Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.22.18

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.22.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Miz defeated Big E @ 10:55 via pin [**¾]
– MITB Qualifier: Lana defeated Billie Kay @ 1:11 via pin [NR]
– Andrade Cien Almas defeated Jobby McJobberson @ 1:48 via pin [NR]
– #1 Contender’s Match: The Good Brothers defeated The Usos @ 5:25 via pin [**¼]
– MITB Qualifier: Naomi defeated Sonya Deville @ 4:22 via pin [**]
– For The Right to face Samoa Joe Next Week For a Spot in MITB: Daniel Bryan defeated Jeff Hardy @ 11:40 via submission [***¼]

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MIZ TV – New Day’s Decision: Last week, New Day won a tag match which allowed them the right to select one member of the team to join the MITB match. New Day has no plans to watch Miz & Maryse’s reality show, and Miz immediately asks who will represent them in MITB. They all say that it will be “me,” and Miz then says they are holding each other back, stirring the pot. They disagree, and Woods then puts over Miz for all of his accomplishments. But no one likes Miz because it’s always about him. Miz runs them down for under achieving and never winning the world title, reminding Kofi of his 6 MITB failures. He puts over Big E for having everything it takes, but he will never be taken seriously. Miz then praises Woods for his Youtube Empire, and tells him to imagine streaming as the world champion. Miz asks who will take the spot, and Woods says Big E. Big E says Kofi. Kofi says Woods. Miz is pissed because he wants the scoop, not jokes. He then says he could beat any of the many day of the week. New Day huddles and Kofi says it will be Big E, but Woods says it will be Big E vs. Miz tonight. Miz refuses because he didn’t get what he wants. They shame him and toss pancakes his way. Miz bails. Paige then meets with Miz and books him in a match to prove he can beat New Day. This was fine and even fun, but solved nothing as far as delivering on the MITB announcement; the old bait and switch.

Big E vs. Miz: Woods is on commentary. Woods says it was strategy to not reveal who is in MITB. Big E quickly overpowers Miz to begin. Miz attacks, laying in strikes. Big E cuts him off with an abdominal stretch. Big E takes him to the apron and lays the boots to Miz. The apron splash connects. Woods and Kofi corner Big E, giving him some syrup. Miz lays in strikes, Big E chases, but Miz trips him up on the apron and slams him to the barricade. We go screen in screen, and Miz rolls him back in and lays the boots to him. Miz lays the boots to Big E and mockingly claps for him. The neck breaker follows for 2. Miz grounds the action, but Big E starts to fire back. Miz cuts him off with the corner clothesline but when he flies off the top, Big E cuts him off. Miz quickly battles back with a knee strike and ground things. Back to full screen, and Miz works a sleeper. Kofi joins commentary as Big E fights back. The overhead belly to belly follows and then another. The running splash follows for 2. Miz powders, but back in and Big E hits the STO for 2. Miz cuts off the apron spear and follows with a DDT for 2. Miz counters the big ending and they work into a double down. The Bar arrives and attacks Woods and Kofi. They distract Big E, and Miz hits the finale for the win. Miz defeated Big E @ 10:55 via pin [**¾] This was pretty good overall, but the ending felt very flat and unsatisfying.

– We see footage of Bryan kicking Cass’ ass last week. We see Cass on crutches backstage; he’s not cleared to compete.

– Bryan is interviewed about tonight’s match with Jeff Hardy. This second chance means everything to him, last week he showed big Cass what he could do and hypes his match with Jeff later tonight. Bryan puts over Jeff big time, but says he loves a challenge, and will tap out a legend later tonight.

– Aiden English is out to sing Lana to the ring. The IIconics arrive and mock English, and they perform a duet. They are spectacularly horrible.

MITB Qualifier: Lana vs. Billie Kay: English is at ringside, as is Peyton Royce. English presents a LANA DAY sign as the bell rings. Kay is pissed and the IIconics slap him and Lana attacks Royce, but Kay then attacks her and rolls her into the ring. Head kick and x-factor by Lana and she wins. Lana defeated Billie Kay @ 1:11 via pin [NR] Lana is the best, Lana number one; at least it was short, and the crowd really liked it. Although the thought of Lana in a ladder match is actually horrifying.

– Zelina Vega cuts a promo about the greatest of Andrade Almas. If they don’t get what they want, they will take it.

Andrade Cien Almas vs. Jobby McJobberson: Vega is out with Almas. Almas laughs at him and attacks with strikes. He beats down McJobberson, but McJobberson starts to fight back and quickly gets cut off with a spinning back elbow. He’s dead, Jim. The charging knees follow and then again. The hammerlock DDT finishes it. Andrade Cien Almas defeated Jobby McJobberson @ 1:48 via pin [NR] Tranquilo…

– Carmella is interviewed with an Asuka mask. She talks about all of the haters and says since she beat Charlotte twice, that makes her twice as good as Asuka. She will continue to prove that Mella is Money.

Shinsuke Nakamura’s Stipulation Reveal: Nakamura beat Styles last week, which means he gets to name the stipulation for their rematch at MITB. Renee brings Styles & Nakamura to the ring. Styles doesn’t want to fuck around and just wants the answer. Nakamura shows footage of his win from last week. Nakamura promises to destroy Styles and says his tile will be his and Smackdown will be his house. Nakamura jokingly says it will be a pillow fight. Styles says Nakamura is the king of soft style. Nakamura says Styles jokes because he’s weak, and just wants to give him a knee to face. Styles says Nakamura can’t beat him when it counts, which is why Nakamura takes cheap shots. Styles says he doesn’t care anymore and goes to leave but they brawl to the floor. Styles dismantles the announce table but Nakamura attacks with a chair. They brawl into the crowd and then back to ringside. Nakamura cuts him off with a chair shot and poses. He starts counting, teasing a last man standing match. He then sloppily slams Styles off of the announce table and lays him out with Kinshasa. He counts again, this time getting to 10. Nakamura confirms it. Last man standing it is then. This was an overall good segment, setting up the next clash between the two.

– The Good Brothers say they respect the Usos, but they blew their shot at the tag titles. They plan to win the titles at MITB. The Usos say this isn’t Japan or Raw, so welcome to the Uso penitentiary. The Good brothers all them nerds and they brawl.

#1 Contender’s Match: The Usos vs. The Good Brothers: They brawl right away, but the Usos take control and hit a big dive. We go screen in screen, as the Usos take control. They isolate Gallows, and work quick tags. They have Gallows grounded for a bit, but work into a double down. Back to full screen, as Anderson tags in and runs wild. The neck breaker off the ropes follows for 2. He gets cut off, but Anderson takes Jey up top and follows him up. Jey head butts him to he mat and hits a spin kick. Gallows tags in and gets cut of, the Usos hit the top rope splash for 2. The Usos head back up top and Anderson cuts off the double uce. The magic killer finishes it. The Good Brothers defeated The Usos @ 5:25 via pin [**¼] This was ok while it lasted, but I like the Good Brothers getting the shot as the Usos have failed so many times against the Bludgeon Brothers and the Good Brothers will be fine challengers of the month/sacrificial lambs.

MITB Qualifier: Naomi vs. Sonya Deville: Mandy Rose is out with Deville. Deville looks to ground things right away, as we see Becky Lynch watching on. Naomi battles back but Deville spears her and covers for 2. Charlotte also watches on. Deville lays in strikes and knees, covering for 2. She grounds things again, working a body scissors. Naomi tries to power up but Deville hits a spinebuster for 2. Deville lays in kicks but Naomi cuts her off and lays in strikes. They trade kicks, and work into a double down. Deville now follows with knee strikes, but Naomi gets the prawn hold for the win. Naomi defeated Sonya Deville @ 4:22 via pin [**] This was perfectly fine for the time given.

– Samoa Joe is out to watch the main event and to see who his victim will be next week. He joins commentary.

For The Right to face Samoa Joe Next Week For a Spot in MITB: Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy: This is their first match ever. They lock up and work into some back and forth. Jeff hits a shoulder tackle, but Bryan quickly grounds things. Bryan then picks up the pace, hits a shoulder tackle and covers for 2. Joe is so good on commentary here. Jeff cuts off Bryan, hits the leg drop to the balls and dropkick, and Bryan powders. Post break, and they work into a double down. They trade strikes now; Bryan fires away with kicks and dumps Jeff to the floor. Bryan misses the apron knee strike and Jeff then hits the flying clothesline. Back in and Bryan cuts off Jeff up top and gets him in the tree of WHOA and follows with kicks. Bryan looks for a belly to back superplex. Jeff fights him off and Jeff hits whisper in the wind for 2. Bryan counters the twist of fate and takes out Jeff’s knee. Bryan lays in kicks, but Jeff hits the twist of fate and the swanton eats knees. Bryan follows with a big wind up kick for 2. Jeff cuts off the knee strike and gets a roll up for 2. They fight over a backslide, Bryan dragon screws the leg and locks on a knee bar. Jeff taps. Daniel Bryan defeated Jeff Hardy @ 11:40 via submission [***¼] This was a good main event match, and while they didn’t get a ton of time, it was enjoyable and made me want to see a PPV match between the two down the line. Bryan gets the win, and can lay claim to a US title shot down the line, but more importantly gets another chance to get into MITB when he faces Joe next week. Joe was really excellent on commentary here and his work went a long way to help hype next week’s match

– Joe tells Bryan not to celebrate, because they face in the main event next week. Joe cuts a backstage promo, noting that he’s just telling the truth. Next week, Bryan goes to sleep.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Tonight’s episode of WWE Smackdown was rock solid episode, focusing on locking in more MITB participants, a tag title match and naming the stipulation for Styles for Nakamura. We also had a good main event.