SmackDown Picks Up the Pace for MITB....

How’s It Going, Enthusiasts?

It’s a busy Friday for me so this upcoming weekend will feel well-deserved. There’s not that much going on in the Wrestling World but there’s a little bit to chat about. Let’s get into it, shall we?

So, talk of CM Punk lingers. He made an appearance this week on AEW’s Dynamite calling out a few takers for Collision. However, rumors persist that backstage is still a shit show. Some say that it’s akin to a “ticking time bomb” so, I guess we’ll see. 

Personally, I would think that is the case by default? Taking back Punk you have to be prepared for some ish to go down from time to time. He’s a moody sort and so, inevitably, he’ll be caught in a mood and the subsequent pissyness will ensue. So, if Tony Khan wasn’t prepared for that, he’s just short-sighted. They have to have a game plan for when Punk is going to be bent out of shape and be ready to hammer him back into place, so to speak. 

In Punk adjacent news, April Mendez a.k.a. AJ Lee has been getting some lowkey press as she debuts her new physique. She attributes it to recent roles she has played, including a guest spot on the Starz show Heels for their second season. The other reason appears to be as defense against the inherent aches and pains that come with living a very active and physical lifestyle. She’s always been petite and it’s easy to get broken when that’s the case. I hope the changes have alleviated the problem and that she’s overall doing well. 

Wouldn’t mind if she returned to wrestling but it doesn’t seem to be a desire of hers at present. I don’t know how well she’d fit in with an AEW backdrop but I doubt they would refuse her should she want to return. The door is left open just a crack so, we’ll see if anyone ever approaches her with a tough offer to refuse.

In the WWE Universe, there’s not that much to report. Seth Rollins had his match on NXT and it helped with the ratings. Should mention that Punk’s debut on Collision was solid as well so, they’ll run with it until he blows up again 😉 I feel I should also mention that though it was said that changes were made to this week’s RAW, it appears to have been for the best as it gave Finn Bálor a chance to redeem himself and prove a force to be reckoned with. 

For this week’s SmackDown, word is that the Bloodline “Civil War” is about to commence. With Jey Uso having decided to stick to Jimmy, that leaves Roman Reigns with little recourse but to enforce repercussions with Solo Sikoa. We’ll see how they lead up to the showdown for next week. 

We can also expect to see some Money in the Bank Ladder Match lead-up as Butch, Santos Escobar and LA Knight have themselves a Triple Threat to see who should really get a shot at the MITB contract. Bayley will put her money where her mouth is against Shotzi Blackheart. And we’ll see the Women’s Tag Team Titles united as Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre throw their NXT Titles into the mix against Rounda Rousey and Shayna Baszler.

It should be an interesting show and I’ll be able to watch along with the rest of the West Coast. Again, was planning to be on the move tonight but again, plans changed. Now, I’m scheduled for next week and that will make watching MITB live a challenge. I’ll probably catch up later. Feel free to take your time with it anyway, it’s the weekend. 

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)