Smackdown Live Review 02/27/2018

Hello Misfits. It’s time for this weeks Smackdown Live review. The Road to Wrestlemania continues and Smackdown Live has one more stop with Fastlane. John Cena has promised to appear here on Smackdown Live tonight as he is trying to find a way on the Wrestlemania card. He did not find any success on Raw so now he’s trying his luck at the land of opportunity, Smackdown Live. Last week we also saw Jinder Mahal once again leave Orton and Roode laying. Will the Modern Day Maharaja find his way into the United States Championship match at Fastlane? The New Day and The Usos will reignite their rivalry at Fastlane as The New Day won the number one contendership title last week. Ruby Riot beat Becky Lynch last week and this week will take on Naomi this week. If she defeats her that leaves just one left…her opponent for Fastlane the Smackdown Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair. There is a lot to look forward to on this episode of Smackdown live for the first time in a while. Lets see how it played out.

Smackdown comes to us live from Staples Centre in Los Angeles, CA.

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

John Cena
John Cena shouts out Los Angeles and welcomes us to SmackDown. Cena introduces himself and wants to tell us why he’s here. He’s here for the same reason that 99% of the other WWE Superstars are here. Cena says the only Superstar guaranteed to have a match at WrestleMania 34 is Shinsuke Nakamura. Cena says he’s here to find his Road to WrestleMania as well. Cena announces that he wants in the Fastlane Fatal 5 Way for the WWE Title with champion AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin. Cena says he doesn’t want a handout but he’s here tonight to do whatever he needs to get in the match. Cena is ready to find out what he has to do to make it to WrestleMania. “Here Comes The Money” hits and out comes SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon.
Shane thanks Los Angeles for the love and turns his attention to Cena. Shane talks about what Cena proposed earlier and says his path to WrestleMania puts him right in a WWE Title match. Fans interrupt Shane with dueling chants for Cena. Cena says this is why him being in the match is a good idea. Shane says Cena’s path has him possibly winning the WWE Title and going on to… fans interrupt with Rusev Day chants. Shane says history would be made as Cena would enter WrestleMania as the 17-time world champion. Shane says this is the land of opportunity but however… The American Dragon’s music hits and out comes SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan.
Bryan says SmackDown is the land of opportunity and the Superstars in the Fatal 5 Way all earned their opportunities. Bryan says if Cena can win tonight’s main event, he will earn a spot in the Fatal 5 Way at Fastlane. Cena wants to know his opponent. Bryan says it’s someone he’s very familiar with. Bryan announces Cena vs. Styles in a non-title match for tonight. A big “yes!” chant breaks out as Bryan’s music hits. Cena looks surprised. Shane joins in on the chant. Cena leaves the ring as Bryan’s music plays.
Opinion
This felt new for Smackdown Live. Its crazy how much John Cena elevates Smackdown Live. It actually feels like a more important show with him opening it up. The idea of Cena being in the Fatal Five Way elevates the match as well. Also puts the odds against Styles even more. I really enjoyed this segment and found myself really excited for the main event. AJ Styles vs. John Cena is money.

Baron Corbin def. Sami Zayn
Kevin Owens was on commentary for this match and he was hilarious. Also throughout the match we get cutaway scenes to see Bryan and McMahon argue about Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. In a match that was more for angle progression Baron Corbin defeated Sami Zayn when Dolph Ziggler appeared and super kicked Owens out of his chair, distracting Zayn allowing Corbin to hit the “End of Days” on him for the win. After the match, Corbin stands up as his music hits but Ziggler enters the ring and drops him with a Zig Zag out of nowhere
Opinion
This was a decent match but Owens on commentary is what kept me on hooked. He actually had me laughing out loud. I’m not sure what Ziggler’s character is now but if he’s just gonna keep showing up and stirring shit up, I think I can get behind it. It also seemed evident that Bryan and Shane-O are going to fight about Owens and Zayn forever and lead to nothing.

– Backstage, Shane gloats about what just happened to Owens. Bryan says since Shane has everything under control, can he leave to go see his wife and child. Shane says go for it. He has it under control.

– Owens and Zayn are walking backstage complaining to each other. They run into Shane. Zayn asks Shane if he saw what just happened. Shane says Bryan just left and they need to run to catch up with him. He knows Brie hates it when they are late for dinner. Shane laughs and walks away. Owens and Zayn are pissed and complain that they can never get through to Shane.

Ruby Riott w/ Sarah Logan & Liv Morgan def. Naomi w/ Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch
In a competitive match Ruby Riott defeated Naomi after Naomi tries a bulldog but Riott sends her into the turnbuckle. Riot blast Naomi with the Riott kick for the win.
Opinion
Ruby Riott has beat both Becky and Naomi the last couple of weeks and the last one left on her list is Charlotte. None of the girls  interfered so this was a clean win. Ruby Riott is really gaining momentum as we head into Fastlane.

– Backstage, Josh Durmel walks into the Fashion Police’s office. Josh says Breezango are his favorite fashion icons. Breeze laughs and says Josh is a detective on a show called “Unsolved”? The Fashion Police solve all their cases. Josh looks at the board in the office and says these aren’t real cases. You guys just use this as an excuse to make fun of famous movies. Breeze says they are so good they will even solve Josh’s case. Breeze points and says look, it’s Big E. Josh turns around and Big E. and the rest of the New Day. Josh says the show is about Biggie Smalls and 2 Pac, not Big E. Breezango remind Josh that Big E once won a rap battle. Big E. does a “rap”. Josh tells Breeze and Fandango that he isn’t a real detective. Fandango says he looked up to Josh and can’t believe this. This better not be the end of the Fashion Police but if it is…whats next for Breezango?

The New Day face off with The Usos
Out come The New Day spreading the love of pancakes. Woods says that with WrestleMania season in full swing they are looking to secure their position at the grandest stage of them all. Each member of the team points or looks at the WrestleMania sign. Kingston says first they have to face their biggest rivals, the Usos. Big E. says their rivalry was hotter than his inner thighs in the Summer… and Winter. Big E. asks Kingston to sprits him over and over again. Kofi continues to spray his crotch every time he asks. Kingston says they respect the Usos but this match isn’t about respect but rather about winning.
The music interrupts and out comes SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos. The Usos say they went to war but only one tag team was left standing – them. The Usos are in the ring now. They used to be just like The New Day – running around here singing, wearing rainbow colors. But that didn’t take them to the next level. They go on and talk about how they’ve been grinding for 9 years and how they belong on WrestleMania. The Usos say they have been passed over year after year. They run down the various WrestleMania events they have been here and how they have been on the “sidelines” every year but this year it’s their time.
The Usos say they have been grinding for the past 5 years while The New Day has been doing nothing. They go on and welcome The New Day to the… Big E interrupts them and asks if they have lost their mind. Big E talks about how they have been at the top for the past 5 years and they aren’t here because of their daddies. A fired up Big E goes on and says they will become five-time tag team champions at Fastlane, and there’s not a damn thing The Usos can do about it. The mics are dropped and the two teams face off in the middle of the ring. The music interrupts and the lights go in & out as The Bludgeon Brothers make their way out.
Rowan and Harper slowly march to the ring and leave their sledgehammers on the outside, with their jackets. They stop and turn back around to pick up the hammers and bring with them to the apron. The Usos and The New Day both leave the ring, staring at Harper and Rowan as they head up the ramp to the back. The Bludgeon Brothers stand tall in the ring as their music plays.
Opinion
This promo was absolutely amazing. I actually had to jump on the google machine and see what the Usos did at the last five Wrestlemanias. I pray that they are on the main card this year and not the kickoff. They definitely deserve it after the year they have had. It was great to see The New Day step back from joking around and throwing pancakes and get serious again. I dont think we’ve seen this kind of fire in them since the last time they were feuding with The Usos. I am not sure where the Bludgeon Brothers fit in just yet but I can see these three teams involved in a match at Wrestlemania. I also hate the fact that my brain won’t treat the Bludgeon Brothers as two new guys but I keep thinking that both The New Day and The Usos have dealt with the Wyatt Family before so it’s weird that they insist on avoiding them.

– Backstage, Aiden English and Rusev are complaining to Shane McMahon about not being on the show the past few weeks. English tries to tell Shane that he’s jealous of the popularity of Rusev Day. Shane tells English that he has a match tonight against Shinsuke Nakamura. Well Shane-O sang that English was in a match with Shinsuke Nakamura.

– Renee Young is backstage with WWE United States Champion Bobby Roode, asking about Fastlane and the match with Randy Orton. Roode talks about the Top 10 List and respecting Orton but Orton walks up and says it’s not about the Top 10 list, it’s about the United States Title. Orton says Roode just happens to be the guy that he had to run through to get the title. Orton walks off.

Shinsuke Nakamura def. Aiden English w/ Rusev
In a solid match Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Aiden English after a kinshasa. 
Opinion
It was great to see Nakamura in action again after a while. I’m glad they fed English to Shinsuke rather than the super over Rusev. I dont know how long it has been since we’ve seen Shinsuke wrestle but its feels like its been forever. It felt like a treat to see him wrestle today.

-As Nakamura is walking up the ramp. Cena makes his entrance. Cena and Nakamura stare at each other. Cena points at the WrestleMania sign. Nakamura does the same.

John Cena def. AJ Styles
In a great main event between two guys who bring the best out of each other John Cena defeated AJ Styles to be added to the Fastlane match after hitting with a thunderous AA.
Following the match Cena checks on AJ but out comes Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Cena gets ready to fight but Baron Corbin from the side and unloads on Cena with punches. Sami and Owens enter the ring and join in on the beat down on Cena. The heels start working on AJ Styles as well. The music hits and out comes Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler super kicks Corbin, drops Owens and then Sami too with a super kick. Ziggler stands tall in the middle of the ring with AJ and Cena. Ziggler turns and takes out AJ, sending him to the apron. Ziggler turns around to an AA from Cena. Cena stands tall.
Opinion
This was a tremendous match. These two work great with each other and have amazing chemistry. I don’t know if the Fastlane match needed another participant but the idea of Cena in it does elevate it in my mind. It feels like everyone is going to have to step up their game with him in there. I don’t want to see Cena win or the match between Nakamura and Styles change whatsoever but the idea that it could because there is no clear vision of what John Cena is doing at Wrestlemania will have me on the edge of my seat. The post match brawl was good and necessary. I would have hated the other guys involved in the match to be forgotten now just because Cena’s involved.

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this weeks episode of Smackdown Live and it felt like a step up from the last few months. There was a ton of angle advancement for Fastlane. John Cena really made this episode feel more important. The Uso and New Day segment was some must watch television. The Roode/Orton/Jinder rivalry was highlighted much besides the one backstage promo and Jinder wasn’t even involved. WHERE IS THE MAHARAJA AND HIS WEEKLY ANALYSIS OF THE TOP TEN LIST? I was very disappointed.  Anyway, if you havent watched Smackdown Live for a while, I’d say this is a good episode to start tuning back in. I know we haven’t even gotten through Fastlane yet but the Road to Wrestlemania really seems to be kicking off on SD Live now. I mean both Cena and Shinsuke pointed at the Wrestlemania sign so that should symbolize that I’m correct. CHECK IT OUT. Dig it!
Rating – 8/10