Super ShowDown 2020: What Else Is There To Say?
IMG Credit: WWE
Super ShowDown 2020
Date: February 27, 2020
Location: Mohammed Abdu Arena on the Boulevard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
We’re back in Saudi Arabia and for the first time ever, they’re on a streak of a good show. Last October’s Crown Jewel was a pretty good show, though I’m not sure what reason I would have to believe that will be the case again here. I’m not sure how the main event of Goldberg vs. the Fiend is going to go though and that’s a nice feeling. Let’s get to it.
Kickoff Show: Viking Raiders vs. OC
Anderson headlocks Erik to start but that’s broken up with straight power. Ivar comes in for a knee to the face before wrapping his beard (yes his beard) around Anderson’s face. Erik slams Ivar onto Anderson for two but it’s Gallows coming in to try his luck. That means a fall away slam to Erik and the chinlock goes on. Anderson sends Erik into the corner again and Gallows drops the big elbow.
The chinlock goes on again but Erik fights up and rolls over for the hot tag to Ivar. The seated senton out of the corner crushes Anderson and there’s a clothesline to Gallows. Everything breaks down and Erik suplexes Gallows into the corner. Gallows is right back with a chokebomb to Erik, who knees Anderson in the face to get out of trouble. Ivar’s double handspring elbow puts the OC down but he misses a moonsault. The Magic Killer gives the OC the pin at 9:58.
Rating: C. What is with the Vikings not being able to beat these guys over here? It’s a bit of a confusing result as the Vikings have been in a much more prominent role than the OC as of late. That being said, it’s not like this match is going to mean anything in the long run so it’s not something I’m going to get annoyed at. Decent enough power match too.
The opening video talks about making your mark on the world.
That’s a lot of pyro.
Tuwaiq Trophy: Gauntlet Match
Andrade’s US Title isn’t on the line, there are six entrants and it’s R-Truth in at #1 and Bobby Lashley, with a completely covered Lana, is in at #2. R-Truth leapfrogs him to start and snaps off a headscissors, only to get knocked hard off the apron. Back in and Lashley slams him down hard, setting up the chinlock. R-Truth reverses into a sleeper but Lashley runs him over again. The Dominator is broken up though and it’s time for the John Cena sequence. Lashley is fine enough to come back with the Downward Spiral but the spear hits the corner. A rollup gives R-Truth the upset pin at 5:37.
Before the third entrant comes out, Lashley destroys him with a bunch of whips into the steps. The spear drops R-Truth again and it’s the returning Andrade (no Zelina Vega) in at #3. Andrade knees him in the corner to start and puts on an armbar over the ropes. A regular armbar keeps R-Truth in trouble and the running knees in the corner get two.
The hammerlock DDT is broken up and Andrade’s running knee only hits buckle, meaning it’s a crash to the floor. Back in and Truth scores with a Lie Detector for two, followed by a collision of heads so R-Truth can fall on him for the pin at 13:30 (there’s Andrade’s bonus punishment).
Erick Rowan is in at #4 and stars with the power, including a running slam in the corner. R-Truth gets up a boot in the corner and low bridges him to the floor, setting up the big dive. Rowan sends him into the steps but it knocks the cage down, meaning he sends R-Truth into the steps over and over again. A big shot with the steps is enough for the DQ to eliminate Rowan at 17:48. Rowan isn’t done yet as he adds in the Iron Claw before AJ Styles is in at #5.
R-Truth’s shoulder is done and he can barely get to his feet so AJ kicks him in the face. Another into the shoulder lets AJ mock the dancing and it’s time to start on the leg. AJ dances even more and kicks R-Truth in the legs again as the AJ STYLES chants are going fairly strong. The Calf Crusher makes R-Truth tap at 23:36 so it’s Rey Mysterio in at #6 to complete the field. Or not as there’s no Mysterio, who has been attacked in the back by Anderson and Gallows.
AJ grabs the mic and says there’s no Mysterio so he wins by forfeit. He demands his trophy but the referee is willing to give Rey a count of ten. The referee gets to seven but we see the OC down….and some large black boots. Then the gong strikes and there go the lights, as usual. After the full entrance, it’s a chokeslam to give Undertaker the Trophy at 32:27. Undertaker didn’t even take off his hat and coat.
Rating: C-. This was long, though nowhere near as long as some gauntlet matches WWE has done in recent years. Undertaker winning is fine for a surprise and at this point, far better than having him wrestle a full match. I’m sure this will set up the Wrestlemania match and that’s a fine way to go about it. R-Truth did well and as luck would have it, he has a new documentary on the Network. Imagine that timing!
New Day is ready for Miz and John Morrison because this is a big night.
Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Miz/John Morrison vs. New Day
New Day is defending. Big E. powers Miz into the corner to start and there’s the spanking abdominal stretch. The Warrior Splash brings in Kofi and Morrison with the former hitting a running backsplash. It’s already back to Big E., who gets sent outside for the slingshot dive from Morrison. Miz grabs the chinlock but Big E. fights up, only to get caught with a modified Hart Attack (Flying Chuck instead of a running clothesline).
The Rock Bottom out of the corner puts Miz down and that’s enough for the hot tag to Kofi. A running knee and the Boom Drop look to set up Trouble in Paradise but Miz makes the save. Back up and Morrison hits an Alabama Slam into a running knee for two. Kofi is fine enough to get two off the SOS and it’s a pretty awesome powerbomb/top rope double stomp combination for another near fall.
Miz fires off the YES Kicks to Big E. but Starship Pain misses. Kofi is back in for a quick Midnight Hour for two on Morrison with Miz making another save. Kofi loads up the Trust Fall but crashes HARD to the floor instead, leaving Miz to hit the Skull Crushing Finale for two on Big E. It’s back to Kofi, who reverses another Finale into a victory roll for two more. Morrison sneaks in a chair to the ribs though and Miz grabs a rollup (with tights) for the pin and the titles at 12:58.
Rating: B. This felt a bit longer as they packed a lot in there. Miz and Morrison winning the titles is the right call as we’ve seen New Day as champions for what feels like forever. Miz and Morrison can feud with New Day and the Usos in the coming months, but more importantly they’re something fresh and that’s what the titles have needed. If nothing else, a victory Dirt Sheet will be great.
Seth Rollins and Murphy are ready to retain their titles because it is their destiny to get rid of the Street Profits.
Angel Garza vs. Humberto Carrillo
Garza lays on the corner and does some crunches during Carrillo’s entrance. They both miss a bunch of strikes and it’s a standoff with Carrillo backflipping away. The big spinning springboard crossbody winds up being a headbutt for Carrillo. They head outside with Garza getting taken down off a headscissors and then getting knocked into the barricade off a suicide dive.
Back in and a basement dropkick gets two on Garza but he scores with a running dropkick in the corner. You can tell they’re in a different country as there’s little reaction when GARZA TAKES OFF HIS PANTS! Carrillo fights out of a camel clutch and hits a spinning kick to the head for two. Garza is back up to dropkick him out of the air for two but Carrillo hits a Canadian Destroyer to put both of them down. They go into the pinfall reversal sequence like Garza won on Raw….and he does so again with a rollup for the pin at 9:08.
Rating: C. These matches continue to not exactly hit thrilling as they are just lucha matches without a ton of heat. What we got was fine enough, but it was nothing better than what we got on Raw. I just can’t bring myself to care about them and while the matches are fine, they’re forgettable and not exactly making me interested in either of them.
Bayley is ready to make history again and retain her title. I’m liking these quick interviews before the matches to get me a bit more in the mood.
Raw Tag Team Titles: Street Profits vs. Murphy/Seth Rollins
Rollins and Murphy are defending. Dawkins spears Murphy down to start and wrestles him into the corner so Ford can come in. That means the big dropkick but Rollins comes in to take over on Ford. Murphy’s Meteora gets two and it’s back to Rollins for more stomping. Ford finally sends them both outside but Murphy pulls Dawkins off the apron to keep Ford in. Rollins is sent into the corner though and the hot tag brings in Dawkins to clean house.
Dropkicks and suplexes abound for two and it’s back to Ford who gets rolled up for two more. Ford kicks Rollins down though and hits the frog splash for his own two. Dawkins knocks Murphy hard over the announcers’ table but he’s back in to save Rollins again. A double Pedigree is countered into a double DDT on the champs to send them outside. Ford’s big running flip dive is caught though and he gets planted hard. Dawkins dives off the apron to take both of them down and they head back inside. Murphy gets in a knee to Dawkins, sending him into the ropes for the Stomp onto the apron to retain at 10:42.
Rating: B-. The Profits can do a lot of great things and there is little doubt that they are going to win the titles one day. What we had here was an entertaining match but there was no way the title change was taking place. Rollins and Murphy are big deals on Raw and they aren’t dropping the titles on a show that is the wrestling equivalent of a side quest.
We recap the Kickoff Show match.
Mansoor vs. Dolph Ziggler
Robert Roode is here with Ziggler but gets ejected before the bell. They trade headlocks to start until Mansoor hits a hard running shoulder. A standing moonsault gets two but Ziggler rakes the eyes across the rope to slow things down. The big jumping elbow sets up another chinlock on Mansoor, which is switched into something like a Crossface and then the Rings of Saturn.
Mansoor fights up and avoids the Fameasser, setting up the slingshot neckbreaker. A kind of reverse Big Ending gets two more but Mansoor gets pulled off the top. The Zig Zag gives Ziggler two but they seem to get a little messed up when fighting over a suplex. A reverse Sliced Bread (kind of a running flip DDT) plants Ziggler and the moonsault (with only the legs hitting Ziggler) finishes at 9:12.
Rating: C-. This was miles away from the Cesaro match as they were missing some cues and the match was hardly interesting in the first place. The Mansoor match has become the token crowd match. That’s all well and good, but when you do it over and over again, the charm is gone. When the match isn’t exactly great either, it isn’t making things that much better either.
Post match Mansoor says the same thing he says after every win: Saudi Arabia is awesome and he’s proud.
We recap Brock Lesnar vs. Ricochet. It’s the latest smaller guy challenging Lesnar in an underdog role. Ricochet has as much chance of winning as I do of becoming Miss Nevada 1974, but he has that natural underdog charisma to him that makes you believe a miracle could maybe kind of sort of have a prayer of happening.
Raw World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Ricochet
Ricochet is challenging and his early dropkick attempt is knocked away. Three straight German suplexes send Ricochet flying and the F5 finishes clean at 1:28. I’m not getting mad at this one because Ricochet was playing WAY over his head here but…actually never mind on this one as there’s not much to complain about this time around.
We recap King Corbin vs. Roman Reigns. They’ve been feuding for months but want to keep everyone else out, meaning it’s time for a cage match. This feels tacked on after the feud ended so there isn’t much of a reason to care about it.
King Corbin vs. Roman Reigns
In a cage and commentary says this is the final time these two are fighting. Reigns chains the door shut so one escape route is cut off. Corbin uses the delay to jump Reigns from behind and the cheap shots take us to the opening bell. The slow beating begins and Corbin goes for an early climb but Reigns cuts him off without too much effort. They come back down with Reigns firing off the clotheslines in the corner.
The Superman punch is countered and Deep Six plants Reigns for two. Corbin looks for the key to the door but settles for two off a powerbomb instead. Some hard forearms keep Reigns down and the door is unlocked, only to have Reigns send him into the door. The Superman punch is countered into a chokeslam for two though and Corbin grabs the chain.
Corbin tries his own Superman punch but gets dropped by the real thing. They both go climbing and wind up on top for the slugout. Reigns has to be pulled back in so Corbin can send him into the cage and back to the mat. That just earns Corbin back to back Superman punches, followed by the Superman punch with a chain for the pin at 12:52.
Rating: C-. I know they kept hyping this up as the end but do you really believe we won’t see it again within a few months? This feud has been driven so far into the ground, which isn’t a good idea as it didn’t have the longest legs in the first place. It was your normal cage match, but they have made me sick of seeing both guys so it wasn’t exactly something that matters anyway.
We recap Undertaker’s surprise (I guess?) appearance earlier tonight.
Smackdown Women’s Title: Naomi vs. Bayley
Naomi is challenging and thankfully her big hair didn’t make it through customs. Bayley takes her to the mat to start but Naomi gets up and hits the splits splash. A kick to the face gives Naomi two more and a hurricanrana puts Bayley on the floor. The running corkscrew dive takes her down again but Bayley drives her back first into the apron to take over.
Back in and we hit the chinlock, with Bayley shouting at fans to shut up. Naomi fights up and hits a kick to the head, followed by a kick to the head for a change of pace. A springboard kick to the face drops Bayley again, followed by a knee to the ribs for two. The reverse Rings of Saturn has Bayley in more trouble but she gets a foot on the rope.
Bayley grabs a quick Bayley to Belly for two and there’s a running knee to rock Naomi again. Naomi catches her on top but misses the split legged moonsault. It’s time to get creative as Bayley ties Naomi’s legs into her shirt and finishes with that weird bulldog driver at 11:38.
Rating: C. I know WWE is going to be doing their big “rah rah we’re awesome and trailblazers and amazing” stuff out of this and I get why they go there, but it’s not a great match. Bayley has been champion for a long time now and it’s going to take a big win to get it off of her. Maybe they have something interesting planned at Elimination Chamber, but for now she has cleaned out the division.
We recap Goldberg vs. the Fiend. Goldberg was the most dominant force of his day and never got a rematch for the Universal Title. Therefore, he’s back to go after Fiend, who is a whole different animal.
Smackdown World Title: Goldberg vs. Fiend
Fiend is defending and gets in Goldberg’s face to start. Goldberg hits a quick spear for two but gets caught with the Mandible Claw. That’s broken up with a ram into the corner and Goldberg hits two more spears. There’s a fourth for two more and Fiend is right back with the Claw. Goldberg knees his way out and hits the Jackhammer to win the title at 2:59.
Post match Fiend gets up, the lights go out, and Fiend disappears. Goldberg celebrates to end the show.
What else is there to say about this? WWE has made it clear for a long time now that outside of Wrestlemania season and Saudi Arabia, nothing else matters. Fiend could have beaten Rock and Austin at the same time and there was no way he was going to defend the title at Wrestlemania because Fiend vs. anyone (save for that colorful guy from Massachusetts) isn’t a Wrestlemania style main event. I’m sure Reigns will get the title back in Tampa and it’ll be Reignsamania again as Fiend gets a pat on the back and is told he did well, just not well enough for the big show.
Overall Rating: D+. While it’s a far cry from the depths that these shows have sunk to before, it’s a pretty weak show with only a few good things throughout. They did make it feel more important with multiple title changes, but at the same time there is so much that just comes and goes like it’s on a slightly bigger than usual house show. The ending is annoying as a big Wyatt fan but I pretty much knew he was done as soon as the match was announced. I wanted to imagine Goldberg going down to the Claw but that’s not how WWE works. Anyway, not the worst, but the main event is almost all anyone will be talking about.
Results
Undertaker won a gauntlet match last eliminating AJ Styles
John Morrison/The Miz b. New Day – Rollup with tights to Kingston
Angel Garza b. Humberto Carrillo – Rollup
Seth Rollins/Murphy b. Street Profits – Stomp to Dawkins
Mansoor b. Dolph Ziggler – Moonsault
Brock Lesnar b. Ricochet – F5
Roman Reigns b. King Corbin – Superman punch with a chain
Bayley b. Naomi – Bulldog driver
Goldberg b. Fiend – Jackhammer
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:
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Bayley has cleaned out the Smackdown division, and needs a challenger. There’s a story to be told with Lacey, and Sasha v Bayley could work, as rushed as it would be, but what if Belair shows up at the Chamber and goes for the belt? It’s new, at least.
I just grow frustrated with fans today and how entitled they feel they should be. It’s ok to voice your displeasure at something but when you start booking for WWE from your mom’s basement and blow a gasket when things aren’t “booked” the way you want, you throw a tantrum. Ultimate Warrior was my favorite wrestler and I believed he should have gotten over everyone. When the older Sgt. Slaughter ended his title reign, I didn’t cry, run to mommy’s tit and threaten to quit watching. I just hated Slaughter more and actually wanted to see Hogan beat him even though I wasn’t a Hogan fan. My point is, I didn’t agree with that match outcome but I didn’t threaten to stop viewing. Just state your opinion and move on. No need to have a meltdown. That is a big difference between todays fans and Golden/Attitude Era fans. Just take it easy.
Everyone just stop overrreacting Fiend will come again it wasn’t like he lost to Curt Hawnkins in 10 secs He lost to someone while older has an incredible resamue and can beat anyone at any time and it’s believeable But since everyone seems to think this is the end of Wrestling as we know it By that logic Riccachort should never be allowed to challenge for the WWEChampionship again. Look just caim down everyone and see how this follows up.
The overreaction today has been hilarious. I mean I was surprised Goldberg won the Universal Title but I’m also not that pissed about it or angry enough to stop watching or cancel my Subscription. Also can we stop saying people were buried? Nobody knows what that means anymore if they ever did.
You’d never cancel your subscription…
That bugs you doesn’t it.
Not really. Taxes, death and your comments
Yeah well you seem to confuse me with someone who is worried about what you think of my comments which i am not.
1 hour response time. Not too shabby (pats own back)
Goldberg is old as hell but he’s infinitely better than The Fiend, which is the sort of crap you’d be embarrassed to have someone catch you watching. Bray Wyatt is one of the worst characters in wrestling history and has no business with the top title. He absolutely stinks and would have had a way more boring match with Reigns than the fun Goldberg sprint we’re going to get.
Watching The Fiend marks wet their pants all over the internet has been almost as entertaining as seeing him be squashed. The guy just stinks.
I also don’t get why people act angry or surprised about this booking. It is what it is. WWE has proven time and again that they are fundamentally broken. They can’t create stars. The last meaningful names they created were in 2005. So they’re always going to go back to the nostalgia well. They have nothing else. So it’ll just be slow decline forever as two million people sit and rot in the performance centre because they signed mark contracts to stop they working anywhere else.
Aside from Goldberg being old as hell, there’s the believability factor going out the window. After Fiend not only beat Rollins for the belt, but even before that going into Hell in the Cell and taking the chairs and stomps and everything thrown at him that would not keep him down…and then a 53-year old man can spear him four time and execute a weak jackhammer and win the title? Same crap like we’re supposed to believe that Shane O’Mac is able to go tow to toe with Undertaker, Styles, etc., Mania after Mania. The realism is missing. Completely.
Goldberg Better hold the belt until his son is on the main roster
Ok first things first for all those that are disappointed in the show. Say what you want but Wyatt does not need the title.
Back in the 70s and 80s the title was HUGE. To be a champion meant something. Bruno held the title for 7 years. Why because he Drew Hogan drew as well
Fast forward to the 90s and the world title felt like a hot potato People were winning it just to hand it over to the next guy.
Remember when I a certain Skyscraper came to wwe in 1990.as an undertaker. Remember his first mania match was against jimmy Snuka. Like a vegetable that was a squash until he met Kane in 98. His title reigns were also nothing to write home about He dropped the title sometimes just as fast as he won it WHY. Because unlike ric flair or Austin or Hogan or Rock His Gimmick is not centered around a championship but centered around getting a certain emotion out of the audience.
Randy Orton at almost 40 is bored to tears. Why. Because when you give a man everything too soon will he get up the next day and go to work.
At the end of the day Vince wants what he wants. Joe is cool. He works his tail off and always gets a good match out of someone And he is higher on the marquee than Rotundas son. I know people don’t want to Bo lieve that but in the words of Angle it’s true
Have they made mistakes with Wyatt Absolutely. Can they absolve themselves of the train wreck match with cena at 30. Maybe. It all depends on creatives ability for Wyatt to attack cena on his own catchphrase. Hustle loyalty and respect. Hey john how can you call yourself loyal when you are never around Personally I see a fun build and a match at mania where Cena will do favors and jump start Wyatt to the moon
Everyone keeps saying Wyatt doesn’t need the title.
Then why did he win the title and keep it 4 months?
Well because he was with talent that through his creative work made for good stories.
At the end of the day when taker and Wyatt go to the mythical hall of fame. Will you remember the title reigns or the stories generated from their creative work as a performer
The product is heavily over scripted but performers like Wyatt and taker just don’t come around every day
He was only champion because he was with talent that he could tell good stories with? That makes no sense. He can’t tell good stories with Cena or Reigns?
If Wyatt doesn’t need the championship, he shouldn’t have won the championship.
As disapointed as i am for the Fiend he doesn’t scream Wrestlemaina main eventer I would have liked to have him retain though so Cena could have broken Ric Flairs record at Wrestlemaina.
I don’t think fiend/Roman has to main event anyway, drew vs lesnar could main event.
It could be more mind games from the Fiend. The way he just popped up after they can play it that he let Goldberg win so he could go on to take down a legend like Cena at Mania. Why don’t you millenials quit whining and let the story play out. The young guys don’t ALWAYS have to be put over.
Why are you yelling at clouds here? Also yes 99% of the time they do.
WTF are clouds? And explain why they do? So Richochet should have went over Brock? Give your head a shake.
No one said Ricochet should have gone over Brock. Dont make false arguments to back up your point. I can get over Ricochet been squashed by Brock as he doesnt pose a threat to him.
They did this before to KO with Goldberg and it took a lot of steam out of the match at ‘Mania.
If they wanted Goldberg vs Reigns that could have been done without the title. Doing Wyatt vs Reigns as the Main Event would have set a precedent for Smackdown.
Goldberg is the first ever WWE HOF to have won the WWE title after he has been inducted. Theres a reason for that. It’s stupid.
Again we think we hold the keys we buy the network we invest our time in the product but the ONLY time we really had a say in the direction of stories is with CM Punk Bryan and yes Wyatt
Wyatt at least to me is this generations Jake Roberts. Yes he listens but you can Tell a lot of his overall character is Him a lot like punk and Bryan
I don’t think reigns and Goldberg will main event I think drew and Brock will. As much as they wanted that woman’s main event for the mainstream rub. I think they learned their lesson from last year and want to give the spot to someone that needs it
You can’t call it a push unless you are actually pushed forward
If it was Wyatt and reigns. We know who would win and I’m sorry I’m still trying to get that image out of my head of those bugs on the mat in Orlando. And by chance let’s suppose that Wyatt beat Orton clean
Rotunda: hey Vince what’s my next program
Vince. You are going to drop the title to jinder mahal in Chicago because we need a figurehead for the wwe network in India
Wyatt that just makes me sad
Again we invest but are not in control
And at least Wyatt and Taker got title reigns Roberts(I know I know he was in Hogan’s era) never got a wwe title reign and I would have loved to see his feud with Rude be elevated by having the belt up for grabs. Same with savage
“WTF are clouds?”
Maybe Fiend actually lost on purpose.
Jesus Christ you’re a gold mine lol
I think they had built the Fiend up enough to be a big enough deal for mania, he had beaten Rollins, Bryan and Miz and looked like a complete monster with his no selling. Like from a story standpoint it looked like no one could beat him and had he beaten Goldberg he would’ve looked like even bigger of a deal going into mania (not to mention that they’ve done tons of merch on him and the WWE 2k20 videogame was completely based around him). Him losing to Goldberg just completely cuts out his legs and I don’t think Reigns winning from Goldberg is going to be as big of a deal as him finally conquering the Fiend would’ve been. But whatever, I get that you’re talking from WWE’s pov.
What a joke. I’m done.
No you’re not lol
With how many viewers WWE has lost in the last few years, is it really that hard to believe someone would stop watching?
I’ve only watched Big 4 PPVs and read KBs reviews for about two years now. 100% cancelling my network subscription after this shitshow.
The Fiend doesn’t need the title. He is a character much like the Undertaker. And unfortunately, I do agree, the Fiend is not a WM main event style, he should be used like an attraction. John Cena vs Fiend sounds much better than Roman.
Why would I want to see a WM match between AJ/Taker when Taker just buried AJ clean when AJ wasn’t even tired or hurt?
Uh, because it’s WRESTLEMANIA! That makes up for everything that has ever happened in the history of the world!
“AJ didn’t prepare for the Undertaker who was not even supposed to be in the match at all and at Wrestlemania he will be fully prepared knowing that he is facing him. “ edit: there’s certain superstars that could never be buried. AJ is one