Smackdown TV taping report – live perspective on Brad Maddox promo, more

WWE taped this week’s Thanksgiving edition of Smackdown Tuesday night in Indianapolis. However, what happened before the taping has turned into the most newsworthy element of the night…

WWE Smackdown TV taping report
November 24, 2015
Indianapolis, Ind.
Report by Jack L., PWTorch reader

– WWE had all the seats above the hard camera tarped off, but everything else was full. I’ve been to many tapings and pay-per-views at Bankers Life arena, and I’m used to seeing the venue flooded with John Cena merchandise but not this time. Roman Reigns merch was everywhere. It’s clear he was way over here in Indy. Listening to the crowd before the show started, the New Day was also very over Indy.

– In the dark match before Main Event was taped, R-Truth went against Brad Maddox.

Maddox, in a promo on the way to the ring, referred to the people of Indy as “cocky pricks,” which is allegedly why he was future-endeavored. I thought that was strange because it was said in a dark match and I’m sure I’ve heard worse on WWE TV.

– I kind of expected WWE to phone this show in like most holiday-themed shows, but it was better than expected (still not great though).

– The advertised dark match was the Wyatt Family vs. Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Kane, but Kane did not show up. Right after the Smackdown main event when cameras stopped rolling, the Wyatts surrounded the ring and attacked Ambrose. The attack looked super-fake like they were waiting to be stopped.

Reigns’s music hit, then he and the Usos ran down the ramp to clean house. This was of course so Reigns could hit a Superman Punch and spear since he did not wrestle on Smackdown. No match ever took place.

The faces celebrated and the show was over. It would have been nice for them to actually had attempted a short match, but I guess as paying customers we are supposed to be at the mercy of the court.