Top three things we hated and loved about WWE SmackDown (May 10, 2024)

This weekend we got to know who Cody Rhodes will face at the WWE King and Queen of the Ring PLE

Following a successful WWE Backlash Premier Live Event (PLE) in Lyon, France, the May 10 (May 11 in India) filming of WWE’s blue brand, SmackDown, marked the official commencement of their next PLE in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 25 – WWE King and Queen of the Ring.

This week’s event included several Round 1 matchups in the King and Queen of the Ring tournament and the WWE Undisputed champion, Cody Rhodes, determining his next opponent. Notably, the presentation included a backstage piece that depicted the escalating tensions between the Bloodline faction.

So, let’s look at three things we hated and loved on WWE Smackdown this week

Three things that we hated on WWE SmackDown

Logan Paul getting a title shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship

The King and Queen of the Ring PLE is only 15 days away, and the Undisputed WWE Champion has no opponent. Instead of Wade Barrett, “SmackDown” General Manager Nick Aldis broke the devastating news. We quickly learned who will face Rhodes: Logan Paul.

Paul believes he is entitled to a crack at Cody Rhodes‘ crown and was given the opportunity. During the main event. In his pompousness, Paul stated that he intended to pin “The American Nightmare” in the center of the ring on the PRIME logo, which he obviously does.

Paul is the current US champion. Rhodes said that if he wins, he will become a Grand Slam champion. The US Championship is critical to making that happen, so that’s your narrative, I suppose. There are only a little more than two weeks to prepare for this match, so that explanation will be enough. Rhodes also mentioned that Paul relies on his brass knuckles to win matches and does not believe he can make it through one without them.

Undisputed WWE Champion @CodyRhodes goes head-to-head with United States Champion @LoganPaul in a Champion vs. Champion Match at #WWEKingAndQueen!🎟️: https://t.co/nra5pv8suT pic.twitter.com/7ldqwiFPzs

— WWE (@WWE) May 11, 2024

Hated the predictable storylines and results

The problem is that, while six King and Queen of the Ring first-round matches in one night is already a lot, especially after doing the same thing a few days earlier, it could be made more entertaining to watch by featuring interesting matchups between talented competitors, surprising finishes, and/or unexpected victories.

Having six of them, each with clear victors and endings gets tiresome quickly and seems incredibly repetitious on a two-hour event.

Randy Orton selling his leg injury

Two amazing male superstars, AJ Styles and Randy Orton, faced off in the opening round of the King of the Ring competition. Orton tweaked his knee sometime during the bout, and it created a weakness that Styles exploited… wait, where have we heard this before?

To be clear, kayfabe knee spots are not an issue. They’re a little simplistic, but they get the job done and, when done well, may offer another dimension to a match’s tale. It’s the fact that the same knee area was utilized twice in a row with no improvement the second time around. It’s not like a modified knee spot could even be developed upon—it’s really simple and has limited uses—so why even attempt to sell?

THE VIPER ADVANCES 🐍 @RandyOrton advances in the #WWEKingAndQueen Tournament! 👑 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/iLb9gotabz

— WWE (@WWE) May 11, 2024

Three things we loved in WWE SmackDown

Carmelo Hayes got a good win

Hayes’ segment with Baron Corbin, in which Hayes emerged triumphant, was noteworthy. The match itself was a fascinating encounter that, in retrospect, was a fantastic representation of their journey from “NXT” to the main roster. The two recently met in the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Classic finals, and their encounter was a fun throwback to their time on “NXT.”

Corbin was the underdog — a previously washed-up veteran of the business who completely reinvented himself, both in “NXT” and now on “SmackDown” — and he put up a good fight against Carmelo Hayes, who is the cocky and scrappy newcomer on both shows looking to leave not just a name for himself, but a legacy that will be remembered for generations.

Jade Cargill comes like a storm

My admiration for Jade Cargill has no boundaries, but watching someone realistic and convincing give her a run for her money in a solid match was something I truly loved on tonight’s “SmackDown.” Of course, what I enjoyed most about today was Cargill’s victory and advancement in the Queen of the Ring event, but the journey we took tonight was fantastic and delightful.

That may have been Cargill’s off night, or Piper Niven was the dance partner she needed to get back on track or both, but whatever it was, it worked and resonated for me today.

Bianca Belair and Candice LaRae had a good match

The battle was strong! You’d expect that from Belair and LeRae, who worked together during a pretty good time for the “WWE NXT” women’s division, but they haven’t really worked together on the main roster, and given how quickly Belair has been pushed (in contrast to LeRae, who continues to be criminally underutilized), it’s easy to forget that they were peers and had great chemistry together.

But they do, and it was on show Friday night, even in the three minutes or less that LeRae is usually permitted to wrestle.

EXCLUSIVE: After a loss to @BiancaBelairWWE in the #WWEKingAndQueen Tournament, @CandiceLeRae and @indi_hartwell are further outraged when no one comes to interview them. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/mslFTMQSx0

— WWE (@WWE) May 11, 2024

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