Wrestling’s 4Rs: The Right, Wrong and Ridiculous of WWE Smackdown

How the 4Rs of wRestling Work! (WWE Smackdown Edition)
Here is a quick explanation of the 4R’s. I will group my feelings on the show in various categories: The Right, the wRong and the Ridiculous. The Right is stuff that worked very well: a great promo, a great match and so on. PuRgatoRy is a section between the right and wrong. It shows equal traits from both sides that cannot be ignored and needs discussed. It is not a bad place per say, as things can get remedied or go the wrong way the very next week. The wRong is what it sounds like: bad matches, bad or boring promos and so on. The Ridiculous is stuff that had no right on TV: Stupid angles and so on. And there is always a possibility of a 5th R, which is as bad as they come. This column is supposed to be analytical, and at the right time very critical of the shows, it was the whole reason it was created. This is not a “mark” column, nor a “smark” column, our goal is to analyze the show from many different fronts, reward the good and call out the bad. We will not apologize for our opinions, they are as they are, whether positive or negative.

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SMACKDOWN 12.25.17
– Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable d. Aiden English & Rusev and The New Day [***1/2]
– Bludgeon Brothers d. Breezango by DQ [¼*]
– Ruby Riott d. Naomi [¼*]
– US Championship Tournament – Bobby Roode d. Baron Corbin [**3/4]
– US Championship Tournament – Jinder Mahal d. Tye Dillinger [**]
– Kevin Owens d. AJ Styles [***1/2]

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THE Right:
Daniel Bryan Opens The Show/Three Way Tag Team Match: Daniel Bryan kicked off Smackdown to address Dolph Ziggler’s walkout. He said that Ziggler never got back to his calls, so he declared the US Championship vacant and announced the beginning of a US Championship Tournament. He was interrupted by Benjamin & Gable, Aiden English & Rusev & the New Day who all made claims for getting a shot at the Smackdown Tag Team Titles. After Rusev asked Bryan if he needed Shane to make a decision for him, Bryan made a three way #1 contender’s match right at that moment. Benjamin & Gable were in control coming out of the commercial break and began to work with English to work over Big E but Big E took them out with a double clothesline. Woods got the tag and he began to clean house. Everyone laid each other with a big move and English caught Woods with the fireman’s carry spine buster for the biggest near fall to that point. Gable & Benjamin went after English on top but Rusev took them off with a double power bomb and English followed up with a flying splash on Gable for another big near fall. Rusev drilled Woods with a high kick and locked in a double Accolade on Woods & Gable. Benjamin broke it up but Big E took him out with the Suicide Spear. He went up top but Benjamin caught him with a knee strike and he and Gable hit the Doomsday Powerbomb for the win. This was one hell of a tag team match. The crowd was super hot because the Rusev Day stuff is crazy over so they went nuts for his big spots and were into all the near falls. Benjamin & Gable continue to roll and look like very credible challengers to the Usos coming off the last two week.

US Championship Tournament Match- Bobby Roode vs. Baron Corbin: Roode went on the attack to start and he hit a neck breaker for a near fall. Corbin worked over Roode on the floor and he hit a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Corbin continued to work over the midsection of Roode and he drilled Roode with a clothesline on the floor. Roode clotheslined Corbin to the floor and back in, he hit the Blockbuster for a near fall. Corbin sent Roode shoulder first into the post and he went for the End of Days but Roode escaped and hit the spine buster. Corbin hit the Deep Six for a near fall and they went up top but Roode fought him off. Roode leapt off the top rope but Corbin blocked and went for the Chokebreaker. Roode escaped and rolled Corbin up for the win. You know what, this was pretty solid and I surprised by the chemistry they had together. They had a couple of nice counter spots and the roll-up victory didn’t come off as a fluke win for Roode. This was a pleasant surprise and a good start for the US Championship tournament.

US Championship Tournament Match- Jinder Mahal vs. Tye Dillinger: Dillinger attempted a few quick pinfalls to start and Mahal bailed to regroup. Mahal regained control with a half nelson but Dillinger fought out and began to clean house on Mahal. Dillinger went for a cross body off the top but Mahal rolled through for a near fall. He hit a gut buster for a near fall and Dillinger answered with a DDT for a near fall of his own. Dillinger went for some punches in the corner but Mahal escaped and caught Dillinger with the Khallas for the victory. Again, this was a solid little match that got enough time to give Dillinger some shine even in defeat. The two tournament matches on this show were both set up to be competitive and they’ve made for nice additions to the show from an in-ring standpoint. It’s refreshing to see these mid card TV matches get time and focus so I’m enjoying this tournament already.

AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens: Styles caught Owens with a dropkick right at the bell and he went for the Calf Crusher but Owens quickly made the ropes. He went for it again but Owens kicked him down to the floor to block. Owens hit the Final Cut for a near fall and he grounded Styles in a chin lock. Styles broke it up with the Pendulum facebuster but Owens answered with a lariat for a near fall. Owens hit a neck breaker over his knee but Styles back with the DVD back breaker. Styles threw some strikes at Owens and hit a stiff lariat followed by the basement forearm. Styles hit the Pele on Owens and he went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Owens caught him and hit a gut buster. Vader Bomb elbow drop by Owens gets him a near fall and they went up top. Styles took him off and he hit the Torture Rack Bomb for another big near fall. Styles took out Zayn with a slingshot pescado and he sent Owens into the post. Back in, Zayn distracted Styles, allowing Owens to hit a super kick for another near fall. Shane McMahon came out and ordered Zayn away from ringside and while that was going on, Styles caught Owens with a small package but the ref missed it. Styles argued with the ref, allowing Owens to roll him up and steal the win. I thought this was a great TV match and the finish didn’t bother me all that much. Shane didn’t physically get involved in the match but his need to butt into Owens & Zayn’s business did cost someone else a victory, so his hotheaded nature is now affecting others, which they smartly put over on commentary. These two managed to put together an exciting match while not going deep into the well, which tells me they’re saving the big stuff for their likely Royal Rumble encounter.

puRgatoRy:
Breezango vs. The Bludgeon Brothers: Breezango charged right at the Bludgeon Brothers but Harper cut Fandango off with the Truck Stop. Harper killed Breeze with a big boot and they hit the double powerbomb for a near fall as Rowan didn’t want to end it yet. The Ascension came out and tackled Harper for the DQ, giving them enough time to help get Breezango to safety. This was another enjoyable squash for the Bludgeon Brothers until the finish, which is more to bring The Ascension into the picture than to protect Breezango so it didn’t bother me too much. They continue to book the Bludgeon Brothers the right way even as they begin to face regular tag teams, which is a great sign.

Ruby Riott vs. Naomi: Naomi caught Riott with the Flying Chuck for a near fall and she went after the other members of the Riott Squad who jumped on the apron. Riott clipped Naomi and quickly followed with the Riott Kick for the win. They attacked Naomi after the match but Charlotte came out to make the same. She was outnumbered as well but then Natalya led the rest of the women’s division out to confront the Riott Squad. The Riott Squad wanted no part of that and began to walk out but they took the brawl to the floor. A shame this didn’t get more as it had the chance to at least be halfway decent but they booked the right finish, with the numbers game catching up to Naomi and Riott capitalized on the injury her group inflicted on Naomi in the first place. This was a decent bounce back after a couple of weeks of poor booking to the Riott Squad.

THE wRong:
NOTHING

THE Ridiculous:
NOTHING

The 1179th edition is over…