5 Takeaways from SmackdownLive - 8/7/18

This is my series, simply known as "5 Takeaways", where I will share my personal main talking points coming out of Raw and SmackdownLive.

These are all my opinion, so I may miss a nugget or two. If you have something to add to my list, or a list of your own, feel free to share in the comment section below!

Also, please check out The Enzuigiri podcast, Reddit, and Facebook page!

https://m.facebook.com/groups/theenzuigiri

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheEnzuigiriPodcast

https://m.soundcloud.com/theenzuigiri

We are a group of long-time wrestling fans living in the Tri-State area. We have results, news, and so much more!

While not featured on television often, R-Truth can be very entertaining when he's used correctly. He told Shinsuke Nakamura that he will earn a match with him at Summerslam... by beating Carmella. The reaction by Tye Dillinger was also perfect, as it seemed as though even he couldn't believe Truth said that.

I wouldn't want to watch these guys on my television week after week, but throwing them into a backstage segment or quick match wouldn't hurt anyone.

I don't know whether or not I'm in the minority, but I'm a fan of this Randy Orton/Jeff Hardy/Shinsuke Nakamura story. Orton seems fresh, Hardy plays a solid victim, and Nakamura is the perfect wildcard in the mix, as United States champion.

This is pretty common knowledge among wrestling fans, but Orton plays a much better heel than face. His promos seem well done (obviously not comparable to someone like Samoa Joe, but solid), and his character seems freah and renewed.

This one is kind of confusing to me. A few weeks ago, we saw Andrade Almas defeat Rusev, and now we've had two straight matches of Zelina Vega beating Lana. Lately the story has been about Rusev Day fighting amongst themselves, while Almas and Vega are just side characters in the story.

This is a shame, considering how talented Almas is (Vega is no slouch herself). He took AJ Styles to the limit a few weeks ago, and now he's a side character in a secondary story. Hopefully he gets back on track soon, as Almas is deserving of a title push (in my opinion).

I went over the potential lead tag team for Raw in Sasha Banks and Bayley. How appropriate would it be for the very first women's tag team championships to be determined in a match featuring the four horsewomen of WWE?

After a decent match which saw Becky Lynch and Charlotte beat the Iiconics, it appears the two best friends could team up every now and then. If Carmella somehow retains her title at Summerslam, this tag team absolutely could happen.

In the Smackdown main event, we had the finals of the #1 contenders tag team tournament to face the Bludgeon Brothers at Summerslam. It was a long match, with plenty of action and drama. Both teams showcased exactly why Smackdown is considered "stacked" in the tag team division.

Unfortunately, they're likely to lose at Summerslam. I would have loved to see the Bludgeon Brothers clash with The Bar rather than the New Day. Not only would it be a fresh match (and a change in dynamic from the usual face vs face scenarios), but The Bar are not small men, and would stack up well to the tag team champions.

Thanks for reading! Did I miss any good points? Is there something you agree or disagree with? Sound off in the comments below!