Kevin Owens is now truly back. We missed you, KO. (I'll save Kevin Owens the burn: I know you didn't miss us. And we aren't worthy. Lol.)
SmackDown Thoughts 4/23/19
- Shane McMahon comes out first. After he gets the ring announcer to do the over-the-top introduction, he goes on a tirade about Roman Reigns punching his father last week. Instead of fining, suspending, or firing Roman Reigns, Shane calls out Roman Reigns to "settle it in the ring." Roman comes out to a good ovation from the crowd. Roman has a mic and just throws it away. Shane does the same. Elias distracts Roman allowing Shane to start striking Roman. Roman starts beating down on Shane until Elias comes back into the ring to beat down on Roman with Shane. Elias hits Drift Away on Roman, allowing Elias and Shane to walk off.
(Decent enough segment. I guess it shows Elias's alliance with The McMahons. This was basically to help set up a likely match at Money in the Bank. I'm not sure Elias vs. Roman is a match worthy of a big event, but I will withhold judgment until I see more.)
- Shane and Elias celebrate what they just did backstage.
- A recap of The New Day and Kevin Owens from last week. Kofi is interviewed about his match against Shinsuke Nakamura tonight. Kofi, Xavier, and Big O put over the match and Kofi's WWE Championship possession.
- The first match is the Raw Rematch from last week with Finn Balor facing Andrade (w/ Zelina Vega). Before the match, Zelina and Andrade cut a promo in Gorilla Position about going after Balor and the Intercontinental Championship. Zelina causes a distraction allowing Andrade to get the early advantage with a running Springboard Corkscrew Dive off the corner to the floor on Balor. We get the classic SmackDown Split Screen Commercial Break. Andrade dominates for a good portion of it. Balor does get a rolling dropkick on Andrade, but Andrade knocks Balor back down seconds later and reapplies the armbar.
As soon as the full-screen returns, Balor gets a Mid-Air DDT on Andrade. Double Stomp follows. Balor dumps Andrade to the floor and hits the Running Somersault Dive to the floor. Back in the ring, Andrade hits the Running Double Knees into the corner on Balor. 2 count only. Zelina climbs the top rope but lands on Andrade by accident. Balor uses the accident to dropkick Andrade to the corner and hit the Coup de Grace. 1-2-3. 50/50 booking rears its ugly head again.
(Good enough match although both men are capable of so much more if allowed to go to their full potential. Not a fan of the 50/50 booking.)
- Elias is singing backstage. He's got a proposition: Elias vs. Roman at Money in the Bank. Shane runs in and tells Elias to get in the limo. Shane and Elias drive off.
- Kairi Sane (w/ Asuka and Paige) faces Peyton Royce of The IIconics next. The IIconics cut another lame program on Kairi Sane, mentioning superheroes in a desperate attempt to be relevant. When the match begins, Sane bulldozes Royce over with her patented moves. Then, we get the Insane Elbow. 1-2-3. And just like Raw, the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions have been pinned in singles action in 1 minute.
(The IIconics are treading water as Tag Team Champions. I am starting to not blame Sasha Banks for laying on the floor in a hotel room.)
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville come out to fake applaud Sane on her win. And, Oh Dear God, Jinder Mahal is back on SmackDown to face Chad Gable.
(Why do I now see in my head Jinder Mahal beating Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship and building to a SummerSlam match with Roman Reigns? Easy, stomach.)
- Aleister Black cuts a promo against a black backdrop. Black promises that his character will have people condemning him. (Ok then? Again, the less I hear from him, the better.)
- Jinder Mahal vs. Chad Gable is next in the battle of the Raw enhancement talents given to SmackDown Live. Lars Sullivan thankfully saves us from this match by attacking and destroying Chad Gable. Lars decides that he wants more and goes after The Singh Brothers. Mahal sacrifices them to Sullivan. R-Truth's music hits, and he runs into the ring to get destroyed by Sullivan eventually. A powerbomb to R-Truth after just seconds of Truth offense. Truth takes the Running Powerbomb as well seconds later.
(Sullivan is getting the Lacey Evans push. The only difference is that this is working. Sullivan is being portrayed as an unstoppable monster, and it's been mostly successful at this point.)
- Roman accepts Elias's challenge.
- Becky Lynch-Charlotte Flair Face to Face Confrontation- Charlotte Flair comes out first with her robe and gear on. We're getting a match out of this, aren't we? Charlotte complains that Becky did not beat her. Therefore, she should still be SmackDown Live Women's Champion. She wants Becky to explain it to her. Becky comes out to a good ovation. Becky says it was Winner Take All. And Becky was too busy beating the woman Charlotte couldn't beat: Ronda Rousey. Becky took the belts, and there wasn't anything either of them could do about it. Charlotte calls out Becky for calling Lacey Evans Charlotte Flair. She says she's in Becky's head. Becky says she's beaten Charlotte a lot lately. Charlotte says she has NOTHING to lose. She wants Becky next after Money in the Bank. Becky wants Charlotte out of the way for other challenges like Bayley, Mickie James, and Ember Moon.
Bayley comes out. Bayley says all she sees is a rerun. Bayley says she wants a shot at Becky. So, Bayley wants a match with Charlotte. Charlotte starts running her mouth, and Bayley knocks the mic out of her hand. Becky is impressed.
(Finally, Bayley is showing some fire as a character. And thank God Becky pointed out the fact that Charlotte gets handed opportunity after opportunity as a character. The division does need fresh challengers {Well built, established challengers. Sorry, Lacey Evans}. Hopefully some of those women Becky mentioned will be getting a shot before Charlotte inevitably takes the title yet again.)
- Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair is next. The winner gets a future championship opportunity against Becky Lynch. Bayley is much more aggressive in this match than I typically remember her working. However, Charlotte starts focusing and jumping on the knee of Bayley to set up the Figure 8. Split Screen Commercial Break happens next as Charlotte continues to work on the knee of Bayley. And woudn't you imagine it? As soon as that commercial ends, Bayley SOMEHOW gets back in the match and starts taking the fight to Charlotte. That commercial break ending must be like a Mario Bros. Star for WWE faces. Charlotte misses a moonsault off the top rope and lands awkwardly. Bayley gets a German Suplex on Charlotte for a 2 count. Charlotte takes out Bayley's leg on the corner and hits a spear in the middle of the ring. 1-2-3. Charlotte gets the shot at Becky after Lacey Evans. Just swell.
(Leave it to WWE for continue going to the well over and over again. Good to see Bayley put up a fight at least in a match for once. This is easily the best singles match I've seen her work in a while.)
- Becky is shown in the back watching Charlotte Flair. She talks about taking on all challengers. She's betting on herself. She's facing BOTH Charlotte and Lacey Evans on the same night and declares that she will still be Becky 2 Belts by the end of the night.
- We get a replay of the crazy Bray Wyatt Firefly Funhouse segment.
- The main event is next as Kofi Kingston faces Shinsuke Nakamura. (I know. When was the last time Nakamura was in the main event against a WWE Champion?) Kofi keeps the crowd going for him taking the early advantage on Nakamura. Nakamura works his style of leg based offense, using his knee and legs to attack Kofi. But Kofi takes the advantage with some arm work. Kofi hits a SICK crossbody off the top against the bent-over back of Nakamura. Nakamura uses the ropes to stop Kofi's offense and drops a knee off the apron on the back of Kofi's neck. Commercial break!
When we return, Shinsuke Nakamura is taking the attack to Kofi. Kofi and Nakamura continue to make each other look good in this match with Nakamura getting his signature offense in, and Kofi doing some great selling to warm up Nakamura and get the crowd going for him. Kinshasa is blocked with a Double Stomp to the chest. S.O.S. connects, but Rusev breaks up the pin for the DQ. Big O and Xavier fight them off. Kinshasa knocks down Xavier Woods, but Trouble in Paradise knocks down Shinsuke. Owens superkicks Kofi down!!! FACE OWENS IS GONE! He rips off the T-Shirt to show off the KO shirt. The attack is on, and the first blood feud of Kofi's main event run is at hand. Owens beats up on Kofi and pledges that he's getting his title! APRON BOMB TO WOODS! Old School Kevin Owens is back!
(This is awesome. Owens going back to being his old school heel self instead of a Big E wannabe makes so much more sense. Plus, you had a really good match between Nakamura and Kofi that I'd like to see play out again in the future. But for now, it's Kevin Owens's time to face off with Kofi for the title. I'd love to see Xavier benched to see Kofi have to face off with Owens 1-on-1. That'd really put over Kofi as a credible champion to face off and beat Owens during this title reign. Good last couple segments of this show.)
What I Liked
- Heel Owens Returns!
- Finn Balor vs. Andrade (though they can do better)
- Bayley's new intensity
- Kofi Kingston vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
- Lars Sullivan attacks everyone in his path; saves us from a Jinder Mahal Match.
What I Didn't Like
- Charlotte once again getting a shot at a title.
- A 1 Minute Kairi Sane Match
Overall, this was a good episode of SmackDown. I'm still a little bit in the middle about the Elias+McMahons/Roman storyline. I'm going to reserve judgment until I see more. And I hated the fact that The IIconics (or their booking) have devalued those Tag Team Championships so much already in their short run with the titles. But there was a lot more to like about this show. Bayley showed some intensity even if she lost. Lars Sullivan won me over tonight by saving me from a Jinder Mahal match. Finn Balor and Andrade have a good match that could be better on down the road. And the main event with Kofi/Shinsuke and the Owens heel turn was a great way to end the show. I love that they didn't just job Shinsuke out and may be trying to build him up a little bit again. But it's definitely Kofi's time, and I'm looking forward to seeing Owens push him to even greater heights.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
Comments
Post a Comment