Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 3.06.18

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 3.06.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Jinder Mahal defeated Randy Orton @ 10:12 via pin [**]
– Becky Lynch defeated Becky Lynch @ 5:15 via submission [**]
– Non-Title Match: Champion AJ Styles vs. Dolph Ziggler went to a no contest @ 16:45 [***]
– Sami defeated Styles, Ziggler, Kevin, and Corbin @ 15:00 via pin [***]

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Charlotte & Ruby Talk: Dash introduces Charlotte, who makes her way to the ring. Ruby Riott is then introduced, and she arrives with Liv & Sarah. Riott tells Dasha to hit the bricks, and takes over. She says this all began when Charlotte became champion, because Charlotte is the perfect woman and was set up to succeed. Charlotte won the NXT, Divas, Raw, & SD championships. But it’s a myth that Charlotte is the personification of the women’s revolution, and that’s when she formed the Riott Squad, to destroy that myth. Charlotte says she hasn’t been handed anything and has had to work harder than most to live up to expectations. She can’t just succeed, she has to be transcendent. She has transcended any myth, and the reality is she’s right here and she’s every bit as good as billed. Riott says Charlotte is on a pedestal, and when she takes her crown, Charlotte will just be another bleached blonde failure with a famous last name. Liv & Sarah hit the ring, but Bobby Roode arrives. That ends the segment. The promo work wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t that interesting. It also ended very oddly, like they were cut off. Rough start to the show.

Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal: Roode is out on commentary. Mahal has the healthy Singh (Sunil) with him. They lock up, Mahal hits a shoulder block but Orton cuts him off with a back elbow. Mahal follows with rights, working over Orton but Orton teases the RKO as we go screen in screen. Mahal bails to the floor, and as he rolls backing, Orton attacks with rights. Orton stomps away at Mahal, but Mahal fires back and then lays the boots to Orton in the corner. Mahal grounds the action, hitting knee drops and choking out Orton. The cover gets 2. Mahal now works a half nelson variation. Back to full screen as Orton fights to his feet. Mahal hits the high knee and covers for 2. The knee drop follows, and Mahal goes back to the half nelson. Orton again fights to his feet, elbows out and follows with rights. The belly to back suplex follows by Orton. Orton now lays in clotheslines and hits the snap slam. The draping DDT is countered, but Orton hits a fall away slam. Orton now hits the back breaker and Mahal bails to the floor. Orton dumps Singh on the announce table, that poor bastard. Orton slams Mahal into Roode. Back in and the draping DDT connects. Orton looks for the RKO, Roode distracts the ref and Orton, allowing Mahal to run them together, hit the Khallas and picks up the win. Jinder Mahal defeated Randy Orton @ 10:12 via pin [**] This was an ok match, with an extremely stupid finish, I pray Mahal doesn’t get added to the PPV match.

– Sami & Kevin meet backstage, and they talk about Sunday’s title match, and that Sami said he will lay down for Kevin. Kevin praises Sami, and Sami in turn praises Kevin. Sami says they need to focus on Kevin, and he’s proud of him. He thanks him again, and promises to lay down for him. They hug.

– We get a Baron Corbin promo, and he plans to get payback on John Cena. Stupid words appear on the screen.

– We get an Usos vs. New Day video package.

– Dasha interviews Nakamura. He hopes AJ wins, so he can beat him at Mania. Rusev & English arrive and English cannot talk because of Nakamura’s knee last week. Rusev challenges Nakamura to a match at Fastlane, and Nakamura accepts, noting that it will be Nakamura day.

Carmella vs. Becky Lynch: They work back and forth, Carmella cuts off Lynch and hits a head scissors out of the corner. The cover gets 2. Carmella takes control, slamming Lynch to the mat. Lynch counters a head scissors but Carmella maintains control. The hanging head scissors in the ropes follows. Carmella then pulls the hair, and celebrates. Back in and Carmella covers for 2. They work to the floor, with Carmella tossing Lynch to the barricade. Back in and Carmella covers for 2. Elbows follow as Carmella grounds the action. Lynch hits a desperation leg lariat and we get a double down. Lynch follows with strikes, but Carmella hits the superkick for 2. Carmella throws a fit, and Lynch hits the XPLODER. The disarmher follows and Carmella taps. Becky Lynch defeated Becky Lynch @ 5:15 via submission [**] This was another ok match, Carmella largely dominated, and threw a fit, leading to her loss. It was a match, giving an excuse to add another last minute PPV match that won’t have much interest or heat.

– Natalya & Naomi argue backstage, and they set up Natalya & Carmella vs. Naomi & Becky Lynch for Fastlane.

AJ Styles Talks: Styles says that housed to only care about one person, but after winning the title for a second time, he sees things differently. It’s a grind to get here, and he spent years elsewhere to get here. That takes him to Fastlane and the six-pack challenge, he doesn’t have to get beat to lose the title. It may not be fair, but he’s here tonight, and this is the house he built. Last week he lost to Cena, and he takes nothing away from him, but knows Cena is never at a loss for words and we see footage of Cena’s Raw promo, promising to win the title and break Flair’s record. Styles says he needs to win at Fastlane, and Styles doesn’t plan to lose, and he doesn’t want Cena involved. Styles wants his Mania moment, he wants to go there as champion, and wants to defend against Nakamura. It’s a dream to have this match in WWE, and he’s fighting for “us” because that match will be phenomenal. Ziggler interrupts. He isn’t a fan of Styles’ plan. He says Styles used to be cool, but Styles changed. Styles is just desperate. Styles says Ziggler has been with WWE for 13-years and hasn’t met his potential. Ziggler says Styles took a decade to get to the house Ziggler built. Ziggler says Styles’ head isn’t in the right place, because he’s doing it for these people. Noting that when you fail they will stab you in the back. Ziggler overcame the odds, and became a champion. Everyone loved it and it was a great moment, but these people didn’t deserve it. Ziggler claims he was the best thing that happened to this company, but he’s never had a singles match at Mania, and that’s criminal. You can take your dream match and shove it. We’re getting their match now. This was a good promo segment, easily the best thing on the show with ease. Both did well, and came off as passionate and believable, which is all I really want.

Champion AJ Styles vs. Dolph Ziggler: Styles blocks a superkick, and Ziggler bails to the floor. Back in and Ziggler grounds the action, but Styles makes the ropes. Ziggler hits a back elbow and follows with rights, and the roll up gets 2. Styles now grounds things, but Ziggler escapes and hits a dropkick. The elbow drop follows for 2. They work into the international and Styles hits the dropkick, sending Ziggler to the floor. Styles follows with a slingshot forearm to the floor. We go screen in screen, as Styles maintains control back in the ring. The side back breaker follows. Styles now lays in clubbing strikes, and then grounds the action, hitting the knee drop. Back to the floor but Styles quickly rolls Ziggler back in. Back to full screen, and Ziggler dumps Styles to the floor. Styles beats the count, but Ziggler maintains the heat. Styles now fires up with a flurry of strikes and follows with a clothesline and sliding forearm. Ziggler rakes the eyes and hits the fameasser for 2. They trade strikes now, but Ziggler cuts off Styles. Styles to the apron, and Ziggler looks to suplex him back in. Styles fights that off, and pulls Ziggler to the apron, and Ziggler catapults Styles to the post. Post break, and Styles is set up top. Ziggler looks for a clash, but Styles counters out only to eat a zigzag; Ziggler covers for 2. Kevin & Sami arrive for the DQ Champion AJ Styles vs. Dolph Ziggler went to a no contest @ 16:45 [***] This was good, and the run in stopped anyone from losing, until Shane basically booked the PPV main event as the next match.

– Styles & Ziggler fight them off. Shane arrives and makes Styles vs. Ziggler vs. Sami vs. Kevin vs. Baron Corbin.

Styles vs. Ziggler vs. Sami vs. Kevin vs. Corbin: Seriously, this is just like the elimination chamber build, why are we basically giving the PPV main event away here? JIP as everyone is brawling. Corbin gets to run wild here, laying in rights and tossing bodies around. Ziggler dumps him to the floor and that allows Kevin & Sami to beat him down. They now double team Ziggler, and then attack Styles. Kevin & Sami continue to dominate here, but Corbin battles back and it breaks down. Post break, and we get a tower of doom spot. Corbin runs wild with clotheslines, but Sami runs Ziggler into Corbin and hits a blue thunder bomb for 2. Everyone gets time to run wild and pick up near falls, as this is just one big old signature move buffet, with Styles constantly making saves like he’ll have to do on Sunday. Styles takes out Corbin, fires up and hits the asai DDT on Sami. Styles takes out Corbin with a knee strike, but gets knocked to the floor. Sami hits the helluva on Kevin and picks up the win. Sami defeated Styles, Ziggler, Kevin, and Corbin @ 15:00 via pin [***] This was a good and chaotic match, but I feel flawed booking as WWE gets into the habit of burning out their main event matches on TV and then basically gave away the main event here.

– Post match, Sami says he’s the best in the WWE and that no one comes close to him. He’s been overlooked, but tonight he proved that he’s the best.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

Tonight’s episode of WWE Smackdown was a below average effort, especially for a go home show for a PPV. The opening women’s segment was poorly planned out, bland and had no end; I can’t believe that made tv actually it came off so poorly. Orton vs. Mahal was ok, but rather lifeless, with a bad finish to keep Mahal involved. Lynch vs, Carmella was ok, but was only there to set up a late PPV addition, similar to Rusev vs. Nakamura, why were these matches not built beforehand instead of tacked on when no one could possibly care. Thankfully the scone half of the show was better, with a good promo segment and two good matches, but they weren’t nearly good enough to save the show.