Csonka’s WWE Smackdown 1000 Review

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown 1000 (10.16.18) Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– The Usos defeated AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan @ 9:15 via pin [***]
– World Cup To Determine The Best In The World Qualifying Match: Miz defeated Rusev @ 0:45 via pin [NR]
– Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: The Bar defeated Champions The New @ 13:30 via pin [***]
– World Cup To Determine The Best In The World Qualifying Match: Rey Mysterio defeated Shinsuke Nakamura @ 10:20 via pin [**½]

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– I did a column, “Where Are They Now, The Cruiserweight Classic Finals Performers” which you can check out at this link.

– You can check out my top 36 matches of SEPTEMBER list at this link.

– Tonight continues the build to WWE Sweet Saudi Money II: Blood Money AND WWE Evolution: We Owe The Chicks for The Saudi Bullshit. It is also the 1000th edition of Smackdown.

– We get a greatest hits style video to open the show.

MY GAWD IT’S TRUTH TV!: Truth and Carmella, who will all due respect, is looking extra fine tonight. Truth talk about all of his years hosting the show, Carmella reminds him that the show was cancelled after one episode, so they give us a dance break. And then another, and now Stephanie arrives. She reminds us that she’s a former Smackdown GM, and is happy to see where the show is. Shane McMahon is alive and arrives. Truth is very happy he’s here and the crowd loves him. Shane had to be here for the 1000th Smackdown and thanks all of the fans. Steph mocks Shane for pandering to the crowd, and Shane welcomes her to the “A show.” Steph calls it a show. Steph praises Raw and mocks Truth TV for kicking off the show. YOU GO TO HELL! Vinny Mac now powers struts his way out. Vince says the fans want to be entertained and not see Shane & Steph fight. Vince calls or a dance break and dances with everyone. Just a simple, good and fun open to the show.

You heard the boss…

DANCE BREAK! #SD1000 @VinceMcMahon @shanemcmahon @StephMcMahon @RonKillings @CarmellaWWE pic.twitter.com/oDBHaDVP8f

— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2018

– AJ Styles arrives followed by Daniels Bryan.

AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan vs. The Usos: Cool, the Usos are still alive. Bryan into begin and gets an early cradle for 2. He follows with uppercuts, Jimmy tags in and the Usos work double teams and Jimmy covers for 2. Bryan fires back with chops and kicks and tags in Styles. Styles lays in leg kicks, but Jey tags in and double teams on Styles follow and covers for 2. Jey betas down Styles in the corner, Styles fires back, but is quickly cut off. Styles get s the calf crusher and Bryan gets the yes lock but the Usos make the ropes. We go screen in screen as the Usos regroup. Back in and an Uso takes control, laying in strikes on Styles. The Usos work quick tags, isolating Styles. Double teams follow, and the cover gets 2 on Styles. The Usos ground things, Styles fights back but eats an enziguri. Back to full screen, and Bryan gets the tag and runs wild with kicks. The suicide dive follows. He then hits the missile dropkick. YES kicks now follow, and Bryan covers for 2 as Jimmy makes the save. Styles back in and dumps him. Bryan gets run into Styles, the Usos connect with superkicks and pin Bryan. The Usos defeated AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan @ 9:15 via pin [***] This was a good and basic match to get some heat between Bryan & Styles and also give the Usos a big and needed win.

– Paige meets with Vickie Guerrero, Teddy Long, & Big Johnny.

SING IT, LEMMY.

EVOLUTION is LIVE on #SD1000!@TripleH @DaveBautista @RicFlairNatrBoy @RandyOrton pic.twitter.com/8h4STO7rE3

— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2018

Evolution is a Mystery: Batista, Orton, Flair, & HHH arrive. Breaking News: RANDY ORTON IS WEARING PANTS. HHH puts over the 1000th episode of Smackdown. And you celebrate it by bringing back Evolution. Flair is actually allowed to talk, I’m shocked. Orton says this brings back memories, and says it was an amazing chance to get his start, and he’s kept evolving and busting ass while HHH has been running the show, Batista has been in a makeup chair and Flair has been living through his daughter. Batista says he’s a bit nervous to be here, it’s been a long time, and he’ll ignore Orton. The last place he wants to be is with a mic in his hand, and says that he’s back to be here to celebrate 1000 episodes of Smackdown, which he helped build. It’s also in his hometown. He came from a poor kid to a superstar, a dream come true. He thanks the fans, and even jokes about “Bluetista.” He loves the fans and gave then his all. Finally, he’s here to be with Evolution. This was a special group, they changed things and were an army. It will never be done like it again. Orton is a 13-time world champion and special. They all knew it. We all know about Flair, and tells him to keep it in his pants. HHH & Orton lose it there. Finally, HHH. He changed this business and is this business. There is nothing he hasn’t done, except beat him. The joking is over, shit got serious. Orton is greatly amused. But Batista & HHH hug and laugh to end the segment. This was another fun little segment, and possibly set up the long rumored Batista vs. HHH match.

– Miz & Mrs is returning in 2019.

World Cup To Determine The Best In The World Qualifying Match: Rusev vs. Miz: Kurt Angle is on commentary, Rusev controls, English arrives and distracts him and Miz rolls him up for the win. Miz defeated Rusev @ 0:45 via pin [NR] White it advanced Rusev vs. English, I was disappointed we didn’t get the match.

– Rusev kicks English’s ass post match.

The Cutting Edge: Edge gets his official Tony Chimmel introduction. Edge talks about being back for Smackdown 1000, and says it has always felt like his show. He cashed in MITB on Smackdown, battled Eddie Guerrero, married Vickie Guerrero, divorced Vickie Guerrero, so the show means something to him, But the last few weeks, things have changed, and he will try to be Smackdown’s moral compass tonight, and brings out Becky Lynch. The crowd loves Becky and Edge thanks her for coming. Edge says he noticed that Becky are very similar. Becky appreciates that and Edge says that he understands what she’s going through, he wasn’t the handpicked star and he has to fight and claw for everything he got, just like her. Edge then says he knows Becky thinks she’s making the right choice, throwing away her friendship with Charlotte, but she’s wrong. He crushed relationships to get to the top, left a trail of burnt bridges, and you can win all the titles, be on all the posters, but the choices will change who you are and stain your soul. Edge sees a good person in Becky, but if you continue on, you end up alone… and you won’t even like yourself. Becky says he’s right, she doesn’t like herself, she LOVES herself and tells Edge to get out of her ring and tells him not to hurt his neck on the way out. Charlotte arrives and says Becky only cares about the title. But at Evolution, Becky won’t be able to run from her and attacks. They brawl and refs arrive to separate them. Smackdown legends Finlay and Jamie Noble also helped break it up. I really liked that, Edge got to play the role of Foley here, and was the right guy to have that talk with Becky, but Becky was having none of it and continued to be great. They did their best to heel Becky, but the crowd love her no matter what.

– Booker & Lawler are out for commentary and have their own table.

Welcome to #TheNewDay's special announce table, @JerryLawler & @BookerT5x! #SD1000 pic.twitter.com/PD3foD5Ana

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) October 17, 2018

Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: Champions The New Day (Woods & Big E) vs. The Bar: Sheamus controls early on until Woods cuts him off with dropkicks. The challengers cut him off and Cesaro controls, he and Sheamus work quick tags and we go screen in screen. Sheamus grounds Woods, Cesaro tags in and continues to control and grounds Woods with submissions. Woods manages to fight back and dump him. Back to full screen, and Sheamus posts himself. Tag to Big E, he runs wild with suplexes and knocks Sheamus to the floor. A sick uranage on Cesaro follows and that gets 2. Sheamus tags in, hits a knee strike but Big E hits the suicide spear to the floor. Woods hits a shining wizard back in the ring and that gets 2. Big E tags back in, they look for the big ending, but Sheamus escapes, hits a Finlay roll and it breaks down and Cesaro hits then neutralizer and Woods makes the save. Post break, and Big E fights back and takes Cesaro up top, but Sheamus tags in and the challengers hit a doomsday uppercut for 2. Cesaro takes out Kofi, and The Bar catch a Woods tope and toss him into the barricade. They then destroy the extra announce table as pancakes fly everywhere. Big Show arrives for reasons. He backs off the Bar and then chokeslams Kofi through the announce table. Brogue kick to Big E and we have new champions. The Bar defeated Champions The New @ 13:30 via pin [***] This was an overall good match despite the flat ending. Big Show is back two weeks and already turned heel, but him with the Bar is at least new. Celebrate Smackdown 1000 with Big Show turn 1000.

– We get a pre-recorded message from John Cena, putting over Smackdown.

World Cup To Determine The Best In The World Qualifying Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: Nakamura attacks with kicks and knee strikes to begin. Rey battles back, but Nakamura grounds him. Rey hits a head scissors after a bit of miscommunication, Rey teases 619 but Nakamura powders and Rey hits the sliding lope splash.

We've missed you, @reymysterio! #SD1000 pic.twitter.com/HinfLeFvPR

— WWE (@WWE) October 17, 2018

Back in and Nakamura traps Rey in the tree of WHOA, and lays in kicks. Post break, and Rey is making his comeback but Nakamura crotches him up top. He follows and Rey fights him off, hits a RANA for 2. Rey springboards into a knee strike and Nakamura hits a running knee and that gets 2. Rey counters Kinshasa into a cradle for 2. Nakamura cuts him off, misses Kinshasa, and Rey hits a RANA. The 619 connects and the springboard frog splash finishes Nakamura. Rey Mysterio defeated Shinsuke Nakamura @ 10:20 via pin [**½] This was a solid match, with some communication issues, and a surprising lack of heat.

– John Cena, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Seth Rollins, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, & Rey Mysterio have all qualified for the WWE World Cup at Sweet Saudi Money II: Blood Money.

– The Undertaker arrives and Rey disappears. He says at Crown Jewel, he has three words for DX. “Rest in Peace.” Same shit he said on Raw and he leaves. Good work if you can get it,

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

While WWE Smackdown 1000 was far from a great show, I found it a fun overall offering, with some good wrestling, some fun appearances and promos, a title change and new alliance, and even accomplished some WWE Crown Jewel set up.