The Smackers Thread

[Callum1993]

1 hour ago, DavidB6937 said:

He's someone I have absolutely no interest in watching but have a lot of respect for on a personal level. Him and Chelsea are both fantastic people, but Chelsea has managed to be far more entertaining on screen.

Anyway, the low point of Smackdown wasn't even Ryder. It was bringing back a Survivor Series elimination match for Solo and his goons vs poor Sami, Nakamura, Fenix and MCMG. Jeez. Talk about killing my enthusiasm for something I would've thought I'd be excited to come back.

And not even putting that Survivor Series match on the card. It’s on the Smackdown beforehand. Absolutely stupid decision. 

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

I understand the point about the Dragunov/Ciampa angle but I don’t see it as Ilja ducking him more Ciampa can’t get his hot head straight and be calm about the challenge like the other challengers have been and Ilja’s winding him up by now bowing to the anger.

[Supremo]

Hoping for a Dream Team in War Games of CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns and John Cena…and then they announce *checks notes* Jimmy Uso?! Fuck’s sake, Hunter. The Bloodline is the new DX tank. Get over it! Move on!

Nice to see the competitive spirit between the two companies is alive and well. AEW move their Blood and Guts to November, completely undermining War Games, so how do WWE counteract? Obviously by trying to undermine Will Hobbs’ hilarious table bump with one of their own! What a week!

Admittedly, Cody’s bump looks nowhere near as painful, but between the crazy height Breakker gets, as if he’s just stood on a land mine and been shot into the sky, and then the way Cody falls back with his legs in the air? Really funny. He looks like the toys in Toy Story falling down when Andy walks into the room! Never change, Cody. World’s most ridiculous man.

Edited November 16, 2025 by Supremo

[Supremo]

Is it even an episode of Smackdown if Cody Rhodes doesn’t do something ridiculous?

”We need to shoot a surprise attack angle, Cody. What are you thinking?”

”I’ll hang upside down out of my bus, of course.”

Brilliant.

Cody also cut his best promo in at least a year. 

Nothing much else worth mentioning, apart from Sami Zayn’s Gang of Geeks genuinely looking like a bunch of kids asking if you can go into the off licence and buy them a three litre bottle of cider.

 

 

[Arch Stanton]

Bunch of kids?! They must be like the reverse Outrunners... The Oldest Boys Alive.

[The King of Old School]

Show needed more wrestlers wearing black, all far too colourful.

[DavidB6937]

Wish they'd do more with Fenix. Problem is they've got so many guys that look like him. At least Penta stands out a bit.

[RedTwoster]

15 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Wish they'd do more with Fenix. Problem is they've got so many guys that look like him. At least Penta stands out a bit.

I thought they would, when they signed him. They’ve been looking for a new Rey Mysterio for years, and he’s the best candidate they’ve had for that maybe ever.  He’s still only in his early 30s too, so age surely isn’t a factor in their decision to treat him as they do.

Corey Graves suggesting it might be impossible for LA Knight to beat Miz given that he had no time to prepare for him was one of the worst calls I’ve made for quite some time. But why do they mystery opponent gimmick at all if that’s who you’re planning to utilise? Surely Joe Hendry or one of the Hardys were available? Even R-Truth would have made for a more enjoyable match. A bizarre choice. 

Jade Cargill beating the shot out of anyone and everyone is going to make her very popular, I suspect. Pitting her against Michin for her first title defence is a really odd choice, though. 

Chelsea continues to shine, and I’d love to see her turn face and take the title off Jade in a major upset one day. I imagine they’ll do something like Jade/Charlotte at Wrestlemania, which is fine - if Jade wins. I hope they give her a long title reign. 

[FUM]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

They’ve been looking for a new Rey Mysterio for years, and he’s the best candidate they’ve had for that maybe ever.

They’ll never have one. He was a product of the time. Unique to the audience and there was nobody like him. The underdog who was believable because you felt his speed and athleticism could trick a larger opponent.

That style is the norm now so they’ll never find someone who is a success anywhere near that level and nobody is going to stand out when everyone is doing the same thing.

Not to mention masked wrestlers are so prominent now that nobody is crying out for any particular mask that stands out.

The fact they’ve tried it countless times and their most popular star in Mexico is his son who doesn’t wear a mask probably sums it up.

[RedTwoster]

2 hours ago, FUM said:

They’ll never have one. He was a product of the time. Unique to the audience and there was nobody like him. The underdog who was believable because you felt his speed and athleticism could trick a larger opponent.

That style is the norm now so they’ll never find someone who is a success anywhere near that level and nobody is going to stand out when everyone is doing the same thing.

Not to mention masked wrestlers are so prominent now that nobody is crying out for any particular mask that stands out.

The fact they’ve tried it countless times and their most popular star in Mexico is his son who doesn’t wear a mask probably sums it up.

Fair, but I’d argue his style isn’t the norm in WWE. There are a handful of smaller wrestlers in WWE who are extremely athletic, but even among them, there’s not a high-level masked wrestler doing what Rey does. Penta comes closest, but he and Fenix are very different as far as how they wrestle is concerned. WWE is very much in its own bubble, so I do think they could push Fenix as THE masked wrestler, as a main event talent who does things in-ring that other WWE wrestlers could only dream of. You could sell the mask as merchandise and let him be that superhero-style figure for the kids. He doesn’t necessarily have to be an underdog, but he could be something quite different on that roster, as far as up-and-coming talent is concerned.

[air_raid]

Nobody watched it this week, I take it?

[Arch Stanton]

56 minutes ago, air_raid said:

Nobody watched it this week, I take it?

I can't remember, to be honest.

[Supremo]

I only saw the first five minutes, but even that was enough for this week’s Cody Watch to deliver. Hilariously attacking Drew like the Dilophosaurus attacking Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park. Never change, Champ!

After that, I had to attend a K-Pop Demon Hunters event with my five year old, so although I’ll eventually catch up I know for a fact nothing on this show will match that level of entertainment.

I hear Gunther won the Tournament of Chumps. Who could have guessed?!

Edited December 7, 2025 by Supremo

[Supremo]

Smackdown was alright. Gunther vs. LA Knight was surprisingly decent. Fair play to Gunther. A man trapped in the worst tournament of all time, but doing whatever he can to squeeze some life out of it. 

They need to stop ripping off the 2014 Shield/Wyatt Family face off spot with the MFTs/Wyatt Six because they couldn’t be further apart. Opposite ends of the spectrum. Like your mum saying there’s a pack of Snickers in the cupboard but then you open it to discover the crap Aldi versions. A fucking, “Racer”?! No thanks!

With the theme of Smackdown being what a ridiculous cartoon of a man Cody Rhodes is, it was nice to see him reach his final form in the Street Fighter trailer released last night. Like his entire career has been building to this moment. Peak RollerCodester.

[Lorne Malvo]

34 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Like your mum saying there’s a pack of Snickers in the cupboard but then you open it to discover the crap Aldi versions. A fucking, “Racer”?! No thanks!

 

You're having a laugh. A Titan bar pisses all over a Mars!