5 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (27 Feb - Results & Review)
Downs...
4. WWE's Open Challenge Concept Creaks
It won't be breaking news to anybody who watches SmackDown routinely that Carmelo Hayes has been sparkling in most of these United States Title ‘Open Challenges’ to date, but it feels like he should’ve moved on from them by now. Also, it doesn't make sense that Ilja Dragunov is knocking back the chance to challenge for the gold when he’s so competitive. That competitive spirit is literally his entire deal.
This week, Matt Cardona’s bid for US success just came out looking flat. The one time Zack Ryder was brought back to be a bit part player, sure, but Cardona has lost all steam already and Melo is just sort of drifting. There better be something meaningful at the end of this between Hayes and Dragunov. There just better be. A heel turn for Ilja might be the tonic needed.
Then, WWE can drop the 'Open Challenge' gimmick and concentrate on a fully fleshed feud that includes PLE matches for these dudes. Melo and Dragunov richly deserve that, because they've been holding down the fort in the midcard on Fridays for a long, long time now. However, as good as the impromptu match thing has been for both, it has definitely run its course.
SmackDown's match between Hayes and Cardona proved that.
It wasn't rotten from a technical standpoint, but the concept is creaking and the match came across as stodgy and unnecessary. Neither man gained anything from it, put it that way, and there was zero movement on the Dragunov front. A missed opportunity? Maybe that sums things up.