used2bcool
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|  #1 Posted on 18.4.18 0831.30
Reposted on: 18.4.25 0835.49 | SmackDown's looking pretty stacked, guys (and gals).
Live from Providence, RI.
- If you were worried that SD's main event scene was just going to be some combination of AJ, Nakamura, and D-Bry, your fears may be somewhat assuaged. Big Cass and Samoa Joe will probably slot into those slots, but there's an established upper midcard act in the Miz to anchor stories going forward. Cass and Daniel Bryan makes sense, it gives Bryan an obvious obstacle to overcome, it gives Cass a featured program (though one he may not win, you can still count on Bryan making him look good), and if Cass can pick up a few pointers in-ring, that'd just be a bonus.
- The main event for the night was set up when Rusev Day attacked AJ Styles, who opened the show and refused to leave until he got a response from Shinsuke Nakamura. Instead he got Rusev, which later morphed into a Teddy Long Special (almost called as such by Paige) also involving Bryan. Once again, Nakamura was on hand to prevent a clean finish and provide a timely low blow. Nakamura's face after the act and the little pat he gave AJ as he writhed on the floor was something else. I think we're getting a mixture of Chaos's miserable bastard Nakamura, and the deranged homeless man Nakamura from the early 2010s, and that's an awesome combination.
- Also, right at the very end of the show, you had this exchange:
Renee: Shinsuke, yet another despicable act, what do you have to say for yourself?
Nak: No speak English.
Graves: What a tragedy, forgetting an entire language!
Graves is a treasure.
- Shelton Benjamin transitioned into a solo act with a brief promo before being interrupted by Jeff Hardy. My wife called this and proceeded to gloat throughout the match that followed, but her gloating was more entertaining than the match, which is probably not a good sign for either Hardy or Benjamin. Regardless, I feel both can be useful midcard hands, and Jeff is still very capable of getting a reaction with his entrance and his finisher. Can we stop doing the Twist of Fate, though? Jeff doesn't know how to do it, no one seems to know how to take it properly (don't fall to your knees!), and it never looks good. If Cien Almas isn't going directly into the main event picture, Jeff Hardy and US title would be a perfect first feud for him. The odd man out in this segment was actually Orton, who had his entrance interrupted and thunder stolen by Hardy and looked sufficiently annoyed by this turn of events. Heel Randy is better than face Randy, so I'm all for him taking that direction.
- The women's division got some exposure as well, Carmella's Mellabration with the title was promptly interrupted by Charlotte, who reminded Mella that it's a lot harder to stay on top once you get there. Man, Charlotte's promos are still so rough with the weird word pacing and the monotone. Thankfully the Iiconics showed up to pull up the promo quality. Peyton and Billie are so, so good at their shtick that Charlotte winning the eventual 1-v-1 match against Billie doesn't take any luster off the Aussies. It should be noted that Becky Lynch chose Charlotte over quinoa (twitter.com) this week and made the save, and post-match you had Asuka making her SD debut to even the odds and send the heels packing. Add Naomi (and Absolution) to the mix, and that's a strong division that can easily carry large segments of the show on a weekly basis.
- Speaking of Naomi, this week she was reduced to begging for Jimmy (Jey?) Uso's life after yet another destruction at the hands of the Bludgeons. And...it worked! Apparently Luke has a conscience, and he and Rowan walked back without causing any further damage to the fallen Uso. An interesting wrinkle.
- So we already kinda sorta talked about Joe, but we should spend more time talking about what a tremendous promo this man is. He's got a believable intensity that never comes off as theatrical or over-the-top, and you instantly buy into the idea that this is not a man who makes idle threats, and this is not a man to be trifled with. He made quick work of Sin Cara, called SmackDown "the Land of Handouts," and put the entire roster on notice. I think we all can do with more Joe in our lives.
- Sanity is coming! But without Nikki Cross, it seems. R-Truth and the Good Brothers are also part of Team Blue now, as is the Bar. With the Bludgeons, the Usos, Sanity, the Good Brothers, the Bar, and the (budding?) team of Truth and Tye Dillinger, SD has a tag division if they care to build it.
- So it looks like SD wins yet another Superstar Shakeup, though their results after last year's win were less than ideal. With a year's worth of lessons learned, hopefully it goes better for them in the coming months.
(edited by used2bcool on 18.4.18 0945) | Promote this thread! |             | InVerse
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| #2 Posted on 18.4.18 0852.09
Reposted on: 18.4.25 0852.28 | Originally posted by used2bcool
- Also, right at the very end of the show, you had this exchange:
Renee: Shinsuke, yet another despicable act, what do you have to say for yourself?
Nak: No speak English.
Graves: What a tragedy, forgetting an entire language!
Graves is a treasure.
I really hope Rene shows up with Funaki in tow next week to serve as translator.
(edited by InVerse on 18.4.18 0852) | Tenken347
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| #3 Posted on 18.4.18 0914.18
Reposted on: 18.4.25 0914.34 | Imagine looking at the talent on this roster and thinking, "Daniel Bryan's first big program in his comeback should be...Big Cass." Just, wow. I don't even hate Cass or anything, but what a baffling decision.
I think Cross is staying down in NXT for two reasons: One, she's easily the most over face they've still got in their women's division right now, so they'd otherwise be pretty depleted without her. Two, historically the main roster shows have been pretty bad at figuring out how to work male/female tandems, so even if they brought Cross up, she'd probably wind up on her own in the women's division pretty quickly.
Finally, if they can ever get their shit together regarding Rusev (when I dream, I dream big), then he and Samoa Joe are going to have one hell of a fight.
| Hokienautic
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| #4 Posted on 18.4.18 0947.04
Reposted on: 18.4.25 0947.23 | Originally posted by used2bcool
- Also, right at the very end of the show, you had this exchange:
Renee: Shinsuke, yet another despicable act, what do you have to say for yourself?
Nak: No speak English.
Graves: What a tragedy, forgetting an entire language!
Graves is a treasure.
Would've been even funnier if he'd been yelling at the nearby fans in English right before that interview. lol. | kellogs
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|  #5 Posted on 18.4.18 1054.17
Reposted on: 18.4.25 1054.26 | | Was Cass standing on something while talking to Bryan backstage? Surely he isn't that much taller. I know he is big, but that seemed unrealistic. | PowerPB13
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| #6 Posted on 18.4.18 1107.21
Reposted on: 18.4.25 1107.35 | | I imagine WWE has a good supply of boot lifts in the trainer's room. | andy1278
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| #7 Posted on 18.4.18 1158.01
Reposted on: 18.4.25 1159.01 | SD won. Both shows did well.
I still see no reason to be interested in Big Cass. All I see is Test 2.0.
The shakeup leaves questions about the Greatest Royal Rumble EVER, mainly are they going to have to change two matches again? Now that Rusev has replaced Chris Jericho who replaced Rusev in the Undertaker casket match, we still have SmackDown Live's Miz and Samoa Joe in the I-C title match with Seth and Finn, while SDL's Cesaro & Sheamus are set to face Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt for the vacant tag titles. Has there been a card as shuffled as GRR in years? | Matt Tracker
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| #8 Posted on 18.4.18 1328.01
Reposted on: 18.4.25 1329.01 | We can't have a Big Cass and a Big E on the same show, same as we can't have two Bobbys on RAW.
Name On A Pole matches much ensue. AT THE GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE. | Hokienautic
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| #9 Posted on 18.4.18 1333.32
Reposted on: 18.4.25 1336.50 | Originally posted by Matt Tracker
We can't have a Big Cass and a Big E on the same show, same as we can't have two Bobbys on RAW.
Name On A Pole matches much ensue. AT THE GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE.
Don't worry, WWE apparently has trademarked Colin Cassady (a former ring name) so he may go back to that. Then we just need the Battle of the Bobbys. Maybe at Backlash? | kellogs
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| #10 Posted on 18.4.18 1610.51
Reposted on: 18.4.25 1615.02 | It's quite amusing thinking of how Kurt would be sat back thinking 'Yeah, I got the best of this draft. I gave away none of my stars and got all of theirs' with Paige just going away looking smug. And rightly so!
Maybe they are going to have good matches and action on Smackdown, and crowds booing Reigns every week on Raw and rely on Seth and Finn to do the rest along with.....someone. Maybe they will go back to the old shows to have the stars going against jobbers like Mojo and Kanellis. Hopefully that won't happen, but can't see it at the moment. | Spiraling_Shape
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| #11 Posted on 19.4.18 0611.31
Reposted on: 19.4.25 0611.43 | Originally posted by used2bcool
- Also, right at the very end of the show, you had this exchange:
Renee: Shinsuke, yet another despicable act, what do you have to say for yourself?
Nak: No speak English.
Graves: What a tragedy, forgetting an entire language!
Graves is a treasure.
Corey's really been at the top of his game lately. Also there is this:
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