Smackdown Review 12/13/2019

Its the Wrestling Classic aka Justin Dhillon back here for this weeks review of Smackdown. It was the go-home show to TLC tonight. How will Roman Reigns react after being drenched in dog food last week? Whats sort of mind games will Bray Wyatt play with The Miz this week? Will we see Bryan at all? Will Lacey Evans get her match against Bayley for TLC? Lets find out.

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Live from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI.

– Michael Cole and Corey Graves are on commentary.

King Corbin Promo
King Corbin is carried to the ring while Dolph Ziggler waits. Security has surrounded the ring. Corbin and Ziggler make fun of Roman being covered in dog food last week. Corbin list all his accomplishments from this past year including beating Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania and winning the King of the Ring. Corbin says he is going to destroy Reigns this Sunday at TLC. Corbin is going to make Reigns bow down to his king. Corbin will be the sole leader of the SmackDown locker room. The New Day interrupts. Corbin makes fun of Kingston for losing the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar in seven seconds. Kingston says it was actually eight seconds. Kingston says Corbin had a great year but he won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania and defended it for six months. Kingston even defeated Corbin’s court jester (Ziggler). Kofi mentioned how after he lost he didn’t go on social media to cry or slow down but how he kept going to the point where they are now the WWE tag team champions. Kingston says he didn’t appreciate what Corbin and Ziggler did to Reigns last week. Corbin says Kingston is pathetic. Kingston managed to have one good day in 15 years. Kingston slaps Corbin. Corbin says Kingston is going to regret that.
Thoughts
This was a solid opening segment to set up the main event. There was no sign of Roman Reigns as of yet but I was sure we’d see him by the end of the show. I like that they finally addressed Kofi’s WWE Championship loss on television for the first time since he’s lost it. -After the break, Corbin and Ziggler walk into their locker room to find all of Corbin’s security laid out.

Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross def. Fire and Desire
In a quick but fun match, Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross defeat Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville when Alexa Bliss caused a distraction to allow Cross to hit her spinning neck breaker on Deville for the win.
Thoughts
The rivalry between these two teams continue. I’m glad that other women’s teams can still have rivalries while the champions have their own rivalry going on. I eventually would like to see both these teams chasing the titles soon. Its great to have Alexa back. – Backstage, Sami Zayn runs into Heavy Machinery. Otis apparently got Zayn’s name in the WWE’s secret Santa. Zayn opens it and its a ham. Zayn tells Otis that he is a vegan. Otis apologizes but Zayn goes on a rant about Otis being a dumb oaf. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura walk int. Cesaro takes the ham and drops it on the floor.

The Revival def. Mustafa Ali & Shorty G
In a competitive tag match, The Revival defeat Ali and G when The Revival counter Mustafa’s tornado ddt into a shatter machine.
Thoughts
How about Dash Wilder falling over the Smackdown set during his entrance? It got a smirk out of me. This was a competitive match between four great competitors. I like this pairing of G and Ali but wonder how long they’re going to run with it. The right team picked up the victory here as The Revival are the number one contenders heading into this Sunday’s event so this was a great way to make them look strong. – Kayla is backstage with SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, asking about Lacey Evans recently calling her out. Bayley understands why some people see Evans as being impressive, but Bayley doesn’t care what people think any longer. She’s doing this for herself. Bayley says this title is what it’s about, and she’s a champion now. She mentions Sasha Banks being off recording a rap album. Bayley goes on about Evans but we hear the sound of Elias guitar in the background. Bayley goes over and yells at Elias, who is with Dana Brooke. Elias reveals he picked Bayley in the Secret Santa game this year. He sings her a song and takes shots at her and Banks while Dana laughs. Elias ends his song by saying Bayley looks just like a dude ever since she got her hair cut. He wishes her a Merry Christmas. Bayley tells Brooke to meet her in the ring when she stops laughing. Dana accepts the challenge and walks off. We go back to a break.

Bayley def. Dana Brooke
In a decent match, Bayley defeated Dana Brooke after hitting her finish
Thoughts
This was what it was and made Bayley look strong. However, there was no sign of Lacey Evans which still makes me feel like the feud is more Sasha versus Lacey than Bayley versus Lacey. Bayley still feels like the least relevant one. – Back from the break and we get another return teaser vignette for Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior says SmackDown has changed in his absence, becoming nothing more than a home to wimps after previously being a home to warriors. But not anymore because Sheamus has returned and he’s bringing the heart back to SmackDown, a heart that is hungry, fired up and ready to smash anyone who gets in his way.

Renee Young Interviews The Miz in LA
During a backstage interview, Renee Young ask The Miz why he took an interest in Daniel Bryan. Miz says he doesn’t have a real answer for that. Regardless of if they like or hate each other, Bryan is important to the WWE Universe. Miz may never like Bryan, but he respects him. It’s time for Miz to finally do the right thing. Miz says he has played mind games his entire career but what Wyatt did last week crossed the line. During the interview, Maryse starts screaming for Miz. On the baby monitor his daughter Monroe is playing with Rambling Rabbit. The screen flashes and Wyatt tells Miz to let him in. Now all of the Firefly funhouse puppets are in the crib with Monroe. Miz and Maryse rush to Monroe’s room. There is a doll in the crib with The Fiend’s face painted on it. Miz ends the interview. Wyatt appears on the big screen for a new episode of Fire Fly Funhouse. Wyatt has the doll with him. He says he was just trying to be nice, after all it’s holiday season. Wyatt knows how much The Miz loves his family, which is what makes this hard. Wyatt learned a while ago that no one likes snitches, and snitches get stitches. He says Miz was so wrapped up in what happened to Bryan, that he exposed himself. He thinks Bryan is still with him, but Miz is with Wyatt. Wyatt goes on and says he can teach Miz how not to love, he just has to… let him in. Wyatt comments on how good The Marine 5 was, and says he will see Miz at TLC on Sunday. Goodbye, see ya!
Thoughts
I enjoyed the mind games that Bray continues to play with The Miz. The firefly funhouse puppets and the new doll ending up in Monroe Sky’s crib was a nice little touch to elevate their match this Sunday by making it more personal for the Miz rather than just Miz looking out for Bryan. This was a solid and creative segment.

Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura w/ Sami Zayn def. Heavy Machinery
In a competitive fun tag team match, Cesaro and Nakamura defeated Heavy Machinery when Nakamura catches Tucker with a devastating kinshasa.
Thoughts
This show was really beginning to feel tag team match heavy but I still enjoyed this match. Nakamura and Cesaro pick up another big deserving win as Heavy Machinery finds themselves in a position to climb back up the ladder again. – We see Dolph Ziggler and King Corbin going over a gameplan with security backstage. Back to commercial.

King Corbin w/ Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston w/ Big E
Corbin is flanked by multiple security guards. Kingston knocks Corbin to the outside. Kington lands a dive off the top to the outside. After the break, Corbin drives Kingston into the barricade. Kingston tries a springboard but Corbin decks him. Kingston reverses thee dipsey doo clothesline into the SOS. Corbin kicks out. Ranna by Kingston. Kingston lands the boom drop. Kingston calls for Trouble in Paradise. Ziggler hooks Kingston’s leg. The referee ejects Ziggler. Ziggler runs back down to the ring and attacks Big E. Kingston goes to the outside to help. All four men fight. Big E. grabs a mic and says if those two want to fight let’s do it now.
Thoughts
The only singles match on the show also gets turned into a tag match but no complaints here. I was enjoying just Kofi versus Corbin though.

The New Day def. King Corbin & Dolph Ziggler
In a segment that was the main event, the match ended in DQ when Ziggler and Corbin got hand-cuffs from under the ring to shackle up Kofi Kingston. Corbin also uses chains to tie up Kofi.
Thoughts
The main event never really had a finish either but rather ended in a DQ which allowed both Corbin and The New Day to remain looking strong going into TLC.

Roman Reigns
After the bell, Ziggler pulls Kofi out of the ring with the chains. Kofi fights back but Corbin decks him. Big E is still laid out from the superkick. They chain Kofi to the ring post, like they did Roman Reigns last week. Corbin decks Kofi in the head with a scepter. The Revival suddenly appears at ringside. Big E charges and they drop him on the floor with a Shatter Machine. The music suddenly hits and out comes Reigns to a huge pop, just as Corbin pulls out the dog food. Security attacks Reigns on the ramp and he runs through them all with ease. Reigns fights off Dash Wilder, Scott Dawson and several more security guards. The Revival double team Reigns against the barrier now. They bring Reigns in the ring but he fights them off. Reigns takes out The Revival and then Ziggler but Corbin drops him from the side with a cheap shot. Corbin swings the scepter but Reigns nails a big punch instead. Reigns stands tall alone in the ring now. Fans chant for Reigns to pick the scepter up. Reigns goes to ringside with the scepter in front of Corbin but Ziggler drops Reigns out of nowhere with a big superkick. The Revival and Ziggler toss Reigns onto the announce table. Ziggler stands a ladder up and climbs it. Big E drops The Revival. Reigns meets Ziggler at the top of the ladder. Reigns chokeslams Ziggler from the ladder, through the announce table. Fans pop big. Reigns returns to the ring as his music hits. He stops to free Kofi from the chains on the ring post. Reigns stands tall as we go to replays. Reigns stands tall in the ring as fans cheer him on. Corbin looks on from the entrance, talking trash back at the ring. The final SmackDown before TLC goes off the air with Reigns standing tall in the ring.
Thoughts
That was a helluva brawl to end the show and although the odds were stacked against Reigns, he overcame them. The traditional mindset is that Reigns stood tall at the end of the go-home show so Corbin would stand tall at the end of TLC but with Roman Reigns you can easily expect him to stand tall both shows.

Final Thoughts
This was a solid go home show but not the greatest. Besides the closing segment and Bray/Miz segment, nothing really got me super excited for this Sunday’s TLC. This show was also very tag team heavy and lacked variety in matches. I also think the only angle I really am invested in is the Bray and Miz one. As much as I am enjoyed the brawl between Reigns and Corbin tonight, I can not say I’ve really cared about the feud up till this point. Hopefully things pick up on Smackdown following TLC and heading into the New Year.