Smackdown Live Review 09/17/2019

SmackDown Review

Author: Captain Charisma

Live from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia

IT IS TIME FOR THE PEEP SHOW!!! Welcome peeps to a brand new SmackDown Live review, just forty eight hours removed from a historic Clash of Champions pay-per-view. We will be live and running from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia where the coronation of King Baron Corbin will commence! Although the win over Chad gable the previous night on Raw was well deserved, I still do not understand why Corbin will be celebrating this win on SmackDown and not Raw? However, I do understand that the wild card rule will be running its course until the WWE Draft resurrects from the ashes in October when SmackDown moves to Fox on Friday nights but give the man some glory for goodness sakes! Also announced for tonight, Erick Rowan speaks out after his huge win over Roman Reigns with the assist of a returning Luke Harper and in the main event presumably is a six man tag team match between all three members of the New Day taking on the NEW SmackDown Tag team Champions, The Revival’s Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder along with Randy Orton. I am very interested in seeing how Erick Rowan’s promo with Luke Harper turns out rather than the six man tag team match. Do not get me wrong, I love The Revival and Randy Orton but when there is a redundant pattern of six man tag team matches that always put the faces over to end the show, it gets annoying after some time. GIVE THE HEELS A CHANCE!!! So with that said, let us get this show on the road.

Match #1 – The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods) vs. The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) and Randy Orton – 6 Man Tag Team Match
The bell rings and New Day’s Big E and The Revival’s Dash Wilder who start the match off. Immediately, Big E hits a huge belly to belly suplex along with a running splash on the apron to Wilder. E tags in Xavier Woods and hit a double team move. Dash somehow gets back onto his feet and tags in Scott Dawson. Both Woods and Dawson go back and forth but it is ultimately Woods who gains control. Kofi is then tagged in and hits a aided arm wrench. It is not long until Dawson comes back and tags in Randy Orton with some extra disrespect to the WWE champion. It is then that The New Day hit a combination of a rolling elbow, big splash and a dropkick to stun the Viper. Kingston then sets up for Trouble in Paradise but The Revival then pulls Orton out of harm’s way and regroup to take us into commercial break. Coming back from those continuous advertisements, The Revival somehow isolate Xavier Woods by targeting the left knee. It is Dash who tags in Dawson and continue the onslaught on that knee. Orton is then tagged in with a huge stomp on the targeted knee of Xavier Woods. Woods tries to battle out with knife edge chops but is stopped by an eye poke by The Apex Predator. This would continue with dissecting the left knee once again and tags in Dawson, who then locks In the Celtic Knot. Woods breaks free, sends Dawson ringside. Dash tags himself in to stop Woods. Woods attempts a Tornado DDT on Wilder but he is suddenly sent to the outside onto the floor. This would lead to Orton being tagged back in and being dropped onto the announce table to send us into our second commercial break. After the second break, both Woods and Wilder make the hot tag to their respective teams. Kofi comes in hot, hitting an SOS on a newly tagged Randy Orton. Chaos erupts onto the outside of the ring which features a running springboard apron DDT by Dash Wilder and Kofi attempting to go flying. However, it is Orton who catches him in his tracks. Orton then tags in The Revival. They set up for a Shatter RKO but Big E and Woods stop it from happening. Kingston then hits a Trouble In Paradise on Scott Dawson and take the pinfall victory for his New Day brethren. Post-match – Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman appear. Kofi then asks Big E and Woods to stand down and let him confront The Beast Incarnate on his own as the WWE Champion. After stating his infamous lines, Heyman introduces the man who will end Kofi Kingston’s WWE Champion, saying it will be a bad day for the New Day. He then lays down the challenge for Brock to face Kofi at the world premiere of SmackDown on Fox in October. Kingston responds by saying he made a promise on being a fighting champion and accepts the challenge. Lesnar responds by hitting the F5 on the WWE Champion and stands tall with the WWE Title at hand.
Result: The New Day (Kofi Kingston via pinfall)
My Thoughts:
First and foremost, I did not expect this match to kick things off. In fact, I thought this would be the main event but I guess they wanted the WWE Championship/Tag Team Title  storylines to be out of the way early in the show. But that was a fun match nonetheless. I really loved how much Orton and The Revival displayed their cocky heel personas towards Kofi. The New Day on the other hand did what they did best and that is putting on a show. Did I expect two commercials in the opening match? – No. But if I have to be honest, I wish Orton and The Revival won. That is the second time in a row that the New Day have won in six man tag team matches. Can we get something new heading towards the end of Tuesday Night SmackDown Live and the return of Friday Night SmackDown? Secondly, BROCK LESNAR ON SMACKDOWN LIVE??? I am so baffled and intrigued at the exact same time. Everyone hates Brock Lesnar and I completely understand why – he is a part time star who loses the value in world titles. However, this time was different. I popped seeing him and Heyman. Despite rumors and dirt sheets, I love the match made on the first night of Friday Night SmackDown. This will definitely be a WWE title match to see on the biggest premiere of them all.

Backstage Interview – Kayla Braxton, Sasha Banks, and Bayley
Kayla Braxton is seen baqckstage about to interview Sasha Banks and Bayley. Braxton asks why Banks made the challenge to Becky Lynch on a rematch from Clash of Champions inside Hell in a Cell. Banks makes her confidence known as, despite facing The Queen Charlotte Flair tonight on SmackDown Live, she makes the statement that The Man will get what she deserves. Bayley adds in that Charlotte may be The Queen of All Eras but she is not The Boss.

Michael Cole Interview with Erick Rowan
Michael Cole is seen backstage and interviews Erick Rowan. Cole asks Rowan about Luke Harper’s actions at Clash of Champions but Rowan denies questions. Cole then proceeds to ask Rowan why he almost destroyed Reigns in their match. Rowan then goes onto describe that he is no longer a puppet but a leader. He then goes onto say that Daniel Bryan is not superior than him, stating he will not be disrespected again.
My Thoughts:
I love the way that Erick Rowan has now been treated as a serious singles star. For so long, for so many years we have known Rowan as a sheep of WWE, playing small roles including a supporting role with Luke Harper as The Wyatt Family and The Bludgeon Brothers. This monster heel run may take Big Red to big heights. Just look at the way he was interviewed! He legitimately made Michael Cole annoyed. That is a plus for any character in WWE!

Match #2 – Ali vs. Shinsuke Nakamura with Sami Zayn (Non-Title Match)
Before the match begins, Sami Zayn introduces Shinsuke Nakamura in his usual Zayn way, acting as Lio Rush.
Sami Zayn gets into the ring and distracts Ali with his ranting. While in the mix of that events, Shinsuke Nakamura hits the Kinsasha on Ali and stands tall with the intercontinental championship held high. No match was officially started so there was no contest to be made. However, it is seen that Kevin Owens appears from the crowd and takes a seat in the upper level seats. As the cameras pan towards him, Shane McMahon is seen backstage aware of his arrival. McMahon is then confronted by a sharply dressed man to be served in court.
Result: No-Contest, basically a set up
My Thoughts:
Typical Sami Zayn! He talks and sets up for attacks. It seems to me that Zayn has filled the shoes of Lio Rush and has become the next hype man of WWE, hyping up Shinsuke Nakamura as the most important champion on SmackDown. Although I do get annoyed from time to time about his constant rantings on the microphone, I do love the fact that Heel Sami is getting television time. Is he as great as Paul Heyman? – No but he is trying his best. Other than that, I still cannot put together this Shinsuke and Sami combination. Maybe Zayn turns face and betrays Shin to become Intercontinental champion? I have no idea but all I know is that Ali is getting yet another title shot. Whoop-dee-doo!

In-Ring Segment – Shane McMahon Confronts Kevin Owens
Shane McMahon comes out to the ring with a team of security guards and has WWE announcer, Greg Hamilton, introduce him as The Best In The World. The security guards guard McMahon as he questions Owens’s appearance. Shane invites Kevin Owens to the ring. Owens makes his way from the crowd to the ring. McMahon then dismisses the guards and reveals that he holds that if he wins, he gets $25 Million Dollars. Owens interrupts and states that McMahon has ruined SmackDown Live. He then states that although Kevin was fined for hitting an “WWE official”, he then points out that Kevin was attacked and fired as a WWE official last week. Owens then states the truth that McMahon tapped out against Chad Gable last week. He then goes on to say that he will hurt Shane with money rather than actions. He then states that when he wins, he will not only be a rich man with 25 Million Dollars but he will fire Shane McMahon.
My Thoughts:
I LOVE THIS!! Kevin Owens returning to SmackDown made me pop. Although, I do admit the way Shane McMahon maintained his composure throughout this segment is amazing. McMahon truly resembles the villain boss that his father was back in the Attitude Era. This may be a modern version of Austin vs. McMahon but the storytelling in this was incredible. All dialogue and no actions is something we do not see a lot in WWE recently. With the exchange of words, it made me feel relatable towards doing what you can to maintain a good way of life versus someone who has been fed with a silver spoon, high in riches. Especially in today’s world, I love the representation this rivalry shows. As they say, words can impact a person more than actions. Really intriguing exchange with money over attacks!

Match #3 – Sasha Banks with Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair
Atlanta’s own Offset introduces Charlotte Flair
The bell rings and Charlotte Flair starts with a big boot to the gut of Sasha Banks. The Queen of All Eras renews this rivalry by dominating with an exploder suplex. Bayley, at ringside, undoes the bottom turnbuckle as a distraction. This leads to Banks to throw Flair into the steel post on the outside to take us into commercial break. Coming back, Flair comes back with clotheslines and Ric Flair chops followed by a fallaway slam. It looks like Flair is in control by aiming for the left knee of Banks and hitting a unique neckbreaker. While going for a powerbomb, Banks reverses Charlotte into a hurricanrana but with her power, reverses that into a Liontamer submission. Flair then hits a big boot right to the face of Banks, leading her into the outside. She then resorts to a moonsault on The Boss N Hug Connection, taking both women out. When Charlotte attempts to lock in the Figure 8 Submission, Bayley swarms in and causes the disqualification. While Bayley and Banks go ham on Flair, Carmella makes the unexpected save and both her and Flair stand tall.
Result: Charlotte Flair via Disqualification
My Thoughts:
Hey Justin, your girl is in the conversation of being SmackDown Women’s Champion! Let me elaborate to the peeps really quick. Having a potential rivalry with the SmackDown Women’s Champion will automatically put you in the conversation of fighting for the gold. Aside from that, I hope we see a good push for the first and second Ms. Money in the Bank. First and foremost, the Boss and Hug Connection as a heel team has worked more than it originally did as a babyface team. Nonetheless, seeing those two beat down their adversaries is pretty cool but as cool as when they have chairs. Secondly, seeing Carmella come in and make the save was REALLY UNEXPECTED. I mean, this baffled me because Mella and Bayley have been “best friends” since their NXT days. Nevertheless, I love seeing her get the spotlight now after being in the shadows of the Women’s Division for some time now. Let us all see more Mella because Mella is Money! 

In-Ring Segment – King Corbin’s Coordination – King Corbin and Chad Gable
Baron Corbin appears and officially gets announced as the 2019 King of The Ring. He then gets the cape and crown put on and is now the official King! Corbin then makes the statement, despite the crowd’s boos, saying that he will be someone that everyone will believe in. He then asks for respect and will rule for an iron fist. He then introduces his opponent from last week, Chad Gable. Gable appears with confusion and disappointment.  Corbin then goes onto make small jokes, stating that Gable has been overlooked his entire career. Gable then resents to an attack on the new king, attacking him with his royal sector and knocking him over with his royal throne. Gable destroys everything in sight that belongs to the new king, including the crown.  Gable stands tall against The New King Baron Corbin!
My Thoughts:
If I can be real for a moment, these small jokes are getting really irritating at this point! First, Shelton did it to get into the mind of Chad Gable during the first round of the King of The Ring tournament but if it constantly keeps being brought up, this needs to stop. Belittling Gable is getting old but makes sense for his character as the underdog. BUT CAN WE STOP AND APPRECIATE KING CORBIN?? Corbin to me fits the King of the Ring name as a major heel who is hated by all. To me, the way that he carries himself with his promos have been legendary. Confidence and cockiness combined!

Match #4 – Heavy Machinery vs. The B-Team
The match starts and Otis gets an wardrobe change. Tucker and Curtis Axel start things off as Tucker shows off his collegiate wrestling skills. However, Axel and Dallas take advantage and start to gang up on Tucker. He applies the headlock to gain control. It is Tucker who comes back by showing unique athleticism and hits a huge clothesline. Otis is tagged in and hits a huge scoop powerslam on Axel. Dallas is tagged in and suffers a fallaway slam by Otis. CATERPILLAR!!!! Otis tags in Tucker and hit the Compactor to get the victory over The B-Team.
My Thoughts:
Heavy Machinery gets the win in an entertaining match but can we all point out that the B Team keeps on LOSING??? These guys are the former RAW Tag Team Champions for goodness sakes! Other than my bias opinions, I feel like Otis and Tucker are a really talented tag team. Over three hundred pounds a piece and they are acting like cruiserweights! Even with the new outfit choice, Otis never fails to amaze and entertain me. I hope to see the Heavy Machinery combination back in the title picture!

In-Ring Segment – Daniel Bryan, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper, and Roman Reigns
Daniel Bryan appears and claims that the same people who chant his name are the same people who accused him over the incidents on Roman Reigns. Bryan then states that he is out here to talk about his former friend, Erick Rowan. He continues to say that he was the one who saw potential in Rowan as his equal. Although there is hate beneath him, even if he has never lied to all, Rowan is still his friend. Rowan interrupts and states that Bryan is a master manipulator. At no point was he ever equal to Bryan, claiming he will never be disrespected again. Bryan then eggs on Rowan to do something about it only to get attacked from behind from Luke Harper. As Harper and Rowan assault Bryan, Roman Reigns comes in for the save. Reigns gets stopped in his tracks and then continuously attack incoming security guards. Rowan kicks down the barricade and hits Roman with it. Notably, they take out Tom Phillips. Both Rowan and Harper hit Daniel Bryan with The Reckoning double team move through the announce table, standing tall.
My Thoughts:
That was absolutely insane! You thought that last week’s was crazy when Erick Rowan put Bryan through the announce table the first time, this second time was even more destructive. Especially since Tom Phillips was taken out in the process of both Harper and Rowan’s annihilation. The way that Bryan is playing as a inbetweener is something special because his promos are getting even better as he has been pleading innocent. Aside from that, the combination of Harper and Rowan is something beautiful! There is a reason why they are former SmackDown tag team champions. The way that they dominate as a unit makes me proud to be a fan of those two since the NXT days in 2013. Just like last week, indefinitely impressed!

Final Thoughts
First and foremost, I do want to thank my peeps for tuning into this SmackDown Live review every single Tuesday night! I love the blue and white brand so much, especially with the countdown of SmackDown being moved to Friday nights on Fox. Tonight was a pure example on why I love what I do writing. Take a good look at what happened tonight! Character development from an former outcast in Erick Rowan in his interview with Michael Cole, a very entertaining six man tag team match to start things off, and CARMELLA IS IN THE CONVERSATION OF BEING CHAMPION AGAIN!!! Although, I would say that the only downside I do see was the attack on Ali. Sure, it was great to see Nakamura do what he does best but at the same time, why not destroy the potential challenger with a clean pin? Overall, I absolutely loved SmackDown tonight. Despite what readers and viewers will think, having The Beast Incarnate return to SmackDown to hype up the Fox premiere with utter destruction on Kofi Kingston was genius! This was the formula for a proper farewell tour. This was an episode where me as a fan of professional wrestling gets you on the edge of your seat for the next episode! Even when your most popular segment involved no physical attacks but great dialogue between two of the very best on that microphone whether you want to admit it or not! This was it for me tonight as we countdown the weeks until Tuesday night fun is no more. Until next time, remember to stay passionate and keep the dream alive.