On today’s news, the real reason for Hit Row being fired from WWE, what the future
holds for Swerve Scott, an injury in AEW, my review of SmackDown, Tempest’s review
of Rampage and more.
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Hey remember last month when WWE hadn’t fired Hit Row?
Man those were some good times, take me back.
As part of the last round of releases, the three remaining members of Hit Row were let
go from WWE, two weeks after the fourth member was also let go.
It’s now come out as to why they were let go, just weeks after their main roster call-up.
And no, not ‘budget cuts’, the actual reason.
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Top Dolla reportedly
had some backstage heat in the locker room, as “While he came across well on television,
he rubbed a ton of people the wrong way in NXT and was getting the same reputation on
the main roster.”
The report goes on to say that Vince McMahon saw Top Dolla as the star of Hit Row, because
he’s big I guess, and after they had decided to release him, they decided to just let the
rest of Hit Row go as well.
Because why not, throw away Swerve Scott despite him being the breakout star of the group in
NXT and being a former North American Champion, and having all the tools to be a top star
in any company.
No, not getting heated.
Not getting heated.
And speaking of Swerve, according Fightful Select, the future is looking bright for him,
as there are “officials involved in multiple companies, including major ones, who have
indicated that they already have interest in bringing in Swerve Scott/Strickland.”
Major companies sounds like the biggest promotions outside WWE, so AEW, Impact, New Japan, would
all be contenders I’d say.
This is completely separate of Hit Row, and the report also mentioned that while in WWE,
there were significant creative pitches for the group.
Which is actually shocking considering they did literally none of them.
Sorry, not getting heated, just, really not over this one.
“There were some significant creative pitches for Hit Row, we just haven't heard how far
they got.
There was plenty of back and forth internally as to who should lead as the singles talent
in the group, if they should be faces or heels, and the direction for them in general.”
The group was called up just last month during the WWE Draft.
B-Fab was released first before the rest of the faction was released on Thursday night.
Another AEW star has hit the shelf with an injury after this week’s episode of Dynamite.
The Butcher returned to the show to take on one of his idols in Tomohiro Ishii in a tag
match.
The Butcher teamed up with his partner The Blade to lose to Ishii and Orange Cassidy
and in the process, tore his bicep.
Bryan Alvarez reported the news on Wrestling Observer Live on Friday.
The Butcher had been on tour with his band prior to the match and made the trip in for
the match before going back on tour.
It wasn’t specified whether or not the injury will affect his tour but this is not the only
injury that The Butcher has suffered in 2021.
He had also suffered a hand injury at AEW’s only house show to date “The House Always
Wins”, taking him off television for several months before returning on the Buy-In pre
show for All Out in September.
He and The Blade have both been associated with Matt Hardy and the Hardy Family Office
for most of 2021.
From all of us here at WrestleTalk we would like to wish The Butcher a very speedy recovery
so he can get back to his butchering duties.
And now before we get into my SmackDown review, a quick word from our sponsor!
And now it’s time for my review of last night’s SmackDown, in about 5 minutes, which,
once again, can’t believe I’m saying this twice in the same month, definitely wasn’t
soured by any releases that happened this week.
It’s the go-home show for Survivor Series, so will this episode finally make me care
about the Big 4 show tomorrow?
No.
Spoilers.
The show started with The Usos introducing Roman Reigns as they and Paul Heyman planned
on coronating Reigns with all of the King garb that Woods normally has.
The throne, the cape, scepter and all that stuff.
But Reigns shuts it down, saying he doesn’t need all this stuff, and the only reason he
took the crown last week was because he can.
Woods comes out and says he doesn’t care about that stuff anyway, because it’s not
the props that make a king, and then Reigns tells the Usos to break it all, and then Woods
starts crying?
So he did care about that stuff.
So it does matter?
I’m getting conflicting messages here Woods.
They go to break the crown, but Woods rushes in to try and stop them, but instead gets
beaten up, and then Reigns stamps on the crown and it...bends.
You know, like metal crowns definitely do.
He then tears it into pieces, you know, like you can definitely do with metal crowns.
I’d feel bad for Woods, but they are quite literally just props and with Woods immediately
beforehand saying that’s not what makes a king, it
just felt a bit flat to me.
After that came
a Fatal 4-Way to determine the final member of the men’s SmackDown team after Sami Zayn
was taken off last week, between Jinder Mahal, Ricochet, Cesaro and a returning Sheamus.
This was a fun match, was very fast paced, had some great spots, and it ended in distraction
because of course it did.
Ridge Holland came out and distracted Cesaro who got Brogue Kicked and pinned, and then
Pat McAfee called Ridge a “fellow Irishman”.
He’s from Yorkshire, Pat.
Yorkshire, England.
Ridge & Sheamus then did an awkward promo backstage and go to the bar, you know, like
the Irishmen they are.
I’m not sold on their act right now, but maybe it’ll grow on me.
A video package showing the history of Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair played next, and
it was so close to being good.
It was great to reference their history and how they used to be friends, and now they’re
not, and it just touched on the title exchange segment without diving deeper on it, which
is the actual intrigue of the match.
About if they can hold it together and put on a good match.
It was still ok, I think it just missed the point of why a lot of people are looking forward
to the match.
Naomi & Aliyah then took on Shayna Baszler & Natalya, and the recap of Aliyah winning
last week and then being taken off the SmackDown team was probably longer than the match itself,
which included Shayna Baszler absolutely no-selling a Rear View, and then the referee doing a
fast count to have Naomi lose.
Later on the ref approached Sonya Deville but she blew her off and pretended like she
hadn’t paid her off to do the fast count.
Yes, I get it, Sonya doesn’t like Naomi.
We still don’t know why though.
Jeff Hardy vs Madcap Moss came next, and Hardy won in like a minute with a rollup.
As Moss had Corbin in his corner, Hardy had his natural friend, Drew McIntyre, and Drew
saved Hardy from a post-match beatdown.
Survivor Series.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Angel came next, and Shinsuke won in like a minute.
Wow that’s almost the same as what happened in the last match!
Shotzi vs Sasha Banks was after that, and this was actually pretty good!
They got time, Shotzi got a lot of offense in and looked good against Banks, she held
her own, and was elevated in doing so, and after Banks getting her arm worked over in
the match, she used her leg for the Bank Statement instead, making Shotzi tap.
That was nice.
And then there was the bit where Sonya Deville took on the Stephanie McMahon role of babying
the wrestlers and had to make sure they shook hands afterwards because they’re children
that can’t get along you see.
Banks shakes her hand, but then hits her with a backstabber.
K. Xia Li is coming soon, but we did get an actual
character for her this time.
In a comic-book style video package, she told the story of her father looking out for her
family, until he passed away, so she stepped up to become the protector.
Like a superhero.
Almost A Superhero Xia A.S.H.
Toni Storm, who has been added to the SmackDown women’s team at Survivor Series said she
goaded Charlotte last week because after she loses to Becky, she’s going to last out
and come after her, and then Charlotte came in and said after Becky, Toni’s next.
Toni is smart.
And then it was the main event of Reigns vs Woods after Woods challenged him and Reigns
accepted it earlier in the night.
So Woods cutting a promo...recapping last week?
And then offered Reigns a challenge to come down to the ring?
Why does this feel like an opening promo?
Reigns then came down in a t-shirt, so you know he isn’t wrestling.
And after he said he’ll do it by himself, he waits for The Usos to come out, but instead
they’re thrown out onto the stage by Big E, who brawls with Reigns for a bit, taking
a Superman Punch, but Reigns avoids a Big Ending and scurries away.
Hey!
Survivor Series!
And that was the show, let me know what you thought by leaving a comment and by voting
in our poll on a pole match on our community tab where 65% of you voted for Reigns’ foot
is so strong he can bend metal crowns.
I thought this episode wasn’t great.
The pacing was weird, the matches were mostly 1-2 minute nothing matches, or bait and switches
like the main event, but hey they talked about Survivor Series a bit!
That’s something!
This is a 2/5 show.
And now over to Tempest with a review of last night’s AEW Rampage.