2 weeks Ago By Mario Mungia, Fights Around The World
SmackDown was live in Sacramento, CA, and the show kicked off with The Bloodline tearing through security posted at the entrance of the Golden 1 Center. The Bloodline, more specifically Jacob Fatu , ‘super kicked’ his way into the building after a security guard attempted to ‘pat him down’—a routine aspect of the job, typically. With ‘ Bad Blood ’ fight week commencing in less than 72 hours, it was important to focus on the theme fans can expect in Atlanta, Georgia.
At Bad Blood, Cody Will Bleed Bad/Roman Shares Georgia Ring w/Rhodes, Leaves Gold In The Dust When Bad Blood was first announced, it was done with a cinematic promotional vignette including WWE champ Cody Rhodes and Hip-Hop star Metro Boomin. The vignette did not make a ton of sense, but it was figured the narrative would become clear as we got closer to the show—it was a fair assumption, considering the video ends with a caption suggesting a continuity-filled part two for later release. Now, there is reason to doubt that ‘creative’ maintained any consistent narrative or plans to tie together videos.
It is a shame if that is the case, but luckily, the second cinematic video promo was done well, better, regardless of Metro Boomin’s place in it all—nobody was expecting Drake to further divide lines and ramp up the feud, but at least reveal the intention for the ‘stakeout.’ In this package, we saw Roman Reigns standing in the stadium of his alma mater of Georgia Tech, where he played football. There were Easter eggs in this package, some subtle, like Roman’s seven cars representing the seven members of his family currently in the WWE, and some not-so-subtle ones like Cody Rhodes vowing to bleed.
They spoke of family and the ‘multiple generations’ that make Georgia a multi-layered setting on the backdrop of a genuine ‘blood feud.’ However, it was Cody’s dialogue that was interesting, considering Roman is the one fighting with his actual family, yet both men are forced to blend their separate family histories throughout the industry into a single unit. On the verge of an expiring AEW contract, does Dustin Rhodes show to assist his brother and his brother’s ‘extended family?’ If you are in charge of storytelling inside the creative hive that is WWE booking, then it is hard to beat an ending that gives BAD BLOOD some ‘good blood.
’ “This is your field, but this is my home,” Cody said intensely. Roman reminded Cody that he has everything to lose and signed up to fight against a Bloodline with ‘nothing to lose.’ Roman said he was ‘a man with no country,’ insisting that the pressure is all on Cody now that Roman is now a factionless leader.
After both men rattled off everything that’s been taken from them, they seemed hellbent on taking everything from the man standing in front of them. As difficult as it was to see these two men uniting positively, Cody asked Roman for his ‘word,’ and it was given. Unfortunately, it ended with both of them all but affirming an eventual trilogy.
Roman ended the promo by telling Cody Rhodes he was “in his way in life.” Owens Getting What He Has Coming? After the terrific cinematic video package, Kevin Owens was asked his opinion, and he simply walked off without uttering a word. However, he did get on the mic before The Bloodline started to beat on him, and then DIY came to even the odds.
This led to SmackDown GM booking a six-man tag between Bloodline and DIY with KO, but those plans changed after The Bloodline took out Ciampa and Gargano. KO was ready to fight anyway, but thankfully, Street Profits came to KO’s aid. The match was meant to get over Fatu and Tongas, and they somehow felt more formidable minus Solo, but the match culminated in DIY coming back out after KO and Profits were laid out.
They did not help much and a week away from the go-home episode and what was solidified on this show—Cody and Roman will need more help than what is currently offered by the WWE roster. They need some ‘new blood’ real bad. Andrade—The United States Mex-He-Can? Andrade returned to WWE earlier this year at the Royal Rumble, but it did not feel like he had made a true impact until the lead-up to Money In The Bank—an event that Andrade performed so well in despite not winning the briefcase that it launched a meaningful feud with Carmelo Hayes.
The pair wrestled a few TV matches before they were booked in a number one contender’s match in singles action (a rare move in today’s wrestling where overbooking a “shot at a shot” with triple threats, four-ways, and, of course, gimmicks like MITB or Elimination Chamber. Andrade defeated Hayes and received his shot against US champion LA Knight in a terrifically booked TV match that was also both the first segment and action of the night. WWE must be credited with how they have opened RAW/SmackDown since the Triple H era ramped up, and after last week’s world championship cage match opener, it shows the belief that the company has in Knight and Andrade to be expected to produce a match with comparable action/entertainment to that of Cody vs.
Solo. Without Roman Reigns to lean on, Knight and Andrade delivered the second consecutive week of ‘attention-grabbing’ TV from the jump. The crowd was heavily invested, and while Knight retained, Andrade looked good in the loss with a couple of very close near-falls.
After the match and upon returning from the break, Andrade, seen in the back reeling from the loss and showing the repercussions of such a physical match, was confronted by Hayes in an interaction that will certainly continue their rivalry. As for Owen’s place in this storyline, he has been on the verge of turning on Cody since their ‘friendly’ match at ‘Bash in Berlin.’ Without being able to get his words off his chest, his frustration will only grow, and an eye needs to be kept on his place in all of this.
At the end of the show, Cody came out with a chair to make the save for the faces, but after clearing the ring KO ended up with the chair in his hands with Cody’s back to him. It was another ‘almost turn’ and while it is difficult to see KO align with the current Bloodline, it is also worth noting Owen’s long history of turning on those considered his closest confidants. This article first appeared on Fights Around The World and was syndicated with permission.
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