Ups & Downs: WWE SmackDown Review (Apr 19)

Our WWE SmackDown review as Simon Miller recaps AJ Styles vs. LA Knight, Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa's bloody beatdown of Kevin Owens, new Tag Team Championship belts, Santos Escobar vs. Carlito, Bayley vs. Naomi and much more.
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[@mattotterpop]

Just a theory, but Solo wearing the black polo with the chain like the Rock did in the infamous 90s mem pic of him just feels like a nod to the Final Boss being the new Tribal Chief.

[@porrrto]

Solo hasn’t once made a statement or gave a hint that he is the new Tribal Chief .. he just ignores Paul in a way the lends credence to your theory.

[@user-wy7pc5mu2q]

@@porrrtoRoman Reigns anointed Solo as the Tribal Heir months ago

[@ShieldYoung]

Yes and Rock did not lose only Roman and Jey did I will go mad if we'll see Roman, Usos and Sami vs The Rock, Solo, Tama, and one more member

[@porrrto]

@@user-wy7pc5mu2qthat doesn’t mean he is the TC…the parallel storyline with Roman and rock was intentional… I liken solo like Nate in Ted lasso… thinks he’s ready but will learn the hard way that he has a lot to learn

[@teejay3698]

Solo is the new tribal chief

[@ampbains]

"Dressed like Tetris" Simon, give yourself a golden up. LMAO.

[@biglou3830]

Lol my mom in law actually said the same thing about naomi. when we watched smackdown

[@GrimR3ap3r86]

The new WWE Tag Team Championship belts look AWESOME!!!

[@tomseville2345]

*Because* they look like the 80's-2002 WWF tag belts...

[@pt5728]

The WWE tag belts look beautiful and are honestly my favourite tag belts I’ve seen from WWE. And honestly people are being to harsh on the World tag belts, everyone can have their opinion but they were also great to me.

[@ShieldYoung]

I agree

[@mrdude88]

These looks like the old tag title but with the big WW on it. The older title that looks similar to this witbout the big WW looks better.

[@nakiabrent]

This looks like Simon is holding ups and downs in the firefly funhouse!

[@jamesb5764]

If puppets start appearing out nowhere, I’m out.

[@SixWinsWrestling]

Yowie Wowie!

[@ludwigvanbubthoven5692]

I was expecting to see Huskus the Pig Boy.

[@teejay3698]

Follow the buzzards

[@Kono_D._Oda]

Its goofy wrestling for life

[@nickmesogianes4638]

Solo's segment gets the golden up for me. He's remained silent for two years, and is starting to settle into a mega main event heel

[@CharlieMyrkr]

Between Rikishi, Tama, Jey and Jimmy… they might be the worst drivers in wrestling history

[@ollieox1975]

No, just the drunkest. 🍺🥃🍻🍾🍷🍸

[@CharlieMyrkr]

@@ollieox1975 just waiting on them to make Jeff Hardy an honorary Use 😂😂

[@scottflaman2114]

Those New WWE Tag Team Championships are the best belts in WWE hands down! They look amazing! Totally not what I was expecting!!!!

[@ourladyofguadalupebotanica6732]

Gets rid of the 'Sports Entertainment' feel. That's the main thing.

[@Algo1]

@@ourladyofguadalupebotanica6732 yeah, the previous batch looked like plastic or bad leather

[@ShieldYoung]

One of Bests in the whole industry

[@scottflaman2114]

@@ShieldYoung sucks that the tag belts look better then the actual Main Titles.

[@ShieldYoung]

@@scottflaman2114 but it's not the end of the world they are still good looking and the stories are going good do I'm not mad

[@justingraham2678]

I like this new storyline with the Bloodline! Looks like we are gearing up for a Solo vs Roman match at some point!

[@aijazahmed04]

I like the part where Simon mentioned "the tag sounded Gooong".. Please bring it back

[@elex621]

Nick Aldis is such a good GM, he doesn’t take shit from anyone, not even the bloodline. He fuckin cooked Heyman in the parking lot

[@kennyhudson9201]

Aldis vs. Solo at Summerslam?

[@rileythestickman]

It’s called acting

[@jamesaditya5254]

@@rileythestickman well, all the other GMs from days past should've learn how to act

[@sethmussey9166]

Giving the end of this ep a down is the most I’ve disagreed with you Simon in years! Perfect ending and push Tiffy Time to the moon.

[@joshuamuhammad8462]

I got saying smackdown like "smack-a-down" and using gestures hand getsures while saying it from Simon😂

[@lifeasafanpodcast9529]

Solo looks like he's in the non-main event mafia😅😅

[@EdgeVStriker]

The brown down in all this goes to Veer Mahaan being let go as well because there will be no more “Veer is coming to Raw” jokes.

[@Bayareasuperfans]

AJ Styles wrestled Dusty Rhodes on TNA in 2003. It would be fun to have AJ wrestle Cody

[@cdmit27]

Well that's what we're getting so let the fun begin!

[@Bayareasuperfans]

@@cdmit27 *grabs popcorn*

[@tomseville2345]

Cody and AJ passed each other when they both left WWE/TNA in the mid-2010's; AJ was in WWE just before Cody quit the same year and hit the indies/Japan and later help form AEW. AJ would *for sure* have been on Cody's list to work with in that period, had AJ himself not gone to WWE...

[@tomseville2345]

He also faced Dustin in TNA, so this is really cool...

[@robcampion9917]

With how brutal the new Bloodline is I think they replace Heyman with Haku as the new wise man.

[@cadendicky1855]

And then Heyman allies with Bron Breakker I guess?

[@talemwakaheru5831]

Does Haku have a wise gimmick or is he also a berserker?

[@robcampion9917]

@@cadendicky1855 Or stay with Roman when he comes back.

[@robcampion9917]

@@talemwakaheru5831 Haku can be Haku.

[@erictaylor9049]

Or bring in Jim Cornette. Both him and Paul have a huge history together. And they never got to finish their rival story

[@CH-ju8zt]

😂I have a feeling your shirt will be an episode of next season's It's Always Sunny.

[@jeffwurtz2538]

When Solo came out dressed to the nines I thought it was going to be a Men's Wearhouse ad like we saw so many times on Raw.

[@dirtymcnuggets9933]

The thing is the LWO VS Legado Del Phantasma was not resolved at Mania, First Dragon Lee was chosen over Carlito to be Rey's tag partner after Carlito saved Rey at Fastlane, Then with Lee injured Carlito is passed over for Andrade as Reys tag team partner, Carlito is starting to feel just like Santos, a disrespected 3rd wheel.

[@mr.lamont1420]

This story needs more life

[@Cyrribrae]

@@mr.lamont1420 Sure. But even Simon has been booking it to not end lol. It's pretty obvious that Rey wants a latino soap opera within WWE programming. They want to bring people into this ongoing narrative that lasts for a long time and keeps people on TV. And while it's certainly not reached the heights of the Bloodline, that doesn't mean there isn't still a lot of life in it once you navigate the slow period. Andrade was just introduced to the Latino Cinematic Universe. Carlito's heel turn could be the next major story beat. Clearly, Rey vs Dom will continue to underpin a lot of this. The pieces are there and there are moments where it's clear that this can work. Maybe they could do with a break, where each goes after different things before coming back together. But they're setting up for Backlash, so that's not happening yet.

[@RaghavanN]

Legado are now involved in a feud with the Pride following last week's triple threat match.Better they end the LWO feud and move ahead with that.

[@ashtonyoshi6811]

Happy 4 20 everyone!!

[@milaninter2442]

Don't do drugs.

[@RaghavanN]

Happy RVD Day🎉

[@ChrisLT]

Heyman completely losing control of Solo has been a pretty great turn.

[@raoulk35]

I liked when GM Nick called them A Clown Under

[@qaylarceus8385]

AJ Styles "Mr. TNA" vs Cody Rhodes "Mr. AEW" - Bullet Club still dominate

[@guerrero520]

Aldis runs a tight ship. Like a strict principle. Whereas Pearce is like a substitute teacher trying to control a class full of wild high schoolers. 😂

[@RaghavanN]

At this point,the Bloodline storyline has just got interesting with.Solo taking over and is building up for Civil War 2.0 eventually ending at WM41 with Roman vs Rock.

[@Ronfost89]

I don't think there will be any debate on these new tag belts, everyone seems to like them.

[@johnshort5830]

Lol, they aren't the new tag team champions, they're the number one contenders.

[@SiddharthChakravarthyS]

AJ styles vs cody rhodes is a dream match, i never thought i would say this, 10 years back if you'd have asked me, i would've said what, looking at Cody's persona back in the day and AJ's absense from the mainstream

[@redneckjedi]

That dropkick powerbomb combo looked super dangerous. Was almost dropped directly on his head

[@imakebeatsLF]

Happy 420 everyone

[@SUPREMERoyale]

Love u, Simon, but debuting the Smackdown titles on Raw wouldn’t make much sense considering the brands are still split and there’s even a draft next week. It’s best to do these reveals separately, imo. Besides, the two teams deserved their own moments to bask in their respective victories.

[@ronald-xs7sp]

Good morning, Simon!

[@rivanianx]

Xia Li was shown in the segment about the upcoming battle royal on RAW for the Women's title. Minutes later she was fired.

[@CourtnutThatsMe]

I am loving the new bloodline stuff. Paul Heyman and Solo Sioka are playing it perfectly!

[@bobbydelacroix1515]

Those new belts are TOO GOOD OMFG!!!

[@zackwojno9039]

I wish I could say this is the first time I came early this morning

[@killasabre1683]

This is the best comment I've seen all day lmfao

[@mlevo1011]

Didn't we all already?

[@Kreux21]

😂

[@nickkaragiannis1021]

Paul Heymann doing the one sign with his left hand

[@richhill4703]

So did Solo

[@frankhoward6645]

Hello Simon gotta say those tag team titles look incredible plus the match between Aj Styles & LA Knight was good should be a fun match when aj faces Cody at Backlash plus Tonga destroying KO was crazy & I kinda thought Tiffany was gonna get involved in the women's title match should be interesting going forward

[@aguyfromnewzealand3392]

MFT = Mutha Flubber Tribemate 🤔😆

[@catlawyerwilldefendfortrea6038]

I hope the Payback title defence ends in a different way than LA attacking AJ. I know Cody will win but I really don't want LA vs AJ go on forever.

[@joserolon4444]

When a Babyface fights a Babyface it's awkward because you don't know who to root for.. When a heel fights a heel it's awkward because you hope they beat the crap out of each other

[@dannyaraya8017]

either way you hope your fave wins. everyone has a fave heel

[@calebdodoo9965]

Tama should start cutting promos. This dude is fire on the mic.

[@tombstonerforever9374]

Five releases for the new era.

[@Barry80Elms]

Good as all jobbers…

[@aguyfromnewzealand3392]

​@@Barry80Elms 😆😆😆

[@Bman32x]

@@Barry80Elmsyou need jobbers to lose. Otherwise your midcarders and even some stars have to take up that job

[@phillyrepresenter]

This Bloodline story is pretty good! So many different possibilities on angles!

[@KingRooney89]

This makes me think the new WWE title belt is going to be glorious as it will have sign-off from HHH AND Cody

[@jeremyrounds6821]

Simon must have met Negative Nancy whole touring over here in the States. I get the impatience about a Carlito heel turn but give it time. Match was a weak up but an up nonetheless. Also disagree with the tiffy down. Yeah I want to see some clear Bails wins too but this builds heat for tiffy

[@NottyGurlStyle]

I'm loving Solo taking over and its soo funny to see him checking on Heyman to make sure he has his finger up 😂😂😂😂 I also can't wait to how Jimmy crawls back to his brother but its good they wtite him off for a bit so Jey could have his solo moment as a singles star. Lmao Tiffany coming out of know where had me cracking up and now she's growing on me little by little. I could see her doing the Mean Girls thing with everyone. I high key want to see her against Rhea but all in time.

[@andrewsilcox2084]

I love the WWE tag belts, nice refreshing look. The World tag belts though, look like someone made them using quality street wrappers 😂😂

[@timwright3218]

The camera work on Solo where it follows him from the promo booth out beyond the curtains and down the aisle really made Solo feel like a big f'ing deal.

[@BobbyCrosthwaite]

As usual Simon your always gonna be the boat so u Will get the GOLDEN UP

[@persecutedkamwendo3955]

Its always sunny on whatculture

[@kennyhudson9201]

Imagine if HHH was running WWE for the last 20 years. Nexus would have won everything. Wade Barrett would have beat Cena and be an all timer. Especially if he evolved into Bad News with the world title.

[@dannyaraya8017]

Bray Wyatt woulda won more of his matches

[@chriscollins550]

The Nexus was a bad story anyway, and the best thing was them losing. Wade Barrett never felt like a main event top star, and again, losing to cena was the best choice. If triple h would have booked it like you said, it would have been the worst booking in wrestling history.

[@kennyhudson9201]

@@chriscollins550 You are corny. Only a Vince fan would think such rubbish. Away with you swine.

[@weldontucker3435]

I need the Street Profits to use the 'heel' theme when it's time for the championship match. They're already over as faces; a change in themes won't change that

[@jaredking5646]

Simon you are the best

[@RobertScribner-vs3do]

Wow. I heart the vengaboys reference!

[@MrSHADOWANGEL999]

Bloody fantastic

[@hiphappy1292]

I couldn't find any meme about AJ's entrance. I need to laugh along with Simon

[@johnshort5830]

Right before the double crossbody between Naomi and Bayley, you can hear Bales loudly yell the spot a la Cena.

[@booksrdevinkevin]

Philly loves Simon shirt

[@ddjsoyenby]

loving the new tag team championships.

[@kennyhall9117]

SIMON IS THE BEST, SIMON NUMBER ONE 👏👏

[@Papzishhh1]

Bayley's matches ALWAYS ALWAYS have shenanigans. I tuned in midway and I knew immediately not yo expect a clean finish

[@Part-TimePanda]

I love Tyler Bate and that he's brought stuff back like the point-and-punch (I can't think of a good name) and the airplane spin, but it also makes me miss Tajiri and his modified underarm airplane spin - the way he could spin opponents off at the end like a frisbee was amazing. I love the seeming callback to the Rikishi, "I did it for The Rock" drive-by, this time by Tama Tonga on K.O. Carlito, Indi Hartwell, Cameron Grime and Alba Fyre currently top my list of wrestlers I love that WWE just doesn't know how to book right now, and it's crushing. Is Grimes even alive? Was he in the car with KO?

[@corneliuswesley6617]

The tag team with jinder hit released too

[@nathanjones7926]

I hope all the old belts get replaced over the next few weeks!

[@nhatvphan]

If this leads to Bloodline vs Samoan Dynasty storyline, I’m here for it.

[@joecole6875]

Cody told Stone Cold that AJ was his dream match.

[@numero1superfly393]

WWE Rematch Counter: 65

[@DashCat9]

"There's the crime counter. You're not allowed to do that!".

[@tomseville2345]

Fans were stone dead for Carlito vs Santos; they so clearly know it was meant to be Carlito who attacked Dragon; unless Triple H actually chooses to listen as he is capable of (unlike his father-in-law), and pivots to make it someone surprising...

[@blueblue6187]

Bit out of context but if Cody vs. Rock main events one night of wrestlemania 41 what would you guys think of Roman vs. Punk being the other?

[@kennethbressler3451]

an ups and downs from the Firefly Funhouse..? Yowie Wowie!!

[@matthewhostetter8974]

A solid Smackdown from top to bottom, really only hindered by the announcements of releases during the show. AJ and LA Knight started off hot, with AJ being the right winner. Solo's new Bloodline looks great and Tama Tonga is made to look like a monster with the beatdown of KO and good use of blood. The new WWE Tag Team titles are a thing of beautiful and one of the best-looking titles around. A nice homage to the classic 80-90s still with a modern twist. Which lead to a banger of a 4-way Tag match with the Street Profits winning. Santos and Carlito put on a solid match which will lead to Carlito's eventual heel turn. We set up Jade and "Super" Bianca vs Damage CTRL for the tag titles, sadly we already know the outcome of that, but I hope it isn't a complete squash. Finally, Bayley and Naomi had a solid match being spoiled by TIFFY TIME! I don't see Bayley's reign being a long one, but Tiffany will be a champion sooner than later.

[@BL4CKPANTH3R77]

WWE from me will always get a golden up and a new one from me a Diamond Up, WWE Rules the wrestling world

[@RedHoodFH]

2 weeks since I've seen an RKO... withdrawals

[@donaldbenjamin8342]

Funny how wins and loses don't matter, but matter. 😂❤

[@MickeysMenu]

Did anyone else fill sad watching solo try to cut a promo I almost cried at how sad this was and then Kevin Owens with the most fake blood as you could possibly ever see I hope Hunter fixes this mess bad

[@juliencaron3048]

The posters last night were crazy. Aj cycles, I missed when we booed Cody, I’m a no yeet girl

[@anibal5845]

Both new Tag belt designs are great, but the WWE Tag Belts are better designed than the World Tag Belts, no contest. I insist the World design would have been better served with a strap shaped like the Raw Tag Belts.

[@Barry80Elms]

Them new tag team titles look like old ones from the 90’s mixed with abit of ruthless aggression era 👍🏼… Look better then the RAW ones…

[@jimforehand7571]

Honestly I'm not surprised that the Bailey and Naomi match ended in a disqualification I am surprised however that it was Tiffany Stratton that interfered. I was expecting the ladies from up there in the Skybox to start fighting each other and that somehow spill out into the ring

[@jacobgalloway545]

Where's the golden up? I think the solo promo should have gotten a golden up

[@residentsteve]

I do like the WWE tag titles but just like the IC it needs some colour. I kinda prefer the world tag titles more tbh.

[@EKANI51]

I was just about to say those new tag team titles need a little bit of color like the ones in the 80s and 90s. Maybe they’ll be altered as time goes on.

[@kennyhudson9201]

@@EKANI51 If they had the blue of the old ones they would look perfect. The lack of color is a minus.

[@devoncottman428]

I wanna believe MFT stands for My Family Ties

[@SsBrohan]

Crime counter goin crazy

[@crankarianwoods]

I like both new belts. Obviously the wwe tag belts look really good the world tag belts aren’t awful but I wish they looked less like the men and women’s world title. Overall good new belts

[@qaylarceus8385]

We're in the era where the Tag Team Championship Belt is look more prestigious than WWE Champion Belt

[@Bman32x]

It will change, that I’m very certain. It’s the last remnant of Vince’s influence.

[@individual7922]

In the last couple of weeks KZbin hiding Ups and Downs from me!

[@bbsy1]

Originally I thought let Solo grow a little more, but screw it, he is ready now.

[@dustinkern5273]

Am I the only one wondering why so many super stars get Pyro but LA Knight doesn't?

[@trevourbowen9894]

Why do I feel like you're in the Firefly Funhouse?

[@dewyorkciti532]

Solo been taking orders for years, now it’s time to see what happens when he gives the orders.

[@johndoiron9615]

It's Tiffy Time!

[@Gary_Youtube1]

I miss my tribal chief.....been saying this since wm night two

[@0PhillMC0]

Anyone notice all the "fireflies" during smackdown? I think it was during the tag match

[@tomseville2345]

I did. What was the cue they gave the fans during the match? It might be setting up Rowan and Braun or Bo/Howdy himself teaming with one of them to challenge Grayson/Austin or attack The Final Testament, The Pride or Legado and start a faction war, with Alexa to take on Scarlett, B-FAB and/or Elektra...

[@ModestlyAmazing]

The thing is, we always wanted Roman, he was just never there most of the time 😂

[@frankrappa4765]

What if MFT stands for something simple like "my friend Tama"?

[@ARTPLAYSGAMES86]

I would be very interested to see a AJ Styles major heel turn and win the title in a very nasty way.

[@fallonanddavidbrown6397]

Love the savagery they are letting the new bloodline have. Reminds me of the ol school Samoans. Hope they real go for it here. Think they missed a chance not showing the cars crashing together tho js