Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.
I wish Zeb Colter cut a promo before this match, given Dusty Rhodes' status as the American Dream.
That was a really good tag match. They had some clever spots in there. I miss the kind of expertise Goldust brings to the table to make matches mean more than a bunch of cool, hard-hitting moves.
I liked Ryback's promo until Khali came out as his opponent. Ugh.
At least that was relatively quick and Ryback went over. I think they've got something with Ryback if they use him in the right way with the right opponents. He might not be a future 11-time champion headlining Mania after Mania, but let's take things one step at a time.
Ehh. Not crazy about the AJ/Vickie segment. I guess it's a little unrealistic to expect all heels to be on the same page, but I like the idea of heels feuding with faces and vice versa instead of facing off with people on the same "team" as them.
What's weird about this match is that AJ is put in a natural babyface position of having to overcome the odds against two performers at once.
That match was kind of a mess with the Tamina involvement, but I guess it got over the PPV match.
God, I love Bray's promos. Such a breath of fresh air from "I want to beat you for the title and I hate you", etc.
It was fun to see Rey do what only he can do. I enjoy his work. The Shield continue to be a very well-oiled machine, too.
That was a pretty good segment between Show and Orton. I don't expect a technical masterpiece, but I think they can tell a pretty good story at the PPV.
Fine little tag match. I wish Sandow was as big of a deal as he could be. I'd have liked for him to be involved in the World Title match at Survivor Series. Talk about dropping the ball on a great performer.
Fine post-match. Can we get Ziggler vs. Sandow on Sunday, too?
I liked the Alberto Del Rio promo. I'm sure we'll get a Cena promo to drive home who'll really be champion after Sunday, though.
I liked Bryan vs. Harper for setting up the tag match at the PPV. It could be an enjoyable clash.
Good ending to the show. Glad they put the spotlight on someone other than BEEG, Orton, Haitch or Cena.
More wrestling coming up.
Survivor Series predictions:
ReplyDeleteKofi on the pre-show to put people in a happy, buying mood.
Big E. He just won the title, after all.
Total Divas win to promote the show. Then again, I've called AJ losing the title a few times for the same reason and it hasn't happened. Or maybe Eva Marie costs her team the win or something to get heat on her?
Rey gets the win to solidify his return. I can see Goldust and Rhodes winning, too.
I'm guessing Punk and Bryan win to make up for some of their PPV finishes in the last few months taking some momentum away from them.
Cena retains. No surprise there.
Orton retains. Maybe with Kane's help? Or the Wyatts?
Logical predictions. We'll see what will happen.
ReplyDeleteI personally think Miz will upend Kofi. It would truly show that Miz and his heel turn would truly be in the very back of WWE's mind if he were booked to get upended this match, which I don't think will happen.
Big E over Axel. Most of the justification here is indeed that he just won the title. How often does it happen that someone who had the title for months and months actually wins the rematch?
Decent possibilities you mention for the divas match. I'm not 100 percent sure either, but I don't think WWE will have the Total Divas crew lose with the WWE promoting the show so heavily. Then again, I think the non-Total Divas crew getting a non-clean victory to continue the feud (possibly by Eva turning her back) would be a great way to break the staleness of the divas division and to build an ACTUAL feud.
I agree about Rey and Goldust/Rhodes. I don't see Mysterio's "triumphant return" culminating in a loss. I'm interested to see who will dethrone Goldust/Rhodes for the titles and when it will happen.
Good prediction with Punk/Bryan. I do think they have taken a minor step back (I don't agree with the rumors that it's due to the choice of WWE to push bigger guys of late), but they're too talented to not only lose this match but also not be elite guys.
The Cena/Del Rio match is more of a foregone conclusion now than it was at the last pay-per-view. They're trying their hardest to play on Cena's triceps injury and to have Del Rio attack him in recent weeks, but it's not really making any logical fan really think Del Rio will win back the title.
Orton will surely retain. Kane interfering would make sense, since he has been in such a "tame" role that is a bit outside the box for him. The whole "the monster is yours to set loose" hasn't applied yet, but maybe it will come to fruition tonight.
I'm mainly picking Kofi because of the philosophy of having the pre-show involve a big high note to put people in the mood to buy the show. I'd be surprised if the match had much meaning beyond that.
ReplyDeleteThe "guaranteed rematch" thing after losing a title is one of the easiest things to book. It's a ready-made excuse to do the same match more than once without adding heat to it.
The whole Divas feud is just to promote the show. I don't think WWE cares all that much about the Divas division being stale or anything as much as getting people to watch Total Divas. It's more important than the Divas' Title, etc.
There's been talk of Rhodes vs. Goldust at Mania for years now, and I think it's got a good chance of happening at WM30 since we don't know how much longer Goldust will want to/be able to do a full-time WWE schedule. So, when they lose, it could very well be just as a tool to continue that feud than because they're high on a particular tag team. I hope it's the Wyatts personally, but I have no idea.
I think they're just killing time with Punk and Bryan until Mania season. As with any match on the show, we could be in for a rematch at TLC.
I've even heard the idea that Cena vs. Del Rio isn't about Del Rio looking like he can take the title, but just getting fans to pay to see Cena get the win.
HHH said Orton will be on his own, which is why I think the Wyatts might help him out. Illogical as it sounds on paper, I can see the Authority dropping The Shield in order for them to turn face and feud with the Wyatts.