WWE SmackDown Live – June 25, 2019 (Review)

The Worst of SmackDown Live

It Should’ve Been… Literally Anyone Else

SmackDown Live opened with a whole lot of jibber-jabber this week. Shane talked about Roman Reigns and the Undertaker in a backstage segment. A short time later, Kofi took to the ring to talk about Samoa Joe. And then, just when I thought we’d gotten rid of him, Dolph Ziggler interrupted to do some talking of his own. I swear this awful feud will outlive us all. We’ll all be in our 80s, still griping about the latest Dolph / Kofi bout (which will likely be another 2-out-of-3 falls match the way things are going).

.@SamoaJoe isn't the only Superstar @TrueKofi should be thinking about, because @HEELZiggler isn't finished with the #WWEChampion! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/w2eMh5eMX1

— WWE (@WWE) June 26, 2019

Anyway, Dolph said some things about how he was cheated out of the title at Stomping Grounds and should be WWE Champion. I still have no clue what Ziggler babbles about each week. He finally ended his refrain by announcing that he would once again be facing Kofi in a 2-out-of-3 falls contest later in the night, with the proviso that if he wins that match, he would be added to the pay-per-view contest between Kingston and Samoa Joe at Extreme Rules.

We then cut to Miz searching for Shane McMahon backstage, but finding Elias instead. Some more talking ensued between the two men, and Miz stormed off just as Shane emerged from his locker room. After learning from Elias that Miz was looking for a match against him, Shane looked to accommodate the request… provided Miz could beat Elias.

If @mikethemiz wants to settle his "unfinished business" with @ShaneMcMahon, he has to go through @IAmEliasWWE first… in a #2OutOf3Falls Match! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/vM5tNcy7WD

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) June 26, 2019

Oh, and that match would also be 2-out-of-3 falls. Am I living in the bloody Twilight Zone?

Tag Team Chumps

Less than 24 hours after The New Day pinned Daniel Bryan on Raw, they repeated the feat on SmackDown Live. Just as the match ended though, Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens ran down to attack Xavier Woods and Big E. That pairing was however quickly intercepted by Heavy Machinery, who cleared the ring of all four heels.

CHARGE!!!!

An #8ManTag Match of @FightOwensFight & @SamiZayn and @WWEDanielBryan & @ERICKROWAN vs. @WWEBigE & @XavierWoodsPhD and @tuckerwwe & @otiswwe is coming your way RIGHT NOW! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/SWjXNNg564

— WWE (@WWE) June 26, 2019

This mess of humanity could apparently only be sorted out by an 8-man tag match, which was won by the babyface contingent when Heavy Machinery nailed Sami with the Compactor.

So Bryan & Rowan were effectively beaten twice in quick succession (and once the night before). That’s B-Team levels of inefficiency, folks!

I have no idea why WWE seems so intent on burying its tag team champions, but they couldn’t possibly be doing a better job if they tried. Presumably this is leading to some form of triple threat tag match between the aforesaid champions, The New Day and Heavy Machinery. But why should anyone invest in that match? If Bryan & Rowan lose, it’ll just be another in a long line. On the other hand, if they somehow retain, it’ll make their challengers look incompetent.

STEAKS, WEIGHTS, and PANCAKES! 🥩🏋️🥞@WWEBigE @XavierWoodsPhD @otiswwe & @tuckerwwe prevail on #SDLive! pic.twitter.com/Hg390ZD2GW

— WWE (@WWE) June 26, 2019

Championship Rematches

Nikki Cross somehow managed to book herself into a match against Bayley, with the kicker that victory over the SmackDown Women’s Champion would secure a title rematch for her mentor and best friend, Alexa Bliss.

It always bugs me when characters have no personal aspirations of their own. It leaves them without agency, thus largely invalidating their presence on the show. Now, you may say, this is exactly like when Xavier Woods and Big E ran the gauntlet to secure Kofi’s title shot at WrestleMania. And that’s true, except A) I didn’t like that either, and B) New Day didn’t book themselves into that match on Kofi’s behalf.

But either way, Cross managed to pin the champion with a surprise rollup. And then she ran around ringside, overcome with excitement to tell Alexa what she’d done for her.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzJ5pE3BLw8/

So two weeks on, we’re in the exact same position we were in two weeks ago. My head hurts.

The 24/7 Confusion

R-Truth stumbled upon a rather crestfallen Drake Maverick backstage, who was clearly still struggling to reconcile the emotional trauma he’s suffered in the last week. Feigning sympathy for him, Truth offered up his 24/7 Championship. This momentary glimmer of hope was painfully ripped away however, when Truth revealed that this was no more than a cruel practical joke. He then scampered off as the usual bunch of goobers magically materialised to chase him.

Who is the babyface here? Because Maverick appears to be just a sympathetic, down-on-his-luck chap, while Truth came off as a real jerk. He ruined the man’s wedding, for goodness sake!

A New Intercontinental Challenger

Finn Bálor was being interviewed about who he expected to challenge for the Intercontinental Title. It took me a while to realise that the reason he was being asked was because he was the champion. Clean forgot that rather important point.

"Who's next for #ICChampion @FinnBalor?"

ENTER: The #KingOfStrongStyle @ShinsukeN.#SDLive pic.twitter.com/C2fZ6QwCZq

— WWE (@WWE) June 26, 2019

Regardless, Nakamura showed up and ‘too sweeted’ the belt, apparently answering the challenge. Soooo… that’s a championship program now? Still a better way to start a feud than slapping a Switch out of someone’s hands, I guess. Speaking of which…

A Worthwhile Payoff

After a month of build, Sonya Deville beat Ember Moon in about two minutes curtesy of a distraction by Mandy Rose. And then the victorious pair possibly teased a bit a romantic angle. That’s about all I’ve got to say about that.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzJ6iwYhW2g/

• review
• SmackDown Live
• Extreme Rules
• wwe

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