We’ve got a new number one contender to AJ Styles!
SAnitY debut!
And it’s the first Smackdown in the post-Big Cass era.
LEAVE THE MEMORIES ALONE.
I am Luke Owen vote in the poll above my head to let you me know what you thought about
this show using this ratings system from top to bottom: SmackDAMN, SmackTastic, Smack Bang
in the Middle, Ellsworthy – which thankfully makes sense again – and a Smack in the Face.
This is the 19th of June 2018 edition of Smackdown Live… in about 4 minutes.
After Paige cut an awkwardly scripted recap of Money in the Bank, Carmella opened the
show to cut a babyface promo about believing in your dreams – but then heel’d it up
and told the crowd they’re all idiots.
This was totally different from Alexa Bliss’ doing the exact same thing on Raw, or when
Carmella did the same thing after she won the title, or when Alexa Bliss did the same
thing after Elimination Chamber.
Totally different.
Asuka’s music hit, but some clearly not Asuka came down to the ring.
It was of course the returning James Ellsworth who listed all the women Mella is better than
– including Mother Teresa and Beyonce.
Man it’s good to have Ellsworth back.
Asuka herself stormed down to the ring to take out Ol’ Chinless, but Mella laid her
out with a superkick to ensure this feud continues.
IIconics cut a promo before Billie Kay’s match with Becky Lynch, which featured Kay
doing a perfect impression of the robotic backstage interviewers.
Becky then made her tap out to the Disarmer in a basic match.
I’m not sure where either are going.
Jeff Hardy revealed his next feud by cutting a promo on Shinsuke Nakamura, and later in
the show Nakamura responded by saying he could close Jeff’s painted on eyes.
This could be a good way to reset Nakamura after losing six WWE Championship matches,
and the two should have an amazing match.
After being announced in the Superstar Shake-Up two months ago, SAnitY finally debuted on
the main roster.
But how did this manic group of uncontrollable crazy people debut?
WWE have been holding off on this for two months now – they must have something big
up their sleeves.
And they sure didn’t do something bland!
SAnitY had a scheduled match against The Usos!
Oh wait that is bland.
The match didn’t happen though, as The Usos jumped them before the bell and then got laid
out by the Eric Young led group.
Hardly the most exciting debut.
Speaking of which has anyone seen Andrade “Cien” Almas?
The Bludgeon Brothers taking on Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson wasn’t good enough to
be on the Money in the Bank main card – and it apparently wasn’t good enough for a full
match on Smackdown either.
With the majority taking place in the commercial break.
Bludgeon Brothers won to retain their championships.
This set up the second half of the show, which was the 5-man Gauntlet Match to determine
a new number one contender for AJ Styles’ WWE Championship.
The first two men were Big E and Daniel Bryan, the latter of who crossed paths with the Bludgeon
Brothers on the way to the ring.
Big E and Bryan then had a really good match – despite the commercial break – and saw
Bryan valiantly overcome the big man to pin him after the running knee.
Samoa Joe was out next, and although this match got two commercial breaks stopping some
of their momentum, they had a fantastic TV bout.
Joe is easily one of the best wrestlers in WWE right now, and Daniel Bryan is right there
beside him.
But the true genius of this match came in the finish.
Joe rolled to the outside and caught Bryan in the Coquina Clutch – trying to get Bryan
counted out.
But Bryan reversed it and jumped back in before the 10 count – meaning Joe got counted out
instead.
It protects Joe in defeat, made him look like a great tactician, and put over Daniel Bryan
as the plucky underdog who still has two more men to beat in order to win.
This couldn’t have been booked any better.
But it did get better.
As before Bryan’s third match could start, The Bludgeon Brothers attacked him and left
him laying.
Setting up the perfect man to come out next: The Miz.
He hit the Skull Crushing Finale and pinned Bryan to advance.
I loved everything about this.
And I also enjoyed The Miz taking on the final man in this Gauntlet, Rusev.
The two had a decent match with a good sequence of reversals, and Rusev hit the Matchka Kick
and locked in the Accolade for the win.
Rusev is the new number one contender for the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules.
Which takes place on… let me check my calendar… ah dammit, it’s the day before Rusev Day.
Tsk, that would have been nice, if he had his title match on the day named after him.
Oh wait, the day before Rusev Day is also Rusev Day!
Although the seemingly constant commercial breaks hampered the Gauntlet match quality
somewhat, it was perfectly booked and told an excellent story.
Every man played their role brilliantly, and it’s set up some fresh and interesting feuds
coming out of it.
The rest of the show was so-so, but at least we didn’t get a Big Cass promo about being
tall.
And we never will again.
This week’s Smackdown Live
was SmackTastic.