During a WWE Friday Night SmackDown episode on September 20, WWE Superstars Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns faced off. This encounter took place at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium. Booker T, a WWE Hall of Famer, praised the performance of the superstars in his “Hall of Fame” podcast. He particularly admired how they executed the stadium segment.
On his podcast, Booker T provided some insights into the Rhodes and Reigns segment at WWE SmackDown in Georgia Tech. He had previously discussed the contrast between WWE and AEW. Speaking about WWE, he noted how the organization excels in developing stars, which AEW does by focusing on strong wrestling matches. This particular segment, according to him, was more than just about wrestling and it had more to offer.
Booker T elaborated, “This is what WWE has been consistently successful at over the years. The ability to create an anticipation among viewers, making them feel like they are about to witness something big. It’s quite similar to the approach they used in the past, where a new character would be introduced through a series of packages over four to six weeks. Even if you had no idea who this new character was, you were excited to see him by the time he arrived.”
Touching on the significance of the on-screen dialogue between the wrestlers, he emphasized the role of the promo. Referencing Dusty Rhodes, he pointed out how the promo contributes to building anticipation. He said, “That’s precisely what Roman and Cody did. They utilized the promo to generate excitement for the show and the Georgia Dome. It’s practically a call to action for viewers to book their tickets.”
Below is a recap of some highlights from the podcast including discussion about the potential expansion of SmackDown to three hours, AEW’s major television deal, and a preview of the Sherri Martel Classic. [embedded content link available here].