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Smackdown Live opens with Daniel Bryan talking up the newest addition to the Royal Rumble. An all-female superstar rumble. All the female superstars in the WWE from both SDLive and RAW will compete and earn the opportunity to main event Wrestlemania! He also announced the main event for tonights show. A 6 man tag team match featuring: Nakamura Randy Orton and Aj Styles vs Jinder Mahal Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
Then the issue of the previous pay per view Clash of Champions was brought up by Shane McMahon coming out to address Daniel Bryan, himself. Shane explained his actions. The acts that caused him to bias as the referee for this match. Knowing he had the livelihood of 2 of the competitors in his hands he recognized and understood that he did make a mistake. However, he wondered what was Daniel Bryan's malfunction because he didn't have a vendetta against any of the opponents in that match.
Daniel says he did what he did to protect the integrity of the show and to protect Shane from himself. Shane was taken aback but told the GM that he needed to be careful who he showed favoritism to. He warned him that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn can't be trusted. Daniel made it clear that he didn't want Shane OMac to turn into Mr. McMahon. He doesn't want an "Authority" type figure doing whats Best for Business because that goes against the very essence of their SHARED VISION for SDLive and the hand picked superstars on their roster. The land of opportunity was the vision for everyone and Daniel felt that Shane was letting his personal feelings cloud his judgment. Shane was visibly angered but told Daniel that he respected him and good luck with the show tonight. He walked away. Leaving Daniel in charge.
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Next Segment 1st Match of the Night:
The Usos vs Gable and Benjamin
This match was ok. Good tempo, nice it was a good match to watch. But...I don't care for Gable and Benjamin as a team. I was confused as to why it took so long to bring Benjamin back and why they decided to place him with Gable. I knew Gable and Jordan were split up but I thought would be placed in the singles division. I guess I was wrong. I will say this though: I think they work well together and make a great team. I'm just not a fan.
Gable and Benjamin pick up the win in this match.
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The Usos vs Gable and Benjamin
This match was ok. Good tempo, nice it was a good match to watch. But...I don't care for Gable and Benjamin as a team. I was confused as to why it took so long to bring Benjamin back and why they decided to place him with Gable. I knew Gable and Jordan were split up but I thought would be placed in the singles division. I guess I was wrong. I will say this though: I think they work well together and make a great team. I'm just not a fan.
Gable and Benjamin pick up the win in this match.
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Next Segment...
Charlotte Flair addresses the WWE Universe and the announcement that Commissioner of RAW Stephanie McMahon made Monday about the Royal Rumble. She was ecstatic and praised the fans, the women's division and the WWE itself for recognizing the women's division as a viable asset. Obviously, title holders won't be able to compete but she was still happy and proud to be a part of the EVOLUTION of Women in the WWE. But she also made it very clear to whoever wins she'll be waiting at Wrestlemania. Making known that the Queen has no intention of losing the Smackdown Live women's championship anytime soon.
FEEL THE GLOW! Naomi comes out and announces herself as the first entrant into the women's royal rumble and lets the queen known that with all due respect she'll see her at Wrestlemania. In walks the knockoff Absolution aka the Riott Squad. Setting up an impromptu match for 2 of the members of the team to do battle again the Queen and Glow.
Decent match, Charlotte was dominated most of the match by the Riott Squad. But once Naomi was tagged she shook it up and picked up the win for her team. All in all, it was a good match.
My overall feelings of the Riott Squad is not a good one. I didn't watch NXT (I still don't I'll explain why in a different post) so I don't have a background of these three. I don't feel as though they were ready to come to the WWE on the main roster. Sarah Logan tries to be tough and hard but she's not pulling it off. She yells in the ring more than anything and quite honestly its all for naught. Liv Morgan seems to have a Bella Twins complex. Look pretty, barely have any wrestling chops and win matches by the skin of your teeth. Honestly, those days are long gone THANK GOD and
I don't care for them to come back. The only viable and plausible member of this group is Ruby Riott. She seems to be the most seasoned of the crew. But she's being held back by this two newbie weights. I don't care for this faction at all. There's no originality to it. They have done nothing but TRY to take a page out of DX, Legend Killers, and The Shields playbook but they failed to execute it properly and it isn't working. It's not as bad the Bella Twins and Foxy clique situation from a few years back but it's working on my nerves like it.
My overall feelings of the Riott Squad is not a good one. I didn't watch NXT (I still don't I'll explain why in a different post) so I don't have a background of these three. I don't feel as though they were ready to come to the WWE on the main roster. Sarah Logan tries to be tough and hard but she's not pulling it off. She yells in the ring more than anything and quite honestly its all for naught. Liv Morgan seems to have a Bella Twins complex. Look pretty, barely have any wrestling chops and win matches by the skin of your teeth. Honestly, those days are long gone THANK GOD and
I don't care for them to come back. The only viable and plausible member of this group is Ruby Riott. She seems to be the most seasoned of the crew. But she's being held back by this two newbie weights. I don't care for this faction at all. There's no originality to it. They have done nothing but TRY to take a page out of DX, Legend Killers, and The Shields playbook but they failed to execute it properly and it isn't working. It's not as bad the Bella Twins and Foxy clique situation from a few years back but it's working on my nerves like it.
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Next Segment...
#DolphCelebration began and everyone who's anyone was there...well not exactly. Dolph came out and did his typical song and dance but it was a little different. He ran down every title he's ever won. Chastising anyone who doubted or questioned why he was even added to the match at Clash of Champions. Despite the fact that he appeared to be angry it was also sad and odd. You would think he would be happy to be champion. But he wasn't. He was far from it. In the end, he vacated the title in the middle of the ring and left.
It wasn't the way a wrestler like Dolph should've went out. He's one of the best in-ring performers they have and I think this was a terrible way to send him off. I'm sad to see him go. But I've heard rumors that he wants to pursue comedy and movies. I can't wait to see what he does with his career. Good Luck Dolph...I'm definitely gonna miss ya.
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Next Segment...
New Day wanted to have a special Christmas celebration but it was thwarted by Aiden English and Rusev.
Next Segment...
New Day wanted to have a special Christmas celebration but it was thwarted by Aiden English and Rusev.
That resulted in a match between the two teams.
This match was meant to be comical and it was. It wasn't a necessary match. It was full of pancakes, whipped cream, cherries and a New Day win. A great Christmas present for everyone.
With Rusev being the dominating brute at the beginning of his career. It's kind of sad to see him be reduced to the comic relief with the forever tone deaf Aiden English (another wrestler who was in a great tag team in NXT and has now fallen to the bottom of the WWE). It just doesn't seem like the best thing for Rusev. Honestly, I thought he'd be WWE Champion or Universal Champion at least once by now. But at the rate he's going I don't see that happening anytime soon.
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Next Segment...
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens finally made an appearance only to gloat and do exactly what Shane McMahon said they were gonna do. Change the tide and force everyone to see Daniel Bryan as the villain and they are doing that. They came into the GM's office and began congratulating him and gloating about their win at Clash at Champions. As well as insinuating that Daniel helped to screw Randy Orton because of their past history on RAW. Orton was a prominent fixture and resident token of The Authority, doing what was "Best for Business" meant taking away the very thing that Daniel had fought so hard to obtain. The WWE Championship. But those days are long gone and both men have moved on, but if you ask Kevin and Sami that is not the case. Daniel denounced those claims and "claimed" he only did what he thought was best for the show. Take a look...
I don't like Sami Zayn in this "Heel" role. It doesn't fit him. He comes across as if he's playing a character. And in wrestling, the job is either to have the WWE Universe root for you or dislike your character so much they actually believe you are your persona. Kevin Owens and The Miz are prime examples of that. But Sami doesn't fit the bill. I actually wanted Sami Zayn on SDLive by himself. I think he would've flourished and could've even been champion one day. But with Kevin Owens coming to SDLive with him it cut Sami's path to the championship off and stifled his shot to any title run. But I digress...
The 6 man tag team match began. It had a good tempo, decent ups, and downs. I liked this match most of all. One thing I will say it was drawn out. SDLive is only 2 hours and seems like they took the last of the 30 minutes on the show to fill it with this match.
The show ended with Nakamura Orton and Styles picking up the win. Despite interference from the Gloettes.
Final Analysis
The show as eh... It started off giving the illusion being great but it really was just a spat between D. Bryan and Shane O Mac and Dolph Ziggler vacating the title. Those were the two most exciting aspects of the show. There were some competitors missing from the show this week. There was no Bobby Roode, no Baron Corbin, Natalya, Carmella, Tamina, or Lana. If Smackdown doesn't do something quick to shake it up and make it interesting the decline in ratings will begin.
I love Smackdown but if you ask me the GM should've been Edge. He was Smackdown for years! But we have Daniel and he's great, no disrespect to him but that was just my opinion. Then instead of bringing in new female superstars in a different way. You give them the same schtick as Absolution on Raw. It wasn't a good look and it makes Smackdown look like a B-show.
I wish there was some more excitement to Smackdown. Its just bland and its been that way for a while. Its a 2-hour show and I heard a lot of people saying it needed to be expanded to 3. If they are going to put on shows like this every Tuesday, I am not sitting for 3 hours looking at that. I can't. I want to see some real storylines. Something worthy of watching on tv. I always say this and I will keep saying it. Wrestling is the ultimate soap opera. Fighting, relationships, oppressive powers, heroes, anti-heroes, villains, it takes the greatest aspects of a good tv show and displays it live for everyone to see. Get back to that SDLive.
For the good of the show, ITS WHAT'S BEST FOR BUSINESS!
The show ended with Nakamura Orton and Styles picking up the win. Despite interference from the Gloettes.
Final Analysis
The show as eh... It started off giving the illusion being great but it really was just a spat between D. Bryan and Shane O Mac and Dolph Ziggler vacating the title. Those were the two most exciting aspects of the show. There were some competitors missing from the show this week. There was no Bobby Roode, no Baron Corbin, Natalya, Carmella, Tamina, or Lana. If Smackdown doesn't do something quick to shake it up and make it interesting the decline in ratings will begin.
I love Smackdown but if you ask me the GM should've been Edge. He was Smackdown for years! But we have Daniel and he's great, no disrespect to him but that was just my opinion. Then instead of bringing in new female superstars in a different way. You give them the same schtick as Absolution on Raw. It wasn't a good look and it makes Smackdown look like a B-show.
I wish there was some more excitement to Smackdown. Its just bland and its been that way for a while. Its a 2-hour show and I heard a lot of people saying it needed to be expanded to 3. If they are going to put on shows like this every Tuesday, I am not sitting for 3 hours looking at that. I can't. I want to see some real storylines. Something worthy of watching on tv. I always say this and I will keep saying it. Wrestling is the ultimate soap opera. Fighting, relationships, oppressive powers, heroes, anti-heroes, villains, it takes the greatest aspects of a good tv show and displays it live for everyone to see. Get back to that SDLive.
For the good of the show, ITS WHAT'S BEST FOR BUSINESS!
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