Smackdown Live came to us last night from Birmingham, Alabama with some ups but more downs. Without any further ado, here is my WWE Smackdown 1/9/18 review.
The show opens with Renee Young interviewing AJ Styles in the ring. Renee asks him about last week and the handicap match at the Rumble. He says it doesn’t matter the odds, he can beat them both. Renee asks if Daniel Bryan’s decision was fair. He says no but life’s not fair either.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn come out and say there will be no miracle for AJ at the Rumble. They will be co WWE champions. Shane McMahon says he backs Daniel’s decision for now. Makes the main event Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Randy Orton.
Analysis: Ok segment. Helped set the tone for the night.Becky Lynch def Ruby Riott by submission.
Analysis: Couldn’t really get into it that much. Good to see Becky back. Didn’t agree with making Ruby tap out since WWE is trying to build her faction as dominant. A win by DQ for Becky due to interference would’ve been a better result.
Bludgeon Brothers def The Ascension by pinfall after a powerbomb to Vicktor. They attack Ascension after the match.
Analysis: Pretty good. A quick match which is the way I like it with the Bludgeon brothers. Fits their gimmick.
Mojo Rawley def Zack Ryder to advance in the U.S title tournament.
Analysis: Average match. Not a fan of Mojo’s entrance music. It’s just very generic. Mojo’s finisher to Ryder wasn’t that exciting or anything new. The crowd was also not very into it.Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin come out and insult the University of Alabama for winning the national championship. They say they were robbed last week. The referee stole their dreams and demand justice. Daniel Bryan says the referee’s decision is final. He announces that Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin will challenge the Usos for the tag titles at the Rumble in a 2 out of 3 falls match.
Analysis: Good promo by Chad and Shelton. I really think Chad Gable has charismatic potential. A 2 out of 3 falls rematch with these two teams I wouldn’t mind seeing.
The Fashion Police def Rusev Day with a roll-up on Rusev by Fandango.
Analysis: I love Rusev Day and that they are still over with the crowd. I don’t know who made the decision for The Fashion Police to win. Rusev Day definitely should’ve gotten the win. The match itself was okay though.
Shinsuke Nakamura, Randy Orton and AJ Styles def Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens after an RKO to Zayn.
Analysis: OK match. Having an authority figure restart the match and add stipulations is kinda overdone. Wish that they would’ve followed up on Owens and AJ going backstage.Overall: OK show. Not the most enjoyable and easy to watch for me but some things I liked. The segment with Gable and Benjamin was a good segment. Seeing the fans get behind Rusev is always good to see as well.
What did you guys think about SmackDown?