After a headline-grabbing, yet fairly odd, No Mercy PPV on Sunday, Smackdown Live had some momentum behind them heading into Tuesday night.
Dolph Ziggler’s career-saving victory, the return of Luke Harper and the controversial end to the WWE Title match all led to questions that needed answers and made this week’s Smackdown a must-see.
So how were these stories furthered and what new feuds would begin as we get on the road to Survivor Series?
#1 Slater & Rhyno save Dolph, but why?
Dolph Ziggler kicked off this week’s Smackdown Live to celebrate his big victory from No Mercy and to thank the fans for all their support.
However, it wasn’t long until he was interrupted by Miz & Maryse and then later by Kenny & Mikey of the Spirit Squad whom Dolph would go on to face in a 2-on-1 handicap match. Ziggler would ultimately get the win over his former partners but would then be jumped by Miz immediately after the match and beatdown by the former Champion.
With Ziggler facing a 3-on-1 beatdown, it was the Smackdown Tag Team Champions, Rhyno & Heath Slater, who could come to his aid. But why?
Besides being babyfaces, there was no logical reason for them to help Dolph and this issue was never explained during the two-hour broadcast. Surely the Hype Bros making the save would have made more sense as Zack Ryder and Dolph’s friendship is well known and Ziggler was even wearing a Hype Bros t-shirt during the opening segment.
#2 Survivor Series Overkill
General Manager Daniel Bryan last night challenged Raw to some matches at Survivor Series.
This was expected but the number of matches sounds like far too much. One would have sufficed, two at a push, but we now look likely to have three inter-promotional at the cross brand PPV in November.
Bryan challenged Raw to a 5-on-5 elimination match pitting their five top male superstars against Raw’s top five, plus a female 5-on-5 match and also a 10-on-10 match pitting each brand’s best tag teams against each other.
That’s the majority of Smackdown’s roster used up in those three matches alone, which raises many questions about the matches that will fill up the remainder of the card.
This sounds like it’ll be a cluttered, messy show to me, what do you guys think?
#3 Naomi on a roll
Naomi followed up her big win over Alexa Bliss at No Mercy with another victory over Carmella this Tuesday and seems to be on a roll.
Does this mean that she will be added to the Women’s title picture or will she just have a short feud with Alexa while Becky Lynch is sidelined?
Either way it’s good to see plenty of stories being told in Smackdown Women’s division, keep it up Smackdown.
#4 AJ Styles vs James Ellsworth
AJ Styles promised to give a man of “main event status” an opportunity to face him in a match, a non-title match of course. So who was this high calibre talent who Styles would face? It was none other than…James Ellsworth!
That’s right, everyone’s favourite jobber would get a match with ‘the face that runs the place’.
However, AJ Styles didn’t have it all his way as General Manager Daniel Bryan came down to insert his own special referee into the match...
#5 Lunatic referee
The referee for this bout was none other than the ‘Lunatic Fringe’, Dean Ambrose. Ambrose was entertaining in this role with plenty of shenanigans such as fast counts, taking phone calls during submission holds and chatting up women at ringside during the match.
While it was a fun segment this week, I hope we don’t see Dean revert back to his goofy persona going forward as his more intense and focused character over recent weeks has been far more interesting to watch.
#6 Scary spot for Ellsworth
While the James Ellsworth vs AJ Styles bout was a fun segment, there was one very scary moment that could have easily seen Ellsworth break his neck.
When Styles was delivering the ‘Styles clash’ to Ellsworth, he tucked his chin (or would of if he had one) into his chest, which you do not do for this manoeuvre, and landed on the back of his head.
Thankfully, it appears as though no injuries were sustained but it was certainly a scary moment to watch.
#7 Ellsworth beats the champ!!!
And it’s a hat-trick of “Say What?” moments for James Ellsworth and this has to be the biggest one of them all. James Ellsworth defeated AJ Styles!
That’s right, ‘The chin that runs the gym’ beat the WWE World Champion. A large assist has to go to referee Dean Ambrose but nonetheless, this was a shocking moment and is guaranteed to make some headlines.
#8 Orton’s got issues
The main event this week saw Randy Orton & Kane team up to face the newly-restored partnership of Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper.
In a backstage segment, Orton found Kane in a dark room and talked to him about their upcoming match. Orton spoke to Kane about the voices in his head and the chaotic World that he lives in, from which there is no escape, and asked Kane to join him for the ride.
Kane agreed to, but also pointed that Randy Orton “has got issues”.
‘Kane’ telling someone that they have issues, that would be like The Miz calling someone arrogant.
#9 Bray back on track
In the match itself, it was Bray and Harper who walked out with the victory after some spooky, black magic saw Kane disappear from his corner as Orton was going for the tag and be replaced by Luke Harper.
While this was a silly way for the Wyatts to get the win, it is an important win nonetheless as it puts Bray back on the right track and will hopefully see him go from strength to strength over the coming months.
#10 - Ellsworth gets a Title shot
Yes, it’s James Ellsworth again. Who’d have thought that he would be the most talked about superstar coming out if this week’s Smackdown?
But he is and even after the show had finished, Daniel Bryan announced on ‘Talking Smack’ that following his victory earlier in the night, James Ellsworth was now in line for a WWE World Title shot and that match will take place next week.
Now obviously there is no chance that Ellsworth will win…is there?
I guess we’ll have to tune in next week to find out.
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