SmackDown Live may not have won the Survivor Series Challenge (read Bradley’s review here) but Baron Corbin, Charlotte Flair and The Usos proved the brand is strong. AJ Styles, even if he lost his match, had clearly pushed Brock Lesnar to his limits for 15 long minutes, and a rematch would be heavily interesting (AJ Styles wants it, Paul Heyman praised the match). In this post-Survivor Series episode, many questions are expected to be answered, as Clash of Champions is coming soon, on December 17.
Welcome to the most must-see Vulture Hound weekly review in history; welcome to… The SmackDown Review, brought to you this week by “Doctor Frenchy” Steph (Bradley is currently retained in a gloomy french prison, I’m waiting for the ransom…)
SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon made his way to the ring to say that Team SmackDown was so close but came up short on Sunday and SmackDown Live proved, even in defeat, that they will be called The Show from now on in WWE. Shane told how proud he was of the Team SmackDown members for bringing it not just at Survivor Series, but each week. But there was 2 exceptions, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens he called to the ring.
Ginger and Cartman started by mocking Shane, wanting him to say he’s sorry to them. Shane told Owens and Sami they have no respect for anyone else in the locker room, included Shane and the crowd. Sami agreed and then explained how valuable they are and how Shane can’t fire them.
Because they’re delusional and the whole locker room hates them, and because Shane is a megalomaniac, The Commissioner was about to have just two words for them (you’re…) when SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan came to the ring too. Bryan said Shane had every right to fire them but he should first put his personal feelings aside. Owens and Sami noticed how reasonable Bryan was but he told them to shut up. Instead of firing them, Bryan said, as everybody in the locker room hates them and Orton was not there tonight thanks to Sami and Owens’ threats, they will have to prove they can beat anyone on any night. And for this night it would be the New Day. To prevent the whole locker room to interfere, and Zayn and Owens to escape, Bryan made it a Lumberjacks match. Sami and Owens weren’t happy.
HERE ARE THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED:
– Shelton Benjamin defeated Jey Uso in a singles match. Jimmy tried to interfere but was sent into a barrier thanks to Chad Gable. Gable and Benjamin proved he earned the #1 contendership spot for the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
– Backstage Owens and Zayn tried to befriend with Baron Corbin to have him in their corner. He hates them. They tried with Bobby Roode, he told them they were out of their minds. Alone they were, alone they’ll stay…
– Backstage Naomi was getting her make up when NXT Ruby Riot introduced herself and her friends Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan to the former Champion. They beat her down until Becky Lynch came to save her and be destroyed too.
– Still backstage, Shane and Daniel Bryan were talking about the new women from NXT Bryan brought in. Even if he didn’t know about, he found that awesome. He also told him booking the Lumberjack Match for tonight was genius. Shane said Bryan’s way was the best and he was now cooled down.
– The Bludgeon Brothers defeated The Hype Bros in their first televised match. Rowan and Harper only needed a few minutes to get rid of Ryder and Rawley. Nice signature double team move from Rowan and Harper.
– AJ Styles, in the ring, wished he could be celebrating tonight but the match at Survivor Series didn’t go down as he wanted. He tried but was unsuccessful as Lesnar is really The Beast he says he is. AJ said if Brock every wanted to have a rematch, he should just remember that Rocky got the win in the sequel. But we were now in SmackDown Live and Styles wanted to take care of Mahal. He challenged him for a match tonight.
But Jinder appeared on-screen to say he will do it on his time. He added if he would have faced Lesnar, he’d be standing here tonight as The Beastmaster. The Maharaja would so get his rematch when he wants it and claimed AJ is a disgrace to SmackDown Live. Jinder chose to invoke his rematch clause at Clash of Champions on December 17. Jinder laughed and The Singh Brother attacked. But AJ crushed them both.
– Backstage Zayn and Owens tried to get Shakespeare in Love (sorry I wanted to say Aiden English) and Rusev by their side.
– Natalya defeated Charlotte Flair by disqualification in their rematch for the SmackDown Women’s title when Liv Morgan, Ruby Riot and Sarah Logan interfered in the match. Natalya was really on her way to win the match and regain the belt but the NXT girls first attacked Natalya at ringside and then Flair in the ring. The bad girls stood tall.
– In the main event, a handicap Lumberjacks match, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens were surrounded by a lot of enemies in and out of the ring. The whole SmackDown Live couldn’t miss that…
Nice match anyway. Owens and Zayn made a great team work, The Lumberjacks too when they grabbed Sami back to the ring as he was trying to flee. But the match turned messy when a big brawl started among the Lumberjacks and invaded the ring. This massive interference allowed Zayn to give the win to his team with a roll up on Kofi.
After the match, the brawl continued in and out of the ring. Owens was able to run away but not Sami who suffered from the wrath of the New Day. Meanwhile backstage, Owens was on his knee to beg Daniel Bryan not to fire him and Zayn. He would have done anything, excepted eating green vegetables… Bryan said Owens doesn’t have to beg as he was never going to fire them. Bryan said he does recognize their talents and next week Owens will face Orton in a one-on-one match. Owens thanked Bryan as the show went off air.
Revenge is a dish that has to be eaten cold. And for Sami and Kevin, it may just be a beginning. Unless Daniel Bryan use them as a weapon against Shane O’Mac… Three new girls are coming to SmackDown Live and it’s great as the Women’s roster needed a breath of air. The upcoming weeks are going to be exciting…
All pics and screencaps courtesy of WWE.com.