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Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.15.20

May 15, 2020 | Posted by Larry Csonka
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Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.15.20  

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Csonka’s WWE Friday Night Smackdown Review 5.15.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
IC Title Tournament Match: Elias defeated King Corbin @ 15:55 via pin []
– Dana Brooke defeated @ 1:35 via pin [NR]
IC Title Tournament Match: Daniel Bryan defeated Drew Gulak @ 13:00 via submission [***¾]
– Braun & Otis defeated Miz & Morison @ 9:40 via pin [**¼]


– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– We open with highlights from MITB.

MIZ TV: Miz & Morrison are in the ring and welcome us to Miz TV. Otis arrives and is very much being Otis., which doesn’t impress Miz & Morrison. Otis breaks the chair while sitting, because he’s fat you see, comedy. Otis puts over his MITB win, but claims Mandy is his biggest win. They make jokes and Otis reveals he has a sandwich in the case. Miz and Morrison mock him and we see pics of Otis as a baby, they make fun of his size, call him pregnant and say he should give up MITB like Becky gave up her title. Otis praises his mother, they continue to make fun of him with more pics. Miz says he can’t take him seriously, yells at him and says Otis won MITB by luck. He’s embarrassed Otis could be the face of Smackdown and wants a tag match with Tucker, but Tucker has the shits and isn’t here. They tell him to find a partner and they will teach him a lesson. That was legit horrible.

– Sami has been stripped of the IC Title and a tournament starts tonight.

– We get a King Corbin vs. Elias video package.

IC Title Tournament Match: King Corbin vs. Elias: They brawl at the bell, Elias takes control and delivers chops. Corbin cuts him off and follows with a back elbow for 2. He grounds things, Elias counters out but Corbin grounds him again. He follows with elbow strikes, Elias fights to his feet and escapes and then kicks Corbin down and dumps him. Elias heads up top and follows with a high cross. Corbin cuts him off with strikes slams him to the barricade and grabs the guitar. Elias attacks, works him over on the floor and then slams him to the steps. Post break and Elias is in control, grounding things. Corbin fires back, but Elias cuts him off, slams him to the buckles and Corbin counters old school, dumping Elias. He pummels Elias on the floor, back in and Corbin covers for 2. He follows with strikes, chokes out Elias and follows with strikes. Elias fires back, but Corbin hits the in and out Bossman lariat for 2. He follows with short-armed clotheslines, until Elias counters into a neck breaker. Elias unloads with strikes and kicks and the clothesline follows. Elias hits a knee drop and heads up top. The elbow drop misses, and Corbin fires back, Elias counters but runs into a spinebuster for 2. Corbin takes him up top but Elias slips out and Corbin counters into a chokeslam for 2. Corbin follows with strikes, talks shit and breaks the guitar. Elias hits a knee strike and cradles him for the win. Elias defeated King Corbin @ 15:55 via pin [*¾] This was not good, really boring, and way too long for these two guys, especially in an empty arena setting. Great job of making Corbin good ahead of his match with Drew on Raw.

– Sheamus refuses to tag with Otis tonight.

– Otis meets with Mandy, he still can’t find a partner and Mandy tells him to ask Braun. Otis agrees.

– The Hacker is back, and says he is everywhere, sees all, and hears all. He’s the truth and no one is safe, leading to random video of stars.

– Otis talks with Braun, asks him about tagging with him and Braun questions his motives. Braun says he respects him and says he’ll think about it.

Naomi vs. Dana Brooke: they lockup and Naomi cradles her for 2. The clothesline follows and Dana cradles Naomi for 2. She follows with a back handspring elbow and Naomi counters the second and heads up top. The high cross follows but Dana counters into a cradle for the win. Dana Brooke defeated @ 1:35 via pin [NR] So… that happened. Dana winning doesn’t resonate as much when they act so shocked each time.

– We get a Becky Lynch video package.

– Lady Bog Dog Charlotte arrives and they hype the brand-to-brand bullshit, invitational. Charlotte says she’s on Smackdown, the hardest working woman in the industry, working all three brands, claiming people want more Charlotte. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA… NOPE! She says she’s blonde, an athlete and a Flair. She won five of her 12 championships on Smackdown and should be inspiring everyone as their queen. Bayley arrives and Banks is with her. Bayley mockingly welcomes her and says it’s not so nice to see her. Charlotte is not impressed with this reaction and Bayley says Charlotte was here saying the same thing and reminds us about the last time Bayley beat her. Charlotte says it took her being KO’d and a bad makeover to beat her. Bayley praises herself as the grand slam champion, tells Charlotte to go back o NXT, or Raw. This is their show, not Charlotte’s, and Bayley reminds us she beat everyone, including Charlotte. She tells Charlotte to leave, Charlotte says Banks made Bayley relevant in NXT and she’s the only reason Bayley is champion. Charlotte says she and Banks main evented together and wonders why she’s in Bayley’s corner, an after thought and Bayley interrupts and says they are great friends. Bayley wants to fight and Charlotte says Fox would love it, and then asks Banks if she’s just happy being Bayley’s lackey.

– Braun warms up and is still considering tagging with Otis.

– We get a Forgotten Son video. They chose to serve their country, but weren’t welcomed home as heroes. They were mocked and will welcome you with closed fists.

– Miz & Morrison talk about Otis trying to recruit Braun and make fun of Braun being dumb, and that he can’t hang with them.

IC Title Tournament Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Drew Gulak: They grapple right away, working into counters and then lockup. Bryan grounds things until Gulak counters but Bryan gets the YES lock until Gulak makes the ropes. Lockup and Bryan grounds things, Gulak fights to his feet and gets the GU-lock until Bryan makes the ropes. Bryan attacks the arm, Gulak counters the butterfly suplex but Bryan counter into an arm bar, but Gulak cradles him into the ropes. Bryan goes back to the arm, they work into standing switches as Gulak dumps Bryan. Post break and Gulak has Bryan grounded. He follows with the belly to back suplex and that gets 2. He grounds Bryan, but Bryan starts attacking the knee with dragon screws and follows with an ankle lock but Gulak makes the ropes and Bryan hits the German for 2. Gulak counters into a cradle for 2, and then follow with the Michinoku driver for 2. Gulak keeps him grounded with a full nelson, Bryan fights to his feet and follows with the snap German. The busaiku knee is countered and Gulak sunset flips him for 2. Gulak follows with the powerbomb but Bryan counters and he cradles him for 2. The GU-loc is applied, but Bryan counters into the YES lock until Gulak cradles him for 2. Bryan goes back to the injured knee and the heel hook follows; Gulak taps. Daniel Bryan defeated Drew Gulak @ 13:00 via submission [***¾] This was a very good technical wrestling match and the best thing on Smackdown in what feels like forever.

– Post match, Bryan says he wants to win the championship make it great again and defend it every week. He shakes hands with and hugs Gulak.

NEXT WEEK: Bayley vs. Charlotte, Otis & Mandy vs. Dolph & Sonya. Styles vs. Nakamura, & Hardy vs. Sheamus.

– Sonya promises to keep ruining Mandy’s life next week. She shit talks Mandy and says the only thing Mandy is good at is being blonde & pretty, and mocking her future life with Otis in a trailer. Sonya has plans for her and will ruin her life, and says she wants Mandy to show her why she deserves to share a ring with her. Sonya was great here. It was also Dolph’s best work in years as he stood there saying nothing.

Miz & Morison vs. Otis & Braun Strowman: Otis and Morison begin as Otis overpowers him with ease. Morison picks up the pace, follow with kicks, but Otis gyrates and tackles Morison, dumps Miz and tags in Braun. He wants Braun to do the caterpillar and they hit a double caterpillar on Morison. Post break and Miz has the heat on Otis. He follows with kicks, running knees and a clothesline. He heads up top, hits the double axe handle and then delivers grounded kicks, covering for 2. Miz grounds things, Otis fights but Morison tags in, and Otis suplexes them both. He tags n Braun, Braun runs people over and runs wild as he tosses Miz around. To the floor and Braun chases Morison, runs over Miz and back in, Braun posts himself as ALWAYS. Morison tags in and hits a disaster kick, but runs into the powerslam for the Braun win. Braun & Otis defeated Miz & Morison @ 9:40 via pin [**¼] This was ok, pretty standard stuff from Otis &Braun, Morrison’s flurry at the end was fun, but nothing special.

– Post match, Mandy arrives and Otis teases cashing in but says he was kidding and hugs Mandy.

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The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 115. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook break down the news of the week and then review NXT vs. AEW (5.13.20) & NWA Super Powerrr! The show is approximately 113-minutes long.

* Intro
* News Roundup: 3:51
* NWA Superpower (5.12.20) Review: 41:40
* AEW (5.13.20) Review: 56:55
* NXT (5.13.20) Review: 1:21:25
* The Head to Head Comparison: 1:45:10

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.0
The final score: review Average
The 411
This week’s episode of WWE Smackdown was a show that started off poorly between Miz TV & the Corbin vs. Elias match. Thankfully it wasn’t all-bad; they continued the Banks vs. Bayley tensions, and Bryan vs. Gulak was the best thing on this show in forever as the IC Title tournament has started. I also REALLY loved Sonya’s promo, she’s been delivering since the turn. Overall, it was an acceptably solid show.
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