6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE SmackDown (8 May - Results & Review)
Downs...
4. It’s Early Days, But…
...Ricky Saints has already cooled off significantly after stepping up to Cody Rhodes last week.
Matt Cardona is a legacy star, but nowhere near as credible with the audience as WWE wants to pretend he is. So, there was a whole load of waiting around until Saints got the inevitable win in this one. Plus, rather regrettably, Ricky didn’t look anything special out there. Of course, it’s super early and feels harsh to criticise because of that, but the thought of Ricky just getting lost in the shuffle so quickly sucks.
Here's hoping Triple H has a long-term plan for him, but this match was mediocre and there's no denying it. No, not every bout on every show has to be top tier, but WWE didn't carry over any sense that Saints is going to be a major player by putting him up against Cardona. Having Matt refer to the ex-NXT Champion as "Rookie Saints" better not stick too - creative could be shooting themselves right in the foot with that scripting if they aren't careful. They defo don't want people in the stands to start chanting that at their new man.
This match could've gone either way, to be perfectly honest. Saints and Cardona could've gone out there and torn the roof of the place with a 10-minute scorcher, but they didn't. They had a match that felt more Main Event than main roster, and that isn't meant as a compliment. Time to cross those fingers, Ricky. Welcome to the Raw and SmackDown mad house!