411’s Instant Analysis 02.22.12: Live Super Smackdown

Welcome to another edition of the Instant Analysis of Smackdown, I am David McGregor. This week is the official start to the mega hype of Wrestlemania, and what better way to start it than a special live Tuesday night Super Smackdown.

Last week I said I would discuss Santino winning the battle royal, and while it wasn’t the train wreck it could have been it certainly wasn’t a good thing! I think it is a sign of how thin the roster is that they couldn’t find 12 upper card guys to fill the chamber. I like Santino but not when he is in the World Title picture, especially when he is easy pickings for most of the locker room. I didn’t hate the Smackdown elimination chamber (except when Big Show slowed things down) but it did show a worrying lack of depth to the roster. Anyway on to the live show!

(Also I have to stay awake until 3am to finish this because I live in Scotland, so at least this week I have a reason to be negative)

Bryan and Miz……New Tag Team?

Daniel Bryan’s promo about his win at Elimination Chamber was pretty standard, not dull but not exactly groundbreaking. Things got quite odd when Miz came down to the ring though. I don’t understand why he was sucking up to Bryan, I mean didn’t they hate each other just over a year ago? I don’t like when characters change just because they go from face to heel. This may just be a way to get Miz into the World Title match at Wrestlemania or a way for him to do something decent at the big show but if Bryan and Miz become buddies then that’s a huge mistake.

Anything that gets the Miz on TV more doesn’t bother me at all, I just hope it isn’t just to be fodder to Sheamus. Speaking of which…

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Sheamus v Miz

Well the chances of Miz being in the World Title match at `Mania are pretty much over. But I have to give them credit where it is due as they let Miz get a lot more offense on Sheamus, even more than when they fought a few months ago and Miz was a WWE Championship contender.

The match was fine, both have really improved in the ring and it made for a more entertaining match than last time. Miz has upped his game a little since the reports of management being unhappy with him, here’s hoping that this is the start of Miz’s resurgence to the main event. Decent effort by both men, more importantly made both look good during the most important time of the year.

After this there was a dull Johnny Ace and Teddy Long backstage segment that meant nothing.

Winner: Sheamus

Rating: 7 out of 10

Kofi Kingston & R-Truth v Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler

Can anyone tell me why Ziggler has an ass cape? I guess I can let it slide seen as he nearly died on Monday night.

The match seemed like it was on fast forward and barely lasted 3 minutes. I would have loved this one to have gone on another 10 minutes because these are some of the most talented men in the WWE today. Seriously if Ziggler wasn’t destined to be a World Champion soon this could be the foundations of the tag team scene. I didn’t dislike this I just wanted so much more, I guess that is a good thing. But it definitely was way too short; couldn’t Big Show and Henry be given less torture time?

Oh and Cole calling Booker T an alien was pretty damn funny, I guess Cole has his moments.

Winner: Ziggler and Swagger

Rating: 5 out of 10

Backstage Segment – Cobra Target Practice

Call me an oddball but I thought this was very funny. Santino is gold in these comedy moments and this was no different, even if Heath Slater is a charisma black hole. I don’t know what Santino is training for but it seems than the Milan Miracle may not be done with his brush with the main event, just please god don’t let him become champion. Keep Santino as a comedy figure as he excels so well in that role that there is no reason to change that, this segment being a prime example.

Rating: 7 out of 10 (Spitting Cobra!!!)

The Great Khali v Drew McIntyre

Well that was short and far from sweet! When is McIntyre going to get fired for his continuous losing streak? He has been on his final warning like 6 weeks in a row. I just wish they would do something decent with him, not this rubbish.

Winner: Khali (in seconds!)

Rating: 0 out of 10

Mark Henry v Big Show

Why are they booking a Cody Rhodes/Big Show feud? Has Shaq pulled out of their scheduled match or something? I just think Rhodes would be better involved a feud that he could actually win or participate in a great match. I’m not crapping on the idea I just don’t see it doing anything for Cody Rhode’s in the long run.

Even though I think Big Show is past it and should be nowhere near the main event scene, I’ve got to admit that he seems like a really nice guy out of the ring and always comes across as a professional (when he isn’t injuring half the locker room on Raw). I say this due to the way he treated that family at the beginning of the match, classy move.

As for the match, what were we really expecting from these two? I will admit it was a lot better than their recent efforts and there is a weird joy of watching two big the size of these two trying to kill each other in the ring. I don’t know why Big Show had to bury Mark Henry like that even though it would have furthered the Rhodes/Big Show feud if Show had lost. Mark Henry has gone from destroying the entire locker room to being Big Show’s bitch! But the best thing of this match was of course Cody Rhodes. If those embarrassing Wrestlemania moments become a weekly thing then I may get into this feud, they make Rhode’s look great by being a complete douche. Now please all I ask is have Rhode’s beat the ex-sumo wrestler at Wrestlemania!

Winner: Mark Henry (I think)

Rating: 6 out of 10

Ezekiel Jackson v David Otunga

The feud between Johnny Ace and Teddy Long is pretty interesting, especially Ace imitating Teddy’s little dance. What isn’t interesting is David Otunga, the fact he is even getting a push is baffling me completely. I didn’t know a Carlton Banks gimmick would be a hit with management but clearly they have s soft spot for the Fresh Prince, maybe Vince has home in Bel Air.
The match was over in a flash and really done nothing bar make Jackson look like crap. I’m guessing Teddy will pick someone with a proven track record next, like Drew McIntyre.

Winner: David Otunga

Rating: 4 out of 10

Daniel Bryan v CM Punk

The promo CM Punk did backstage prior to this match was pretty damn good. I know Punk is always good on the mic but since he became a permanent fixture in the main event he has been absolute gold every single night. Although for the love of god please let the whole Chris Brown thing go because that arsehole Brown has no place in entertainment never mind WWE.

I thought this match was great, for once I actually agreed with Johnny Ace on continuing a match! It was clear that both had toned themselves down to a more mat based competition and it was still one of the best free TV matches of the year, if not the best so far. The only thing that took away from it was the constant interference of the GM’s, but even then that furthers another storyline so no one can complain that it was pointless.

When Teddy Long restarted the match again they really stepped it up creating an even more engaging match and storyline. The ending with the duel winners was a rarely used finish so I enjoyed it, especially when Ace and Long started their flying suit fight (that was just great comedy). Brilliant all round and definitely deserves the full marks, best Smackdown segment in a long time.

Winner: Draw

Rating: 10 out of 10

FINAL ANALYSIS

Match of the Night CM Punk v Daniel Bryan

Trash of the Night Khali v Drew McIntyre

Show Analysis I think the fact that was a live show helped it tremendously. As a normal episode of Smackdown everything before the main event would be hated but because it was live and “anything can happen” it made for a much better show. I thought the furthering of the Wrestlemania angles was very well done; I am even looking forward to matches that previously I wouldn’t have cared about. Then there is the brilliant main event in CM Punk v Daniel Bryan, a great match that was given plenty of time to tell a compelling story and even included the GM storyline into it. Of course it wasn’t going to end in a clean way so no one was expecting that, but what we did get was remarkable. I really enjoyed this episode of Smackdown and hope they can continue this as the Road to Wrestlemania continues.

Show Rating: 7 out of 10

Seen as he was on Smackdown this week