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Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.01.20
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Csonka’s WWE Friday Night Smackdown Review 5.01.20
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Daniel Bryan defeated King Corbin @ 15:10 via DQ [***]
– Sheamus defeated Leon Ruff @ 1:55 via pin [NR]
– MITB Qualifying Match: Carmella defeated Mandy Rose @ 3:45 via pin [*]
– Non-Title Match: The Forgotten Sons defeated Champions New Day @ 13:00 via pin [**½]
– MITB Qualifying Match: Otis defeated Dolph Ziggler @ 10:55 via pin [**]
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– Daniel Bryan arrives and talks about his love of wrestling and trying new things, like this new MITB match. They will battle for the MITB contract at WWE HQ, he’s competed in weird and wild places, but never in an office building. He doesn’t know the rule, can he use an elevator? Does Vince have actual dinosaur bones in his office? 9 years ago he won the MITB, won the world title and that was something most though was impossible, it was the biggest thing in his career and started the YES movement. It made him, and he’s excited, but sad that Drew Gulak isn’t in the match to get his shot. Corbin and his cronies ruined that and he wants revenge. Corbin arrives and says his kind makes Bryan’s kind suffer. We see highlights from last week. He tells Bryan to stop dreaming, because Corbin will win once again. Bryan makes fun of him and asks if he will win and lose again when he cashes in. Corbin gets upset and says Bryan used to be young and hungry, but now he’s old and desperate while Corbin is better than never. Bryan was great here.
Daniel Bryan vs. King Corbin: They lockup and work to the ropes as they break. Lockup again and back to the ropes, they break and Bryan follows with leg kicks. Corbin rushes him to the ropes, follows with strikes and Bryan fires back, grounding things, Corbin fires back, hits a tackle and Bryan takes out his knee. He follows with leg kicks, a dragon screw and continue to assault the knee until Corbin makes the ropes. Corbin grounds things now, Bryan counters out and goes back to the knee. Corbin counters out with strikes, taking control and grounding things. Bryan fires back, delivers kicks until Corbin cuts him off. Bryan fires back but gets dumped. Corbin follows and posts Bryan. Post break and Corbin has things grounded. Bryan fights and makes the ropes, Corbin follows with strikes but Bryan counters into a crucifix for 2. Corbin stops that and the in and out Bossman lariat follows for 2. They trade and Corbin follows with a knee strike. He targets the arm and beats Bryan down as he talks shit. Bryan counters back and hits a suicide dive. The missile dropkick follows and Bryan goes back to the leg with kicks, and the ankle lock follows and then delivers more kicks, covering for 2. The corner dropkick follows until Corbin hits deep six for 2. He follows with ground and pound, Bryan counters out but Corbin makes the ropes. Bryan lays the boots to him and Corbin counters the dive, but Bryan continues to deliver kicks until Corbin hits him with a ladder for the DQ. Daniel Bryan defeated King Corbin @ 15:10 via DQ [***] Despite the flat finish, this was a good and competitive match with a good layout.
– Post match, Bryan gets the YES lock until Cesaro & Nak attack and Corbin tosses Bryan into a pile of ladders.
– Braun & Alexa talk.
– Braun arrives and says last week they went down memory lane, but the past is in the past with Bray. At MITB… Bray interrupts and it’s story time about the black sheep. He reads his story about Braun, calling himself the good Shepard and took Braun in to raise him. They had fun together, but one day, the selfish black sheep left and didn’t thank him or say goodbye. All of his other animals abandoned him as well and the government took the farm and the reptilians took over He will find him, remind him of his mistakes and take what makes him happy and then take him to the slaughterhouse. Braun has had enough, challenges him to come to the ring and Bray leaves.
Sheamus vs. Leon Ruff: Ruff puts up a fight, gets cut off as Sheamus hits backbreakers before dumping him. He follows with clubbing strikes, as the brogue kick finishes it. Sheamus defeated Leon Ruff @ 1:55 via pin [NR] He’s dead, Jim.
– Sheamus talks shit to Cole as we head to the Jeff Hardy comeback video. He returns next week. Sheamus is not impressed and says he will be as well.
– Kayla talks with Mandy & Otis. They hype their MITB qualifying matches, as Otis says he will win MITB not only for him, but his peach as well. Mandy is focused on Carmella tonight, and just like Otis, she will climb the ladder and win.
MITB Qualifying Match: Mandy Rose vs. Carmella: They lockup and Mandy grounds things. Carmella counters out and Mandy then escapes. Carmella moonwalks, They work into back and forth until Carmella cuts her off and covers for 2. Mandy fires back and takes control, grounding things. Sonya arrives and talks shit to distract Mandy. She monologues, Mandy controls and covers for 2. Sonya keeps talking and Carmella follows with a clothesline. Carmella hits the head scissors, and Mandy then cuts her off. Carmella hits a superkick and wins. Carmella defeated Mandy Rose @ 3:45 via pin [*] As a match, it’s bad, but as an angle advancement tool for Mandy & Sonya, it worked. Sonya was really good here.
– Post match, Sonya beats down Mandy and posts her before shooting her to the steps. Sonya vows to ruin Mandy’s life.
– Mandy gets medical attention as Otis checks on her. He’s pissed and runs into Dolph, who asks about Mandy. Otis just snarls at him.
– Miz & Morrison arrive to watch the match.
Non-Title Match: The Forgotten Sons vs. Champions New Day: Ryker is at ringside. Big E and Cutler begin, locking up and working to h ropes. Kofi tags in, taking control until Cutler cuts him of and tags in Blake. Kofi fires back with kicks, and covers for 2. Blake cuts him off, Cutler tags in and double teams follow until Kofi makes the tag. Big E runs wild with suplexes and hits the apron splash. Post break and New day are in control, working quick tags and double teams for 2. Cutler cuts off Big E, dumping him and that allows Blake to take control and cover for 2. The Sons work quick tags, as double teams follow for 2. Cutler dominates with strikes, as more double teams follow for 2. Big E battles back, but Blake stops the tag. Big E counter into an STO and tags in Kofi. Kofi runs wild off the hot tag, hits the boom drop and then gets cut off with a backbreaker for 2. Kofi cuts off Cuter with the running double stomp for 2. The Sons cut him off and pick up a near fall off the double team. Kofi battles back, dumps them and hits an assisted dive. The Sons fight off midnight hour, Big E misses the suicide spear, Ryker posts him and the double stomp/DDT combo finishes Kofi. The Forgotten Sons defeated Champions New Day @ 13:00 via pin [**½] This was solid, but the Sons winning were a given after the luchas beat Miz & Morrison last week. It’s that time when WWE pretend they acre about the tag team division, so they try to heat up some teams for a multi-team match. I’d care, but I already saw this stuff as they build to Elimination Chamber.
– They hype MITB.
– Tamina comments on her title shot at MITB, noting that it took four women to beat her at Mania. She won’t be intimidated by some mean girls. Banks arrives, sucks up to her and tries to be friends, bringing up Team BAD. Bayley attacks, Lacey makes the save and they have to be pulled apart.
– Sonya hypes up Dolph for his main event match with Otis. Dolph says he isn’t the bad guy here, fans like Otis because he’s just like them. He’s not great, he’s not a winner, he just gets moral victories, while Dolph is a real winner. Dolph will win MITB, and become champion again. He will then slide up to Mandy and make her feel all better.
– Next Week: Corbin, Cesaro & Nak vs. Bryan, Gulak, & TBD, Bayley & Banks vs. Lacey & Tamina, Jeff Hardy Returns, Braun & Bray Face Off.
MITB Qualifying Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Otis: Otis attacks and dumps Dolph right away. Dolph runs, and then gets tossed around. Otis follows with the delayed suplex for 2. Dolph fires back, but Otis quickly stops that. The slam follows and Otis covers for 2. Otis continues to control, and Dolph spills to the floor. back in and Otis hits the back suplex for 2. Otis charges posts himself and that allows Dolph to take control on the floor. Post break and Dolph is in control, working over Otis back in the ring. The dropkick connects and he hits another. Dolph grounds things, Otis fights to his feet and fights off the sleeper. Otis fires up and delivers strikes, Dolph avoids the caterpillar, rakes the eyes and the zigzag follows for 2. Otis counters the superkick into a slam, and the caterpillar connects for the win. Otis defeated Dolph Ziggler @ 10:55 via pin [**] I’m glad they didn’t 50/50 these two. The match was ok, but felt really lethargic to me.
The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 111. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook talk the news of the week, breakdown AEW vs. NXT (4.29.20), while Kevin Pantoja joins for a retro NXT Arrival review. The show is approximately 137-minutes long.
* Intro
* News Roundup (Rumored WWE Sale, More Release News, AEW Taping Schedule, More): 2:15
* AEW Dynamite (4.29.20) Review: 36:55
* NXT (4.29.20) Review: 55:55
* The Head to Head Comparison: 1:14:20
* Retro NXT Takeover: Arrival Review: 1:24:43
* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
