Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 6.19.18

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 6.19.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Becky Lynch defeated Billie Kay @ 7:46 via submission [**¼]
– WWE Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Bludgeon Brothers defeated The Good Brothers @ 5:55 via pin [**¼]
– WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Gauntlet Match: Rusev @ 43:25 via submission [****]

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Bye Cass

– Paige welcomes us to the show and runs down what we’ll see tonight, including the Big E vs. The Miz vs. Samoa Joe vs. Rusev vs. Daniel Bryan gantlet match.

The Last Woman Standing, Carmella Arrives: If you had money on Carmella outlasting both Enzo and Cass, congrats. Carmella explains that she had self-confidence issues when she was a kid, but she worked hard and became the author of her life, seeing something in her before anyone else did. She wants anyone that doesn’t feel good enough to look in the mirror, and say MELLA IS MONEY. She then laughs because she’s evil, and has been moonwalking and trash talking since she’s been in diapers. You can work twice as hard as her and still only be half as good. She also reminds us that she beat Asuka… all by herself. Asuka’s music hits and here comes Ellsworth doing some cosplay. Carmella finds this hilarious and hugs him. Jimmy Dream says no one was ready for Ellsworth, especially Asuka. He’s back and back to serve Carmella. Ellsworth explains how much better Carmella is than everyone, better than Charlotte, Beyonce, Lita, Mother Teresa, and even Ronda Rousey. But especially Asuka, Asuka arrives and she’s pissed. Asuka attacks, but Carmella lays her out and bails with Ellsworth. This was a not so good opening segment, Carmella’s delivery is good, but she’s feeling too similar to Bliss character wise. Also, Asuka is just another girl right now, her aura has been crushed, and it also went too long.

Billie Kay vs. Becky Lynch: Royce is out with Kay. The IIconics bury the town and fans. Thy also run down Lynch. Lynch laughs at Kay, and then takes her down and beats on her. The XPLODER follows and Lynch takes her to the floor. Back in and Kay tries to run, but Lynch continues to control until Royce distracts her allowing Kay to post her. We go screen in screen as Kay has control. She dumps Lynch and Royce mocking does an Irish jig. Kay keeps control back in and hits a suplex for 2. Kay grounds things. Lynch escapes and Kay cuts her off with eat defeat for 2. Back to full screen as Kay grounds things again. Lynch fights to her feet, and is cut off again. Royce gets in a cheap shot and Kay covers for 2. Lynch fights of a sleeper, and hits a flying forearm off the ropes. She follows with clotheslines and hits an XPLODER for 2. Lynch heads up top, runs off Royce and dumps Kay. Lynch wipes out Royce with a high cross off of the apron. Back in and Lynch gets disarmher and Kay taps. Becky Lynch defeated Billie Kay @ 7:46 via submission [**¼] This was an ok opener, and nice to see Becky pick up another win.

– We get highlights from last week’s Nakamura vs. Hardy match. Jeff cuts a promo on Nakamura;- he wants revenge on Nakamura, and now his eyes are open.

.@JEFFHARDYBRAND wants @ShinsukeN to know one thing. He sees him. #SDLive pic.twitter.com/W0GVUGBXMu

— WWE (@WWE) June 20, 2018

– We see Sanity laughing backstage, saying that the chaos has arrived.

– Renee interviews Bryan, who will be #1 in the gauntlet. He plans to win tonight. He makes sure to take a shot at Miz, and says he has the legs, lungs, and heart to win. he asks Renee if he’s ready to take on the biggest stars, and prompts her to say yes.

– The Usos cut a promo on Sanity, and know they are trying to make a name tonight. They say you have to be crazy to roll with the Usos. Welcome to the Uso penitentiary.

Sanity (Dain & Wolfe) w/Young vs. The Usos: They brawl before the bell with all three Sanity members running wild and beating the Usos down. Young and Wolfe hit the double team neck breaker and Sanity stands tall. No match, but a good debut for Sanity as they got out lay out the Usos with ease. I expect the official match next week.

– Renee interviews Nakamura. He says the ref counted too fast at MITB, and that’s why he lost. He’s asked about Jeff Hardy, but says he will close his eyes again.

– We see Lana & Rusev in a Dollar General/Snickers commercial.

WWE Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Good Brothers: The champions retained at MITB in a pretty good match, but we’re getting a rematch here tonight. JIP as Gallows fights off the champions. Harper takes out Anderson on the floor and in the ring, Rowan takes Gallows up top and gallows has issues perching himself up top but Rowan hits a superplex; that could have been very bad. Harper takes out Anderson again and the champions slam him to the apron. The champions work quick tags and work over Gallows. Gallows fires up, but Rowan cuts him off and works the cranium crunch. Harper tags in and the champions continue to beat on Gallows. Gallows makes the comeback superkicks Harper. Anderson is alive and tags in and hits the high cross, the spinebuster follows for 2. He dumps Rowan but Harper hits the bossman slam for 2. Rowan takes out Gallows on the floor, but back in the killer bomb finishes Anderson. Champions The Bludgeon Brothers defeated The Good Brothers @ 5:55 via pin [**¼] This was ok, the MITB match was better and in all honesty, the rematch made no sense.

– Bryan has a stand off with the Bludgeon Brothers.

WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Gauntlet Match: Big E vs. The Miz vs. Samoa Joe vs. Rusev vs. Daniel Bryan: Bryan and Big E to begin, and they’re getting some time here. Big E looks to overpower Bryan to begin. Bryan starts to outwrestle him, but Big E tosses him aside again. Bryan quickly grounds him, looks for the heel hook and then works a Romero special into the dragon sleeper. Big E powers out, but Bryan breaks him down and grounds the action. Big E escapes and hits an overhead belly to belly. Big E then hits an apron splash and we go screen in screen as Big E spears Bryan to the barricade. This leads to a countout tease. >Back to full screen as Bryan makes it back in and Big E maintains control. Bryan fights back, head up top and misses the diving head butt, allowing Big E to cover for 2. Big E works a back breaker, and Bryan escapes and hits a clothesline. Bryan trips him to the buckles and follows with kicks. Bryan takes him up top and hits the RANA off the ropes. The corner dropkicks follow, but Big E turns him inside out with a lariat and hits a back breaker for 2. Big E now works the stretch muffler, looking to tap Bryan but Bryan counters into he yes lock attempt. He transitions to a triangle and Big E powers up, but Bryan transitions and attacks the knee. Bryan follows with uppercuts but Big E hits the suicide spear to the floor! Big E is bringing it tonight. Back in and Big E Bryan counters out of the big ending and posts Big E. BUSAIKU KNEE by Bryan and Big E is done (11:35). Joe is in next. Post break and Joe is giving Bryan GRR flashback by destroying him with chops, and Bryan’s chest is all beat up. Bryan fires up and lays in strikes, but runs into a snap slam for 2. Joe now lays in kicks, beating Bryan down. Bryan fires up with chops and kicks, but Joe cuts him off with a powerbomb into a crab and then transitions into the STF. Bryan barely makes the ropes. Joe follows with head butts and kicks, but Bryan gets a dragon screw and then posts Joe’s knee. Back in and Joe cuts off Bryan and hits the running senton for 2. Post break, and Joe lays in chops as Bryan answers back. Joe gets a sleeper, but Bryan dumps him to the floor. Bryan to the apron and hits an apron knee strike. Back in and the missile dropkick follows. Bryan now lays in yes kicks, Joe cuts him off, but Bryan hits an enziguri. Joe powders before the Busaiku knee can connect Bryan follows, but Joe gets the clutch. Bryan counters out and beats the count, Joe is counted out at 28:20. The Bludgeon Brothers appear and killer bomb Bryan. Miz appears hits the skull crushing finale and pins Bryan at 29:30. Miz is a sneaky bastard. Rusev now arrives. Post break, and Rusev is in control and beating down Miz. Miz cuts him off, but Rusev counters the clothesline and hits a fall away slam for 2. Miz makes the comeback, dumping Rusev and follows him out and slams him to the barricade. Backing and the running boot gets 2 for Miz. He grounds the action, Rusev battles to his feet but Miz cuts him of wit a neck breaker and covers for 2. Miz hits the corner clothesline and follows with the double sledge for 2. Miz again grounds things; Rusev struggles for the ropes and makes it. They trade strikes, Rusev fires up and runs wild, hitting a spin kick. Miz counters back, Rusev fights off the finale, and hits a superkick for 2. Miz tries to run, Rusev follows but Miz slams Rusev to the steps. Back in and Miz covers for 2. Rusev counters the Miz kicks, but Miz counters the accolade into a DDT for 2. Miz sets and Rusev counters the dropkick with the MACHKA KICK! The accolade follows and Miz taps, IT’S RUSEV DAY IN AMERICA AGAIN! Rusev @ 43:25 via submission [****] This was an overall great match. Big E was really great and stepped up in the first portion, making the most of his time working with Bryan. He knew he’d get a chance to shine against Bryan, who always works hard and loves making others look good, so that was an extremely strong start. The Joe portion was next and played off of that extremely well, as Bryan was tired and fighting to survive against an old foe that’s a beast. The Joe countout protects him and also shows that Bryan barely survived. The Bludgeon Brothers thing was foreshadowed prior to the match, and I’m fine with it, as long as they give a good explanation next week, because it makes me curious if they did it on thier own or if Miz was involved in it. Speaking of Miz, his elimination of Bryan was extremely well done, he scores a slimy heel win, and they do so without hurting Bryan or giving away too much interaction between the two. I love the Rusev win, even if he’s just challenger of the month, he’s great, he’s over, and he’s a fresh challenger.

– AJ Styles arrives, aces off with Rusev and they shake hands. English gets involves, and Styles lays him out.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.9

The final score: review Average

The 411

This was a tale of two shows, the first hour was a complete nothing of a show, it simply existed, and didn’t interest me much at all, with only very minor things accomplished if anything. The second half, which was the gauntlet was great and really saved the show.