411’s Instant Analysis 1.06.12: Friday Night Smackdown

It is the first Smackdown of 2012 and Smackdown are starting off in a big way with 2 big title matches this week. I hope to god that Smackdown is better than Raw, must be tough analyzing that one sometimes. Sorry for this not being so instant as it was supposed to be, bit of a technical fault with a shitty computer. Anyway here’s hoping that Smackdown has a better start to 2012 than Raw…

Cody Rhodes v Booker T – Intercontinental Championship Match

This was a much better start to the New Year than the Rhodes vs. Daniel Bryan match on Raw. This was a very well put together match; it wasn’t a match of the year candidate or anything but was definitely enjoyable. Cody Rhodes won in a dominant fashion and walked out of the match looking better for it. It is nice to see a champion booked to win decisively as it has become something of a rarity in the WWE. At the end it looked like both guys lost their way a bit so the end did seem pretty lackluster compared to the rest.

After the end of the match they played it out like Booker didn’t have it anymore, which is an interesting way to go with an older worker. From the way it was portrayed it looks like Booker is heading for retirement on a permanent basis in the near future. I have to hand it to the booking team here this match and the angle in general has been done perfectly, if this is finished and Booker is heading for retirement this has been perhaps the most consistently well-booked angle of 2011/12. I can see this moving onto Goldust v Cody, just please let it not be at Wrestlemania!

Winner: Cody Rhodes

Rating: 8 out of 10

Backstage – Cody and Dustin / Santino New Assistant GM

The first backstage segment was between Goldust and Cody Rhodes, which furthered their feud nicely. I like the idea of these two having a short feud but I really don’t see this doing Cody any favors if this last any length of time. Only thing I have to point out is that Cody said Goldust isn’t a laughing stock but that’s basically all he has been for the better part of a decade!

The next segment was the resignation of Zack Ryder as assistant to the GM. This brought out Santino, for strangely more erection jokes which is kind of Santino’s thing now. This was the perfect backstage segment as it furthered storylines, with McIntyre facing Santino for possibly his job, and was genuinely funny but then again so is everything Santino is part of.

Ratings: 7.5 out of 10

Hornswoggle v Heath Slater – Over the Top Rope Challenge

Seriously? The WWE can’t extend any of the title matches instead of putting on this crap. Honestly I get that this is a build up for the Royal Rumble but this is the reason people don’t like the WWE! No one sits in anticipation for a Hornswoggle match! I might just refuse to discuss bullshit like this when it comes up because it really is pointless in each and every way.

Rating: 2 out of 10 (Only because I’ve always liked over the top rope matches)

Hunico v Ted Dibiase

Hunico was back out in that ridiculous bicycle. The WWE needs to realize that will never ever get the guy over! I don’t feel impressed or envious at a guy in a bike.

The match itself was just pretty much there, it didn’t do anything special or worth note. It was over before you knew it, to be fair Hunico did win with a unique pinning predicament but that just looked stupid. People moan that the mid card doesn’t get enough time but when they suck this bad there is a very good reason why their time is limited!

Winner: Hunico

Rating: 4 out of 10

In Ring Promo – Barrett/Sheamus/Jinder Mahal/Anyone Else?

Things were going so smoothly until the idiot from India Jinder Mahal comes down and ruins everything. I just see no reason at all why a guy like Jinder Mahal is in the ring, and dominating, people like Sheamus and Barrett who seem to be on course for World Championships in the new year. Also this is the same guy who was squashed in seconds by Sheamus just a couple of weeks ago, so why is he now dominating one of the top guys in the WWE at the moment? It is just stupid booking, especially when the guy is just a rip off of an old gimmick! So I’m not looking forward to their “big” match next week.

This segment once again pushed the Rumble, which is making it look like the unpredictable and huge event that it is. I am enjoying this push of the Royal Rumble, its smart seen as it is looking like one of the few completely PPV provided shows we will get this year with the introduction of the WWE Network.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Epico and Primo v Air Boom

I am actually enjoying the focus on the tag team titles every Friday night, it might not have a varied amount of teams but at least there is a slight focus on the titles. It is also nice to see a new tag team getting some airtime, although if you only watch Raw (which I did before reviewing Smackdown every week) then you will have no clue who the hell they are. That is the biggest issue with some of the people on Smackdown, very few people know of the mid card talent unless they are highlighted on Raw. So while Primo and Epico are a decent to good tag team when I started doing this I didn’t really care about them, and I think they need a little more of a push on Raw before they can be the new Tag Team Champions.

As for the match, it was a decent match as is the theme of the night it wasn’t exactly groundbreaking in any way. It was a fast encounter that suffered because it wasn’t given enough time, but then it again so is every lower card match in the WWE these days,

Winners: Epico and Primo

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Natalya v Tamina

This seemed like more of an advert for Jimmy Snuka and Jim Neidhart than it was for the Divas Division. This was just another extremely short match that didn’t really matter much but at least it was watchable! It has been way too long since the Divas had a semi decent match, even if it was barely 2 minutes long. They seem to be giving Tamina the Beth Phoenix style push, and I don’t see any reason why not.

Winner: Tamina

Rating: 5 out of 10 (Mostly for the Snuka and Neidhart start)

Daniel Bryan v Big Show – World Heavyweight Championship Match

Throughout the night there have been various Daniel Bryan backstage segments that have really painted him as a heel, and after this match I think we will be seeing a full-blown Bryan heel turn in the very near future.

The one seemed more angle than match, something that I can’t complain about as Daniel Bryan and his subtle heel turn is becoming a highlight of Smackdown (similar to what CM Punk did back in 2009). Also Mark Henry on commentary was hilarious, Booker T should relinquish his duties and let Henry take over until his ankle is better because he completely stole the spotlight of the entire match with his constant heckles to Big Show and Bryan. I am not a fan of Big Show in the title picture but if it is this entertaining every week then I guess he can stay for a couple more weeks.

Winner: Daniel Bryan (by DQ)

Rating: 8 out of 10 (mostly because of D Bryan and Mark Henry)

Final Thoughts

Moment of the Night: Daniel Bryan v Big Show (More the angle than match)

Trash of the Night: Hornswoggle v Heath Slater

Final Analysis: Overall this was a very average show with just a few select highlights, such as Booker/Cody and Daniel Bryan’s entertaining turn to the dark side. But there was also some awful stuff on this show, such as Hornswoggle v Heath Slater really where is the need for bullshit like this is when the little bastard is about 5 years past his sell by date. On the show the show as pretty bad but it doesn’t seem to be a good week for the WWE, still not a good start to 2012.