Alrighty, so I knew that this weeks episode of SmackDown Live was a "special" episode that they planned because they were going to be in Las Vegas. Sin City SmackDown Live they called it and that it was going to be PPV calibre matches both several title and non-title matches. I can say this about it after having watched it with my friend. It was an awful show, with as many title matches as they had it was almost a full PPV card.......and it wasn't good. There WERE a few highlights but I'll get to those and I think I'll go over it by breaking down everything piece by piece. I might get the order of the matches wrong for two reasons, I'm doing this the Wednesday after SmackDown and it was all over the place booking wise.
The night starts off with a video package of Shane McMahon beating up Kevin Owens after Owens insulted his family and kids, then the usual 10 minute promo to start the shows by began with Kevin Owens saying how "wronged by the company he was and how when he sued them that SmackDown would be the Kevin Owens Show." That Vince McMahon was going to show up to sort all of this out tonight was a big deal since Vince doesn't do much except mess everything up backstage including careers and decisions but that's another story. Anyways, Owens drew a bit of heat from the promo but it was otherwise dull.
First Match of the Night
United States Championship Match
AJ Styles (c) vs Tye Dillinger
The night starts off with a video package of Shane McMahon beating up Kevin Owens after Owens insulted his family and kids, then the usual 10 minute promo to start the shows by began with Kevin Owens saying how "wronged by the company he was and how when he sued them that SmackDown would be the Kevin Owens Show." That Vince McMahon was going to show up to sort all of this out tonight was a big deal since Vince doesn't do much except mess everything up backstage including careers and decisions but that's another story. Anyways, Owens drew a bit of heat from the promo but it was otherwise dull.
First Match of the Night
United States Championship Match
AJ Styles (c) vs Tye Dillinger
This was one of the few bright spots on the night as AJ can make anything shine bright and with another talented worker like Tye Dillinger I expected a good match and wasn't disappointed. It went back and forth and was very athletic truly showcasing both men's abilities, after a distraction by Baron Corbin which resulted in him being Phenomenal Forearmed, AJ was rolled up and almost lost. Dillinger and Styles reversed each others finishers a bunch of times but Dillinger hit his and it looked like AJ was done for but he kicked out at the last second then managed to take Tye into a Calf Crusher and made him tap. They shook hands like true sportsmen afterwards before Baron Corbin beat AJ down and said that he'd be the next opponent in the US Open Challenge.
Winner and STILL United States Champion - "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles
I have to say that I feel more invested in the United States Championship than any other title on SmackDown right now because Styles is doing what only a few others, like John Cena, have done and that is to make the US Title important. Too often it was seen as useless or a stepping stone. To quote Cena on a recent episode of RAW when he tore apart Roman Reigns he said, "you saw getting the US Championship as a demotion rather than an honor". It's great to see that belt get some respect from a true champion.
Winner and STILL United States Champion - "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles
I have to say that I feel more invested in the United States Championship than any other title on SmackDown right now because Styles is doing what only a few others, like John Cena, have done and that is to make the US Title important. Too often it was seen as useless or a stepping stone. To quote Cena on a recent episode of RAW when he tore apart Roman Reigns he said, "you saw getting the US Championship as a demotion rather than an honor". It's great to see that belt get some respect from a true champion.
I'm going to avoid going into detail about all the cutaways they did to backstage segments where Kevin Owens was pretty much bragging about the "Kevin Owens Show" to Daniel Bryan, Sami Zayn, and Aiden English because they were dull and fluff. The one with the singing Aiden English was really weird too. Like please stop.
Second Match of the Night
SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Usos (c) vs The New Day
Stipulation: Sin City Street Fight Match (essentially just a no DQ match with a fancy name)
SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Usos (c) vs The New Day
Stipulation: Sin City Street Fight Match (essentially just a no DQ match with a fancy name)
First things first in a street fight there aren't rules, this one you have to pin your opponent in the ring and apparently interference from Xavier Woods would have been against some kind of rule too. In a street fight back in the day it was just beat on the guy with weapons and pin them in or outside the ring, if they were in a stable and The New Day is a stable because 3 people, then that stable usually would show up to help. But ok, so there's minute rules whatever.
This was a great match and one of the most uses I've seen of weapons in WWE in a long time. Both Jimmy and Jay Uso using a kendo stick on Big E then Kofi getting it and just repeatedly striking the brothers until the stick shattered. Chairs being used in ringposts, used for superkick moves like Rob Van Dam used to do, being thrown at each other. The match ended with one Uso going through a table on the outside. It was a lot of weapons and I love that because it brought back some shades of the Ruthless Aggression and Attitude Era back, back when using weapons in matches was still acceptable.
It was a fantastic match, great tag team wrestling, the Usos going for their tag finish cost them the match as Kofi flipped one of them out of the ring onto a table then he and Big E hit their finisher to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
Winner and NEW SmackDown Tag Team Champions - The New Day
Now, while the match was great that is one of my biggest problems, was the result. The Uso's JUST won the titles at SummerSlam and that was a few weeks ago and it seems like both teams just trade the titles back and forth every match they have against one another. It devalues the titles when not one team can successfully defend them and I'm not saying I want another New Day streak, definitely not. If anything let these new heel Uso's run with the belts and give others a shot because there are two teams who deserve a chance at the titles and they had a match as well later in the night.
This was a great match and one of the most uses I've seen of weapons in WWE in a long time. Both Jimmy and Jay Uso using a kendo stick on Big E then Kofi getting it and just repeatedly striking the brothers until the stick shattered. Chairs being used in ringposts, used for superkick moves like Rob Van Dam used to do, being thrown at each other. The match ended with one Uso going through a table on the outside. It was a lot of weapons and I love that because it brought back some shades of the Ruthless Aggression and Attitude Era back, back when using weapons in matches was still acceptable.
It was a fantastic match, great tag team wrestling, the Usos going for their tag finish cost them the match as Kofi flipped one of them out of the ring onto a table then he and Big E hit their finisher to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
Winner and NEW SmackDown Tag Team Champions - The New Day
Now, while the match was great that is one of my biggest problems, was the result. The Uso's JUST won the titles at SummerSlam and that was a few weeks ago and it seems like both teams just trade the titles back and forth every match they have against one another. It devalues the titles when not one team can successfully defend them and I'm not saying I want another New Day streak, definitely not. If anything let these new heel Uso's run with the belts and give others a shot because there are two teams who deserve a chance at the titles and they had a match as well later in the night.
Then comes a promo from my favourite man in WWE (he says with intense sarcasm), Jinder Mahal.
Getting out of the way how I don't like him, regardless of who they put out there to do this promo, it was bad. It was full of lame jokes, it was tasteless, and there were just a few racial jabs in there too. So, Jinder came out to address his Hell In A Cell challenger for the belt, Shinuske Nakamura and says to him, "people won't appreciate him because of his skin even if he did beat Mahal". Then he put pictures on the screen of Nakamura with his various faces and I have to say sometimes Shinuske's faces are bizarre but Jinder cracked out: poop jokes, Michael Jackson jokes, Japanese jokes about Godzilla, other really just bad jokes, like tacky jokes, about him and all the while Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum are cracking up laughing. If this is the kind of TALENTED promos I've heard people say Jinder can cut then they are awful, like it was just blah. As far as making fun of Nakamura goes, WWE is doing a good enough job already having him lose once to a "champion" like you. Shinuske Nakamura has more talent in one strand of his long hair than Jinder does in his whole steroided out, veins popping out of every muscle, body.
Anyways, like I said if that's the pre-written promo they gave to anyone it would be tacky and awful but Jinder did it worse.
Onto the next match:
Third Match of the Night
SmackDown Women's Championship
Natalya (c) vs Naomi
Anyways, like I said if that's the pre-written promo they gave to anyone it would be tacky and awful but Jinder did it worse.
Onto the next match:
Third Match of the Night
SmackDown Women's Championship
Natalya (c) vs Naomi
I expected NOTHING out of this match because Natalya, as much of a veteran and technical artist she's just not championship material, while Naomi isn't too much better. Having it start with no entrances immediately said, "yup Natalya retains", and she did but Carmella was sitting ringside and 110% thought she was going to "cash in her money" in "Sin City" but they blew that opportunity. Just like they're not using Charlotte and Becky Lynch and it's disturbing that they aren't being used at all. This match was just boring to watch, it was neither girls best work, nothing special to be honest it was the worst match of the night.
Dolph Ziggler's Entrance Shtick
So on both RAW and SmackDown Live, one of the more talented wrestlers yet also one of their more underutilized wrestlers, Dolph Ziggler had promised a few weeks ago to "re-invent" himself. Which has led to two instances of him showing up and mocking other superstars ridiculously over the top entrances. Like he says, "anyone can do what he just did but no one can do what I do in this ring," now while that's stretching it as there are plenty other talented wrestlers it goes without saying that he is right. Fans buy into flash and flair more than substance and I think his example of Ultimate Warrior was perfect because the Ultimate Warrior was a walking botch machine, who constantly hurt other wrestlers because he wasn't talented in the ring, but his over the top personality and gimmick (coupled with the whole Vince McMahon loves big sweaty men thing) is what got him over in the late 80's and early 90's. I think Dolph making this point the way he has is excellent for him, he's drawing great heel heat and you can tell that he is almost speaking from the heart and not just a script too, he needs to have a good feud with whoever comes to "stop his nonsense" though. Otherwise, if the rumours are true, then we could see Dolph Ziggler in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he wouldn't be used wrong and his style would fit in well.
So on both RAW and SmackDown Live, one of the more talented wrestlers yet also one of their more underutilized wrestlers, Dolph Ziggler had promised a few weeks ago to "re-invent" himself. Which has led to two instances of him showing up and mocking other superstars ridiculously over the top entrances. Like he says, "anyone can do what he just did but no one can do what I do in this ring," now while that's stretching it as there are plenty other talented wrestlers it goes without saying that he is right. Fans buy into flash and flair more than substance and I think his example of Ultimate Warrior was perfect because the Ultimate Warrior was a walking botch machine, who constantly hurt other wrestlers because he wasn't talented in the ring, but his over the top personality and gimmick (coupled with the whole Vince McMahon loves big sweaty men thing) is what got him over in the late 80's and early 90's. I think Dolph making this point the way he has is excellent for him, he's drawing great heel heat and you can tell that he is almost speaking from the heart and not just a script too, he needs to have a good feud with whoever comes to "stop his nonsense" though. Otherwise, if the rumours are true, then we could see Dolph Ziggler in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he wouldn't be used wrong and his style would fit in well.
The Last Match of the Night
The Hype Bros (Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley) vs Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin
The Hype Bros (Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley) vs Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin
While this technically wasn't the main event, as that was more of just a long promo, this was the last match of the night. I love Zack Ryder, he's one of my favourite wrestlers on that roster and he too is way underutilized. This match was a solid tag team match between these guys. Ryder & Rawley have great chemistry and work well together in the ring, though I do think that both of them would be better off alone at this point unless WWE pulls the trigger and lets them challenge The New Day for the belts but I have a feeling that will go to Benjamin & Gable. They already work just as well together as Chad Gable did with Jason Jordan and they won this match because of it. After the match Mojo shook hands with the other team while Ryder stared them down and just left.
If this is a sign of Zack Ryder leaving The Hype Bros for a potential, at first heel run against Mojo, then hopefully a US Open Challenge against AJ that would be great. I can dream but it won't happen.
The Last Part of the Show
Big Vince came down to address Kevin Owens concerns about Shane beating him up. He said, "he suspended him for not beating the hell out of Owens", no one makes fun of Vince's family, and said to take it to court and see how long it lasts. Oh and Big Vince cracked fat jokes about Kevin Owens. He set up a match inside Hell In A Cell between Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon....which kind of gives me the impression he really wants his 40+ year old son to get hurt because Shane O Mac takes risks like no one does. Then with a guarantee from Vince that he wouldn't be fired if provoked by a McMahon, this happened and it's better to see it then me explain it.
If this is a sign of Zack Ryder leaving The Hype Bros for a potential, at first heel run against Mojo, then hopefully a US Open Challenge against AJ that would be great. I can dream but it won't happen.
The Last Part of the Show
Big Vince came down to address Kevin Owens concerns about Shane beating him up. He said, "he suspended him for not beating the hell out of Owens", no one makes fun of Vince's family, and said to take it to court and see how long it lasts. Oh and Big Vince cracked fat jokes about Kevin Owens. He set up a match inside Hell In A Cell between Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon....which kind of gives me the impression he really wants his 40+ year old son to get hurt because Shane O Mac takes risks like no one does. Then with a guarantee from Vince that he wouldn't be fired if provoked by a McMahon, this happened and it's better to see it then me explain it.
So ya, Kevin Owens beat up a man in his 70's, what a tough guy.
It was an "okay" show but not that special for a "Sin City SmackDown Live", they could do much much better and hopefully Hell In A Cell will be good.
It was an "okay" show but not that special for a "Sin City SmackDown Live", they could do much much better and hopefully Hell In A Cell will be good.