The latest episode of SmackDown emanated from the beautiful city of Oakland, serving as the penultimate stop for SummerSlam. With the biggest event of the summer just a week away, WWE tried its best to deliver a great show to set the stage for the upcoming PLE. However, it turned out to be yet another underwhelming episode of SmackDown, which lacked excitement and fervor for The Biggest Party of the Summer.
Despite the structural flaws, there were a few notable things that happened on the show last night. Nikki Bella made a blockbuster return on the blue brand and WWE also held a major Fatal Four-Way match in the mainevent of the show. Apart from that, the company also added a high-stakes match to the SummerSlam card. The creative team managed to deliver a few good things that kept Friday Night SmackDown’s pulse beating.
Thanks for the submission!
Let’s look at four things Triple H got right on SmackDown this week:
#4. Charlotte Flair qualifying for the Ladder Match
Charlotte Flair squared off with Nia Jax in a huge qualifying bout for the interim WWE Women’s Championship ladder match. The two women delivered a decent match with both looking to punch their tickets to SummerSlam. However, it was Flair who ultimately emerged victorious. She won the match via disqualification after Jade Cargill and Co. invaded the bout and attacked her.
Regardless of how it happened, The Queen winning the qualifying match is the right call. Charlotte Flair is one of the top premier superstars in the WWE roster and you cannot keep her away from the blockbuster title match at SummerSlam. Her addition to the ladder match not only raises the grandeur of the bout, but it also heightens the excitement for The Biggest Party of the Summer.
#3. Nick Aldis’ altercation with Gunther on SmackDown
Nick Aldis and Gunther were under the same roof this week as the two gathered for an explosive contract signing on SmackDown. The Ring General tried to get into Aldis’ head as he belittled the latter before signing on the dotted lines. However, little did he know that he was dealing with a seasoned veteran. The SmackDown GM gave Gunther a reality check, sowing seeds of doubt within him.
Things quickly escalated and tensions boiled over with both superstars getting involved in a physical altercation. The segment ended with The Ring General standing tall in the ring after slamming Nick Aldis onto the table. Triple H brilliantly staged the entire angle and raised the intensity of this rivalry. The fact that Hunter showcased both stars as equally credible is the right move.
#2. Finn Balor getting a spot on the SummerSlam card
Ever since Finn Balor moved to Friday Night SmackDown, fans have been clamoring to see him in major programs. It looks like WWE finally heard those clamors. Balor competed in a huge Fatal Four-Way match last night on the blue brand where he punched his ticket for SummerSlam. The Prince will now battle Sami Zayn in a huge Number One Contenders match for the Undisputed WWE Title at the summer spectacle in Minneapolis.
Putting Finn Balor on the card for The Biggest Party of the Summer was an incredible decision. This is a move that fans have been waiting for ever since he arrived on SmackDown. It looks like Triple H has finally pulled the trigger on the revival of The Prince. Keeping a talent like Balor on the bench for SummerSlam would have been a huge mistake and the creative team therefore made the right choice by booking him on the card.
#1. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes’ clash of ideologies
Two of the biggest egos of this industry clashed this week on SmackDown when Cody Rhodes and CM Punk got into an ideological war. Both shed their facades and expressed their raw and unfiltered thoughts on each other. Rhodes referenced Punk’s 2011 pipebomb and the career effect it had on him. He also dropped a huge bombshell, stating that he does not like The Best in the World.
Meanwhile, CM Punk also responded with a bitter jab, stating he casts a shadow so large that Cody Rhodes and everyone else struggle to step out of it. This segment brilliantly elevated their storyline, putting subtle cracks in their friendship. While it showed Rhodes’ envious side, it reflected Punk’s self-centered ego. It was a great way to hype up their upcoming Undisputed WWE Championship match.
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Edited by Subhasish Deb