5 Things We Learned From SmackDown Last Night
Just 48 hours after Survivor Series concluded, we had some new developments on Tuesday night that [...]
Just 48 hours after Survivor Series concluded, we had some new developments on Tuesday night that have started paving the way to the final PPV show of 2017.
The WWE SmackDown brand will present Clash of Champions on December 17 in Boston. Not only was a championship match revealed during SmackDown this week, but we also had a trio of NXT stars invade the show. Sound eerily similar to RAW? It was, and then some.
So what else did we learn this week on the blue brand? Read on to find out!
1. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn Are Significant Again
After being left off of Survivor Series for all intents and purposes (they wrestled a throwaway pre-show match), Owens and Zayn were back in the spotlight on Tuesday night as they kicked off the show in the ring with Shane McMahon.
McMahon got in the ring, talked about how proud he was of the SmackDown roster, mentioned how close they were to beating Team RAW, and said that even in defeat they proved that they are the show (I'm not sure how that works out, but we'll go with it).
He quickly called out Owens and Zayn, two stars that he implied aren't all in for the success of the show. McMahon basically works his way up to firing the pair, saying he had "two words" to say to them, but just as he was ready to do it, out strolled Daniel Bryan for the save.
Bryan announced (after telling Zayn to "shut up" several times) that since everyone on the brand despises these two, the entire roster should surround the ring with a chance to get their hands on them. He announced a main event of Zayn and Owens taking on the New Day in a lumberjack match.
Kofi Kingston and Big E ended up working the match, with Xavier Woods on the outside (trombone in hand). After a back and forth bout, a brawl endsued at the end of the match between the lumberjacks. It started when Roode and Corbin exchanged blows, then everyone else started fighting, with the brawl spilling into the ring and then up the ramp.
This is NOT what #SDLive GM @WWEDanielBryan had in mind for tonight's #LumberjackMatch! pic.twitter.com/D1hI3GarHT
— WWE (@WWE) November 22, 2017
During the chaos, Sami Zayn rolled up Kofi from behind to get the pinfall
After the match, Big E was about to come to blows with Kevin and Sami, but Rusev and Aiden English came out for the save. Earlier in the show, Owens and Zayn tried to win over their friendship backstage. However, Woods took out both with a splash off the top rope and then brought Zayn into the ring (Owens had bailed on him). All three members of New Day worked over Zayn, with no save from Owens in sight, as SmackDown went off the air.
prevnext2. Another Invasion, More Awesomeness
...AND ANOTHER! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/8CDKPvZ12r
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) November 22, 2017
Following a new women's stable debuting on RAW consisting of Paige, Mandy Rose, and Sonya Deville, we got a similar trio debuting on SmackDown Live. And we do mean similar.
#WeAreNXT pic.twitter.com/gUealeXHgi
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) November 22, 2017
Not only are there striking visual similarities, but the groups had similar debuts as well. The SmackDown group, consisting of Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan (all making their main roster debuts), laid waste to Naomi and Becky Lynch backstage, similar to how Paige and her back-up took out Alexa Bliss backstage.
However, the SmackDown group asserted their dominance even more, interrupting a title match between Charlotte and Natalya, laying waste to the SmackDown women's champion.
Both the RAW and SmackDown NXT women's invasions were well executed and great television. They also add some much needed depth to both women's divisions as we head into WrestleMania season.
prevnext3. The Feud Continues
.@Sheltyb803 has something to prove to #SDLive Tag Team Champion Jey @WWEUsos... pic.twitter.com/xLsTmrsisf
— WWE (@WWE) November 22, 2017
Shelton Benjamin wrestled Jey Uso this week, giving us a spin-off from what is for now basically the only possible feud for the reigning tag team champions (well, at least until the Bludgeon Brothers are ready).
The problem here is the crowd seems confused because they haven't explicitly turned either of these teams. For the astute fan, it's pretty obvious they are going for Gable/Benjamin to be the heels with the Usos having turned face now, but it's been kind of half hazardly done without much explanation or time devoted to the process.
Gable and Benjamin got the win this week, with Jey Uso jumping off the top rope, Benjaming moving and hitting the Pay Dirt for the win. It's probably only a matter of time until this is announces as a tag team title match for Clash of Champions.
prevnext4. The Bludgeon Brothers Look Strong
The entire set-up for Harper and Rowan's new team is well done. The entrance, the outfits, and their demeanor in the ring. It all works for it needs to do, and I'm sure glad those rumors that their gimmick had been dropped when the pair surfaced wearing their old outfits at house shows turned out to be false. They were probably just waiting for these new outfits to be ready!
The guys got the quick win this week over the Hype Bros, who are headed nowhere quick. The Bludgeon Brothers, on the other hand, are probably headed toward the tag team title picture very soon due to a lack of heel challengers for the Usos on the roster.
Gable and Benjamin, keep that seat warm for them.
prevnext5. Jinder Gets His Rematch
It didn't take too long for us to figure out the main event for WWE's next PPV offering: Jinder Mahal will challenge AJ Styles at Clash of Champions for the WWE championship.
Styles challenged Mahal to a fight on SmackDown, but Mahal said the match would happen on his terms. He said he'd invoke his rematch clause at the Clash rather than during SmackDown, and this lead to the Singhs attacking Styles in the ring.
.@JinderMahal offers a #WWEClash challenge to @AJStylesOrg for the @WWE Championship! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/KMsIw6h72n
— WWE (@WWE) November 22, 2017
The match at the PPV will be intriguing for several reasons, most notably due to the fact that it will give us a sneak peak at the direction for WrestleMania.
There's still rumors that Cena vs. Mahal for the title could be in store at WrestleMania which would mean Mahal recapturing the title in December would be likely. Though, I'm not sure why WWE would move in that direction. Mahal's recent title run started out fresh but ended on a whimper. The entire purpose of the run, to garner interest in India, proved to be a bit of a failure as the company recently had to cancel one of their December India shows due to poor ticket sales.
On the other hand, many fans are still holding out hope that Styles could battle Shinsuke Nakamura for the title at WrestleMania in what would be an epic rematch of their bout from NJPW WrestleKingdom a couple of years ago.
The Styles/Nakamura match is easily the better title program by virtually every measure, so we'll have to see whether WWE employs some common sense here or digs in on their original plan of Mahal/Cena.
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