!It’s time for another SmackDown In A Nutshell, and more important, it may finally be time to unify those tag team belts.
Yes, after much talk and a few delays, it looks like we might actually see WWE unify those tag team belts.
Tag team belts, as in the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championships, currently held by RK-Bro and The Usos, respectively.
So, I’ve already been saying I expect things to not end cleanly. Whether or not that means we don’t see the brands unify those tag team belts tonight remains to be seen.
It is certainly set up to be a big night, with the attempted tag title unification match serving as the obvious main event.
Beyond that, what’s to be expected?
Curious what Raquel Rodriguez can do as a follow up, after a really nice showing last week against SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
Will we finally see some LA Knight on the blue brand, after him showing up off television the last few weeks?
And, no specifics, just a reminder…but Hell In A Cell is next big show up, so I’d imagine we see some seeds planted for that.
So, without any more delay, it’s time to get going, because those belts won’t unify themselves…
It is time for…
SmackDown In A Nutshell: Time To Unify Those Tag Team Belts
Let’s crack open this Nutshell and see who leaves SmackDown as the unified tag team champs!
Best Match of the night:
No shock here, but the tag team unification match. Main event for a reason.
I didn’t like the ending, but perhaps mostly because it was oh so predictable.
As soon as Riddle blasted Roman on RAW, Reigns causing RK-Bro to lose the belts was a foregone conclusion.
Worst match of the night:
I suppose maybe Gulak and Gunther.
But honestly, for what it was intended to be, it wasn’t bad.
Star of the Night
Your winners, and new unified tag team champions…the Usos.
Spot of the Night:
I will go with that closing shot of Jey putting Riddle through the announce table.
OMG
OMG @WWEUsos #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/cbu8u1HI2V
— WWE (@WWE) May 21, 2022
Jobber of the Night:
Drew Gulak.
Shotzi gets a close second.
Upset of the Night:
Gulak over Gunther…if it had happened.
But, it didn’t.
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
Well, not really…but we knew it was going to happen when Riddle popped Reigns on RAW.
Roman interfered and made sure Riddle and Orton lost, and The Usos have unified the RAW and SmackDown Tag titles.
Botch of the night:
Not a botch, just a bad idea. Jey seemed a bit too far away, and it looked like he hit his legs on the table before any of him hit Riddle.
Commentary of the night:
We know they walked out, but the more WWE brings it up on air, it seems both awkward, and like it’s being turned into an angle (if it wasn’t already).
Tonight was just…awkward.
LOL Moment of the night:
Gulak thinking he could win.
Ricochet, because you just know he’s about to get fed to Gunther and, in the process, lose that all-to-quiet Intercontinental title run.
Noteworthy Moment:
Next week, Xavier promised that Kofi would be back, and the two of them would have a 3rd joining them to challenge the Brawling Brutes.
Who that 3rd is…remains to be seen. Any guesses?
WOAH! Who does @AustinCreedWins have in mind to match the numbers game alongside @TrueKofi against @WWESheamus, @RidgeWWE & Butch?!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/nMAMQFJuDR
— WWE (@WWE) May 21, 2022
Also, WWE is leaning into Sasha and Naomi walking out. Once again fully discussing it, mentioning that the pair have been suspended indefinitely and there will be a future women’s tag team championship tournament.
I feel like this will turn into an angle. Some other team wins the belts, and then Sasha and Naomi return, claiming the belts, and we have a interim title versus title match at SummerSlam.
Also, LA Knight popped up on TV, but he’s not LA Knight. His group isn’t Knight Model Management either.
He is now Max Dupri (Du…PREE!). And, in what will eventually be a miss, he now manages Maximum Male Models.
Also, he signed up via the since-fired Sonya Deville. So…stay tuned.
Overall lowlights:
I hate that something so significant was tainted by outside interference…but we all knew it was coming.
How long the Bloodline holds all that gold? Remains to be seen.
At this rate, when do they bring in two female cousins to go after the women’s tag belts? Or get Solo from NXT for the mid-card titles?
Overall highlights:
They are the top heels in the business for a reason. I may hate how it happened…but they are supposed to be hated, and they got heat tonight.
So while I put the “how” as a lowlight, the match and the execution is spot on.
And, it sets up Roman’s summer, basically.
After the final bell:
It was a good, but predictable show.
Anyone who knows pro wrestling could have seen this coming once Riddle crushed his knee into The Tribal Chief’s face.
So, I think it loses a point or two on it’s rating, only because the ending was predictable.
What would have been much cooler would have been someone other than Reigns or Heyman (or, as it happened, both) causing the tainted finish.
Like, have Solo Sikoa come up…or have a legacy Bloodline family member pop in. We all knew The Usos were winning, and Reigns was expected to help…but a curve is always nice.
