It is the final SmackDown In A Nutshell before SummerSlam. This time, we get to see just how WWE gets from Phoenix to Sin City.
If you weren’t paying attention, that would be the city SmackDown is in…to the city that SummerSlam is in.
OK, enough about that…what kind of a go-home show do we have this week?
Well, it’s logically all about that final hype. Edge and Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and John Cena.
Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks even. Maybe.
That one has been in an odd state all week…so hopefully this SmackDown In A Nutshell sheds some light on how those two make it from Phoenix to Sin City.
Or, if they make it from Phoenix to Sin City.
For Bianca’s sake, you hope the match happens…big show, big defense and all that.
But, SummerSlam isn’t just about one match…there’s plenty more to discuss.
So let’s get into…
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SmackDown In A Nutshell: From Phoenix To Sin City
It’s time to crack open this Nutshell and have some pre-Sin City fun!
Best Match of the night:
Not a match tonight.
Going with the Reigns-Cena promo.
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Last time around, there were mixed grades-some loved, some hated.
This time, I think it hit all the right notes.
Plus…they ALMOST got physical. I mean, Reigns did try to give Cena an FU perhaps…but then Cena rolled him up and bailed.
Honorable mention to Seth Rollins and Edge. Good work on that hype too.
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Worst match of the night:
There are choices here.
The Mysterio-Uso match just isn’t doing it for me. We all expect someone turning, father or son…but that probably won’t help.
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Zelina Vega and Carmella, on any other show, get jobber nods here. Instead, they both lost to the champ, and in wickedly short matches.
Crowd Chants of the Night:
CM Punk. Oh wait…wrong show.
Star of the Night
Give me the top top stars.
Roman Reigns. John Cena.
Seth Rollins. Edge.
Spot of the Night:
I kinda have to go with the dousing of Seth Rollins by Edge.
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Not sure what that liquid was…but it made Rollins turn basically black. Had to be fun to clean up.
Honestly, when I saw the flames, I figured something more diabolical. Silly me.
* THE BROOD THEME MUSIC PLAYS *
????#SmackDown @WWERollins @EdgeRatedR pic.twitter.com/ygB1wZGKLj
— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2021
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Jobber of the Night:
Apollo Crews.
Why? Because I don’t think we’ve seen Ric Boogz, as Ric Boogz, wrestle on the main roster shows.
And in his first match (I believe?), he tags with Nakamura…and HE gets the winning pinfall.
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Upset of the Night:
See above. I mean…Boogz pinning Crews did it for me.
Not shocked that his team won. Just surprised it was Boogz that did the honors.
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
Based on all the buzz and reports leading up to this SmackDown, I was pretty sure the match wouldn’t happen.
It may still be cancelled, called off, scrubbed or whatever you want to call it. Card subject to change and all that.
However, Bianca worked this show, and WWE is still hyping it…or did on SmackDown.
Also…Natalya is back. Quickly, after a rough ankle injury.
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WWE thought so highly of her rushing back…they had her take the loss in a non-title match. Ouch!
Noteworthy Moment:
Well, Roman Reigns upped the stakes a wee bit for SummerSlam.
As the show was coming to a close…Reigns, tired of Cena’s talk, raised the stakes.
He said either he leaves Las Vegas as the Universal Champion. Or he leaves WWE.
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It’s a big claim, for sure.
Now, it’s worth analyzing for a moment. He didn’t say SmackDown, he said WWE.
So I can’t even say “oh, the draft is coming very soon, it’s WWE’s way of dropping him to RAW”.
Not that long ago, with Ric Flair heading to AEW, I felt there was a good shot Cena would get a title win to break that record.
Now…not so sure.
Overall lowlights:
It was a mix of a show. Some really good…and some not so much.
We started strong. It ended strong.
Some of that middle was forgettable.
Not feeling what’s going on with Rey and Dom, even if we’ve had that feud rumored for a while.
The blue brand women’s division isn’t exactly deep, and you have Banks not there, plus you basically job out two of your only other female Superstars?
Upside, I guess that confirms SmackDown will get Becky.
Overall highlights:
This one felt like a much tighter, much more effective go-home show…for parts.
The promos were the key. Edge opened with a strong one.
Rollins answered…then Edge got the last word.
Roman Reigns and John Cena capped the show in a big way.
After the final bell:
With SummerSlam in less than 24 hours, we now know how the blue brand is making it from Phoenix to Sin City.
In a bit of breaking walls…and in the first time I’ve ever done this…this was not the best show on Friday.
Anyone who pays attention to all pro wrestling knows what happened in Chicago. No one at WWE reads this (I am willing to bet).
However…the energy in THAT crowd was a very noticeable difference from the one in Phoenix.
Vince may say AEW is not competition. The reality is…they are, and it’s hard to think they aren’t in a great spot right now.
However, the focus is on this SmackDown In A Nutshell, and all about shifting from Phoenix to Sin City.
SummerSlam is Saturday. We shall see if WWE can give us a big summer show.
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