 Randy Orton Attacked The MizI'm not going to lie, I wasn't exactly optimistic when the show started and Miz was the first person we saw. That said, I thought they way it was shot was cool with him coming from ringside before being interrupted by the returning Orton. For the record, Orton was gone for three months and his absence from television was never explained, but at least he's back, and I liked that he (again) teased going after Cody Rhodes' Undisputed WWE Championship in a backstage segment right after this. IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss def. WWE Women's Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax and Lash LegendYou'd think we were getting a Fatal 4-Way tag team match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship on Monday's Raw with the way this bout has been built on the SmackDown side of things. Nonetheless, this was a nice showcase of a women's tag team division that has been killing it for a few months now. All eight women worked well together and the babyfaces getting a momentum boost made sense. Kabuki Warriors continuing to lose makes me think they're retaining on Raw. Matt Cardona def. Kit WilsonWhen it was said on last week's show that Wilson would have a mystery opponent this week, I automatically assumed it would be someone coming up from NXT, specifically Oba Femi, so Cardona coming out instead was an awesome surprise. It's even more awesome that he's using his real name now and not Zack Ryder like when he was in The Last Time Is Now Tournament two months ago. This was an effective reintroduction of Cardona, except that the match could've been slightly shorter and more one-sided in his favor. Trick Williams Confronted Sami ZaynZayn hasn't talked about wanting to win the world title in many months and I'm all for him getting back to that. Plus, not only is Williams a perfect fit for SmackDown, Zayn is the perfect first foe for him on the main roster. They had a really entertaining exchange here to set the tone for their feud. This is a smart use of both guys right now with WrestleMania season about to get underway. United States Champion Carmelo Hayes def. Johnny GarganoIt looks like the open challenge gimmick for the United States Championship will be continuing for the foreseeable future, which is excellent news. Gargano attacked Hayes backstage after he won the title last week, but I didn't know they'd rush right into the match. Despite that, this was very good stuff from these two. I'm still not a fan of SmackDown going back to three hours, but perhaps the U.S. title scene will benefit if their matches get more time. Drew McIntyre Taunted Undisputed WWE Champion Cody RhodesIt was advertised that McIntyre would reveal the stipulations for his Three Stages of Hell match with Rhodes next week, but what we ended up getting in addition to that was one of the better segments we've seen during this feud. The stipulations McIntyre chose were nothing special, but him taunting Rhodes by burning a picture of Cody with his father Dusty while Cody had to be held back was well done. I'd love for McIntyre to capture the title next week, but I'm not holding my breath. Giulia def. AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion Chelsea Green to Win the Women's United States ChampionshipI still have no idea whether Green is supposed to be a babyface or a heel. She's obviously a fan favorite, so why not make her a face officially so crowds aren't confused during her matches? The weird dynamic didn't help this match at all, and the outcome was even more bizarre. I don't understand the point of putting the belt back on Green only to put it back on Giulia. I have no issue with short title reigns every now and again, but it's not as if Giulia has evolved as a character since then. I have little faith that her second stint with the strap will be a vast improvement over her first. Damian Priest def. Aleister Black in an Ambulance MatchI've largely liked this feud, but I'm with the majority of fans who have felt it was dragged on for way too long. I don't know why we couldn't have gotten this a month or two ago, but better late than never, and I'm glad they got the main event spot. This was WWE's first Ambulance match in many years, so the stipulation was refreshing and they made the most of it. It was hard-hitting and the finish was satisfying. I'm interested to see what both men do coming out of this. Overall ShowHere's hoping SmackDown's latest three-hour era will only be temporary as last year's was. Sure, this was a strong show on the whole, but it also had plenty of returns and debuts, including Jordynne Grace in a backstage segment with Jade Cargill. The three hour aren't sustainable, but maybe they'll be bearable at the very least if WWE delivers creatively. I'm not optimistic whatsoever after how much of a chore SmackDown was to watch last year, but this was an encouraging kickoff to the year for the blue brand.
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