The WWE Smackdown Reaction for 2/25/22
Welcome to the WWE Smackdown Reaction, where I offer my take on this week’s show in Hershey, PA.
As always, you can check out John’s full in-depth report here.
We kick things off with Promo Time with Ronda Rousey. Michael Cole was in the ring to interview her. Rousey gave a nice backstory to explain her absence after losing the Raw Women’s Championship to Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 35. Cole brought up her accomplishments outside of WWE to bring Charlotte Flair out. Flair said nothing important so Sonya Deville could attack Rousey from behind. Rousey eventually fends them off to end the segment.
After the break, Adam Pearce announces that upper management booked Deville in a match with Rousey next week. Can we just declare Deville an active competitor now? Rousey should win that match easily.
Our opening match is tag team action between The New Day and Los Lotharios, again. The match was pretty good as we’ve seen from the two teams lately. The crowd still reacts positively to the New Day so that’s a good sign. It appears that The Power of Positivity is code for 50/50 booking and The New Day picks up the win, since they lost last week to Los Lotharios. I will have to admit, New Day is doing its best to get Los Lotharios over and made them look really good tonight.
The Usos were backstage with Sam Roberts babbling on about Roman Reigns before getting wiped out by the Viking Raiders, who wanted their tag title match. We find out later that will be next week as well.
Xia Li makes her Smackdown Debut against Natalya next. Natalya put Li over like she did for Aliyah and I’d like to see big things for Li in 2022. The protector gimmick could work out very well for her.
Sami Zayn hosts an Intercontinental Championship Celebration for himself next. Zayn rambles on before issuing an open challenge to anyone in the back. Johnny Knoxville, of course, comes out to accept the challenge. Zayn questions why Knoxville was there before sneak attacking him. We all figured this was Zayn’s WrestleMania program, but does the title really need to be involved?
After the break, Zayn was complaining to Pearce about Knoxville’s interruption. Ricochet walked up and accepted Zayn’s open challenge. Pearce booked it for next week. Perhaps Knoxville screws Zayn out of the title next week?
Sasha Banks came out next to tap out Shotzi. Naomi was on commentary so she hopped into the ring to praise the Wrestling Gods for finally ending her pointless feud with Deville so she (Naomi) can team with Banks to go after the forgotten Women’s Tag Team Championship.
Happy Corbin yaps about being undefeated since the gimmick change and he wants to fight Drew McIntyre for almost hurting Madcap Moss at Elimination Chamber.
All three come out and Corbin decided that Moss needed to be beaten up some more. McIntyre obliged while still letting Moss get a little bit in. Looks like Corbin and McIntyre have a WrestleMania date and I just wish McIntyre had better competition.
It’s “main event” time, the contract signing between Universal Champion Roman Reigns and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar for their Winner Takes All, Title for Title, Title Unification Match main eventing Night 2 of WrestleMania. That’s going to be a mouthful to say. Reigns and Heyman go though the same paces as they always do each week. Lesnar came out and did his best Paul Heymenesque introduction of himself. This version of Brock has been really entertaining to watch. I’m glad he’s back for a full-time run this time. The contract is signed and then we are supposed to be impressed by Lesnar destroying the eight scrubs in the ring playing security so Reigns could leave to end the show.
Let’s take a look at tonight’s highs and lows.
The Highs
The show had a good flow to it and set some WrestleMania feud blocks up. Thank God Naomi has been freed from the clutches of the pointless Sonya Deville feud.
They even announced three big matches for next week. That’s highly unusual.
The Lows
Hopefully, Rousey hasn’t been sucked into a feud with Deville. At least next week’s match should be really short.
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That’s all I’ve got, until next time.