Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 8.07.18

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 8.07.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch defeated Peyton Royce & Billie Kay @ 6:22 via submission [**]
– Zelina Vega defeated Lana @ 3:40 via pin [*½]
– Non-Title Match: US Champion Shinsuke Nakamura defeated R-Truth @ 3:15 via pin [**]
– Non-Title Match: Champions The Bludgeon Brothers defeated Jimmy, Johnny, & Joey Boots and Tights @ 1:30 via pin [NR]
– Smackdown Tag Team Tournament Finals: The New Day defeated The Bar @ 25:00 via pin [****]

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– Randy Orton is out to kick off the show.

Randy Orton Talks: Orton says Hardy called him out last week, and it turned out badly for Jeff (we get footage of Orton kicking his ass). He asks the fans if they still believe, and says he did what he did to make the fans uncomfortable, as he takes out all of the stars that they love. He will become so violent that they will want to change the channel. But they won’t because they believe is superheroes and hope. They hope Jeff will come out and save the day, but he won’t. He erased the enigma last week and will erase everyone they love. He doesn’t get the respect he deserves from the fans or the guys in the back. When he started his career, he was the youngest in the locker room, was the youngest champion, won the title 3-times and won it all but still, no respect. The all made their choices, so he will take his respect. He will destroy Jeff piece by piece by piece. And it’s on the fans. Call him what you want… and he walks off.I’m digging Orton’s heel turn so far, he feels motivated and like he’s happy being a heel again, which he’s reportedly wanted for some time.

– Charlotte tells Becky she didn’t want to ruin her moment, and Becky wants to be happy for her, but wanted Carmella to herself. Becky will prove she’s the best by beating the best. They agree that they are good for the tag match, because, “we’re not Bayley & Sasha.”

– Carmella arrives to join commentary.

– The IIconics rundown Orlando, Charlotte, and Becky. They get boring chants.

Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch vs. Peyton Royce & Billie Kay: Becky and Charlotte double-team Kay to begin. They then work over Royce and the IIconics bail as Charlotte hits a plancha to the floor. We go screen in screen as Kay cuts off Charlotte with a big boot, and Royce rolls her back in. The IIconics work quick tags and double teams, and Kay then grounds Charlotte. They isolate Charlotte in their corner, maintaining the heat. Royce follows with knee strikes and then locks on a chinlock. Charlotte fights to her feet, but Kay cuts her off. She dumps Becky. Back to full screen, and Charlotte gets a roll up for 2 and they work into a double down. Hot tag to Becky and she runs wild on Royce and hits the XPLODER. They flying forearm gets 2. Becky gets the disarmher but Kay makes the save. Charlotte tags in and hits a moonsault onto the IIconics and the figure eight finishes Royce. Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch defeated Peyton Royce & Billie Kay @ 6:22 via submission [**] This was an ok, but clunky match, with the expected and right result.

– Renee interviews New Day. Kofi dresses as an 80s interviewer and interviews Woods & Big E. They plan to win tonight and move onto Summerslam and win the tag titles.

"We CAN DO IT! WE CAN DO EVERYTHING!" #TheNewDay is PUMPED for their match against #TheBar tonight! #SDLive @TrueKofi @WWEBigE @XavierWoodsPhD pic.twitter.com/JLfJLpJBZi

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 8, 2018

– Earlier today, Miz says that after a week of negotiations, he has accepted Bryan’s challenge for Summerslam.

– Charlotte and Becky are happy about their win, but realize things will be different at Summerslam. This leads to a stare down.

.@BeckyLynchWWE & @MsCharlotteWWE were great tag team partners tonight on #SDLive, but #SummerSlam will be a different story. pic.twitter.com/voIGCTvRfi

— WWE (@WWE) August 8, 2018

AJ Styles Talks: We get highlights of the Joe vs. Styles feud. Styles gets a great reaction from the crowd and says that a lot goes on between these ropes, and it can get personal. Joe made it personal last week by talking about his family. Styles wants to be a great superstar for his family, and says parents make sacrifices, that’s his job as a father and as a man. He’s away from home for over 200 days a year and misses a lot. He just celebrated 18-years with his wife, and she’s basically a single parent because he can’t always be there, because he’s working to give his kids everything he didn’t have and everything they need. He wants to be there for his kids, but that’s what pisses him off, because Joe knows his wife and kids, and long before they were here, they shared shitty apartments and stale pizza, but Joe threw away a decade of friendship when he brought his family into it. Joe will not win the title, and at Summerslam, he’ll be lucky to walk out at all. We see Joe watching on from backstage and laughing. This was a very good promo from Styles, and felt like an appropriate response to Joe’s promo last week as he had good fire here.

– Rusev meets with Lana and apologizes, and says he will be with her tonight, because it’s Lana day. English arrives and apologizes, saying he had their best interests in mind when trying to help. They forgive him, but Rusev tells him to stay in the back tonight.

.@RusevBUL & @LanaWWE forgive @WWEDramaKing…

… but they DON'T want #TheShakespeareOfSong ringside for @LanaWWE's match! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/9lTdU7OBOy

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 8, 2018

Lana vs. Zelina Vega: Rusev & Almas are at ringside. Lana attacks at the bell and works over Vega in the corner. Vega slaps her and Lana knocks her to the floor. Back in and Vega cuts her off and locks on a chinlock. Lana fights to her feet, but Vega lays in kicks. Lana hits knee strikes and a suplex for 1. Lana with elbows and kicks, follows with a bulldog and that gets 2. Lana hits suplexes, Almas on the apron and distracts Lana. Rusev attacks and takes him out. Vega kicks him and Almas posts Rusev. Lana hits the head kick, heads up top an English arrives and knocks Almas into her. Vega follows with the double knees and picks up another win. Zelina Vega defeated Lana @ 3:40 via pin [*½] This was all about continuing the drama between the five involved here. UT worked in that regard, but the match was short and not very good.

– Shinsuke Nakamura is interviewed and says that Jeff Hardy was erased. R-Truth and Tye Dillinger arrives and Truth challenges Nakamura for a match at Summerslam. Truth says he’ll pin Carmella to earn a title shot. Nakamura says something in Japanese, and now Truth wants a match with Nakamura tonight.

An Exclusive Interview With The Miz: Byron interviews The Miz. Miz isn’t actually here, and appears on the big screen. Miz runs down the viewership for Total Bellas and says his show is superior and has no bad reviews. He’s not there live because he’s a star. He hypes tonight’s Miz & Mrs, and Byron asks him about his Summerslam match with Daniel Bryan. Miz says he’s too busy to worry about Bryan, and says he should be WWE champion. Bryan needs the match with him and he will embarrass him at Summerslam. Bryan has spent most of the last few years crying at home, he will expose Bryan for what he is, beneath him. Miz tells Byron to find Bryan in catering, likely eating some Kale. Bryan arrives on location and kicks the shit out of Miz until Security gets involved and Miz breaks a vase of flowers over Bryan’s head. This was very good stuff, Miz continues to be a completely unlikable asshole, and Bryan’s attack was well done and had great intensity until Miz got one over on him thanks to his security goons.

YEP! @WWEDanielBryan has heard ENOUGH from @mikethemiz! #SDLive #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/YRmtMSES3o

— WWE (@WWE) August 8, 2018

Non-Title Match: US Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs. R-Truth: Truth actually gets to do his whole entrance. They lock up and go to the corner, and Nakamura lays in knee strikes and bad vibrations. Truth hits a RANA, and a leg lariat and hip toss. Nakamura cuts him off with a spin kick and then locks on an arm bar and transitions to a triangle. Truth fights and makes the ropes. Nakamura lays in knee strikes, kicks him in the head, and hits the reverse XPLODER; Kinshasa finishes it. US Champion Shinsuke Nakamura defeated R-Truth @ 3:15 via pin [**] This was ok, Truth put up more of a fight than expected, but Nakamura still dominated and picked up an easy win.

– The Bludgeon Brothers promise bludgeoning at Summerslam.

Champions The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Jimmy, Johnny, & Joey Boots and Tights: The Bludgeons run wild at the bell, tossing geeks to the floor. Rowan follows them to the floor and he and Harper just destroy these poor fellows. Back in and a doomsday device finishes the Road Warriors like squash. Champions The Bludgeon Brothers defeated Jimmy, Johnny, & Joey Boots and Tights @ 1:30 via pin [NR] A fine bludgeoning from our champions.

Tag Team Tournament Finals: The Bar (Cesaro & Sheamus) vs. The New Day (Kofi & Big E) w/Woods: The winners here move onto face Champions The Bludgeon Brothers at Summerslam. They have a lot of time here, which should give them the chance to deliver. Cesaro and Big E to begin; Big E overpowers him to start and then dances. Cesaro battles back Big E cuts him off and tags Kofi in and he covers for 2. Kofi picks up the pace hits a dropkick, and covers for 2. Sheamus in and cuts off Kofi and dumps him to the floor. Sheamus follows and slams him to the apron. He follows with strikes and celebrates. Back in and Cesaro tags in, grounding the action. Kofi tries to fire back, Sheamus tags in and hits a clothesline and covers for 2. Post break, and Cesaro is still in control and Kofi is down. Kofi finally starts to fire back, and manages to dump Cesaro. Sheamus tags in and ends up posting himself and Big E gets the hot tag and runs wild, tossing Sheamus around. He dumps Cesaro, but Sheamus rolls him up for 2. Big E fights back and hits the uranage for 2. Sheamus fights off midnight hour but Kofi hits SOS on Cesaro for 2. Big E tags back in and Kofi pulls Cesaro to the apron and Big E misses the apron splash. Sheamus hits the Finlay roll on Kofi on the floor. Sheamus back in and covers Big E for 2. The Bar isolates Big E in their corner, and double team Big E. Cesaro covers for 2. Post break, and Sheamus is working a half crab on Big E. He now tags in Cesaro and they take Big E up top and Sheamus follows with rights. Big E tries to fight him off; Cesaro cuts him off sand now hits a superplex as Sheamus flies in with the top rope knee drop for a great near fall. Big E fights off the cloverleaf and kicks Sheamus to the floor. Sheamus back in but we get wholesale changes to Kofi & Cesaro as Kofi runs wild. The boom drop connects and the Bar retreats to the floor, but Kofi wipes them out with a dive. Back in and the double stomp on Cesaro gets 2 as Sheamus makes the save. Kofi tosses him, but Cesaro cuts him off as Sheamus tags in for a double back beaker for 2. Sheamus is up and looks for a brogue kick, he misses but Cesaro tags in, Kofi fights them of, tags in Big E and but Cesaro dumps Kofi and Sheamus hits white noise for 2. Kofi is taken out, Cesaro get the swing and sharpshooter on Big E. Big E fights but Cesaro pulls him back center ring. Cesaro sits back on the hold, Sheamus cuts off Kofi, but Kofi hits a DDT on the floor. Big E powers out and looks for the tag, but Cesaro transitions into a crossface. Big E powers out again, hoists Cesaro up and Kofi tags in and they hit midnight hour for the win! The New Day defeated The Bar @ 25:00 via pin [****] This was a great match and easily the best thing on the show. They got a lot of time, they busted their asses, and delivered a great match, with a hot crowd that was into everything, especially the cling stretch. Great work by all involved.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

This week’s episode of WWE Smackdown was an overall good show, continuing a string of effective shows building to Summerslam. Unlike Raw, the good stuff and Summerslam build elements are easy to see and appreciate. Orton cut a very good promo and seems extremely happy to be a heel again. Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch won their match but teased issues ahead of Summerslam and their title match. Vega vs. Lana wasn’t good but they continued the established angle between all involved. Styles cut a very good promo to answer Joe’s promo from last week and continue the build to their title match. The Bryan & Miz segment was very good, the squashes for the champions were fine for them, and the main event was great. The Smackdown side of Smackdown is vastly more interesting than the Raw side, and the build has been much better. While Smackdown is far from perfect, and some of the wrestling left a lot to be desired, they feel in a groove and are making the most of the PPV build.