Smackdown Discussion Thread

[HarmonicGenerator]

7 minutes ago, Shy Dad said:

I'm sure I read somewhere that the idea of the US tourney is to get Ziggler back in Mania season to do the whole Michaels vs Ramon unification ladder match about who's the true champion with whoever comes out of the tournament champion (probably Roode). If his contract is up when it is as well it could really just be a case of giving him a mania moment before he leaves as a thank you for his work for the past 12 or so years. 

Ooh, I wouldn't like that at all. He was already the true champion, and he said "no ta, I don't want it" and left the thing vacant. In storyline terms, he shouldn't be given a chance to have it again, because what does it say for the prestige of the title if the best person - i.e. the one who beats the others to win it - doesn't even want the thing? Much as Dolph doing silly bumps with a ladder will get a bit of reaction at Mania, it's a yucky idea and I'd hate it.

[I Bent My Wookie]

I used to easily be the biggest Ziggler fan on here but yeah it sounds dreadful if true. Especially as instead of walking away because he was lost he walked away because he couldn't be bothered in storyline terms. It would be purely for his bumps but it really would just take up a main show slot that could go to Handsome Rusev instead. Would love to see him vs Roode. 

[D@mm]

I think we will see a 3 way between Orton Vs Styles Vs Nakamura at Mania

[tiger_rick]

20 minutes ago, D@mm said:

I think we will see a 3 way between Orton Vs Styles Vs Nakamura at Mania

Cheers Nostrad@mmus

[D@mm]

That was funny Rick. it made me laugh after having a few bad days so thanks.

 

 

[FUM]

SmackDown was so passable this week that I genuinely can't remember much that happened other than Rusev.

I don't get it.

Fashion Files had momentum, they didn't capitalise on it, that momentum is pretty much gone. Rusev builds momentum, most over he's been in a while.

So what do WWE do? Have Fandango roll up Rusev for his first win since 1924. Absolutely mental. I mean if you really need them to win, have English take the fall at least.

That's ignoring the laziness of it being a replica of Titus Worldwide v The Bar on RAW as well.

[Ambulance Chaser]

Smackdown is absolutely dire at the minute, can't see any defence for it. The sit down AJ interview was quite novel in that WWE opens with the Wrestler alone in the ring talking shite formula but in execution it was so so bad, AJ may as well have just taken the script out there with him and openly read it.

Daniel Bryan just flips between heel and face depending which segment he's in.

Why put 2 popular teams in a fucking match, as mentioned above Rusev is over, the team is over, Fashion files is over and they are liked, I know lets force the fans to choose again, and in doing so dilute both teams, and THEN roll up Rusev. It's astonishing.

It's also astonishing how sad the whole Nakamura situation is, have you noticed that when he's in these every week routine 6 man tags you always come out of it thinking "What did Nakamura do there", he is really struggling, even the week to week pops are diminishing which were always there despite shite booking. The writing and booking of him is criminal, I honestly think Vince see's him as a "special" character, like a Eugene.

Sorry to rant but fuck is this company doing my nut in.

[BomberPat]

Nakamura is probably WWE's worst example of fucking up "show, don't tell" in a long time. When he came in, with the amazing entrance and the live violinist, he felt like a huge deal, like something special - he felt like a rock star. Now, they just throw him in random matches while telling us that he's a rock star, and telling us that Nakamura & Randy Orton are a dream team, but they've done absolutely nothing to actually make him look like a big deal since he arrived. They just expect us to know already.

But even though I do know, and I bloody love Nakamura, if they treat him like he's just anybody, I'm going to have hard time not looking at him like he's just anybody.

Throw in the usual problems of taking a charismatic, unique character that evolved over time and then expecting WWE to be able to write a script for that character devoid of context, and he's in much the same boat as Woken Matt over on RAW.

[tiger_rick]

They have had those three women groups on Raw and SD doing the same thing for months. This week, they both got beat. It's baffling.

I've moaned before about this weird kayfabe-free world with Twitter and whatnot. This week they aired those ads for this mixed tag tournament. Becky Lynch was delighted that she got Sami Zayn. Now fair play, it's the only bit of natural acting on the show. But one of the their top female babyfaces cheering and hugging their current lead heel. Madness.

[bigfoote]

On that note, how do you book Bayley and Elias? 

[BomberPat]

Bayley and Elias is an easier one for me to make sense of - Bayley sees the good in everyone, so deep down likes Elias even if she doesn't always agree with the way he behaves, but she's convinced that with enough time and effort, he'll turn out to be okay. That's a dynamic that works, because Bayley's character is already geared that way.

It's harder to start justifying any of the other heel/face team-ups on there, as you can't have almost every single team be all wacky miscommunications and misunderstandings.

Chances are, as the whole Mixed Match Challenge is little more than money for old rope as far as WWE are concerned, it won't be acknowledged on the proper TV shows, and will exist in its own little pocket reality, where none of this will ever matter.

[Love-Wilcox]

Are they REALLY going with a handicap match as the WWE Title match at the Rumble ? I love the guys involved but a handicap match ?! That’s a TV main event at best.

[PunkStep]

It's the Royal Rumble, which happens to have two rumble matches and another (and much bigger) world title match on the same card. They might as well make the WWE title a throwaway TV match and save a better match for a PPV where it will matter more.

[Love-Wilcox]

I get that from a booking point of view but as a fan I actually see it as a throw away match and thus have next to no interest in it. It’s a shame to have to say that about a WWE title match with AJ as the champ but it’s true.

I’d much rather another match where the title wasn’t on the line if they’re going for “throw away”, like a tag or something. 

[King Pitcos]

9 hours ago, Love-Wilcox said:

I get that from a booking point of view but as a fan I actually see it as a throw away match and thus have next to no interest in it. It’s a shame to have to say that about a WWE title match with AJ as the champ but it’s true.

I’d much rather another match where the title wasn’t on the line if they’re going for “throw away”, like a tag or something. 

No you wouldn’t. You’d (rightfully) complain that the three participants in the tag match who aren’t AJ are silly bastards for signing up to a no-point tag match instead of the rumble match.