Sean Ross Sapp's thoughts on WWE Smackdown.
John Cena returns
- I'm really happy to see Cena back, even if it's short-term. The more depth, the better.
- I hate the term "WWE Universe." Please, stop. Signed, Sean from like six years ago.
- John Cena addresses Undertaker chants and says he's not going anywhere.
- Cena then demands a title match at Royal Rumble and says this isn't a new era.
- I love entitled Cena as a character.
Smackdown Tag Team Championships
Fatal Four Way: American Alpha defeated Wyatt Family (c) (w/ Bray Wyatt), Usos and Rhyno & Heath Slater
- I never know how to feel about these matches. Every team but one has to get beat.
- The finish to beat the Usos was good. It wasn't predictable.
- Remember how I said that every team had to get beat? They did a good job of protecting that by having the Usos attack American Alpha, but I get a feeling we're in for a surprise.
- Chad Gable suplexing Luke Harper was something to behold.
- Gable played a great babyface in peril here.
- Orton looked like he tried to dead weight Jordan. It didn't work if he did.
- Orton ABSOLUTELY PLANTED Jason Jordan with a DDT. One of the best looking ones he's ever done.
- I don't know why tag ropes exist in this match
- American Alpha are new champions! When I tell you these are a couple of the nicest guys in the business, I mean it. Great to see.
- There's Wyatt friction after the match. I hope this leads to Wyatt & Orton vs. Harper and Rowan. I don't want Orton as a singles wrestler for a while.
Backstage stuffs
- Promo from Ziggler. It was fine.
- James Ellsworth cut a good promo to a mixed reaction. Carmella finds him 'uniquely attractive.'
Smackdown Women's Championship
Alexa Bliss (c) defeated Becky Lynch
- These two started off hot, but tried to do a little too much and got sloppy
- They smoothed things over, but Becky's dropkicks look terrible
- Alexa Bliss can sell the hell out of a broken arm.
- La Luchadora comes out and helps Alexa Bliss win!
- Glad to see Bliss use a DDT as a finish.
Backstage stuff again
- Nikki was good in saying she's proud of herself, but didn't need scripted.
- I was a fan of most of the Ambrose/Renee/Maryse/Miz stuff. Ambrose didn't need to be a security guard or use the cutesy line at the end.
WWE Championship
AJ Styles defeats Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler
- When Corbin is in there with good workers, cool stuff happens.
- Corbin was really the workhorse of this match.
- There was an awesome spot where Ziggler and Styles teamed up to take Baron Corbin out, which made Corbin look really strong, and was just cool to see.
- Styles saved a Baron Corbin botch, but not everything in a fight is supposed to look perfect.
- Super cool End Of Days/Zig Zag spot.
- Styles picks up the win in a really fun match to watch.
- The handshake at the end was a little confusing to me, but I like that. We don't always need to know.
Overall thoughts
- This was a fantastic show. Very little filler, and a big one to bridge the gap between TLC and Royal Rumble.
- There were a lof of things to like about this show, and very little to not like.
- Smackdown is consistently good for two hours with half of a roster.
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