Good Morning Wrestling Fans 👊

Straight Shoot UNFILTERED is back, and this Saturday morning we are breaking down a SmackDown that turned heartbreak into momentum. Perth was still buzzing from Crown Jewel, but the blue brand faced an unexpected curveball — Jacob Fatu’s sudden absence. What could have been a setback became one of WWE’s most compelling episodes of the year.

From Ilja Dragunov’s five-star coronation over Sami Zayn to Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre’s impromptu fight that left emotions raw and titles dented, SmackDown found its balance between shock and substance. The show pivoted mid-air and landed clean, turning chaos into storytelling gold.

Add in Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss holding the women’s division steady, the Motor City Machine Guns putting on a tag team sprint, and the eerie tension between The Wyatt Sicks and Solo’s faction, and SmackDown once again proved why it remains WWE’s heartbeat of unpredictability.

Settle in, grab your coffee, and dive into this week’s full breakdown — complete with match ratings, MVPs, and the Straight Shoot Takeaways that cut straight to the truth of Friday night.

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By MrTeshk — Straight Shoot Unfiltered

“A Massive Shift” – The Void, The Dragon, and The Fire That Follows

SmackDown this week felt like organized chaos. Perth was still echoing from Crown Jewel, and the blue brand was forced to pivot mid-flight after Jacob Fatu’s sudden absence. What followed was an emotional, unpredictable episode that balanced shock, heart, and one of the best matches of the year.

Segment Grade: B

Nick Aldis announced Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu for a shot at Cody Rhodes — and then everything fell apart. The planned main event dissolved into a backstage scramble that set the tone for the entire night.

Let’s be real: Jacob Fatu’s absence is massive. He wasn’t just another name. He was the chaos factor that gave SmackDown its danger. Without him, the brand feels less unpredictable, less alive.

WWE rarely writes someone off this abruptly unless it matters. Whether it’s medical, personal, or logistical, the message was clear: do not expect him back next week. The loss hurts, but it also creates room for others to rise.

You could feel it in the commentary. Grief between the lines.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Textbook TV tag match. Charlotte closed strong, Bliss sold perfectly, and Sol Ruca once again proved she belongs on this roster. Her Soul Snatcher near-fall was electric, but a distraction sealed the champs’ win.

The match worked, but the division still needs a shark at the top — someone who forces everyone else to swim faster.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was violent poetry. Zayn’s rhythm versus Ilja’s relentless pressure created the kind of match that defines eras.

Blue Thunder Bombs, German chains, Torpedo Moscow into H-Bomb — it was a storm that never stopped building. When Ilja got the three-count, the crowd didn’t boo. They stood in awe.

Why five stars?

Ilja’s reign already feels special. Sami’s open challenges gave that title meaning again, and now Ilja has turned it into a championship of fighters.

This was one of the best matches on television this year. Period.

Segment Grade: B-

Post-match chaos saw Solo Sikoa’s crew face off with The Wyatt Sicks — lights, tension, and no punches. The visual was cool, but the moment needed more substance.

If this story is building toward a stable war, it is time to raise the stakes. Titles, bodies, something tangible. The mystique can only carry it so far.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐½

High energy, slick teamwork, and a finish that hit clean with Skull & Bones. The match was fun, but directionless.

Give the division purpose. Ladders, brackets, rankings — anything that says these matches matter. Without stakes, it’s just cardio with pyro.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐
Angle Grade: B+

With Fatu out, the night’s closing story became about Cody’s temper and Drew’s truth.

The two collided mid-promo, suits flying, fists connecting, and the impromptu match ended in chaos after Cody swung the title for a DQ.

Here’s what made it work:

This wasn’t the planned main event, but it delivered urgency and emotion in a night that desperately needed both.

1️⃣ The Vacuum Is Real
The show lost its most dangerous man. Producers are rewriting on the fly, but that’s not a weakness — it’s opportunity. Use the chaos. Let others prove they belong.

2️⃣ Drew McIntyre Is the Antagonist SmackDown Needs
He’s not wrong, and that’s what makes him dangerous. Treat him like the top heel in the company.

3️⃣ Ilja Dragunov Just Made the Mid-Card Feel Like the Main Event
His matches demand respect. Keep him fighting killers and the title instantly means more.

⭐ Ilja’s Five-Star Coronation – A perfect title change that redefines a division.
⭐ Drew’s Character Depth – The heel who’s right too often.
⭐ Cody’s Flaw Exposed – The human champion makes better stories.
⭐ Ruca’s Breakout Moment – A future star in the making.
⭐ Show Resilience – Pivoted mid-air and still delivered.

❌ The Fatu Hole – You can’t just move on. Acknowledge it weekly until he’s back.
❌ Solo Overload – Quality over quantity. Let his moments breathe.
❌ Aimless Tag Scene – The talent is there. The direction isn’t.

Storytelling: B+
In-Ring Quality: A
Shock Factor: A-
Follow-Through Hooks: B

MrTeshk’s Final Score: 8.2 / 10

The loss of Jacob Fatu is a body blow, but SmackDown punched back. A five-star U.S. Title classic reset the division, Drew and Cody found fire in the rubble, and the show proved it can pivot under pressure.

When Jacob returns, the roof’s coming off.

Hey everyone, it’s Sophia, and I am still buzzing from one of the greatest weekends of my life as a wrestling fan. Three shows. One city. Thousands of voices moving as one. WWE completely took over Perth, Australia, and for three nights straight, it felt like the heartbeat of the entire wrestling world was right here.

This weekend wasn’t just about big matches. It was about moments — the kind that remind you why you fell in love with wrestling in the first place.

SmackDown kicked off the weekend with energy that could be felt through the floor. The crowd was loud, alive, and completely locked in. When The MFTs made their return and Tama Tonga walked out with that signature face paint and swagger straight from New Japan, the place erupted.

Then came The Wyatt Sicks, and what followed was one of those spine-chilling visuals that you never forget — two factions standing face to face, daring the other to move first. Perth exploded.

Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu’s brawl felt real, raw, and personal. Drew has been clawing his way out of the Bloodline’s shadow, while Fatu is trying to carve out his own legacy. Watching them collide felt like witnessing the start of a war that will feed the company for months to come.

Tiffany Stratton, meanwhile, gave us glimpses of her old self — that smug confidence creeping back, the shift in tone, the hint of a heel turn. Perth felt it instantly. “Tiffy Time” might be about to turn, and honestly, it’s the right call.

And Nikki Cross stepping up to Solo Sikoa? Pure chaos. Unpredictable, weird, and fearless — everything wrestling should be.

Show Rating: 8/10
Highlights: The MFT return, Drew vs. Fatu chaos, Tiffany’s attitude shift, and Perth’s insane crowd energy.

If SmackDown was the spark, Crown Jewel was the explosion. Perth didn’t just host a pay-per-view — it felt every second of it.

From the opening pyro to the final pinfall, it was emotion, legacy, and storytelling at their peak.

Roman Reigns vs. Bronson Reed stole the night. The Street Fight was violent, dramatic, and perfectly told. When Jey Uso accidentally speared Roman and Reed hit the Tsunami, the entire building gasped. For the first time in years, Roman was pinned clean. His quiet words after — “Love you. Don’t want to see you until Christmas.” — hit harder than any finisher.

Then came Tiffany Stratton vs. Stephanie Vaquer, a technical masterpiece. Vaquer didn’t just outwrestle Tiffy; she humbled her. The match cracked her perfect facade, and you could feel the shift in her character — from overconfident to dangerous.

But nothing — absolutely nothing — topped John Cena vs. AJ Styles: For Bray.
The arena went black. Fireflies filled the sky. Cena hit Sister Abigail with a soft kiss to the forehead, and for a few minutes, wrestling became something more. You could hear people crying. It was art. It was loss. It was love.

When Cena hit the final Attitude Adjustment, the crowd didn’t cheer. They exhaled. It wasn’t victory — it was closure.

Then Seth Rollins finally beat Cody Rhodes, using the Rolex Cody had gifted him to finish the job. Symbolic. Painful. Brilliant.

Show Rating: 9/10
Match of the Night: Cena vs. Styles — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “For Bray.”
Line of the Night: “Love you. Don’t want to see you until Christmas.” — Roman Reigns
Moment of the Night: The Fireflies return.

By Monday, Perth was the wrestling world. And WWE gave it one more knockout show.

Seth Rollins opened with The Vision — Heyman, Bronson Reed, and Bron Breakker — bragging about control, legacy, and greatness. Then came the line that set everything in motion: “I don’t need anyone.”

Moments later, Bron Breakker snapped. Spears to Jey, LA Knight, Punk, and finally Rollins. Reed followed with a Tsunami, and Heyman raised their arms high. The Vision wasn’t broken — it evolved.

Rhea Ripley’s homecoming was emotional and violent, everything it should have been. Dominik Mysterio played his part perfectly, cheating against Penta while soaking up the boos. And Bayley slapping Lyra Valkyria mid-match before slipping into her unhinged “old self” was masterclass storytelling.

Show Rating: 9/10
MVP: Bron Breakker — the man who shattered The Vision.
Arc Grade: A+ — generational shift complete.

Three shows. Three nights. One city that became WWE.

From SmackDown’s chaos to Crown Jewel’s emotion to Raw’s evolution, Perth wasn’t just a location. It was a living, breathing character in the story. Every chant, every gasp, every firefly reminded me why we love this. Because when 20,000 people react the same way at the same time, you remember that wrestling isn’t just entertainment — it’s a feeling.

Atmosphere: 10/10 — a crowd that gave life to every match.
Storytelling: 9.5/10 — heart, chaos, and change in perfect balance.
Overall Weekend Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WWE didn’t just visit Australia. They made us the center of the wrestling world.

Perth wasn’t a destination.
It was a revelation. 💫

Let’s talk Jacob Fatu.

This wasn’t just another superstar being written off. This was a seismic shift in SmackDown’s heartbeat. Every time Fatu’s music hit, the temperature in the arena changed. You didn’t know if you were about to see a match, a massacre, or a moment you’d never forget. That unpredictability — that danger — made him special.

Now, he’s gone.

Friday’s broadcast told the story clearly. This isn’t a short break or a storyline exit. It felt final — at least for now. WWE doesn’t pull the trigger on this kind of dramatic send-off unless the absence is expected to be significant.

Jacob Fatu’s rise was earned the hard way. Before the global spotlight, he was building his name in the trenches of independent wrestling. In MLW, he was a dominant World Champion — a heavyweight who could move like a cruiserweight and hit like a freight train. In GCW, he adapted to chaos, thriving in violent, unpredictable environments where respect wasn’t given, it was taken.

Even in Japan, he proved he could go toe-to-toe with elite-level technicians. Fatu wasn’t a product of hype. He was a product of survival.

So when WWE finally signed him, it wasn’t about potential. It was overdue recognition.

His SmackDown debut lived up to everything fans had hoped for. The feud with Drew McIntyre brought back something wrestling has missed for years — danger that felt real. Every brawl, every staredown, every second between them felt raw, unfiltered, and unpredictable.

Something’s clearly up behind the curtain. Whether it’s injury, personal matters, or something more logistical, WWE’s decision to write him off with weight and emotion tells you everything you need to know — this isn’t a two-week angle.

If it’s an injury, the timeline could be months.
If it’s personal, they’ll give him all the time he needs.
If it’s medical or procedural, it might vary.

Whatever the case, WWE handled it with care. Protect the man, protect the mystique.

Jacob Fatu wasn’t just filling TV time — he filled a creative void. His presence gave SmackDown its edge. He made the show feel dangerous, alive, and spontaneous in a way WWE hasn’t consistently nailed in years.

He gave Drew McIntyre a real foil, injected intensity into the midcard, and brought legitimacy to every fight he touched. Without him, SmackDown feels thinner. The show still runs, but the air feels different. The risk is gone.

You can’t replace a Jacob Fatu, but there are names who can help keep that fire burning:

Drew McIntyre — already a main-event fixture. His depth and intensity make him the natural anchor until Fatu’s return.

Oba Femi — young, fearless, and brimming with quiet power. If WWE invests in him, he could evolve into a generational monster.

Joe Hendry — the wildcard. Charisma, crowd control, and unpredictability personified. He brings a different kind of danger, but danger all the same.

SmackDown will adjust, but the loss is felt. Fatu’s absence leaves a creative hole that can’t truly be filled — only paused. When he returns, it won’t just be another comeback. It will be a moment. The kind that sends chills through the locker room and pops through the camera.

Because here’s the truth: Jacob Fatu isn’t gone. He’s reloading.

This one stings. Fatu brought authenticity and chaos — two things that make wrestling real. Whatever is keeping him away, I wish the man peace, recovery, and strength. Because when he comes back, the blue brand won’t just get him back… it’ll get its heartbeat back too.

Straight Shoot Grade:
📺 Segment: B (Strong storytelling, emotional resonance)
🔥 Impact on Brand: 8.5/10 — SmackDown feels thinner without its wild card.
🙏 Overall Thought: Wishing Jacob Fatu nothing but light, health, and clarity. God is good, God is great.

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mr.teshk

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