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Live from ThunderDome!
The Headliner
Sasha Banks defends her SmackDown Women’s title against Nia Jax tonight. Banks & her WrestleMania 37 challenger Bianca Belair will challenge Jax & Shayna Baszler for the WWE Women’s Tag Team championship on Sunday at Fastlane. Carmella’s former sommelier Reginald has a crush on Sasha, is currently being pampered by Nia in exchange for his “services”, and will certainly be a factor in both matches - as he has been in almost everything The Boss has done this year.
Sound like an overly complicated build to what should be pretty straightforward showdown between The Blueprint and The EST at the Showcase of the Immortals?
If your answer is “yes”, you’re not alone. Take it away Corey Graves...
“Could not be any further out as it pertains to the tag team title match. Sasha and Bianca don’t need it. Two mega stars, this is one of the matches that is simple. Just let it be! It’s fine, Sasha Banks arguably the best female performer in the world right now, Bianca Belair is not there yet, but guess what? You know what will put her a hell of a lot closer? A win at WrestleMania.
“I’m here, I’m curious, I’m a fan, I just want to watch that happen, let it unfold. The more you muddy the waters, the less I wanna drink it.”
When Graves is right, as he was here on yesterday’s After The Bell podcast (transcription via Wrestling Inc), he’s right.
WWE’s decided to kill time this way, and it is what it is at this point. But with only three weeks of television after tonight before we get to ‘Mania, they need to wrap it up.
Will they? I hope so. I wouldn’t be shocked if they find a way to add Mella to the mix and go full main-event-of-WrestleMania 35 on the feud, though.
The title scene
Definitely feels like we’re dancing on the Edge (see what I did there?) of a triple threat in Universal title story. Roman Reigns defends he belt against Daniel Bryan at this weekend’s PPV. He had to beat Jey Uso in a steel cage to earn the title shot. The Royal Rumble winner doesn’t like that DB is bad mouthing him in his quest for a ‘Mania main event spot, but he does want to make sure Fastlane’s main event doesn’t feature interference by the Tribal Chief’s cousin and henchman, so they’re fighting tonight. Winner gets to be Special Enforcer for Sunday’s match. DB probably won’t work his way into next month’s battle between the Ultimate Opportunist and the Head of the Table, but if we don’t get Bryan vs. Edge somewhere down the line, there’s gonna be a lot of disappointed sports entertainment fans out there.
On the other hand, WWE’s managed to keep things pretty simple between Intercontinental champion Big E and his opponent this weekend, Apollo Crews. The challenger is a clear cut villain, the champ is pissed... let’s do this!
The SmackDown Tag Team championship program should reach a logical conclusion soon. Street Profits continue to work to earn a shot at reclaiming their belts from Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler, with Montez Ford pinning Roode in an eight-man tag last Friday. The big question is whether Tez & Angelo Dawkins will get their shot this weekend or have to wait until April 10 - 11.
Other stuff to keep an eye on
- He’s figured out his character and says he’s ready to move on from Cesaro. But Seth Rollins also felt the need to jump into the Swiss Superman’s match with Murphy last week, so we don’t believe him. We are excited to check out the drip this week, though.
- Despite having definitive proof of the conspiracy against him, Sami Zayn still can’t get a reliable tag team partner... let alone win a championship.
- WHERE THE HELL IS BILLIE KAY? Do I have to send someone her resumé?
It’s the Fastlane go home show!
What will you be looking for on SmackDown tonight?