SMACKDOWN LIVE SUPERTHREAD

Pentecost

Delighted for Sami to get a reception like that in his home town. He deserves it. Ole Ole!

CastorTroy

So do we think Sami is over with the fans?

I think if someone said this time last year that Sami would be getting advertised throughout the night to close the show as well as video packages, it would've been very very hard to believe.

He may have gotten a spot on something like MizTV or may have even still had a match with Roman, but would be a squash match and no one would be thinking "Could he actually do it?"

I think Moss needs a name change and maybe some reinvention.

Pentecost

I'm actually so invested in this Sami story. I know Sami is going to lose realistically, but damn I want him to win it. The roof would come off.

J. Marston

Jey will cost him and the boos will make the booing Roman got at the Rumble seem tame.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120257341#Comment_120257341

Exactly this.

Honestly was that the loudest pop in wrestling in years to Sami’s entrance? Delighted he got worlds apart theme back.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120257672#Comment_120257672

The Rumble chair shot was pretty loud too tbf.

Tonight is gonna be some gauntlet for Roman to run, Fox in the USA edited out the F U Roman chants last night.

Pentecost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120257672#Comment_120257672

Last one I heard like that was probably Punk's debut in AEW.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120257798#Comment_120257798

Probably last time AEW popped a rating as well.

ThePott

Damn, delighted for Sami and Worlds Apart is back too! I still don't know what I want to happen at EC, in fact I wonder if there's any one option that will make everyone happy. Regardless I think it'll be a moment that we'll look back on in years to come and question the decision whatever the decision is. Had the titles been split earlier they would have two surefire main event worthy matches ready for Cody and Sami.

Other Smackdown stuff. So Uncle Howdy is just an in-ring performer now? Bray and Brock, Jesus.

Obviously misunderstood last week cause I thought Moss was the opponent for EC, fair enough for him getting a chance to shine at least. Wonder what Gunther's Mania match is though.

Loughc

Gunther Sheamus Drew triple threat at mania for the title they reckon.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120259021#Comment_120259021

Yeah I dunno how Brock is gonna deal with the whole Bray smoke and mirrors wrestlecrap stuff. Be funny if he just ignored it all and smashed him 🤣

I'm the same regarding tonight I feel Sami 100% deserves this moment but I also sort of feel Cody needs to be the guy to finally stop Roman (wait till neither do it lol). I don't think there's any way of aligning both due to the make up of the belts which is a shame.

That being said Sami's match being in Montreal gives it probably as big a feel as him main eventing Mania tbh due to the home town stuff.

CastorTroy

Bray going to challenge both Bobby and Brock now?

JP Liz V1

Rhea and Dom coming tonight to Smackdown also Imperium vs. Braun Strowman, Ricochet and Madcap Moss, Karrion Kross vs. Rey Mysterio while Bray Wyatt hosts The Firefly Funhouse

Necro

Decent rebound after a poor enough Raw I thought. Then again Smackdown has for a long while felt much more structured and it's probably down to only being 2 hours instead of 3.

Dom is so so good since his heel turn and they're even somehow getting me invested in Rey slapping him silly eventually which I never thought possible.

Charlotte with the line of the night re: Andrade 😂

The Bloodline arc continues to be brilliant stuff too, was wondering would they ever address Jimmy turning on Sami so quickly after being his backer since it began. The tease of Jey and Sami against Jimmy and Solo is probably just that, a tease but it's intriguing nonetheless!

ThePott

Yeah pretty decent Smackdown alright. Mixed on a few things.

Charlotte and Dom was actually really good, one of the rare times I've enjoyed a Charlotte promo. Dom and Rey for Mania as a hair vs. mask match would be quality storyline wise too. Bloodline stuff is still great, very interested to see where it's going and still have no real idea. The Usos have done such a fantastic job performance wise and are always overlooked by Sami but they crushed it here.

Things I'm not so sure about. LA Knight against Kofi? Seems random, annoyed he lost and hope he gets a proper feud going into Mania, the guy is being squandered a little but people are really behind him.

Bray Wyatt, I think he's worn out his welcome with me officially for now until there's actually something worth latching on to. All these nonsense segments where we never get anything significant out of them. Is there a Wyatt 6? What's the deal with Uncle Howdy? Is he really going to feud with Lashley, God no. It feels like he's making it up as he goes and creepy packages and rambling promos aren't helping.

Loughc

Wyatt is equally as poor as alistar black for the rambling promos that go no where and they are both going no where fast in their respective organisations.

Necro

Ha, I actually skipped the Bray stuff I just have no time for it at all. Lashley isn't even a good promo guy like Knight was to carry the feud so it just seems bizarre unless, I guess its a way to bring back the Hurt Business to battle Bray and Howdy and a few of his puppets 🤣

But with MVP tied up with Omos Lesnar in another match absolutely nobody asked for it just seems pointless. Like 95% of Brays stuff tbh

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120287145#Comment_120287145

Vince is back baby haha

J. Marston

Jey has become proper main event level with this stuff.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120288525#Comment_120288525

Shame he will be stuck in tag team hell once he turns on Sami. I have no faith one the Sami storyline reaches its conclusion wwe will know how to book Jey going forward so they will do what they normally do. Uso/New Day matches.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120288567#Comment_120288567

Jey should be challenging Roman, have the storyline come full circle, I think like Street Profits, singles time for them and Usos

J. Marston

Some great babyfacin' and heelin' on Smackdown.

Rhea beats Liv. Kid doesn't take it well.

https://twitter.com/WrestleOps/status/1631831893099311104

Liv cheers her up...

https://twitter.com/womenswrestli17/status/1631864885872328706

Rhea takes the piss...

ThePott

That's amazing, a rollercoaster of emotion. Rhea changing her profile got me 😂.

Loved everything about that Smackdown pretty much.

Cody/Roman promo was excellent, leaning into the history with Dusty is a good call. My only concern is that the whole respect thing 4 weeks out might make the build lack intensity but I'm sure things can change between now and then.

Santos being involved in this story really elevates him for me, he's fantastic and this is a good rub for him, hope the rest of Legado isn't forgotten though. I will say even if Bray has cooled for me, Lashley just ignoring the spooky stuff and smashing Uncle Howdy was awesome.

That IC multi-man, inject it into my veins. Loved the Sheamus/Drew stuff, really intense and LA Knight needs to be on the show and think it could even be a change to show-off Kross as I think a multi-man can hide some of his weaknesses. Not sure it will be a ladder match but I'd love this at Mania.

The Bloodline stuff is still really captivating, The Usos possibly getting kicked from the Bloodline is a good hook and am wondering how this all pans out for the presumed tag match at Mania between them KO and Sami. Speaking of wouldn't mind Solo being thrown into that IC stuff but understand why he isn't.

EDIT - Apparently I missed them announcing a 5 man for next week to find an opponent, boo!

Necro

Yeah I was so annoyed when they announced the 5 man match next week, give us a good ol multi man match for Mania dammit!!

Other than the Ronda/Shayna stuff which I've no interest in it was a solid Smackdown. Loved Roman stealing Cody's usual opening line as well

CastorTroy

They're lucky people are invested in Cody. Could've easily had people chanting for Sami since he's so over.

Solo still undefeated?

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120312727#Comment_120312727

I hope people aren’t too invested in Cody as he’s not winning.

Lord TSC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120312727#Comment_120312727

The beauty of the story is that they’ve kept Sami and Cody’s motivations separate, and the Sami story vs the Bloodline hasn’t been pushed too far aside. When it came to Bryan’s push a few years ago, it was painfully obvious they didn’t want anything to do with Bryan’s popularity, and the fans had to fight for him.

Samis motivation is taking down the bloodline, and his story still is driving forward. Cody’s is winning the title, and that’s driving forward too.

I reckon Sami and KO take out the rest of the Bloodline at Mania, leaving Cody a fair one on one right vs Roman, which Roman hasn’t had to deal with for years. Cody beats him, Roman has a meltdown and they can keep running the Sami vs Bloodline story through to Summerslam. Although he isn’t in the title match at Mania, it’s clear they respect Sami’s story and are telling it brilliantly, so there’s really no need to turn on Cody.

JP Liz V1

Reigns is just on another level, that promo, his "Dusty" mimic just pure 🔥

JP Liz V1

Tonight’s show will be headlined by the Fatal 5 Way to determine the WrestleMania 39 opponent for IC champ Gunther. Xavier Woods is replacing the injured Kofi Kingston in the match, which will also include Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, LA Knight, and Karrion Kross.

PTH2009

Sheamus and Drew both win