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Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 12.26.17
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Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 12.26.17
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– #1 Contender’s Match: Gable & Benjamin defeated Rusev & English, & New Day @ 13:55 via pin [***½]
– The Bludgeon Brothers defeated The Fashion Police @ 1:45 via pin [NR]
– Ruby Riott defeated Naomi @ 0:59 via pin [NR]
– US Title Tournament Match: Bobby Roode defeated Baron Corbin @ 8:55 via pin [**¾]
– US Title Tournament Match: Jinder Mahal defeated Tye Dillinger @ 6:05 via pin [**]
– Non-Title Match: Kevin Owens defeated Champion AJ Styles @ 16:45 via pin [***¼]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
– I ranked the Raw women’s division from worst to first at this link.
– I ranked the Smackdown women’s division from worst to first at this link.
– I wrote about the winners in the battle for the Broken Universe at this link.
– I wrote about the top 10 female NXT stars at this link.
– I wrote about how quickly the WWE can change in just 6-years at this link.
– I wrote about 8 possible surprises for the women’s Royal Rumble at this link.
Daniel Bryan Talks: Bryan makes his way to the ring to kick off the show. Bryan plays to the crowd, which loves him, to kickoff the show. He addresses Ziggler walking out last week and leaving the US Title in the ring. Bryan says he hasn’t been able to get a hold of Ziggler, so due to that he says Ziggler has relinquished the US Title. Bryan says they all wish him the best of luck, and says Ziggler is an all time great, but they do need to move forward. He is honored to have the US Title on Smackdown and they will hold a tournament to crown a new champion, which starts tonight. Corbin vs. Roode is set for tonight. Gable and Benjamin arrive and they want their tag title shot. Bryan says they lost at Clash of Champions, and Gable says that wasn’t fair. They want their one on one rematch, not a match with New Day, English, & Rusev. They beat the Usos last week, proving that they should be champions. English & Rusev arrive, and the fans love Rusev. English sings that they deserve a chance at the titles. The New Day arrives and toss pancakes around before making their claim for a title shot. Big E calls Shelton “Old Jason Jordan.” Rusev cuts them off, and the crowd loves him for it. Rusev then asks if Bryan has to ask his “mommy,” Shane McMahon. Bryan books a triple threat for a tag title shot. This was your typical WWE revolving door segment, it was fine.
– The Usos arrive and join commentary.
Rusev & English vs. Gable & Benjamin vs. New Day (Kofi & Big E): Woods and Gable shove each other around, and English tosses Gable, leading to brawling on the floor. Woods then hits a big tope, wiping out the pile. He then takes over on English, covering for 2. Woods and Big E work double teams, covering for 2. Rusev cuts off the big ending as Gable Germans English and Big E at the same time. Shelton tags in and lays the boots to Big E. Rusev tags in, stomps away on Big E but Gable tosses him to the floor. Shelton tags in, they work double teams on Big E, covering for 2. Gable and English work over Big E as we get CM Punk chants. Big E fires back, clothes lining both and tags in Woods. He runs wild, and hits the honor roll on Gable. Gable makes the save as Woods covers English for 2. Shelton tags in, slamming English into Rusev. Gable tags on and takes Big E to the floor and hits an XPLODER on Woods. English cuts him off and Rusev gets the hot tag, running wild and working over Gable and Woods. The spin kick takes out Big E and the superkick levels Shelton. Gable cuts him off, CHAOS THEORY connects, but English blind tags in, breaks up the pin as Woods flies in, taking him out. Big E blind tags in and New Day works double teams for a near fall on Gable. Gable & Shelton cut off the midnight hour and Gable hits a moonsault for 2. English takes out Shelton, Gable looks for chaos theory, but English grabs Woods’ hair to save himself. English hits the spinebuster on Woods for 2. Shelton takes English up top, Gable follows and Rusev is over for the tower of doom! English hits the top rope splash for a good near fall. Rusev tags in and Woods rolls him up for 2. Rusev lays him out and gets the double accolade on Gable & Woods. Shelton makes the save, tags in and takes out English. He and Big E brawl, and Big E spears him to the floor through the ropes. Back in and the big ending is countered, gable tags in and the doomsday bomb connects and Big E is done. Gable & Benjamin defeated Rusev & English, & New Day @ 13:55 via pin [***½] This was a very good and fun tag match to kick off the wrestling portion of the show. They all worked hard and delivered.
– The tag title match will take place next week.
– Bryan and Shane talk about their issues from last week, and Shane discusses Bryan saying he is turning into Mr. McMahon. Shane puts Vince over and Bryan says Shane is acting like his dad, in the not good ways. Shane says Corbin was the US Champion and Corbin vs. Roode should be just for the title, but Bryan says this is all about opportunity. He also questions the booking of Owens vs. Styles for tonight. Shane worries about Bryan showing favoritism towards Owens and Sami. Bryan says AJ vs. Owens was a heated rivalry and wanted to end the year with one more match.
– Earlier today the Ascension got the Fashion Police a rematch with the Bludgeon Brothers.
The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper & Rowan) vs. The Fashion Police (Breeze & Fandango): The Fashion Police attack at the bell, but they are immediately cut off. The Bludgeon brothers take control and hit the killer bomb, but pull Breeze up before 3. They take out Fandango, as Rowan kicks his ass on the floor. The Ascension arrives and make the save, resulting in a DQ. They carry the Fashion Police away. The Bludgeon Brothers defeated The Fashion Police @ 1:45 via pin [NR]This was a squash, and seemingly about moving The Bludgeon Brothers into a feud with the Ascension.
– The Ascension then say that The Fashion Police are challenging The Bludgeon Brothers to another match next week.
– We get a video package about Stephanie McMahon inventing women, women’s rights and all things woman.
Ruby Riott vs. Naomi: Morgan & Logan are at ringside. They brawl at the bell, with Ruby taking early control. Naomi quickly fires back, hitting the disaster kick. Naomi takes out Morgan and Logan, but Ruby takes out Naomi’ knee and hits the Riott kick for the win. Ruby Riott defeated Naomi @ 0:59 via pin [NR] This was a good win for Riott, and getting the post match beat down on Naomi & Charlotte was good as well. Them getting run off by the girls that don’t get along was a flat ending.
– Post match, the Riott Squad beats down Naomi until Charlotte makes the save. The numbers game gets to Charlotte, and they beat her down and toss her to the floor. Natalya, Lana, Tamina, and Carmella arrive. The Riott Squad bails, but get attacked anyway. They eventually run away.
– Renee interviews AJ Styles. Styles talks about tonight’s main event match against Kevin Owens. His plan is to overcome, because he is the favorite and his opponents are the under dogs, because this is the house AJ Styles built.
US Title Tournament Match: Baron Corbin vs. Bobby Roode: Roode takes control and sends Corbin to the floor right away. Roode follows, but Corbin cuts him off and slams him to the barricade. Corbin hangs him in the ropes, lays in rights and rolls him back into the ring. Corbin maintains control. Roode starts to fight back, but Corbin hits a side slam, covering for 2. Corbin slows things down with a grounded bear hug and then tosses Roode to the floor. Corbin follow shim out with a clothesline and talks some shit. Back in and Roode catches Corbin with a boot and then low bridges him to the floor. Corbin back in but gets clotheslined back to the floor. Roode then hits a clothesline off of the apron. Back in they go, Roode hits a clothesline and then the blockbuster for 2. Corbin goes back to working the ribs and then posts Roode. Roode counters end of days, and hits a spinebuster. Corbin counters the glorious DDT into deep six for a near fall. Corbin takes Roode up top, lays in rights and follows him up. They trade strikes; Roode fights him off and knocks him to the mat. Roode leaps off, gets caught, but counters the chokebreaker into a roll up for the win. Bobby Roode defeated Baron Corbin @ 8:55 via pin [**¾] This was pretty good, Corbin had a solid gameplan, but his overall execution and pacing is so boring, and I never buy his aggression, Roode sold well for him, and picked up the win, which I feel was the right call.
US Title Tournament Match: Jinder Mahal vs. Tye Dillinger: The Singhs are out with Mahal; nice to see Dillinger is still alive. Mahal grounds things at the bell. Dillinger works to his feet, and goes for a series of pinning attempts, and Mahal powders. We go screen in screen, as Mahal cuts off Dillinger. Mahal takes the heat, hitting a neck breaker and then grounding Dillinger with the half nelson. Back to full screen now, as Mahal still has things grounded. Dillinger escapes, fires up with chops, but Mahal cuts him off as we get boring chants. More chops by Dillinger follows, and then a running forearm follows. The knee strike and clothesline follow. Dillinger lays the boots to Mahal, looks for the Tye breaker, but Mahal escapes. Dillinger up top and hits the high cross, but Mahal rolls through and covers for 2. Mahal follows with a gut buster for 2. Dillinger counters back, hitting a DDT for 2. Mahal takes out the knee, hits the khallas for the win. Jinder Mahal defeated Tye Dillinger @ 6:05 via pin [**] This was ok, with the exact result you’d expect. Tye tried, but there was no drama at all in terms of him possibly winning.
– Kevin & Sami get interviewed. Kevin has champagne for after he wins tonight’s main event. It’s the same bottle they tried to give Bryan last week. Kevin says the last time he lost to Styles; it was because of Shane McMahon being referee. Tonight, Kevin has the advantage, as Sami will be at ringside. He is better than phenomenal, because he’s Kevin Owens. No one is invited to his victory party tonight; it’ll be just he and Sami.
– Orton is interviewed and says that he needs to start dealing with his own issues. He’s focused on the rumble and is officially entering himself. Nakamura arrives and says that’s a good idea, and he’s ready to rumble as well.
Champion AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens: Styles hits a dropkick at the bell, and takes immediate control. The knee drop connects, Kevin fires back and takes Styles down. Styles hits a head scissors and then rolls into the calf crusher, but Kevin makes the ropes. They go to the floor as Styles continues to attack. Back in and Styles targets the knee, but Kevin kicks him to the floor. He follows and hits a clothesline as Sami celebrates. Back in and Kevin hits the senton, covering for 2. He grounds the action with the chinlock, Styles tries to fight back, but Kevin cuts him off. Post break, and Kevin again has Styles grounded Styles slowly battles to his feet, but Kevin cuts him off with a boot, covering for 2 and again grounding things. Styles starts to elbow out, and hits a face buster to get the break. Styles misses a corner attack, and Kevin hits a big lariat for 2. The neck breaker follows and Kevin again covers for 2. Kevin looks for a cannonball, but Styles cuts that off with the ushigoroshi. They trade strikes center ring, and go crazy fists, but Styles takes control and follows with a kick. The sliding forearm gets 2. Styles hits the corner forearm, looks for a clash, but Kevin escapes. PELE by Styles! Kevin counters the springboard forearm with a gut buster and Vader like elbow drop for a good near fall. Kevin sets Styles up top, they trade strikes and he follows. Styles sides out and gets the torture rack into the rack bomb for 2. Styles then takes out Sami with a plancha, and posts Kevin. Sami distracts Styles, allowing Kevin to hit the superkick for a good near fall. Shane arrives and gives Sami the boot. Styles had Kevin rolled up for the win, but Shane accidentally caused a distraction, allowing Kevin to get a roll up for the win. Kevin Owens defeated Champion AJ Styles @ 16:45 via pin [***¼] While I still don’t think that these two have the greatest chemistry, this was a good main event. I am not always a fan of the distraction finish, but this plays into the established story of Sami & Kevin being dicks and playing by their own rules, and Shane getting too emotionally involved, which cost his champion the match.
– Kevin & Sami celebrate, while Styles is pissed at Shane.
We know one man who is NOT happy with #SDLive Commissioner @shanemcmahon, and it's @WWE Champion @AJStylesOrg… #StylesvsOwens pic.twitter.com/8rYlE5HhUP
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 27, 2017
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
