SmackDown Doesn't Ask Questions. BackLash It Is...

How’s It Going, Enthusiasts.

Happy Friday! Well, there isn’t that much going on that I feel is discussion worthy but we should have enough to get the gist of what’s basically going on in the Wrestling World. Up for a brief chat? Let’s do it.

We’ll just take a quick stop in the Realm of AEW as Samoa Joe has basically taken it upon himself to solve the Jon Moxley problem. It seems to be effective so far, so that’s promising. The Future appears to be beginning to take shape so, we’ll let whatever comes may ‘cause it’s gonna be a bit before things get really interesting. Might as well let others get some action in the meantime. It all has to properly build. As they were.

In the WWE Universe, there’s some administrative business in motion as the periodic cuts affected staff this time around and the talent cuts just dropped. Those of note are Braun Strowman (again), Shayna Baszler and Dakota Kai. These aren't exactly shockers but still a little unfortunate.

Strowman seemed to be improving so, this seems a little disheartening. I thought they'd keep him on at least until Bronson Reed was healthy. Baszler I think was on the cusp for a while, but they needed a real ass-kicker in the Ladies Division. Yet, with the new kids coming up, I can see how WWE Brass could think it's time to go in a new direction. Kai may be the one that upsets fans most. She may not have gotten a real chance so, we'll see if she ever returns.

I'm thinking the ladies may have opportunities in AEW but if not there, there may be hope with the TNA partnership. Not sure what's next for Strowman but times as they are, I'm hoping they all land on their feet. This sort of news is always a downer but as They say, life goes on. We know WWE does this regularly. Every time, it's the same sense of *sigh* oh well...

In less depressing news, it appears that the Crown Jewel PPV will become an international PPV as Perth, Australia is the next destination. With Saudi Arabia set to host the Royal Rumble next year, Crown Jewel can now be shopped around. I think this is a good development. Whether WWE meant to or not, the international shows are a great insight into different cultures. We’re joined by our love of the pastime but distinguished by our ways of enjoying it. I’m all for the honest cultural exchange. It seems strangely necessary in these uncertain times. We need to be reminded of our general humanness from time to time. 

In other WWE news, if you’re wondering where CM Punk is every now and then, you can attribute future “beatdowns” to needing time to film the new horror series Revival set to debut on the SYFY network in June. Most of us already know that Punk could easily transition to Hollywood or the outskirts thereof. He gets what acting is about and is charismatic enough to not need to utilize much range. He just has to be believable which he can do. If he wants to see if he can get an Emmy like Uncle Edge, I wouldn’t stop him. He’s got the chops, just needs the right vehicle. We’ll see what happens but good luck to him in the meantime. 

And so, that pretty much brings us to tonight’s SmackDown. Next week is the Go Home week for BackLash so they need to lay down this tile pretty quick. We can expect Damian Priest to shift focus to LA Knight but I wouldn’t be surprised if Drew McIntyre crashes the party. Nia Jax is going to continue to exact her revenge on Tiffany Stratton. Aleister “Malakai” Black will get back into WWE rhythm courtesy of The Miz. And will get a Randy Orton vs. John Cena history lesson as we gear up for their last dance. 

Fridays are more by the book with SmackDown on network television. The unofficial watch party will start at 8pm PDT. Stop by if you don’t have anything else planned for the evening. There’s no shame in keeping things simple.

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)