Spoilers follow for the December 26th episode of Smackdown.
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It feels like forever since Smackdown, but only because last week's was live and on a Tuesday. So, it was more than the usual week between episodes.
I did the whole "brother" thing on Monday, so I won't re-do the gag again. Hulk Hogan does kick off Smackdown, though. Why? Because they flew him in so they might as well use him, right? Maybe he had a few more 2014 dates left on his contract and WWE is trying to ensure that they get used. Hogan tells us that he's running the show tonight, but is interrupted by Seth Rollins, who has J&J Security (Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury) behind him. I feel like I'm having a case of déjà vu. Rollins props himself up, and Ziggler comes out, defending Hogan. Big Show is next, threatening both babyfaces. Then Roman Reigns is out, which leads to Hogan setting up the main event. Heels vs. faces in a tag team match. How original.
Kane vs. Ryback
So, Kane goes from squashing Adam Rose to jobbing to Ryback. Makes sense. Ryback and Kane actually had a fairly decent match a few weeks back -- and I'm not talking about the one on the PPV -- but this isn't that. It's here to set the stage for the Rusev/Ryback feud, not to be a good match. Both men hit some moves, and then Rusev comes out. A thwarted interference leads to Ryback hitting a finisher for the win.
Match Rating: *1/2
Kane and Rusev double team Ryback after the match, hitting him with a total of four finisher, culminating with Rusev locking in The Accolade on Ryback.
Hulk Hogan confronts Rusev backstage. He makes a title match for later on tonight.
Alicia Fox vs. Naomi
Alicia Fox hits a couple of her signature moves, but this is designed to be a match to make Naomi look strong. Fox is in theory one of the top Divas -- regardless of her win/loss record -- so taking her out is seen as a good thing. Naomi winds up winning with a split-legged moonsault.
Match Rating: **
Naomi and Jimmy Uso have a quick chat backstage before our next match. No signs of tension are shown between them.
R-Truth vs. Adam Rose
The Bunny is absent from Rose's entrance, and Rose doesn't do his crowd surfing. Remember, he turned heel on Raw, which is the show from which this is a rematch.
Rose is shown noticeably more aggressive in this match, finally getting a match where he shows off some moves. Most of his matches since his call-up have been jokes. Truth gets in a couple of moves, but Rose winds up winning with the Party Foul.
Match Rating: *1/2
WWE United States Championship Match: Rusev (with Lana) vs. Dean Ambrose
Lana talks a bit before the match. At this point, we don't know who Rusev's opponent is. She tells us this isn't fair, that Rusev didn't do anything, but it doesn't matter, because Rusev crushes. Then Dean Ambrose comes out for the match.
Rusev and Ambrose work a strong match. I'd like to see this feud sometime in the future. Neither has the most extensive moveset, but they're good workers, great sellers, and strong storytellers. The match is paced well, each man gets some offense in ... and then Bray Wyatt comes out and ruins it. Wyatt attacks Ambrose, causing a DQ loss. And then Wyatt sends him into the ring to hit a finisher. Ambrose counters, and they brawl on the outside for a while. Ambrose hits Wyatt with a steel chair and then fills the ring with chairs, but Wyatt escapes.
Match Rating: **1/2
The Miz (with Damien Sandow) vs. Jimmy Uso (with Jey Uso)
Miz might play the cowardly heel better than anyone. He spends most of this match getting beaten up and trying to escape. Meanwhile, Sandow copies Miz's every move. He eventually gets to try to leave, but he's thrown back into the ring. He tries to plead with Jimmy, but a couple of superkicks and a splash later and Jimmy Uso wins.
Match Rating: *1/2
Goldust and Stardust cut a weird promo backstage. Even weirder than usual.
Seth Rollins and Big Show (with J&J Security) vs. Dolph Ziggler and Roman Reigns
Ziggler and Reigns make a good team because Ziggler can spend almost all of the match selling the offense of the opposition team, and then Reigns can hit his few moves and pick up a win or tg Ziggler in to get the win. Reigns may have improved since his return from injury, but he's still not a singles main event star.
So, Ziggler spends most of the match getting beaten up, gets the hot tag into Reigns, Reigns cleans up, and then Reigns picks up the win. It's a mediocre tag team match that has nothing interesting about it and didn't deserve the main event slot. Whatever. The faces win and everyone goes home happy.
Match Rating: **
The Good: Rusev/Ambrose.
The Bad: Kane/Ryback. Fox/Naomi. Truth/Rose. Miz/Uso.
Match of the Night: Rusev vs. Dean Ambrose.
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http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/16/09/70/40/smackd10.png
It feels like forever since Smackdown, but only because last week's was live and on a Tuesday. So, it was more than the usual week between episodes.
I did the whole "brother" thing on Monday, so I won't re-do the gag again. Hulk Hogan does kick off Smackdown, though. Why? Because they flew him in so they might as well use him, right? Maybe he had a few more 2014 dates left on his contract and WWE is trying to ensure that they get used. Hogan tells us that he's running the show tonight, but is interrupted by Seth Rollins, who has J&J Security (Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury) behind him. I feel like I'm having a case of déjà vu. Rollins props himself up, and Ziggler comes out, defending Hogan. Big Show is next, threatening both babyfaces. Then Roman Reigns is out, which leads to Hogan setting up the main event. Heels vs. faces in a tag team match. How original.
Kane vs. Ryback
So, Kane goes from squashing Adam Rose to jobbing to Ryback. Makes sense. Ryback and Kane actually had a fairly decent match a few weeks back -- and I'm not talking about the one on the PPV -- but this isn't that. It's here to set the stage for the Rusev/Ryback feud, not to be a good match. Both men hit some moves, and then Rusev comes out. A thwarted interference leads to Ryback hitting a finisher for the win.
Match Rating: *1/2
Kane and Rusev double team Ryback after the match, hitting him with a total of four finisher, culminating with Rusev locking in The Accolade on Ryback.
Hulk Hogan confronts Rusev backstage. He makes a title match for later on tonight.
Alicia Fox vs. Naomi
Alicia Fox hits a couple of her signature moves, but this is designed to be a match to make Naomi look strong. Fox is in theory one of the top Divas -- regardless of her win/loss record -- so taking her out is seen as a good thing. Naomi winds up winning with a split-legged moonsault.
Match Rating: **
Naomi and Jimmy Uso have a quick chat backstage before our next match. No signs of tension are shown between them.
R-Truth vs. Adam Rose
The Bunny is absent from Rose's entrance, and Rose doesn't do his crowd surfing. Remember, he turned heel on Raw, which is the show from which this is a rematch.
Rose is shown noticeably more aggressive in this match, finally getting a match where he shows off some moves. Most of his matches since his call-up have been jokes. Truth gets in a couple of moves, but Rose winds up winning with the Party Foul.
Match Rating: *1/2
WWE United States Championship Match: Rusev (with Lana) vs. Dean Ambrose
Lana talks a bit before the match. At this point, we don't know who Rusev's opponent is. She tells us this isn't fair, that Rusev didn't do anything, but it doesn't matter, because Rusev crushes. Then Dean Ambrose comes out for the match.
Rusev and Ambrose work a strong match. I'd like to see this feud sometime in the future. Neither has the most extensive moveset, but they're good workers, great sellers, and strong storytellers. The match is paced well, each man gets some offense in ... and then Bray Wyatt comes out and ruins it. Wyatt attacks Ambrose, causing a DQ loss. And then Wyatt sends him into the ring to hit a finisher. Ambrose counters, and they brawl on the outside for a while. Ambrose hits Wyatt with a steel chair and then fills the ring with chairs, but Wyatt escapes.
Match Rating: **1/2
The Miz (with Damien Sandow) vs. Jimmy Uso (with Jey Uso)
Miz might play the cowardly heel better than anyone. He spends most of this match getting beaten up and trying to escape. Meanwhile, Sandow copies Miz's every move. He eventually gets to try to leave, but he's thrown back into the ring. He tries to plead with Jimmy, but a couple of superkicks and a splash later and Jimmy Uso wins.
Match Rating: *1/2
Goldust and Stardust cut a weird promo backstage. Even weirder than usual.
Seth Rollins and Big Show (with J&J Security) vs. Dolph Ziggler and Roman Reigns
Ziggler and Reigns make a good team because Ziggler can spend almost all of the match selling the offense of the opposition team, and then Reigns can hit his few moves and pick up a win or tg Ziggler in to get the win. Reigns may have improved since his return from injury, but he's still not a singles main event star.
So, Ziggler spends most of the match getting beaten up, gets the hot tag into Reigns, Reigns cleans up, and then Reigns picks up the win. It's a mediocre tag team match that has nothing interesting about it and didn't deserve the main event slot. Whatever. The faces win and everyone goes home happy.
Match Rating: **
The Good: Rusev/Ambrose.
The Bad: Kane/Ryback. Fox/Naomi. Truth/Rose. Miz/Uso.
Match of the Night: Rusev vs. Dean Ambrose.
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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.
