Smackdown Live Review 03/28/2017

This is the last episode of Smackdown Live before Wrestlemania. It’s for Smackdown turn to put the final touches not their storylines and programs for Wrestlemania. The last couple of weeks mainly focused on building the Shane McMahon and AJ Styles rivalry while putting some focus on the other major feuds for Wrestlemania. The minor feuds such as Dean Ambrose/Baron Corbin as well as the Orton/Wyatt feud seem to have not been getting that much time but we’ll see what happens tonight. I’m also looking forward to seeing if Shane and Styles gets a stipulation. I’m also looking forward to see how Miz and Maryse continue the hilarious skits from last week.

Smackdown comes to us live from Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA

The show kicks off with a video package showcasing the controversy that took place last week.

AJ Styles/Shane McMahon Contract Signing
Daniel Bryan asks the Richmond, Virginia crowd if they’re ready for WrestleMania? Big YES! Chants. Let’s get things started on the right foot. Bryan introduces the Commissioner of SmackDown Live, Shane McMahon and AJ Styles. Shane applauds Styles as he walks into the ring. Eight months ago when SmackDown Live became SmackDown Live, they felt that this show was going to be the place for opportunity. Management wouldn’t push their own agendas. A place where everyone can tune in and families can be entertained. Styles was always part of that vision. He’s one of the greatest talents to ever step foot through these ropes and Styles is truly is phenomenal. Shane and Styles finally agree on something. Styles was all over the world before he came to WWE. People were chanting his name. Shane says that Styles used the crowd to catapult himself to the WWE Championship.
Unfortunately, AJ Styles ego got too big and he became arrogant. That arrogance cost Styles his title to John Cena. It also cost him against Randy Orton. Styles ego got in the way of him not being a part of WrestleMania. Shane has always made his opponents reach deep down and give their best. Last week, he saw Styles face and he knew that he had to give everything he’s got. If Styles doesn’t bring his A game, how phenomenal will he feel when Shane’s hand is raised at WrestleMania? Shane proceeds to sign the contract. Styles asks Shane if he knows what kind of match he’s in for? It’s not a Hell in a Cell match. It’s not a Falls Count Anywhere Match. If you are outside the ring for more than ten seconds, you will be counted out. There will be no tables or chairs or ladders. It will be a traditional match.
When Shane McMahon steps into this ring, he’ll step into the world of AJ Styles. In this ring, he’s untouchable. If you want to come in here and wrestle, they will wrestle. If he wants to lay hands, they can lay hands. If Shane wants to take it to the air, he’ll embarrass Shane on every level. Shane has been in the ring with Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, The Rock and The Undertaker, but he’s never been in the ring with AJ Styles. Shane will find out at WrestleMania how phenomenal Styles really is. Styles signs the contract. Both men start talking smack to each other. Styles flips over the table. Bryan tries to separate both men. Bryan wants this to end in a handshake. Shane extends his hand out, but Styles walks out of the ring.
Opinion
It was great way to progress this rivalry that really only came about the last 3-4 weeks. If you asked me who Shane McMahon might be facing at Wrestlemania 4-5 months ago, I would have said Dean Ambrose or he’s not wrestling at all. I never expected him to be facing AJ Styles until the rumours surfaced. I was hoping for a stipulation but this segment made it really clear that there wouldn’t be one. Styles even tried to make Shane-O aware of that during this contract signing. It really makes me wonder how this match is going to go since most of Shane’s matches involved high spots or were street fight style matches. I think they’ve done their best job making us care about this match. I know Shane McMahon will give us everything he has to make sure we are happy at the end of the show and I don’t think Styles is capable of having a bad match.

Carmella w/ James Ellsworth vs. Becky Lynch
Mickie James and Alexa Bliss are sitting at commentary. The match ends in a no contest with the interference of Alexa Bliss and Mickie James. Daniel Bryan comes out and makes it a tag team match in classic Teddy Long fashion.
Opinion
I’m just curious why they did’t just book a tag match right off the bat instead. They could have just done that and given 5-10 minutes for Dean Ambrose and Baron Corbin’s face-to-face that we saw on Talking Smack. Don’t you agree?

Carmella & Alexa Bliss w/ James Ellsworth def. Becky Lynch & Mickie James
In a pretty decent tag match it ends when Natalya distracts the ref, Ellsworth gets in Beckys way which allows Carmella to roll her up for the victory. After the match, Naomi returns and lays out Natalya on the stage. Naomi clears the ring and announces that she’ll be entering the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship Match at WrestleMania. This Sunday in her hometown, everyone will feel the glow.
Opinion
The match was a solid tv tag match for the ladies with a screwy finish. The biggest highlight was Naomi returning. I actually predicted on a podcast I was being interviewed on this week that the best case scenario for the Smackdown Women’s Championship match at Wrestlemania would be Naomi returning and winning the belt in her hometown. However, I wasn’t aware how serious her injury was and how the rehab was going. This answered all my questions and my prediction is possible now. Although, I do wish they had Naomi surprise us this Sunday and not tonight on Smackdown.

– Tyler Breeze still dressed as Nikki Bella is trying to get himself in the Women’s Title match talking to Daniel Bryan. Bryan says no and Breeze takes off the wig and Bryan acts shocked to reveal its Tyler and not Nikki. Breeze tells Fandango their hopes of being on Wrestlemania was taken away and Bryan puts them in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal and match tonight.

Miz TV/Total Bellas Bullshit/John Cena Roasts the Mizanins
Tonight we got more unseen footage from Total Bellas Bulls***. John Cena is ready for his Boardwalk Empire Dinner. Daniel Bryan says that he’s a vegan and refuses to eat the steak. Nikki refuses to follow Cena’s rule. Nikki gets on her knees and proposes to Cena. Miz and Maryse says that you’ll get the response from Cena after this commercial break. Cena rejects Nikki’s proposal because he hustles the fans, he has people who are loyal to him, and he only respects Money. Miz and Maryse will humiliate them at WrestleMania and he’ll have to fade into obscurity. Cena doesn’t want to have that reminder around him. Miz and Maryse take off the Nena outfits. Miz says that they’ll make sure that WrestleMania is your curtain call. Cena will not have a career in Hollywood because he’s a circus act. The Kids Choice Awards is the closest thing Nikki will get to having kids with John Cena. Miz says the whole world will find out that your life is total bulls***. The real John Cena and Nikki Bella comes out to interrupt Miz and Maryse. Miz is shocked it took them so long to interrupt them.
Cena was laughing with everyone else. Miz made fun off all of the house rules. Maryse can talk about how Nikki kept her out of WWE, but why she’s standing in a WWE ring right now? Cena said that WWE didn’t want to bring her back. Miz talks about Cena’s fifteen year plan to go to Hollywood, but he’s as brand loyal as Vince McMahon. Cena brings up the fact he does movies, but he always comes back. Randy Orton, Triple H, Dean Ambrose, Sheamus do it. Hell Miz makes crappy remakes of movies he made ten years ago, but it’s cool. Cena wants to know what Maryse is doing here? The women are given a chance to do things better than men. Last week, Nicole lifted a 220 pound man. Maryse takes a paycheck and is a waste of space. Miz begged for Maryse to come back so they could be on Total Divas.
How many kids do Miz and Maryse have? Is Miz firing blanks. Cena told Miz not to bring a knife to a gun fight but he didn’t listen. Does Miz realize how ridiculous he sounds. Miz always blame someone when he falls down. Cena is going to punch Miz in the mouth on Sunday. Cena has stripped away everything that makes people think of him. He’ll crush Miz at WrestleMania. Miz wastes his time memorizing Cena’s house rules, but he forgot the one main rule. If you want to be tough, act tough. They are gutless, spineless cowards. Cena wants Miz to prove him wrong. He tells Miz to take a shot but if you swing, he’ll swing back. If Maryse takes a step, Nikki will knock the Botox out of her cheeks. Miz and Maryse back away and leaves the ring, Nikki says that Miz and Maryse are fake, jealous and on Sunday they’re going to kick their ass.
Opinion
I loved it. I loved the skit. I loved Cena’s promo. Cena roasted Miz and Maryse. I honestly feel like Cena and Nikki are the heels here the way Cena was roasting them. I don’t even agree with half of what Cena said as they just seemed like cheap insults but the fact that Miz and Maryse never fired back it just felt like a roast. I would have loved to see The Miz and Maryse fire back but either way it was a good segment. I kind of cringed when Nikki spoke but she only said one line so it was okay. On paper this match looked ridiculous but in the weeks they’ve had to build it, they captured my attention and made me kind of look forward to the match. Thats a credit to all four superstars involved in this angle. They all played their roles and had be swaying back and forth with who I think is right. It’s quality reality TV. I still think Cena might pop the question at Mania.

American Alpha, Heath Slater, Rhyno & Mojo Rawley def. The Usos, Breezango & Dolph Ziggler
Mojo picks up the win for their team after a running forearm to Tyler Breeze.
Opinion
They are really getting behind Mojo these days. Ziggler almost felt irrelevant in this match and thats unfortunate considering the end half of 2016 he had. I was hoping the Smackdown Tag Team Championship would be defended at Wrestlemania but it looks as if the teams will just be involved in the battle royal. This makes the title changing hands last week make more sense since there were no actual plans for the Smackdown tag team division at Wrestlemania.

Bray Wyatt def. Luke Harper
In a pretty good main event, Bray Wyatt defeated Luke Harper with Sister Abigail.
Opinion
The match was very entertaining. It almost looked like Harper had the victory but Wyatt grabbed the ropes to break the fall. Following that Harper looked like Bray possessed him and gained control of him again because Wyatt just hit him with Sister Abigail like it was nothing. I was concerned with the fact that Harper has no place on the Wrestlemania card, but I’m beginning to think we’re in for a very unique bout at Wrestlemania where Harper will somehow be involved.

Randy Orton Promo
Orton cuts a promo where he is back at the compound, on the same ground he set on fire weeks before where Sister Abigails grave laid and he is stabbing a dead Sister Abigail’s heart so Bray loses the powers he gained by rubbing his body with Abigail’s ashes. He says tonight he’s taking everything away from Bray and some other voodoo creepy shit.
Opinion
It gets confusing at times but I dig it. Orton mark for life. LOL

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this episode of Smackdown Live and it was good go home show to Wrestlemania. Everything had a purpose but I just wish they cut maybe 5-10 minutes of the women to get a quick segment with Ambrose and Corbin on the show. Smackdown does look weaker in the caliber in matches they have going into Wrestlemania with Styles/McMahon being the most interesting to me. I don’t know what to expect from them but I know they’ll do whatever it takes not to let us down. I’m looking forward to Cena & Nikki vs Miz & Maryse now but I don’t know if the match can compare to the epic promos and skits we’ve been getting each week. I am intrigued by the Orton and Wyatt storyline but I just can’t predict whats going to happen. Does Orton overcome the odds and win clean? Does Bray use his “powers” to retain his championship? I guess there is only one way to find out and that is by tuning into the Ultimate Thrill Ride and still in my mind the grand daddy of them all, Wrestlemania.
Rating – 7.5/10

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