It’s the SmackDown after WrestleMania, which featured all the fallout from Sunday night’s spectacle. As well as this, there was plenty of talk about who would be switching brands next week as part of the Superstar Shake-Up. Expect some shocks and surprises as I guide you through one hell of an eventful episode of SmackDown Live. Welcome to the most must-see Vulture Hound weekly review in history; welcome to… The SmackDown Review.
The commissioner, Shane McMahon, opened the show and praised the fans for helping make WrestleMania 34 a huge success. He went on to congratulate Daniel Bryan for his triumphant return and accepted his resignation as general manager. Shane’s first order of business was to announce the new Smackdown Live General Manager… Paige! After she made her way to the ring, she thanked the fans and said that she wanted to make this night special, so she announced Daniel Bryan’s first televised match in three years: against AJ Styles! Surely no one could spoil this moment…
The other stuff:
– After a back and forth match, The Usos eventually defeated the New Day. This means they are now the number one contenders for Bludgeon Brothers’ Smackdown Tag Team Championship. The match will take place at the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia.
– Naomi defeated Natalya with a split-legged moonsault.
– Backstage, Shinsuke Nakamura gave a somewhat sarcastic interview with Renee Young when she asked him why he attacked Styles after their match at WrestleMania. He followed this by saying, “sorry, me no speak English.”
– Charlotte Flair came to the ring to wonder who she’ll make magic in the ring with next, but she was interrupted by the debuting Iconic Duo, who mocked her. They attacked Flair inside and outside the ring. When the Australians departed, Carmella ran to the ring with a referee to cash in.
– It took the veteran referee, Mike Chioda, some time to fathom the situation but the briefcase was eventually cashed in. Carmella hit a superkick and pinned the weakened Flair to become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.
– There was a number one contenders triple threat match to determine who will face Jinder Mahal for the US title at Backlash. You’ll be delighted to know that Randy Orton will once again square off with Mahal after the Viper hit Roode with an RKO.
The main event:
I may have eluded to the fact earlier that surely no one could spoil this match Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles. Of course, someone did. And that someone was Shinsuke Nakamura. Near the end of the match, both Styles and Bryan were down, Nakamura got in the ring and delivered a Kinshasa to Bryan, then a low blow and a Kinshasa to Styles, followed by another low blow.
