{"id":1360509,"date":"2022-03-06T07:51:29","date_gmt":"2022-03-06T12:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1360509"},"modified":"2022-03-06T07:52:36","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T12:52:36","slug":"wwe-smackdown-recap-and-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wwe-smackdown-recap-and-review\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE Smackdown Recap and Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">10<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwwe-smackdown-recap-and-review%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1360509&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><i><strong>By Ryan Satin<\/strong><\/i><br \/><strong>FOX Sports WWE Analyst\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/ronda-rousey-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Ronda Rousey<\/strong><\/a><strong> proved she hasn\u2019t lost a step with a dominant return to singles action this week on WWE SmackDown.<\/strong><\/p>\n[embedded content]\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Welcome back to my &#8220;Highs and Lows,&#8221; this time covering the March 4 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, featuring Rousey\u2019s first-ever match on the blue brand, the reveal of Pat McAfee\u2019s WrestleMania opponent, and a big win for Ricochet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">First, here\u2019s a recap of the match results:\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/ricochet-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ricochet<\/a> defeated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/sami-zayn-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sami Zayn<\/a> via pinfall, after interference from Johnny Knoxville, to become WWE Intercontinental champion<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/naomi-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Naomi<\/a> defeated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/carmella-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Carmella<\/a> via pinfall in roughly two minutes\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/ricochet-superstarhttps:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/drew-mcintyre-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Drew McIntyre<\/a> defeated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/jinder-mahal-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jinder Mahal<\/a> via pinfall\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">\u2014 The Usos retained the SmackDown Tag Team Championship over the Viking Raiders via pinfall<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">\u2014 Ronda Rousey defeated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/ricochet-superstarhttps:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/sonya-deville-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sonya Deville<\/a> via submission\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><strong>SMACKDOWN HIGHS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><strong>Ronda Rousey vs. Sonya Deville \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">With WrestleMania being one month away, it was wise to showcase Rousey as a badass competitor again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Exhibiting that in-ring fire which made her first run in the company so unique, while also busting out some new offense, was a good reminder of what she\u2019s still capable of.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Love it or hate it, Ronda is a force of nature in a WWE ring, and that was on full display against Sonya Deville (who played her role well here).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">There\u2019s no shame in getting beat by Ronda Rousey, yet Deville still got enough offense in during their match to retain credibility going forward as an evil authority figure, even if she got help from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/charlotte-flair-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Charlotte Flair<\/a> to make that happen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Speaking of Charlotte, I enjoyed her cocky rhetoric on commentary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Playing up that Ronda is a one-trick pony who only has the armbar to her advantage, then having that blow up in her face by getting locked in the ankle lock to close the show, was simple, but appreciated, storytelling.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><strong>Pat McAfee and Austin Theory\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">This was a fun way to kickoff Pat McAfee\u2019s first WrestleMania feud.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Austin Theory has been getting pushed on Raw for weeks under the tutelage of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/vince-mcmahon-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vince McMahon<\/a>, therefore it was logical that the match offered to McAfee by the WWE Chairman would go to the Superstar he\u2019s been grooming for success.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Theory slapping the SmackDown announcer in the face felt like a move out of McMahon\u2019s playlist, too, and Pat\u2019s reaction quickly going from surprised to furious was believable for that type of scenario.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Personally, I\u2019m a big fan of McAfee getting a WrestleMania match.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">He showed in NXT that he\u2019s dedicated to putting on an impressive performance when given the opportunity. I expect no less on &#8220;The Grandest Stage of Them All.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><strong>Ricochet wins Intercontinental Championship\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n[embedded content]\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">The fact that this is the first title Ricochet has won since his 21-day run with the United States Championship in 2020 is crazy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">That aside, it\u2019s great to see things finally happening for the 33-year-old high-flying Superstar. He\u2019s filled with untapped potential and holding gold again is a big step in the right direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">SmackDown badly needs depth on the babyface side of things, especially once WrestleMania is over, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/roman-reigns-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roman Reigns<\/a> needs more opponents, so this is a good way to build Ricochet back up again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Defending the IC title at WrestleMania against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/sheamus-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sheamus<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/shinsuke-nakamura-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shinsuke Nakamura<\/a> would be a hell-of-a-first title defense, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><strong>Sami Zayn and Johnny Knoxville<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">I\u2019ve got no issue with Sami Zayn losing the Intercontinental Championship due to interference from Johnny Knoxville.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Fans are already invested in their feud and, frankly, they didn\u2019t need a title on the line at WrestleMania to create more interest in the match.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">Instead, dropping the title to Ricochet gives other competitors a spot on the WrestleMania card, while also adding heat to the program between Knoxville\/Zayn, so it was the right call to make.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">I also got a few laughs out of Sami raging out in the backstage area after, as well as Johnny talking about breaking his &#8220;wee-wee&#8221; one time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><strong>SMACKDOWN LOWS\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><strong>Nothing\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">This was a good episode where each segment meant something.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">You could argue New Day getting their ATV smashed by Sheamus\/<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/ridge-holland-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ridge Holland<\/a> didn\u2019t really, but the only issue with that lies in my continual confusion over how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/big-e-superstar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Big E<\/a> has been handled since his WWE title loss.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mgn-top-20-btm-20 ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt88 mgn-top-20-btm-20 article-content\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><i>Don\u2019t forget to follow all your favorite\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/wwe\/superstars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><u>WWE Superstars<\/u><\/i><\/a><i>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/shows\/wwe-friday-night-smackdown\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><u>shows<\/u><\/i><\/a><i>\u00a0in the FOX Sports app to receive alerts on what they\u2019re doing and more.<\/i><\/p>\n<hr class=\"story-section-divider\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\" \/>\n<div class=\"story-favorites-section-add\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\">\n<div class=\"logo-container\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b.fssta.com\/uploads\/application\/leagues\/logos\/WWE.vresize.160.160.medium.0.png\" alt=\"World Wrestling Entertainment\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" class=\"team-logo\" \/><\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"ff-gb fs-20 bold\">Get more from World Wrestling Entertainment<\/span> <span class=\"ff-h fs-14 opac-55 lh-1pt43 center\">Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more.<\/span> <button data-favorite-uri=\"league:fighting\/wwe\/league\/1\" data-action-location=\"article favorite\" data-favorite-text=\"FOLLOW\" data-remove-text=\"FOLLOWING\" aria-label=\"Follow Button\" class=\"button-favorite center flex pointer fs-14\"><span class=\"favorite-star\"><\/span> <span class=\"favorite-text\"><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<hr class=\"story-section-divider\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\" \/>\n<div class=\"mgn-btm-15\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><span class=\"fs-14 uc\">in this topic<\/span> <\/div>\n<hr class=\"story-section-divider\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\" \/>\n<div class=\"flex-col-left\" data-v-cdf3fb30=\"\"><span class=\"fs-14 uc mgn-btm-25\">share story<\/span> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Ryan SatinFOX Sports WWE Analyst\u00a0Ronda Rousey proved she hasn\u2019t lost a step with a dominant return to singles action this week on WWE SmackDown.[embedded content]Welcome back to my &#8220;Highs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1360509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1360509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1360509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1360509\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1360509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1360509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1360509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}