Smackdown Live Review 05/01/2018

Hello Misfits. It’s time for this weeks Smackdown Live review. Its the second week of the brand new Smackdown Live after the roster shake-up. Backlash is also this Sunday and the WWE has the hard task to promote Backlash after weeks of hyping up this “Greatest Royal Rumble” event that took place in Suadi Arabia this past Friday. There are a lot of questions left to be answered before this Sunday’s event. Will The Miz and Daniel Bryan finally have their face to face confrontation? The last couple of weeks we’ve seen Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton get into each others heads even leading to Benjamin scoring a huge win over Orton last week. What will happen next between these three? How will Big Cass target Daniel Bryan this week? How will Carmella get on Charlotte’s nerves this week? What kind of impact will the IIconics make this week? Will Shinsuke Nakamura confront AJ Styles after the events of The Greatest Royal Rumble? Lets find out.

Smackdown comes to us live from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.

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

– Paige kicks off the show from backstage to let us know that Shane McMahon will not be there tonight after being thrown through a table by Braun Strowman. Paige announces that Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles for WWE Championship at Backlash will be a no disqualification match. 

Miz TV
Miz says the Daniel Bryan no showing Miz TV was unforgivable. Bryan has been banned from Miz TV. Miz has a message for Seth Rollins. Rollins has something of Miz’s. This Sunday at Backlash the people will see an A-Freaking-Lister as champion once again. Miz introduces his guest, United States Champion Jeff Hardy. Miz asks Hardy if he thinks Miz is a better IC champion than Rollins. Hardy says only if you think better means a fake Hollywood blowhard then yes, Miz is better. If Miz was better, Miz would have won the IC title at the Greatest Royal Rumble. Miz says Hardy has a lot to say for someone who disrespected a future Hall of Famer like Randy Orton. Miz says he wonders what Randy Orton thinks about that. Miz says he has a surprise second guest: Randy Orton. Before Miz can finish the intro for Orton, Orton’s music hits and he joins them in the ring.
Miz tells Orton he interrupted the intro. Orton says “so?” Orton says he isn’t mad at Hardy. It’s not a big deal. They both took advantage of situations. As far as Orton is concerned they are cool. Miz says Orton doesn’t play well with others. Miz brings ups the SD Live top ten list and how Orton’s peers ranked him 9th. Orton says no one cares about a top 10 list. Miz blames Hardy for Orton’s loss last week. Hardy says no, that was the Singh brother who cost Orton the match. Miz thinks Hardy should have an RKO waiting for him. Orton says Miz must have forgotten who he is. No one tells Orton who to strike. Orton tells Hardy no matter how cool they are at Backlash Orton is taking this United States title back. Shelton Benjamin comes out and reminds Orton that he beat him last week. Benjamin says he deserves the title shot. Orton attacks Benjamin. Miz tries to attack Orton but Hardy hits him with the whisper in the wind.
Opinion
I appreciate Miz TV opening the show but at the same time. I kind of feel like Miz has slightly taken a back seat right now on Smackdown even compared to his spot on Raw. I know its only for the time being until they kick off the Bryan and Miz rivalry but I felt like him coming to Smackdown Live was a big deal and he would have made a bigger impact right off the bar. I liked that we finally had Orton and Hardy exchange words. I mean this is better than having Bobby Lashley show up each week without explaining his motivation and goals since returning on national television. In vintage WWE fashion this led to our first match.

Randy Orton & Jeff Hardy def. The Miz & Shelton Benjamin
Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy defeat The Miz and Shelton Benjamin after Orton RKOs Benjamin only to tag Hardy in to hit the swanton bomb on Benjamin for the win in a competitive match.
After the match Orton RKOs Jeff Hardy outta nowhere.
Opinion
This was a competitive and solid match between four top stars. It was enjoyable and was solid storyline progression for the Hardy and Orton match this Sunday. However it didn’t do much for the Miz or Benjamin and I’m curious to see how their characters develop on Smackdown Live after Backlash.

– Backstage, Renee Young is with the IIconics. Royce tries to make fun of Young’s accent but does a Minnesota accent instead of a Canadian one. Royce and Kay say they beat Asuka in her first match on SD Live. Royce and Kay introduce Carmella. Carmella says they are basically invincible because they have beaten Asuka and Charlotte Flair. Carmella moonwalks away. Three baddies on the same page. I dig it.

– Backstage, the Bar runs into New Day. Kingston makes fun off Sheamus and Cesaro for not winning the Raw tag team titles at The Greatest Royal Rumble. Woods summons Mr. Bootyworth who brings them a plate of pancakes for the Bar. For some reason, Big E. is rubbing himself in oil. Sheamus says they must have put laxatives in it. Big E. says not this time. The Bar tosses the plate of pancakes. Sheamus challenges them to a match. Big E. gets in Sheamus’ face and accepts. Sheamus tells Big E. to settle down. Sheamus was talking to Woods. Woods says “your soul is mine!” and accepts the challenge.

– Backstage, Aiden English is with Rusev. Lana walks in and says she needs to speak to Rusev. Lana says Rusev Day is bigger than ever but something is holding Rusev back. English walks back in and says he forgot his jacket. Lana stares at Rusev but Rusev isn’t getting the point that she’s talking about English. Interesting indeed. Also a smart way to get the Lana character back in the story since her attempt to be a singles wrestler alone didn’t go over so well.

Big Cass
Cass tells the crowd he is from New York City. Cass notes that people in NY have a stigma of thinking they are better than everyone else. The crowd drowns Cass out with chants and boos. Cass says he is better than Daniel Bryan. A real WWE superstar is seven foot tall and might makes right. Cass says he doesn’t have to wait until Backlash. Cass demands that Bryan come out so he can kick his teeth down his throat right now. Since Bryan isn’t medically cleared to compete tonight, he isn’t at SD Live tonight. Bryan’s music hits and a little person dressed like Bryan comes to the ring. Cass makes a bunch of short jokes, you know, because why not. Little Bryan kicks Cass a few times but Cass ignores it. Cass eventually beats up Little Bryan.
Opinion
This was different. It wasn’t bad but I didn’t really enjoy it personally. Big Cass continues to excel and come into his own but I was expecting Bryan to come out or at least make an appearance to really make this segment come full circle and help hype up the match for this Sunday but it wasn’t the case.

AJ Styles
Renee asks Styles if he thinks he will retain his title against Nakamura this Sunday. Styles says he goal is to defend his gold. Nakamura seems to be interested in the wrong jewels. Renee tells Styles that Nakamura wants an apology from Styles for his vicious attack at the Greatest Rumble. Styles says Nakamura is a coward. This Sunday will be different. The rules will be thrown out the window. Styles can break those now too. Styles says if Nakamura has a problem with it he can come out here right now. Samoa Joe comes out instead. Joe says Styles is out here making a spectacle of himself. Styles has lost focus on what is most dangerous around him.
Joe should be more focus on the match that really matters. Joe says he is going to have his hands raised against Roman Reigns. When Joe is done with Reigns, Joe is coming for Styles OR Nakamura. Whoever has the WWE Championship is going to have to deal with Joe next. Nakamura’s music hits and Joe turns around and braces for a fight. Nakamura appears behind Styles and gives him what has to be the 157th low blow. Nakamura fakes like he is going to give Styles the Kinshasa to the back of the head. Nakamura runs around Styles and gives him the Kinshasa to the face instead.
Opinion
This segment was fucking awesome. AJ Styles showed some passion and anger. Samoa Joe coming out to confront AJ Styles gave me TNA feels for sure but it felt fresh and new. Shinsuke is really shining in this heel role. I kind of want Shinsuke to succeed and become WWE Champion but the fact that he stood tall last on the go-home show to the PPV has this longtime fan believing he’s not going to win this Sunday. However thats going by the booking techniques the WWE has a history of using but they could always surprise us.

– Backstage, Becky Lynch apologizes to Asuka for being the reason Asuka lost her first match on SD Live. Asuka tells Lynch that they will pick themselves up and hit back three times harder. Charlotte walks in and says they have to get revenge for what has happened over the past few weeks. Asuka says they are the Queen, The Empress and Straight Fire so they are going to assemble like the Avengers.

Xavier Woods w/ The New Day def. Sheamus w/ Cesaro
In fun match, Xavier Woods defeated Sheamus after he capitalized on the opportunity to roll up Sheamus while Sheamus got distracted.
Opinion
Interesting to pair the Bar up against The New Day first since they moved to Smackdown Live. They have a history and great chemistry with each other so I understand but I was hoping to see The Bar make a bigger impact moving to Smackdown considering how they were the top of the Raw tag division for nearly two years. I also get they need to wrap up The Usos vs the Bludgeon Brothers. In reality, if we really wanted to mix things up and see pairings we havent really seen yet. I would have The New Day going toe-to-toe with the Bludgeon Brothers and The Bar targeting The Usos. I mean The Usos held down the Smackdown tag division just as much as The Bar did for Raw.

– We see post-show video from last week where Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville were dissing Becky Lynch as she listened. We see Paige in her office, watching what happened last week. The Absolution members walk in and they all hug. They congratulate her on being General Manager and say this is awesome. They want to get straight to the point as they say they know why she called them to her office. Mandy thinks Paige is giving her a title shot but Paige says she has to earn it if she wants it, like Paige did. Paige announces Mandy vs. Becky for next week’s show. Mandy asks if Paige can give them some special treatment. Deville agrees because they’re in Absolution together. Paige says Absolution is dead. We go to commercial as awkward tension fills the air.

– In a video package, Zelina Vega lets us know that Andrade “Cien” Almas is coming to SD Live.

Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch & Asuka def, Carmella & The IIconics
In an awesome main event the babyface Avengers defeated Carmella, Royce and Kay after Flair moonsaults off the top rope to the outside onto Kay and Carmella allowing Asuka t counter a roll up attempt by Royce into the Asuka Lock where Royce tapped out.
Opinion
What a main event these ladies put on, wow! Carmella with the Royce and Kay just worked perfectly. Charlotte and Lynch have great chemistry and Asuka fit in with them perfectly. They gave us moments where it actually felt like the heels could have snuck away with the win but Smackdown Live sent the Montreal crowd home happy. Charlotte shined in this match and her athleticism was full and centre tonight. I really enjoyed this and the Smackdown Women’s division seems to be in a really good place right now.

Final Thoughts
Smackdown feels fresh and new for a second week in a row. This was fun and there wasn’t really a dull moment. Hopefully they can keep the ball rolling and make the most out of their television time this week. Yes, there were certain people who didn’t appear on the show this week but thats just the case with Smackdown since it’s not a three hour show. Check out this weeks episode, it was really solid. I still really miss Talking Smack though. It would really help elevate the angles and superstars. I don’t want to yearn for the past though because the future of the blue brand is looking bright.
Rating – 7/10