Okay, so WWE is officially leaning *hard* into the “soap opera” aspect of wrestling, and honestly? It’s working. This Smackdown wasn’t about wrestling moves; it was about manufactured drama and setting up storylines for Elimination Chamber and, ultimately, WrestleMania. The Cody Rhodes/Drew McIntyre feud is the engine driving everything, and the fact that they’re willing to let Cody come across as genuinely unhinged – referencing being nicknamed “Raheem” – shows they’re letting him play a character, not just recite talking points.
- The continued emphasis on CM Punk and Roman Reigns as the measuring sticks for everyone else is a smart way to elevate the stakes. It’s a classic “everyone wants to beat the best” narrative.
- The booking of Jade Cargill and Jordynne Grace is…interesting. They’re clearly positioning Cargill as the dominant force, but the constant friction with Grace feels less like a natural rivalry and more like a calculated attempt to generate heat.
- Randy Orton getting the win in the triple threat feels safe. Very safe. It’s a reminder that even with all the new faces, WWE still defaults to its established stars.
Let’s talk about Aldis. He’s playing the role of the exasperated boss, trying to maintain control while these larger-than-life personalities run wild. The storyline with Cody needing to qualify for the Elimination Chamber feels contrived, but it’s a necessary evil to build tension. It’s a classic wrestling trope: make the hero jump through hoops to prove his worth. The fact that Jacob Fatu is now in the mix adds another layer of chaos. WWE is clearly hoping to capitalize on Fatu’s momentum and position him as a credible threat to McIntyre.
The Kit Wilson character continues to be…a choice. It’s a very deliberate attempt to tap into the online discourse around masculinity, and while it’s getting attention, it feels a little forced. The quick squash match with Oba Femi was a way to establish Femi as a dominant force, but it also underscored how little WWE seems to value nuanced character work. It’s a very “internet is talking about this, let’s do it” kind of angle.
And then there’s the whole Jade Cargill/Jordynne Grace dynamic. It’s a power struggle disguised as a tag team. The constant bickering is a clear signal that they’re headed for a collision course, and WWE is milking it for all it’s worth. The decision to have Grace win the tag match feels like a way to elevate her status without actually giving her a clean win over Cargill. It’s a subtle but effective way to maintain the illusion of Cargill’s dominance.
Overall, this Smackdown was a solid piece of wrestling storytelling. It wasn’t groundbreaking, but it was effective. WWE is playing the long game, building towards WrestleMania with a series of carefully crafted storylines and character arcs. The question is whether they can maintain this momentum and deliver a payoff that lives up to the hype. The move to Syfy for the next two weeks is a curious one, but the advertised lineup suggests they’re not treating it as a throwaway period. They’re actually doubling down. We’ll see if it pays off.
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