Here are my Smackdown Thoughts, Facts & Stats:
But first,
here's my Facts & Stats looking at the 2024 Royal Rumble. Both the Royal Rumble PPV Page & the Royal Rumble Match Page are updated with the 2024 Results. Because of this, I still haven't done my Preview for NXT Vengeance Day, but that should be done tomorrow with 24 hours ahead of the event on Sunday.
Wade Barrett VS Corey Graves are the 1st ever Broadcast Team made up a former Intercontinental Champion & an NXT Tag Team & 24/7 Champion.
Logan Paul's promo was awful. Kevin Owens couldn't save it at all. Hopefully, if they wrestle again, it will be better than their Royal Rumble Match.
Kevin Owens VS Austin Theory was a really good match. Logan Paul was brutal on commentary. FACTS: This was Kevin Owens' 1st Smackdown match & opener since January 5. This was Austin Theory's 2nd week in a row on Smackdown & his 1st Smackdown opener of 2024. This was the 6th 1-on-1 Match between them after Raw on January 31, 2022, February 7, 2022, September 5, 2022, September 19, 2022, & Smackdown on October 27, 2023 & December 15, 2023, with Owens winning their last 4 matches with Theory only winning the 1st match.
Rhea Ripley's on Smackdown. Interesting.
Good video on Naomi. It makes sense that Naomi signed with Smackdown. Wow Smackdown is now Tiffy-Time. Tiffany Stratton has moved to Smackdown. She deserves it.
Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne VS Legado Del Fantasma VS The LWO VS Pretty Deadly was awesome. I love the idea of the 2 Qualifiers on Smackdown & Raw with the Winners facing The Judgment Day at Elimination Chamber. FACTS: This was the 2nd Fatal 4-Way Match of 2024, the 1st since NXT on January 16, but 1st on the main roster & 1st Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match of 2024. This was Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne's 1st Smackdown since January 19 & their 1st Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match as a team. This was Angel & Humberto's 1st Smackdown since January 19 & their 3rd Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match in their Career & 1st since they lost to The Family at No Mercy on September 30, 2023, giving them a Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match Record of 0-3-1. This was Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde's 1st Smackdown since January 19 & 1st ever Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match in their Career. This was Elton Prince & Kit Wilson's 1st Smackdown since January 19 & their 3rd Fatal 4-Way Match in their Career, the 1st since they lost to Gallus at Vengeance Day on February 4, 2023, giving them a Fatal 4-Way Record of 2-2-0. I forgot to mention Del Toro & Wilde are the 1st wrestlers of 2024 to wrestle on NXT & Smackdown in the same week.
Wow. Poor Bayley.
Awesome video using Seth Rollins' promo for Cody Rhodes Excellent segment. I didn't think The Kabuki Warriors & IYO SKY would turn on Bayley that quick. And where's Dakota Kai? Bayley VS IYO will be awesome. Bayley finally gets her 1st 1-on-1 Match at WrestleMania
Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits VS The Final Testament was a fun brawl. I thought we would get a match so here are the facts about it. I like B-Fab finally being used to balance Scarlett. FACTS: This was the 3rd 6-Man Tag Team Match of 2024 & 1st since Smackdown on January 19. This was Bobby Lashley's 1st Smackdown of 2024, 1st since he lost to Santos Escobar on December 22, 2023, Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford's 1st Smackdown since they lost to The Judgment Day on November 24, 2023, & their 1st 6-Man Tag Team Match since they lost to The LWO at Fastlane on October 7, 2023. This was Karrion Kross' 1st Smackdown of 2024 & 1st since he lost to Bobby Lashley on December 8, 2023 & his 1st 6-Man Tag Team Match in his Career. This was Akam & Rezar's 1st WWE match since they & Murphy & Seth Rollins defeated The Street Profits & The Viking Raiders on Raw on March 9, 2020, their 1st Smackdown match in their Career & their 1st 6-Man Tag Team Match since they & Murphy lost to Kevin Owens & The Viking Raiders by DQ on Raw on February 17, 2020.
What a busy night for Nick Aldis. If Bron Breakker signs with Smackdown, he will be the 1st Steiner to wrestle on Smackdown. I'm excited to see where he goes. Also an appearance by Jade Cargill.
Michin VS Tiffany Stratton was excellent. Tiffany really shined in her Smackdown debut. Michin was a great opponent for her. I can't wait to see how Tiffany fares against the rest of the Smackdown Women's Division. (It's stacked (I hate using that word talking about women). FACTS: This was Michin's 1st Smackdown match since she lost to IYO SKY on January 5 & her 1st Smackdown main event of 2024. This was Tiffany Stratton's Smackdown debut & 1st Smackdown main event.
This was the 1st Smackdown of 2024 that didn't have a match or an appearance by LA Knight, Randy Orton, & AJ Styles.
Good week of WWE ahead of us, with Vengeance Day, Raw, NXT begins the build to Stand & Deliver, & Smackdown.
No matter who Cody chooses, we are guaranteed to get the 16th match to take place multiple times at WrestleMania, but if it's Rhodes VS Reigns, it will be the 6th match to take place back-to-back: Hogan VS Andre (WM 3 & IV), Hart VS Yokozuna (WM 9 & 10), Hardys VS Christian & Edge VS Dudleys (WM 16 & 17), Sheamus VS Bryan (WM 27 & 28), & Cena VS Rock (WM 28 & 29).
Excellent Roman Reigns' promo. Unbelievable Cody Rhodes' promo. And The Rock was incredible. I got goosebumps too like him. As much as I want to see Rock VS Reigns at WrestleMania, it doesn't make sense for Rhodes to step aside. His Royal Rumble win only gives him 1 match at Mania. So, if he's going to wrestle Rollins at Mania, he can't face Reigns at another time like he said. What a stupid way to end Smackdown. Now, we have to wait for the WrestleMania Press Event on Thursday.
Tonight was the 1st Smackdown of 2024 that LA Knight, Randy Orton, or AJ Styles wrestled on it.
Here are my Smackdown Match Rankings:
1) Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne VS The LWO VS Legado Del Fantasma VS Pretty Deadly
2) Michin VS Tiffany Stratton
3) Kevin Owens VS Austin Theory
Hank & Tank VS Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe was a good match between 4 big hosses. FACTS: This was Tank Ledger & Hank Walker's 1st Level Up since they lost to Charlie Dempsey & Damon Kemp on January 19 & their 1st Level Up opener of 2024. This was Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe's 1st Level Up match & opener of 2024 & their 1st match since they lost to Gallus on November 10, 2023. This was the 2nd 2-on-2 Match between them since Level Up on August 25, 2023, which was won by Hank & Tank. This was Hank & Tank's 1st win since they defeated Dupont & Igwe on Level Up on August 25, 2023.
I missed Brooks Jensen's promo.
Carlee Bright VS Blair Davenport was a solid match.
FACTS: This was Carlee Bright's 1st Level Up since January 19. This was Blair Davenport's 1st Level Up match & opener of 2024 & her 1st Level Up since she defeated Kelani Jordan on June 30, 2023.
Brooks Jensen VS Dante Chen was an OK match.
FACTS: This was Brooks Jensen's 1st Level Up since he lost to SCRYPTS on January 19. This was Dante Chen's 1st Level Up of 2024 & 1st Level Up since he lost to Oro Mensah on November 3, 2023.
Here are my Level Up Match Rankings:
1) Hank & Tank VS Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe
2) Carlee Bright VS Blair Davenport
3) Brooks Jensen VS Dante Chen
Exit 2 (Smackdown) on the Road To WrestleMania: Birmingham, AL was pretty good. The matches were solid. The ending was cool but stupid but will see how it plays out. Level Up was OK.
Next Stop: Exit 3 (RAW in St. Louis)
Ends Smackdown & Level Up Thoughts & Facts & Stats. For W/L Records, Facts, & Stats for everything that happened this week, check out
darrenswinloss.wordpress.com, which will be updated this weekend.
