 Pretty Deadly def. Kevin Owens and Randy OrtonPretty Deadly are fantastic in their roles. WWE really should split up the tag titles soon just so they can get a run at some point, at least in my opinion. I figured this would be a straightforward win for the babyfaces, so Logan Paul interfering and costing them the victory was a fun swerve. This was an enjoyable outing and a hot way to start the show. Orton not being a dumb babyface and actually looking for Paul under the ring afterward was so refreshing, along with Orton and Owens not teasing tension as I expected them to. Jade Cargill Signed Her SmackDown ContractThis segment was kept short and sweet, but it was executed perfectly with Nick Aldis introducing Cargill to the ring, the entrance being a spectacle, and Cargill cutting a brief promo. Needless to say, she comes across like an absolute star, much like she did during her tenure in AEW. If this was it for her on this show, it would've been disappointing, but it was only a small taste of what we'd get from her at the end of the night. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. The Street Profits to Qualify for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania 40This was a good match while it lasted and all four guys worked well together, but Montez Ford stood out to me more than anyone else. Can we please hurry up with his overdue singles push? I'm actually glad this didn't end clean as the Profits being distracted by Bobby Lashley and B-Fab being attacked protected them in defeat and it gets Theory and Waller on the WrestleMania card. The post-match angle all but confirmed we are indeed getting Lashley and the Profits against The Final Testament at 'Mania. The LWO Brawled with Legado del Fantasma and Dominik MysterioAs much as I wanted Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar one-on-one at WrestleMania, I can't complain about what we're getting instead, which is Rey and Dragon Lee (the newest member of The LWO) vs. Escobar and Dominik. The crowd wanted Rey to choose Carlito as his partner and that would've been cool (pun intended), but Lee is the one who should be getting the push post-WrestleMania. This segment was well done and the crowd was into the brawl. New Catch Republic def. Legado del Fantasma (Angel and Berto) to Qualify for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania 40I appreciated how Angel and Berto had an out for losing because they were beaten up in the segment that preceded this. It could've easily been brief, but it ended up being a competitive contest. The crowd was quiet early on but came alive for some of the spots coming out of the commercial break. Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne are a nice addition to that stacked Ladder match. LA Knight Attacked AJ StylesThis has been the definition of a midcard feud on the road to WrestleMania, but this was what it needed to be. Similar to Orton earlier, Styles didn't act stupid and knew Knight was in the building despite Aldis saying otherwise. Knight was dressed up as a cameraman and got physical with Styles, something he hasn't been able to do much of up to this point. It was basic stuff, but I can tell you from being in attendance that Knight was super over with this audience. Bianca Belair def. Dakota KaiWhile this didn't feel like a true main event, they had a well-wrestled match as they've always had quality chemistry together. Plus, Kai sold her ass off for Belair's offense. Was Belair winning clean the intent or were The Kabuki Warriors supposed to break up the pin before that and cause a disqualification? Either way, it led to a strong post-match angle with Belair, Naomi and Cargill fending off Damage CTRL, and the six-woman tag team match for WrestleMania was subsequently made official. Overall ShowBeing at this show live at Mohegan Sun obviously enhanced the entertainment value for me, but even I can tell you that this was a slight step down from other editions of SmackDown we've gotten this year with Roman Reigns, The Rock and Cody Rhodes not appearing. However, that resulted in other stars getting some shine and furthering their storylines heading into WrestleMania. The card is pretty much complete and I assume the aforementioned six-man tag team match with Lashley's crew and Final Testament will be added next week.
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