Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 2.20.18

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 2.20.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Kevin Owens defeated Dolph Ziggler @ 12:47 via pin [***¼]
– The Riott Squad (Liv, Ruby, &, Logan) defeated Charlotte, Naomi, & Becky Lynch @ 13:15 via pin [**½]
– #1 Contender’s Match: The New Day (Woods & Big E) defeated Benjamin & Gable @ 6:47 via pin [**½]
– The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Jimmy & Johnny Boots & Tights @ 1:30 via pin [NR]
– Non-Title Match: Champion AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin @ 12:15 via pin [**½]

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AJ Styles Talks: Styles talks about the Fastlane main event, and say he feels he can beat any man that steps into the ring with him. But a fatal five-way is very different and very dangerous. He could put Kevin through the announce table, while someone in the ring is making the pin and taking his title. He’d love to slam Sami in the steps, while someone in the ring is making the pin and taking his title. But one on one, he knows he can take all of his opponents. Baron Corbin arrives, and says that Styles can’t beat him. Corbin reminds Styles that he beat him the last time they faced off. He has Styles’ number. Styles is just an athlete, but he’s a fighter. Corbin says he will be the next WWE Champion. It’s time for take your turn promo time as Kevin arrives. Kevin says he’ll win the title, and says Corbin isn’t so tough, but Corbin reminds him he beat him last week. Styles says he wasn’t paying attention to Kevin, and jokes about him having Sami cut off of his back. Kevin says Sami let him down last week. But that’s what Shane wants. Shane arrives and Shane says they don’t want talk, they want action and books Corbin vs. Styles in the main event. Kevin will face Dolph Ziggler, next. This was ok, setting up two matches, which means they are going to burn us out on the Fastlane main event with variations on the match for the next few weeks.

Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler: Ziggler attacks at the bell, and Kevin powders. Ziggler follows, but Kevin cuts him off and rolls him back in. Ziggler hits a dropkick and they brawl back to the floor. Back in and Ziggler hits another dropkick, but they brawl right back to the floor. Ziggler hits another dropkick, and Kevin is down on the floor. Ziggler follows, but Kevin slams him to the apron. Back in and Kevin misses the senton. Ziggler follows with a suplex. Ziggler lays in rights and rakes Kevin’s face off of the ropes. Ziggler misses the corner splash allowing Kevin to hit the cannonball for 2. We go screen in screen, they brawl on the floor, with Kevin in control. Back in and Kevin covers for 2. Kevin stuns Ziggler off the ropes and covers for 2. Kevin grounds the action, and then hits the senton for 2. Back to the chinlock as Kevin keeps Ziggler grounded. Ziggler battles to his feet and gets the sleeper, but Kevin rolls them both to the floor to break it. Back to full screen, as Kevin rolls Ziggler back in. Ziggler hits a DDT, and both men are down. Ziggler now connects with elbows, and Kevin misses a charge and posts himself. Ziggler hits a neck breaker for 2. Kevin cuts him off with a gut buster and elbow drop for 2. Ziggler sets Kevin up top, follows him up but Kevin tosses him to the mat, but the senton eats knees, the fameasser gets 2. Kevin fights off the zigzag, but Ziggler counters the pop up powerbomb and the zigzag gets 2. Ziggler hits the corner splash, but Sami arrives. The distraction allows Kevin to hit the superkick for the win. Kevin Owens defeated Dolph Ziggler @ 12:47 via pin [***¼] This was a god match, with the overdone distraction finish.

Jinder Mahal Has a Secret About Bobby Roode: Mahal says he made a discovery that shook him to his core. Bobby Roode has a secret, and that secret is Roode has a Smackdown top 10 list, where he’s at the top. Mahal & Orton aren’t even on the list. Mahal says Roode thinks he’s the new legend killer, and claims to respect Orton.

.@JinderMahal has secret to share for the @WWEUniverse: @REALBobbyRoode's very own #SDLiveTop10 List! #SDLive

😮 😮 😮 pic.twitter.com/5zxYuVq0Vc

— WWE (@WWE) February 21, 2018

Roode now arrives and says Mahal’s list was not real. He runs down Mahal, and says Mahal wants to be US Champion so bad that he’s causing issues between he and Orton. Roode says Mahal can’t win in a fair fight. Mahal says he wants to be US Champion, but wants Roode to admit that he’s better than Orton. Roode disputes these claims. Mahal says Roode is afraid, but Roode says he’s not afraid of Mahal. Roode doesn’t want to hear about Orton anymore and says this is about them. Orton of course arrives. He attacks Mahal and Roode dumps him, and then lays out Orton with the DDT, countering the RKO. Mahal then returns and hits the Khallas on Roode. We’re building to a triple threat for the US Title, but they are doing a poor job of making me care.

– Bryan wants to book Roode vs. Mahal, but Shane wants Orton. They argue doing more of the same old shit. Shane says Orton vs. Roode is final. Is this Shane vs. Bryan shit actually going to go somewhere? Because Bryan looks like he’s given up and doesn’t care.

The Riott Squad (Liv, Ruby, &, Logan) vs. Charlotte, Naomi, & Becky Lynch: Logan & Charlotte to begin. Naomi tags in and rubs her ass in Logan’s face. She then follows with leg kicks, Becky tags in and double teams follow. Logan cuts off Becky and tags in Ruby. Becky counters and Naomi joins in for dropkicks. Charlotte takes out Liv. Post break, and Becky is working over Ruby and grounds the action. Naomi tags in looks to continue control, but Liv they trade shoulder blocks. Ruby & Logan pulls Liv to the floor, Naomi hits a plancha, but Liv slams her to the steps. Logan tags in and works a modified anaconda vice on Naomi. Naomi fights to her feet, but gets cut off immediately. Naomi avoids a charge, and hits a RANA and now looks for a tag. Charlotte gets the hot tag, she runs wild, knocking Ruby & Liv to the floor and working over Logan. Liv distracts Charlotte and Logan takes out her knee with chop blocks. She manages to get the tag to Becky, who flies in with a missile dropkick. She starts tossing Ruby around with suplexes, and knocks Logan to the floor. Becky locks on disarmher, and Liv makes the save. It breaks down, but Ruby hits the riot kick on Becky for the win. The Riott Squad (Liv, Ruby, &, Logan) defeated Charlotte, Naomi, & Becky Lynch @ 13:15 via pin [**½] This was a rock solid tag match, with a strong homestretch and the Riott Squad getting a much-needed win.

– Sami & Kevin meet and they thank each other for getting back on the same page. Sami says Kevin needs his guardian angel and that he has his back. He will pay back his friend for all he’s done for him. Together they are more powerful than anyone in the Fastlane main event. He promises to help Kevin take everyone out, and he will then do the right thing and lay down for Kevin. Kevin doesn’t know what to make of this.

"WE will take them out one by one by one… when it comes down to just you and me, I will do the right thing, I will lay down for you in the center of that ring." @SamiZayn has a "plan" for #WWEFastlane… @FightOwensFight pic.twitter.com/14U4mp7kf1

— WWE (@WWE) February 21, 2018

#1 Contender’s Match: The New Day (Woods & Big E) vs. Benjamin & Gable: So have they forgotten about the Bludgeon Brothers teases from recent weeks, or will they run in and set up a multi-tem match for the titles at Fastlane? Gable & Woods work some fun back and forth to begin. Shelton tags in and cuts off Woods, and the spinebuster follows for 2. Shelton now hits a slam, Woods tries to fight back, but Shelton cuts him off with a big boot, covering for 2. We go screen in screen, and Gable tags in and isolates Woods in his half of the ring. Good control by Gable here as he picks up a near fall and tags Shelton back in. He sets Woods up top, and hits a run up knee strike. Back to full screen, and Woods fights off Shelton and sends him to the mat. The missile dropkick follows, and we get wholesale changes to Gable & Big E. Big E starts suplexing him around the ring, but Gable cuts him off with a belly to belly for 2. Gable up top and the moonsault misses as he lands on his feet, allowing Big E to hit an STO. Gable cuts off Big E, Shelton in and Kofi takes the ref, Shelton has the cover, but Woods makes the save after the distraction. Shelton & Gable argue with the ref, Woods in and the shining wizard puts Shelton away. The New Day (Woods & Big E) defeated Benjamin & Gable @ 6:47 via pin [**½] This was on its way to a good match until overbooked finish. If you’re going to crown a top contender, just make it a clean win without any bullshit. But I am excited for another Usos vs. New Day match.

– Post match the Bludgeon Brothers arrive.

– Charlotte will put her title on the line to get to Ruby Riott.

The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Jimmy & Johnny Boots & Tights: The Bludgeon Brothers attack immediately and then kick thier asses on the floor. MORE BLUDGEONING! Back in and the destruction continues. An assisted powerbomb and double crucifix bomb follows for the win. The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Jimmy & Johnny Boots & Tights @ 1:30 via pin [NR] SQUASH!

– Ruby Riott says next week, she’ll take on Naomi and will face Charlotte if she puts her title on the line at Fastlane.

– We get a Shinsuke Nakamura video package.

– Charlotte vs. Riott is official for Fastlane, as is Roode vs. Orton.

IT'S ON! The world of #TheQueen may crumble when @MsCharlotteWWE defends her #SDLive #WomensTitle against @RubyRiottWWE at #WWEFastlane! pic.twitter.com/0WiiHrPyxV

— WWE (@WWE) February 21, 2018

IT'S OFFICIAL: @REALBobbyRoode defends his #USTitle against #TheViper @RandyOrton at #WWEFastlane! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/RTzAH3k6Br

— WWE (@WWE) February 21, 2018

Champion AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin: Styles attacks with leg kicks, and follows with strikes. He follows with chops, and continues with shoulder blocks in the corner. Corbin fires back, and lays in knee strikes. Styles to the apron, back in and the dropkick follows. The sliding forearm follows for Styles. Corbin rolls to the floor, and Styles slingshots out, but Corbin catches him and hits the choke breaker. Post break, and Corbin hits the in and out lariat and lays out Styles and covering for 2. Styles picks up the pace and Corbin posts himself, as usual, like an idiot. To the floor they go and Styles hits a sliding knee strike. Back in and Styles hits a slingshot forearm for 2. Corbin cuts him off with strikes, and a slam follows for 2. Corbin pulls Styles to the corner, follows with rights, and then sets him up top. Corbin lays in more rights, and follows Styles up, but Styles fights him off. Styles then runs into deep six, and covers for 2. Styles counters end of days and rolls into the calf crusher. Corbin fights, and slams Styles’ head to the mat to escape. Corbin talks trash, Styles fights back and hits the springboard forearm for the win. Champion AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin @ 12:15 via pin [**½]This was a solid match that felt like Styles was using all of his powers to drag Corbin just to get an average match. Corbin’s matches are all the same, he’s really boring and I cannot believe that someone in WWE thought that they were making the Fastlane match better by adding him into it.

– Post match, Kevin &Sami attack Styles. Corbin then takes them out with end of days.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Tonight’s WWE Smackdown was a perfectly average show. They set up more PPV matches, and continued the build to the Fastlane main event. But the show feels so flat and repetitive lately, they need to do something to get some excitement into the product and also need to do something with the Shane & Bryan angle, I can only take so much of the same argument backstage every week.