Friday Night SmackDown! heads to the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, tonight with two championship matches, a Street Fight, and another chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the MFTs and Bakusai. With Crown Jewel just two weeks away, the World Wrestling Federation has plenty of unfinished business, and tonight’s show should help establish where several of those stories are heading.
The women’s division takes center stage this week, with three of the four advertised matches featuring the ladies. Chelsea Green puts the WWF Women’s Championship on the line against Roxanne Perez. Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley make their first defense of the WWF Women’s Tag Team Championship, and Giulia looks for revenge against Blake Monroe in a Street Fight.
Meanwhile, Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki get another opportunity to battle the WWF Tag Team Champions, Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga, although the titles won’t be on the line.
Let’s take a look at what’s on tap for tonight’s SmackDown.
WWF Women’s Championship: Chelsea Green (c) vs. Roxanne Perez
Chelsea Green’s reign as WWF Women’s Champion faces another serious test tonight when she defends the championship against Roxanne Perez.
Perez earned the opportunity by defeating Green in a non-title match on Monday Night RAW, thanks in part to interference from Judgment Day. Now the former NXT Women’s Champion has an opportunity to repeat that victory with the championship at stake.
For Green, the timing couldn’t be much worse. She’s already scheduled to face Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan at Crown Jewel on November 7, but that match becomes considerably more complicated if she loses her championship tonight.
Roxanne is a talented young wrestler who has already proven she can compete with the best women in the company. Chelsea, meanwhile, has developed into one of the most entertaining personalities on the roster, and I’d like to see her continue getting opportunities to establish herself as a credible champion.
Of course, with Judgment Day involved, I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody decides to interfere again. Hopefully, Chelsea and Roxanne get an opportunity to settle things inside the ring without half the locker room getting involved.
Street Fight: Giulia vs. Blake Monroe
Giulia and Blake Monroe have been at each other’s throats for months, and tonight they’ll finally get an opportunity to settle their differences in a Street Fight.
Monroe defeated Giulia in her SmackDown in-ring debut on October 2, but that victory did little to resolve the hostility between them. Their rivalry has continued escalating, and General Manager Nick Aldis has decided that the best solution is to remove the usual rules and let them fight.
Sounds reasonable enough to me.
Giulia is one of the most intense competitors in the women’s division, and a Street Fight should suit her aggressive style. Blake Monroe has proven herself equally willing to get physical, so I don’t expect either woman to approach this like an ordinary wrestling match.
The stipulation also gives both competitors an opportunity to show a different side of themselves. Giulia will be looking for revenge, while Monroe has a chance to establish that her earlier victory wasn’t a fluke.
This could very well steal the show if they’re given enough time.
WWF Women’s Tag Team Championship: Alexa Bliss & Tatum Paxley (c) vs. Michin & B-Fab
New Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley make their first championship defense tonight against Michin and B-Fab.
Bliss and Paxley captured the titles from Fatal Influence after Charlotte Flair was taken out of action, forcing a last-minute change of plans that resulted in Bliss becoming Tatum’s partner. What began as an unexpected pairing has now produced championship gold, and tonight they’ll attempt to prove that their victory wasn’t simply a lucky break.
Their challengers have plenty of reasons to want those championships. Michin and B-Fab were involved in the attack that prevented Charlotte from competing, and now they have an opportunity to take the titles away from the women who benefited from her absence.
I actually like the pairing of Bliss and Paxley. Both have unusual personalities, and there’s potential for some entertaining character work alongside the wrestling. Whether they’ll develop into a lasting championship team remains to be seen.
As for Michin and B-Fab, this is a chance to make a significant statement. Defeating the new champions in their first defense would immediately shake up the women’s tag team division.
Personally, I’d rather see Bliss and Paxley get an opportunity to establish themselves before another title change, but we’ll see what happens.
The MFTs vs. Bakusai — Non-Title Tag Team Match
WWF Tag Team Champions Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga will face Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki in another encounter between the MFTs and Bakusai.
Haku will accompany the champions to ringside, adding another intimidating presence to an already dangerous team.
Nakamura and Kyoki have been pursuing the MFTs for some time, and tonight gives them another opportunity to demonstrate that they deserve a championship match.
Unfortunately, the championships won’t actually be on the line.
I’ve never been particularly enthusiastic about champions wrestling potential challengers in non-title matches. If Nakamura and Kyoki win, they’ll presumably earn another match against the same opponents, only this time with the belts at stake. If the champions win, we’re essentially back where we started.
That said, Nakamura is an excellent wrestler, and the history between these competitors gives the rivalry some substance. I’m interested in seeing how Bakusai works together against a team with the size and power of the MFTs.
Hopefully, we get a decisive finish that actually moves the rivalry forward.
The Road to Crown Jewel Continues
Beyond the announced matches, several major storylines remain unresolved as Crown Jewel approaches.
Undisputed WWF Champion Sami Zayn is preparing for his championship confrontation with Roman Reigns, while United States Champion Trick Williams has also been making his presence felt in the world title picture.
Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton have their own increasingly personal issues, and CM Punk, Kevin Owens, Gunther, and several other major stars remain part of the larger SmackDown landscape.
Not all of these wrestlers have been announced for matches tonight, but with only two weeks remaining before Crown Jewel, I’d expect some additional developments as the company continues assembling the pay-per-view card.
Stinger’s View
I have to give SmackDown credit for something right away: they’ve actually announced four matches in advance, including two championship defenses and a Street Fight. That’s a pretty decent lineup for a weekly television show.
The women’s division is clearly getting the spotlight tonight, and I have no complaints about that. Chelsea Green against Roxanne Perez should be entertaining, while Giulia and Blake Monroe have the potential to deliver a particularly physical Street Fight.
I’m also interested in seeing how Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley develop as champions. It’s an unusual partnership, but sometimes those are the combinations that end up working surprisingly well.
The MFTs against Bakusai should be solid, although I’d prefer to see the champions defending their titles instead of wrestling another non-title match against the same opponents. Apparently, making somebody beat the champions before earning a championship opportunity is becoming contagious.
And with Crown Jewel approaching, I’m hoping we get some meaningful developments involving Sami Zayn, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and Randy Orton. Those stories need to keep progressing, but I’d rather see them develop naturally than have another chaotic ending involving everybody running to the ring.
Overall, tonight’s SmackDown has the makings of a good show. The women have been given three significant matches, the tag team division has a rivalry worth following, and the road to Crown Jewel gives everything a little extra importance.
My most anticipated match: Giulia vs. Blake Monroe in the Street Fight.
WWF SmackDown airs tonight at 7 p.m. CT on the USA Network.
