Karrion Kross put himself in the middle of a rivalry between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre before Castle Wars. Cross (former Killer Cross) and Scarlett (former Scarlett Bordeaux) are back in promotions on Friday’s WWE SmackDown show.
McIntyre won the right to challenge Raines after beating Sheamus in a critically acclaimed “Irish Donnybrook” match on SmackDown last week. McIntyre prepares to fight Bloodline before Cross’ unprovoked attack.
Elsewhere on SmackDown, Shayna Baszler was crowned Liv Morgan’s No. 1 contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. The two will collide in the clash of the castle. Additionally, Nakamura earned himself a chance at the Gunther Intercontinental Championship next week after beating Caesar Ludwig.
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Karrion Kross and Scarlett bring the killer back
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Reigns flanked The Usos to end SmackDown by addressing his impending title defense in Castle Clash. McIntyre interrupted The Bloodline and offered to yell at the entire group.
Suddenly, the picture turned black and white. An unfamiliar theme song reverberated in the venue, and a mysterious woman stood on the entrance ramp. Distracted by the woman, McIntyre was unprepared for an attack from behind. Cross showed up and did a brief job on McIntyre before turning his attention to pedigree. SmackDown ends with a close-up of Kross’s Doomsday Clock ticking in the ring.
Kross and Scarlett are one of Triple H’s most promising projects during NXT’s run in 2020 and 2021. Kross was a two-time NXT champion before being called up to the main roster. Cross and Scarlett parted ways when Cross made his debut in July 2021, losing his Raw debut to Jeff Hardy. Cross has also been repackaged with a new, much-maligned wardrobe. The pair were subsequently released by WWE in November 2021. Their return to WWE comes two weeks after Vince McMahon retired as chairman and CEO amid an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. Triple H has since taken an even bigger lead in creative duties.
It’s amazing to turn off SmackDown. Your mileage on Kross will vary, but this writer has high expectations. Kross and Scarlett gave one of the best demos during the NXT run. In an industry full of physical athletes, memorable presentations go a long way. The duo’s apocalyptic portrayal and Cross’ tough offense was a high point for NXT during their tenure. The duo was expected to return under Triple H’s creative leadership, but few predicted it would happen so soon. Fresh faces, especially in the traditionally barren main event scene, are always welcome. Most importantly, it’s great to see how Kross and Scarlett level the playing field in the main roster in a creative direction more in line with their NXT run. Grade: A
What else happened on WWE SmackDown?
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Bloodlines roll into the arena After SummerSlam’s successful title defense. Honor Uce Zayn has been denied multiple requests to speak to Reigns. Zayn accused The Usos of giving him a run. An angry Jey Uso warns Zayn that it’s time to shift his focus. -
Bounce definition. happy corbyn via pinfall After hitting the Meteor News for distraction with Pat McAfee’s assistance. McAfee, Ricochet and other WWE Superstars mocked Corbin’s loss to McAfee at SummerSlam, which led to the match. -
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ludwig Kaiser via pinfall After pinning him with Kinshasa. Nakamura will now challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship next week. -
Liv Morgan has mixed reactions after controversial win over Ronda Rousey Crazy in summer. Morgan said she only ordered Rosie because she believed the referee had counted to three. Sonia Deville interrupts him and promises to take Morgan’s title. -
Shayna Baszler def. Raquel Rodriguez, Natalya, Xia Li, Shotzi, Sonya Deville and Aliyah in the Gauntlet match Be the No. 1 contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Rodriguez beat four superstars before being pinned down by Basler. Morgan vs. Baszler will be at Clash at the Castle. -
Viking Raiders (Eric and Ivar) def. Tommy Gibson and Jim Malkey via pinfall in a short game of squash. Kofi Kingston attacked the Raiders with kendo after the game. -
Kofi Kingston def. Erik by pinfall Courtesy of Elementary School Pins.
