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The final WWE SmackDown of January was an important show on a few different fronts with noteworthy developments to take away for several new feuds.
The Jan. 30 edition of WWE SmackDown saw the seeds planted for several new feuds and matches as well as an important development regarding a few different championships, including the WWE Championship.
The blue brand has some time before its final pay-per-view before WrestleMania 34, but it’s getting started with a few angles for the Fastlane pay-per-view. With that being said, let’s take a look at five key takeaways from the final WWE SmackDown of January.
5. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable’s Best Days Might Be Behind Them
Sometimes, pure talent alone isn’t enough to get over with the WWE universe and to be put in a prominent position. One could make the argument that an example of this has been the team of Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable.
Ever since the two joined together a few months ago, they have been fighting an uphill battle in a stacked SmackDown tag team division. Benjamin and Gable have managed to get into the SmackDown Tag Team Championship picture, but their loss to The Usos at the Royal Rumble likely signified the end of their time in the tag team title scene.
Last night just reaffirmed that when Benjamin and Gable had an interaction with Breezango and The Ascension backstage before facing Breezango in a match later in the night. Benjamin and Gable did get the win, but the bigger picture probably isn’t a very kind thought for the talented tag team.
It’s starting to seem like Benjamin and Gable’s best days are behind them and they will never truly get over or win tag team gold. Both Benjamin and Gable are very talented performers, so it might be time to break them up and have them as singles competitors. It would likely get both of them more over than what they have been over the past few months as a team.
What does the future hold for Benjamin and Gable is the question as the duo is falling back down the totem pole on Tuesday nights.
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4. Ruby Riott Emerging As SmackDown Women’s Championship Threat
A trio that has been in pretty desperate need of some traction on Tuesday nights has been The Riott Squad. The trio debuted immediately after Absolution did on Monday nights, but it hasn’t had as big of an impact that one might have initially imagined.
And one superstar, in particular, has needed some momentum from The Riott Squad in leader Ruby Riott. Riott has proven over the years to be a very talented individual, but the lack of success from her current trio has held her back to a degree as well. But last night might have announced that bigger and better days are ahead for Riott and The Riott Squad.
During Charlotte Flair’s promo, The Riott Squad came out and after Riott cut a great promo of her own, the trio approached Charlotte. Riott, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan laid out the SmackDown Women’s Champion and almost set up a Money in the Bank cash in by Carmella even. In the bigger picture, this was an important night for Riott and her trio.
It seems likely that Riott will challenge Charlotte for the SmackDown Women’s Championship sometime in the imminent future, perhaps at Fastlane. And this might just be the perfect move for her and could help bring her and the entire Riott Squad to another level as WrestleMania season approaches, even if Riott loses to Charlotte.
It might have taken a while, but Riott and The Riott Squad might finally be getting going and could have women’s championship gold on their mind.
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3. The Bludgeon Brothers Are Next In Line For SmackDown Tag Team Championship Opportunity
It’s well documented how impressive the SmackDown tag team division has been over the past few months. No matter which team has been in the spotlight, the competition and in-ring work hasn’t wavered as many teams have hit their strides.
The Usos are the class of the SmackDown tag team division right now and have said as much, including a promo last night. Jimmy and Jey cut an Uso-like promo saying how they have beaten every team there is to beat and nobody can beat them. But right on cue, a team with monstrous qualities had other ideas.
The Bludgeon Brothers approached the ring immediately after The Usos finished their promo to battle “local competitors,” which resulted in another squash victory for Harper and Rowan. That match, however, was the afterthought last night when looking at the bigger picture. And that bigger picture will undoubtedly lead to a new feud for the tag team titles.
It seems all but certain The Bludgeon Brothers are next in line for a SmackDown Tag Team Championship opportunity against The Usos. And quite frankly, this could lead to some great TV and matches. Both teams haven’t faced anything like what the other team has to offer and the intrigue will definitely be there.
Harper and Rowan have their sights set on tag team gold and Jimmy and Jey’s lockdown of the tag team division might be in peril.
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2. Rusev Gets Deserved Opportunity At The United States Championship
The United States Championship has been through quite a bit over the past few weeks. The title went from Baron Corbin to Dolph Ziggler and after Ziggler walked out and relinquished the belt, Bobby Roode won it in a tournament.
The Glorious One is the U.S. Champion, but a new challenger was introduced last night. In a Fatal 4-Way match to determine the new number one contender for the U.S. Championship, Rusev, Jinder Mahal, Kofi Kingston, and Zack Ryder battled it out. The match ended up being very solid with the winner of the match still being in question.
But towards the end, Rusev got things going and made Kingston tap out to earn the win and a shot at Roode’s title next week. Mahal seemed like a real possibility to win last night, but it was a pleasant sight to see Rusev get the win instead given how over and popular he has been over the past few months.
The Rusev Day gimmick between him and Aiden English has been as over as anything in the WWE. The duo has been nothing short of exceptional and entertaining since it began and it’s the perfect move to give Rusev a shot at the U.S. Championship. After all, he has proven to be a valid U.S. Championship threat in the past.
Rusev Day just might have U.S. gold in its future and that could take Rusev’s gimmick to an even bigger level.
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1. Kevin Owens And Sami Zayn’s Friendship Being Tested Amidst Number One Contender Match Next Week
No two superstars have been better partners in crime over the past few months than Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have been. The duo has given SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon and GM Daniel Bryan grief for some time now, among other people.
But their issues did result in a WWE Championship opportunity at the Royal Rumble as they teamed up to face AJ Styles in a handicap match. The Phenomenal One picked up the win after confusion towards the end of the match, and Kami wanted an explanation last night as well as another championship opportunity.
As it turns out, they will get another shot at the title, but it might come at the price of their rekindled friendship. Bryan announced that Owens and Zayn will face each other next week in a number one contender match to see who will challenge Styles at Fastlane for the WWE Championship. But the two had to deal with a tag team match last night against Styles and Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura.
The tension began to build for Owens and Zayn during the match to the point where Zayn walked out on KO, allowing Styles and Nakamura to get the win. Maybe this is all a plan to carve up another chance to operate as a team against Styles, but if this newfound tension is real, KO and Zayn have a lot to work out leading into next week’s showdown.
Next: WWE Raw 5 Takeaways From Jan. 29 Show
Kami is still in the WWE Championship picture, but next week’s match could tell a big story moving forward one way or another.