wrestling thread

The Smackdown Scoop (12/13/16)​

With no more PPV shows for SmackDown before Royal Rumble, we should start to see early Rumble storylines start to take shape tonight.

We open the show with the news that the scheduled WWE World Championship match between AJ Style and James Ellsworth has be postponed, again ... this time, because James Ellsworth is sick. After costing Dean Ambrose two championships last week, I've got to assume that Dean is going to ensure that Ellsworth loses his World Title match, when they finally do square off for the 4th time.

We go directly into the first in-ring segment, The Miz hosting AJ Styles on MizTV. They crack down on James Ellsworth for being a joke, and discuss what's next after he finally beats Ellsworth. Surprise, surprise, the first name that comes up is John Cena (who is scheduled to return in a couple weeks), but Miz suggests that the Intercontinential was an obscure joke, until he brought it to legendary status and that he is above AJ's level and wants a crack at the World title. Ambrose and Ziggler interrupt, with Ambrose taking out both Ambrose and Ziggler as AJ backs away, and Luke Harper comes from nowhere and takes out Ambrose and stares down AJ and the World Title as AJ backs away.

** 1/2* -- It is setting up something, for sure. With Cena returning, I'm assuming he re-enters the feud with AJ as he chases Ric Flair's record. But this seems to be establishing Luke Harper as potentially having thrown his hat in the ring for the World Title.

After the commercial, it's announced the 4 wrestlers in the brawl will main event tonight in a Fatal Fourway Elimination match, with the winner getting a title match with AJ in 2 weeks, on the final Smackdown of the year.

Natalya comes to the ring to again deny the accusations that she was the attacker that injured Nikki Bella at Survivor Series, but was interrupted by her accuser (Carmella), and we have our first match of the evening.

** -- Nikki was on commentary, and was clearly not prepared for the moment. She spent the entire match just repeatedly saying "I don't know who is lying or who attacked me". Aside from the commentary from Nikki, the match was actually fairly good and has some surprisingly physical moments, which is important sell the anger of being accused and lied on. It had a good ending that still left the storyline up in the air.

The Wyatt Family surprised me by being a really good, entertaining tag team. I thought this would be a short 3-4 week storyline with Randy trying to destroy the Wyatt Family from within, but it looks like they will long play it before pulling him out of the family. Smackdown desperately needed that, because their only other really good tag team they have is American Alpha, with Vaudvillans not keeping their heads on outside the ring and Ascension never panning out (plus the steroid suspension).

** 1/2* -- Next we have a battle royal to determine who their next challengers will be, after winning the belts and successfully defending them in a rematch with the former champs. I've got my money on American Alpha for this one, since the Wyatts kind of stole the title shot from them. My favorites went out early, not even making it to the final 4 teams, ultimately giving the title shot to Hype Bros.

Alexa Bliss is set to face a local jobber, but she refuses to give "charity" to someone who doesn't deserve to be in the ring with her, calling her "Jane Ellsworth". lol After dodging Becky Lynch's championship rematch request for the 2nd straight week, Shane'O'Mac steps out to the stage to make the match.

** -- A decent match, although it seemed a bit rushed. But it set up an on-going injury storyline with Bliss losing via countout after selling a knee injury.

With 30 minutes left on the clock, we are already getting the main event under way. That's very good news, because I'd hate to see this match rushed or crammed into a 15 minute window ... should get some great build to spots and solid story out of the match. For the first time in a long time Miz's wife has more than her absolutely necessary parts covered ... out in full length pants. hahaha AJ just closed his program with Dean Ambrose, Ziggler just failed out of a Intercontinential Championship program, and I can't see them promoting Harper to the main event picture ... just doesn't seem likely, especially after just getting back from injury and becoming a tag team champion last week. So, I guess I'm predicting Miz to win this one. But with Cena scheduled for a return by the 26th and this title match being on the 27th ... I've got to assume that something will tie him into this either tonight or next week.

*** 1/2* -- I am on fire tonight, because Miz is the first one eliminated. hahaha 2 people pinned with a small package on the same card ... not since 1956 has that happened. Ambrose has eliminated both Miz and Haper, so I'm going to say Ziggler wins. Don't think they'll let Ambrose get all 3 of the eliminations. Ziggler wins a very good match to earn the World Championship match. Some really nice spots, everyone put Harper over strong and clean with no Wyatt Family at ringside to help establish him on a new level as a singles competitor. And it laid a very solid foundation for a Miz vs Ambrose program for the IC Title ... really looking forward to watching that.

Overall C+/B- -- Tonight was more about setting up the next month of shows than anything else. We have out text tag team feud, our next IC title program, our next World Title challenger, and they laid some ground work for Harper standing on his own.

 

I thought the battle royal and fatal 4 way were good matches. I think they've made a mistake of putting all of their major belts on the same cycle. The World, IC, and Tag Team titles all finished up their programs last week. So, they had to dedicate an entire show to transitioning everything in a new direction.

Typically, it's best only have 1 program ending at a time. Because then you can transition that belt to the next program during 1 or 2 segments, but still have more entertaining and established stuff building for the rest of the show. Unfortunately, it was just 2 hours of pivots in new directions this week. haha

 

I like SmackDown, it reminds me a lot of WCW, which I always enjoyed until the nWo got up around 879 members and WCW had about 7 members. But it's definitely got to find better footing in some areas.

For some reason, writers just kill NXT tag teams whenever they get any momentum. The crowds were loving Ascension from Day 1, but some feathers got ruffled when they compared themselves to Road Warriors and mocked the deceased Hawk, then the Wellness Program violations just totally buried them. Vuadvillians were making a name, until the suspensions for backstage fights with Sin Cara. I honestly don't know why they're holding Alpha back. They remind me of a very green Steiner Brothers ... but they gave them their first few losses and pushed them down the card for the Usos heel turn (who didn't even participate in the tag team battle royal), then they yank the rug out from under them with the Wyatt Family, then they are the 2nd or 3rd team eliminated in a 7 team battle royal? Who would rather see Hype Bros in a major storyline than American Alpha? The crowd got very vocal when Alpha went out of the match early, too. Then they lost interest fast.

 

That is one reason I don't want The Revival to get called up because they will have them look so bad after a month.

 

Yea, some don't even want to come up ... I think Samoa Joe may be one of them that would rather stay there as long as they'll let him, too. Numerous wrestlers on the main roster said that the only reason to want on the main roster is the money increase. If you are interested in a the actual craft and in actually being creative and pushing new limits, then NXT is the place to be, because you won't get any of that on the main roster. Many that didn't come through NXT said they're absolutely jealous of not getting to be there and do that.

 

I just can't get into the new stuff. I've tried many times and I actually subscribe to the network (but I just watch old stuff). It's just not the same. I did get into NXT a bit awhile back and definitely preferred it to the main product. It felt so much closer to the wrestling I grew up with. But the downside to NXT is the best talent is always going to get called up to the crap show.

 

If you want 90's-feel Southern wrestling, I'd definitely recommend Ring of Honor, if you haven't already checked it out. They have some really good stuff going on with their show, especially over the last few years.

WWE is trying to add indy wrestling to the network, and they're actually one of the promotions they want to put on there, too.