The last episode of “SmackDown” presented ups and downs, although it crowned a new champion and offered exciting moments.
Dragunov Crowned Champion
Ilja Dragunov, in his return, defeated Sami Zayn to conquer the WWE United States Championship. The match was intense and marked a high point in the event.
- Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defeated Zaria and Sol Ruca.
- Ilja Dragunov defeated Sami Zayn to become the new United States Champion.
- Motor City Machine Guns defeated Los Garza.
- Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes by disqualification.
Cody Rhodes: A New Villain?
Cody Rhodes showed a more aggressive side, using the championship as a weapon against McIntyre. This generated speculation about a possible character change towards the dark side. However, given his current role, this transformation seems unlikely.
Other Highlights
The rivalry between McIntyre and Rhodes remains unresolved, and a number one contender was not determined on “SmackDown.” Jacob Fatu suffered a backstage attack, preventing him from participating in the match for the contender spot.Dragunov returned to action after an injury. His victory over Zayn was surprising and opens up new possibilities, including a rivalry between Zayn and Sikoa. The MFTs have also generated conflicts with several wrestlers, which could lead to exciting matchups at Survivor Series: WarGames.Sami Zayn demonstrated his ability to deliver quality matches. Blake Monroe was present, observing Sol Ruca, whom he will challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship.The match between Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss against Zaria and Sol Ruca seemed rushed, diminishing the impact of the future NXT title match.
