Smackdown Live Review 12/12/2017

Hello Misfits. It’s time for this weeks Smackdown Live review. It’s the last show before this Sunday’s Clash of Champions. As 2017 has had me learned the card is subject to change even a week of the PPV. I’m curious to see if there will be any last minute changes to this years final PPV. Shane McMahon dropped a huge stipulation last week for the tag team match at Clash of Champions where Owens and Zayn’s jobs are on the line by announcing himself as the special guest referee. I am curious to see how KO and Zayn react to that. The only build up to the Styles/Mahal match last week was a video package but with this being the final episode of Smackdown before the big rematch, I wonder what they will do to further build hype for that match. There are also questions awaiting answers about both he tag team and womens divisions on Smackdown so lets move on with this Smackdown review.

Smackdown comes to us live from US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, OH.

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

– Backstage Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are handing out flyers. They are wearing “Yep! Yep! Yep!” shirts. They are trying to get support for the “Yep!” movement. Their motive is to get Shane McMahon removed as Smackdown Commissioner. LOL this is was entertaining.

AJ Styles & The Singh Brothers
WWE Champion AJ Styles is here to kick off the show. He welcomes us to the house that AJ Styles built. All he can think about is defending the WWE Title at Clash of Champions. But what good is being champion if you’re not a fighting champion. He knows Mahal will do anything to win back his title. And he knows what it’s like. The Singh brothers arrive. They show clips of Jinder kicking their asses last week. Styles says he feels sorry for them and offers to hug it out. The Singhs hug, but Styles offers a hug from uncle Al. They arrive in the ring and Styles gives them hugs. They thank Styles for his support, but say at Clash of Champions, they want to be in his corner. They are done with Jinder Mahal and he will have to fight on his own. Styles tells them to tell the world. They rant about Mahal traveling first clash while they are treated like trash, Mahal even thinks they are twins and make them dress alike. They also say they had to kiss his disgusting feet. Styles asks if they are so upset with Mahal, then why were they with him in India over the weekend. Styles asks if they are still with Mahal, and they say they aren’t. Styles offers a handshake, and Mahal arrives. Styles tells Mahal to not even come down here, because he knows what’s going on. Styles then says he wants it one on one at the Clash and beats down the Singhs and tosses them to the floor. Mahal teases coming to the ring, but backs off as he yells at AJ, saying the title belongs to him. Jinder Mahal then checks on the Singhs.
Opinion
FINALLY we get something different between Styles and Mahal. I dont know why but since Styles won the title it just seemed like there hasn’t been much between them but so much happening for them separately. Styles had his whole thing Lesnar that seemed more important than this. Mahal has this huge India tour coming up and a match with Triple H in New Delhi which just felt more important than this. For three Styles beat up the Singh Brothers and last week there was nothing. Styles this week came out there to hype of the match and the angle they played was that Jinder did everything he could during his reign to keep the title and expects no different from him trying to get it back. They utilized the Singh Brothers to show that and they did excellence tonight. They were funny and over the top but it worked. If you understand punjabi and were listing to their promo it was even more funny. It made Jinder look more like an evil mastermind by sending his minions out there to try to convince Styles that they wanted to be his corner over Jinder but the plan backfired because Styles wasnt taking any risks. Tonight was the first time this rivalry felt like the main focus for both men.

Charlotte def. Ruby Riot w/ The Riot Squad
Natalya was in commentary for this match. In decent television match Charlotte defeated Ruby Riot by DQ when Natalya attacks Charlotte after Charlotte hit her with an elbow when she left the commentary table to get in Charlotte’s face.
After the match, Morgan, Riott, and Logan beat down Charlotte. They set Charlotte up under the ring steps like they did Naomi. Naomi runs to ringside and dropkicks Logan and Morgan. Naomi floors Riott with the rear view. Logan pulls Riott out of the ring. As the Riott Squad tries to retreat, Lana, Carmella, and Tamina attack them on the ramp.
Opinion
This was more angle advancement for the lumberjack match between Charlotte and Natalya at Clash of Champions. This week we saw the Raw Women’s roster get the best of Absolution so I’m not surprised the Smackdown writing team did the same thing to Riott Squad this week just under different circumstances. The Smackdown’s Women’s roster excluding Natalya got the best of the Riott Squad tonight which means they’ll be just as much chaos outside the ring at Clash of Champions as there will be inside the ring.

– Bryan is on the phone, and tells Shane he has everything under control. Kevin & Sami arrive, and leave an occupy Smackdown sign.

Dolph Ziggler def. Baron Corbin
Bobby Roode is out this week on commentary. The match really only got started when Roode hit the ring and hit the Glorious DDT on both of his opponents for this Sunday. Roode hit Ziggler first which technically meant Ziggler won by DQ.
Opinion
This was the same formula as last week but just mixing up the guys. I feel like Smackdown has a tendency of repeating themselves with just mixing things up a little bit. Take the Singh Brothers fighting AJ Styles for three weeks straight or mixing up the Usos/New Day combination for weeks a couple of months ago. This triple threat is still missing that substance that would really make you care about it but I’m hoping the match will be good. Corbin as US Champion has been very lacklustre thus far, Ziggler is just there and Roode is losing any steam he had but he can regain it this Sunday.

– Breezango is backstage and they have a little back and forth with The Ascension. Breezango challenged the Bludgeon Brothers to a match at Clash of Champions.

The Bludgeon Brothers def. Local Enhancement Talent
In another quick squash match, The Bludgeon brothers destroy two local enhancement talent. Supposedly one of them was former WWEECW talent Colin Delaney.
Opinion
This was exactly what you expected it to be and as it should have been. The Bludgeon Brothers are building momenteum and steam rolling through their opponents. The one talent screaming on the finish while getting power bombed was hilarious and might just be his only WWE moment but he owned it.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn Occupy Smackdown Live
Owens tells us the Yep! Movement has arrived. Zayn rattles off their manifesto as Owens says Yep! Last week management took things one step too far. Footage of Owens being handcuffed to the ropes last week is shown. Owens says everyone thinks Stephanie and Vince are bad but Shane is the worst McMahon of them all. Shane made himself the referee for their tag match at the PPV. Zayn says… yep. Owens adds that Shane is trying to make them lose their jobs because Shane couldn’t stand up for his family. Owens says its time to occupy Smackdown! Problem is no one comes to the ring. Bryan eventually comes out and joins them in the ring.
Owens introduces Bryan as the inspiration for the Yep Movement. Bryan asks them what they are doing. Owens says Bryan had the Yes Movement and now they have the Yep Movement. Owens says they are going through the same thing Bryan went through. Bryan tells them they are nothing like him. The Yes Movement was never about him. It was about the WWE Universe. Owens claims Shane is trying to take food out fo their families mouth. Bryan says he has Shane’s back and Bryan has his. Bryan says he is going to make sure the match this Sunday will be fair. Bryan named himself the second guest referee for the tag match.
Opinion
This was stirring the pot even more and added more intrigue to what could possibly happen this Sunday to further this angle. I dont see Owens and Zayn losing this Sunday but I dont see them winning without controversy. This Yep Movement idea was clever and funny as well. It oddly feels like Bryan is sympathizing more and more with Owens and Zayn due to their similar roads to the WWE and his past with the Authority. It also feels like the tension between Shane-O and Bryan is getting larger as well.

Rusev & Aiden English def. The Usos
The New Day are on commentary with pancakes again. Rusev and Aiden English finish the 12 Days of Rusev Day song. The Usos come out and cut a promo on everyone and make fun of Rusev and English. This is followed by Gable and Benjamin coming out saying that they’re going to win the championships basically.
In a decent television match Rusev and English picked up the victory when English distracts the referee while Rusev kicks Jimmy in the head. English hits his finish on Jimmy.
Opinion
Solid match with solid competitors and to build further intrigue for the tag title match this Sunday. Every team got a bit of time to put themselves over.

–  Backstage, Renee tries to get a quick interview with AJ Styles but Mahal and the Singh Brothers attack Styles. Mahal tells Styles he will not be beating the odds this Sunday.

– Randy Orton makes his way out to the ring, followed by Shinsuke Nakamura. Renee is here to interview them. Orton says he can’t speak about Bryan or Shane’s motivations, but he hates Kevin & Sami and will send them packing. Nakamura agrees. Daniel Bryan joins the commentary team.

Kevin Owens w/ Sami Zayn def. Shinsuke Nakamura w/ Randy Orton
In an entertaining main event where Bryan ended up taking the referee duties near the end after a referee bump, Kevin Owens defeated Shinsuke when Owens capitalizes on Zayn distracting Nakamura and hitting a pop-up power bomb.
Opinion
This was a solid main event between two top notch competitors. I believe this was the first time we’ve seen Owens beat Nakamura from the many matches they have already had. I feel like Orton and Nakamura are the two least important people in this angle but necessary because someone had to be in the roles they’re in. One of the most interesting things about this match was the commentary where Bryan defended his case for naming himself the second referee. There were questions about his faith in Shane-O Mac and his relationship with Owens and Zayn that really help add layers the story. It also really made Byron look like a corporate yes man to the WWE and for the first time that I can remember in a while, I was really enjoying the commentary.

– Renee asks Owens if they have any last words for the WWE Universe before Clash of Champions. Owens says no one is going to stop them this Sunday. Owens starts a Yep! chant.

Final Thoughts
I feel like this episode of Smackdown was step up from last weeks episode. There were some things that felt repetitive and uninspired but then there was just angle development that seemed well thought out and creative. I was glad that Styles and Mahal got some time today and the Singh Brothers really entertained me tonight. The addition of Bryan to the big tag match this Sunday really makes me more interested on how the match will play out. This wasn’t the best episode of Smackdown but it sure wasnt that bad. I would write a little bit more here but I think i’ll elaborate more on my thoughts in my Clash of Champions predictions which should be up on Thursday. Dig It?!
Rating – 6/10