SMACKDOWN LIVE SUPERTHREAD

Said before they needed a midcard title for the women. I assume there'll be an IC title revealed next week as well.

Candice put her hand up for the high five still. I'd say she could be a possible first US champ. Just hope it goes to one of the women not usually in the main title picture.

Guess the rumours of Nakamura been released were a bit premature

Well I didn't expect Reed for Solo, will it be Rollins for Reigns or Heyman to return with Punk?

Is Candice with Tiffany now part of Nia's posse?

I would have thought it might be better to split The Street Profits more than DIY and as above yes not again for Ciampa vs. Gargano

I'm in the minority it looks like. I'm actually into a Ciampa/Gargano feud. A lot of their NXT stuff was great, it's been years since they feuded and never on main roster and as a tag team they've run their course, I'm all for it.

Don't think a fifth is needed but if you're gonna do it glad to see Bronson get the rub, good fit.

Nakamura returning is interesting, new look too.

Lesnar?

Rollins seems a given but if it was Punk opposite Reed that would be Punk getting in Rollins' way…

And then Rock comes out at the end and gives the Solo Bloodline some shred of legitimacy. Please?

With Rollins feuding with Reed, and Reed now with Solo, think it's gotta be Rollins with OG Bloodline alright… also makes more sense with his unnecessarily over the top "I will never ever ever team with Roman again!". That felt like a setup for circumstances to change.

In general, this whole Bloodline feud thing feels really really mishandled to me. We spent ages spinning wheels going absolutely nowhere, and now that they are moving, it's kinda just stuff happening for the sake of it. I hate Sami being back with them so easily, it just seems totally unearned. Like, it's kind of being sold as "this new Bloodline are even worse than the old one!" - except, they're just not. They don't really do anything. They just float around, and give a bit of hassle to Roman and the lads, but fck all else. They have no gold, and don't even really throw their weight around.

IMO this should have been built up with them being absolute tyrants — at the very least, the Tonga's should have the tag titles, and Fatu should have the US title, and they should be refusing to defend their titles, and interfering in other matches the whole time. It should feel like they're out of control, which then justifies Jey rejoining Jimmy, and even more-so Sami rejoining Roman despite everything that was done to him.

As it stands, it all just feels like stuff happening 'cause someone wrote it, rather than actually motivating it.

That could've worked, if they just stuck to Roman and the USO's, but it totally falls apart for me with Sami. To me it actually feels like it's kinda undermining the best story they've told over the past 2 years. Sami coming to realise he was just being gaslit, manipulated, and controlled, and would never be a part of the family, and finally at breaking point turning against Roman is the best bit of storytelling they've done in a long time… taking a kinda jokey initial story and building real emotional stakes out of it. But now after all that, he's the one back having to convince Roman to accept him?

Maybe it could've worked the other way, if Roman went grovelling to Sami and over a few weeks convinced him, but as it is it just makes Sami look bad and a bit stupid. I'm just finding it very hard to buy into any of it.

Thought that was a good Smackdown.

The decent showing for Blair Davenport and B-Fab last week is exactly why the mid-card title is worth having. Delighted for Chelsea to get the win (wouldn't mind her winning tbh). Jade being laid out felt big and was a great image, wonder who did it. You'd assume Wargames opponents but maybe not. With her not being cleared for Smackdown, does that mean she won't make Wargames either? Wonder who slots into the triple threat too. Lots of intrigue added from this alone.

LA Knight vs Shinsuke could be great. Liked the promo from Nakamura (especially the transition back to the arena, was that AI art though?). The turnbuckle to the kinshasha to the neck was ruthless.

Owens/Cody has been really solid so far and Owens as a heel again is long overdue. I might be the only one who is happy with a Gargano/Ciampa re-run but here we are.

Had Punk joining spoiled for me but even though I was thinking it, seeing it happen is great. Who knows how long Punk is gonna be around and getting him in a Wargames is a must. They Heyman connection makes sense and seeing as he missed most of the Bloodline stuff he has no beef with them. Also having him take a spot that Seth was offered can help their feud and even getting him in the same ring as Roman can help build a future story. I dig it! Definitely over Seth getting included.

My prediction was right just a week earlier than I thought haha

Your execution was better, Loughc, eye em oh.

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Personally, Solo should never have declared himself Tribal Chief, he should have just never denied it and people assumed. So when The Rock is back, it can be a given that Solo went from Reigns to tha Final Boss the moment Rhodes won at WM.

In the meantime, Solo's Bloodline is this seemingly uncontrollable Shield-esque chaos until The Rock shows up as the puppet master all along.

And please give Camacho his personality eye patch back.

I'm finding all the WWE factions a bit toothless at the moment except for the OG Bloodline. Though I could have done without the silliness of a 4on4 gang war suddenly needing a fifth guy because the gimmick PPV decided to adjust the rules this year.

If only there was a guy in a position of power who could dictate this exact kind of change that benefits Solo and keeps Reigns on the backfoot…

I've seen some on line speculation that as Heyman had red, he will turn and side with Solo, as red is Solo's colour, I hope not as I like the wise man with Roman

KO spot on is his promo with Cody but what about Sami?

Could Bianca have attacked Jade earlier

Return in the rumble maybe