4 Mistakes WWE made on SmackDown after Elimination Chamber

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Carmelo Hayes successfully defended the United States title. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss earned a shot at the new Women’s Tag Team Champions, Nia Jax and Jade Cargill.

Damian Priest and R-Truth did the same for the men. With a lot to digest, WWE made the next four mistakes on SmackDown after Elimination Chamber.

#4. A tag team wins a title shot after forming on the same night

A year ago, SmackDown’s tag team division was carrying the blue brand. DIY, the Motor City Machine Guns, Fraxiom, Los Garza, and the Street Profits were having great matches every week.

Fast forward a year, and half of those teams are absent or disbanded. Ever since the MFTs won the titles from the Wyatt Sicks, the division has plodded along.

SmackDown featured a five-team turmoil match won by Damian Priest and R-Truth. The Guns, Fraxiom, Sicks, and Los Garza also competed. It was paint-by-numbers, and the last team won. It showed a lack of creativity in the booking.

#3. The Wyatt Sicks and MFTs are still feuding on SmackDown

In the middle of the match, the MFTs interfered to cost Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis their spot in the turmoil. The two sides continued fighting up the ramp as Priest and Truth entered.

It means that the feud that needs to end will keep going for a few more weeks. The rivalry has been going on for far too long and hasn’t set the world on fire. The final chapter should have been Uncle Howdy getting the lantern back last week.

#2. No new ideas for Flair and Bliss?

The WWE Women’s Tag Team division has basically been booked the same way. It involves four teams. One wins the titles, loses, and then still challenges a month later.

This happened with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair after they lost to the Kabuki Warriors. Lash Legend and Nia Jax lost to both teams yet defeated Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY last week.

The narrative continued this week as The Queen and Bliss confronted the new champs and beat Kiana James and Giulia in an impromptu title contender match.

If they lose before WrestleMania, Flair will still probably get a shot at Giulia’s United States title since she pinned her for the win.

#1. So much for that big “swerve” for WrestleMania . . .

Most fans expected both Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes to be in title matches at WrestleMania 42 before the Royal Rumble. They’re two of WWE’s top stars and have main-evented every night since 2024.

They even squared off in 2023. Having the same people in the same spot every year may have turned some fans off, leading to a downturn in ticket sales for this year’s show.

Drew McIntyre winning the title in 3 Stages of Hell refreshed things. Any work he did to give fans an alternative ahead of the Show of Shows was undone as Rhodes cleanly regained the title on SmackDown.

It reeks of the status quo and an unwillingness to go in other directions. Orton vs. Rhodes isn’t exactly a new feud, as they competed against each other in the finals of the 2025 King of the Ring.