Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 1.23.18

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 1.23.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Chad Gable defeated Jey Uso @ 7:50 via pin [***]
– Naomi defeated Liv Morgan @ 2:40 via pin [NR]
– Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Baron Corbin @ 10:30 via DQ [***]
– Bobby Roode, Kofi, & Woods defeated Rusev, English, & Jinder Mahal @ 3:30 via pin [**¾]
– Non-Title Match: AJ Styles defeated Kevin Owens @ 1:10 via submission [NR]
– Non-Title Match: Sami Zayn defeated AJ Styles @ 15:45 via pin [***½]

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– My Top 23 EVOLVE Matches of 2017.
– My Top 24 ROH Matches of 2017.
– My Top 8 Matches of December 2017.
– My NJPW WrestleKingdom 12 Takeaways.
– My Top 38 WWE Matches of 2017.
– My Top 25 Matches of 2017.

It’s The Kevin & Sami Show: Kevin says they are WWE’s future, not a parade of retirees like we saw on Raw last night. They play up the YEP movement, and the fact that they will become co-WWE Champions on Sunday. They are all about fighting the odds, battling against Shane McMahon stacking the odds against them. But on Sunday, they odds are in their favor and Styles will not overcome them. They will beat Styles, take his championship, and become the first co-champions. The also promise to hurt Styles while doing all of that. Styles has heard enough and makes his way out. Styles keeps using the KAMI deal, stop it, it’s not working at all. Styles disputes everything they had to say, but Kevin says Styles needs to get used to them and the YEP movement. They claim Styles own family will even embrace the YEP movement. Styles says he is phenomenal and will make sure they are never WWE Champion, because this is the house AJ Styles built. They claim that Styles is predictable, and say he has no chance on Sunday. They also claim Styles is ignorant, which is why he is in this position. And now Styles has to be a man and is being forced to live up to his word. Will you be true to your word? They want to know if Styles will fight them separately in the same night? How about it, tonight, Styles vs. Sami and Styles vs. Kevin, tonight? Daniel Bryan arrives, and puts over Kevin & Sami. But says he has faith in Styles. Styles stops him and says he isn’t sure if Bryan is aligned with Kevin & Sami, but accepts the matches for tonight. Styles promises to hurt them tonight. I am not a big fan of the angle at all, but Kevin & Sami are doing a great job of getting heat, which isn’t easy since the crowd loves them

– Bryan meets with disapproving Shane. Shane isn’t a fan of Bryan’s booking tonight, but Byran turns it around, asking Shane if he questions Styles’ ability. Shane says Styles isn’t the one he questions.

Chad Gable vs. Jey Uso: Jimmy & Shelton are at ringside. Gable looks for a takedown early, but Jey avoids that. Gable gets the takedown, but Jey fights to the corner. Gable again gets a takedown, lays in crossface strikes, but Jey sends Gable to the floor with a big right. We go screen in screen, Gable back in and works for a takedown again. Jey cuts him off with strikes, but Gable posts him and sends him to the floor. Gable rolls him back in and starts attacking the arm, grounding the action. Jey rolls out, but gets slammed to the buckles, shoulder first. Gable grounds things, again attacking the arm. Jey fights to his feet, follows with chops and back to full screen as Gable hits a northern lights suplex for 2. Gable heads up top, lands on his feet on the moonsault attempt but gets sent to the floor. Gable cuts of the dive, but gets sent back to the floor. Jey follows with a suicide dive. Back in, Jey up top, leaps off ands land on his feet. The Samoan drop follows, and then the corner ass attack is countered by Gable and he hits chaos theory and picks up the win. Chad Gable defeated Jey Uso @ 7:50 via pin [***] This was a good match with a clean finish, giving the challengers momentum ahead of the rumble.

– Nakamura cuts a promo about winning the rumble. Baron Corbin interrupts and says Nakamura is all hype. Corbin says he’ll win the rumble and his accomplishments speak for themselves. Nakamura wants to fight tonight.

– Tye Dillinger is entering the rumble.

Naomi vs. Liv Morgan: Riott & Logan are at ringside. Liv pinned Naomi last week, setting up this match. Naomi attacks right away, and starts going for pins. Liv fights back, getting a back slide for 2. Naomi misses a series of kicks, and then catches Liv with a knee strike. Liv pulls Naomi to the buckles, and covers for 2. Liv grounds the action as Natalya, Carmella, and Lana make their way to ringside. Becky is also out as Naomi makes the ropes. She fires back with a kick and a sunset flip for the win. Naomi defeated Liv Morgan @ 2:40 via pin [NR] This was solid for what it was, at least it was solid build for the rumble.

– We then get the big post match brawl, with bodies being tossed over the top to sell Sunday’s Rumble match. Charlotte finally arrives and says she loves this, and wishes them all luck on Sunday.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin: They lock up, Corbin looks to control but Nakamura works a slick escape and takes Corbin to the corner. We get a clean break, Nakamura calls Corbin on and takes him down and hits a knee drop. Good vibrations follows, and Corbin bails to the floor. Nakamura follows, and Corbin rolls him back in. Corbin looks to take a walk, but Nakamura stops him. Corbin cuts him off and posts him. Post break, and Corbin has Nakamura grounded. Corbin is working some of that exciting Jinder Mahal-like half nelson offense. Nakamura tries to fight back, lays in a series of strikes and then the running kick. He follows with a series of kicks, and follows with an enziguri. Nakamura follows with corner knee strikes, covering for 2. Corbin cuts him off, looks for a suplex but Nakamura counters with knees and a gourd buster suplex. Corbin counters the Kinshasa with deep six for a good near fall. Corbin counters and hits the in and out bossman lariat and that leads to a very good near fall. Nakamura counters end of days into an arm bar, Corbin fights, but Nakamura connects with a spin kick. Orton flies in and hits the RKO out of nowhere on Nakamura as he looks for Kinshasa. Corbin also eats an RKO. Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Baron Corbin @ 10:30 via DQ [***] This was actually a good match, with some good near falls an counters. The Orton finish adds to the Rumble hype, protects both guys, and was just fucking perfectly executed.

OUTTA. NOWHERE!#RKOOuttaNowhere #SDLive @RandyOrton @ShinsukeN @BaronCorbinWWE pic.twitter.com/8w0HRoe1Xb

— WWE (@WWE) January 24, 2018

– We get highlights from Raw 25. The video package was so good it made the show look good.

– New Day cuts a promo on their way to the ring. They are all entering the Royal Rumble on Sunday. They then put over Bobby Roode for winning the US title last week. Roode arrives and thanks New Day for their introduction. He wants to be the best US Champion in history, and says his reign will be (New Day interrupts with the wrong words) and Roode says glorious.

Bobby Roode, Kofi, & Woods vs. Rusev, English, & Jinder Mahal: Mahal is only out with one Singh, since the other was injured last week. We start things during the break, with the heels attacking and working over Kofi. Back to full screen with Rusev working over Kofi. Rusev hits a corner charge and knocks Woods to the floor. Kofi avoids a charge and hits a bulldog. Tags to Roode and English, Roode runs wild and follows with a neck breaker. He knocks Mahal to the floor and hits a blockbuster on English. The spinebuster to Mahal follows, but Roode is cut off with a Rusev superkick. Kofi hits a high cross and big dive to the floor. Woods tags in, and kicks English. The spinebuster by Roode follows, and Woods hits the ropewalk elbow drop for the win. Bobby Roode, Kofi, & Woods defeated Rusev, English, & Jinder Mahal @ 3:30 via pin [**¾] It was short, but all action and a ton of fun.

– Shane McMahon arrives and bans Sami from ringside for this match, and says if he gets involved in the match, he loses his title shot on Sunday, because he will be fired. The same goes for Kevin during Sami’s match.

AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens: Styles runs wild at the bell, laying in strikes and a dropkick. Kevin quickly cuts off Styles and then misses a cannonball. Kevin sells the leg, and Styles attacks and lock in the calf crusher and Kevin taps. AJ Styles defeated Kevin Owens @ 1:10 via submission [NR] That was quick, likely due to Kevin’s legit back injury that has kept him off of live events.

– Styles keeps the hold on and Sami arrives to make the save. He works over Styles before the bell rings and then pulls Styles to the floor, whipping him to the steps as Shane & Bryan watch on.

AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn: The ref checks on Styles and he wants to fight. Sami attacks right as the bell rings as Kevin is checked on at ringside. Styles keeps trying to fire back, but Sami maintains control. Sami is showing good aggression, laying in chops and grounding Styles, and covering for 2. Sami works the chinlock, Styles fights to his feet and elbows free for a moment, but Sami keeps control. Styles fires up with rapid-fire strikes and a sliding forearm. Styles hits the corner clothesline, and then sends Sami to the floor with Kevin. Styles follows with a slingshot forearm strike to the floor. Styles now attacks Kevin on the floor, just beating the shit out of him. That allows Sami to attack and make the save. Post break, and Kevin is still down on the floor as Sami works the heat on Styles. Sami up top and Styles cuts him off and follows him up. Styles hits the RANA and both men are down, Shane & Bryan still watch on from backstage. Styles now lays in strikes, Sami answers back and they trade. Styles now hits the ushigoroshi for a good near fall. Styles looks for the clash, but Sami fights and counters. Sami now follows with a tornado DDT. He sets for the helluva. But Styles cuts him off and follows with a PELE for 2. Sami fights back, laying in elbows and follows with a Michinoku driver for a close 2. Kevin is on a stretcher now at ringside. Sami slaps Styles, sets him up top and looks for a superplex, but Styles slides out and looks for the clash, but Sami bails to the floor. Styles follows with a sliding knee, and shoves over the stretcher with Kevin on it. Back in and Sami hits the helluva and blue thunder bomb for the win! Sami Zayn defeated AJ Styles @ 15:45 via pin [***½] This was a very good main event to close out the show. It was all set up well with the Styles quick win over Owens, and Styles being consumed with hurting Owens, allowing Sami to attack. The attack allowed Sami to believably dominate the match, and also allowed Styles to fight from the bottom, which he excels at. The finish works, as Styles was again consumed with hurting Owens, allowing Sami to put him away and pick up the big win ahead of the Rumble.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Tonight’s episode of WWE Smackdown was a good show, with good wrestling and almost completely focused on building to Sunday’s Royal Rumble PPV. It was a quality and fun show, in other words, the opposite of Raw 25…