SmackDown Reminds Us What a Go Home Show Is for Money in the Bank...

How’s It Going, Enthusiasts!

 

This Friday treating you well? The excitement is on a slow boil because with the state of the wrestling world as it is presently, there’s going to be a lot of waiting and seeing for the rest of the year. Call it the beauty of honest competition. With AEW finally breaching a million viewers on Wednesday, WWE has to make sure AEW stays 2^nd. Whether anyone likes it or not, WWE inadvertently forced its own hand. It’s smarten up or get left behind.

 

But before we get into all that, let’s chat about what’s wafting through the grapevine. To start, some happy news as the longtime bachelor in Sheamus has decided to settle down with his lady love in Isabella Revilla. I’m quite happy for the couple. May their lives together be blessed. Congratulations to them!

 

What you don’t need me to tell you is that this has been an exciting week because it alludes to fans being at shows again. We now are all on the same page about how necessary having a live audience is for a sporting event. Our reactions are what make the whole thing worthwhile. Our cheers validate. Our boos or disinterest do just the same. This is all about generating interest and attention and who would be looking? Are they trying to lure in packs of wolves? This is all about building our interest. So, take note of how WWE proceeds. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with them being a “heel” company. It’s totally fine if they want to be an emblem of corporate greed and represent, to some degree, selling out as long as they keep it all in context. This will be what’s interesting to watch going forward. Will they be able to sell the joke or will they lose the plot? AEW will never be bothered if WWE trips up. Let’s see if they steady themselves.

 

Someone who seems to be “doing his job” is Roman Reigns. He’s taken it upon himself to spout some nonsense about having the It factor and being the only one keeping the WWE afloat in these unprecedented times. This is classic heel talk and there’s nothing wrong with Reigns embracing it. All I would say is don’t read too much into it. I’m pretty sure this is all just character development so, if you think he’s taken one too many hits, you may have misplaced that proverbial script. The entire roster should be having as much fun with all this as they can. That’s the point of this. Wrestlers should build and display their personas so we, the fans, can get a good look at them and see whether they’re worth a damn. Are they fun to watch? Super talented? Let us see it so we can make a decision. We all know WWE isn’t short on talent, it’s ideas they have trouble with.  

 

The current case and point is Goldberg being knocked around to face Bobby Lashley for Summer Slam. Hopefully, that’s a plan B or even better, C in case they can’t get Lesnar. Just thinking about it, I’d prefer Bray Wyatt to Goldberg. I say Wyatt because you need a believable opponent for Lashley. Wyatt may not be MMA material but he’s thick/dense as hell. He’s believable. I’d rather he return but as Wyatt, none of that Fiend shit. It’s just not tailored for live entertainment. It asks too much. Write the script and see what happens when WWE Studios lights back up. In the meantime, he should rethink Bray Wyatt. A deranged zealot always goes further than figments of the imagination.

  

I could go on, but I’d just be rambling. I prefer my rants and tirades to be more inspired. So, that brings us to tonight’s SmackDown. Fans are back and the difference is obvious. That’s a great start. These truths are what are going to turn things around for WWE. They can no longer solely dictate the narrative. They have to offer the narrative, see how it’s accepted and adjust accordingly. Never underestimate their desire to stay on the top of the heap. Call it pride. Call it seniority. Call it whatever you want but no one aims to lose face. WWE put itself in a position where they have to prove it understands what that means. If they don’t, they lose fans and it’s now official, they can’t afford that. This is what moves mountains, my friends. For this evening, we can expect Roman Reigns with cousins Jey & Jimmy Uso at his side for a customary 6-Man-Tag with Edge & his extended family in Rey & Dominik Mysterio. The Men of Money of the Bank will have a precursory Fatal-4-Way and the Ladies in Bianca BelAir & Carmella will box at some point for the Women’s Title. Don’t forget, it’s a Go-Home Show. Funny tweets and Likes get retweeted. God save the fans 😉 Have fun tonight!

 

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)