• Ilja Dragunov def. Nathan Frazer to retain the United States championship • Carmelo Hayes def. Kit Wilson • Alexa Bliss def. Nia Jax • MFT (JC Mateo and Tama Tonga) def. Motor City Machine Guns
Once, just once, I would love for a WWE contract signing to not end with an all-out fight. Can that ever happen? Sure, in the history of contract signings, this one would be an easy pick to end in a brawl. I actually question the contract signing vehicle for this particular segment — I didn’t think it needed it. It ended up being window dressing for the promo and elevation of the SNME match.
• Meanwhile, the MFTs, one of the central focuses of “SmackDown,” defeated the Motor City Machine Guns. The match ended with Rey Fenix and Shinsuke Nakamura coming out for revenge against MFT, with the fearsome fivesome looking very strong.
• Carmelo Hayes defeated Kit Wilson, but this really served as an opportunity for The Miz to land a Skull Crushing Finale on Hayes, leading to an inevitable match. I’m not sure where the excitement level is for the match itself, but I do like the idea of Hayes getting a victory over an established legend like The Miz to send him up the ladder.
• I did chuckle when “SmackDown” general manager Nick Aldis asked Cody Rhodes, “Did you attack Jacob Fatu [two weeks ago]?” Rhodes responded, “I like Jacob. Wasn’t me,” to which Aldis simply said, “Good enough for me,” and moved on. If only every concern were resolved that quickly. Not many other wrestlers in Rhodes’ position would have gotten that treatment. We had full-on interrogations when Stone Cold Steve Austin was run over by a car (“I did it … for The Rock!”)
• In other action, Utah Utes mascot Swoop defeated Cincinnati’s The Bearcat in a mascot match after a “People’s Wing.” Yes, this actually happened. And I don’t mind it one bit, but I’m pleasantly surprised that it was shown on “SmackDown.” Wrestling is supposed to be fun, and sometimes silly, and this was both. This will probably also go viral on social media and be shown on college football TV programs leading up to the Cincinnati-Utah game (ESPN, 10:15 p.m. ET). Give me more of this sports integration, I’m with it.
.@DMcIntyreWWE knows EXACTLY how to get into @CodyRhodes’ head 😱 pic.twitter.com/2cc1c1wefz
The MFTs just took out EVERYONE 😱 pic.twitter.com/0pchG8skhK
Things between @mikethemiz and @Carmelo_WWE are far from over… 😬 pic.twitter.com/2N9tgCDBQh
EVERYONE is under investigation for the attack of Jacob Fatu 🧐 pic.twitter.com/gZhViuI28t
Not cool, @CiampaWWE! 😡 pic.twitter.com/Q9mXPLmX2e
.@UUtah’s Swoop is victorious ahead of SmackDown! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/suX5HZfV2f