We were just about to head into the main event and I decided to check in on our live commentary for Smackdown Live. I wanted confirmation that what I had been witnessing for the past two hours wasn’t just a mirage, that it wasn’t simply a figment of my fatigued imagination, that what I had been sitting through all that time was actually… good?!
Remember how amazing NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV was? That was just THREE DAYS AGO! In the twelve hours of WWE programming since Saturday night, we’ve certainly been served a mixed bag of wrestling – ranging from fine to poor to whatever the Authors of Pain were up to this week.
However, things started to turn around during last night’s episode of Smackdown Live. It wasn’t without its faults, of course, but there was certainly a generous sprinkling of really entertaining matches and excellent promo segments (and a title change – but more on that later).
If you missed our Roundtable discussion yesterday, welcome to our weekly series of articles in which we collect the thoughts of four of our WrestleTalk writers for purposes of gauging their views on the best and worst moments of Raw and Smackdown Live.
Which moments did we enjoy? What didn’t float our boats? And, more importantly, do you agree with us? Read on to find out.
What Was Your Favourite Smackdown Moment?
Ashley D’Altilio
The opening segment with Miz and Maryse entertained me the most. I knew Miz had something up his sleeve with his “announcement,” and Daniel Bryan saying “trust me when I tell you, I am going to expose you for what you really are, and that’s as a wannabe Hollywood star cosplaying as a professional wrestler,” was phenomenal. The announcement of Brie’s official in-ring return is exciting, and you cannot hate her punching the Miz straight in the face. I am looking forward to their mixed tag team match at Hell in a Cell.
Brian Farrell
New Day vs Bludgeon Brothers. A very good main event was the highlight of a fine Smackdown Live show. Some brutal spots and a nice Xavier Woods elbow drop through a table gave us a nice title change. I’m a big fan of Harper and Rowan, but they still looked strong and this match really made everyone look better.
Richard Margerison
Competition for this section was higher than normal simply because this show was great. Without a doubt though, the tag team title match was my favorite part of Smackdown Live. It was just the right kind of chaos and destruction. The match kept a great pace from start to finish and all four men came off looking great. Even in defeat, the Bludgeon Brothers looked like monsters. The New Day looked amazing in victory and will be great champions once again. This match got me engaged in the tag team division on Smackdown Live again and I’m actively looking forward to seeing who the New Day face next. This match was a fantastic conclusion to a great episode.
Nicholas Holicki
That main event was amazing and I wouldn’t begrudge anyone for picking that, but for me it has to be the Miz’s performance. Of course, no one ever actually bought into his retirement spiel, but you weren’t really meant to. It was all just another way of getting under Daniel Bryan’s skin and adding more spice to this simmering feud. The outcome (a mixed tag match at Hell in a Cell) may not be ideal, but if this leads to more intense Miz and Bryan promos down the line, then I’m all for it.
What Was The Worst Part of Last Night’s Episode?
Ashley D’Altilio
Naomi vs. Peyton Royce was the downfall of the night for me. It hurts me when a women’s match acts as the “bathroom break” of the evening, and this match was just that. The IIconics remind me of immature schoolgirls (so maybe they are doing a great job selling themselves), but that plus a complete lack of storyline, this match left me feeling unsatisfied. It did not fit in with the rest of the show, and it simply did nothing for me.
Brian Farrell
Zelina Vega and Almas vs Rusev and Lana. It’s nothing terrible, not as bad as half the things on Raw, but I just wish they would move on. This isn’t doing anything for Almas and I think Rusev vs. English should be a separate thing. Nothing too horrible though.
Richard Margerison
The worst segment of the show for me was the Peyton Royce and Naomi match. It wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination and its inclusion here is simply a testament to how great the rest of the show was. It was simply the least engaging part of the show for me, it was clearly a throwaway match. Though I did enjoy Corey Graves’ jab at Dave Meltzer before the match when he said, Peyton had “never looked better.” The match itself didn’t get much reaction and seemed to struggle to get out of first gear. Nice to see Peyton win a match for once though.
Nicholas Holicki
Not the Becky promo (which was brilliant in all fairness). Not the predictable storming to the ring by Charlotte. Not even the entire women’s locker room running down to intervene, resulting in possibly the weakest pull-apart brawl I’ve seen since my ninth-grade class trip to the Natural History Museum… (Jessica was spreading rumors about Alexandra making out with her ex-boyfriend behind the indigenous art exhibit and it ALL kicked off). But the fact that Asuka was just standing on the sidelines like a multicolored coat rack while all of this was unfolding. Six months ago, she was riding a two-and-a-half year undefeated streak. Last night, she was an utterly inconsequential figure in an underwhelming segment. Do it better, WWE!
How Would You Rate the Show Overall? (From Best to Worst: SmackDamn, SmackTastic, Smack Bang in the Middle, Ellsworthy and A Smack in the Face)
Ashley D’Altilio
A high Smack Bang in the Middle.
Brian Farrell
High Smack Bang in the Middle. Although this show was not fantastic, it ran smoothly with a good main event and a newsworthy title change. No complaints, just a fine show that didn’t knock my socks off.
Richard Margerison
SmackDamn! In sharp contrast to an underwhelming Raw yesterday, this was a great episode of Smackdown Live. Almost every segment felt like it meant something, and the show was consistently entertaining from start to finish. I hope Smackdown can maintain this momentum going forward.
Nicholas Holicki
This was a solid SmackTastic for me. Nearly every segment worked and I thought the matches were mostly awesome across the board. If not for the backwards Becky / Charlotte dynamic and the continuation of the tiresome Almas and Rusev feud, this could’ve gotten top marks.
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