WWE SmackDown Live: Buddy Murphy is a secret no more

Buddy Murphy earned widespread praise for his work on 205 Live, particularly during his reign as Cruiserweight Champion, so it’s no surprise that he seized on his big opportunity to shine tonight on WWE SmackDown Live.

After stating that Daniel Bryan and Rowan attempted to seriously injure – or murder – Roman Reigns with a car, Buddy Murphy earned himself an opportunity to impress in a match against Reigns on the Aug. 13 episode of WWE SmackDown. And Murphy more than rose to the occasion.

The former Cruiserweight Champion has a long list of strong matches both in NXT and on 205 Live, but this was his first big-time introduction as a star to the main roster audience. Hardcore wrestling fans know to expect greatness whenever Murphy, who is one of the best athletes on the WWE roster, steps foot in the ring. But now, regular viewers of the WWE product know to put Murphy squarely on their radar.

Reigns is arguably the most giving top star in wrestling history and did his best to make Murphy look like a dangerous opponent. The Big Dig sold his ass off for Murphy, who more than returned the favor, launching himself over the announce table at one point in the match.

Former 205 Live rival Ali summed it up best. After this performance against Reigns, who is one of the cover stars of WWE 2K20, Buddy Murphy is officially a secret no more.

If you haven’t watched the SmackDown Live match between Murphy and Reigns yet, please go out of your way to do so. It’s one of the best television matches of the year and was somehow even better than advertised. Reigns always delivers in matches like this, and there was another trademark Reigns nearfall off a Murphy brainbuster that had everyone in the arena believing that Murphy could pull off the upset.

As for Murphy, he showed the selling, athleticism, and psychological brilliance that made him a fan favorite on WWE’s network-exclusive brands. Now, he’s well on his way to rising to the top on SmackDown ahead of the FOX switch, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he uses this incredible performance against Reigns to launch himself to an Intercontinental Title reign before the year ends.

At the very least, Murphy will have the opportunity to partake in more electrifying matches on SmackDown Live against the brand’s best. But this was THE chance against THE biggest acquisition in the brand’s history (at least, that’s what Vince McMahon says), and Murphy was more than capable of showing that he belongs.

WWE would be wise to capitalize on this, as Murphy has WWE fans buzzing all over social media and itching to see more from a man formerly dubbed “The Best Kept Secret”.