Smackdown Discussion Thread

[Kaz Hayashi]

So I haven't watched Smackdown since the split and I was intrigued based on the bits I've read on here. So what I picked up from this episode...

 

- initial backstage segment was OK, did what it was supposed to do, AJ making himself known and Dolph standing up to him. Was a bit weird seeing Braun casually chatting.

- new belt intro was fair enough, but it did highlight how low on talent they have in terms of must see name value. The only people in the ring that I was that bothered about were Alpha and Becky. In fairness I haven't seen what the others have offered in the previous few weeks.

Heath could be interesting and it's cool to see them at least give him something to run with. Good fun.

- the first woman's match was pretty quick and made Becky look strong but nothing to write home about. Could have been a bit longer though based on the fact they only have 6 woman. All need to look strong and it was a quick receipt based on the same match having the opposite result the previous week.

- I have no time what so ever for Uso's or the ascension. Basic straight forward match. Both teams need a full repackage. Fuck knows what.

- Curt Hawkins is returning via vignettes ripping off Chuck Norris 2013 'facts' memes.

- Carmella is a heel I think. Fair enough.

- Shane said that it's not over between him and Brock, we can all see what's coming.

- Bray is next in line for Orton. Fresh in my mind, mind games will be the obvious way to go and is inevitable. I like Bray, Orton... I'm a bit tepid about. See what happens.

- Alpha didn't get any initial pop, which surprised me, but then again, that's happened a few times with NXT call ups. What they managed to do though was have a good quality and fun match with breezedango and through doing so, won the crowd around half way through. Good match.

- AJ, he's great isn't he. And fair play to Dolph, really decent match although Daniel did kind of made me think 'what's the point?' By stating earlier on that if AJ wins, he's going to backlash, if Dolph wins, he's going to backlash, with AJ. I got the point, but the delivery of the comment made me think, AJ probably wouldn't care if he lost, he's still going to backlash. Again, I think it was more down to how Daniel broke the news.

- pretty sure Ambrose said 'cocky shit' regarding AJ and his in ring attitude.

 

Rhino eh? I can dig that, fun team indeed and hope they can gel. Cocky mouth piece with a brute by his side.

 

Yeah, not a bad show. Some Luke warm stuff but some really good stuff.

[Guest]

I thought the hand on Heath's shoulder belonged to Kane and I actually popped for that, that's a fun way to use Kane. Rhyno's still good, though. I'm loving how over Heath is right now.

So it's an 8 team tournie to crown tag champs, Heath & Rhyno make the 7th team on the roster, who might #8 be? I can't see an NXT call-up from the tag division so assume it'll be two already active stars, fuck knows who though. Looking at the roster, the only people up to fuck all at the moment are Kane, the incoming Hawkins, Rowan and I guess Crews if that Miz feud is over. They'll do well to shit a tag team out of those 4

 

I love Top Dog Dean and AJ obviously is just the man. Cracking main event.

 

Break for Cena? One of AJ's promos demanded Cena come out and admit AJ is the better man once he beat him, so I was surprised to see no sign of him.

 

BreezeAngo have great chemistry with each other, they are hilarious. It's worth looking for some of their WWE.com exclusive videos together as they've not been on telly enough for my liking. Deserve better than 1st round exit. AA's segments always make me smile, I wanna be Chad Gable's mate. They need to start making "So sick" t-shirts if they're not already

 

Really like the intro segments to Smackdown lately, the Lone Wolf and Erick Rowan having a little natter in the locker room was amusing

[WWFChilli]

Heath Slater brilliant again, particularly for making several of the guys in the ring corpse at his lines. His delivery has such a goofy charm it's impossible not to root for him.

[theringmaster]

I'm starting to really like how Smackdown is lacking talent, it's clearly the underdog in the brand split so I'm intrigued if their shallow pools can rise above expectations. For example their is a great opportunity for a tag team to establish themselves on SD, RAW Tag is dominated by new Day, why would you even want to be on that brand right now? Same for women, Becky Lynch and Natalya now finally have a chance to be the brides! Becky is the shoe in for first champ imo

 

On top of that AJ is clearly emerging as the face of the brand, I think he will be face again by Mania

[d-d-d-dAz]

AJ Styles has always been fucking great, but how seamlessly he has transitioned into the WWE style has really impressed me. He's absolutely brilliant at the minute, and fits like a glove.

 

I want to see him win the title, hold it until Cena's ready to come back and then have Cena brought out to challenge him and win back his armband.

[Guest]

Armband on a pole. Book it, Russo

[d-d-d-dAz]

I've been fast forwarding Ziggles' matches for the longest time, but have seen a few recently. How long has he been doing the poor mans tribute to Kurt Angle, with the scruffy 'amateur wrestling' rubbish?

 

It's absolutely shite, and his opponent never seems to have a clue what's going on.

 

Christ, He may have upped his promo game pre-Summerslam, but he's still terrible.

[The King of Old School]

Not a chance in it happening, but I'd really like to see a face AJ against a heel Brock for the WWE Title at Mania.

[tiger_rick]

Not a great show again. Liked the opening from the AJ stuff in the dressing room through the belt announcement to the Ziggler attack but it went downhill after that.

 

The women's title is what it is. Hopefully a vehicle for Becky but I don't really watch anyway so I don't care.

 

There is nowhere near enough talent in the Tag division. They needed to add some thrown together combos to give it spice.

 

Heath Slater was ace again. I hope it can go somewhere.

[Jackpot]

There is nowhere near enough talent in the Tag division. They needed to add some thrown together combos to give it spice.

 

I thought about that the other day and came to the realisation that they don't actually have that many options to just throw a team together. The majority of the roster are already in a tag team and those not, are too important as singles stars.

 

Those not in the tag division right now - AJ, Ambrose, Ziggler, Cena, Miz, Orton, Wyatt, Crews, Del Rio, Corbin, Kane, Kalisto, Rowan. How many of those 13 can they afford to take out of the singles to tag team division?

 

It is my hope though that Harper returns quickly and teams back up with Rowan. Also I hope the Dudleys, now being free agents again, are signed by SmackDown. Their latest run was shit but maybe in a new environment they can be treated as the greatest tag team rather than just some shit. And although I'm not usually a fan of them trying to recreate ECW, just signing RVD and Dreamer for a short-term deal and having them team up gives them another team. Gargano and Ciampa being called up is a possibility. Maybe get the Young Bucks signed and align with AJ - for Blue Club. Have Finn align himself with Gallows and Anderson for Red Club. 

 

They'd be the five teams I'd look at to improve SmackDown's tag division.

[simonworden]

EDIT 

 

DOUBLE POST

[simonworden]

I hate those tag titles so much. I'm not a fan at all of the similar designs for each shows equivalent anyway (don't mind 1 woman's and 1 world being similar) but the Universal belt looks like a used sanitary product and the tone of the SD to Raw plates isnt enough in my eyes to differentiate things.

 

Have they changed the set already to a single set again or have they just saved money for the week by only hauling one set of gear around the country?

[Guest]

The Smackdown tag titles look like the silver version of the Raw ones.. second place? Although, the Raw ones are more bronze than gold actually.....hmmmm. Definitely reading too much into this, I won't give a shit in a couple weeks

[theringmaster]

The Smackdown tag titles look like the silver version of the Raw ones.. second place? Although, the Raw ones are more bronze than gold actually.....hmmmm. Definitely reading too much into this, I won't give a shit in a couple weeks

Everybody is, the belt design is not really that important.

 

The belts are here to stay now, I got to admit I was expecting the tag Titles to change also so they would have the uniform design also but now they have the same design for SD tag titles that means we have this design for a couple of more years at least.

 

Just wait till they unveil this Cruiserweight belt, years and years saying WWE need a cruiserweight division and when it happens people will be complaining that it's to small/cheap looking/horrible colour (*delete where applicable)

[Guest]

Cruiserweight belt to be 2/3 size of Universal belt.........