WWE SmackDown Grades: Phenomenal Mind Games By AJ Styles
Photo by WWE’s Twitter
3. Rusev vs. Jinder Mahal
Randy Orton will defend his United States Championship in a Fatal 4-Way at WrestleMania 34 against three stellar challengers. And last night saw two of those three challengers square off in one-on-one action with a chance to gain key momentum heading into WrestleMania 34.
Jinder Mahal took on the newest challenger for the U.S. Championship in Rusev last night in a match between two strong possibilities to emerge from WrestleMania 34 as U.S. Champion. The match didn’t seem to have much of shot at being good, but it was a pretty good match from start to finish.
It went back and forth with neither being able to gain the advantage over the other. But once Mahal’s lackey Sunil Singh tried to get involved, Rusev took care of him and would turn the match around in his favor. He hit Mahal with a big kick and that would be enough for Rusev Day to shine and give The Bulgarian Brute a win heading into WrestleMania 34.
After the match, Orton hit Rusev with a patented RKO outta nowhere. The post-match interaction ended with Orton and Bobby Roode staring off in the ring with the WrestleMania 34 sign in the background. Overall, Rusev vs. Mahal was a pretty good match that definitely should benefit Rusev heading into Sunday where he can become a three-time U.S. Champion.
Rusev Day will turn into RusevMania on Sunday and a U.S. Championship win on the grandest stage of them all isn’t out of the realm of possibilities for The Bulgarian Brute.