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Wrestling’s 4Rs: The Right, Wrong and Ridiculous of WWE Smackdown

May 16, 2017 | Posted by Dylan Diot
Dolph Ziggler WWE Image Credit: WWE

How the 4Rs of wRestling Work!
Here is a quick explanation of the 4R’s. The column will run TWO-THREE times a week. We will group our feelings on the shows in various categories: The Right, the wRong and the Ridiculous. The Right is stuff that worked very well: a great promo, a great match and so on. PuRgatoRy is a section between the right and wrong. It shows equal traits from both sides that cannot be ignored and needs discussed. It is not a bad place per say, as things can get remedied or go the wrong way the very next week. The wRong is what it sounds like: bad matches, bad or boring promos and so on. The Ridiculous is stuff that had no right on TV: Stupid angles and so on. And there is always a possibility of a 5th R, which is as bad as they come. This column is supposed to be analytical, and at the right time very critical of the shows, it was the whole reason it was created. This is not a “mark” column, nor a “smark” column, our goal is to analyze the show from many different fronts, reward the good and call out the bad. We will not apologize for our opinions, they are as they are, whether positive or negative.


SMACKDOWN 5.09.17
– Natalya d. Becky Lynch [*1/2]
– Erick Rowan d. Luke Harper [**]
– Breezango d. The Ascesion [*]
– Jinder Mahal, Kevin Owens & Baron Corbin d. Sami Zayn, Randy Orton & AJ Styles [***1/4]


THE Right:
Dolph Ziggler confronts Shinsuke Nakamura: Dolph Ziggler came out and claimed no one appreciated him for eight years of hard working doing what he was best at. He claimed he suffered for his art and accomplished everything on his own terms but no one cared, they only chant for Shinsuke Nakamura who hadn’t done a single thing yet. He called out Nakamura who offered to show Ziggler what he could do right then and there. Ziggler refused, promising to expose him at Backlash. He attacked Nakamura but Nakamura made his own save and Ziggler bailed on him once again. This was easily the best segment these two have had so far in their feud. Ziggler’s promo was strong, conveying his reasoning and dislike for Nakamura and finally gave a purpose for the feud. They’ve been doing a good job making Nakamura look strong without having an official match by having him get the better of Ziggler each time they brawl so good work all around.

Jinder Mahal, Kevin Owens & Baron Corbin vs. Sami Zayn, Randy Orton & AJ Styles: Orton’ team got off to a good start until Zayn got trapped in the heel corner and was worked over for a good portion of the match. Zayn eventually escaped their clutches and tagged Styles who ran wild. He caught Corbin in the Calf Crusher but Owens saved and everyone fought on the floor, leading to Zayn diving onto the heel team. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Owens blocked, sending Styles crashing to the mat. Styles was worked over for a bit but he managed to make the tag to Orton who cleaned house. We had a big sequence where everyone hit a big move, culminating in Orton hitting the RKO on Owens only for Mahal to follow right up with the Cobra Slam for the win. I thought this was a good main event if a tad too long. I thought the beat down on Zayn was great and they probably would have been better off going right into the final stretch after that instead of doing another baby face in peril segment with Styles. Still, a fun contest and the absolute right finish, having Mahal pin Orton clean as a sheet to give him that big win he needed heading into the Backlash match.

puRgatoRy:
Randy Orton opening promo: Orton opened the show blaming his loss at Payback on Jinder Mahal and warned him that he had to win a match to become the WWE Champion. Jinder Mahal came out and showed his parade of photos of him holding the WWE Championship and said after Backlash, he will take the title to his kingdom and become a hero in India. Kevin Owens was next and said that when he was done with AJ Styles, he was coming down he WWE Championship. Styles followed suit and told Owens no matter what he said or did, he wouldn’t take his place as the face of Smackdown. Baron Corbin was the last to come out but Sami Zayn immediately attacked and triggered a brawl that set up the main event. It was every get everyone a talking point segment you had ever seen and the brawl was simple but uninspired. It was a simple, paint by the number segment to fill time on the show.

Natalya vs. Becky Lynch: The Welcoming Committee, Naomi & Charlotte all came out to watch the match. Natalya sweeped Becky onto the apron and worked her over on the floor. She worked an abdominal stretch but Lynch fought out and cleaned house. A brawl took place on the floor between the accompanying parties, which distracted Becky, allowing Natalya to sweep her off the top rope for the win. This was way too short and never got going. It was a placeholder for the entrances of the other women and for the raw on the floor. They had a match a few weeks ago that blew this one out of the water. It was fine for continuity purposes but this was the weakest moment of the program so far.

Luke Harper vs. Erick Rowan: Rowan attacked at the bell but Harper caught him with a drop kick. Rowan retook control with a spin kick and boxed the ears of Harper but Harper came back with a back suplex. Harper and Rowan each had a big near fall but Rowan tried to distract the ref with his mask, allowing him a chance to poke Harper’s eye and hit the spinning power slam for the win. It was decent for a powerhouse match but the crowd was dead for this. Neither man has anything going for them right now so no had any reason to care for this match.

Breezango vs. The Ascension: Fandango got off to a hot start but Viktor pulled his hair allowing the Ascension to take control. Fandango fought out of a chin lock and tagged Breeze who ran wild. It culminated in Fandango hitting the Last Dance on Viktor for the win. Afterward, the Usos came out and gave them twelve things that are going happen before they met in twelve days in a weird promo. The match itself was short but it gave Breezango a victory to boost their credibility heading into Backlash so it was fine for what it was. The tag division is still at a standstill right now and it just seems they’re killing time until the New Day finally arrives.

THE wRong:
NOTHING

THE Ridiculous:
NOTHING

The 1149th edition is over…

article topics :

Smackdown, Wrestling's 4Rs, WWE, Dylan Diot