WWE Smackdown Live – Jan 15th 2018: Results & Review
Welcome to this week’s Smackdown Live review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have an odd episode to cover, but it does have a good one on here, so let’s get to it.
Match #1: Becky Lynch def. Peyton Royce
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
Peyton Royce stepped up to challenge a fired-up Becky Lynch (who wasn’t even dressed to compete), as Billie Kay and Asuka remained at ringside (while NXT Superstar Lacey Evans watched from a monitor in the backstage area). Despite Royce’s (and intermittently Kay’s) best efforts, there was no bringing Becky back to Earth on this night, as The Scarlet Spitfire locked her opponent in the Dis-arm-her for the tapout victory. Becky had zero time to celebrate though, as an irate Asuka stormed into the ring, seemingly telling Becky to take a seat at ringside as she challenged Billie Kay by bashing her head against the ring apron several times.
My Take: 2.5 out of 5 – Becky Lynch shouldn’t wrestle in street clothes (she did here) because it constricts her mobility. This match was fine, but you wouldn’t know how good Lynch is by watching it. Royce looked solid, but she is going nowhere fast, which is a shame, since she could be doing much more (Vince is a bad booker).
Match #2: Asuka def. Billie Kay
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
Not to be upstaged by her Royal Rumble opponent, SmackDown Women’s Champion Asuka took on Billie Kay on the spot on SmackDown LIVE. With Lynch watching from ringside, The Empress of Tomorrow made short work of Kay, finishing off her unexpected opponent with the Asuka Lock in dominant fashion. Becky returned to the ring for an intense standoff with Asuka, as champion and challenger both were ready for their clash at Royal Rumble in two weeks.
My Take: 2 out of 5 – Asuka threw good kicks, but that was about all you can get from this bout.
Match #3: Samoa Joe versus Mustafa Ali
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
SmackDown LIVE’s newest sensation, Mustafa Ali, was scheduled to square off against Samoa Joe in the biggest one-on-one match of Ali’s SmackDown LIVE tenure thus far … but Joe made sure the match never got underway. Ali was clearly ready to roll as he entered the ring, but Joe blitzed Mustafa prior to the bell, beating the upstart down with a vicious assault that saw The Samoan Submission Machine twice ram Ali face-first into the ring post before hurling him into the ringside barricade with all his might. Samoa Joe promised that this was merely a preview of what was going to happen to every Superstar he crosses paths with in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match.
My Take: 0 out of 5 – This was a waste of two great wrestlers. Why would I want to come back for the next episode if you can’t even guarantee that the best matches booked will even go the distance?
Match #4: Andrade def. Rey Mysterio
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
In one of the most anticipated rematches in recent SmackDown LIVE history, Rey Mysterio collided with Andrade on SmackDown LIVE. With both Superstars looking to prove their superiority as well as claim a big win ahead of the Royal Rumble event, Rey and Andrade produced a high-octane thriller from the jump. Highlights included Rey dropping Andrade with everything from a dazzling hurricanrana off the top turnbuckle onto the ringside floor and Andrade pummeling Rey with his signature impactful, freaky-athletic offense. In the height of the action, Mysterio drilled his foe with a 619 and was seemingly nearing victory. However, when Zelina Vega got on the apron and distracted the referee, Andrade swiped Rey off the top rope and connected with a hanging Hammerlock DDT, securing another win over The Greatest Mask of All Time.
My Take: 3.5 out of 5 – This was a strong match that gave the two luchadors the ind of match that they can be proud of. This one started off slow and careful, which made it even easier for the big action sequences to make an effect when they happened. Rey still looks like he turned back the clock to his early twenties, which is beyond remarkable. Andrade may be getting some attention from Vince, since he has probably indicated that he wants to leave. With the arrival of All Elite Wrestling and the progress of the entire independent circuit/the rest of professional wrestling, I suppose Vince better keep his people happy on their terms or he’s going to have a barren roster when Smackdown moves to the FOX Network this autumn. Oh, the match is great and you’ll likely have a great time with it.
Match #5: (Main Event) The Miz def. Sheamus
The following is courtesy of WWE.com:
With their respective partners in their corners, The Miz and Sheamus squared off in the main event of SmackDown LIVE. Sheamus took control in the early goings, as The Miz, who clearly wasn’t prepared to compete, tried to get acclimated in his suit pants and dress shoes. The Miz soon found his literal and figurative footing, surging back on Sheamus with a gritty attack that had The Celtic Warrior reeling. Cesaro attempted to get involved, but Shane-O-Mac would have none of it, chucking The Swiss Superman off the apron and into one of the birthday cakes that was positioned at ringside. This sudden distraction threw Sheamus off his game and allowed Miz to score a surprise rollup on Sheamus for the win. After the match, Sheamus was irate, but The Miz quickly silenced him with a Skull-Crushing Finale. The two weren’t done though, as Miz then suggested that Shane-O-Mac go Coast-to-Coast on Sheamus … but with cake positioned in front of the SmackDown Tag Team Champion’s face … and, well, that’s exactly what happened. Miz & Shane celebrated a successful night (and birthday), but will they still be all smiles after they clash with The Bar at Royal Rumble in less than two weeks?
My Take: 2.5 out of 5 – Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Whoops. I typed what I was doing. Without a delete button, I guess you’re stuck with it. Anyway, if you were ever trying to prove to your friends that The Miz can actually wrestle, then this one likely won’t be the one to show those people. Miz wasn’t bad here at all, but he was as boring as usual, if not more so. Sheamus looked good, but he doesn’t use enough of his technical wrestling ability to make his matches look more authentic, which was a problem here. This match felt like a video game being played by chimpanzees smoking cigars upside down while betting on horse racing.
News Of The Night:
- AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan had a brawl in the stands over how the crowd lives their lives.
- The Miz and Shane McMahon had a birthday party to celebrate being a team.
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This was a bizarre way to book a show, but Rey and Andrade delivered, so there you go.
