Smackdown Live Review 11/27/2018

Smackdown comes to us Live from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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

Opening In-Ring Segment: Paige, Becky Lynch, & Charlotte Flair
SmackDown Live general manager, Paige, opens the show by introducing the return of the SmackDown Women’s Champion, “The Man” Becky Lynch. Becky then enters the arena with a new titantron with her newest shirt logo and heads to the ring. She then talks about how during her reign prior to Survivor Series was nothing but dominant. However, she mentions that her concussion sidelining her from her Survivor Series match with Ronda Rousey was not the end of the road. Becky calls out Charlotte for being a copycat of the Women’s champion, channeling her “inner-Becky”. Charlotte Flair appears and explains to Becky that she fought in the match at Survivor Series for herself rather than for the Man. Paige then makes the historic announcement that at the WWE Tables, Ladders, and Chairs pay-per-view in San Jose, both women would compete in the first ever Women’s TLC match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Mandy Rose and the women’s roster would come out to prove why they deserve to be added into the groundbreaking match. With high regards, Paige announces that there will be a nine-women battle royal to determine who will be added in, thus making it a Triple threat Championship Match.
My Opinion:
It was definitely bittersweet to see Becky Lynch back onto television, given how badly everyone including myself wanted to see it sooner rather than later. The addition of seeing faces such as Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, and Zelina Vega step up to the plate for an opportunity was a good way to gather huge exposure to the WWE Universe.

The Usos Exclusive
The Usos cut a promo backstage prior to their non-title matchup against the SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions, Sheamus and Cesaro, The Bar. Jimmy explains how they have raised the bar in tag team wrestling in their years with WWE way prior to The Bar’s formation. They claim that they will defeat the Bar in their apparent “open challenge” made on social media.

Match #1: The Usos vs. The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro) – Non Title Match
The match starts off with Sheamus and Jimmy Uso. Starting things quickly, Sheamus takes down Jimmy but gets irish-whipped into the corner turnbuckle. Jey Uso gets tagged into the match by his brother and starts to gain some offense. However, Sheamus comes back with his own offensive drive and manages to tag in Cesaro. It was at this moment where The Bar managed to distract the referee to then gain a cheap shot onto Jey, gaining control heading into the commercial break. After the commercial break, Sheamus is dominating Jimmy Uso, tagging in Cesaro for a powerful tag team maneuver to weaken the attacked competitor. Sheamus is tagged back in but Jimmy somehow manages to fight back and gains the hot tag to his brother Jey Uso. Jey dominates with quick, rapid fire strikes but Cesaro makes the discrete tag during the comeback. Jey attempts a diving attack from the top rope but is stopped by a flying Cesaro uppercut. Jey Uso then comes back with a superkick to Cesaro, leaving him open for the patinate Uso Splash for the 1-2-3 victory over the tag team champions.
My Opinion:
The Usos and The Bar proved that two polar opposite teams can put on a great match. Both put it all on the line and could not tell who would end up with the victory given the close two counts by each of the team’s pinfalls the last moments of the match. Phenomenal overall!

Backstage Segment (The New Day and The Miz)
The New Day laugh at The Miz for being the one taking the pinfall in his tag team match with Shane McMahon against two local competitors last week. During the humiliation, Big E makes a reference to former NXT Women’s Champion Kairi Sane. The Miz responds by saying he will confront Shane McMahon for a match with one member of The New Day. As Miz walks away, Big E confirms that he is a Mariner, referring to being a fan of The Miz’s Marine movie collection.

AJ Styles Exclusive
In his entrance jacket hoodie sitting on a chair in the locker room, AJ Styles is informed by a WWE staff member that “it is time”, thus hyping the crowd up for his appearance next.
In-Ring Segment (AJ Styles promo)
AJ Styles in the middle of the ring addressing to the audience weeks after losing the WWE Championship to Daniel Bryan. Styles explains that for fourteen days, he has been without the WWE Championship but he commemorates his accomplishment of his 371 day reign. He continues by saying how disappointed he was not by the way he lost the title to Bryan but by the post match attack antics made by the leader of the Yes Movement. Styles then claims that The New Daniel Bryan’s reasoning behind his actions were nothing but malarkey and calls him out to the ring, After revealing that he is absent from the show, Styles compares him to current Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar for missing an episode of SmackDown Live. He finally closes off his promo by commanding Bryan to bring the WWE Championship at WWE TLC because it belongs to him and not Daniel Bryan.
My Opinion
The Phenomenal One’s promo skills have become incredible these past few months. Although I do disagree with The New Daniel Bryan gimmick, there is no debate that the presentation of Daniel Bryan as a heel is pretty extraordinary to say the least. However, if we are going to see him as an consistent absentee from shows, this might hurt the persona going forward.

Tom Philips, Corey Graves, and Bryon Saxton introduce free agent Lars Sullivan who is being called up from NXT in a video package

Match #2: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rusev
As Rusev finishes his entrance inside the ring, Shinsuke attacks him from behind with a flying knee towards the back of the head. This leads to the King of Strong Style to hit the Bulgarian Brute with a Kinshasa Knee Strike. Rusev is then rolled out to ringside where he is met with another Kinshasa by the United States champion. Shinsuke heads to the entrance ramp raising the United States championship high above.
Result: No Contest
My Opinion:
Surprised that WWE wanted to go with the angle of having a pre-match attack ending with a no contest. It definitely made for some fun storyline. I was really hoping Rusev would gather the win over the United Sates champion but at least he is in title contention at least.

In-Ring Segment: (Michael Cole, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe, and the entire SmackDown roster)
Michael Cole introduces Jeff Hardy with the entire roster on the entrance ramp as a celebration of Hardy’s twenty years with WWE. Jeff arrives and receives a standing ovation by the Minnesota crowd. Cole reminds the audience of what Hardy has achieved for the past twenty years of his career with a special video package in his honor. After the video package is played, Jeff Hardy thanks the WWE Universe for twenty years. Throughout the highs and lows, Hardy is grateful to his fans for being by his side. Jeff states that this is not the end of the road for him and that he has just begun. Samoa Joe interrupts and appears. Joe claims that he was popping champagne bottles in the back but did not want to present them to Jeff because of his former problems with those in the past. Joe offers his hand in help to Jeff Hardy during his darkest of times since there will be a next time. Hardy then calls Joe out for an impromptu one on one match but Joe walks out and declines. Jeff Hardy then celebrates with the WWE Universe his accolade of twenty years with the company.
My Opinion:
Jeff Hardy’s celebration was perfect in every sense of the word. Feeling childhood nostalgia with Jeff’s greatest moments with the addition of Samoa Joe getting the spotlight really made me invested in the newly developed rivalry. Samoa Joe’s promos never seem to disappoint as since his arrival to WWE, there has been no one who can touch him on the microphone. Really interested to see the direction this rivalry goes to.

Backstage Segment: (The Usos and Naomi)
The Usos and Naomi describe how deals are 50% off tonight only on WWE Shop, given its post Cyber Monday

Match #3: The Miz vs. Kofi Kingston (w/ The New Day)
The Miz and Kofi lock up to start things off. Kofi Kingston quickly goes in for a cover on the Miz but he kicks out only at one. Kofi then hits The Miz with a flying elbow which sends him over the top rope. Miz tries to leave mid-match but is stopped by a Big E pelvis thrust and Xavier Woods playing his trombone, which leads to Kofi attacking the A-Lister with a suicide dive from the apron to take us into the commercial break. Back from the break, Miz heads to the top rope for a diving attack but is stopped by Kofi’s mid-air dropkick. With the offense hot, Kofi attempts to end the match with Trouble in Paradise but it is reversed by The Miz. The Miz removes the turnbuckle pad but Big E covers the exposed turnbuckle with his pancakes. He then attempts to attack Kofi with a steel chair as the referee is distracted but is stopped by Xavier Woods who takes it away. This leads Kingston to hit Trouble In Paradise for the 1-2-3 win over the grand slam champion.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
My Opinion:
For being a mid-card match, that match was more entertaining than I thought it would be originally. Having Miz use heel tactics to attempt to win against The New Day given the outnumbered odds was pure genius. I believe The Miz is one of, if not the best heel on the main roster who can entertain and maintain a good storyline no matter the opposition.

In-Ring Segment: (Randy Orton and Rey Mysterio)
Randy Orton arrives with Rey Mysterio’s mask in his left hand from last week’s unmasking. Orton starts his promo by commending his actions as euphoric and labels Mysterio’s mask as trash. He claims that Rey is just another victim of the RKO. Rey appears with a neck brace as a symbol of his injury suffered from last week’s attacks. Randy exits the ring and clashes with Rey. Mysterio manages to get two 619 finishers on the Viper and grabs a chair in retaliation. However, the Apex Predator Orton sops him and hits an apron DDT to Rey. He takes him to the outside, puts a chair to Rey’s neck, and crashes it to the steel steps. The attack is broken up by WWE officials.
My Opinion:
Having WWE show Randy’s vindictive side is definitely a plus from me. Seeing the vintage Apex Predator attack his prey is something fans should be invested in. Correspondingly, I love the unmasking angle and the representation of disrespect of the Lucha tradition. Really loving this rivalry between two greats.

Backstage Segment: (The Miz and Shane McMahon)
Shane McMahon is confronted by The Miz for abandoning him in his match with The New Day. The Miz claims that he and Shane are a team. He them says that Shane needs to act as apart of the team. He finally mentions that Shane and himself are the best in the world.

Match #4 (Main Event): 9-Women Battle Royal
The match starts with Lana eliminating Zelina Vega from the outside after exiting from the bottom rope. Upset over the elimination, Zelina attacks Lana at ringside as we go to the commercial break. Returning from break, both The IIconics’ Peyton Royce and Billie Kay eliminate Lana. After the elimination, they celebrate early, leading to Asuka taking out both women. Carmella then kicks Asuka as an attempt to stop her momentum but is then eliminated after being scared off. Former Absolution teammates Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose team up against Naomi but is stopped by Asuka. Naomi returns the favor and eliminates Mandy Rose but is followed up by being thrown out by Deville. The final two competitors of the match are Sonya Deville and Asuka. They both collide and meet on the other side of the ring apron. After a rushing attempt, Sonya is met with Asuka’s knee strike to be the final one eliminated and gives The Empress of Tomorrow the victory and a spot in history. Asuka celebrates to end the show.
Winner: Asuka
My Opinion:
The Women’s Battle Royal did not disappoint in terms of action, even to the point of thinking Sonya Deville would come up with the victory. However, I was not surprised that Asuka would end up with the win considering she was the fan-favorite to win and bluntly, the obvious choice to win. Am I excited to see her, Becky, and Charlotte make history? Yes. But I wish the shock value would have been applied here.

Final Thoughts
SmackDown Live did not disappoint tonight. In fact, I would even state that team blue just proved why they truly are the A-Show in WWE programming. Each segment and match had its own great significance to it from Becky’s promo to Paige’s groundbreaking announcement to the battle royal. The main event was not a shocker which was disappointing but I am proud to know that these female athletes are going to kill it in the last pay-per-view of 2018. Compared to the last few episodes, I have to say, Shane McMahon and company have produced better booking and storylines than its Monday opposite. I believe the highlight of tonight had to be the exposure of new competition from Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Zelina Vega, and even former Women’s Champion, Carmella. I would grade this SmackDown as a 9.5/10 despite the main event’s result. Phenomenal all around tonight. Thank goodness Tuesdays are our life savers during that beginning week slump with what SmackDown offers.