This week’s episode of “WWE SmackDown” felt like just another repetitive nod to a major event, a trend that has been common with the blue brand recently. There was little reason to be invested in the show, especially with a main event that turned out to be dull and somewhat disjointed.
Rhea Ripley reformed the Terror Twins alongside Damian Priest for a mixed tag team match against Zelina Vega and Aleister Black. It’s likely this was the goal when Vega was first brought into the ongoing Priest and Black rivalry, which actually started over three months ago in September. Honestly, the storyline itself was weak and underwhelming, and the match didn’t live up to any potential it might have had—quite the opposite, it was disappointing.
WWE did make an effort, but the match ended up being tedious and awkward in the worst ways. The tag team format itself was a limiting factor, as it forced wrestlers to be tagged out alternately, removing the energy and unpredictability that often make tag matches exciting. Consequently, neither team really connected or created memorable moments during the match.
Mixed tag team matches, which operate like two simultaneous singles matches, inherently come with restrictions. However, these limitations don’t have to stop a match from being competitive. In this case, the storyline felt hastily put together, with obvious flaws visible to everyone. No one realistically expected Black and Vega to win anyway.
To make matters worse, Black and Vega suffered a decisive defeat, but it didn’t seem more damaging to Ripley than to Vega. After Black broke Ripley’s pin, he was met with a headbutt that felt cartoonish in its villainy. Neither Priest nor Ripley really needed this feud, and Black and Vega didn’t deserve a storyline that ended in such a one-sided loss. Nothing significant has progressed during the past three months of this rivalry, and even now, there’s no certainty this feud will conclude. It should, but the drawn-out nature of this storyline has already wasted too much time.
— Written by Max Everett
Fan Take: This week’s SmackDown highlights the ongoing struggle WWE faces in keeping storylines fresh and engaging for viewers. For fans, it signals a need for more dynamic storytelling and matches that truly matter, which could revitalize interest and elevate the sport’s excitement in the long run.
