Both shows were poor last week, but Raw managed to pinch a win and made the series 11-9. In a decision that is sure to divide the fans every week, I awarded the win to Raw because it was a more entertaining show and at the moment it is hitting the spot with the storylines and matches it has been broadcasting.
The Superstars feel more believable, and I look forward to watching it more than SmackDown Live.
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This is a stark contrast to the start of the draft, where SmackDown Live was the better show. Now that the novelty of it being live has worn off and the main event scene has become somewhat stale, it is just letting itself down lately.
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Raw may have a double champion by the end of this week, so SmackDown Live really needs to do everything it can this week so that it is not eclipsed.
This week we will be looking at the best of both shows once again and with Roadblock: End of the line coming up, I expect new matches to be announced along with some solid build up to get us excited for the festivities on Sunday. SmackDown has less pressure as it tries to build itself back up and add some legitimacy to the main event scene.
Will Ellsworth show up again? With AJ Styles out of action until Boxing Day, we could be looking at a big blessing in disguise.
So without further ado, let’s get into it…
Sami is InZayn!
I thought Sami Zayn would be lost in the mix when he joined Raw and was a big advocate of him joining SmackDown Live. However, this feud with Braun Strowman is absolutely the right direction for the character to go. Mick Foley initially refused to give Zayn the match, due to his safety and other reasons that no-one really bought.
This led to an awkward situation where he threatened to trade him to SmackDown Live.
As Zayn was successful in his singles match against Jinder Mahal, Mick Foley turned up to run over the finer details of the trade, triggering Sami, as he revealed he would be traded for Eva Marie. Zayn went insane and squared up to Foley showing a fire and desire that the Raw General Manager had been looking for.
The trade was revealed to be a ruse to see if Zayn was ready for Strowman. Foley agreed he was and arranged the match for this Sunday at Roadblock. Mick Foley has this uncanny ability to use his promo skills to really put wrestlers over. He is a great choice as the General Manager of Raw.
If he endorses someone, they will get over, as Foley has that sort of respect from the crowd. He’s done a fantastic job with Zayn so far in keeping him relevant in a very stacked card, and I am very excited for his match this Sunday at Roadblock.
Tag Team Battle Royal
With the Wyatts now the new dominant force in the SmackDown tag team division and Slater and Rhyno having had their chance at redemption, we needed new No.1 Contenders. To keep things fresh, we were presented with a Battle Royal, where a single elimination did not result in the entire team being eliminated.
This made for a very interesting match and one of the more interesting Battle Royals in recent history.
This match allowed SmackDown to start a new tag team rivalry but also showed the pure athleticism of American Alpha. I honestly can’t wait until they’re No. 1 contenders but I understand they are being protected as they would not be booked to win against The Wyatt Family.
They should probably get their shot at WrestleMania, and this will then catapult them into legitimate threats in the tag team division. They just need to be careful with how many losses they’re being handed.
The Hype Bros were successful in the end but not before a number of spots had wowed the crowd. Jason Jordan nearly threw Aiden English through the roof, The Ascension did surprisingly well, and Heath Slater accidentally eliminated Rhyno. One has to wonder if this will lead to the team splitting up to start a mid-card feud.
SmackDown is slightly short on mid-card rivalries at the moment, and this really would add to the depth of the show.
Rollins Report
I’ll tell you what we’re missing, another Superstar doing a talk show segment. In all seriousness Rollins, you’re entering a saturated market here. Nevertheless, it actually ended up being one of the most entertaining bits of the show.
Kevin Owens came out but refused to come down to the ring. Watching two modern masters of the promo was extremely satisfying and Owens announced he had bagged a tag team championship match for himself and his best friend, Chris Jericho.
Though initially reserved, as Jericho traded insults with Rollins, the two best friends came together once again to a massive pop from the crowd. This just shows how popular the pairing have become in such a short amount of time.
Roman Reigns came down to protect Rollins and save the day, and it was a great set up to the match they would have later on in the night in the main event for the WWE Tag Team Championships. I saw this segment as a send-off for the alliance of Jericho and Owens. One last hurrah before we see them feud following Roadblock.
I hope we see more of the Rollins Report because, despite my initial reservations, it was actually a very good segment and his work on the mic, certainly, warrants it.
New Day rocks! For 478 days to be exact
The New Day were forced to defend their championships in not one, but two Tag Team triple threat matches. They were looking to outlast Demolition as the longest reigning Tag Team Champions of all time, and they managed to get past every obstacle to do so. I’m very happy for The New Day, and they completely deserved the wins and to break the record.
Considering that when they got together, the crowd did not buy into the gimmick, they have done so well to turn things around and become one of the most popular teams on the roster.
The first match was really good as we saw them face off against The Club and Sheamus and Cesaro. There were many close finishes, and a big highlight of this match was Cesaro going on an absolute rampage and taking everyone out. If you didn’t see it, I suggest you go back and watch it because it was very, very impressive.
It was good to see Cesaro and Sheamus getting on so well. They are finally beginning to gel.
During the celebration party, Stephanie was covered in champagne. One would think this would put her in a party mood, but she responded by popping the New Day in a match with The half-Shield and Jeri-KO. They succeeded again, albeit with a different combination as Xavier Woods went in for Kofi.
They are now the longest reigning Tag Team Champions with over 480 days. That is certainly some accomplishment, and I can’t wait to see who they drop the titles to. It could well be to Cesaro and Sheamus this Sunday at Roadblock.
It’s not showing off…
This was the other match on SmackDown live that really stood out. Four of the hottest Superstars on the roster, Dean Ambrose, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler and Luke Harper, competed to see who would challenge AJ Styles for the WWE Championship. There are three reasons this match was awesome, and the first one I’d like to address is The Miz.
I don’t think anyone has ever benefitted from a draft as much as The Miz has. I loved him when he was WWE Champion all those years ago, but now he’s just amplified what I saw, and he’s getting himself more over than he did when he main event WrestleMania.
His continuous taunting of Daniel Bryan in this match is still an exciting prospect, as it could still result in a confrontation. It’s clear that Miz is an in-ring veteran too, as his work is phenomenal to steal a phrase. He did not need to win this match so to have him going mental about being eliminated first was absolutely the right decision.
Secondly, who would have guessed Luke Harper could hang in the main event? He was able to showcase the fact that he could be WWE champion in the future and if that happens while he’s still aligned with the Wyatt family, we’re looking at a really scary prospect.
He has been on the losing end far too often, and though it was another loss for the follower of the self-proclaimed God Bray Wyatt, he really impressed me and I’m excited to see more of him. Personally, I’d like to see him either team or feud with Erick Rowan when he returns.
Finally, Dolph Ziggler is finally getting another shot at the big time. Despite the fact he had a forgettable Intercontinental title reign recently, he has been given another shot at glory and the most exciting prospect is the fact that we’ll see him face off against AJ Styles. Can Ziggler topple the phenomenal one? If he does, I hope he makes it worth our while.
SmackDown wins
It’s no coincidence that no Ellsworth has assisted in a win for SmackDown Live. Without his annoying presence, the show was able to concentrate on great wrestling matches and legitimate contenders for the main event crown, the WWE Championship.
It was by no means a runaway win, though, as Raw really did do a good go-home show for the upcoming pay-per-view this Sunday. The main reason they lost this week is that there was a good period where they did not hold my attention with what was essentially filler.
SmackDown had a great week, and every segment had a point and was very entertaining throughout. An honourable mention has to go to the Women’s Championship match. Alexa Bliss on the mic is a joy to watch, and the heel finish to the match as she cradled her knee was a perfect way to end it, though I did think she might get a pin to legitimise her as Champion.
She only beat Becky by pushing her through a table so some could see it as a fluke.
In conclusion, both Raw and SmackDown Live, heavily exceeded what they did last week. It was extremely poor last week compared to what we were used to. It’s good to see both shows coming back bigger and better; it was much easier to analyse the best bits because there were loads!
11-10 to Raw. Were you Red or Blue? Let me know in the comments!
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