WWE Friday Night SmackDown Review: 16/05

The Bloodline Start the Show, Alexa Bliss VS Michin VS Chelsea Green: Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match

The Bloodline arrived to kick off this week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown as Solo Sikoa introduced JC Mateo to the WWE Universe! Solo said that if it wasn’t for JC, Jacob Fatu would’ve lost his United States Championship, and that’s why he wants to hear Jacob Fatu tell him that he loves him! However, Fatu’s response was pretty tame which bothered Sikoa, but nothing went any further as LA Knight appeared and attacked Mateo before he ran off! I missed Solo’s theme song!

Grade: C+

After B-Fab told The Secret Hervice that no one is allowed out at ringside, it was time for the opening match of the night as Alexa Bliss, Michin, and Chelsea Green battled to earn their way into the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match! This was a decent opening match, I thought the bits between Alexa and Chelsea were the standout moments, even though Michin is a good in-ring competitor! Late on, Alexa delivered Twisted Bliss to Michin, only for Chelsea to break the pin-up, but Bliss then returned the favour by pulling Mia Yim out of the ring after Green hit Unprettiher! Little Miss Bliss then caught Chelsea Green and delivered Sister Abigail to get the win and book her ticket to MITB!

Grade: C+

DIY VS FRAXIOM, Aleister Black VS Carmelo Hayes, Drew McIntyre Promo

We were then straight into the next match as DIY took on FRAXIOM! This was such a good match, this had proper NXT vibes which is very fitting given all four of these men starred on that show, and I enjoyed it a lot! The kickouts and near-falls were great, some of the strikes were so strong, the selling was on point, and it was just great to watch! These are the types of matches that Axiom and Nathan Frazer were putting on all the time in NXT, and I’d say this was definitely their best Main Roster match so far! In the end, FRAXIOM were able to get the win before DIY attacked them post-match, only for the Motor City Machine Guns to make the save!

Grade: B+

Rey Fenix and Andrade were chatting backstage before Solo Sikoa asked them if they’d seen LA Knight! The Street Profits then told FRAXIOM that they will get a shot at the WWE Tag Team Championships next week before R-Truth had a sit-down interview with Wade Barrett where he basically just praised John Cena the whole time and that whatever happens at Saturday Night’s Main Event, Truth will leave with his head held high! Damian Priest then had his own video promo where he challenged Drew McIntyre to a Steel Cage Match (for SNME) before we got Round 2 of Aleister Black VS Carmelo Hayes! I said last week that I felt both men were holding things back, and this was definitely an upgrade on last week’s encounter! The transitions were quicker and smoother, it was more entertaining, and it felt a lot more like it! However, I still think there’s a lot more to come between these two, that’s how highly I rate them both, and this match also ended in a disqualification after The Miz attacked Aleister from behind! Whilst Black was able to floor Miz with a Blackmass, Melo was the one who eventually stood tall following Nothin’ but Net!

Grade: B-

Alexa Bliss tried to speak to Charlotte Flair about being friends, but Charlotte was having none of it before Giulia walked out of Nick Aldis’ office as the newest member of the SmackDown roster! Drew McIntyre then came down to the ring to address Damian Priest’s challenge, and he talked about the fact that both men have been violent with each other for over a year now, but Damian is only relevant because of him! McIntyre accepted Priest’s challenge on the simple basis that he wants to put The Punisher down for good, and I’m actually most looking forward to this match at next week’s Saturday Night’s Main Event!

Grade: C+

Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Jimmy Uso VS Rey Fenix VS Solo Sikoa, JC Mateo VS LA Knight

Credit: Tuttowrestling

After Solo Sikoa passed Drew McIntyre in the entranceway, Solo attempted to qualify for this year’s Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match as he faced both Rey Fenix and Jimmy Uso! I thought Rey Fenix carried this match a lot, Jimmy and Solo had some decent moments, but it was Rey who really stood out here! Fenix has really impressed me since he joined WWE a month or so ago, and I think he would’ve been a great addition to this year’s MITB match! However, it wasn’t meant to be as after Solo dealt with Jimmy Uso, Sikoa nailed Fenix with a Samoan Spike to get the win and earn his place in Los Angeles!

Grade: C+

Following Solo Sikoa’s win, LA Knight showed up to once again start a brawl, and this led to Nick Aldis booking a one-on-one match between Knight and JC Mateo! This match wasn’t the best, it dragged on too long, it was just a bit dull honestly! It’s now a great look for the debuting JC Mateo, especially when you consider the impact that Jacob Fatu (and even Tama Tonga) made on their arrivals, but yeah, this was very missable! After about 15 minutes, JC was able to get the win, and despite that, it’s LA Knight who’s in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match next week!

Grade: C-

WWE Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton VS Nia Jax

Credit: Wrestling Noticias

After Santos Escobar told Angel to bring Berto home, and Shinsuke Nakamura cut a promo on his opponents in next week’s Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match, it was Main Event time as Tiffany Stratton put her WWE Women’s Championship on the line against Nia Jax! This was a really good match, whilst maybe not quite as good as the Tag Team match from earlier in the show, the drama here was superb! Nia dominated Tiffany for the most part, she was too powerful for the Champ, but Stratton was able to make a comeback as the contest progressed! Naomi showed up with a steel chair late on, but she was then dealt with by Jade Cargill, and this distracted Nia enough for Tiffany to hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but only for a 2 count! This is supposedly the first time that anyone has kicked out of the PME, and that’s a big deal! The even better part of this, though, is I genuinely brought into Jax winning the Title after she delivered an Annihilator, but Stratton geniusly put her hand on the rope! Eventually, The Center of the Universe was able to retain her Gold following a second Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but boy did Tiffy have to work for it!

Credit: Fightful

Grade: B