Spoilers follow for the September 12th episode of Smackdown.
http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/16/09/70/40/smackd10.png
Note: I hear NXT Takeover 2 was really good, so if you only have a small amount of time to dedicate to WWE every week, then you should probably watch that over this episode of Smackdown. Or any episode of Smackdown.
This week's Smackdown kicks off with an 8-man tag team match. Well, after the obligatory Raw flashback, of course.
Big Show, Mark Henry, and The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. Stardust, Goldust, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan (with Bray Wyatt)
So, we have two tag team feuds going on right now, so instead of actually give them further fuel to the fire, we just put them in a random tag match to open up the show. You know what? Fine. At least the match is exciting and most of the stars are still fit to wrestle every week.
One of the Usos hurts his knee during the match (not a real injury). Otherwise, it's a pretty standard tag team affair. You know what these teams are capable of, and what you're picturing in your head is pretty much exactly what you get here. It's not great, it's not bad; it exists and is relatively exciting. An Uso wins with a top-rope splash.
Match Rating: ***
Another Raw flashback follows the match. This one shows the Cena/Heyman segment, where Heyman tried to turn Cena heel, but it didn't work. Kane talks to Randy Orton and Seth Rollins backstage afterward. Tonight, Rollins and Orton finish off Roman Reigns. And Chris Jericho, apparently, because we didn't write him off on Raw. Funny, it sure looked like we did.
Bo Dallas vs. Justin Gabriel
Wow. Wow. Wow. Justin Gabriel? When was the last time he had a Smackdown match? Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter are at ringside. Bo Dallas cuts a promo before anyone throws a punch, but technically after the bell rang. Colter cuts him off.
Dallas wins after a surprisingly long match. I mean, lately he's been getting beat down and then winning with a counter and a finisher. This one's more back and forth, although it does have Dallas getting beaten up for a good chunk of it.
Match Rating: **
Swagger attacks Dallas after the match, but Dallas runs away.
Summer Rae (with Layla) vs. Paige
AJ Lee is on commentary, which is always a good thing. Paige dominates and then wins with AJ's finisher, the Black Widow.
Match Rating: *1/2
Layla went to attack Paige after the match, but AJ stopped her with a kick and then the Paige Turner, Paige's finisher. AJ then skips around Paige in the ring. This feud, you guys.
<color=red>Arm Wrestling Contest: Mark Henry vs. Rusev (with Lana)
Apparently this deserves the second most important slot on the card. Lana cuts a promo before the match and tries to get Henry to forfeit. Henry responds, and says there's no way. Then they arm wrestle. Henry wins. Lana demands a left-handed rematch. Lana throws powder in Henry's face and then Rusev beats down Henry.
Match Rating: N/A
Renee Young interviews Chris Jericho backstage, and he hypes up the main event. Oh, and he also says how great his Raw match was.
The Miz and Damien Sandow vs. Dolph Ziggler and R-Truth
Truth acts as Ziggler's stunt double, much like Sandow has been acting as Miz's. Truth does lots of Ziggler's moves. Ziggler and Truth dominate the early portion, Miz and Sandow dominate the middle portion, and Ziggler/Truth eventually get the win. This was silly, but it was kind of fun, I guess.
Match Rating: **1/2
A third Raw flashback is next. This one is about Jerry Springer's segment with the Bella twins. Because we needed more of this feud (we do).
A backstage segmemt between Nikki Bella, AJ Lee, and Paige hypes their match at Night of Champions.
Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton and Seth Rollins
Roman Reigns starts the match by dominating both of his opponents, because he is Superman. You don't beat him cleanly and you don't beat him one-on-one. At least, not yet. Maybe someday, but probably not until he wins his first WWE Championship. Eventually, the heels get the upper hand, and we build to a Jericho hot tag. Then the reverse. Then ... ugh. This is just ... it's not all that exciting. It's a fine match, as are most of the main events featuring top-level Superstars, but it's just so hard to care about any of it or be involved in the story of the bout.
This is especially true with the finish, which had Jericho win with a roll up. No, really. That's almost as imaginative as Reigns being tagged in, hitting five moves, and winning!
Match Rating: **1/2
The Good: Opening match.
The Bad: Rae vs. Paige. Arm wrestling.
Match of the Night: Big Show, Mark Henry, and The Usos vs. Stardust, Goldust, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan.
<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.
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Talk to me on the Twitter, <url=https://twitter.com/martertweet>@martertweet.
http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/16/09/70/40/smackd10.png
Note: I hear NXT Takeover 2 was really good, so if you only have a small amount of time to dedicate to WWE every week, then you should probably watch that over this episode of Smackdown. Or any episode of Smackdown.
This week's Smackdown kicks off with an 8-man tag team match. Well, after the obligatory Raw flashback, of course.
Big Show, Mark Henry, and The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. Stardust, Goldust, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan (with Bray Wyatt)
So, we have two tag team feuds going on right now, so instead of actually give them further fuel to the fire, we just put them in a random tag match to open up the show. You know what? Fine. At least the match is exciting and most of the stars are still fit to wrestle every week.
One of the Usos hurts his knee during the match (not a real injury). Otherwise, it's a pretty standard tag team affair. You know what these teams are capable of, and what you're picturing in your head is pretty much exactly what you get here. It's not great, it's not bad; it exists and is relatively exciting. An Uso wins with a top-rope splash.
Match Rating: ***
Another Raw flashback follows the match. This one shows the Cena/Heyman segment, where Heyman tried to turn Cena heel, but it didn't work. Kane talks to Randy Orton and Seth Rollins backstage afterward. Tonight, Rollins and Orton finish off Roman Reigns. And Chris Jericho, apparently, because we didn't write him off on Raw. Funny, it sure looked like we did.
Bo Dallas vs. Justin Gabriel
Wow. Wow. Wow. Justin Gabriel? When was the last time he had a Smackdown match? Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter are at ringside. Bo Dallas cuts a promo before anyone throws a punch, but technically after the bell rang. Colter cuts him off.
Dallas wins after a surprisingly long match. I mean, lately he's been getting beat down and then winning with a counter and a finisher. This one's more back and forth, although it does have Dallas getting beaten up for a good chunk of it.
Match Rating: **
Swagger attacks Dallas after the match, but Dallas runs away.
Summer Rae (with Layla) vs. Paige
AJ Lee is on commentary, which is always a good thing. Paige dominates and then wins with AJ's finisher, the Black Widow.
Match Rating: *1/2
Layla went to attack Paige after the match, but AJ stopped her with a kick and then the Paige Turner, Paige's finisher. AJ then skips around Paige in the ring. This feud, you guys.
<color=red>Arm Wrestling Contest: Mark Henry vs. Rusev (with Lana)
Apparently this deserves the second most important slot on the card. Lana cuts a promo before the match and tries to get Henry to forfeit. Henry responds, and says there's no way. Then they arm wrestle. Henry wins. Lana demands a left-handed rematch. Lana throws powder in Henry's face and then Rusev beats down Henry.
Match Rating: N/A
Renee Young interviews Chris Jericho backstage, and he hypes up the main event. Oh, and he also says how great his Raw match was.
The Miz and Damien Sandow vs. Dolph Ziggler and R-Truth
Truth acts as Ziggler's stunt double, much like Sandow has been acting as Miz's. Truth does lots of Ziggler's moves. Ziggler and Truth dominate the early portion, Miz and Sandow dominate the middle portion, and Ziggler/Truth eventually get the win. This was silly, but it was kind of fun, I guess.
Match Rating: **1/2
A third Raw flashback is next. This one is about Jerry Springer's segment with the Bella twins. Because we needed more of this feud (we do).
A backstage segmemt between Nikki Bella, AJ Lee, and Paige hypes their match at Night of Champions.
Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton and Seth Rollins
Roman Reigns starts the match by dominating both of his opponents, because he is Superman. You don't beat him cleanly and you don't beat him one-on-one. At least, not yet. Maybe someday, but probably not until he wins his first WWE Championship. Eventually, the heels get the upper hand, and we build to a Jericho hot tag. Then the reverse. Then ... ugh. This is just ... it's not all that exciting. It's a fine match, as are most of the main events featuring top-level Superstars, but it's just so hard to care about any of it or be involved in the story of the bout.
This is especially true with the finish, which had Jericho win with a roll up. No, really. That's almost as imaginative as Reigns being tagged in, hitting five moves, and winning!
Match Rating: **1/2
The Good: Opening match.
The Bad: Rae vs. Paige. Arm wrestling.
Match of the Night: Big Show, Mark Henry, and The Usos vs. Stardust, Goldust, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan.
<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.
