wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s WWE Smackdown Review 2.18.22
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hey there people, another Friday means another episode of WWE Smackdown. Tonight’s episode was taped last week, meaning we’re still suffering through the unbearable commentary duo of Michael Cole and Corey Graves. That might be the worst commentary booth in all of major contemporary professional wrestling. This episode was taped because Elimination Chamber is coming tomorrow and making sure the wrestlers are actually rested and not having to fly from the States to Saudi Arabia for what would amount to a same day show. Tonight we’ve got a match for the Intercontinental title, a contract signing (nothing says stretching for content like a contract signing) for the Ronda Rousey and Naomi vs. Sonya Deville and Charlotte Flair match at Elimination Chamber, one of the Usos will wrestle one of the Viking Raiders, and there will be a face to face between Roman Reigns and Bill Goldberg. My hopes aren’t exactly high for this particular go home show, but the execution could be good so let’s get to the action.
Adam Pearce is in the ring with a table set up for a contract signing. He announces the women’s tag team match for Elimination Chamber, then brings out the heels. Even with a full week to edit they can’t make the reaction to Charlotte sound legit. Naomi and Ronda Rousey come out next. Everyone sits around the table, Pearce hands them the contract but Sonya delays signing by claiming Ronda and Naomi don’t know how to follow rules. Ronda just tells her to shut up and sign, as does Naomi. Things break down to a “bitches be crazy” few moments before Sonya finally signs. Charlotte signs next. Sonya reminds them this will be their last chance to back out, and Naomi tells Sonya that if she doesn’t stop stalling she’s going to flip the table on them. Charlotte then says there’s a new stipulation for this match, Sonya references a Ronda interview where Ronda said she could beat Sonya one handed so now Ronda will wrestle the match with one arm tied behind her back. Because this didn’t need any more stupidity. Ronda signs and says she could tap dance on Sonya’s forehead with both hands bound. Things get heated, and that God awful face slam from Ronda to Charlotte got the Dunn treatment but still looked absolutely dreadful. Naomi then kicks Sonya in the head and they flip the table onto both of the heels. You had a week to try and fix that shot and still couldn’t do anything with it? Well that overstayed its welcome.
Sheamus is at gorilla with Ridge Holland, he still can’t believe Ricochet pinned Holland a couple of weeks ago. He says he’s never had a problem with Ricochet, but if Holland can’t hang that doesn’t bode well for him. Holland says he’s listening. Sheamus then tells him to watch what he’ll do to Ricochet tonight. After that the two of them head to the ring, Sheamus vs. Ricochet will take place after this break.
Ricochet gets an entrance as we come back to the broadcast.
Match #1: Sheamus w/ Ridge Holland vs. Ricochet
Ricochet with a quick drop kick, then another one. A flurry of strikes from Ricochet before he tries a prawn hold pin for 2. Sheamus starts laying in strikes, Ricochet fires back with kicks then drop kicks Sheamus between the ropes before hitting a flipping suicide dive onto the floor. I think Ricochet’s foot hit Sheamus square in the nose on the ground there, continuing his bad luck. Back in the ring Sheamus catches Ricochet with a tilt a whirl backbreaker to take over. Ricochet tries to fight back with body blows and chops but Sheamus gets the better of the power exchange. Back suplex from Sheamus then he grabs a chin lock. Jawbreaker from Ricochet then a high knee strike before he hits a cross body that sends Sheamus out of the ring then tries a moonsault from the apron but Sheamus “catches” him then hits a fall away slam over the announce table to send us to break.
Sheamus hits a backbreaker as we come back to action. The clubbing blows from Sheamus follow, but he runs into a kick in the corner. Satellite DDT from Ricochet and both men are down. Ricochet starts firing up with fast paced offense, he hits a second rope cross body then a springboard clothesline and a standing shooting star press for a 2 count. Sheamus elbows Ricochet then hits an Alabama Slam for a 2 count. Sheamus heads up top, but Ricochet catches him up there for a top rope Spanish Fly for a near fall. Ricochet heads up top, Holland distracts things but Ricochet avoids a Brogue Kick then hits the Recoil and pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ricochet won
Rating: 3.5 stars
Not surprising, you give Sheamus and Ricochet time to work and they give you something darn good.
Post match Holland tries to console Sheamus, Sheamus gets pissed that Holland got involved at all and cost him the match. Sheamus shoves Holland down and berates him but nothing else comes of it.
A recap of that terrible In-Zayn segment from last week follows. In the back Kayla interviews Sami Zayn, he objects to a question about the wiring on his podcast set. Zayn then reminds us he was robbed of the IC title, and continues to do the “poor Sami” schtick. But tonight he’ll regain the IC title, then dismisses Kayla so he can prepare. That sends us to break.
We get an announcement that The Undertaker will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, then we get a video package for Taker.
In the back Roman Reigns is in his locker room with the Usos and Paul Heyman, then we get another hype package but this time it’s for Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns.
The Usos head to the ring, Jey will take on Ivar after this break.
Post break here come the Viking Raiders.
Match #2: Jey Uso w/ Jimmy vs. Ivar w/ Erik
Super kick to the body from Jey then he starts laying in strikes in the corner. Ivar starts fighting back with strikes of his own then hits a seated senton out of the corner for a 2 count. Side slam from Ivar but Jey avoids the low angle cross body and hits a kneeling super kick for a 2 count. Jey starts working a chin lock but Ivar hoists him up, then eats an enziguri from Jey but he comes off of the ropes with a clothesline that levels Jey. Ivar flattens Jey in the corner with another seated senton, then Ivar heads up top and hits a top rope splash but Jimmy comes in with a helmet shot to cause the DQ.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ivar won via Disqualification
Rating: 2 stars
Solid enough stuff here, too rushed to be anything really special but these teams have showed off some chemistry.
Post match Erik gets the helmet from Jimmy, knees him in the face then sends him out of the ring with a helmet shot.
A reminder that last week Drew McIntyre threatened to kill Madcap Moss with his sword during their Falls Count Anywhere match at Elimination chamber. That brings out Drew McIntyre, he’ll have some kind of segment after this break.
Drew is in the ring as we come back, and he’s got a mic. He says he’s traveled and lived in cool places because of his job, then sucks up to the New Orleans crowd with moderate success. Lately he’s been reflecting on his career because it almost ended when Corbin and Moss jumped him at the Day 1 event. He thinks back to 2 years ago during WrestleMania season when he went on to slay the Beast, or last year when he entered Mania as champion. But this year, this year it’s personal. At Elimination Chamber it’s anything goes between him and Moss, he runs down a bunch of ideas about what he could do to Moss including a few ripped off from Home Alone then wants people to send him messages about what he can do to Moss via a hashtag. That brings out Corbin and Moss, Corbin has a mic and objects to his friend being bullied and threatened with murder. Moss hopes Drew brings a good neck pillow for the flight, and tomorrow he’s going to finish what they started at Day 1. Moss has a joke, “What does Drew’s bad neck have in common with a breakfast cereal? They both go snap, crackle, pop”. Drew calls this whole thing sad in a great bit of meta commentary. He puts over Moss for having ability, but aligning with Corbin was a mistake, and coming after Drew was an even bigger one. At Elimination Chamber the laughter dies. Moss is not a great promo but he did OK getting his feet wet in that realm here.
Shinsuke Nakamura is at gorilla, he’s asked about his plan since Rick Boogs isn’t here. Nakamura plans to kick Sami Zayn in the face then heads to the ring for that title defense. That mach will be up after this break.
Post break, here comes Sami Zayn.
Match #3 – Intercontinental Title Match: (c) Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn
You know the IC title is mostly dead when commentary has to remind us every 2 minutes that it’s a prestigious belt. Nakamura lands a glancing head kick and Zayn heads into the ropes to stall that. Zayn gets a side headlock, then starts laying in strikes. Nakamura comes out of the corner with a kick to the head then a series of kicks from Nakamura. Knees to the head from Nakamura then he sets Zayn on the top rope for a running knee to the body. Nakamura drapes Zayn across the apron and lands another knee strike then misses a diving knee to the head as we get a commercial break.
Zayn doing his usual rest segment offense as we come back. Some piped in boos for Zayn, because the crowd does not care one iota about this match. Chops then a clothesline from Zayn all connect then he goes back to a chin lock. Armbar attempt from Nakamura but Zayn rolls into a pin that breaks the hold. A striking flurry from Nakamura then a sliding Sick Kick connects. Nakamura hits the sliding German suplex but that only gets 2. Zayn blocks a reverse exploder suplex, then Nakamura runs into a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Nakamura heads out of the ring, Zayn moves out as well and for the first time in years tries his diving between the ropes tornado DDT but he runs into a kick from Nakamura. Zayn then avoids a Kinshasa and Nakamura knees the ring steps and that sends us to another break.
Zayn is working the leg of Nakamura as we come back. They head up top but Nakamura knocks Zayn off then hits a diving kick to the face for a near fall. Wheel kick from Nakamura, he sets for the Kinshasa again but runs into a drop kick to the knee. Zayn hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Some strikes from Zayn then he mocks Nakamura but Nakamura catches his leg and starts laying in strikes again then he does the “Come on” bit. Roundhouse kick from Nakamura connects, he wants the Kinshasa again but Zayn rolls out of the ring to avoid him. Zayn grabs the leg of Nakamura and wraps it around the ring post a few times. Back in the ring Zayn goes after the knee again, side kicks the bad knee then pins to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Sami Zayn won the Intercontinental title
Rating: 2.5 stars
I was going to hit 3 there but what a wet fart of a finish. We get another break, and theoretically after that we’ll get Roman and Goldberg face to face.
Ricochet talks with Aliyah in the back, they bring up his win and Ricochet puts over Sheamus’s accomplishments but feels that beating Sheamus was a step to making a brighter future. Sami Zayn surprises Aliyah and wants her to congratulate him. Zayn walks around hoping people care about him.
A video preview for the RAW Elimination Chamber match follows.
Once that’s done, here comes Roman Reigns along with Paul Heyman. After this break we’ll get the face to face between Roman and Goldberg.
Commentary runs down the Elimination Chamber card as we come back. Roman and Heyman are in the ring, Heyman has a microphone as well as the Universal title. Heyman hands Roman the mic, and Roman demands that New Orleans acknowledge him. The crowd seems willing to do so, then he demands Heyman celebrate him and hands off the mic. Heyman calls this the best part of his day, because being this close to true greatness is a spiritual experience for him. If you never got to see Michael Jordan in his prime, or Wayne Gretzky, or Drew Brees, well if you didn’t you didn’t miss anything because Brees played for the Saints. But if you never saw a prime Tom Brady, the crowd cuts Heyman off with a “Who Dat?” chant. Heyman continues, the 11th commandment on the Island of Relevancy is “Thou shalt not interrupt the Wise Mans’ promo”, but in just a day you can watch the greatness that is Roman Reigns defend his Universal title. That brings out Goldberg, who gets his full intro walking out from his dressing room all the way to the ring. Goldberg gets a mic, then just drops it. Probably for the best. Roman was going to give Goldberg a chance to acknowledge him- Goldberg starts walking up on Roman to interrupt him. Goldberg keeps walking closer to Roman, and Roman warns him to step back. Goldberg gets the mic from Roman, and says they’ll handle things tomorrow at 12 O’clock. Next Goldberg says he has to apologize, because Roman’s not next. As far as the Universal title is concerned, Goldberg is next. That’ll end the show. Roman and Goldberg have almost 0 chemistry on the mic, let’s hope they have some in the ring.
