<
        >

          WWE 'SmackDown' highlights: Contract signing leads to another Rhodes-McIntyre brawl

          Drew McIntyre, center, throws Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes through a table at Friday's "SmackDown" in Salt Lake City. Photo by Mike Owens/WWE via Getty Images

          The final "SmackDown" before Saturday Night's Main Event saw Drew McIntyre get the upper hand, crashing Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes through a table. The United States title open challenge continued and once again proved to be a high point of the show. Carmelo Hayes and MFT shone, while Alexa Bliss picked up a victory in singles action. There was also a lot of college football crossover with "SmackDown" and Saturday Night's Main Event emanating from Salt Lake City, home of the No. 24-ranked Utah Utes.

          Friday 'SmackDown' results

          • Ilja Dragunov def. Nathan Frazer to retain the United States championship
          • Carmelo Hayes def. Kit Wilson
          • Alexa Bliss def. Nia Jax
          • MFT (JC Mateo and Tama Tonga) def. Motor City Machine Guns

          Another contract signing, another brawl

          Once, just once, I would love for a WWE contract signing to not end with an all-out fight. Can that ever happen? Sure, in the history of contract signings, this one would be an easy pick to end in a brawl. I actually question the contract signing vehicle for this particular segment -- I didn't think it needed it. It ended up being window dressing for the promo and elevation of the SNME match.

          McIntyre initially refused to sign the contract to face Rhodes on Saturday, saying it was far too lopsided in Rhodes' favor due to the fact that Rhodes would remain champion on a disqualification or count-out. McIntyre threatened to leave the match entirely until Rhodes got fed up (another time during this reignited feud) and agreed to the terms. Once again, McIntyre got under Rhodes' skin, evoking his family and daughters before Rhodes smashed McIntyre's head onto the table. It turned worse for Cody as Drew ducked for cover, only to return and deliver a Claymore and then crash Cody through the table, ending "SmackDown" with a big advantage heading into SNME.

          Other takeaways/storylines

          • The Ilja Dragunov vs. Nathan Frazer match was excellent. I sound like a broken record because almost all of the U.S. title open challenge matches have been high quality -- the bar was set very high and matches meet and often exceed expectations. What I liked about this match is that we had a little more drama other than a one-off challenge -- Frazer and Tommaso Ciampa both tried to answer the challenge, with Frazer squeezing in first, leading Dragunov to choose him and shooing away Ciampa. After the match, Dragunov and Frazier embraced, but Ciampa attacked Frazier, leading Axiom and Gargano to join the fight. A tag team match seems inevitable there, along with Dragunov facing Tama Tonga, who, in the chaos backstage, grabbed the U.S. title and took a long, hard look at it before returning it to the champ. I wouldn't mind if all the MFTs challenge Dragunov week after week until we get to Solo Sikoa, but it's way too early for Dragunov to lose the championship.

          • Meanwhile, the MFTs, one of the central focuses of "SmackDown," defeated the Motor City Machine Guns. The match ended with Rey Fenix and Shinsuke Nakamura coming out for revenge against MFT, with the fearsome fivesome looking very strong.

          • Carmelo Hayes defeated Kit Wilson, but this really served as an opportunity for The Miz to land a Skull Crushing Finale on Hayes, leading to an inevitable match. I'm not sure where the excitement level is for the match itself, but I do like the idea of Hayes getting a victory over an established legend like The Miz to send him up the ladder.

          • I did chuckle when "SmackDown" general manager Nick Aldis asked Cody Rhodes, "Did you attack Jacob Fatu [two weeks ago]?" Rhodes responded, "I like Jacob. Wasn't me," to which Aldis simply said, "Good enough for me," and moved on. If only every concern were resolved that quickly. Not many other wrestlers in Rhodes' position would have gotten that treatment. We had full-on interrogations when Stone Cold Steve Austin was run over by a car ("I did it ... for The Rock!")

          • In other action, Utah Utes mascot Swoop defeated Cincinnati's The Bearcat in a mascot match after a "People's Wing." Yes, this actually happened. And I don't mind it one bit, but I'm pleasantly surprised that it was shown on "SmackDown." Wrestling is supposed to be fun, and sometimes silly, and this was both. This will probably also go viral on social media and be shown on college football TV programs leading up to the Cincinnati-Utah game (ESPN, 10:15 p.m. ET). Give me more of this sports integration, I'm with it.