Match Ratings, Podcast Notes For WWE Smackdown Live 1/8/19 From Sean Ross Sapp Of FightfulWrestling.com

Daniel Bryan defeated R-Truth
5/10 (short)

  • Daniel Bryan is up by the concession stands cutting an all-time great YOU PEOPLE promo about how disgusting the concessions are and the people who use them.
  • He slaps a hot dog out of some guy's hand, and throws a soda in the face of a fan.
  • Bryan comes out through the crowd and calls them impotent as he continues his rather hilarious rant.
  • When Bryan gets to ringside, he's attacked by R-Truth.
  • Truth is on fire, and we come back to see his big hiptoss and a flying kick. 
  • Things don't go Truth's way for very long. He eats turnbuckle and a knee to the face.
  • On the top of the ramp, Styles attacks Daniel Bryan. When he tries to go after Bryan with a chair, DB gets away.
  • As Daniel Bryan is leaving backstage, he goes off and says that AJ Styles hasn't seen anything yet. 
Grayson Waller And Austin Theory Want To Bring The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Titles Back To Relevance

Andrade Cien Almas & Samoa Joe (w/ Zelina Vega) defeated Rey Mysterio & Mustafa Ali
6.25/10

  • This is gonna be fun.
  • Joe and Ali trade strikes early, until Ali gets the better of it with a couple of dropkicks. These are four guys that need good, fresh matchups to help out Smackdown Live. 
  • Rey gets caught with a NAUGHTY feint kick to spinning back elbow. Damn.
  • Rey is able to respond with a reverse Infared on Almas, and Ali capitalizes with a rolling facebuster and Tornado DDT.
  • Before a commercial break, Joe fallaway slams Mustafa Ali over the announce table. 
  • Back from that break, Rey is going wild off a hot tag that leads to a Canadian Destroyer.
  • We just saw a Canadian Destroyer on WWE TV. Woah
  • Ali sails over Almas to tope con hilo Joe. Almas catches Rey's 619 with a gutbuster and Hammerlock DDT and wins.
  • This was neat. 

SAD RUSEV DAY

  • A somber Rusev is in the ring. He blames Nakamura for hurting Lana.
  • Rusev says he has the body of 1000 Hemsworth brothers.
  • Lana chants. 
  • Rusev wants to fight Nakamura for harming his wife.
  • Nakamura is in the TV truck to prove it isn't his fault. He shows Rusev kicking Nakamura with Lana on his back. 

If Usos Win, They Get A Title Shot
The Bar (c) defeated The Usos
6/10

  • The Usos cut a basic Uso promo before their match.
  • Miz wants Shane McMahon to abuse his power to put them in the tag team title picture, but Shane wants to work at it.
  • This is a pretty standard match through the first commercial break. A lot of brawling with the Bar running things.
  • It picks up right after the commercial, when Sheamus gets White Noise and Cesaro lands a nice flying elbow drop. 
  • Jimmy Uso eventually makes the tag and does what all WWE tag teams do in that instance -- RUNS WILD. Throw in some Samoan drops, asses to the face and a suicide dive.
  • A double kick in the corner on Sheamus is good for a two count and we get a commercial when the crowd is bumpin'.
  • The action stays fast paced during said commercial, and we're welcomed back by a Cesaro Swing into a Sharpshooter. 
  • Cesaro eats a superkick.
  • Mandy Rose comes out in a towel and distracts Jimmy, wearing way more than her gear shows off. This leads to a Cesaro Neutralizer and win.
  • The Miz is out and challenges The Bar at Royal Rumble.
  • Cesaro is shocked that an uncoordinated team with daddy issues wants a title shot (not really). Sheamus Brogue Kicks Miz and accepts.
  • Backstage Naomi confronts Mandy, who actually had her gear on and attacks. That brawl with Sonya, Naomi and Mandy was A+. Just wish I could have seen it. But shaky cam.

Top Contender Match
Becky Lynch defeated Carmella and Charlotte Flair
6.75/10

  • Carmella talks her title reign and says Charlotte discovered a kendo stick and Becky discovered her personality, but she already beat Charlotte twice. We get similar promos out of Becky and Charlotte.
  • WWE has had an IC Title, two tag title matches and a two top contender matches the last two night. They're at least trying to add stakes.
  • We come back from a commercial to see Becky doing a Deadly Drive on Charlotte onto Carmella. 
  • Carmella gets a Flatliner on Becky, and applies the Code of Silence on Charlotte. It doesn't last long because Charlotte takes both women out. 
  • I'm glad we're at a point where women main eventing is the norm. Not history making, just good wrestling
  • Charlotte lands a moonsault on both opponents as we hit another commercial break. 
  • Carmella is on fire when we come back -- a Stratusphere on Charlotte and suicide dive on Becky.
  • Charlotte BREAKS HER BUTT Abe Lincoln style on a moonsault attempt. 
  • Becky does a Bexploder on Carmella outside, then Charlotte catches Becky with Natural Selection on from the top rope.
  • Good on Charles Robinson for counting pins when people's shoulders are on the mat, even when the wrestlers aren't intending it.
  • Charlotte has Carmella in a Figure 8, Becky flying leg drops her. Becky has a Disarmher on Charlotte, Carmella kicks her. 
  • Carmella seems like she's getting winded about the time she taps out from a Disarmher.
  • I'm tired of the "Charlotte didn't get beat so she's seething by the barricade" shot.
  • Asuka's music hits and she comes to the ring to taunt with her back to Becky Lynch for some reason. 

 

Rating guide

10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5.The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
 

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