ring still going on about his troubles. What I am noticing more than his plea for money from the WWE Universe, is the migrating stain on his mis-buttoned shirt. I also love the signs in the crowd. One sign said "Corbin stole my lunch money." Kevin Owens comes to the aid of Corbin by offering him $1000.00 if he can beat Owens in a match tonight.

            A stunner prior to the match has Baron starting behind the eight ball. He tried hard to win some money. But it would be KO who picks up the win. Now, Corbin can no longer ask for money from anyone. Backstage, we see him steal the Money in the Bank briefcase from Big E. Please don't tell me this is another Miz and Otis briefcase debacle.

            The contract signing between the champ Bianca Belair and her opponent Sasha Banks ends the evening. Contract signings never go well. What is going well is Belair's slightly upgraded hairstyle. She is still rocking a very long braid but now, instead of it being in s ponytail, it is cornrowed into a long braid.

            Sasha brings out two witnesses via Zelina Vega and Carmella. How are these two even remotely relevant in this storyline? Predictably, after the signing, chaos erupts and Bianca gets caught in a Banks Statement to end the show. I think Banks might take back the belt this Saturday. 

 

#BringBackBraun               

SmackDown 8-6-21

            Sasha Banks kicks off SmackDown live in Tampa, Florida. Her speech about Bianca being nothing without her is short lived. Belair comes out to set the record straight. The EST of WWE has been "shining and representing" in Banks' four month absence. Their conversation would lead to a match at SummerSlam. But tonight, Bianca Belair will follow through on her promise and will fight Zelina "Red Rooster" Vega tonight in a championship match. I predict Vega's losing streak will continue. Why did WWE bring her back?

        

            The first match of the evening will be between Dominik Mysterio and Jey Uso. Traditional shoulder and collar lock up to begin the match. Dominik continues to impress with his in ring skills against veteran superstars. Just like the Usos, wrestling is in his bloodline. Each competitor returned the favor of move for move. Towards the end of the match, Dominik hits the 619 and was going for the frog splash, setting himself up for the win. However, Jey catches him with a super kick followed by a splash off the top rope and picks up the win.

 

    

            King Nakamura is up next and that can only mean one thing - Pat McAfee is out of his seat and jamming wildly at the announce table. Nakamura squares up against Apollo Crews in an Intercontinental Championship contenders match. What I really want to see is Rick Boogs going up against Commander Azeez. Until then, Crews comes to the ring via an improved entrance background.  The match ends in a disqualification when Azeez gets involved. 

            Now, it's time for one half of the Women's Tag Team holders, Tamina to face Teagan Nox. Power advantage definitely goes to Tamina while Nox has quickness working in her favor. Tamina goes for a Samoan drop but a distraction from Shotzi via a Nerf missile allows for Teagan to pick up an upset win.  

            It's take two for the Rated R Superstar as he makes his way to the ring to address his beef with Seth Rollins. I've noticed that ever since live crowds have returned, Edge will scream "Give it to me!" in an effort to hype up the WWE Universe. Let's just hope he doesn't speak to Beth that way when he's feeling amorous. Anyway, Edge is in the ring addressing the physically absent Rollins. But that didn't stop Seth from responding. He appears on the big screen via satellite to have his two cents heard. After some jaw-jacking, he accepts Edge's challenge to meet for the first time ever at SummerSlam. 

            It's raining red Solo cups and that can only mean one thing - The Street Profits are here! They take on Dolph Zigler and Robert Roode. Montez Ford starts against Robert Roode. This is Ford's first match since his surgery earlier this summer. The Dirty Dawgz execute classic tag team action by cutting the ring in half and tagging in frequently. Despite their efforts, Ford is able to tag in Dawkins. One more tag and it's the finish that all of WWE waits to see. Montez hits his signature, high flying frog splash and picks up the win. The Street Profits are back and they want the smoke!

            Now it's time for Belair to mark her 117th day as champ by defending the gold against Zelina Vega. I don't know about anyone else, but it is obvious to me that Belair will continue to retain her title. Half way through the match, the music of Sasha Banks hits and the former champ makes her way down the ring. The blued haired distraction would not be enough of an assist for Zelina to pick up the win. Belair retains with her signature K.O.D.

            The final segment of the evening has Finn Balor seeking retribution against Baron Corbin. Balor is rightfully upset that Corbin cost him his title opportunity at SummerSlam against Roman Reigns.  The Prince comes out of the gate hot and relentlessly attacks his opponent. And with a Coup de Grace, Balor picks up the win and gets right on the mic. However, the Tribal Chief and current Universal Champion, halts the monologue. Verbally assaulted, Finn responds by shoving the champ out of the ring. Just when you think Reigns is going to get back into the ring, Balor is ambushed by the Usos. Finn handles the twin cousins of Roman. The champ makes his way down the ramp to take on the prince mano y mano. The Usos reemerge to aid the Head of the Table. Finn Balor is on now on his back compliments of the Bloodline  

#BringBackBraun 

SmackDown 7-30-21 and More Releases

            So the housekeeping continues with the recent release of Bronson Reed, Mercedes Martinez and others from NXT, including a referee. I am not sad to Martinez go. I have said in earlier posts that she needed more training because her timing always seemed to be off. As far as Reed goes, I am still scratching my head. This man finally becomes NXT champ on May 18, 2021. He goes on to make his debut on Main Event only to lose the gold to Isaiah "Swerve" Scott on June 29, 2021. And now he has been released by WWE. That is quite a hard fall from the mountaintop. Why ? I ask again, is this the Nick Khan era of WWE? 

            The last SmackDown of July 2021 kicks off with a live crowd and John Cena in Minneapolis, MN. Yada, yada, yada....interruption by a disheveled Baron Corbin. Desperate for help, he asks John for assistance of any kind. Cena throws him a couple of bucks but an ungrateful Corbin verbally kicks a gift horse in the mouth. John ends the interaction with an Attitude Adjustment.    

            Jimmy Uso verses Rey Mysterio is the first match of the evening. The legendary Luchador goes for the first pin but Jimmy turns things in his favor by driving Rey into the turnbuckle. Mysterio goes for a baseball slide to his opponent outside the ring but gets caught by a super kick. Back in the ring, Rey showcases why he is a force to be reckoned with for almost 30 years. He goes for his signature 619 only to watch Jimmy be saved by his twin. Ever the quick thinker, Rey corkscrews himself over the top rope and takes out both Usos. Jimmy goes for the Samoan Drop but Rey counters into the Crucifix and, with an assist from Dominik, picks up the win.

            The EST of the WWE is in the ring for an interview with Kayla Braxton. Over 100 days as champ, Bianca is asked about the next 100 days. Before Belair can fully answer, she is interrupted by both Carmella and Zelina Vega. The champ answers the challenge from Vega followed by a two on one beat down. Luckily, it is short lived because Sasha Banks is off the milk carton and back in the ring. She comes to the aid of Bianca. Thought there would have been a bigger pop from the audience but it is nonetheless great to see Sasha again. We haven't seen the former women's champ since WrestleMania 37.

            Reginald is finally playing with the big boys now that he is the new 24/7 champ. I love that Reggie has gained some gold and lost the French accent. This athletic freak has an impressive ring entrance. His opponent tonight is Chad Gable. The "vacant in the eyes" Vader wannabe knocks the champ down before the bell. Wrestling in dress pants and a button down shirt, he picks up the win via a disqualification due to Otis' interference.

            Now it is time for the contract signing between Roman Reigns and Finn Balor. It's a full house with Adam Pearce, Sonya DeVille, Paul Heyman, Roman Reigns and Finn Balor in the squared circle. The Head of the Table speaks first as the crowd is chanting "Cena". "If you sign this contract, I'm gonna smash you and send you right back to NXT,". Finn is unfazed and responds, "It will be my privilege to return to NXT once again Universal Champion,". As Balor is attempting to sign on the dotted line, he is attacked by Corbin. Baron now has the contract and was going to sign it but Cena runs down the ramp and steals the contract. He signs the contract and it seems that Cena will acknowledge the Tribal Chief at SummerSlam. I'm not happy. I didn't survive the days of the ThunderDome for a summer of Cena.

             Mr. Money in the Bank is next. Praise God for that man's high booty. It's a beautiful thing. He is set to compete in a 6 man tag match. He teams with Cesaro and King Nakamura. They square up against Dolph Zigler, Bobby Roode and Apollo Crews. Big E and Apollo Crews start the match. There are frequent tags and multiple pin attempts inside the ring. Outside the ring, Commander Azeez and Rick Boogz go at it. And before you know it, Nakamura pins Crews and picks up the win for his team. Personally, I am anxiously waiting for a match up between Azeez and Boogs.

            One more promo before the main event of the evening. Before the commercial break, Edge is making his way to the ring. However, after the commercial break, it is Seth Rollins in the ring. Apparently, he attacked the Rated R Superstar with fury and a television camera. Edge is taken to the back and we are all subjected to the rant of the former "messiah". SummerSlam can't come fast enough.   

            Feeding off the incident from earlier in the evening, it's now time for the main event. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair team up against Zelina Vega and Carmella. The outcome of this match seems obvious. And sure enough, it was. Belair and Banks pick up the win via a Banks Statement on Carmella. Then it happens, Sasha hits Bianca with a Back Stabber on the champion. The boss is back and coming after the gold. 

#BringBackBraun            

SmackDown 7-23-21

            There is a new episode of SmackDown tonight. But I am still catching up on wrestling, so this post will be talking about last week's episode.

            First, we are in Ohio and once again, I find myself exhaling at the site of a live audience. However, Cena opens the show and I find myself wanting a commercial. I understand what the company is doing now that the days of the ThunderDome are over, but his time is over, it is not now.

            Apparently, he has come back to challenge Roman Reigns at SummerSlam for the gold. If that happens, I'm rooting for Roman. Praise God, Paul Heyman interrupts Cena's monologue. The advocate assures Cena that he will get an answer, when and only when, the Tribal Chief decides. He then goes on to musically mimic John's entrance music. Heyman is a true master of his craft.

            First match of the evening is Finn Balor verses Sami Zayn. I never thought Balor would be back on the main roster. Now that he is back, I prefer not to see him as the Demon. Just show us fans why you're The Prince.

            Sami has the upper hand to begin with a wrist lock take down into an arm bar. Then a series of vicious lefts and rights only to have Finn return the favor. Sami turned things around again by slamming Balor's head into the ring post and then goes for the pin. Finn fights back with a sling blade. After some back and forth between these former NXT champions, Balor heads to the top rope for the Coup de Grace and the win.

            Now for Mr. Money in the Back. I love saying that! And I love hearing a live crowd chanting "You deserve it!" What I didn't like was the interruption from Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez. Then things turn around with another interruption from the tag team champions, Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. The interruptions continue with Rick Boogs and King Nakamura. One more for good measure, here comes Cesaro. I thought I could smell where this is going. I was hoping for an eight man tag match. Instead, it was just momentary chaos in the ring.

            Next, we head over to the world's largest hip hop festival - Rolling Loud at Miami Gardens hosted by Wale. With over 200,000 fans chanting "We want the smoke!", here come the Street Profits. It's so good to see Montez Ford back after his recent surgery. But this is not a tag team match up. Instead this is a singles competition between Angelo Dawkins and Chad Gable. Gable's strategy was to target the left arm that Otis recently injured. With encouragement from Wale and Ford on the outside, Dawkins gets the win. 

            Next is a championship re-match between Bianca Belair and Carmella. Why? Am I the only one who feels like this is a place marker feud until some of the M.I.A. superstars come back. Carmella will never be the one who takes the gold from Bianca. With a K.O.D., Belair retains. Duh....

            Back to Ohio for the Rated R Superstar. From the center of the ring, Edge laments about how he should be the new Universal Champion. Calling out Seth Rollins, he proclaims vengeance on the one who cost him the win. Rollins answers the verbal assault and fires back. He declares his intention to end the fairy tale come back story with a boot to the back of the hall of famer's surgically repaired neck. Edge has had enough and puts hands on Seth. He tries to execute his signature spear but Rollins flees.

            Toni Storm is next and makes her debut on SmackDown in a bout against Zelina Vega. I just want to see Vega get her ass kicked. And sure enough she did. Storm gets the win via a Storm One. The red rooster wannabe still has not won a match since her return.

            The new tag team title holders, The Usos, make their way to the ring for a singles competition. Jimmy Uso will be facing Dominik Mysterio. 

            Dom goes right after Jimmy. The veteran Uso is able to turn things around when he causes the young Mysterio to fall awkwardly on the top rope. After the commercial break, Dom regains momentary control with a neck breaker followed by a 619. It would be counter for counter until Jimmy picks up the win with yet another assist from his twin.

            As the Usos are making their way back up the ramp, Roman Reigns' music hits. Here comes Roman making his way down to the ring to answer John Cena's challenge. The Universal Champion's rant had one of the best lines that I have ever heard. He said that listening to John upon his return to WWE was  "a nostalgic 2005 John Cena....... like missionary position every night". He says no to Cena's SummerSlam challenge, so The Prince, Finn Balor, serves up a challenge of his own. The crowd is chanting "Roman's scared!". Reigns answers with a simple "Challenge accepted." I'm going to love this. The first ever Universal Champion feuding with the current Universal Champion at SummerSlam.

#BringBackBraun

SmackDown before Money in the Bank

            We're back!!! After 70 weeks of isolation, 14,496 members of the WWE Universe are ringside at a sold out Toyota Center in Houston, TX. Thank you Vince for strutting out like only you can to greet us.

            What a difference to hear a live reaction for the opening 6 man tag match. WWE SmackDown Champion Roman Reigns and the Usos square up against Rey, Dominik and Edge. This is Dominik Mysterio's first match ever in front of a live audience. 

            Jey Uso starts the match with an ambush against Edge. Quick tags by the challengers has the beginning of the match in their favor. Then Roman gets into the action and goes to work on Dominik. The champ power bombs his younger opponent into the announce table. After a commercial break, Edge gets in a spear on Roman on the outside. The competition comes to an end when Jey Uso gets the win over Rey with the help of a handful of tights. But that is not the end of the action. The Usos continue their assault on the Mysterios until Edge brings in the equalizing effects of a steel chair. Then a Super Man punch from the champ to Edge. But a second spear from Edge puts the big down into position for a cross face submission that causes Roman to tap. My heart wants Edge to win tonight at MITB but my gut says Roman will retain.

.    

            Sami Zayn is up next and his rant works so much better in front of a crowd. Thankfully we are put out of his misery by the interruption of the Prince Finn Balor. What a genuine surprise! But is The Balor Club back on SmackDown or is this just a stopover? I have always said that he fits better in NXT. With a brief beatdown on Sami, that's all she wrote folks.

            Now it is time to TANK care of business. Teagan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart come down the ramp and cannon a tee shirt into audience. They have a rematch between the SmackDown tag champs Nattie and Tamina. Zelina "Red Rooster" Vega and Liv Morgan flank Pat and Michael as they watch this match from the announce table. 

            Tamina and Shotzi start this tag championship contender match. The tag champs dominate the majority of the match. Nox gets tagged in and turns the momentum in her favor. However that is not the only fight happening. Morgan and Vega get into it on the outside. Morgan dominates the "yet to win a match since her return" Vega. Inside the ring, Nox rolls up Nattie for their second win in a row. The champs are not happy with the loss due to outside distraction and they go after Liv and Zelina. I appreciate the build up to MITB but Asuka is going to win the briefcase tonight. 

            The other women in action tonight are Carmella and Bianca Belair. This is a championship match that makes no sense to me. Bianca was originally scheduled to defend her title against Bayley until a knee injury took the challenger out for at least the next nine months. Taking it off of Sunday's card and seemingly picking an opponent at random doesn't work for me. Belair should have had to defend at MITB with a surprise challenger because a champ should be able to defend their title anywhere, anytime and against anyone. Instead, we have Carmella and Belair on Friday night. 

            The outcome seems obvious from the onset. The champ will retain and she does. There was nothing spectacular about this match. It just happened and now it's in the rearview.  

            Next we have Otis v. Cesaro. I still do not like Nikola's new look or attitude but he is successful in getting his Otis character over. My heart is rooting for Cesaro all the way. The match ends in a DQ in favor of Cesaro due to an interference by Chad Gable. Gable pays for his infraction by going for a swing compliments of The Swiss Cyborg. Otis comes to the aid of Chad and slams 330 pounds into Cesaro. Is this a new feud now that Seth seems to be going after Edge?

            Of all the promos tonight, my favorite had to be by Baron Corbin. He comes to the ring to make a special announcement. Since losing the crown to Nakamura, Corbin has faced many financial troubles. Introducing the Corbin Fund Me page. The WWE Universe can help Baron reach his $100,000 goal via online donation. He gets interrupted by the music of Kevin Owens. In true KO fashion, he plants a stunner on the former king. KO has business to take care of in the fatal 4 way ladder match next. 

            It's Kevin Owens, Shinsuke Nakamura, Big E and Seth Rollins. It was absolutely great to see the fans signing and dancing along with Nakamura during his entrance. It was equally nice to see Seth's new entrance. It's a refreshing update that I didn't realize was needed until I saw it.

            Right from the bell, Seth tells the other 3 competitors to have at each other because he's leaving. "Oh no you don't," says Big E. Rollins heeds Ettore's "encouragement" and joins a very chaotic fight. Action from bell to bell. The best part was the high flying action with the help of the 5th competitor - the ladder. From the top of a ladder, KO executes a flying elbow onto Nakamura through the announce table and takes out a camera man. Back in the ring, Seth pins Big E for the win. I hope this is not an omen for tonight. My heart wants Big E or McIntyre to win but my gut says the company is going to give the opportunity to Rollins. 

            I promised awhile ago that I would share my moment with Big E in the ThunderDome. So here it is....During the early days of a LED audience, superstars would "hype up" the fans backstage during commercial breaks. I was curious to know if they could really see us. So I blew a kiss to Ettore. He immediately acknowledged my actions and blew a kiss back. Wow....Made my night.

            I am so ready for tonight. Here are my predictions:

            1) Bobby Lashley v. Kofi Kingston - Bobby retains

            2) Roman Reigns v. Edge - Roman retains

            3) Men's Ladder Match - Praying for Big E or McIntyre but gut says Seth Rollins wins 

            4) Women's Ladder Match - Asuka wins

            5) AJ Styles & Omos v. The Viking Raiders - Vikings win

            6) Rhea Ripley v. Charlotte Flair - Rhea retains

            7) Mysterios v. Usos (Kick off match) - My heart wants Mysterios to win. 

#BringBackBraun

            

Field Day Friday on SmackDown 7-9-21

             I was so happy to see Jimmy Uso on this past Friday's edition of SmackDown following his recent arrest for DUI in Florida. He joins his family member, cousin Roman Reigns in the ring. Then comes his twin Jey Uso. The speech from Reigns about doing things "his way" had quite the Sinatra feel to it. I predict that Roman will screw over his cousins and lose the championship while Jimmy and Jey win the tag belts. Turnaround is fair play.

            The first match of the evening was a MITB qualifying match between Baron Corbin and King Nakamura. I was rooting for Corbin while being fully prepared for the obvious. What I was not prepared for was Big E coming down the ramp to do commentary with Pat McAfee on a couch while they soaked their feet. I can totally see Ettore doing color commentary when he decides his wrestling days are over. 

            Baron attacks Nakamura as he makes his way down to the ring. Rick Boogs comes to the aid of the King. I would love to see Baron and Rick in a match one day.

            The opening of the match goes to Baron. Then a foot to the face turns the momentum in Nakamura's favor. Corbin would eventually find himself on the outside of the ring. He takes a shot at Boogs before executing a brain buster on Shin into the announce table. Back in the ring, Baron is once again in control which included his signature Deep Six. He then issues a clothesline to the King that turns him inside out. Could it be? Baron will win? Nope. With one Kinshasa, Nakamura qualifies for Money in the Bank.

            The next match had quite the surprise. The Women's Tag Champs Nattie and Tamina have unknown opponents. Anyone is going to be better than Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose. 

Get ready people because it's time to TANK care of business!

Shotzi Blackheart and Teagan Nox have been called up to the main roster and they know exactly what they want. 

            Nox has a well known history of knee injury and participates in the match with a knee brace. It has been in the air for some time that Teagan would be coming back. What was not apparent is her teaming with Shotzi. I guess Blackheart's days as Ember Moon's tag partner are over. What is also over is the champs feud with the yawn inducing duo of Rose and Brooke. Thank you WWE.

            Nox and Blackheart pick up the win against the champs. 

            In other news regarding female competitors, Bailey is no longer chasing the Women's Championship against Bianca Belair due to legit injury. She will now be out for at least nine months. Sonya DeVille comes to the ring to announce Belair's replacement. It will be Carmella but not at MITB. It will be this Friday on SmackDown. OK...did WWE just pull a name out of a hat? You all are back on the road with a live audience. I would have pitched that the match for the gold still go ahead at Money in the Bank and that Bianca's opponent be a surprise. A champ should be able to defend the title anywhere, anytime and against anyone. Isn't it time to take Becky and Sasha off of the milk carton?

            Well, this announcement causes Liv Morgan to come to the ring and she is LIVid!

             Sonya cuts her off quick and tells her that she will be taking Carmella's place at MITB. About time!

            The last spot for the Men's MITB is about to be decided in the match up between Seth Rollins and Cesaro. I was really praying that Cesaro would secure the spot. This man always seems to be a centimeter away from the mountain top. And what does he get for his hard work tonight in the ring...a busted open skull.

Cesaro is now dazed outside the ring. Seth takes advantage by hitting a DDT on the diamond plate ramp. Back in the ring, he stomps Cesaro's bloody face into the mat for the win. The card is now complete for the men's MITB.

            The show ends the same way it began but with a twist. Edge is now in the ring and calling Roman to the ring. "Where you at? Where you at Roman?" Champ makes his way down the ramp to answer the call but is soon interrupted by his cousins. Roman does get in the ring by himself while his cousins occupy the floor. 

            The punches immediately fly between Edge and Roman. Then the music for Rey and Dominik Mysterio hits and Jimmy and Jey are on guard only to get ambushed from behind with chairs,. Action both inside and outside of the ring is insane. Roman does eventually escapes to the top of the ramp. From that vantage point, he watches as both Jimmy and Jey Uso get a bar across the opening of their mouths compliments of Edge. The Rated R Superstar is now responsible for a complete Anoa'i family portrait with all three family members in a cross face submission with the aid of a black steel bar from a folding chair.

#BringBackBraun

Fierce Friday Edition of SmackDown 7-2-21

             On this day...Edge opened the show with a promo of visions and predictions. Declaring that obstacles don't stop him, he shows photographic evidence of him successfully putting Roman in a cross face submission at WrestleMania 37. Living rent free in the head of the current Universal Champion, the Rated R Superstar vows to claim the gold. I can't wait to see Roman humbled. 

            The first match of the evening was a tag match of King Shinsuke Nakamura and Big E verses Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin.  It was interesting to note that the graphics during Baron's entrance still say "King Corbin". Reminds me of when they introduced Drew McIntyre in his early days but the graphics still read Drew Galloway. Oops...

            Tom is so great at portraying Baron Corbin. He was sporting a pouty face like a pro. The former king is now a pauper. He was sullen and reluctant to start. Then Apollo tagged Corbin in and the juices started flowing until....Rick Boogs. The hype man of Nakamura interrupts like an emcee at a wedding to announce that a White Mercedes SUV with the license plate KING-CR-BN, is being towed. This distraction allowed Big E to utilize the Big Ending on Corbin and win the match. But that was not the best part of the match. Nope...it was when Pat McAfee sat on Michael Cole during the Nakamura's entrance.

These two gentlemen work well together but my brain is always playing the "What If" game. "What If" one day Michael Cole gets a little cold that prevents him from working that night and Corey Graves was the only one available to sub. Can you just image McAfee and Graves doing play by play color commentary! I wouldn't be able to stop laughing and my brain would short circuiting the entire time. 

            I'm going to save the ladies for last so let's move on to the Last Man Standing match between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. This is also a qualifying match for the Money in the Bank pay-per-view later this month. KO was on fire right from the start. At one point, he throws Sami over the barricade and slams his face into the LED audience. The fans play along by putting up their hands to "protect" themselves from getting hit with Zayn's face. Gotta love the WWE Universe. We're passionate!

            Punishment continues to the climax of stereo tables being stacked up on one another outside the ring. Owens planned to throw Zayn threw the tables but it backfires on him. Kevin gets pushed into the tables that he introduced. But that isn't enough to keep Owens down. Back to a vertical base, he power bombs Zayn threw the announce table, then again threw a table and finally on the ring apron. With the ref's count of 10, KO now has the opportunity to get his hands on the briefcase on July 18th.

            Another current punisher is Otis. He is definitely rocking a Vader vibe. He goes up against Angelo Dawkins. With brute power, he repeatedly flattens Dawkins. The clean shaven mammoth of an athlete, sans the ponytail, flies off the top rope to crush Angelo and pick up the win.  

            The last segment of the evening has the recently arrested Jimmy Uso in the ring calling out Edge.

Edge comes down the ramp unhinged and sends Jimmy into the ring post. Jimmy gets in a couple of good licks after hitting the super kick on Edge. Tables turn and now the Rated R superstar pounds all of his aggression into Uso and makes him tap. With still no sign of Roman Reigns, Edge connects with his signature spear. He leaves the ring, finds a chair and breaks off a rod to use as a weapon in the mouth of Uso. All I can say is: Fear The Beard.

            That's it for the men, now for the ladies. I remember the segment earlier this year when Adam Pearce spoke so rudely to Sonya DeVille that I immediately thought this was the storyline opening for her to get back in the ring. Still hasn't happened yet, but DeVille's actions lately regarding Liv Morgan might have the WWE Universe seeing her back in action soon.

            SmackDown has been announcing their female participants for MITB instead of having them qualify. The first named entrant was Carmella. Now, the second entrant is Zelina Vega? WTF??? WWE released Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Buddy Murphy and Killian Dain in exchange for Vega?! No bueno. The company has just let a fox back in the hen house and it will backfire on them. And what's with the Red Rooster look? 

            Liv goes up against Zelina to prove that she is worthy of being in MITB. She beat Carmella last week and beat Vega this week. I think that Liv will get so frustrated with Sonya DeVille to the point of issuing a one on one challenge. 

            Lastly, let's look at the beef with Bayley and Bianca Belair. Their match at MITB will be an "I Quit" match. This will be the third pay-per-view in a row that these ladies are squaring up. My gut says that because WWE has a couple of superstars currently on the sides of milk cartons, Bayley will lose again to Bianca. This opens the door for either Sasha Banks or Becky Lynch to return. Enjoy your time off Bayley.

#BringBackBraun  

SmackDown of a Surprise

             The night opens with a mixed tag match between Bianca Belair and Cesaro verses Bayley and Seth Rollins. Great match highlighting the power of both Cesaro and Bianca. Bayley wore her ferengi shirt while focusing on Belair's arm and shoulder. Seth got swung at least 15 times. In the end, Bayley picks up the win for her team compliments of the Rose Plant. Despite all the great action, I mostly day dreamed about a match up between Seth and Becky against Bianca and Montez. Fingers crossed. Until then, prayers for a safe and speedy recover for Montez. 

            I am going to save my two favorite segments for last. Moving on to the next match we see Big E and Apollo Crews in a Money in the Bank qualifying match.I am team Big E all the way. I have a tidbit of a story about my experience with Big E in the ThunderDome which I promise to share in a future post.

            Neither one of these superb athletes have ever been a MITB contender. The majority of the first half of the match goes to Apollo. Excellent standing drop kick. frog splash and a trifecta of suplexes gives Crews a fighting chance at the opportunity. But never count Big E out. With 3 belly to bellies, Ettore changes the momentum. However, before he can claim victory, he has to deal with interferences from Commander Azeez. Luckily, the ref catches the second one and kicks Azeez out of the ThunderDome. With the road cleared of any obstacles, E hits the Big Ending and advances to Money in the Bank.

            One more men's match-up before the only women's match of the evening. 

            Jimmy Uso takes on Dolph Zigler. I just need to talk about Dolph for a moment here. On the June 16th edition of the Twitter-verse, Wrestle Critic posed a question which I offered an answer to.

            WC: When it comes to Dolph Zigler, what do you think his legacy will be in wrestling? Do you think he'll be fondly remembered in the future?

            OL: Yes he will be remembered fondly. He is a consistent hard worker. From his days in the Spirit Squad, to singles to tag team. He is highly decorated and he gets his character and storylines over.

I just hope that when they show his highlight reel, that his hair has its own separate reel. 

            During his match with Jimmy Uso, Dolph hits his signature move that was tough to watch. Outside the ring action allowed Zigler to hit the Zig Zag on Uso. It was when the center of  Jimmy's back came down hard on the corner of the steel steps that was absolutely cringe worthy. How that man got back to a vertical base inside the ring to pick up the win is beyond me. Incredible job Jey....I mean Jimmy.

            The only women's match was between Carmelo and Liv Morgan. Sonia DeVille has already named Carmella as a contender for MITB but tells Liv to prove herself worthy of the opportunity. I'm stunned that Mella didn't have to qualify like the female athletes on Raw. And even though Liv picked up the win, she is still not a contender for MITB. Just weird.

            Now onto my two favorite segments of the evening.

            First, the coronation of King Shinsuke Nakamura. I have been saying for weeks that Shin would be the perfect sovereign for the common people. He is hilariously entertaining especially with his 80s hair band hype man Rick Boogs. Baron Corbin did a great job wearing the crown for 2 years. I hope Nakamura gets a full year of authority

. 

            The highlight of the evening came at the end with the State of the Universal Championship Address. I initially rolled my eyes something fierce when I heard about this segment. I'm a little tired of the same old speech from Roman. Luckily, he never got to speak. Paul Heyman did all the jaw jacking. No sooner did Heyman declare that "there's no one left," the music that WWE Universe hasn't heard since WrestleMania 37 shook the ThunderDome.

            On this day...Edge is back! Edge is back!

            The Rated-R superstar makes his way intensely down the ramp and unleashes a beat down on the champ. At one point, Edge goes for a con-chairto but Jimmy Uso prevents the move. Edge sends Jimmy into the steel stairs for the second time this evening before spearing him through the barricade. By this time, Roman and his advocate are at the out of the ring and at the top of the ramp. Looking dead center into the hard camera, Edge bellows "Where you at Roman! I'm right here!" 

He looks amazing and I hope the beard is still present when they meet next month at Money in the Bank. What great news as we are three weeks away from WWE being back on the road in front of a live WWE Universe.

            Friday was not all good news. Once again, WWE released more superstars. So far this year, 38 superstars have been released. Compare that to 2020 with 21 superstars released. 2019 saw 7 superstars being released and 2018 had only 5 superstars saying goodbye. 

            This latest round of terminations held some surprises. For this fan, I was surprised at the release of Killian Dain. I'm just at a loss as to what to think. Every business has a short and long term plan and I'm stunned at some of the decisions. Is this the Nick Khan era of the WWE?

#BringBackBraun  

  

                

Friday Night SmackDown June 11, 2021

            Roman Reigns has family problems. Problems with his own family and the Mysterio family. The show started with Jimmy Uso in the ring calling out Roman for being jealous and promising that he was going to do something. At the end of the show, Rey Mysterio calls Roman to the ring. After Rey makes his point as a father very clear, he attacks Roman with a kendo stick. Rey went to town. Shortly after a superman punch, Dominik makes his way to the ring and continues the assault on Roman. Then Roman gains the upper hand and throws Dominik out of the ring like a bag of trash. Many have Roman's name in their mouth and I am interested to see how the big dog gets humbled. 

            A lot is changing in the WWE. From releases to storylines and new looks. Some have been smart moves and improved looks while others have been epic fails. One look that I believe severely missed the mark can be seen on Otis. Clean shaven and a ponytail. No Bueno. I couldn't tell if he reminded me of Vader without the mask or a make-up free Adrian Adonis. I greatly miss the Otis of old when he was paired with Tucker. They were the polar opposite of Too Cool and the formula worked.

 

            It was during a match between Montez Ford and Chad Gable that we see Otis ambush and destroy Dawkins backstage before making his way to the ring. He then goes after Montez Ford resulting in serious injuries. According to WWE, Ford suffered a partial rib fracture and torn intercostal cartilage. Keep Tez in your prayers.

            I grew up in the 80s and I remember a lot of WWEs classic segments. One of the classic segments that I miss and which has never come close to being duplicated was Piper's Pit. Hot Rod could talk and entertain. One of the current "talk show" features is Bailey's Ding Dong, Hello!. I'm not a fan but I am so glad that I watched last night. Seth Rollins was the guest in his least offensive outfit yet. But the best part was the surprise guest. Ding Dong! It's Cesaro! He literally rips the pants off of Seth, destroys the set and javelins an artificial tree in Seth's direction as he scurries away in his undies. It was awesome!

            I said at the beginning that a lot was changing in the WWE. One of the more exciting changes for me is the storyline between Shinsuke Nakamura and Baron Corbin. Yeah, I said Baron Corbin and not King Corbin. It is time to crown a new king. Shin would be a fun sovereign for the common people. And let's not forget about his 80s hair band hype man, Rick Boogs. I love the combination but my preference would have been for creative to keep the name Average Joe - from the Old Spice commercials featured in earlier PPVs this year. What I am equally eager to see after Shin becomes King Shinsuke is Boogs against Corbin. 

            A superstar that we're going to see in action next week is Commander Azeez. I personally wish they would have called him either Babatunde or Dabba-Kato but I understand what the company is doing. We haven't seen Azeez in action since his Raw Underground days. No matter what he's called, Azeez gets his character over and he is impressive to watch. Next week, it will be Kevin Owens and Big E squaring up against Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez. If only WWE had kept Braun Strowman. Braun versus Azeez in singles competition would have been something to see. I highly recommend rewatching 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble. Azeez, then known as Babatunde was entrant number 37 only to be eliminated shortly thereafter by Braun.  #BringBackBraun

Friday Night Smackdown & WM BackLash

            Friday night's SmackDown opened with Jey Uso in the ring introducing Roman Reigns. Their storytelling was interrupted by Jimmy Uso. There was a lot of verbal manhood measuring and Jimmy challenged Cesaro to a match. Cesaro accepts. The cracks are visible and the penitentiary will soon re-open.

            Congrats to the new Women's Tag Team Champions, Nattie and Tamina.

I think it is time for Nia and Shayna to go solo again. It is always in the back of my mind that, in theory, Becky Lynch will be coming back. Remember her feud with Shayna?  

            Apollo Crews made an appearance in order to give Commander Azeez the Medal of Honor. This was as confusing as the Nigerian Drum match at WrestrleMania 37. Apollo should have never adopted an accent. It will be interesting to see how it disappears when his character evolves. Might want to schedule a sit down with Kofi.

            Commander Azeez will, in no time soon, be competing in singles competition. I wish WWE would have re-introduced us to Azeez as his more recent incarnation as Dabba-Kato. Maybe when his storyline with Crews has him tired of being a sidekick, he will throw off the name of Azeez and re-emerge as Dabba-Kato.

            One other note worthy match before I get to my WM BackLash predictions was Baron Corbin vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. I would never have dreamed up this match but I am loving were it is going. Corbin won the title of king back in 2019. There was no King of the Ring event in 2020. But the end of Friday's match has Shin putting on Baron's crown and he looked as if he was born to wear the crown. WWE needs to bring back the King of the Ring Tournament. I will be rooting for Nakamura to win it because I think, based on what I saw this past Friday, it would be a hilariously fun ride under he's reign.

             We are now hours away from WrestleMania BackLash. I fully expect a great show with jaw dropping surprises. Below are my predictions.

• Bobby v. Drew v. Braun - My heart wants Drew to win but I think Bobby will retain.
• Roman v. Cesaro - Cesaro wins
• Bianca v. Bailey - Bianca retains
• Dolph & Roode v. Dominik & Rey - Rey & Dom make history as the 1st father/son tag champs
• Damian Priest v. The Miz - Priest wins
• Asuka v. Rhea Ripley v. Charlotte Flair - Rhea retains

                    

Jinder, Jimmy and Just Plain Nostalgia

            Tonight's Main Event and Smackdown exceeded my expectations. I saw the return of Jinder Mahal and Smackdown went old school.

            Back in October 2020, WWE held its 15th edition of the superstar shakeup. I watched it live as a member of the WWE ThunderDome. When I saw Seth Rollins get drafted from Monday night to Friday night, I immediately started screaming at my computer screen. In the hopes that the moderator and/or producer of the ThunderDome would hear me, I began to insist on the return of Jinder Mahal. "Seth can be the Savior of Smackdown and Jinder can be the Monday Night Maharaja! Bring back Jinder!"

            I have always been a fan of Jinder Mahal and I was sad when he became inactive due to injury. I was also disappointed when he didn't have the promoted match with Brock Lesner back in 2017. That is a post for another day.

            Tonight's Main Event saw the return of Jinder Mahal in a match against Jeff Hardy. That alone made it pay-per-view worthy. What increased my elation was seeing him come to the ring flanked by Indus Sher. 

            Back in January 2021, I watched Superstar Spectacle on the sorely missed WWE Network. I tried to re-watch it on Peacock but sadly, yet predictably, it's not on Peacock. Indus Sher, now individually known as Veer and Shanky, have moved up to the main roster from NXT. Let's hope it stays that way. (Side note, if you listen closely, you can hear a member of Indus Sher cheer encouragement to "Raj" during the match.)

            Tonight's Smackdown was equally as exciting but for different reasons. It was my childhood with the old school logo (minus the F), music and graphics. The nostalgia I felt from hearing the voice of Lord Alfred Hayes and watching old commercials for Ico Pro and ice cream bars warmed my heart. 

It was additionally nostalgic to see Michael Cole and Pat McAfee in retro blue attire. Blue is my favorite color.

            Within tonight's wonderful time travel experience, current storylines grew with a few surprises. First, the camera caught Roman losing it when Paul Heyman began his 10 bell salute to Daniel Bryan. He does get his laughter under control but it was nice to see him break character and be relatable for a moment. Second, Jimmy Uso is back! I have been waiting for this moment because Jey being Roman's lackey was getting seriously old. Time to re-open the penitentiary boys!

            And the "Playa" himself made a cameo. Yes, Teddy Long came out and invoked stipulations and made a 10 man tag team match.

            One thing that I saw tonight that frightened me a little was Bailey. Don't get me wrong, she is a great talent and her love of the business is evident. However, I think I am watching her character turn into Leilani Kai. 

            Since Bailey turned heel, she has cut her hair and changed her make-up drastically. During tonight's episode, her eyes were made up very dark and heavy with the current exaggerated black eyeliner near the tear ducts. Her hair had this frizzy, crimped look. I tried to pay attention to her salute to female wrestlers who have held the title but all my mind wanted to do was wonder if Bailey's character was somehow morphing into Leilani.  

 

Maybe it's just me.....

            Thank you so much WWE for tonight's Main Event and Smackdown's throwback episode. It was greatly appreciated as we come out the other side of quarantines, lockdowns, travel bans and mask wearing.