SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
SMACKDOWN HITS
Opening Segment: The show got off to a great start with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. I appreciated them talking logically about how they were able to take advantage of Shane’s stipulation from last week. Sami is continuing to grow as a heel, and I enjoyed his physical demonstration of what constitutes as “ringside.” Bonus points to the two for calling back to Shane’s “Check, Double Check, Triple Check” promo from last week. Orton RKO’ing Owens out of nowhere a nice addition, and KO’s selling of the move was the cherry on top. I even got a kick out of the next segment backstage where Kevin sold being unconscious and not being aware of what was happening later in the night. It’s subtle things like this that sell the move as devastating.
Rusev/English vs. New Day: This was a solid match with the right team going over, and setting up the tag match at Clash of Champions. Rusev & English are really starting to gel together as a team, and have great chemistry. Rusev Day is over with the fans, so I appreciate them continuing to get mileage out of that as well. I continue to be impressed with English’s songs, and enjoyed the holiday theme of the 12 Days of Rusev. By continuing to focus on teams not just named The Uso’s or New Day, it will have a positive effect on the division, and not be watered down.
Mojo Rawley: We always hear how follow up is key, and I thought that Mojo did well with his heel promo. His character is taking this turn seriously, and logically, it makes sense that his character would be frustrated after having some success without his tag team partner. Some may not agree with it, but from a heel perspective, it makes sense. The next step will be to see how his ring work is, and if it has improved/evolved.
Bludgeon Brothers: If you had read my previous week’s column, I had wished that they would start the team off against local wrestlers to get them over, without sacrificing established teams. This week they did just that, which was great to see.
Roode/Corbin/Ziggler: There were a few things that I enjoyed about the segment & match. Firstly, even though I like him being added, I appreciated the questioning as to why Ziggler is even in the upcoming title match. His work on commentary was solid, and it was good to see him standing tall at the end of the match. I also enjoy Corbin’s heel work. Him walking to the ring, and putting the title in the fans faces adds another layer to the character and more reasons to dislike him. Coming off an NXT Championship, as well as some showcase wins, it makes sense that Roode should be involved as well. Overall the match was quick, but I was fine with that, as it saves the action for the PPV.
No Styles or Jinder: The WWE Champion doesn’t always have to be featured on every show, so I was pleased with just having the video package as a way to just keep the storyline in the fans minds. It prevents the weekly segments from becoming repetitive, which this show has been guilty of in the past.
Sami Zayn vs. Randy Orton: This was a good match between the two, and had an added layer with Owens at ringside. I was expecting Zayn to find a way to work around the stipulation (which he did) and win the match (which he didn’t), so it’s always nice not to make everything predictable. Good to see Shinsuke make the save as we had seen him & Orton team up previously, and made sense. Looking forward to the storyline result from this, but not sold on Shane (more below).
SMACKDOWN MISSES
Riott Squad: While better than last week, this team still has something to improve upon as it relates to their promo skills. I’m not a fan of the overacting that Ruby has been doing, and the cheesy lines from all 3 have just got to go. There is still great potential, but right now it’s not happening.
Shane: I have noted in previous columns that I am not a fan of the decision to possibly turn Shane McMahon heel. The fans in the past have been known to gravitate to him more, as he can be likable. They still even chanted his name after the attacks on Raw last month. With Stephanie continuing to be the heel on Raw, it just doesn’t seem necessary to have Shane be the same on Smackdown. His continuing to put Owens and Zayn through the gauntlet is something that Stephanie would do, and will eventually make him unlikable. It will still be interesting to see if this leads to Daniel Bryan’s breaking point, but other than that, I not satisfied with the creative decision.
Jeff Indelicato has been a fan of professional wrestling since he was knee high to a grasshopper (little kid) after coming across the Wrestling Challenge episode after WrestleMania 7. He has not looked back. His passion has led him to winning wrestling trivia contests in his city, and even won him his Senior Talent Show by dancing to Shawn Michaels’ theme song. When not annoying others with wrestling talk, he loves spending time with his family and friends, and focuses on his other passion: movies. Follow him on Twitter @the_Indel or send him an email at indelpw@gmail.com.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S COLUMN: WWE SMACKDOWN HITS & MISSES 11/28: Riott Squad, Fashion Files, Mojo’s turn, Styles vs. Singhs, Bludgeon Brothers, Shane and Bryan
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