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Csonka’s Smackdown Review 01.24.17

January 24, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
Becky Lynch
7.5
The 411 Rating
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Csonka’s Smackdown Review 01.24.17  

Csonka’s Smackdown Review 01.24.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Randy Orton defeated Luke Harper @ 10:56 via pin [***¼]
Battle Royal For a Spot in The Rumble: Mojo Rawley won @ 3:05 [*]
– Dolph Ziggler defeated Kalisto @ 0:45 via pin [NR]
WWE IC Title Lumberjack Match: IC Champion Dean Ambrose defeated The Miz @ 11:55 via pin [***]


– Daniel Bryan is trying to eat an apple, and Miz interrupts him and rants about not having a private dressing room. He wants Bryan to make it right, but Bryan has jokes and offers Miz a rematch against Ambrose for the IC Title. Miz asks for a No DQ match but Bryan refuses. Bryan then makes it a lumberjack match.

– Commentary breaks down the issues with the Wyatts.

– We head right to the ring for Orton vs. Harper.

Luke Harper vs. Randy Orton: Daddy Bray has had enough of the bullshit between the kids, so he’s throwing them in Thunder Dome; two men will enter and only one can be daddy’s favorite. Bray is out to watch the mayhem. They lock up after Harper talks some shit, Harper has never really ought what Orton was selling this entire time. They brawled to the floor as Bray largely ignores them. Back in and Orton fires back with a clothesline and hits the hangman’s DDT. Orton sets for the RKO, but Harper bails. Then brawl on the floor, and Orton slams Harper off the commentary table. Harper hits a boot, and Bray rolls Orton and Harper into the ring as we take a commercial break. Post break, Harper had Orton grounded as Bray watched on. Harper up top, cut off by Orton; the superplex followed and Orton covered for 2. They fought back and forth, but Orton hit the snap slam and covered for 2 again. Harper fired back, hit the Michinoku driver and covered for the near fall. Harper then countered the RKO into a roll up and that got a great near fall. Harper looked for the sitout powerbomb, but Orton countered into the roll up and then countered the lariat with the RKO for the win. Randy Orton defeated Luke Harper @ 10:56 via pin [***¼] That was really good, they had an invested crowd and the only real criticism is I just wish it went longer. They have really good chemistry. This could lead to the Harper face turn (possibly with a returning Erick Rowan), and overall was a strong way to kick off the show. I have really enjoyed this angle.

– Post match, Bray laid out Harper with sister Abigail.

– We get highlights from last week’s cage match and Mickie James’ return.

– We get a remember the Rumble video with Triple H…

Mickie James Talks: Renee Young is here to interview Mickie James. Renee asks James about her return as La Luchadora. James says she beat Trish for her first title at Mania, and is a five time women’s champion, as well as a former Divas champion. James is a condescending bitch here, and says that Lynch and the women of the revolution think they are the end all be all. They almost got away with trying to ruin her legacy if it wasn’t for Bliss. She says Bliss has been fighting against the revolution, but always remembered James and her accomplishments. She respects Bliss, and is here because of her. Lynch likes to brag about being part of the revolution, forget about that, because this is about the reinvention of Mickie James. Lynch hits the ring and we have a brawl. James bails into the crowd, Bliss arrives and they then double team Lynch. Bliss up top, twisted Bliss to Lynch and she stands tall with James. James says Lynch should have learned her lesson, always be one step ahead. I really liked that, James being upset for being forgotten due to the women’s revolution and wanting to reclaim her glory works for me as motivation. She’s essentially upset over being replaced by the newer model so to speak. James was focused, a total pro and never allowed the crowd to take over, while also coming off as completely unlikable. This was a really good follow up to last week’s angle.

– Carmella took James Ellsworth shopping. Ellsworth IS WEARING HIS FUCKING GEAR. He hasn’t shopped in a place this nice since his last court date. Ellsworth proceeds to try on a selection of wacky outfits, including an Elvis outfit. Carmella then picked out more proper clothing.

– Baron Corbin is out on commentary

Battle Royal For a Spot in The Rumble: The Vaudevillains, The Ascension, Curt Hawkins, Breeze, Fandango, Mojo, Rhyno and Slater are involved. The Vaudevillains were tossed seconds in. Mojo has dropped his zubaz, and has more traditional gear. They did a ton of quick eliminations, Mojo had to fight off FaBreeze; he survived after some miscommunication, and won. Mojo Rawley won @ 3:05 [*] It wasn’t much of a match, but with Ryder out injured, WWE reportedly has some plans for Rawley so this was a nice way to give him some momentum.

– Earlier today, Dasha interviewed Nikki Bella outside, Natalya was still pissed at her and attacked her, slamming her into a truck. Nattie should have been like, “your face is on the truck now bitch!”

AJ Styles Calls Out John Cena: The crowd loves Styles, he then shows the Royal Rumble poster, which features him in the back and Cena up front, because he gets no respect.

Styles then calls out Cena. The poster bit is funny because people on Twitter had complained about it. Cena arrives, and is greeted with the usual reaction. Styles doesn’t want to hear any speeches, and Styles brings up Cena’s appearance on The Today Show, where Cena said he was confident he would win. The hosts kept calling Styles “the guy from Atlanta.” Styles was not amused by this. Styles says he is “The Phenomenal AJ Styles, and the unbeatable and unstoppable champion” that has been holding down Smackdown while Cena was gone, and no one missed Cena. Styles says he took Cena’s place, and replaced him. He knows that it gets to Cena that he’s not the man on Smackdown anymore, and Cena knows Styles is the better man. Styles they asks if Cena has any more excuses left for when he loses again. “You are a sorry excuse for a wrestler.” Styles makes fun of Cena’s new shirt, and wants to now what he has to do to get some respect, “will I get it when I beat you again at the Rumble?” I won’t settle for an inch, so at the Rumble I’ll take a foot and put it in your ass.” Cena says Styles is upset about a poster and a talk show, and tries to turn it around on Styles, noting he held the company down for a decade, while Styles has been here six-months. Cena says he didn’t put in time on the indies, because he was built for the WWE. Cena added that Styles wasn’t on his level or even the level below. Cena says he is only concerned about Sunday and Styles is just a guy, holding onto that championship because I let you. Styles is just like everyone else, hating on him but trying his best to be him. On Sunday, Styles will learn that Cena is a bad man and that his time is now. This was an overall very good promo segment from both guys, doing a great job of adding some more intensity for Sunday’s title match. Styles has grown so much on the mic, which was always the big concern, but has done well, especially against Cena. My only issue is that they broke the old rule, hurting their opponent’s credibility. Styles calls him a sorry excuse for a wrestler, so if he wins, what did he beat? Cena said Styles wasn’t on his level and not even close, so if he wins, who did he beat? It’s little things in a way, the delivery and fire was excellent, but they have to be careful in the verbiage they choose to use. Cena came off very heelish there to me, I’d love to see them pull the double turn, but it happening is about as likely as me hitting the mega millions.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Kalisto: Kalisto beat Ziggler last week, and then Ziggler attacked Lawler during the King’s Court. They brawled right away, with Kalisto working leg kicks. Ziggler hit a superkick as Kalisto tried a springboard, and that was that.

NO FLIPPITY SHIT FOR YOU!

Dolph Ziggler defeated Kalisto @ 0:45 via pin [NR] Serious Dolph doesn’t fuck around, which is what they wanted to hammer home here.

– Post match, Ziggler teased attacking with a chair, but Apollo Crews made the save and ran him off.

– Nikki attacked Natalya as she made her way to the ring. Referees broke them up, and Naomi grabbed the mic and said this isn’t going down like that tonight. She wants an opportunity and won’t leave until someone steps up for a match. Alexa Bliss arrives and then says she won’t accept a challenge from a nobody. “who are you again?” Bliss says Naomi is not worth her time and tells her to say hi to obscurity for her. I am seriously wondering If they are trying to get so many women into the mix so that they can do an Elimination Chamber with them. (sort of close, we’re getting Alexa Bliss, Natalya and Mickie James vs. Becky Lynch, Naomi and Nikki Bella on Sunday).

WWE IC Title Lumberjack Match: IC Champion Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz: Ambrose controlled early, but Miz cut him off. Ambrose teased Dirty Deeds, and then sent Miz to the floor where he got beat down. Post break, the lumberjacks pulled Ambrose to the floor as h went for the jawbreaker lariat and got beat down. Miz worked the Daniel Bryan kicks, but Ambrose fought back and laid in rights. Ambrose got sent to the floor, fought back and posted Corbin. Back in he hit the elbow drop press to Miz, covering for a near fall. Miz to the floor and Ambrose hit a dive onto the pile, we got the big brawl, Maryse grabbed Ambrose’s leg and Miz hit Bryan’s running knee for the near fall. Shotgun dropkicks by Miz, but Ambrose again tosses Miz to the floor. Ambrose hits the elbow press onto the floor onto the pile. Back in they go, v counters a roll up, hits the jawbreaker lariat but Corbin is in for revenge and we get the huge brawl. The match actually kept going, Ambrose hit dirty deeds and retained. IC Champion Dean Ambrose defeated The Miz @ 11:55 via pin [***] This was a good, but largely paint by numbers main event. But that’s not a bad thing; the match was good, we got some Rumble build and this also may have been the set up for an Ambrose vs. Corbin IC Title feud.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

 photo fe36ffd0-0da4-4e3b-a2d3-b026b341dd87_zps41ef5d61.jpg
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.5
The final score: review Good
The 411
What I tend to really enjoy when watching Smackdown is that it feels as if they are working hard on the episodic theme of the show; not just “this is a loose follow up,” I feel as if I am reading a script unfold. We got the continuation of the Wyatt angle, which started as simple background looks between Harper and Orton, escalated into them trying to one up each other and then finally battling for Bray’s love. We had some solid Rumble hype, Mickie James explained her return and actions from last week, the main event and openers were good matches and we may have set the stage for Harper & Rowan vs. Orton & Wyatt, and Corbin vs. Ambrose.
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