Spoilers follow for the August 29th episode of Smackdown.
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After a seemingly endless Raw replay (it was about three minutes), Roman Reigns comes down to the ring for a match.
Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt (with Luke Harper and Erick Rowan)
About four months ago -- maybe five or six -- a match between Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns would have been something with which you could build a pay-per-view. Now? We know that neither of them put on tremendous singles matches -- but at least Wyatt can cut a promo -- and they work best in tag teams.
So, as expected, the two have a mediocre match, only for it to end in DQ. The Wyatt Family members attack Reigns. It's boring and nothing eventful happens until it's over. I wish I could say more but there isn't more to say.
Match Rating: **
Reigns is attacked more only for Mark Henry and Big Show to make the save. The heels escape, the faces stand tall in the ring, and that's that.
Rob Van Dam vs. Seth Rollins
Backstage information: Apparently this is RVD's last match in WWE for a while, as he's about to go on hiatus.
We're told before the match that Van Dam beat Rollins on Main Event. Good for him. Will he win again tonight? Uh, no. You don't have RVD win and then have him disappear for three months. Especially not against someone like Rollins, who is one of the main eventers du jour right now. The match is fine. It starts out slow and cuts to commercial really quick, but after the two men get into it, it's worth seeing. There are a couple of neat moments, a few good counters, and it's just plain entertaining. Rollins wins with a Curb Stomp, because he had to.
Match Rating: **1/2
Emma vs. Paige
Who do you think is going to win this: The current Divas champion or the woman who was fired and then re-hired for petty theft? At least Emma is good in the ring, people say, but then Natalya is also really good in the ring and that hasn't really led to great matches. Paige squashes Emma in a few moves.
Match Rating: *1/2
The real story, again, is after the match. AJ Lee comes out. She's carrying chocolates. And a microphone. AJ says every day is a special occasion. You have to show your friends how much you respect and love them. Paige isn't having it, but AJ eventually yells at her to eat one. Paige does, and then spits it at AJ. Paige skips away. AJ's acting sells this segment.
<color=Red>Submission Match: Rusev (with Lana) vs. Jack Swagger
Lana cuts a promo beforehand. Russia is great, America sucks, etc. Eventually, Jack Swagger comes out and cuts her off. In case you somehow can't figure it out, a submission match revolves around trying to get your opponent to tap out, usually with your submission finishing move. For Swagger, that's the Patriot Lock. For Rusev, The Accolade. Both men sell injuries. Rusev's ankle is already hurt, and Swagger has taped-up ribs.
For a match built around ending in one specific way and move, it's not bad. I mean, it doesn't top anything the two have already done together, but as a Smackdown match? Yeah, you could do a lot worse. I mean, our feed here in Canada wound up repeating the first segment of the match twice, because Rogers Sportsnet doesn't understand what editing is, but that's no fault of the in-ring work.
The finish comes when Bo Dallas interferes and costs Jack Swagger the match. Swagger gets locked in The Accolade -- despite basically fighting out of it -- and taps out.
Match Rating: **1/2
Swagger is attacked post-match by Dallas, who also cut a promo, because Dallas needs to be a heel and Swagger needs to gain sympathy.
Jey Uso (with Jimmy Uso) vs. Stardust (with Goldust)
Goldust gets on the mic before the match and apologizes for getting a little out of hand on Raw, when the two "Dust" brothers attacked The Usos post-match.
The match ... lasts about five moves before Jey Uso rolled up Stardust for the win.
Match Rating: *
As before, The Usos are beaten up after the match.
Damien Sandow (with The Miz) vs. Sheamus
Damien Sandow stands in for The Miz again. Miz cuts a promo before the match about how he can't afford to be kicked in the face. The Miz then joins in on commentary. Sheamus dominates. Damien Sandow is still a joke, even if he's good at everything in the business.
Match Rating: *1/2
Miz attacks Sheamus post-match, then runs away, only to be thrown back into the ring by Dolph Ziggler. Sheamus goes for a Brogue Kick, but hits Sandow instead of his target. Miz then runs away.
A Brock Lesnar replay followed by a Raw replay follows, and then it's time for the main event.
Mark Henry, The Big Show, and Roman Reigns vs. The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan)
Hey, remember when we did this exact match, but with John Cena being replaced by Roman Reigns? Because that's what this is. Except this one is better because Big Show does a sunset flip and it's basically the greatest thing ever (that is hyperbole). But the Wyatt Family still comes across as big jobbers, Roman Reigns is Superman, and the faces stand tall after they beat the bad guys to end the show. Shocking, I know.
Match Rating: **1/2
The Good: Big Show's sunset flip.
The Bad: Emma vs. Paige. Sandow vs. Sheamus.
Match of the Night: Rob Van Dam vs. Seth Rollins.
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http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/16/09/70/40/smackd10.png
After a seemingly endless Raw replay (it was about three minutes), Roman Reigns comes down to the ring for a match.
Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt (with Luke Harper and Erick Rowan)
About four months ago -- maybe five or six -- a match between Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns would have been something with which you could build a pay-per-view. Now? We know that neither of them put on tremendous singles matches -- but at least Wyatt can cut a promo -- and they work best in tag teams.
So, as expected, the two have a mediocre match, only for it to end in DQ. The Wyatt Family members attack Reigns. It's boring and nothing eventful happens until it's over. I wish I could say more but there isn't more to say.
Match Rating: **
Reigns is attacked more only for Mark Henry and Big Show to make the save. The heels escape, the faces stand tall in the ring, and that's that.
Rob Van Dam vs. Seth Rollins
Backstage information: Apparently this is RVD's last match in WWE for a while, as he's about to go on hiatus.
We're told before the match that Van Dam beat Rollins on Main Event. Good for him. Will he win again tonight? Uh, no. You don't have RVD win and then have him disappear for three months. Especially not against someone like Rollins, who is one of the main eventers du jour right now. The match is fine. It starts out slow and cuts to commercial really quick, but after the two men get into it, it's worth seeing. There are a couple of neat moments, a few good counters, and it's just plain entertaining. Rollins wins with a Curb Stomp, because he had to.
Match Rating: **1/2
Emma vs. Paige
Who do you think is going to win this: The current Divas champion or the woman who was fired and then re-hired for petty theft? At least Emma is good in the ring, people say, but then Natalya is also really good in the ring and that hasn't really led to great matches. Paige squashes Emma in a few moves.
Match Rating: *1/2
The real story, again, is after the match. AJ Lee comes out. She's carrying chocolates. And a microphone. AJ says every day is a special occasion. You have to show your friends how much you respect and love them. Paige isn't having it, but AJ eventually yells at her to eat one. Paige does, and then spits it at AJ. Paige skips away. AJ's acting sells this segment.
<color=Red>Submission Match: Rusev (with Lana) vs. Jack Swagger
Lana cuts a promo beforehand. Russia is great, America sucks, etc. Eventually, Jack Swagger comes out and cuts her off. In case you somehow can't figure it out, a submission match revolves around trying to get your opponent to tap out, usually with your submission finishing move. For Swagger, that's the Patriot Lock. For Rusev, The Accolade. Both men sell injuries. Rusev's ankle is already hurt, and Swagger has taped-up ribs.
For a match built around ending in one specific way and move, it's not bad. I mean, it doesn't top anything the two have already done together, but as a Smackdown match? Yeah, you could do a lot worse. I mean, our feed here in Canada wound up repeating the first segment of the match twice, because Rogers Sportsnet doesn't understand what editing is, but that's no fault of the in-ring work.
The finish comes when Bo Dallas interferes and costs Jack Swagger the match. Swagger gets locked in The Accolade -- despite basically fighting out of it -- and taps out.
Match Rating: **1/2
Swagger is attacked post-match by Dallas, who also cut a promo, because Dallas needs to be a heel and Swagger needs to gain sympathy.
Jey Uso (with Jimmy Uso) vs. Stardust (with Goldust)
Goldust gets on the mic before the match and apologizes for getting a little out of hand on Raw, when the two "Dust" brothers attacked The Usos post-match.
The match ... lasts about five moves before Jey Uso rolled up Stardust for the win.
Match Rating: *
As before, The Usos are beaten up after the match.
Damien Sandow (with The Miz) vs. Sheamus
Damien Sandow stands in for The Miz again. Miz cuts a promo before the match about how he can't afford to be kicked in the face. The Miz then joins in on commentary. Sheamus dominates. Damien Sandow is still a joke, even if he's good at everything in the business.
Match Rating: *1/2
Miz attacks Sheamus post-match, then runs away, only to be thrown back into the ring by Dolph Ziggler. Sheamus goes for a Brogue Kick, but hits Sandow instead of his target. Miz then runs away.
A Brock Lesnar replay followed by a Raw replay follows, and then it's time for the main event.
Mark Henry, The Big Show, and Roman Reigns vs. The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan)
Hey, remember when we did this exact match, but with John Cena being replaced by Roman Reigns? Because that's what this is. Except this one is better because Big Show does a sunset flip and it's basically the greatest thing ever (that is hyperbole). But the Wyatt Family still comes across as big jobbers, Roman Reigns is Superman, and the faces stand tall after they beat the bad guys to end the show. Shocking, I know.
Match Rating: **1/2
The Good: Big Show's sunset flip.
The Bad: Emma vs. Paige. Sandow vs. Sheamus.
Match of the Night: Rob Van Dam vs. Seth Rollins.
<color=D6D9DA>_________________________________________________________________________________
If you wish to be notified whenever I post something new, please join this <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/2-50-Reviews>user group.
For an archive of all my previous WWE reviews, please go <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.846764-Marters-WWE-Reviews-Archive>here.
Talk to me on the Twitter, <url=https://twitter.com/martertweet>@martertweet.
