Smackdown
Date: February 14, 2020
Location: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re almost to Super ShowDown and things are starting to take shape. That will be the case again this week as we get to build towards Goldberg vs. the Fiend, plus a Women’s Title match between Carmella and Bayley. I mean, neither of them are likely to be on the big show, but at least it’s a possibility now. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Here are Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross for A Moment Of Bliss. In honor of Valentine’s Day, Nikki wants to talk about celebrity crushes. Nikki guesses Bliss’ as Brad Pitt and….that’s it apparently as they bring out their guest: Carmella. Cole to Graves: “Did you do anything special for Valentine’s Day?” Graves: “Leave my personal life out of this, but yes I did. I am the World Champion of love.” Carmella promises to win the Women’s Title tonight and show us why Mella is money.

We see photos of Carmella and Bayley being friends, with Carmella blaming Sasha Banks for their issues. Cue Bayley, who says she tried to take Carmella under her wing and teach her some things, though the fans don’t like the idea. Bayley talks about how much she beat up everyone since she became the champ so Carmella wants to fight right now.

Women’s Title: Bayley vs. Carmella

Carmella is challenging and avoids a charge in the corner. A hiptoss and shoulder drop Bayley and we’re off to the armbar. For once, it takes a rope break to get out of an armbar and Bayley shouts that Carmella needs to step up. That’s what she does with a pair of dropkicks for two but Bayley hits her with a Saito suplex. The high crossbody misses though and Carmella gets another near fall off a big boot. Bayley gets kicked outside and that means a suicide dive from Carmella. Back in and a high crossbody gives Carmella two but Bayley sends her into the announcers’ table as we take a break.

We come back with Carmella fighting out of a chinlock and sending Bayley into a boot in the corner. Some forearms put Bayley down but a quick Bayley to Belly gets two. Carmella catches her on top and a super hurricanrana gets two. The superkick connects but Bayley is smart enough to head outside. Carmella follows and gets posted, only to get faceplanted into the Cone of Silence back inside. That’s broken up in a hurry and Bayley grabs a rollup with feet on the ropes for the pin at 14:02.

Rating: C-. They had me wondering if the title was going to change hands here so well done on that front. I know Carmella isn’t in the upper echelon of wrestlers but she has the energy and gets the fans’ attention so putting her in what is likely going to be a short form feud is an acceptable idea. I’m still expecting Naomi to be the real challenger but for something that lasted two weeks, Carmella was fine for a quick spot.

Post match Bayley stays on Carmella but Naomi makes the save.

Post break Bayley says she won and that she’ll be defending at Super ShowDown because she’s a role model.

We see a clip from Day Of Royal Rumble focusing on a fan who was inspired to stay away from addition because of Lacey Evans. Lacey had her letter in her boot at the show.

Otis texts Mandy Rose before their date. Tucker comes in and tries to keep Otis calm but Otis wonders if Mandy might actually like him.

Sheamus vs. Shorty G./Apollo Crews

Just in case you didn’t get the idea yet. Sheamus gets jumped to start and Shorty hits some rolling Liger kicks in the corner. A running ax handle drops Shorty and Sheamus hits the series of forearms to the chest. Apollo gets a blind tag and Shorty clotheslines Sheamus to the floor so Apollo can moonsault him off the apron. Back in and a standing shooting star press gets two on Sheamus. The Brogue Kick knocks Shorty off the apron and another one finishes Apollo at 3:23.

Rating: D. This is WWE hammering it home even more than usual as Sheamus has beaten Shorty twice, beaten him up again, and then beaten him in a handicap match. I’m sure Sheamus will get to go somewhere now, or probably get to beat up someone else that doesn’t matter. It’s more of the same and Gable takes another beating because we didn’t get the point yet.

Carmella wants a rematch and doesn’t care where it happens.

Video on Goldberg.

Here’s Hulk Hogan for an interview via satellite to talk about being in the Hall of Fame twice. He’s been in the ring with Goldberg too and the Fiend better be ready for him. Hold on though because the following announcement has been paid for by the Firefly Fun House. Bray comes in, playing the guitar in black and white of course, and says that not he has the Universal Title, brother.

Huskus Pig comes in to say he’s been working on eating right, but succumbs to the temptations of chocolate. Bray: “I hope it’s not…..too sweet.” Hogan says being in the ring with Goldberg isn’t a joke. Bray doesn’t need jokes because he has a Fiend. Be careful, because there can always been room for another picture on the wall. Hogan walks out, saying he’ll see Wyatt at the Hall of Fame. This was one of the weirdest fever dream moments I can ever imagine and I loved it.

Here are Cesaro and Sami Zayn, the latter with a ukulele, for a protest concert against Braun Strowman and Elias. Before Sami can channel Bob Dylan, here’s Elias to cut them off. Elias knows that everyone in Vancouver knows what WWE stands for. Sami tells security to let Elias in because a lot of the song has to do with him. Cesaro gets a little carried away with the cowbell (Fans: “WE WANT COWBELL!”). They finally start the song and then go after Elias. Braun Strowman comes out for the save.

Naomi knows Bayley can’t beat her and wants the title shot.

Video on Otis and Mandy Rose.

We go to the restaurant where Mandy is waiting for Otis, who is rather nervous. He brings flowers but Dolph Ziggler comes up to Mandy instead. Ziggler sits down as Otis comes in, sees them, drops the flowers, and leaves crushed.

Wrestlemania XXXVII is coming to Los Angeles.

Miz/John Morrison vs. Roman Reigns/???

Before the match, Miz asks why the Usos are already missing after being back a month. Morrison has been back for a month and he’s right here. Reigns has a mystery partner and that would be….Daniel Bryan. Hang on though as here’s King Corbin, who was banned from wrestling tonight, with a ticket to have a seat. Joined in progress with Bryan kicking at Morrison, knocking Miz off the apron, and then hitting him with a suicide dive.

The missile dropkick plants Morrison and Bryan gets in the early nipup. The YES Kicks have Morrison in more trouble and there’s a hurricanrana to put him down again. Morrison knocks him outside though and Miz sends Bryan into the barricade. Reigns hits a huge dive over the top onto everyone though and we take a break with Corbin being annoyed. Back with Bryan in trouble as Morrison gets two off a slingshot elbow.

The chinlock doesn’t last long so Morrison kicks him in the head and brings Miz back in. Miz crotches Bryan on top but Bryan ties him in the Tree of Woe. Being smart though, Morrison tags himself in and knees Bryan in the face for two. Morrison misses a 450 and the hot tag brings in Roman for the house cleaning. Roman’s jumping clothesline misses, though the camera is fast enough to switch to cover it well enough.

The Superman Punch misses Miz and Morrison gets two off the Flying Chuck. Starship Pain is countered into a rollup and Reigns Superman Punches Morrison out of the air. The spear is cut off as well and Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale for two with Bryan having to make a save. Miz takes way too long to load up the running knee and gets Superman Punched (with the camera possibly showing it not coming close, though it might have grazed him) down. The spear gives Reigns the pin at 13:47.

Rating: B-. And you thought we might get through a week without Corbin getting involved. That’s the kind of thing that you can only dream of because it’s just not going to happen. This was an entertaining match with everyone working hard and trying, though I’m really not sure I see the need for Reigns to get the pin here when you can have Miz and Morrison, as in the #1 contenders, win here, perhaps off some Corbin interference.

Post match Corbin gets in a shot with the scepter to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. I’m not sure what happened on this show but I feel like I missed something. There were three matches, a Hogan interview which didn’t say much and a big segment which lasted about two minutes. This show felt like it barely existed and while a few things were announced or felt like they mattered, the show felt like it was over before it started. Not a good week here, though the main event was pretty solid.

Results

Bayley b. Carmella – Rollup with feet on the ropes

Sheamus b. Shorty G./Apollo Crews – Brogue Kick to Crews

Roman Reigns/Daniel Bryan b. Miz/John Morrison – Spear to Miz

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: January 31, 2020
Location: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re done with the Royal Rumble and since Drew McIntyre won, we need a new #1 contender to the Smackdown World Title. Granted that probably won’t be happening until Elimination Chamber or whatever else is next, but you can almost pencil in Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin in some form for the title shot. Let’s get to it.

Here’s the Royal Rumble if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We see the dog food incident again, with Cole saying we’ve seen this “ad nauseum”, as even WWE admits that this feud has gone on WAY too far. Reigns accuses Corbin of having a dog food fetish and offers a stipulation: the loser of the main event eats dog food. A bunch of dog food is wheeled out and Cole suddenly finds the possibility of Corbin eating dog food to be HILARIOUS. It’s almost like he’s suddenly 74 year old man child who is entertained by juvenile ideas.

Heavy Machinery vs. Lucha House Party vs. Miz/John Morrison vs. Revival

The winners get a Tag Team Title shot at Super Showdown and Kalisto is the odd luchador out. Tucker bearhugs Wilder to start and it’s quickly off to Otis, so Tucker throws Wilder to him as the bearhugging continues. That’s broken up and it’s Morrison coming in to get caught with a springboard hurricanrana from Metalik. Revival breaks up a sunset flip for two as everything breaks down.

Heavy Machinery is sent outside for double dives from the House Party, followed by Morrison hitting a huge top rope corkscrew dive. Miz teases his own dive but Dawson cuts them off, allowing Metalik to hit his own dive as we take a break. Back with Dorado hitting a double Golden Rewind on Miz and Morrison and everything breaks down again. Otis hits a double Caterpillar on Miz and Morrison for two but Dawson knocks Otis into a tag from Metalik.

A springboard crossbody from Metalik sets up a top rope splash from Dorado but Otis comes back in to clean house. Dawson DDTs Otis but Dorado slips out of a slingshot suplex. Back to back moonsaults connect but the third is cut off, setting up Wilder’s belly to back superplex on Kalisto. Miz sneaks back in with the Skull Crushing Finale into Starship Pain to Dawson for the pin and the title shot at 11:57.

Rating: C+. They didn’t bother with anything but action here and that made for an entertaining match. There was no reason to do anything more than go all the way with something like this and we even got the logical challengers out of it. The match was fun and that’s as good as they could have done.

Video on Daniel Bryan vs. the Fiend in the strap match. Daniel Bryan thinks he might have gone too far because his wife wouldn’t let his daughter see the scars on his back.

Video on Halftime Heat, twenty one years ago today.

The winners COULD get a future title shot. It’s a brawl before the bell with Sonya getting tied in the ring skirt and Nikki having to be dragged off. Bliss gets knocked into the announcers’ table but says she’s good so the bell can ring. The chinlock goes on before it’s off to Mandy, with Nikki having to be taken out. Bliss forearms her way out of the corner and gets in a hard shot to Sonya. A roll underneath Mandy is enough for the hot tag to Nikki so house can be cleaned. Everything breaks down and the Purge into Twisted Bliss finishes Mandy at 3:28.

Rating: D+. The usual shortened women’s tag here which had little going for it as commentary talked about Otis and Mandy. Therefore, of course it makes sense for Mandy to take the fall here. The two stories aren’t connected, but Mandy is the only one of the four doing something interesting and it’s not like her getting pinned advances anything else. It’s a little thing but why mess with a story that is getting somewhere?

Intercontinental Title: Braun Strowman vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura is defending and has Sami Zayn and Cesaro with him. Strowman shoulders him down to start and hits a running splash in the corner to make it even worse. Sami gets in a cheap shot from the floor though and Nakamura takes over with a front facelock. Some kicks in the corner have Strowman rocked so he blasts his way out with a clothesline.

The running shoulder on the floor has Nakamura down again but Strowman misses a charge. Nakamura kicks him in the head and hits the running knee to the back of the head for two. Sami goes for the turnbuckle pad and Cesaro offers a distraction, only to have Strowman send Nakamura into the buckle instead. The running powerslam gives us a new champion at 4:35.

Rating: D+. It took long enough. Strowman winning a title does feel like a big deal and even though it should have been the World Title and over a year ago, I’ll take what I can get. This actually came off as something important and the fans seemed happy with what they saw. Not much of a match, but Nakamura had held the thing since July and not done a thing with it. I can’t imagine that changes under Strowman, but at least he FINALLY won something that matters.

Post break Sami is livid but Elias is in the ring to interrupt them. Sami tries to rant but Elias keeps interrupting with the guitar. That’s enough as Sami sends Cesaro to the ring to deal with this. Elias beats Cesaro up and stands tall.

Video on Shorty G. vs. Sheamus.

Sheamus vs. Shorty G.

Gable jumps Sheamus from behind on the ramp and we take a break before the bell. We’re joined in progress with Gable fighting out of a chinlock but getting taken to the floor for the Regal Roll. Back in and Sheamus hits a reverse Wasteland but Gable ties him in the ropes and slugs away. The Liger kick in the corner sets up the moonsault for two but Sheamus is right back up. The Irish Curse into the Brogue Kick finishes at 3:49.

Rating: C. Just in case you didn’t get the point on the Kickoff Show. This was the same result as Gable tries hard but can’t overcome the size difference, because we need to hammer home the one thing that the company sees in him. Why or how this is the best thing they can do with him is beyond me but I guess we’re just lucky that way.

Here’s a very happy Bayley to brag about retaining the Women’s Title at the Royal Rumble. You can’t recreate her and she crushed Lacey Evans’ dreams for injuring Sasha Banks and putting her on the shelf. Bayley did all this with Lacey’s daughter Summer in the front row so now she knows what a failure her mom is. If Summer needs a role model, she can sit in the crowd with these idiots and watch Bayley. We all know Charlotte is going to pick her for the title match so just get out here right now.

Cue Naomi instead (now with what looks like a light up bowl around her head during her entrance) to say she can’t help but hear the trash talk around here. Bayley has never beaten her and that title could use some glow. Before the challenge can be on, Bayley drops her with one shot. The belt shot misses though and Naomi hits a springboard kick to the head. This is a fresh challenger with some credibility so good for them.

Usos/Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin/Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler

The losers must eat DOG FOOD, which Cole has repeated about 37 times tonight. Corbin punches Jey down for an early two and a low bridge puts Jey on the floor. Roode, now in long tights, hits a spinebuster on the floor as Cole puts over how bad the dog food smells. We take a break and come back with Roode cranking on Jey’s arms. Jey slips out so Ziggler comes in, only to miss a Stinger Splash in the corner.

Corbin gets the tag and breaks up the hot tag though, allowing him to make Jey look at the dog food. That’s enough to make Jey get over for the hot tag to Reigns as everything breaks down. A big boot connects for Reigns but Corbin is back with a chokeslam for two. Ziggler adds a superkick and it’s the Deep Six for two more on Reigns. Jimmy is back in and sends Roode over the announcers’ table, setting up another dive to Ziggler. Reigns misses the spear but rolls Corbin up for the pin at 9:56.

Rating: C-. Yeah it’s another watchable match but it’s everything else that is making it bad. Between Cole shouting about the dog food over and over and over again and the fact that we’ve seen these people fight for months now and how this was nothing new as far as a six man formula goes, this wasn’t exactly thrilling. It’s fine for a house show stipulation where the kids can laugh, but when you have to hear about it all night long, it’s way too much.

Post match Corbin tries to leave but he gets speared down and handcuffed, meaning he gets chained up like he did to Reigns months ago. The buckets of dog food are poured over him so Reigns and the Usos can pose to end the show. It’s a poetic way to go about things with Corbin, but the feud has gone on for so long now that the impact is really, really weakened. Also it’s not exactly brilliant, cutting edge stuff in the first place.

Overall Rating: D+. So that’s how we start up the Road to Wrestlemania: building to Super Showdown, a Valentine’s Day comedy angle, a Royal Rumble rematch and dog food (plus a title change and a new challenger for the Women’s Title as it did have some good stuff). This could have been a show from any time during the year and I’m not exactly thrilled with how the important season started off. There were some positives here but the negatives were more as it didn’t exactly feel inspired.

Results

Miz/John Morrison b. Heavy Machinery, Revival and Lucha House Party – Starship Pain to Dawson

Braun Strowman b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Running powerslam

Sheamus b. Shorty G. – Brogue Kick

Roman Reigns/Usos b. King Corbin/Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler – Rollup to Corbin

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: December 6, 2019
Location: Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

The very slow build on the fast road to TLC continues with one of the last two shows before the pay per view. The big story coming out of last week is the return of the YES Movement as Daniel Bryan gears up to fight the Fiend one more time. It didn’t go so well in round one but this company loves itself some rematches, perhaps this time with less hair. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here’s the Miz to get things going. He has been looking for Daniel Bryan since Bray Wyatt attacked him last week and will find him no matter what. Miz knows what Bryan has meant for Smackdown since he arrived and that can’t go away because of the Fiend. Bray pops up on screen to say that something bad happened to Bryan last week. Bryan was supposed to come play at TLC and now that might not be happening. Maybe Miz can come play instead!

Miz isn’t sure, but that makes Bray unhappy. Ramblin Rabbit pops up to tell Miz to run while he can but Bray scares him off. The Word of the Day is family, because Bray used to have one. Now Bray has a chance to join a new family, so he holds up a picture of Miz, his wife Maryse and his two daughters. Does Miz want to come play with him now? Miz storms to the back.

Post break, Miz calls Maryse and tells her to lock the doors. He wants to do something about this but she wants him to come home.

Alexa Bliss vs. Mandy Rose

Of note: Jessika Carr makes her main roster debut at the first full time female referee. Mandy gets sent outside early on to start but avoids a baseball slide, allowing Mandy to hit a jumping knee to the face. Back in and Mandy takes her down to PULL OUT HER EYELASHES. Mandy yells that Bliss will never look like her so Bliss hits her in the face. Some stomping keeps Mandy down as Nikki Cross takes out Sonya Deville on the floor. Twisted Bliss finishes Mandy at 4:18.

Rating: D+. Just a match here as Bliss is back after her injury. They finally seem to have pulled the trigger on her full face turn, which is something that they have wanted to do for a very long time. I can get how they are shooting to make her the new Trish Stratus and it isn’t that much of a stretch. If she can improve her in-ring abilities, it wouldn’t be that impossible to have her get in the same universe.

Dana Brooke is at catering when Drake Maverick comes in. He heard that Dana is going on a date with Batista and wants to know what Batista has that he doesn’t. Elias comes in to sing a song about what Batista has over Drake. Various jokes about Drake’s sex life are included so Drake slaps him, seemingly setting up a match tonight.

Post break, Drake is in the ring to say everyone thinks this is funny. He wants Elias out here right now for a fight instead of a match so here is Elias, rather promptly at that. Dana is with him as well and Drake can’t get in a single shot. Elias even bends him over his knee for a spank and Dana has to throw Drake back inside. Drift Away connects to leave Drake laying so Dana can get a three count.

Miz is marching through the back and hears a noise. He goes into a room and finds the same photo of his family, but with Bray’s picture over his face. Bray jumps him from behind and hits Sister Abigail before singing a little There’s No Place Like Home.

Video on Tribute To The Troops, which was taped earlier today.

Ali/Shorty G. vs. Lucha House Party vs. Revival vs. Heavy Machinery

Elimination match and the winners get New Day, on commentary, for the titles at TLC. Gable front facelocks Gran Metalik to little avail to start so it’s off to an armbar to work a little better. Ali comes in to flip out of a wristlock and it’s time for a big flip off, drawing New Day to their feet in applause. Lince Dorado and Tucker come in for an exchange of dropkicks as everything breaks down.

The House Party hit stereo dives to take out just about everyone and New Day is rather pleased by the competition. Back in and the Compactor finishes Metalik for the first elimination at 3:29. We come back from a break with Tucker kicking Wilder away and bringing in Otis to clean house. The shirt comes in for some dancing and the power of jiggling absorbs Dawson’s chops. The Caterpillar hits Dawson but the legal Wilder rolls Otis up (with trunks) for the pin at 9:43.

So it’s the Revival vs. Ali/Gable and they’re on the floor in a hurry with Revival being sent onto the New Day. Cole: “THERE ARE PANCAKES EVERYWHERE!” We take a break and come back with Ali German suplexing Wilder for two with Dawson making the save. Ali’s tornado DDT is countered into a powerslam for two but Ali kicks Wilder right back down. The 450 misses though and Ali is tossed over the barricade into the timekeeper’s area. Gable dives onto both of them and ankle locks Wilder but Dawson comes back in for the Shatter Machine and the pin at 18:42.

Rating: C+. The action got better at the end but it was a little deflating to see Revival get yet another title shot. Revival is becoming the second set of Usos as they feel like they have fought the New Day a hundred times now. I’m sure the match is going to be good, but it’s something I’ve seen so many times that it just doesn’t mean much anymore.

Post match the Revival says they won’t let New Day disrespect the titles anymore. The new day is over because they’re taking it back to the old days.

Roman Reigns isn’t worried about Baron Corbin promising to humiliate him tonight. The only humiliating thing is that Corbin and company can’t beat him. At TLC, Reigns is humiliating him.

Sheamus is still coming to destroy Smackdown.

Lacey Evans vs. Haley Jones

Lacey powers her into the corner and the Woman’s Right is good for the pin at 1:13.

Post match here’s Sasha Banks to yell at Lacey for knocking her out last week. Sasha calls herself the blueprint for the division but Lacey is just a Mary Poppins wannabe. Just because Lacey is a bad role model to her six year old daughter….and Lacey cuts that off to say never do that again. Lacey talks about how being in the Marine Corps put leadership in her so she’s ready to fight right now. The threat of the Woman’s Right has Sasha cowering so Lacey leaves, only to get jumped by Bayley. The beatdown is on and Lacey is left laying.

More from WWE at Tribute to the Troops earlier today.

Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler can’t wrestle him down to start but he can go to the knee for some more success. The chinlock and a hair pull put Reigns down again and Ziggler sends him into the steps to make it worse. Back with Reigns still in trouble, including being sent hard into the corner. We hit the chinlock again with Ziggler cranking away until Reigns powers up to his feet. Reigns’ running clothesline misses and they fight to the floor where Ziggler dropkicks him out of the air.

Cue King Corbin, complete with the throne being carried to the ring of course. We take another break and come back with both guys down. Reigns gets back up and hits the Superman Punch for two but Ziggler is right back with the Zig Zag for the same. That doesn’t work for Corbin, who gets on the apron and is punched right back to the floor. The spear finishes Ziggler at 17:48.

Rating: C-. The chinlocks hurt this one a bit but the longer run time didn’t hurt things all that badly. Reigns wasn’t about to lose to Ziggler here because he’s Roman Reigns in a match against Dolph Ziggler. The match was littler more than a way to advance Reigns vs. Corbin, and if that has to happen, there are worse ways to get there.

Post match Corbin’s handlers jump Reigns and Corbin gets involved too with Reigns fighting them off. Someone underneath the ring grabs Reigns’ leg but he beats Corbin up some more. Ziggler superkicks Reigns and grabs some handcuffs from underneath the ring. Reigns fights them off again but the guy from underneath the ring grabs his foot again and the numbers get the better of him.

They handcuff him around the post and unload on Reigns before pulling out….dog food. It’s poured over Reigns’ head and rubbed in his face to end the show, with Reigns screaming as the other two leave. Really effective angle here as it’s the first time Corbin and Ziggler have actually done something to get to Reigns rather than just making stupid dog jokes.

Overall Rating: C+. I can’t believe I’m saying it but that big Corbin angle at the end was the best part of the show. It made me want to see Reigns take him apart and that is the first time I’ve felt something like that about Corbin. The rest of the show came and went, but at least we have a few matches set up for TLC now. Bryan being out of the match makes sense as there is no reason to do Bryan vs. Wyatt twice in a row. Let him come back and win later, as Miz gets to fight for his family but come up short. Good enough show here, and it actually didn’t have anything terrible.

Results

Alexa Bliss b. Mandy Rose – Twisted Bliss

Revival b. Ali/Shorty G., Heavy Machinery and Lucha House Party last eliminating Ali/Shorty G.

Lacey Evans b. Haley Jones – Woman’s Right

Roman Reigns b. Dolph Ziggler – Spear

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: October 25, 2019
Location: Spring Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s another show with a purpose as we have the go home show for Crown Jewel. Therefore Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez are here, because that’s the biggest match on the show no one other than WWE wants to watch. I’m not sure what to expect around here but hopefully it picks up a little bit. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We start fast with MizTV with Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and most of their teams, with no entrance for anyone. You have Hulk Hogan’s theme available and you don’t think that’s a good way to start the show? Miz introduces everyone (including Shorty G, who is now in neon basketball gear with a big G on the front), including members of the teams who aren’t here. Hogan talks about forming a team so Flair rants about how awesome his team is. That sends Flair into a speech about how he’s never lost to Flair and how great his own team is.

Sami laughs at Hogan bragging about Shorty G, who can’t wait to shut Sami up. Ali, who is about the same height as G, makes fun of Sami for not wrestling anymore but Corbin cuts them off to say Crown Jewel was named in his honor. Corbin promises that Reigns will let everyone down as he always does. Reigns: “Corbin, shut up man.” Reigns insults Corbin’s king gear and a six man tag is set up, with Hogan calling Nakamura a young boy. Sami isn’t available though, due to a neck issue so he has a replacement ready: Cesaro, who starts the fight with Reigns right now. Team Hogan clears the ring and we get some Real American.

New Day vs. Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode

No Woods here as he had surgery for his torn Achilles today so you won’t be seeing him in the ring for a very long time. Ziggler starts fast by knocking Kofi to the floor and we take a break about a minute in. Back with Big E. cleaning house and bringing Kofi in off the hot tag for a launch onto Ziggler. Everything breaks down and it’s a spinebuster to Big E. Kofi springboards in with a double ax handle to Roode but gets rolled up with tights for the pin at 5:12. New Day was announced as getting a Tag Team Title shot on next week’s show and they lose here to set up the Tag Team Turmoil. This is an example of WWE being REALLY STUPID!

Post match Revival comes out to brawl with New Day but Heavy Machinery makes the save. I’m still trying to get over how completely stupid that match result was. It’s a match designed to set up next week’s big gauntlet so there are literally NINE other teams you could put out there other than the #1 contenders. How exactly did the decision making process go?

Video on Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman.

Lacey Evans vs. Camron Connors

Actually hold on as Lacey says she isn’t lowering herself to beat someone like Connors. She’s going to walk out instead of embarrassing her so Lacey says ring the bell so she can be counted out. Lacey dives back in at nine and hits the Woman’s Right for the pin at 47 seconds. Well that happened.

A far too excited Nikki Cross doesn’t like the insults that Bayley has thrown at her lately. Tonight, Nikki has to face Mandy Rose, who is certainly gorgeous, but wrestling isn’t a beauty pageant.

So we’re forty minutes in and we’ve had the following:

• Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, who have two of the most iconic entrances of all time, standing in the ring to start the show.

• Shorty G. in neon basketball gear.

• The #1 contenders losing in a five minute match when you could throw in multiple other teams (like one of the teams who made the post match save) to make the same point.

• Lacey Evans teasing walking out before coming back in to win in less than a minute.

I’m starting to get the mindset of the people who can’t stand this show lately. It’s like a bunch of people put in individual stuff but no one talked to each other as the show was being put together.

We look at the Firefly Fun House being burned down.

Drew Gulak vs. Kalisto

Well of course that’s what this show needs. Before the match, Lucha House Party talks about wanting to bring lucha libre to Smackdown. They do know that REY MYSTERIO is already on the show right? The bell rings and Gulak grabs a mic to introduce himself. He has a PowerPoint presentation on how Tyson Fury can defeat Braun Strowman. The slides won’t change so Kalisto kicks him down, only to get caught with a spinebuster. The referee stops to check on him but says it’s ok. Gulak loads up the Cyclone Crash….and here’s Braun Strowman for a distraction. The Salida Del Sol finishes Gulak at 2:15.

Post match it’s a running powerslam to plant Gulak. He does it again at the audience’s request and promises the same to Fury.

Here’s Daniel Bryan for a chat with Michael Cole. Last week he pinned the Intercontinental Champion and the arena erupted in YES chants. Bryan didn’t want to get involved though, so is the YES Movement back? Before that can be answered, here are Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn to interrupt. Sami shows us a clip of Bryan declaring the YES Movement dead back in November. The fans don’t like the new Daniel Bryan though because Sami wants to talk about the REAL Daniel Bryan.

Sami knows that Bryan is a real and honorable man but the people don’t care. It’s interesting that Bryan has a lot more in common with Sami and Nakamura, who care about the same things he cares about. They are all artists in the ring though, and now Bryan is at a crossroads. He can either go back to the people with the nitwits who chant YES or he can move forward with the two of them. The handshake is offered but Bryan walks away instead. This was the only good thing on the show so far.

Nikki Cross vs. Mandy Rose

Sasha Banks and Bayley (all in black) are on commentary. Mandy knocks her down to start and cuts off a comeback attempt with a forearm to the face. The chinlock doesn’t last long and Rose gets two off a fall away slam. Sonya Deville gets in a hard right hand to Nikki but she’s right back with a high crossbody for two. Another Sonya distraction backfires and it’s the Purge to finish Mandy at 4:37.

Rating: D+. Another match that just happened as this show is spiraling down. Bayley as the emotionless champion could go somewhere but Nikki as a title contender isn’t so likely. They’re trying to make someone new though and I can certainly give them points for that, but this wasn’t the best place to try and have something positive, at least not after the first hour of this show being such a mess.

Clip of the Undertaker on the WWE float in Riyadh.

Here are Rey Mysterio and Cain Velasquez for a chat. Rey is proud of his son Dominick for trying to fight back and now Rey knows he’s really a Mysterio. As for Brock Lesnar, Rey knows Cain is going to give Lesnar another scar. Lesnar and Paul Heyman need to get out here right now so we can do this face to face.

They pop up on screen instead, saying that Lesnar has more important things to do than go face to face with Velasquez. Brock has been doing something but Heyman won’t say where he has been doing it. Rey still wants them out here right now so Heyman says Rey should guess to whom Brock has been doing something. We pan down to the unconscious Dominick and Lesnar laughs.

Post break, Rey and Cain are checking on Dominick in the trainer’s room. Lesnar comes in with a trashcan to clean house, including an F5 to send Mysterio into the wall and another F5 to drop Cain onto Dominick.

Post break Velasquez shouts about Brock in Spanish and seems to swear vengeance.

Cesaro/King Corbin/Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Roman Reigns/Ali/Shorty G.

Hogan and Flair are here too. Team Flair jumps them at the bell and the fight is on outside, with Jimmy Hart having to hold Hogan back. Reigns and Corbin take turns hammering away at each other in the corner and Roman nails the Samoan drop for two. Nakamura comes in and gets hit in the face so it’s off to Gable (Cole said his old name so it’s good enough for me) to work on the arm.

Of course Gable can wrestle Nakamura down without much trouble as Cole brings up Gable’s Olympic career, with Graves pointing out that he looks like he belongs on the Tune Squad. Ignoring the fact that almost no fans under the age of twenty five are going to get that reference, that’s quite the mixed look at Gable. Ali comes in for a running hurricanrana to Cesaro, who muscles him over with a gutwrench suplex. Team Flair takes turns sending Ali to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Ali trying to fight back but having his tornado DDT blocked. Instead Cesaro picks him up by the throat, only to have Ali plant him with a DDT. Nakamura and Corbin break up the hot tag attempt though, only to have Ali enziguri Corbin. That’s enough for the tag to Gable, who suplexes Nakamura and neckbreakers Corbin. The moonsault gets two on Corbin (with Hogan in one of his elements as a cheerleader on the floor) and there’s a suplex to Cesaro.

Nakamura breaks up the ankle lock with a running knee so he and Corbin put Gable on top. That earns them a double missile dropkick and the hot tag brings in Reigns for the house cleaning. Cesaro takes Reigns down though and the Sharpshooter goes on until Ali breaks it up with a superkick. Everything breaks down and it’s the parade of secondary finishers. Reigns Superman punches Cesaro out of the air and hits the spear, setting up Ali’s 450 for the pin at 15:03.

Rating: B-. They took their time to get started here but once it was clicking, everything started to roll. The post break stuff was rather entertaining and Ali getting the pin was a nice touch. I’m not exactly thrilled in the ten man tag as it’s likely to go a long time and not be very interesting, but at least the six man version was pretty good.

Overall Rating: D. Oh I did not like this show. While it did pick WAY up starting with the Bryan segment, the rest of the show was a complete mess with the build to Crown Jewel taking over everything, even if it wrecked whatever else might be going on. In other words, if you’re not on Crown Jewel, your appearance here didn’t matter in the slightest. It’s another example of WWE trying to cram in so much stuff and the shows suffering as a result.

We’re less than a month away from Survivor Series and the show has not been mentioned once on WWE TV. By the time it is, which if we’re lucky will be next Friday (when the Smackdown roster is completely gassed from flying around the world in a day), when we’re about three weeks away. Then three weeks after that it’s TLC, with the Starrcade special in the middle. WWE has gotten a lot worse about this overdoing it lately and it’s really, really getting to be a problem. Just let things breathe for once so your fans aren’t so burned out. Why is that so much to ask?

Results

Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode b. New Day – Rollup with tights to Kingston

Lacey Evans b. Camron Connors – Woman’s Right

Kalisto b. Drew Gulak – Salida Del Sol

Nikki Cross b. Mandy Rose – Purge

Ali/Shorty G./Roman Reigns b. Cesaro/King Corbin/Shinsuke Nakamura – 450 to Cesaro

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6