WWE Smackdown – May 21st 2019: Results & Review
Welcome to this week’s Smackdown Live review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and Raw sucked, so let’s hope Smackdown doesn’t.
Match #1: Ali def. Andrade
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Following both Superstars’ incredible performances in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match this past Sunday, Ali and Andrade squared back up in one-on-one competition on SmackDown LIVE. Despite being shoved off a ladder by Brock Lesnar on Sunday, Ali was totally game as he and Andrade looked to propel forward. Andrade targeted Ali’s back with a relentless barrage that included him repeatedly ramming him into the barricade, ring post and the floor. Ali refused to stay down, however, beating the referee’s 10-count on multiple occasions and surviving Andrade’s dreaded double knees into the corner. Ali then came all the way back, catching Andrade with a surprise rollup for an unbelievably impressive and resilient victory.
My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – This was an excellent match that had the action it needed to make a mark. That’s a dull way to describe something very exciting. I’m not really hitting the mark here, but this match did in spades. Overall, this was a great opener.
Match #2: Carmella vs. Mandy Rose
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
With 24/7 Champion R-Truth by her side, Carmella took on Mandy Rose (who was flanked by Sonya Deville) on the blue brand. Both Princess Mella and God’s Greatest Creation were aiming to get back on track after coming so close to walking out as Ms. Money in the Bank on Sunday night, but Truth’s presence at ringside resulted in a litany of SmackDown LIVE Superstars (along with a referee) darting out to try and defeat Truth for the championship. Truth bolted with Carmella on his back as a brigade of Superstars chased him … but it seemed like his night was just beginning.
My Opinion: 1.5 out of 5 – This was…$#!@. Just trust me. This was $#!@.
Match #3: Kofi Kingston def. Sami Zayn
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Following the heated interaction earlier in the night, Kofi Kingston and Sami Zayn squared off on SmackDown LIVE. What would have already been an incredibly contentious contest was made even tenser when Big E was attacked prior to the match, claiming it was Kevin Owens who had blindsided him behind. With Xavier Woods tending to Big E and KO having walked off earlier in the evening, Kingston and Zayn went at it on the blue brand all by themselves. After a back-and-forth contest, Kingston connected flush with the Trouble in Paradise for a big-time victory. However, The Dreadlocked Dynamo’s celebration was cut short when, at first, Paul Heyman appeared, suggesting that Brock Lesnar could potentially be ready to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. No cash-in occurred, but Kingston was presented with another challenge when he was suddenly assaulted by Dolph Ziggler. The returning Ziggler, who has not been seen since the Royal Rumble Match in January, viciously assaulted Kofi with a steel chair, leaving him laying as trainers and doctors rushed to the aid of the WWE Champion. Ziggler exited, looking as intense and defiant as ever. Kingston was initially carted up the ramp on a stretcher, but he refused to let Ziggler keep him down and exited on his own power.
My Opinion: 3 out of 5 – This was a fine match between two guys who should’ve had the main event to work with. Zayn and Kofi are two of the best, but they were stuck with a glorified walk-on, rather than an anticipated major bout. Oh well. At least this was a good match.
Match #4: Becky Lynch & Bayley def. Charlotte Flair & Lacey Evans
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
In a match ripe with tangled webs, Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch teamed up with SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley to take on Charlotte Flair & Lacey Evans on the blue brand. Bayley, of course, defeated Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Title at WWE Money in the Bank when she cashed in on Flair, who had defeated Lynch for the title moments prior, thanks in large part to assistance from Evans. Got all that? Cool. With tensions clearly still running high after Sunday night, it appeared that Becky was closing in on victory when she locked in the Dis-arm-her on The Queen. However, The Man lost the hold when The Sassy Southern Belle took advantage of Lynch’s positioning by knocking her down with the Woman’s Right. With Lynch down, Bayley tagged herself in and got Lacey out of the ring. From there, The Hugger reversed a Figure-Four attempt into a rollup for the win. However, with each having a title the other wanted, it wasn’t all smiles between Bayley and Becky after the match, with the two clearly bickering a bit after the win. This match was brought to us by the Wild Card Rule, but this situation is just straight-up wild.
My Opinion: 2 out of 5 – This was a boring match that featured three people who knew what they were doing.
Match #5: (Main Event) Roman Reigns def. Elias
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Looking to course-correct after being defeated with ease by The Big Dog on Sunday night at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, Elias (with Shane McMahon in his corner) squared off against Roman Reigns. With Shane hoping to see Roman worn down prior to their match at WWE Super ShowDown, Elias looked for every shortcut to get an edge over The Big Dog (including constant interference from Shane-O-Mac). However, Reigns would not be slowed down, going as far to hit Shane with a Drive-by. Elias had a glimmer of hope when he connected with a massive top-rope elbow drop, but Reigns got his shoulder up. In the pivotal moments, Elias grabbed a guitar, but Reigns knocked the instrument out of his hands. This left The Living Truth wide open for a Spear that secured Roman the victory. There would be no celebration though, as Shane immediately pounced on Roman, striking him with a flurry of punches and then grabbed the guitar, clearly with plans of attacking The Big Dog, but Reigns Superman Punched him before he could ever use it. Roman grabbed the guitar, possibly looking to make a little music of his own against Shane, but he was stopped in his tracks by a surprise Claymore Kick from Drew McIntyre. The Wild Card Rule had struck again … and clearly Shane-O-Mac was going to use it to the fullest extent possible to silence The Big Dog’s bark.
My Opinion: 2 out of 5 – This was another lousy match between the two of them. Yeah, I’m having a hard time shutting up, aren’t I?
News Of The Night:
- Bayley and Becky Lynch may be fighting each other in the near future.
- Kevin Owens and Samiz Zayn are still a unit.
- Paul Heyman came out with Brock Lesnar’s MITB contract and teased a cash-in.
- Dolph Ziggler returned to attack and challenge Kofi Kingston to his WWE World Title.
Final Verdict: 1.5/5
This was a bad episode of Smackdown. There’s no other way I’m looking at it.
