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The John Report: WWE Smackdown 12/13/19 Review

TJR Wrestling

This is the last WWE Smackdown episode before Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view. I didn’t like last week’s Smackdown episode very much at all, so let’s hope for a nice bounce back this week.

Live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this is Smackdown for episode #1061. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport. Please visit TJRWrestling.net daily for our regular updates on the wrestling business featuring WWE news coverage along with reviews about wrestling’s past and present. Thanks to Melo Man for the banner up top.

The opening video package showed highlights from last week when Roman Reigns beat Dolph Ziggler in a long match. After the match, King Corbin and Ziggler beat up Reigns and then handcuffed him to the turnbuckle. Corbin and Ziggler followed that by humiliating Reigns by pouring dog food all over the “Big Dog” Reigns, so that’s how Smackdown ended last week.

The show began with a shot of the crowd in Milwaukee. No Smackdown introduction video or pyro to start the show this week. King Corbin was carried down to the ring on his throne by six minions and there was security around the ring while Dolph Ziggler was already in the ring. The announce team of Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcomed us to the show.

Let’s Hear from King Corbin

Corbin and Ziggler began the promo talking about how they humiliated Roman Reigns last week. Corbin bragged about how great his 2019 has been like when he retired Kurt Angle at WrestleMania, he won King of the Ring and he’s going to beat Roman Reigns at the TLC pay-per-view. Corbin said he’ll use tables, ladders and chairs and make Reigns to bow down to the king. Corbin said that Smackdown will be his place to rule as the sole leader.

Corbin said he saw the promos on Fox and nonsense on Twitter that the Big Dog Reigns is going to be there. Corbin said he’s already proven that Reigns is a shell of the man that he used to be. Corbin said that if Reigns shows up, Corbin has the entire arena covered and Reigns will show up to a fate far worse than last week. The fans chanted “you look stupid” at Corbin, who told the fans that Reigns isn’t showing up tonight. Corbin claimed that the entire Smackdown locker room approves what they did to Reigns last week and here to speak on their behalf is Dolph Ziggler.

Ziggler said for once in his life, Reigns was that locker room leader he said he was when he stood up to Corbin and Corbin put him down. Corbin said it’s the dawn of a new day where they have proven that anybody that steps in their way will be forced to bow down. Ziggler told the fans to join him as they all hail King Corbin. Most of the fans booed, but a few fans were cheering.

The New Day’s Big E and Kofi Kingston showed up for an interruption. Kingston asked if somebody said New Day. Big E said they were sitting in the back of the beautiful Fiser Forum watching Greek Freak highlights (hey Milwaukee Bucks remember when my Toronto Raptors beat you in the Eastern Conference Finals last season?) and Big E commented that they heard their name, so they decided to come out there. Corbin trashed Kofi Kingston for losing the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar in seven seconds and Kofi said it was more like seconds while adding he’s still a champion of the people and he’s proud of it.

Kingston said that Corbin had a heck of a year, but Kofi won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. Kofi said for nearly six months he defended that title, anybody that stepped up to them he beat them including the “court jester” Dolph Ziggler. That led to some “Kofi” chants. Kofi said when he lost, he picked himself up and kept on marching forward where they stand before you here as your seven-time WWE World Tag Team Champions.

Kingston and Big E went into the ring with the heels. Kingston said if Corbin was a true king he would have more class, but Corbin can’t do that. Kofi said that what they did to Roman Reigns last week was disrespectful and he didn’t like it. Corbin mocked Kingston for having one good day in his career, so Kingston punched Corbin in the jaw. Corbin said he heard him.

Corbin said that if Kofi wants to step up and be a locker room leader like Roman Reigns then he’ll be humiliated like Reigns. Corbin shoved the microphone in Kofi’s chest and left. That ended the talking after 15 minutes.

Analysis: Smackdown beginning with Corbin promos needs to stop. It is too repetitive. I don’t even mind Corbin as a talker or a wrestler, but it’s such a boring way to begin the show. Give us a match or something. Let’s be a little creative instead of the same thing every week. This has been happening on Raw and Smackdown for over 20 years now. The formula is so tired. Anyway, Kingston and Big E did a good job of trying to shut up Corbin and of course, it’s going to lead to a match. They could have done all of this in half the time and it would have been just as effective.

Coming up later is an interview with The Miz.

(Commercial)

The match is official for later: Kofi Kingston vs. King Corbin.

King Corbin and Dolph Ziggler were shown walking backstage. When they got to their dressing room, there was a security guy that was down. In the locker room, there was a security guy laying on a broken table. They wondered who did this.

Analysis: The idea behind that is that Roman Reigns was looking for revenge, so he beat up the security guys.

Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville were in the ring for a match. I like when Mandy’s entrance is shown. Just saying. Anyway, they showed a replay of last week when Alexa Bliss saved Nikki Cross two weeks ago. Last week, Bliss beat Rose in a singles match where Rose ripped off Bliss’ fake eyelashes during the match.

There was an interview with Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross in the Gorilla Position area with Kayla Braxton. Before it could get going, Rose and Deville attacked them where they were being interviewed. The women brawled onto the stage, referees broke it up, the women went into the ring and the match began from there.

Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose vs. Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss

Deville was in control early with a kick to Cross and a sliding knee. Rose tagged in followed by a running knee lift to the face of Cross. Deville back in, Bliss tripped up Rose to save her partner and Cross countered Deville with the neckbreaker for the pinfall win in a match that barely got over one minute. The live broadcast missed the finishing move of Cross, but they showed it on the replay.

Winners by pinfall: Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss

Analysis: 1/2* A quick match that never got going. At least they tried to do something different with the backstage attack before the match. It feels like Mandy and Sonya lose 80% of their matches. I don’t know if that’s an accurate guess, but it just seems like WWE is reluctant to pull the trigger on them getting any kind of push.

Sami Zayn was shown walking backstage where Heavy Machinery was standing there with a gift for him. It was mentioned that Zayn’s buddies Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura are facing Heavy Machinery in a match. Zayn opened it and it was ham. Zayn said this was the worst gift he has ever seen since he’s a Vegan. Otis said he’s sorry. Zayn said that sorry is not good enough and Zayn asked Tucker how he deals with this guy. Zayn said Otis is a dumb oaf, so they got mad at Zayn. That’s when Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro showed up with Zayn saying that his boys will take out Heavy Machinery in the tag team match. Zayn and Nakamura left while Cesaro tossed the ham down. Otis was mad about that.

Analysis: That was longer than the match before it. There were some good lines in there from Zayn while Otis continues to be the meat loving guy that grunts a lot. At least he knows his gimmick. I like ham. I would accept that gift.

Shorty G and Mustafa Ali entered for a tag team match.

(Commercial)

The Revival made their entrance. Dash Wilder fell on his ass when they entered the arena. If it was a work, he fooled people because it looked like a real fall.

https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1205663429824012288

It was announced earlier today that The Revival’s Smackdown Tag Team Title match against The New Day is now a Ladder Match. That’s going to be awesome.

Shorty G and Mustafa Ali vs. The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder)

Shorty did some mat wrestling to trip up Wilder, then Shorty was sent into the ropes where Dawson pulled down the ropes and Shorty bumped over the top to the floor. Dawson decked Ali with a clothesline. The Revival hit a double team slam onto the top of the announce table. Back in the ring, Dawson got a two count on Shorty and then he grabbed a headlock. Wilder got the tag as Shorty hit a German Suplex on Dawson. Gable used his legs to hold Wilder down for a two count and then a rolling pin attempt got another two count. Wilder slammed Shorty off the shoulders into a backbreaker for two. Wilder picked Shorty up, Dawson jumped off the top and it looked like Shorty turned it so he slammed Dawson down. Ali hit a hurricanrana on Wilder that sent both them over the top to the floor.

(Commercial)

The match returned with Gable and Ali making the babyface comeback. They did a double dive onto The Revival guys on the floor. Ali tagged in with a double stomp off the top into a suplex for a two count. Wilder took out Ali on the floor. Dawson hit a sitout Powerbomb on Shorty for a two count. The fans were chanting “this is awesome” for the effort showed by the two teams. Shorty hit a rolling German Suplex on Dawson, Wilder jumped off the top with a splash and he rolled right into place for Ali to hit him with a 450 Splash on Wilder. All four guys were down. It was nice of Wilder to roll into position there. At least he didn’t make it that obvious. Ali tagged in, Dawson blocked a DDT attempt, Ali jumped off the ropes and Dawson sent Ali into the double knees of Wilder for the Shatter Machine double team move. That led to the pinfall win for The Revival. Gable was out of the ring, so he couldn’t make the save. It went about 10 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: The Revival

Analysis: ***1/4 That was a very good example of WWE tag team wrestling at its best. The heels controlled most of it, the faces made the comeback and they came up with a creative finish. I liked that counter by The Revival to put away Ali with the Shatter Machine. Gable and Ali work really well together. The announcers kept referring to them as a team, so perhaps we’ll see them together more regularly in the future. I’m fine with that. There’s a lot of chemistry there. The result was expected since The Revival are getting the SD Tag Team Title match at TLC on Sunday.

Bayley was interviewed by Kayla Braxton in the interview area. Bayley talked about Lacey Evans picked a fight with the wrong person. Bayley mentioned that Sasha Banks was off doing a rap album. Elias was playing the guitar nearby, so Bayley went over there where Dana Brooke was standing by in her ring gear. Elias said he got Bayley in the Secret Santa this year and had a line about how ever since Bayley got the haircut, she looks like a dude. The fans in the arena laughed at that. Brooke laughed about it, so Bayley told Brooke to meet her in the ring and Dana said challenge accepted.

Analysis: It was a way to set up a match. Saying Bayley’s hair looks like a dude is mean, but when it’s a face like Elias mocking a heel like Bayley, the fans are going to like it.

(Commercial)

There was a plug for the WWE Backstage show on Tuesday nights. Alexa Bliss is a guest that is on next week.

The end of Dana Brooke’s entrance was shown. Bayley made her entrance with the Smackdown Women’s Title for this non-title match. They showed highlights from last week when Bayley and Sasha Banks beat up their new rival Lacey Evans.

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke

Bayley slapped Brooke in the face, then Brooke sent her to the turnbuckle and stomped on her. Brooke with a handspring into a back elbow onto Bayley on the floor. Brooke with another elbow in the ring, but Bayley came back with a clothesline. Bayley sent up Brooke on the top, Brooke powered out of that and hit a sitout Powerbomb (or a Batista Bomb since she is trying to date Batista) for a two count. Brooke with a rollup for two followed by another flipping pin attempt for two. Bayley kicked the knee, Brooke bumped into the ropes and Bayley drove Brooke face first into the mat for the pinfall win after two minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Bayley

Analysis: 1/2* A quick win to put over the champion. At least it’s not a champion losing a non-title match like WWE does too often. Brooke got in some decent offense, but the result was obvious. The two women’s matches on this show got about four minutes total. Not good for a company that brags about their “women’s evolution” all the time. I know that some weeks are going to have short matches. I’m just saying Smackdown has been disappointing with how they have used the women’s division since the draft in October.

There was no sign of Lacey Evans showing up to attack Bayley for payback from last week. I thought Evans would be there in some way, but she wasn’t on this show.

A video package aired showing Bray Wyatt tormenting The Miz on Smackdown last week, which set up their match at TLC that is not for Wyatt’s Universal Title.

Up next is an interview at The Miz’s home in Los Angeles that will be conducted by Renee Young. That’s the end of the first hour.

(Commercial)

There was a Sheamus promo talking about how Smackdown used to have fighters, warriors and champions. Sheamus said that Smackdown has changed because it’s now a home to wimps and weaklings. Sheamus said in his absence, Smackdown has become a home without any heart. Sheamus said that the Celtic Warrior has returned and he’s bringing the heart back to Smackdown. Sheamus said that the heart is ready to crush anybody foolish enough to stand in his way.

Analysis: I’m glad Sheamus is coming back soon. It’s obvious he’ll be back in a heel role, which is the best thing for him.

Interview with The Miz

The Miz was shown sitting down in his very expensive Los Angeles home with Renee Young there to conduct the interview. The Miz said he hasn’t seen or heard from Daniel Bryan. Renee noted that Bryan and Miz don’t get along while she brought up their famous August 2016 segment on Talking Smack when Miz and Bryan yelled at eachother. It was a famous rant from Miz calling Bryan a coward. The Miz said that Bryan and himself bring out the best and worst in eachother. Miz talked about knowing Daniel Bryan for over a decade while saying they have had incredible matches. Miz said that he may not like Daniel Bryan, but he respects him and it’s time for The Miz to do the right thing.

Renee asked about last week on Smackdown and Miz said that Wyatt likes to play mind games. Miz said that there’s a line that you don’t cross and Bray crossed that line. Miz said it was disturbing and he can’t get the image of that photo (of Wyatt with Miz family) out of his head. Miz said that Bray changes superstars like Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan and Miz said he is a changed man because he is a father of two young girls. Miz said he wants to ensure his family’s safety, which is why he’s at home instead of at Smackdown in Milwaukee. Miz said family is most important to him and he doesn’t know what Wyatt is capable of.

When Renee asked if Miz is afraid, Maryse was screaming for Mike and he got up out of the chair. They were looking at an iPad and showed some camera where The Miz’s oldest daughter Monroe was in her room playing with toys and it looked like some of the Bray Wyatt puppets were in the crib with her. Bray Wyatt appeared on the iPad screen saying “let me in” as well. They ran upstairs to their daughter and there was a creepy toy in the crib. Maryse held their daughter as Miz and Maryse yelled at the camera crew to get out of there, so that ended it.

Analysis: That was creepy and weird. They are going for something different with this Bray Wyatt character by making it personal. I thought it was very creative, though. I don’t mind a different kind of bad guy. It also makes the feud feel more personal because they involved the family of The Miz in this. It makes the fans getting into the rivalry more because we can all relate to The Miz in this scenario where he has to fight to protect his family. Will Miz beat Wyatt at TLC? I doubt that very much.

The Firefly Fun House with Bray Wyatt was shown. Bray said he was just trying to be nice because it’s the holiday season. Wyatt said it’s a time of giving and he can see how much The Miz loves his family. Wyatt said that snitches that get stitches while adding that Miz wanted to expose what happened to Daniel Bryan, so now Miz exposed himself. Bray said that Daniel Bryan is still with “him” referring to The Fiend while telling Miz that he is with Wyatt. Bray said that you can train yourself to not feel pain at all and he headbutted the table followed by laughter. Wyatt said that you can teach yourself not to feel love…all you have to do is let me in. Wyatt: “Oh and by the way, Marine 5 was fire!” He said see you at TLC and said bye to end it.

Analysis: A unique promo from Wyatt as usual. That Marine 5 line at the end was funny.

There was a reminder that the TLC match will be Bray Wyatt against The Miz.

The Heavy Machinery duo of Otis and Tucker entered with some yellow cheese-head hats that will make them popular in the cheese state of Wisconsin.

(Commercial)

It was back to the backstage area where King Corbin and Dolph Ziggler were walking the hallways. They walked towards the throne of Corbin that was knocked over along with a few of the security guys. Corbin and Ziggler were angry about it.

Cesaro and Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura made their entrance along with Sami Zayn, who is their manager of shorts. I guess the correct term is liberator as Zayn likes to say.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro (w/Sami Zayn) vs. Heavy Machinery (Otis and Tucker)

Tucker hit an impressive dropkick on Cesaro followed by a cross body block off the middle ropes. Nakamura faced off with Otis with Cole noting that Otis is from the state of Wisconsin as Otis hit a shoulder tackle and an elbow for a two count. Nakamura came back with a spin kick. Cesaro tagged in, Otis ran through a double clothesline attempt and Tucker hit a dive off the top onto Cesaro and Nakamura. Otis and Tucker ran into eachother using their hips against the head of Cesaro. They tossed Cesaro out of the ring leading to a break.

(Commercial)

The match returned with the heels in control as Cesaro grounded Tucker with a chinlock followed by a running uppercut. Nakamura tagged in with a running knee lift on Tucker against the turnbuckle. Nakamura drove his knee into Tucker a few times as the fans chanted “We Want Otis” for the big man. Nakamura charged, Tucker got the boot up and hit a Thesz Press to take down Nakamura. Otis got the hot tag against Cesaro with a running chest attack, he ran over Nakamura and hit a body slam on Nakamura as well. Cesaro kicked Tucker in the gut a few times, so Otis hulked up by rubbing his belly and hit an overhead slam on Cesaro. Nakamura with a running kick on Otis, Cesaro with an uppercut and Nakamura hit a sliding knee on Otis for a two count. Tucker sent Cesaro out of the ring and Nakamura knocked Tucker out of the ring. Otis caught Nakamura, Tucker got the tag, Cesaro saved Nakamura, Otis splashed Cesaro and that led to Otis doing the Caterpillar. Zayn got on the apron to distract. Cesaro sent Otis over the top, Tucker sent Cesaro over the top to the floor and Nakamura hit the Kinshasa knee strike on Tucker for the pinfall win after 10 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro

Analysis: *** That was a fun and interesting tag team match with the heels finding a way to win. The crowd was really into it with chants for Otis when he wasn’t in there and when Otis did make the tag, the fans popped for him like he was a huge star. Otis being in his home state certainly helped him with the reactions. Cesaro was awesome at everything as usual. He’s always in the right spot and has the coolest moves. Nakamura really needs a feud right now. There was a rumor he was going to feud with Braun Strowman, but Strowman has been injured and it doesn’t appear to be happening yet.

King Corbin and Dolph Ziggler were talking to the security guys in the backstage area. Cole asked how Corbin can get to the ring without his sedan/throne thing. Um, he can walk? Yeah. I think he can.

A commercial aired for Broken Skull Sessions with Steve Austin and Goldberg as his guest. It’s on WWE Network on Sunday after TLC.

(Commercial)

There was a mention of the WWE Hall of Fame news from Monday. The first inductees announced are Batista along with the New World Order grouping of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean “Syxx” Waltman. It’s so weird when Cole said the “original four” in the NWO. Waltman was sixth in the group after the first three, then The Giant (Big Show) and Ted Dibiase, but I guess we have to act like it was Syxx or X-Pac. I think it should just be the first three guys, but it doesn’t really matter that much. Congrats to all of them.

Kofi Kingston and Big E entered for Kofi’s match. As mentioned earlier, their TLC match against The Revival will be a TLC match for the New Day’s Smackdown Tag Team Titles.

King Corbin made his entrance by walking down to the ring with Dolph Ziggler, who was in his ring gear, which tells me that this would set up a tag team match. They were joined by some security guys (indy wrestlers) that will be beaten up later.

Kofi Kingston (w/Big E) vs. King Corbin (w/Dolph Ziggler)

The match began with over 20 minutes left in the show, so there was a lot of time for a post match angle. Kingston with a dropkick. The fans chanted “STD” at Corbin as the chant that The Rock started for Corbin back in October, but it hasn’t really taken off. It was a light chant. Corbin picked up Kingston leading to Kofi using the momentum to send Corbin over the top to the floor. Kingston went up top and hit a splash onto Corbin where he landed back first on Corbin. Kingston celebrated on the announce table as the show went to break.

(Commercial)

Corbin was in full control as they returned from break with Corbin shoving Kingston off the top rope and that sent Kingston tumbling to the floor. Corbin sent Kingston into the barricade twice. Corbin whipped Kingston into the ring post and got a two count out of that. When Kingston tried a leaping attack by the ropes, Corbin decked Kingston with a punch to the face. When Kingston got back up, he punched Corbin a few times, he ran the ropes and Corbin hit a running back elbow for a two count. Kingston came back with the SOS slam. Kingston countered a Chokeslam attempt into a hurricanrana, then a Kofi kick and a Boom Drop leg drop connected for Kingston. When Kingston set up for Trouble in Paradise, Ziggler grabbed the foot of Kingston, the referee saw it and the referee ejected Ziggler from ringside. Ziggler went to the back, but then he went down to the ring to attack Big E. The referee called for the bell. This went for about ten minutes.

Match Result: No Contest

Analysis: **1/4 It was just an average match to set up the tag team match. I’m not surprised that the match broke down since Big E and Ziggler were in their ring gear. Kingston worked well with Corbin, who is at his best in the ring when he’s got a smaller, athletic guy in there with him to sell his big man spots.

There was a brawl on the floor with New Day getting the advantage. Big E hit Ziggler with a clothesline. Big E said if you want a fight we can have this match right now. That means after this commercial.

(Commercial)

Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin vs. Kofi Kingston and Big E

This is not for New Day’s Smackdown Tag Team Titles. The match started during the break. Ziggler hit a Fameasser on Big E for a two count. Corbin tagged in, he worked over Big E with some punches. When Corbin tried an attack off the middle ropes, Big E moved and Big E hit a belly to belly suplex. Kingston tagged in against Ziggler with a chop off the top, a dropkick and Kingston sent Ziggler over the top to the floor. Corbin stopped that with a clothesline on Kingston. Ziggler hit Big E with a clothesline while they were out of the ring. Ziggler grabbed handcuffs from under the ring, he put the cuffs on the wrists of Kingston and the referee called for the bell. It only went about three minutes.

Winners by disqualification: Kofi Kingston and Big E

Analysis: * It was just a quick match that was used to set up the post match interaction. I don’t mind a non-finish like that occasionally.

The match was over, so Corbin and Ziggler hooked the hands of Kingston against the turnbuckle just like they did to Roman Reigns last week. The Revival showed up at ringside and they gave the Shatter Machine to Big E while they were outside the ring. Corbin had dog food in his hands.

Roman Reigns made his entrance as his music played. Reigns decked the security guys with punches, kicks and clotheslines. Reigns with a headbutt to Wilder. Reigns tossed two security guys over the barricade and into the crowd. The Revival sent Reigns in the ring. Reigns decked them with punches and a Superman Punch on Ziggler. Corbin attacked Reigns with punches. Corbin grabbed his scepter, he charged at Reigns, but Reigns stopped that with a Superman Punch. The fans were cheering and chanting “Roman” for Reigns.

Reigns grabbed the dog food that was at ringside and he was going for Corbin, but Ziggler decked Reigns with a superkick. Ziggler had a ladder, The Revival set up Reigns on the announce table, but Big E took out The Revival. Reigns climbed the ladder and tossed Ziggler off the ladder like a Chokeslam that drove Ziggler through the announce table. Ziggler saved Kingston and Big E checked on Kofi. They showed replays of the big bump from Ziggler. That drew a big pop. It was an impressive bump by Ziggler.

Reigns stood tall in the ring while Corbin was on the stage staring at him. Cole screamed about The Big Dog and The King on Sunday at TLC on WWE Network. That was the end of Smackdown for this week.

Analysis: It was the typical “superman saves the day” type of ending that was obvious as soon as this show began with King Corbin doing his promo. The whole episode was about Roman Reigns getting his revenge for last week, which is why Reigns was the one that beat up all the bad guys. Corbin got away because that’s how WWE does these things to make us more interested in their match at TLC on Sunday. The idea is if you want to see Corbin get his ass kicked like the other guys, you have to watch TLC for that. I think they did a great job of making us care more about the Reigns/Corbin TLC match. Those last five minutes were predictable, but listen to the fans. They were into it. They cared. Also, give Dolph Ziggler a lot of credit for taking that table bump because it was a big fall. Good job by everybody involved.

Three Stars of the Show

  1. Kofi Kingston
  2. The Revival
  3. Shorty G/Mustafa Ali

The Scoreboard

6 out of 10

Last week: 4.75

2019 Average: 6.58 (Raw is 5.91)

Last 5 Weeks: 4.75, 5.25, 6.5, 6.25, 4.75

2019 High: 9 (November 1)

2019 Low: 4.5 (October 25)

Final Thoughts

I give this week’s Smackdown a 6 out of 10.

It was a slightly better than average show this week. I liked the two tag team matches that got around ten minutes each. They were typical WWE tags with the usual formula that always works. They always come up with creative finishes that I typically enjoy. It wasn’t a good night for the women’s division since the two women’s matches got less than four minutes of in-ring time.

I liked the way they furthered the Wyatt/Miz story too. I realize that type of storyline isn’t for every type of fan, but I enjoy the fact that Wyatt is different from everybody else on the show. It makes him stand out more.

The ending angle with Reigns saving the day was predictable, but it worked. The fans were popping for everything and chanting Roman’s name, which is exactly what WWE wanted in that scenario. The problem I have is if you count the opening promo and the 30+ minutes for the main event matches/segment, Baron Corbin was on Smackdown for nearly half of the show this week. It’s too much of him. If he was the best heel ever then that’s fine. I just don’t think he is some all-time great heel and I think other people deserve more time on screen.

The next WWE PPV is Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) this Sunday, December 15. Here’s what we know so far.

Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) Match: Roman Reigns vs. Baron Corbin

Bray Wyatt vs. The Miz – This is not for Wyatt’s WWE Universal Title

Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) Match for the Women’s Tag Team Titles: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch

Tables Match: Rusev vs. Bobby Lashley

Ladder Match for the Smackdown Tag Team Titles: The New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Big E (c) vs. The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder)

Raw Tag Team Titles: The Viking Raiders (c) vs. TBA

Aleister Black vs. Buddy Murphy

Our TJRWrestling preview will be posted on Saturday. My review of the show will go up late Sunday night or Monday morning.

Thanks for reading. Go Los Angeles Rams, reigning NBA Champions Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs. My contact info is below.

John Canton

Email mrjohncanton@gmail.com

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