WWE SmackDown: Ronda Rousey defends title in open challenge match
By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports WWE Analyst
Just days after winning gold, Ronda Rousey defended her title on WWE SmackDown this week in an open challenge.
Welcome back to my weekly SmackDown roundup, this time covering the May 13 edition of the show featuring Rousey vs. Raquel Rodriguez, RK-Bro calling out The Usos again and Corbin attacking Madcap Moss.
Here’s a quick recap of the match results:
- Riddle defeated Sami Zayn via pinfall after hitting the Bro Derek
- Ronda Rousey defeated Raquel Rodriguez via roll-through pinfall
- Sasha Banks and Naomi defeated Natalya and Shayna Baszler via pinfall with a small package
Sasha Banks & Naomi face Natalya & Shayna Baszler for the Women's Tag Team Title I WWE on FOX
- Butch defeated Kofi Kingston via pinfall after delivering The Bitter End
Favorite match: Rousey vs. Rodriguez
Ronda Rousey vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the SmackDown Women's Championship I WWE on FOX
An impressive contest that saw Rodriguez gain more in defeat than the actual winner. The former NXT champ dominated most of the match and was made to look like a force against Rousey.
Considering this was only Rodriguez's second match on the brand, it’s clear WWE higher-ups think highly of her.
As for Rousey, I’d love to see her continue with more open challenges. Being a fighting champion will keep the crowd in her favor and surprise opponents are always exciting.
Moment of the night: Riddle surprise attacks Roman Reigns
Riddle ended the night by hitting Reigns with a knee to the face.
Unfortunately, at least for RK-Bro fans, Reigns helping The Usos win next week’s tag team title unification match now seems like a given.
I’m guessing Reigns gets his revenge in the main event, then transitions into a feud against Randy Orton that lasts until SummerSlam.
Additional highlights:
- Sami Zayn trying to impress The Bloodline in order to regain respect from the locker room was hilarious as usual.
- Shotzi and Aliyah complaining about not answering Rousey’s open challenge in time might have been minor, but it was appreciated.
Every superstar should want to be challenging for titles.
- Moss being attacked by Corbin has me wondering if this will somehow lead to the WWE star dropping the "Madcap" gimmick.
It would be great to see him return as something fans can get behind.
Lingering question: Can Ricochet be in a meaningful feud now?
While it was nice to see Ricochet giving out advice on SmackDown this week, it would be better if he were in a meaningful feud.
Since winning the Intercontinental Championship in March, "The Future of Flight" has had good title matches on TV, but now it’s time to go beyond that with something that'll take him to the next level.
Give Ricochet the opportunity to have a story that lasts through the next few premium live events. I guarantee he’ll show what he’s capable of against an opponent like Gunther in a back-and-forth series.
Imagine one of those matches taking place at the upcoming Cardiff show, too. The UK audience would go nuts for that.
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Ryan Satin is a WWE analyst for FOX Sports. Satin previously appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief.
