WWE SNME: 5 big takeaways for Penta, Rhea Ripley, Logan Paul, Sol Ruca and more

WWE returned for Saturday Night’s Main Event this weekend from Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Vision advanced into the next phase in their rivalry with the Street Profits, Jade Cargill took a step toward reclaiming her WWE Women’s Championship, and Penta put together another show-stealer. 

As we look forward to Clash in Italy later this month, here’s five takeaways from Saturday night in Indiana. 

1. Time to even the score

When the Street Profits vs. The Vision became the main event on Saturday night, it felt like a foregone conclusion that the challengers would walk out as new champions. Instead, the match became the bridge for the next evolution in the Profits’ journey toward reclaiming tag-team gold.

The story since WrestleMania 42 has been all about the Profits returning to take on The Vision but never fully trusting Seth Rollins. Saturday’s result — Bron Breakker being a difference-maker and The Vision using some outside assistance to beat the Profits — sure feels like the last straw that’ll push the unlikely trio to band together. Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford are too over, too good in the ring, and too charismatic not to consistently be at the top of the tag-team division. It feels only like a matter of time before that happens, and it’ll likely include a little backup from Rollins on the way. 

That at least appears to be the direction WWE is heading, and if it is, it probably spells trouble for the long-term vision of The Vision. At one point they were the next up-and-coming group of stars destined for greatness, but losing the tag belts and Rollins getting the upper hand on Breakker should signal a fresh start for all involved sooner than later. 

2. Sol snatched 

I honestly have no idea what to make of this rivalry. Two stars in Sol Ruca and Becky Lynch that I’m candidly huge fans of just can’t find their footing. Between another misstep on Ruca’s Sol Snatcher finisher and a really confusing finish that saw Ruca hit ref Jessika Carr, this feud continues to be all over the place. Ultimately, the challenger was awarded a disqualification finish to set up a title match at Clash in Italy. 

Ruca seemed destined for greatness coming out of NXT, arriving to the main roster with supreme athleticism and a win over Bayley at John Cena’s final show in December to set herself up well for success. But she’s stumbled out of the blocks in her first main roster rivalry with Lynch, and now needs a strong showing in her debut premium live event later this month to salvage this. Odds are these two will make up for the awkward build when they square off for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship on May 31. 

3. The workhorse title 

There are times in the past where the Men’s Intercontinental Championship has felt like a bit of an afterthought, simply passed around from challenger to challenger. But over the last two years, there’s been so much more attention on — and intention behind — who has carried the belt. Gunther parlayed a lengthy run into the main-event scene and Bron Breakker did the same. Now it feels like Penta might be next in line. 

For Penta, he’s put together quite a reign thus far. The recent call-up of Ethan Page and immediate placement into a rivalry with the champ is a perfect use of both competitors. Neither is quite ready for the main-event picture, but both deserve clear television time. They put on perhaps the match of the night Saturday, and should be locked into a lengthy rivalry for the belt. I’m fascinated to see if Page can withstand the chase or if this rivalry requires the duo playing hot potato as champions. 

4. Where are we going?

Three weeks removed from losing a rematch for the tag-team titles they dropped at WrestleMania 42, The Irresistible Forces were once again on the wrong side of another championship match Saturday night. The duo had built some steam heading into WrestleMania season, yet have faltered as of late.

The same can’t be said for Paige, who’s unbeaten since her return to WWE. Her streak has continued to charge on alongside Brie Bella — the duo have now taken Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair to a no-contest, beaten the Judgement Day, and pulled off two consecutive wins over The Irresistible Forces.

Still, Paige and Bella’s run seems a bit directionless aside from just smacking through other tag-teams. In a strange way, their pairing feels almost like a carbon copy from Becky Lynch’s brief partnership with Lyra Valkyria coming out of WrestleMania 41 last year, in that it just kind of happened, then fell apart. For a partnership that doesn’t feel destined to last, it seems like a matter of time before these two implode.

5. A step in the right direction

The rivalry between Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill raged on Saturday night, and with the continued inclusion of Michin, B-Fab, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, things really picked up steam. After Ripley won the title at WrestleMania 42, this one had the potential to be a one-sided rivalry. With the champ snagging teammates who have the collective résumés of Flair and Bliss, it’s hard to imagine how Cargill would find any leverage.

But B-Fab and Michin held their own, Cargill got the win, and suddenly we’re closer to evening the odds here. It feels nearly impossible for this feud to remain even in the long run, and the only way WWE gets there is to continue building B-Fab and Michin as legit challengers. The easy way there is if Michin and B-Fab eventually win the tag championships, or Cargill takes the belt back at Clash in Italy. But the galaxy brain version is if WWE does something completely shocking, like pulling the trigger on Michin or B-Fab as a world champion. Cargill, Ripley, Flair and Bliss all have the stature as legit contenders, and at some point, WWE has to continue building the division.