WWE Smackdown Live Match Ratings And Notes For 2/6/18 From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening segment

• Shane McMahon says that he and Daniel Bryan listen to the crowd.
• The crowd chants "Rusev Day" and Shane says "duly noted." Not sure why he wouldn't just say "hey that guy is getting a championship match against Bobby Roode, we're listening."
• Shane is confused by Daniel Bryan's affection towards giving KO and Zayn opportunities. He thinks Daniel is living vicariously through them.
• AJ Styles comes out and tells them this is getting tiring and to stay clear of the situation tonight. 
• Nakamura says he's going to beat AJ Styles at WrestleMania when they encounter each other backstage.

 

Backstage crappenings

• New Day are backstage answering questions, one is "do you think Corey Graves has a better jab or left hook?" Howling. Later, they say they'd give Graves a 6 percent chance in a street fight. New Day's selflessness in promos and interviews about how they want Kofi to succeed is endearing.

Charlotte defeated Liv Morgan (w/ Riott Squad)
5/10

• I don't have a damn clue why the Riott Squad are or were a thing. I like the parts, just not the sum.
• Charlotte jobs Liv out pretty heavily early on. You get the basic heel working over with a straightjacket hold from Morgan a couple of times though. Charlotte should leave the exploder suplexes to Becky.
• Charlotte lands her cool neckbreaker and a spear on Liv and Logan even after getting yanked off the top rope. Riott Squad get chucked when they try to get involved.
• A rough looking big boot sets up the Figure 8. Charlotte wins. 

Bludgeon Brothers defeated Jobbers

• Harper heaves one of the jobbers overhead. Rowan body presses the other.
• Crucifixion. Fin.
• Usos come out after and cut a promo about one of them getting arrested.  They talk about their improvement over 2017. Their promo style is fun and real. 

WWE United States Championship
Bobby Roode (c) defeated Rusev (w/ Aiden English)
6.25/10

• Aiden English heels the crowd with a song. They won't just let the two embrace it, even though the crowd chants for Rusev, with him leading it. There's a hilarious Rusev head bouncing along to the lyrics too. 
• We get some back and forth time killing stuff, and when we're back from a commercial Rusev heaves Roode with a fallaway slam.
• Roode is selling Rusev's strikes like a million bucks.
• Corey Graves cackles at Byron Saxton not being able to define a magnum opus -- which is an individual's best work.
• Bobby Roode is much more exciting in the ring as a babyface. That's the case with a lot of guys, but with Roode, I see the things that have been touted about him for a decade. 
• Spinebuster from Roode hits as we come back from commercial. Rusev Kick lands, but Roode and Rusev tussle in and out of pins and Accolade attempts. 
• Glorious DDT. That's it. Well okay. 
• Randy Orton RKO out of nowhere on Roode. Then English. Then Rusev. This is the best Randy Orton. No talking. No chinlocks. RKOs. 

Training Day defeated The Ascension
5/10

• I think Tommy Wiseau directed and produced that Gable & Benjamin segment.
• Some of Gable & Benjamin's offense seems like they aren't always on the same page, even though they never really mess anything up.
• Konnor hits Gable with a beautiful flapjack.
• Viktor getting a hot tag, that's a new one. He gets hit with a spinebuster, German Suplex and Training Day's finish.

Winner gets WWE Title shot at WWE FastLane
Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens
7/10

• AJ Styles is on commentary. This is the first KO/Zayn singles match since September 26.
• Things get heated between Owens and Zayn after a little, and Zayn gets the better of a takedown.
• Owens' Fisherman's neckbreaker, Zayn's ropewalk DDT. Both high-impact moves. Then they're followed up by Owens eating knees on a Swanton attempt, and Zayn getting a Torpedo DDT. 
• Frog splash, as the crowd goes nuts. Zayn answers with a half nelson suplex and a Blue Thunder Bomb for two! I'm still buying that as a finish.
• These two were made for one another. 
• Zayn gets in Styles' face, and AJ beats him up. DQ finish. Styles dives onto both men. 
• Daniel Bryan makes a triple threat match for FastLane.