Smackdown Live Review 04/17/2018

Hello Misfits. It’s time for this weeks Smackdown Live review. It’s the superstar shake-up week. Last night we saw Smackdown lose a handful of talent including Jinder Mahal, Bobby Roode, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Sunil Singh, Natalya, Riott Squad, Baron Corbin, Breezango, Drew McIntyre, Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder, Mojo Rawley, Chad Gable, The Ascension and Mike Kanellis to Raw. It made me really wonder who will show up on Smackdown Live tonight. Thus far, we know that The Miz will be coming back to Smackdown Live. It gets me excited to see the confrontation between The Miz and Bryan now that Bryan is cleared to wrestle. This really makes me miss “Talking Smack.” I’m still not use to Bryan being back as an active wrestler yet. On that note, Paige is the new GM and it’ll be interesting to see how she does on her second week on the job. The US Title is no longer on Smackdown Live and they don’t have a mid-card title so it makes me wonder if Jeff Hardy or Seth Rollins will be making the move to Smackdown to bring one of their respective championship belts to Smackdown Live. Also what happens next between Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles? How will Carmella celebrate who huge Women’s Championship victory last week by cashing in her Money in the Bank contract? Will Peyton Royce and Billie Kay continue to be a thorn in Charlotte’s side? Lets find out.

Smackdown comes to us live from Dunkin Donuts Centre in Providence, RI.

–  Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves are on commentary.

AJ Styles
Styles says we have found out everything we need to know about Shinsuke Nakamura. Styles dreamed of the match against Nakamura. Styles won. Nakamura failed. Nakamura isn’t an artist, he’s a con artist. Styles wants payback but last week he was presented with another dream match against Daniel Bryan. Nakamura once again showed his true colors and ruined that match as well. Styles isn’t leaving until he gets Nakamura. Styles knows Nakamura has forgotten how to speak English but Styles isn’t here to talk, he is here to fight. Aiden English and Rusev come out. English sings he knows Styles wanted Nakamura but he Nakamura is on an ‘anywhere but Providence’ vacation. English challenged Styles on behalf of Rusev. Styles accepts.
Opinion
I’m glad the show kicked off with AJ Styles. I’m always okay when the show kicks off and its not the Authority figures of the show. There weren’t any huge surprises here. I thought Smackdown might kick off with a Raw star showing up to challenge Styles but unlike Raw we’re going to have to wait before our first big shake-up moment.

AJ Styles def. Rusev w/ Aiden English
In a match that only had the point to book the main event, AJ Styles quickly got Rusev into the calf crusher causing English to break it up before Rusev tapped to cause a DQ victory for Styles. Rusev and English double team a beat down on Styles only for Bryan to make the save.
Opinion
This match was just apart of the opening segment to set up the main event. I enjoyed that they did it in a creative way here instead of a bunch of talking. Still no shake-up surprises but its still a surprise to see Bryan as an active member of the roster.

– Backstage, Shane McMahon is with Paige. Paige books Styles and Bryan vs Rusev and Aiden English. Paige does her best Teddy Long impression.

Shelton Benjamin
Benjamin says the tweet that came out last night where he praised Chad Gable wasn’t him. Benjamin got hacked. Benjamin says Gable needed him, not the other way around. Benjamin needs to remind everyone here how dangerous he is. Benjamin says he asked Paige for a match tonight. Randy Orton comes out. Orton makes it halfway down the ramp and his music stops. United States Champion Jeff Hardy’s music hits. Hardy runs to the ring.
Opinion
This was a good way to for Benjamin to address Gable jumping to Raw. I really liked that he’s staying a heel but the moment I saw Orton and Hardy come out, I realized that he’s the afterthought here. What is this? 2006? Anyway, this was our first shake-up moment with the Charismatic Enigma returning to Smackdown Live. This also meant the US Title is back on Smackdown Live even though he’s defending against Mahal again at the Greatest Royal Rumble. I like that they already teased tension between Orton and Hardy.

Jeff Hardy def. Shelton Benjamin
In a competitive match Jeff Hardy defeated Benjamin after hitting twist of fate and connecting with a swanton bomb.
Opinion
This was a great match and allowed the fans to be excited that Jeff Hardy is now on Smackdown and a threat to everyone. Benjamin looked great but it did no favours to him after the confident heel promo he cut earlier.

– The announcers send us to a video from The Miz on his phone. Fans pop when Miz asks if we want to see Daniel Bryan punch him in the face. Miz says that’s too bad because he’s not here, he’s in Los Angeles with Maryse and their daughter. We see them with him now. Miz announces that he will premiere on SmackDown next Tuesday. He says he will kick Bryan’s ass but Maryse interrupts him and tells him to watch the language around the kid. Miz declares that next week’s SmackDown will be awesome. Miz and Maryse kiss. The anticipation for a Miz and Maryse show-down continues. Im excited for this.

– Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose are coming to Smackdown Live. Paige’s girls are going to get some favouritism. I guess they won’t be feuding with Nattie and Ronda.

Luke Harper w/ Erick Rowen def. Jey Uso w/ Jimmy Uso
In quick match, Harper defeats Jey Uso after a discus clothesline.
After the match, both teams fight. Jimmy grabs Harper’s hammer and hits Rowen with it. Harper sends Jimmy into the ring steps. Harper and Rowen pick up their hammers and walk towards Jimmy. Naomi runs down to ringside and pleads with Harper and Rowen to stop. Harper holds Rowen back. They eventually walk up the ramp.
Opinion
Interesting to see where this goes. Mostly with teams like The Club and The Bar joining Smackdown Live.

Samoa Joe def. Sin Cara
In another squash match to debut a Raw brand star onto Smackdown, Samoa Joe defeats Sin Cara after locking him into the coquina clutch.
Opinion
Hell yeah! Joe is definitely going to make an impact on Smackdown Live. I can’t wait to see him in the ring with the likes of Styles, Orton and Daniel Bryan.

Samoa Joe
Joe grabs a mic and says this place isn’t the land of opportunity. This is the land of handouts. Since Joe wasn’t on this show, everyone here has been convinced they are better than they are. Joe says that all changes. Joe will get all of the opportunities. Joe will get to put Bryan to sleep. Joe will defang Orton. And lastly, Joe will humiliate and decimate Styles. Joe promises to put the Big Dog out to pasture for good at the Backlash. Joe promises to bring the IC AND Univeral Championship to SD Live.
Opinion
I LOVE IT. I feel like Joe could be the WWE Champion by the end of this year now that he’s on Smackdown Live.

– Sanity is coming to Smackdown Live. This roster is really getting stacked.

– Renee Young catches up with Daniel Bryan backstage and asks about making the save for AJ Styles earlier. Bryan says he’s proud to team with AJ tonight because he knows one day they will fight against each other. Big Cass appears and gets in Bryan’s face. Renee leaves and fans cheer for Cass. Cass mocks Bryan’s height and asks if he’s really what the fuss is all about. Cass calls Bryan a little man and walks off.

Mellabration
Carmella mocks the fans and says she’s no longer just the Princess of Staten Island anymore. We can now call her the Princess of SmackDown. Carmella says she waited 287 long days for the perfect opportunity and she seized the moment, taking her rightful spot at the top of the women’s division. Carmella goes on about beating Charlotte Flair, all on her own. Carmella says all she had to do to beat Flair was wait for her to be blinded by her own ego. She goes on and raises the title in the air, saying what she did last week was historic. She says this will go down as the biggest moment in the women’s revolution and the biggest moment in women’s history. She wants to keep the celebration going with a tribute to herself. We get a video package on the big screen.
Carmella says she will miss Frankie, her briefcase, but now she’s got Cleopatra, the title. She goes on about how Mella Is Money but the music interrupts her and out comes Flair to the stage with a mic. Flair says it looks like Carmella’s title reign will be like her memory, short. Flair says the video package was missing key moments because she only had the Money In the Bank briefcase due to the chinless freak James Ellsworth and she only won the title because of Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. Flair goes on and congratulates Carmella but gives her some words of wisdom – it’s much harder to stay on top than it is to get there, and Carmella has something of hers. Flair starts entering the ring but out come The Iiconics. Peyton and Billie talk trash to Flair while walking to the ring. Flair watches from the apron. They say Flair is looking at the future and the future is iconic. Flair looks ready to fight as she drops her robe. She leaves the apron and goes after Billie and Peyton on the ramp. She fights them both but Billie rams her into the barrier and they double team her, beating her down. The music hits and out comes Becky Lynch to make the save. Peyton meets her but Becky drops her. Becky takes out Billie next. A referee tries to break the brawl up as Flair gets back up.
Opinion
Carmella is money. I loved this and I’m so glad that Mella got the W. I’m glad she mentioned Frankie. Carmella’s new name for the Women’s Championship needs to grow on me. It made sense that Charlotte would interrupt and confront her during her celebration. I loved the exchange between the two. This brings out Royce and Kay who just bully Charlotte in a cringy way to be honest. I get that some people enjoy it but it just comes off cheesy and childish to me. I do appreciate their agressiveness though during their attacks. Oh and I loved Carmella mocking Charlotte’s strut. I kind of wanted Becky to head to Raw and Sasha to Smackdown during this shake up to really freshen things up but that didn’t happen. However, with the numbers against Charlotte, I’m glad Becky was still there.

Charlotte Flair w/ Becky Lynch def. Billie Kay w/ Peyton Royce
Carmella was on commentary for this impromptu match. Charlotte defeated Billie Kay by making her tap out to the figure eight.
After the match, Carmella and the Iconics beat down Lynch and Flair. Asuka’s music hits. Asuka makes the save.
Opinion
The match was solid. I didnt think we’d see Royce or Kay wrestle this soon and I dont know why. I was under the impression that when Asuka challenged for the Smackdown Women’s Championship, that meant she would automatically become and Smackdown roster member. I guess I was wrong but she officially is on the Smackdown roster. I wonder if she becomes any less effective now since she’s suffered a loss. I know before I just always expected her to win her random matches on TV but now that she’s lost, if she loses again it doesn’t really matter. Damn the Smackdown Live womens roster is pretty stacked if you think about how Absolution is coming as well.

– Video package airs showing that the Club are making the move to Smackdown Live. YES.

– The Bar talking about how dominant they have been. Cesaro and Sheamus announce that they are coming to the SmackDown roster. YES! YES! YES!

– The New Day is backstage and Big E is riding on the back of a much smaller staffer. They spot R-Truth and apparently he’s on the blue brand roster now. Tye Dillinger appears and it looks like he and Truth are facing off but they do their own handshake and are all smiles. Truth says he’s glad he’s on RAW now with The New Day and Dillinger. They have to inform him that this is SmackDown. Truth says “my bad” and walks off, saying he will see them tomorrow. Truth walks off as Tye and The New Day wonder if he’s going to be alright. hmmm…okay.

– Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega are coming to Smackdown Live. This Smackdown Roster is stacked. I dont know how they’re going to feature them all every week.

AJ Styles & Daniel Bryan def. Rusev & Aiden English
In a solid main event, AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan pick up the DQ win over Rusev and English. Shinsuke Nakamura appears out of nowhere and low blows Styles, causing Bryan to check on him only to get floored by Big Cass causing the DQ.
After the match Cass stands tall over Bryan. Renee Young tries asking Shinsuke why he did what he did tonight. Shinsuke responds that he doesn’t speak english.
Opinion
I’m loving heel Shinsuke and this “no english” shtick. I hope they don’t overuse it to the point where it’s not funny. Will it ever be not funny? Anyway, I’m not sure how much I care for Big Cass trying to feud with Bryan when I think we’re all excited for The Miz and Bryan confrontation. The Miz is known to align himself with someone to watch his back whether its Riley, Sandow, The Miztourage or his wife Maryse. Will Cass and Bryan form an alliance? Is that too similar to what Ziggler and McIntyre are doing on Raw? Does that even matter? Remember the debut’s of Absolution and the Riott Squad? It was the same thing on both shows. Last but not least…what is next for Rusev?

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this episode of Smackdown Live. A lot of happened and it felt like they got better with their timing of a two hour show and keeping it action packed. There weren’t more than two matches that went multiple segments which says a lot. The roster and show feels fresh now with all these new additions and Raw stars switching brands. I’m really looking forward to this new era in the land of opportunity. I’d definitely check out this episode.
Rating – 8/10