Who’s Hot, Who’s Not: SmackDown Edition

Last week I kicked off this series with the Hot or Not: RAW Edition. Now it’s time to turn our focus to the blue brand. To say that things are getting weird over on SmackDown would be a massive understatement. So let’s dig in…

WHO’S HOT?

TALLA TONGA

Things finally started heating up for Talla Tonga with his strong performance in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal a few weeks ago. It was a great showcase for the big man (alongside a strong performance from another big man, Royce Keys…more on him in a moment). What followed was more TV time and big spots with Talla supporting Solo Sikoa. Then Tonga Loa and JC Mateo got released and now Talla Tonga is Solo’s #1 guy. Today, Solo’s “Family Tree” looks more like a stake in the ground with no branches, but that means more opportunity for Talla Tonga. Not sure where Solo and The MFT go from here, but you can bet Talla Tonga will be there.

ROYCE KEYS

With this one, I’m going to encourage you to proceed with caution. Yes, Royce Keys won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal. Yes, he has had a couple of squash match wins on TV in recent weeks. Yes, he is sniffing around some big storylines. And for all of those reasons, you might be really excited about the power house Royce Keys. But I want you to look back 12 months and see how many matches JC Mateo won right after his debut. Or Rusev. Or Aleister Black. Or even Fraxiom. It’s common for wrestlers to come out of the gates strong, to get us fans excited, but eventually they settle into their role and it can leave a lot to be desired. JC Mateo and Aleister Black barely made it 12 months before they were released. Rusev disappeared for long stretches and has lost more than he has won. Fraxiom looked poised to grab the tag titles out of the gate and since then….nothing. My fear is that Royce Keys might suffer a similar fate. So much advice is to capitalize now. Get the points while you can, but if they dry up don’t be afraid to send him back to free agency.

JACY JAYNE

This one has been a pleasant surprise. I did not expect Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence to debut and immediately become one of the top heels of the women’s division–but here we are. The crowd loves to hate her. She is sharing the ring with Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss right out the gates. And it is working. I expect Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid to fill the Alba Fyre / Piper Niven roles for now, but Jacy Jayne feels like the real deal. She is a no-brainer to have on your roster.

WHO’S NOT?

CARMELO HAYES

It’s hard to not feel bad for Melo. He is such a talented wrestler and yet finds it so difficult to feature on TV consistently. We’ve all seen what he is capable of, and the fans love him. During his US Championship run prior to Mania he was wrestling on TV every week and putting on great match after great match (or in the words of Sheamus, “Banger, after banger, after banger!”). That’s why losing the championship unceremoniously to Sami Zayn right before the Show of Shows was a gut punch for many of us. And he is back to the rare backstage appearance and not a match in sight. While it might be tempting to keep Melo on your roster, I’d wait until we see a clear storyline brewing. Fingers crossed that after the Trick-Sami feud closes we get the Trick-Melo feud we’re all clamoring for!

GIULIA

Losing the US Championship has a way of burying talent (See: Zelina Vega, Ilja Dragunov, Carmelo Hayes, Chelsea Green, etc…). And that’s where Giulia finds herself right now. Her championship reign left a lot to be desired as it was. Not because she isn’t talented…she just wasn’t given a chance to shine. They teased a Giulia vs. Iyo Sky feud but never followed through with it. Such a bummer! And now that she lost the title to Tiffany Stratton, and it looks like it’s Kiana James that will get the follow up match, it’s not clear what is next for Giulia. Someone let this woman cook, please! But for now, keep your eye on Giulia as a free agent.

DREW McINTYRE

Where does the Scottish Warrior go from here? Off to film Highlander, most likely. And that will keep him off TV for 4-6 weeks. Beyond that, things still look complicated for him. He lost the WWE Championship and then lost again to Jacob Fatu at Mania. It’s hard to see what his path back to the Championship is right now. The feud with Fatu is over. The feud with Cody is over. Who’s next for him? Hard to say. And for that reason, Drew is cold.

That’s it for now. I will check in periodically to give you my updated Hot and Not lists for both RAW and SmackDown. Backlash is this weekend and scores will start rolling in. Make sure to check your rosters and take advantage of anyone floating around in Free Agency!