Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 9.26.17

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 9.26.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Baron Corbin defeated Tye Dillinger @ 5:58 via countout [**]
– The Usos defeated The Hype Bros @ 2:20 via pin [NR]
– Charlotte defeated Carmella @ 6:59 via pin [**]
– Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn @ 9:07 via referee stoppage [***½]

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Kevin Owens is Here to Talk: he’s sick and tired about hearing that Shane McMahon is going to take action, but where is Shane? He’s here in the land of opportunity, and here is Shane’s opportunity, but maybe Shane is the coward. No… he knows better and Shane is a smart man. Owens likes and respects Vince McMahon, so imagine what he’ll do to someone he doesn’t like and respect hen he faces Shane. Sami Zayn now arrives and asks what’s wrong with Owens. He claims Owens has lost complete control. Sami says the moment Owens attacked Vince he snapped. Sami wants to talk sense into Owens before he crosses a line. Owens says he didn’t snap, he’s cool. Sami signed with WWE before he did, but Owens has accomplished so much more and now, now he will destroy Shane McMahon at HIAC. What has Sami ever done that ever has as much impact as Owens had when he head butted Vince. Sami says he isn’t doing great and his day will come and he will do things the right way unlike Owens. He then calls Owens a giant piece of trash. Daniel Bryan arrives and says Shane isn’t here and that may be for the best. So he books Owens vs. Sami tonight. Good opening segment, Sami is the one who knows Owens the best and can bring up all of the shitty things Owens has done and do so with passion and legitimacy. Plus I won’t turn down a Sami vs. Owens match.

– AJ Styles arrives and joins commentary.

Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger: These two have been having issues surrounding the US Title and ruining each other’s chance of winning. Dillinger tosses Corbin as Styles heads to commentary. We go screen in screen, as Corbin returns to the ring. They quickly brawl to the floor and as Dillinger looks to comeback in, Corbin cuts him off and takes control. Corbin slams Dillinger to the barricade, talks some trash and hen rolls him back in. Corbin works the back, Dillinger tries to fire up but gets quickly cut off. Back to full screen as Dillinger gets a roll up for 2. Corbin follows with a chokebreaker, Corbin tries for the in and out, but Dillinger hits a superkick and knee strike for 2. Back to the floor they go, and Corbin misses a charge and eats the steps. The Tye breaker is countered, Corbin to the floor and dumps water on AJ and then slams Dillinger into AJ and Dillinger gets counted out. Baron Corbin defeated Tye Dillinger @ 5:58 via countout [**] The match was ok, and while Corbin challenged AJ, but taking into WWE’s recent booking, we could still be heading towards a triple threat at HIAC.

– Corbin claims AJ & Tye were working together. He also says AJ can’t beat him one on one. He challenges AJ to a title match at HIAC.

– Maybe not on that triple threat, as they confirmed Styles vs. Corbin for HIAC.

Jinder Mahal Talks: Mahal says last week he “may have” gone too far, making fun of Nakamura. But he respects Nakamura, and will praise him this week. They do the picture gimmick again as the Singhs laugh like hyenas. Mahal says he will embarrass and beat Nakamura at HIAC, showing another picture as the Singhs laugh… but it’s not a still photo, it’s actually Nakamura. Nakamura says he is looking live at Mahal. The lights go out and Nakamura’s music hits. Nakamura makes his way out to the ring, and he takes out the Singhs but Mahal attacks. Mahal works over Nakamura, rolls him in the ring and Nakamura works him over, the Singhs rush him and he takes them out and finally nails Mahal with a Kinshasa. Nakamura stands tall. It’s about time that Nakamura got pissed enough to go for revenge, and I also liked that he fought off the numbers and that Mahal & The Singhs got a bit of comeuppance. Unfortunately we had to sit through more of the same bad material from Mahal to get there.

– New Day makes their way out to watch the The Usos vs. The Hype Bros match.

The Usos vs. The Hype Bros: The Hype Bros have fallen on bad times, and have promised to take drastic measures to change their fortunes. Mojo attacks at the bell, running wild until the Usos chop block him and kick the shit out of him. The Usos take the heat, grounding Mojo. Mojo hits a desperation Saito suplex and tags in Ryder. Ryder runs wild, hitting a neck breaker and covering for 2. Mojo tags himself in, Ryder argues with him allowing the Usos to take control; the top rope splash finishes it. The Usos defeated The Hype Bros @ 2:20 via pin [NR] It was fine for the time given, and was mainly there to continue the slow burn on the split of The Hype Bros as well as to give the Usos momentum and setup the big post match announcement.

– Post match, The Usos run down the New Day and tell them that they will win the titles at HIAC. New Day responds, and say that they don’t just want to defend the titles at HIAC, they want to defend then INSIDE HIAC. I’m cool with that, these two teams have been absolutely great against each other and should deliver again.

Rusev’s Pride of Bulgaria Celebration: Rusev got redemption by beating Randy Orton in seconds last week, and can now be a national hero again. Aiden English is hosting the ceremony, and the mayor of Rusev’s hometown in Bulgaria is here. English sings the Bulgarian national anthem as Rusev makes his way to the ring. Rusev then stands on a podium as the silky smooth tones of English lead him into the ring. The mayor speaks in Bulgarian and gets WHAT chants. He presents Rusev the key to the city, calling him their great hero and protector. He also proclaims today, Rusev day! Rusev thanks him and then relives his win from last week. Rusev says it was the law of the jungle, Orton used to be a predator, but now the young lion of Bulgaria killed the legend of the viper, and it is now his jungle. English has prepared a song in honor of Rusev day. It’s a play off of Orton’s music, and pretty fucking funny. Orton sneaks in and RKO’s English. He then drops Rusev with an RKO. The English/Rusev pairing has some potential, they looked so happy with the singing and good times until Orton ruined things. Overall that was an entertaining segment to continue the feud.

– Bryan meets with Sami, and Bryan sys Shane is on the way and will be coming after Owens. Sami asks that Bryan ask Shane not to get involved and let him have tonight.

– Orton tells Renee to tell Rusev (after he wakes up) that he’ll meet him at HIAC. “Happy Rusev Day.”

Charlotte vs. Carmella: Charlotte won a title shot at HIAC on last week’s show; Carmella holds the MITB. Carmella is still dragging Ellsworth around by a leash and ties him to the ring post. They push and shove around. Ellsworth gets involved, distracting Charlotte and Carmella takes control as we go screen in screen. Charlotte fights back, hits her rolling head scissors and Carmella bails to the floor. Charlotte follows on the floor and eats a superkick and that allows Carmella to take control back. Carmella lays the boots to Charlotte in the corner, and then covers for 2. She grounds the action, working a chinlock and keeping things slow. Carmella hits an Edge-a-cution, heads up top and hits the high cross for 2. Carmella slams her to the buckles, hits a reverse DDT and that gets 2.Carmella hits a superkick, but Charlotte rolls her up for 2, and then hits the big boot to finish things. Charlotte defeated Carmella @ 6:59 via pin [**] This was a solid match, with a bland middle but the ending picked up well. Charlotte winning makes sense as she’s challenging for the title, and could also make for Carmella to cash in if she wins to get revenge for the loss.

– Post match, Natalya arrives. She’s happy that Ric is recovering so that he can watch his overrated daughter fail at HIAC.

– The Fashion Files return next week!

– Dolph Ziggler is here to do his wacky entrances, staring with the Undertaker. Ziggler makes jokes and says he’s a dead man walking. He mocks the fans for thinking they’d see taker 2 times in one year. He says anyone can wear a costume but no one can do what he does in the ring. Bobby Roode now arrives. Ziggler is not impressed. Roode says Ziggler is an incredible in ring competitor, but is also a hypocrite. For someone who doesn’t care what the fans say, you certainly spend a lot of time playing to them. Roode tells Ziggler to back up his claims, and challenges him to a match at HIAC. Ziggler runs down Roode’s robe, his entrance and says Roode isn’t on his level. He claims Roode is everything wrong with WWE. Ziggler agrees to the match and says that Roode will lose. Roode cuts him off and says HIAC will be GLORIOUS! I am glad we finally got to setting up the Roode match and that Ziggler’s stuff was kept short this week.

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn: they brawl right away, because they are destined to do this forever. Owens takes control, hitting a short-armed clothesline. The cannonball follows. They go to the floor, and Owens works over Sami, slamming him to the barricade. Back in they go, and Sami cuts off Owens with a lariat. Owens quickly tosses him back to the floor; he follows but runs into another lariat. We see Shane arriving and he’s heading to the ring. Here comes the money. Post break, they work back into the ring, and Owens levels Sami with a superkick, covering for 2. Owens teases the package piledriver, but Sami counters into a tornado DDT. The helluva is cut off with a superkick. Sami counters the pop up powerbomb into a blue thunder bomb for 2. Owens bails to the floor but Sami wipes him out with a tope. Owens plays keep away, and then cuts off Sami’s dive through the buckles with a superkick. Owens hits an apron bomb and Sami may be dead. The ref calls off the match. Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn @ 9:07 via referee stoppage [***½] This was easily the best thing on the show, they worked a super fun sprint, and even when they are just playing the hits, they kick ass.

– Owens attacks Sami as EMTs are taking him away, grabs a chair and wraps it around Sami’s head. But Shane arrives and Owens shoves Sami into Shane, and the chair hit Shane in the face; Owens runs away. Shane challenges Owens to come back and fight, but Owens refuses.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

This was a definite improvement over the last two weeks, with HIAC taking shape and the show being bookended by very good and strong Owens/Sami interactions. Hopefully the trend continues next week and we get a great go home show.