Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 11.07.17

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 11.07.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Kofi Kingston defeated Sami Zayn @ 9:52 via pin [**¾]
– Randy Orton defeated Rusev @ 6:58 via pin [**]
– Becky Lynch defeated James Ellsworth @ 5:55 via submission [*]
– WWE Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin defeated Champions The Usos @ 3:52 via countout [*]
– WWE Title Match: AJ Styles defeated Champion Jinder Mahal @ 16:45 via pinTO BECOME THE NEW CHAMPION! [***½]

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– We get some short promos by Styles and Mahal to open the show, talking about tonight’s title match.

Shane McMahon Talks: Shane McMahon makes his way to the ring. Shane says that after Survivor Series, Smackdown will be the true A Show. He hypes the Styles vs. Mahal main event, with the winner facing Lesnar at the PPV. Shane says that Angle and Stephanie will be held accountable for what happened to Daniel Bryan and says Bryan will return next week. He also says they are ready in case Raw tries to invade tonight. The New Day arrives and he praises them for their appearance on Raw last night. We get footage of their appearance and Sheamus & Cesaro winning the Raw tag titles, which should lead to New Day vs. the Shield at Survivor Series. They dance, and say that it wasn’t their intention to create a title change, but things happen when you go under siege. They led the first siege, and beat down Raw. If Raw retaliates, they will beat Raw back to Mondays. Shane praises them for invading Raw, and they all dance. Owens and Zayn arrive, calling them all stupid. Sami says Shane is not cool. Owens says he beat Shane at HIAC and now Shane is acting out, and is punishing the roster for his shortcomings. They then claim they should have beaten up Raw, but they are men of integrity so Shane set them up to fail. Shane then says their attitudes are why they aren’t representing Team Smackdown at Survivor Series. Sami says he’ll laugh when Raw beats Smackdown and Shane will be the one to blame. We get some arguing, and Shane books Kofi and Sami for a match. This was a pretty good opening segment, playing well off of last night’s New Day angle and continuing Shane’s issues with Owens & Sami.

Kofi Kingston vs. Sami Zayn: Owens, Woods, & Big E are at ringside. They both look to work the arm early, and exchange slick counters. Zayn hits an arm drag, grounding Kofi. Kofi battles to his feet, but Zayn takes him down. Kofi scores with a back elbow, misses a change but counters a monkey flip and celebrates. Kofi dropkicks Zayn to the floor. Kofi follows, Zayn runs and then back in cuts off Kofi. The clothesline follows, and Zayn takes control. Kofi cuts off the high cross with a dropkick. We go screen in screen as Zayn bails to the floor. Zayn quickly posts him and rolls him back into the ring. Zayn lays in elbows and grounds the action, taking the heat. Kofi tries to battle back, misses a charge and Zayn covers for 2. Zayn again grounds things, we head back to full screen as Kofi sends Zayn to the floor and hits a funky dive. Kofi then hits the SOS back in the ring, covering for 2. Zayn counters trouble in paradise into a blue thunder bomb and that gets 2. Kofi cuts off Zayn with a kick, they work into a series of counters and Kofi hits a high cross and that’s enough for the win. Kofi Kingston defeated Sami Zayn @ 9:52 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good opener, the screen in screen segment was really bland and the finish came off a bit flat. Hopefully this leads to Sami & Kevin vs. New Day matches, but I am not a fan of Sami losing momentum so soon after his heel turn.

– Post match, Owens attacks Kofi, but Big E and Woods runs him off.

– Jinder Mahal runs down AJ Styles, claiming that AJ is beneath him. He also says AJ is the appetizer for the main course, Brock Lesnar. At Survivor Series, he feasts on the beast.

– We get a promo for The Bludgeon Brothers.

– Aiden English sings Rusev’s announcement.

Randy Orton vs. Rusev: If Rusev wins, he gets on Team Smackdown. Orton goes for an RKO early, but Rusev counters out and catches him with a head kick, covering for 2. Rusev lays the boots to Orton and we take a break. Post break and Rusev has Orton grounded. Orton battles to his feet, and we get some Rusev day chants. Rusev cuts of Orton with a dropkick, covering for 2. Roode, Shane, and Nakamura watch on from backstage. Rusev beats down Orton in the corner and covers again for 2. Rusev follows with elbow drops, covering for 2. Rusev keeps attacking and going for repeated covers. Orton scores with the RKO, beating Rusev again. Fucks sake, I just wanted to celebrate a happy Rusev day. Randy Orton defeated Rusev @ 6:58 via pin [**] This was ok, but pretty bland with a completely flat finish. I can’t wait for the battle royal to fill the final spot.

– Ellsworth wants to talk with Carmella and send Tamina after her. He gets Becky instead, and Ellsworth says she can’t win because she’s a woman. This is Manchester, not Womanchester. The ring is no place for her, and says he allows Carmella to compete. Becky says those are ballsy statements, and it’s a shame Ellsworth has none.

– We get highlights of Smackdown’s attack on Raw from weeks ago, and the attempted murder of Daniel Bryan.

– Naomi, Charlotte Flair, Lana, Carmella and Tamina are all out to watch Becky Lynch vs. James Ellsworth.

Becky Lynch vs. James Ellsworth: Ellsworth does pushups and Becky then looks to attack the arm, but he escapes. Ellsworth gets a takedown, and works into a front face lock but Becky sets him up top and escapes. Becky gets a cradle for 2. She then works a rolling cradle, and an airplane spin. Ellsworth is dizzy and Becky tosses him to the floor. Back in and Ellsworth shoves Becky down and sends her to the floor. Becky back in and hits a missile dropkick, covering for 2. Becky misses a charge and Ellsworth rolls her up for 2. Ellsworth teases a superkick, but Becky cuts him off and kicks the ropes into his balls. The XPLODER follows and Ellsworth rolls to the floor. The ladies stop him from running away, and back in Ellsworth begs off and kisses her hand. He goes for a hug, but Becky locks in dis-arm-her for the win. Becky Lynch defeated James Ellsworth @ 5:55 via submission [*] That was no good, it wasn’t even fun or entertaining. At least Becky won. I hope that’s Ellsworth’s write off, but I suspect he’ll move to 205 Live. Moving on.

– Post match, Carmella superkicks Ellsworth, turning on him for another breakup angle.

– Charlotte meets with Shane and Natalya interrupts and wants to not only face Bliss, but also feels she should be the captain of the women’s team. Charlotte calls bullshit and Shane books a title match next week between Charlotte and Natalya.

– The Usos cut a pre-match promo, running down their opponents ahead of the title match. They call them American Alpha part two.

WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin: They brawl right away and go screen in screen. Things settle down as Benjamin takes control, hitting a backdrop. Gable tags in as they isolate an Uso in their half of the ring. Back to full screen as the Usos get the hot tag and Jey hits a Samoan drop on Gable. Benjamin in and hits a spinebuster and pay dirt on Jimmy. On the floor, Gable chop blocks Jey Uso and that leads to a count out, as he looked legit hurt or just sold really well. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin defeated Champions The Usos @ 3:52 via countout [*] Well that was a disappointing. If it’s a real injury, hopefully it’s not too bad. Either that or it was just a way to not beat the challengers, and to give something for Sheamus & Cesaro to focus on at Survivor Series, firmly putting the Usos as the faces in their match. There is a nice call back here, as the Usos took put Gable in a similar way during the American Alpha run.

– AJ Styles cuts a promo about his title match, which is coming up next. He says he works harder than anyone and will prove himself tonight.

– Next week, Sin Cara challenges Baron Corbin for the US Title & Charlotte battle Natalya for the women’s title. Also, New Day vs. Owens & Sami.

NEXT WEEK: Before he faces @mikethemiz at #SurvivorSeries, The #LoneWolf will defend the #USTitle against @SinCaraWWE on #SDLive! pic.twitter.com/gTEMDBAwib

— WWE (@WWE) November 8, 2017

NEXT WEEK: Two QUEENS will collide when @MsCharlotteWWE gets her #SDLive #WomensTitle rematch against @NatByNature! pic.twitter.com/FI7ieEjtAB

— WWE (@WWE) November 8, 2017

ALSO NEXT WEEK: #TheNewDay will battle best friends @FightOwensFight and @SamiZayn on #SDLive! @XavierWoodsPhD @WWEBigE @TrueKofi pic.twitter.com/XtbpiiEe2h

— WWE (@WWE) November 8, 2017

– The Singhs are out to introduce Jinder Mahal.

WWE Champion Jinder Mahal vs. AJ Styles: The crowd is behind Styles as Mahal gets in a cheap shot. Mahal poses, Styles lays in some leg kicks and then applies a headlock. Mahal hits a shoulder block, but Styles get a roll up for 2. Mahal powers up and flings Styles to the floor. Post break and Mahal ground Styles, working a side headlock. Styles fights to his feet, hits a dropkick and sends Mahal to the floor. Mahal cuts off Styles and slams him off of the announce table. Mahal takes the heat, beating down Styles and working a standing arm bar. The crowd tries to rally Styles, but Mahal keeps control, as he just keeps slamming Styles down. Mahal lays in knee drops, but Styles catches him with the boot and starts to fire up with strikes and a big clothesline. The sliding forearm follows and kips up. The corner forearm connects, and then the ushigoroshi follows for 2. Styles lays in kicks, but Mahal cuts him off; Styles looks for the clash but Mahal escapes and then tosses Styles across the ring, covering for 2. Mahal sets Styles up top, lays in rights and follows Styles up. Styles slides out and kicks out Mahal’s legs and locks in the calf crusher. Mahal tries to escape, but Mahal makes the ropes. Mahal kicks Styles away and hits a big clothesline, covering for 2. Mahal set Styles up top again, follows him up and they battle for position, Mahal shoves the DDT attempt away but Styles takes him to the floor. The slingshot forearm follows. Back in and Styles hits the springboard 450! The Singhs pull Mahal to the floor. Styles to the floor, chases them away and tackles one of them and beats on him. He takes out the other with a clothesline off the steps. Back in and Mahal hits the Khallas but Styles makes the ropes. The crowd is almost begging Styles to fight back and win. Mahal sets Styles up top, follows and looks for a super Khallas, but Styles fights him off and stuns Mahal off the ropes. Styles back up, and hits the phenomenal forearm! 1…2…3! AJ Styles defeated Champion Jinder Mahal @ 16:45 via pin [***½] The error of the make believe Maharaja has come to an end, at least for now. AJ Styles once again proves just how good he is, selling and bumping his ass off to make Mahal look good. Styles is just on another level and to Mahal’s credit, he played his role well and worked hard, but without a doubt, this was the AJ Styles show. The win felt special thanks to the reaction of the crowd, Styles fought off the Singhs, overcame Mahal’s strength and finish and finally overcame where others failed, which is what the fans wanted. Who would have guessed that putting the belt on one of the best wrestlers in the world and an extremely over guy would be a good move?

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s show started out pretty good with the opening segment and match, but the middle really lacked with another lackluster and emotionless Orton win, whatever the hell the Becky Lynch vs. James Ellsworth match was, and the disappointing end to the tag title match, which I hope isn’t a legit injury. The main event was very good, got an amazing reaction, and gave us a fun moment as Styles becomes champion again. They set up some matches for next week, which could be interesting depending on how they play them out, but this week’s show felt average overall.