Rain down the milk! | WWE SMackDOWN! 120922 Review
wrestling 027 & tv review 068
...I don't think I could...
WWE
SmackDOWN!
December 09th, 2022
Review
Hm... just wanted to finish this one...:
the Usos w Sami Zyan & Solo Sikoa v Sheamus & Butch w Ridge Holland of the Brawling Brutes
{Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships} (19m20s) [3.5/5]
Having one of the hottest A storyline starting the show is always a sure bet, and while this telegraphs the result of the match pretty well, it doesn't mean that the journey would be any less entertaining especially considering the amount of talents that are on the stage currently. The sheer prowess of Sheamus and the agility and hothead of Butch is matched evenly by the perfect teamwork and sometimes below-the-belt ingenuities of Jimmy and Jay, with the former trying to lead the assault in the beginning but being cut down with a tug of hair and sneaky blind tag by the latter. The following minutes seen both sides taking control of the match, with the Brutes keep getting closer and closer to the title but being snuffed out by the brothers every time with near falls as well as well-timed interferences. The action never stops with each team dolls out team moves one after another but as the challengers inch ever closer to that bell ringing in their favours, it all comes to ahead when Sami tries to interfere but get clothlined by Ridge who himself get Samoan Slammed into the timekeeper's area by Solo. All it takes is for 1D to be landed to ensure the Titles still around the Samoans' waists, with Sheamus being hold back by Zyan at the ropes.
< Double Ten Bows to the Ballow?, Second Rope White Noise, White Noise on the Apron >
+ One of the more hard-hitting matches, putting over the Brawling Brutes despite the defeat with their dominance over the Usos, with the crowd full behind them on every near fall | Great reactions on the sidelines from Ridge when Jay (or Jimmy?) is diving onto Sheamus and Sami becomes more and more unhinged after every near fall. | That little post-match segment is great, teasing something big for the Canadian... will it be good or bad? Ah, my heart!
? Should the Brawling Brutes go elsewhere? I think this programme with the Usos could still keep going...
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LA Knight v Bray Wyatt Storyline
I do not believe that this peeling of the onion that is Bray Wyatt has been too slow at all. I think it is just at the right amount and coupling him with such an unconventional first adversary is a brilliant left turn to take, with the LA Knight returning to his better persona against this new incarnation from Windham Rotunda. Smartly using last week's footage, his bull-headed enthusiasm certainly gets the better of him when he blindly goes to search for Bray(?) backstage. It ends as soon as it starts, with horror-oriented camera shot as well as a quick jump scare!
+ Simple enough segment to continue on the storyline, highlighted by the limitless charisma oozing off Knight on the mic. | Smart delineation of time, making it short this time around for variety sake. ? A great recap for those who miss the backstage attacks he suffered over the past few weeks. | I do understand the criticism on the physical manifestation of Uncle Howdy in 'the real world' since it's been stellar so far on the video presentation and special effects... with just a merchandise shirt hanging in the locker room and a goon wearing the merchandise mask with obviously coloured contacts and low black singlet. A bit lower in production value if I had to pick a negative in this storyline. - It's not a homerun but I guess that's the point...? Is this really not the handicraft of Bray Wyatt?
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The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) (w/ Valhalla) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) (w/ Santos Escobar) ended in a No Contest (1m53s) [2/5]
Since the Tag Team Titles is tied with the Usos for the foreseeable future, it's been a struggle for the rest of the division to find a cohesive storyline to hang onto, but I think having this three factions intertwine with each other is the right thing here. While the Brawling Brutes occupies the Bloodline's attention, the rest of these Tag Teams can't get their hands off of each other soon enough and it's proven tonight with the match cut short by an interference from the Hit Row. A short segment to be sure but a necessary step to lay the foundation for the next chapter.
+ Good follow through on an ongoing B storyline, after giving some spotlight on the returning Raiders & the severely underused Joaquin & Cruz. ? Proper time needs to be given to the Tag Division... here's hoping next week would be it for them! - Shenanigan is used to prolong this, but I'm sure some fans would want a proper winner now & then.
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Ricochet & the New Day [NXT Tag Team Champion] (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) v Imperium (Gunther [Intercontinental Champion], Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci) (18m47s) [4.25/5]
Contract signing is just another excuse that the talents could use to showcase their personalities on the mic, and the two in question here are a perfect foil against one another; the passionate, determined challenger and the confident, suave champion. It has been a good exchange so far for a minute but it's taken up a notch with the addition of the New Day to add levity to this rather serious matter, and balance the number during the signing as well as the following match apparently. Speaking of which, it's a great match, a perfect representation of what their current product is now. This whole segment is actually, a great balance of dialogues and wrestling between the both of them. My words wouldn't do them justice, so please do yourself a favor and have this as your to watch this week!
+ Great contract signing segment compared to its past history & awesome three versus three bout, using the talents at disposal to their fullest potential.
? Imperium has always been booked strongly, so having the babyfaces go over is great for them.
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Rey Mysterio v Karrion Kross feud w Scarlett Bordeaux [4/5]
I am as perplexed as others on the direction of Kross since his shocking re-debut but I get that there's only so many room in the A storyline for the seemingly untouchable Top Belts, and pairing him with one of the GOATs certainly would not hurt him one bit. The slow build to the eventual clash is much appreciated, fleshing out their motivation to eventually meet in the middle of the ring It's early to tell right now but it's a promising start to say the least.
+ Good choice of story to relate their actual relationship here between the legend and the supposed .
? ?
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Lacey Evan Repackaging [4.5/5]
The Southern Belle gimmick really does work with her but the frustrating irregularity of her booking as well as the constant flip-flopping between a heel and a babyface just handicap her too much to have any ongoing momentum to be viewed as a capable challenger for the title. This has been a solid build-up playing to her strength as a former Marine and apply it to her skill sets between the ropes. Great foundation to rebuild her on top of it!
+ Great video package | The Cobra Clutch is a good choice considering of its past high profile user. +
? How would she look in her return... what kind of new getup she would wear possibly debuting in Royal Rumble?
- Full makeup going into training... really? If she looked barefaced, she would had look even better! She could have pull it off! -
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Liv Morgan & Tegan Nox defeated Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler (4m07s) [2.5/5]
Teaming up the two MMA-based wrestlers is a great decision especially considering their past history with each other, having Ronda fleshing out her heel persona more while bringing Shayna back up to her previous NXY shine. Their competitors on the other hand has a definite edge after a transformation post-Title lost for the former while the returning babyface trying to carve her own way on the main roster for the latter. It would be great to see them have a full fledged match instead of this short teaser but since it's just a start of a new feud, it's a right foot forward.
+ Great video package culminating Tegan Nox's career, certainly emotional for me since I remembered her from the Mae Young Classic until that freak injury. | A great feel-good ending to give the babyfaces an early headstart.
? Would they have more prominent clashes in the coming weeks, eventually vying for the Tag Team Titles ?
- Too short to be that meaningful... -
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Kurt Angle Birthday Celebration [5/5]
This is a fun angle for the returning Olympic Hero on his birthday no less, with the upcoming rising star Gable Steveson at his side while the backstage antics is always fun with the surprise inclusion of Jason Jordan as his 'work son' and Alpha Academy being snubbed for the party over the Street Profits, ending the show with Alpha Academy crashing the birthday party in the ring whom get blasted with milk from the fire hose! Good times!
+ I do not always a fan of them leaning too much on the past but this is a perfect use for Kurt Angle! Otis is such a good sport, from getting knocked on the head by the milk bottles a couple of times as well as getting blasted straight from the water hose! +
? When would Gable Steveson debut in the main roster? He would do better to start in NXT, starting from scratch. What's up with that conversation with Braun Strawman at the start there...?
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