Friday Night Smackdown – May 29th 2020: Results & Review
Welcome to this week’s review of Friday Night SmackDown, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we’ve got Harvey Weinstein live from prison: “Why am I being punished for doing bad shit?!” …because “She’s All That” sucked ass. Alright, here comes The Spanish Inquisition with their new hit single “Screw Religion! Where’s The Beef?”
Match #1: Sheamus wins 10-Man Battle Royal
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After SmackDown opened with the unfortunate revelation that Elias had been struck by a car and Jeff Hardy was arrested as the main suspect, it was announced that a 10-Man Battle Royal would be held to decide Daniel Bryan’s opponent in the Intercontinental Championship Tournament Semifinals. King Corbin dominated with four early eliminations, but Jey Uso ended his reign over the match with a well-timed Superkick. Sheamus and Jey Uso were the last men standing, and a battle on the edge of the ring concluded with a definitive Brogue Kick that brought The Celtic Warrior back into the mix for the Intercontinental Title.
My Opinion: 2.9 out of 5 – This was your typical Battle Royal with a lack-luster winner, but a fitting one, considering the circumstances. There’s some fun little action sequences throughout, but the match was just a means to an end. This match ain’t a great classic, by any stretch.
Match #2: Sonya Deville vs. Lacey Evans (Double Count-Out)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Sonya Deville has been riding high due to her recent dominance over former best friend Mandy Rose and was set on continuing her climb against another “bleached-blonde Barbie Doll” in Lacey Evans. Both Superstars came out ready to brawl, as the match was defined by intensity from the opening bell. Not even the ring could contain the fiery clash, as Deville and Evans traded attacks from outside the ring, and the match ended in a double count-out.
My Opinion: 2.5 out of 5 – When Sonya was in charge, she made the match pretty intense. It feels like Sonya is being groomed for Becky Lynch’s spot. For further information, this match was wrestled as heel versus heel, which was refreshing. This match was a good showing for how far both fighters have come.
Match #3: Sasha Banks def. Alexa Bliss
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
“A Moment of Bliss” brought a celebration of two dominant tag teams as The New Day joined Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross, but Bayley & Sasha Banks couldn’t let the party happen without putting the proper respect on the original Women’s Tag Team Champions. An impromptu challenge from Bayley set up a showdown between The Boss and Little Miss Bliss . The SmackDown Women’s Champion and Cross sat on commentary for most of the match, but they couldn’t stay outside the action for long, as a brawl between the two allowed Banks to capitalize for the win.
My Opinion: 2.6 out of 5 – This was a bit clumsy, but it worked for what it needed to do.
Match #4: Shorty G (Chad Gable) def. Cesaro
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Cesaro’s underhanded elimination of Shorty G in the 10-Man Battle Royal fueled the persistent Superstar to challenge The Swiss Cyborg. Cesaro’s power looked like it would rule the match, but an acrobatic counter roll-up from Shorty G secured the win and left him smiling up the ramp.
My Opinion: 3 out of 5 – This was a good, quick match that served as an appetizer for what should have been a main course. These two have the chemistry together, but when you get less than five minutes to strut your stuff, it makes you look like a dink. Hey, at least we got a few good men going a few good minutes.
Match #5: (Main Event) Daniel Bryan def. Sheamus – Intercontinental Championship Tournament Semi Finals
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Sheamus earned new life in the Intercontinental Championship Tournament by winning a 10-Man Battle Royal. While AJ Styles was happy to accept a bye into the finals, Daniel Bryan wanted to fight his way in, and it was a fight that Bryan got. An angry Celtic Warrior brought anger and energy into the ring and appeared headed for a victory until Jeff Hardy reemerged on the ramp. Bryan capitalized with a Running Knee, and The Charismatic Enigma entered the ring to furiously attack Sheamus following his arrest earlier in the night.
My Opinion: 3.4 out of 5 – This was a good clash of styles that favored Bryan, but didn’t leave Sheamus out in the dust. This was a nice reminder of what this pairing can do when there’s very little in the way of booking bull-shit involved. It went a good amount of time and whet your whistle as far as satisfying main events go.
News Of The Night:
- It’s looking like Sheamus framed Jeff Hardy for a car crash that hurt Elias.
- Drew Gulak is back on SmackDown.
- Matt Riddle was brought to SmackDown as its newest fighter, thanks to an introduction by Kurt Angle.
- AJ Styles fights Daniel Bryan for the Intercontinental Title in two weeks.
- Mandy Rose and Otis got really horny thinking about each other in a vignette lampooning “Fast Times At Ridgemont High”.
Final Verdict: 3/5
This felt like a better show than it might have actually been. This was all about the atmosphere and the promise of some new blood in the roster.
