Smackdown Review – 03.06.26

Let’s see where we are: Elimination Chamber | Raw | NXT | Evolve: Succession II | Impact

Tonight’s Smackdown comes to the airwaves on the USA Network and Netflix from The Moda Center in Portland, OR. The announce team for tonight’s show consists of Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on backstage interviews and breaking news segments. We’ve got a Men’s world championship match tonight, so let’s watch some wrestling!

Then, Now, Forever…TOGETHER

Highlights of the Elimination Chamber event open the show. Opinions here were very mixed on the Chamber results, I must say. Drew McIntyre ruined the ending of the Men’s match, and thus produced tonight’s World Championship match between Cody Rhodes and McIntyre. Women’s Chamber winner Rhea Ripley is here tonight ahead of her face-to-face meeting with her pal from X, the WWE Women’s Undisputed Champion Jade Cargill.

Here’s Men’s Chamber winner Randall Keith Orton out to a huge pop while “Voices” plays to an appreciative crowd. Orton will face the winner of tonight’s title match in a main event at Wrestlemania. (Orton winning the Chamber felt like a Lifetime Achievement Award to me, but here we are.) Orton welcomes Portland to Smackdown and gets an “RKO” chant. Orton swears he got to the venue on time and the Wrestlemania sign was already hoisted to the rafters, and Orton started thinking about all of his individual performances at the Granddaddy shows and there’s been 20 of them, but he’s only main evented twice. Orton says none of that matters because there’s never a guarantee that you’ll even be going to WM let alone main-eventing. Orton gets a pop when he says officially he’s back in the main event. Orton says he’s not a guy to stand in the ring and say he’s the best, but he does say that his peers put him in that category. Orton name-drops Ric Flair, Undertaker, and Harley Race who’ve said that about him, and then mentions JBL doing analysis saying “Randy Orton is what you’d get if you built a pro wrestler from the ground up” and that made him feel a certain way. Orton puts over the men in the locker room now and says he’s proud of still being able to do this at the top of his game currently. Orton says the opportunity wasn’t handed to him, though, he earned it. Orton says he doesn’t know who his opponent will be and he feels very different about the possibilities. Orton mentions the competitors in tonight’s title match and both get reactions, but Orton says he’s leaving Vegas with the title regardless of who it might be. Orton says the three most dangerous letters will get him there…and the lights go out.

Here’s Trick Williams out to a huge “Whoop That Trick” chant, but he wants his music cut. Trick says he’s finally arrived and Orton claps a bit. Trick says he’s got voices in his head and they’re telling him that Trick has a bone to pick with Orton because he should be the one in the main event. Trick says he’s got another problem with Orton and that is that Orton claimed Trick, while standing on his tippy-toes, wasn’t 6′ 5″. Trick enters the ring and they go face-to-face, but while Trick is mentioning the Lemon Pepper Steppers, he eats an RKO. A pumped-up Orton puts the stink-mouth on Trick before hitting his pose to a big pop.

This was about what I expected. Orton says he doesn’t care who wins tonight and that he’ll be leaving Vegas with the title, with someone eating an RKO to end the segment. Trick got a nice reaction and I like that he’s continuing to mix it up with the big names on Smackdown. Trick will be fine down the road and this ensures that people will think of him at the top level.

Tessitore and Barrett talk about WWE Men’s United States Champion Carmelo Hayes who EARLIER TODAY met up with Smackdown GM Nick Aldis. Aldis puts over how Hayes has defended the US title with integrity and Hayes says he doesn’t want to know who the challenger is. Hayes he’ll see him out in the ring. Hayes makes his entrance as we go to commercials.

WWE Men’s United States Championship Open Challenge: Carmelo Hayes (C) vs AAA Latin American Champion El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jr

I’ll be referring to Wagner as DW3 here, just so you are aware. DW3 starts with a dropkick and a cannonball to start and Hayes bails to the apron. DW3 hits an enziguri and another cannonball as Hayes falls to the floor. DW3 dumps Hayes back in and covers for two. DW3 hits a bodyslam and ascends to wallop Hayes with a missile dropkick that gets two. DW3 eats a Hayes dropkick to cut off that early flurry, and then Hayes grabs a roll-up for two. DW3 hits a facebuster, but Hayes fires up with some kicks before mounding DW3 on the ropes. Hayes hits a springboard butt-drop on DW3 as we go to commercials.

DW3 hits Hayes with a superplex as the show returns. DW3’s cover gets two. They start slugging it out and it ends with Hayes getting smashed by a DW3 lariat that gets two. Hayes hits a reverse springboard clothesline before nipping up to a pop. Hayes hits some chops and then his Dirty Diana helicopter driver. Hayes wants the First 48 but DW3 rolls through and hits Hayes with a powerbomb for two. DW3 hits a discus elbow and a high boot, but when he comes off the second rope Hayes flies in with a First 48 that gets two. Hayes ascends and misses his dive, so DW3 responds with a running high knee. DW3 yanks Hayes up and hits a tilt-a-whirl powerbomb that gets a LONG two. DW3 ascends and misses his moonsault, and then Hayes ascends to hit Nothing But Net. Hayes covers and gets three.

That turned into a hell of a match in the second act, and the crowd, who was mostly dead in the first segment, really got into it. DW3 is a terrific worker and you should be watching AAA every week, friends. I happen to know the recapper of that show personally. Regardless, this was something different from the usual rogue’s gallery of challengers and it really worked well for me. 3.75*

Winner AND STILL WWE Men’s US Champion – Carmelo Hayes (Nothing But Net)

Post-match sees a show of respect from Hayes to DW3, and here’s Ilja Dragunov backstage with Cathy Kelley. Dragunov mentions that he didn’t want to be the guy who loses a bunch but still gets championship shots. Dragunov says his mother taught him that mindset and when people call him a warrior, it means something to him. Dragunov says he will wait until he has the warrior spirit back in him, and here’s The Miz to question that particular bit of information. Miz says you always say yes to title opportunities, and here’s Kit Wilson to tell Dragunov that his obsession with violence has turned him TOXIC. Dragunov says he’ll have to step back into the ring, and Miz and Wilson argue over who might be that opponent. We go to commercials.

When the show returns Damian Priest is chatting with Nick Aldis, and R-Truth enters the scene. Truth declares that he and Priest will be in the Tag Team Turmoil Gauntlet tonight, and Priest says winning tag titles sounds good to him. They leave, and here’s Drew McIntyre to ask Aldis if he’s calmed down since the Chamber. McIntyre says he’s the face of Smackdown and he wants Aldis to make it right because Cody didn’t win the Rumble or the Chamber. Aldis says McIntyre went back on his word, so Aldis went back on his. Aldis says McIntyre can forfeit the title, and McIntyre says it’s always McIntyre against the world. McIntyre says Rhodes will have to pry the title from his cold dead hands. Aldis tells him to “lace’em up tight” and leaves.

Here’s the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend for their championship celebration. The ring is decked out in black and gold as we view highlights of last week‘s victory over Rhea Ripley and IYO Sky. Legend and Jax tell Portland to get a real good look at two six foot thoroughbred stallions. (Stallions are male horses, Nia, but go off.) Jax says they have the division on lock but they’re generous champs. Jax says any and all challengers are welcome but it won’t make a difference. Legend says if anyone is brave enough to step to them, if they run up, they are gonna get done up. Legend says they aren’t going anywhere. Legend and Jax have some bubbly available and they toast while holding their belts aloft. Here’s Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss to interrupt the proceedings. Bliss says she’s happy for Jax finding a coat-tail to ride to the top. Bliss says the only reasons they lost to the Kabuki Warriors was because Jax and Legend cheated during their matches. Flair and Bliss say they will be the next challengers, and here’s WWE Women’s US Champion Giulia and Kiana James out to point out that James beat both Jax and Flair to qualify for the Chamber, and then James pinned Bliss in the Chamber. Giulia yells at Flair and Bliss in Japanese and then says they want the tag titles in English. (Flair, Bliss, Giulia and James are all in their gear, while Jax and Legend are in street clothes, so I think you can tell where this is heading.) Here’s Nick Aldis to say we don’t debate here, we have action and Aldis says Flair/Bliss vs Giulia/Kiana will happen RIGHT NOW after commercials.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Number One Contenders Match: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs WWE Women’s US Champion Giulia and Kiana James

We’re joined in progress as Bliss works an armbar on Giulia before tagging in Flair. Flair and Bliss combine on a kick to Giulia that sends her into James for a tag. James hits a back elbow on Flair and sends Flair into her corner. Flair flies out to the apron where she kicks a charging James and then smashes Giulia with a kick as well. Flair hits a rolling tackle on both James and Giulia but James shakes that off and sends Flair into the ring post. James sends Flair in and covers her for two. James puts the boots to Flair and then smashes her with a right. James drops an elbow and covers Flair for two. Giulia tags in and snapmares Flair over before walloping her with a shotgun dropkick that gets two. James tags back in and clubbers away on Flair before driving a shoulder in a few times. James smashes Flair into the mat but when she tries a standing moonsault she runs into Flair’s knees. They both make tags and Bliss trucks Giulia a couple of times before walloping her with some slaps and a big kick to the gut. Bliss hits a rolling tackle and covers Giulia for two. Giulia fires up with some rights but her roll up attempt sends Bliss up to smash Giulia with a basement dropkick. Bliss kicks Giulia out to the floor and James catches Bliss’s dive. James drops Bliss face-first on the apron and then distracts the ref so Giulia can fly in with a boot to Bliss’s face. Giulia chokes Bliss as we go to commercials.

Flair has just waffled James with her walkover clothesline when the show returns. Flair yanks a charging Giulia up for a fall-away slam before nipping up. Flair does the Flair strut and then ascends for her moonsault. Flair covers James and gets two. Flair runs into a James boot and then James and Giulia hit some double-team stuff before Giulia covers Flair for two. Giulia yanks Flair up but Flair goes behind and crushes Giulia with a German. Bliss flies in to DDT a charging James, and Flair wallops Giulia with a Natural Selection. Flair covers Giulia and gets three.

This was segmented weirdly and they kind of sprinted to the finish after the break, but overall this was decent enough. Flair’s moonsault was the best one she’s hit in quite some time and she looked to be on her game tonight. Bliss didn’t do a whole lot but her offense was crisper than normal. Giulia did her thing, and I continue to be impressed with how far James has come since returning from her long injury break. I wouldn’t mind seeing her break out on her own at some point. I don’t know if Flair pinning Giulia will lead to anything down the road with the mostly-forgotten US title, but I guess we’ll see. Bliss and Flair move on to face Jax and Legend and we don’t know yet if that will be at WM or just on a random Smackdown, but I’m sure we’ll get details soon. 3*

Winners – Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss (Flair Natural Selection on Giulia)

Tessitore and Barrett talk about the main event and throw to a video from Jelly Roll who mentions that he’s coming to Smackdown next week to see both Orton and Cody. Cathy Kelley is with Cody Rhodes backstage and Rhodes mentions that all he wants to do is point at the sign. Rhodes says he hopes the next time they speak that Kelley will be speaking to the WWE Champion. Kelley leaves after wishing Rhodes good luck, and here’s Sami Zayn entering to say that he knows things have been icy between them. Zayn says it’s crazy that the match is even happening, and Zayn fires up to say that Rhodes lost at the Chamber and he’s still getting the title match anyway. Rhodes also fires up and says that Zayn seems like he’s politicking for a match with Rhodes when he hasn’t even won the title. Zayn questions that and Rhodes wants Zayn to say what he means, and Zayn says he just came to wish Rhodes good luck. Zayn says he’s rooting for Rhodes and wants what’s best for him. Rhodes says “Okay”, and leaves, and Zayn punches a couple of water bottles off a production cart while bellowing in anger.

Trick Williams was on The Breakfast Club, and he says he’d rather be a wrestling superstar than a football superstar because he gets to go around the world to do his thing while football is mostly American. The interview is available on Netflix.

WWE Men’s Tag Team Championship Turmoil Gauntlet: Motor City Machine Guns vs FrAxiom

There’s a handshake between Frazer and Shelley to start. Shelley works an arm and Frazer flips his way out of it only to eat a huge chop from Shelley. Frazer snaps off a kick to Shelley’s chest and Sabin gets a blind tag as Shelley gets smashed around by Frazer. Sabin flies in to truck Frazer over and he tags in Axiom . Sabin grabs a quick roll up on Axiom for two, and then grabs a crucifix for two. Axiom dumps Sabin over and then wallops him with a snap German. Shelley tags in as does Frazer and everything goes into overdrive as everyone hits moves. Frazer hits a tope as does Axiom, and then it’s repeated as we go to commercials.

Frazer gets a quick tag and hits a springboard dropkick on both Guns when the show returns. Frazer hits a tope con hilo on both guys and then fires Sabin back in. Frazer hits a high knee and Shelley gets a tag. Shelley and Sabin hit The Facial on Frazer (LOL SELLING WHAT IS THAT?) Sabin tags in and Axiom flies over to prevent Skull and Bones. Axiom tags in and he and Frazer hit a combined missile dropkick on Sabin. Axiom covers and gets three as Shelley was trying to put Sabin’s foot on the ropes.

FrAxiom vs Los Garza

Los Garza sprint down the aisle and attack FrAxiom immediately. Berto grabs a roll up on Frazer and then hoists him up for a one-armed powerbomb for two. Angel tags in and he and Berto hit a reverse Alabama slam on Frazer for two. Berto kicks Axiom out to the floor as Angel hits a pop-up uppercut on Frazer that gets two. Angel ascends and Frazer recovers with a superplex as Axiom comes in to smash Angel with a low kick. Frazer’s cover gets two. (Everything is going two million miles per hour here, just so you know. Impossible to cover it all.) Frazer dumps Berto to the floor, and Angel eats an enziguri from Axiom. Berto recovers quickly, of course, and pushes Frazer off the top turnbuckle to the floor. Angel hits a flying jawbreaker off his knee and tags in Berto. Los Garza hit MTY on Axiom and Berto covers him for three. We go to commercials as the Wyatts make their entrance.

Los Garza vs The Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy)

We’re joined in progress when the show returns with Berto and Lumis involved. Lumis gets dumped to the floor by Angel’s pulling of the ropes. Berto smashes Lumis with a kick and covers him for two. Garza works a half-crab on Lumis who manages to flip over and kick Berto off. Berto smashes Gacy off the apron before Lumis can get a tag, and Angel tags in. Berto hoists Lumis up and Angel comes off the top rope with a sort-of Doomsday Device that gets two. Lumis snaps off a superkick and tags in Gacy. Gacy fights off Angel and Berto before yanking Berto up for a Saito suplex that gets two. Lumis tags in and Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga interfere to take out Gacy and Lumis. Lumis gets rolled up by Berto for three. Gacy and Lumis take off to fight Loa and Tonga up the aisle. We go to commercials as Truth and Priest make their entrance.

Los Garza vs R-Truth and Damian Priest

Joined in progress as Priest is smashing Angel and Berto around. Angel bails to the floor and Priest follows out to wallop Angel over the announce table. Berto hits a dropkick through the ropes and then runs Priest back in. Berto hits a springboard enziguri and then ascends for a moonsault on Priest that gets two. Priest recovers with a Broken Arrow on Berto before tagging in Truth. Truth goes into the Cena moveset and hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle to a huge pop. Truth trips up Berto and slaps on the STF, but Angel cruises in to break that up. Angel runs into a Priest enziguri and then Priest and Truth hit an AA and South of Heaven chokeslam at the same time before covering Los Garza and getting three. R-Truth and Damian Priest are now YOUR number one contenders for the MFT’s tag team titles.

Let’s take a look at the live-watch for a quick reaction to this match, shall we:

I think that about sums things up, doesn’t it. So look, parts of this were fine and I generally like Los Garza a bunch, but having them get beat by a thrown together team that includes 54 year old R-Truth is a choice. I doubt Priest/Truth are winning the titles but I wouldn’t have guessed they’d win this either. I don’t know what the attack on the Wyatts means for their long-standing thing with the MFT dudes, but I guess we’ll see. If you need a rating for this whole thing, I’d call it about 2.5*

Winners – R-Truth and Damian Priest (simultaneous Attitude Adjustment and South of Heaven chokeslam on Los Garza)

Here’s Drew McIntyre warming up while eyeing up his title belt. Rhea Ripley will go face to face with Jade Cargill when the show returns after commercials.

Randy Orton is backstage and here’s Sami Zayn to tell him that he’s happy for him. Zayn asks Orton about RKO’ing Rhodes and wants to know how he can justify dropping Rhodes despite claiming he’s a good friend of Rhodes. Orton tells Zayn that some times you have to be selfish, and Zayn questions whether or not that makes him a bad person. Orton says he doesn’t know, but being selfish made him a 14 time world champ. Orton tells Zayn he believes in him, but maybe Zayn should listen to the voices in his head. Here’s Aleister Black and Zelina to tell Zayn not to worry about it as it’s just “the nature of the beast”.

Rhea Ripley is out to a gigantic pop and says she promised she was coming to Smackdown, and here she is. Ripley invites Cargill out and Cargill’s music hits immediately. Cargill, dressed in lavender, enters and circles Ripley before offering a handshake. Ripley obliges and Cargill says she shook Ripley’s hand because she respects her. Cargill says she respects how Ripley earned her way into the title shot and how hard Ripley works to build her body. Cargill says she’s not impressed, though, because Cargill’s arms and legs are bigger and more muscular and powerful. Cargill says she’s going to beat the hell out of Ripley at Wrestlemania because she’s that bitch. Ripley offers her hand, Cargill shakes it, and Ripley says she respects Cargill’s honesty in telling her what she actually thinks about Ripley. Ripley says Cargill impresses her physically and goes over her attributes. Ripley says if Cargill hits her with her best shot will Ripley go down and stay down? Ripley says if she hits Cargill with her best shot, there’s no way Cargill is getting back up. Ripley says Cargill’s body is built for show, while hers is built for fighting. Ripley says she works out so she can survive and thrive within the business and when the bell rings Cargill can flex all she wants but Ripley is going to fight and take the title from Cargill from her with force.

Well, none of the worky-shooty stuff from X made it into this promo, and for that I’m grateful. The match at WM will be a point of focus as it will easily be the biggest of Cargill’s career, and Ripley has been tagging for so long that we need to see her do things on her own again. If we’re going to only have promos up until the show, this wasn’t a bad way to start.

Here’s Sad John Wrestling being berated by Alex Shelley, and then Chris Sabin comes in to yell at Shelley for consoling Gargano instead of feeling bad about losing the gauntlet. The Guns leave while arguing, and Candice LeRae tells Gargano to get up and resume being Johnny Wrestling. Gargano gets off his table and says they’re heading to the ring. We go to commercials.

Bo Dallas has a quick video message for Solo Sikoa and says he won’t rest until THE LANTERN is returned to him. Dallas says they’ll learn there’s nothing left to do but…RUN.

John Wrestling has a microphone and says he’s tired of pretending he’s not one of the best wrestlers in the world. Gargano says it’s time that he remembers who he is and it starts tonight. Gargano decides an open invite to anyone in the locker room to come out and find out who he is would be a good idea and well…

Johnny Gargano vs Oba Femi

I’m just gonna say it, I don’t like Gargano’s chances here. Femi catches a charging Gargano who slips off and eats a huge Femi chop. Femi smashes Gargano with running uppercuts and then pulls Gargano up for the TOSS. Femi yanks up Gargano and hits the Fall From Grace before covering and getting three.

Hmm. Look, I don’t want to be that guy, but if you were going to write someone off and out, this would be the way. If Gargano is staying, I don’t really know what you do with him. I guess we’ll see if he wants to do this kind of thing or maybe branch out and do other stuff, perhaps with an old partner. Oba remains awesome, for the record. 1.5*

Winner – Oba Femi (Fall From Grace)

Jade Cargill is backstage where she predictably runs into Michin. They bicker over the title and Cargill says she’ll see Michin next week. Alrighty. B-Fab was here as well, but didn’t say a word. We go to commercials.

Here’s Nick Aldis running into Danhausen who has a list of demandhausens. Aldis tells Danhausen to hold his thought about a mentor, and walks down to where The Miz is on his phone. Aldis says he’s got someone for him and introduces him to Danhausen. Aldis leaves as Miz yells about “some goth kid” while Danhausen runs down his list. Miz says he’s not going to mentor Danhausen, and Danhausen CURSES HIM while reminding Miz what happened to Dom on Monday.

Tessitore and Barrett run down the card for next week’s show in Phoenix before throwing to a video package on the Rhodes-McIntyre rivalry. It’s a terrific look at the entirety of the feud. McIntyre is putting on his arm gear as Rhodes is standing and waiting in a hallway. We go to commercials.

WWE Men’s Undisputed Championship: Drew McIntyre (C) vs Cody Rhodes

Entrances and intros eat up about eight minutes here, and I kind of miss sword-carrying Drew occasionally. After all that, we go to commercials.

McIntyre bails up the aisle and Rhodes chases him to slam McIntyre into the video board. Rhodes smacks McIntyre around and then runs him over the barricade into the crowd. Rhodes yanks him back onto the floor and then clubbers away with rights. Rhodes runs McIntyre in and gets met with a double thrust. McIntyre goes to work with chops but Rhodes fires up with a drop punch and a springboard roundhouse kick. Rhodes mounts McIntyre in a corner and drops ten right hands on his head. Rhodes eats a big McIntyre kick to the chest off a reversed irish whip. McIntyre hits a toss suplex and then a second as Rhodes bails to the floor. McIntyre goes out and Rhodes fires up to slam him into the ring steps. Rhodes gets popped by a big right hand from McIntyre when he goes for a suicide dive. McIntyre fires Rhodes head into the steps and then yanks him up for a backdrop on the apron from the top step. McIntyre follows Rhodes back in and they start slugging it out before McIntyre hits a big back elbow and covers Rhodes for two. McIntyre fires off a boot to Rhodes head and then yanks Rhodes up for a backdrop suplex that gets two.

McIntyre works Rhodes shoulder and then eats a Rhodes series of rights. Rhodes hits his snap powerslam and the Cody Cutter. Rhodes glances at the Wrestlemania sign before trying a Cross Rhodes, but McIntyre senses it and bails to the floor. McIntyre pulls Rhodes into the post a couple of times by his arm, and then McIntyre runs Rhodes in to go to work on that same left arm. McIntyre slams Rhodes arm-first and covers him for two. McIntyre torques the left arm and Rhodes fires up with some rights before McIntyre smashes the left arm over his knees. McIntyre kicks the left arm and takes a bow to a cacophony of boos. McIntyre ascends and Rhodes springs up to meet him up top. They slug it out a bit and Rhodes pulls McIntyre into a superplex but cannot follow up. They slug it out and Rhodes pulls McIntyre into a quick Figure Four. McIntyre breaks it up and goes to the floor. Rhodes hits a tope suicida and then clears the announce table. Rhodes slams McIntyre on to the table and then wants Cross Rhodes, but McIntyre fights out of it as the desk collapses. McIntyre and Rhodes search under the ring and Rhodes yanks out a table. McIntyre pops Rhodes with a right and sets up the table. McIntyre yanks Rhodes up and powerbombs Rhodes through the table. (This match is not being contested under No DQ rules as far as I’m aware, so I’m not sure what’s going on with that. I’m guessing we’re going to get the classic “referee discretion” excuse here shortly.) McIntyre pulls Rhodes into a Cross Rhodes and covers Rhodes for two.

McIntyre nips up and wants the Claymore but he runs into a Rhodes superkick. Rhodes hits the Claymore and covers McIntyre for two. Rhodes ascends and misses his dive. They slug it out and McIntyre pulls Charles Robinson in the way of Rhodes Disaster Kick. Rhodes gets dumped by McIntyre who then eats a big boot from Rhodes. Rhodes misses a charge and McIntyre gets pulled into the Cross Rhodes after a series of misses from both guys. There’s still no referee and Rhodes calls for someone to come out. McIntyre hits a Claymore and covers Rhodes for two as Dan Engler has emerged to handle things from here. McIntyre has had issues with Engler in the past and they have a quick chat about things. McIntyre runs Rhodes shoulder-first into a ring post a couple of times before smashing Engler with the Glasgow Kiss. McIntyre heads to the timekeeper’s area for a chair and here’s Jacob Fatu to grab the chair out of McIntyre’s hands from behind. Rhodes pulls McIntyre into a roll-up for two as Robinson has recovered. McIntyre springs up and smashes Rhodes with the Future Shock. McIntyre misses a Claymore and Rhodes flies up to hit a Super Cody Cutter and the Cross Rhodes. Rhodes covers McIntyre and gets three!

I think you can guess what I’m going to say here, but I’ll say it anyway. This was an overbooked mess but also hit all the notes you need to hit in the modern WWE. Rhodes did his best to fight from underneath, and McIntyre bullied his way through the entire thing as he should based on his character work. They went for epic and I wouldn’t say they got there with all the ref shenanigans, but now it becomes clear that you’ll see Rhodes-Orton and McIntyre-Fatu in Las Vegas instead of the rumored multi-man. 4*

Winner AND NEW WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion – Cody Rhodes (Cross Rhodes)

Post-match sees the fireworks go off, Rhodes celebrates with the title, and the credits roll as Tessitore lets us know that it’s now Rhodes-Orton at Wrestlemania.

The first hour was decent, and the main event delivered despite the overbooking. Everything else was just kind of there, quite frankly. The tag gauntlet felt like a mess and was, and while the Ripley-Cargill confrontation was decent, there wasn’t exactly a lot of meat on the bones there just yet. Obviously the title change will be the talking point coming out of this show, and the subsequent management of the Wrestlemania card from here. Thumbs leaning up tonight for a big show delivering a big main event, even with all the ga-ga at the end.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a great Saturday and weekend.