Smackdown Live Review 05/22/2018

Hello Misfits. It is time for this weeks Smackdown Live review. This week we get Jeff Hardy vs. Daniel Bryan for the first time ever. Also there are two more qualifying matches for the Women’s Money in the Bank match featuring the likes of Lana, Sonya Deville, Naomi and the IIconics. How will Carmella react this week after her Royal Mellabration was ruined by Paige who announced she’ll be defending her championship against Asuka? Andrade Cien Almas made his debut last week on Smackdown Live, what kind of impact will he make this week? Last week we Shinsuka Nakamura defeated AJ Styles to get the right to choose the stipulation for their match at MITB. What sort of match will he choose? We find out all of this plus much more. Lets see how Smackdown Live went.

Smackdown comes to us live from the DCU Centre in Worcester, Massachusetts

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

Miz TV with The New Day
Miz says he has two huge things to tell us. First, on July 24th he new docu-series will debut on USA right after Smackdown Live! Miz’s guest tonight is the New Day! Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E. join Miz in the ring. Miz notes that one member of the New Day will be in the MITB match.
A “who?” chant breaks out. Big E. say they shouldn’t keep the people waiting anymore. Each member sings “It’s gonna be me”. Miz says he thinks each member of New Day is holding each other back. Woods notes all of Miz’s accomplishments. Woods refers to Miz as a living legend. Woods says that the one thing that no one likes about Miz is that no matter what is happening Miz always makes sure that Miz comes first. Miz says Woods can says whatever he wants but Miz has already won MITB match. Miz says Kingston has been in six MITB matches and hasn’t won one yet. Miz says Big E. has every tool needed to be a champion but Big E. will never be taken seriously because Big E. doesn’t take himself seriously. Miz says Woods is someone who takes himself very seriously. Woods built an empire on Youtube all by himself.
Each of them has the chance to be one of the greatest champions in history. Miz asks them one more time who it’s gonna be. Woods says he feels like it has to be Big E. Big E. says it has to be Kingston. Kingston says it should be Woods. Miz goes nuts and says he brought them out here to get the scoop and he can beat any one of them any day of the week. New Day huddles up. Kingston says it’s going to be Big E. Miz tries to announce Big E. as being in the MITB match. Woods cuts Miz off and says they weren’t talking about MITB they were talking about tonight. Miz says if he doesn’t get what he wants, they don’t get what they want. Miz says he will see one of them at MITB. Each member of New Day tosses a pancake at Miz while saying, “shame!” Backstage, Miz runs into Paige. Paige tells Miz to go back to the ring right now.
Opinion
I really enjoy it when they open Smackdown Live with Miz TV. I liked the way they took a small detail like The New Day having to pick one member from their team to participate in the MITB match and made an angle out of it. The Miz did a great job breaking down each guys strengths and weaknesses putting focus on The New Day as indviduals rather than a team for the first time in ages. Its been a while since we’ve thought of The New Day as individuals rather than a group. These are four of the most entertaining and charismatic guys on the roster so of course this segment was entertaining and a good way to highlight some of Smackdown’s participants for the match. Wait…we never found out which member of the New Day is participating in the MITB.

The Miz def. Big E w/ The New Day
In an awesome match, The Miz defeated Big E after The Bar made their presence known causing a brawl with Xavier and Kofi which allowed Miz to hit a skull crushing finale on a distracted Big E for the win.
Opinion
This was good match with a finish that further progressed current storylines. I was wondering if they were just going to fully drop this small rivalry between The New Day and The Bar but I like how they kept the two involved with each other. The way Kofi leaped off of the steps, onto Cesaros shoulders and then onto Sheamus was a really cool sight to see. I enjoyed it and I’m glad the Miz picked up the win.

– Big Cass is shown walking on crutches backstage.

– Backstage, Daniel Bryan says he treats every single match like it’s the biggest match of his career. Tonight Bryan is going to get in the ring with a legend. Tonight, Bryan is going to tap a legend out.

– We see Lana looking like fire.

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Lana w/ Aiden English def. Billie Kaye w/ Peyton Royce
Before the match, Aiden English introduced Lana to the ring in similar fashion as he does for Rusev. Peyton Royce and Billie Kaye cut a promo on Lana and Aiden on their way to the ring and mock Aiden’s singing.
In a squash match, Lana defeated Billie Kaye after a karate kick and a bella buster to qualify for the MITB match.
Opinion
This was interesting on so many different levels. Aiden introducing Lana is new and it looks like they’re trying to get Lana over with Rusev’s current popularity and union with English. I was curious to see if the fans were going to embrace the “Lana is the best” song as much as they do with the “Rusev Day” one and they did. I was really hoping that Billie Kaye would win so we could get some IIconics entertainment at MITB but I’m glad Lana is relevant again. I thought she was trying to cause a rift between Aiden and Rusev but that must be a to be continued angle for after MITB.

Andrade Cien Almas w/ Zelina Vega def. Jobber
In a quick match, Almas defeats a jobber after a hammerlock DDT.
Opinion
This was another good showing for Almas. I’m looking forward to see what they do with him following MITB. Jeff Hardy vs Almas?

– Backstage, Carmella has on an Asuka mask. Carmella says since she beat Charlotte twice that makes her twice as good as Asuka. Asuka should be afraid of Carmella and that she will continue to prove to everyone that Mella is money. I love her. Mella is money.

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura
Renee Young introduces both competitors. Styles stares daggers at Nakamura as Nakamura walks around the ring. Styles cut off Renee and says Nakamura needs to just tell us what it’s going to be. Nakamura tells Styles to relax and remember why he is getting to pick the stipulation. Styles says he remembers it. Nakamura needs to remember it too since it will never happen again. Nakamura says he is going to dishonor Styles. Styles house is now Nakamura’s house. Nakamura says the match will be a pillow fight. Nakamura bust out laughing. Styles says did he just say pillow fight? Style calls Nakamura the king of soft style. Nakamura says he jokes because he has the upper hand. Styles jokes because he is scared.
Nakamura says knee to face over and over again. Styles says it doesn’t matter what the stipulation is. Nakamura can’t beat Styles when it counts anyway. Styles says he is over it and he will see Nakamura at MITB. Nakamura swings at Styles. Styles ducks it. Nakamura rolls outside. Styles sends Nakamura into the timekeeper’s area. Styles tries to set up the announce desk. Nakamura almost decapitates him with a chair. Styles tries to dive off the barricade but Nakamura hits him in the chest with a chair. Nakamura starts to count as Styles tries to get to his feet. Nakamura gourd busters Styles on the announce desk. Nakamura hits the Kinshasa. Nakamura starts to count again. Nakamura counts to 10. Nakamura stands on the announce desk and says “last man standing match”.
Opinion
This was a decent segment that showed that there is still a fire in the rivalry between Styles and Nakamura. Nakamura continues to prosper in this heel role and he continues to get under Styles skin. I think a last man standing match is the perfect match for these guys because it allows them to wrestle in a No DQ atmosphere as well as get a proper finish. I also really enjoyed they didn’t have this segment end without a brawl.

Number One Contenders Match
The Club def. The Usos
Before the match, Gallows and Anderson say they respect the Usos but the Usos blew it the last time they were in the ring with the Bludgeon Brothers. Jimmy snatches the mic and asks Gallows and Anderson if they know where they are at. This isn’t Japan or Monday Night Raw. Jimmy welcomes them to the Uso Penitentiary. Gallows calls the Usos nerds. The Usos attack Gallows and Anderson. Gallows and Anderson both get knocked to the outside.  Jey pulls down the top rope as Jimmy dives onto Gallows and Anderson.
In a competitive match after coming back from the break Gallows and Anderson defeat The Usos after hitting the magic killer on Jimmy Uso.
Opinion
I’m glad the Club got the win but also disappointed The Usos are out of the title pictures. It seemed like before The Greatest Royal Rumble they had plans to continue the Usos and the Bludgeon Brothers while involving Naomi but it seems like that got scrapped. I hope the Club arent being fed to The Bludgeon Brothers and actually put up a good competitive fight.

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Naomi def. Sonya Deville w/ Mandy Rose
In another qualifying match that went a little longer than the first one Naomi defeated Sonya Deville when she counters Deville’s knee strikes into a prawn hold for the win.
Opinion
I think Naomi was the right choice here. Sonya Deville and Mandy Sacs still continue to find a way to make it work on Smackdown without having any favouritism from Paige.

– Backstage, Jeff Hardy says he is super excited to face Bryan tonight. Hardy is getting chills even thinking about it.

Qualifying Match for a Qualifying Match
Daniel Bryan def. Jeff Hardy
Samoa Joe came out for commentary for this match. In a really entertaining main event, Daniel Bryan defeated Jeff Hardy when Bryan snaps Hardy with a dragons screw leg whip and locks in a leg lock forcing Hardy to tap out.
After the match, Samoa Joe gets in the ring and says he doesn’t know why Bryan is celebrating because next week Bryan has to face him and Bryan goes too sleep. Joe walks away. Joe gets interviewed backstage quickly by Renee Young where he again says he’s going to beat Bryan.
Opinion
This was a good main event match, and while they didn’t get a ton of time, it was enjoyable and made me want to see a PPV match between the two down the line. Bryan gets the win, and can lay claim to a US title shot down the line, but more importantly gets another chance to get into MITB when he faces Joe next week. Joe was really excellent on commentary here and his work went a long way to help hype next week’s match. I’m really looking forward to next weeks match. I wonder what is next for Jeff Hardy. If he’s not in the MITB ladder match, which I actually prefer that the US Champion is not, then he should be defending his championship…but against who.

Final Thoughts
Its crazy how many first time matches Smackdown Live has given us since the initial draft in 2016. This week we got Jeff Hardy and Daniel Bryan and next week we’re going to get Bryan and Joe. Although, Bryan vs Joe isn’t technically a first-time ever match, it’s the first time in the WWE and also a match I thought we would never see a year ago today. This weeks episode of Smackdown Live delivered yet again. Unlike Raw nothing felt too long and every segment had a purpose. There was a ton of angle advancement and smart booking heading into Money in the Bank which is exactly what these weekly shows should be used for. I enjoyed it.
Rating – 7/10