ThunderStruck: Smackdown! Analysis 01/13/12

Lillian Garcia introduces Daniel Bryan to open Friday Night Smackdown! Booker is back on commentary; I have mixed feelings about this. Booker still has a lot to give in the ring. He also contributes a lot at the announce table. Anyway, Bryan acts like a heel making excuses for himself. This guy is good at making a crowd not like him. This is exactly why a show should open with the World Champion on the mic from time to time; Bryan is great at working a crowd in whatever direction he wants. He talks about his match with Big Show tonight and how he is looking forward to it. Mark Henry comes to the ring. Henry tells Bryan he gets a shot at the title next week as long as he stays out of Bryan and Show’s match tonight. Bryan says he can handle that. I’m wondering what creative has planned for Mark Henry once he is no longer in the WHC scene.

 


 

Justin Gabriel defeats Heath Slater after a distraction from Hornswoggle. Hornswoggle celebrates with Gabriel. Really? These guys were tag team champions together in the Nexus. Now they’re featured in a rivalry involving DX’s official mascot. C’mon man! The counter argument here is that anyone who thinks the Nexus was a failed storyline should optimistic side of things in that WWE has four regular younger guys on tv every week because of it.

Daniel Bryan is in a backstage segment with AJ. She wishes him good luck tonight. Creepy looking bearded Bryan gets the girl next door. I’ll go along with it for now.

Cody Rhodes cuts a promo before his match with Ezekial Jackson. He talks about being IC Champion and World Heavyweight Champion. I would love to see Rhodes win the Royal Rumble. Cody hits crossrhodes on Jackson after a kick to the head in a short match. Continued dominance from Cody Rhodes! Cody Rhodes could win this Royal Rumble if creative wanted to allow it. It would make sense. I’m guessing Goldust will enter the Rumble and cost him the match. This will probably lead to a rivalry to WrestleMania and put Rhodes in the title picture once he’s finished with brother Goldy. I hope, however, that it doesn’t go in that direction.

On a side note, WWE now has a new “don’t try this at home” campaign. I tried it at home. Never got hurt.

Santino is pitching random ideas to Teddy Long for new matches. David Otunga walks in and bothers Long. Santino suggests a match for himself and Otunga. Long books it. Drew McIntyre comes in when Teddy is expecting Aksana. Long doesn’t let him talk. He tells Drew he is getting closer and closer to being fired, and that his match is next. I don’t know if this a John Morrison type exit from WWE for McIntyre, or if this is the start of something huge for him. I’m also not sure if WWE creative has a plan one way or another, or if they’re just booking things week to week with zero long term planning for characters. I don’t think there is a funnier assistant for Long than Santino.

Ted Dibiase takes on Drew McIntyre. Hunico and Camacho come down to ringside during this match. They do some commentary. Ted Dibiase defeats Drew McIntyre with dream street. Short solid match. Huge year ahead for Ted Dibiase and a rivalry with Hunico will make for some really good matches. Does Drew get fired from here? Time will tell I suppose.

Video package hyping the Barrett Barrage. I’ll give Barrett credit where it’s due. The guy has improved drastically since NXT and deserves the spot that he is in currently with WWE. This should definitely be the year that Barrett wins his first World Championship.

Sheamus takes on Jinder Mahal in our next match. I know we’ve seen this match at least two times before this. I’m glad creative takes time to change things up from month to month for the viewing audience. These guys give us a decent back and forth match with Sheamus hitting the brogue kick after a diving shoulder block for the pinfall. More dominance for Sheamus as WWE does nothing big for him! Sheamus is definitely still a strong candidate for winning the Royal Rumble with the roll he’s been on, but I think a match with Wade Barrett at WrestleMania is more likely for him.

Really bad acting in this next segment. AJ asks Show not to hurt Bryan. Show says he won’t. Bryan comes into scene and accuses Show of trying to steal his girl. Show says the title has changed Bryan and he will take it off his hands. Bryan asks AJ how much she loves him and says let’s go somewhere and talk. Wonder where this could be going(smh). I feel like I just watched a backstage segment on a Raw Vs Smackdown video game. Horrendous.

David Otunga takes on Santino Marella. Santino still gets the most cheers of the night when he comes to the ring. I love how Otunga just nods his head next to Johnny Ace on Monday Night Raw and only gets to wrestle on Smackdown. This match is hilarious as Santino continues his goofball act. Otunga gets the pin when he ducks the cobra and hits a slam on Santino for the three count. I suppose you have to make Otunga look like a legitimate wrestler from time to time.

Brodus Clay squashes Tyson Kidd. Sorry Kidd. Despite the fact that you’re a hard worker who’s proven that he can have some of the best matches in the company and despite all your talent, WWE has decided the funkasaurus is more entertaining and needs to dominate whoever they can book him to squash week in and week out. Dear WWE, what are you thinking?

Teddy Long is dancing backstage. Embarrassing. Aksana comes in. Usual flirt routine between the two. I’m ready for Aksana to be in a swimsuit…in a calendar or on some other show.

Tamina defeats Natalya in a short match with a superfly splash after a samoan drop. Again? I wonder when Tamina gets a title shot. I wonder when Natalya gets some of her credibility back and actually wins a match. Not sure anybody really cares either way, however.

Wade Barrett is out now to cut a promo. I bet a hundred bucks he talks about the Barrett Barrage. Guess I lost that one. Barrett says he is going to win the 2012 Royal Rumble and challenges Sheamus to a match in Las Vegas next week. Barrett’s push is good, but I think this rivalry with Sheamus will be the next biggest thing on his agenda.

AJ is at ringside for the World Title match with Daniel Bryan and the Big Show. Things get brutal as Bryan attacks Big Show with a chair around ringside. Show counters the attack and goes to chase Bryan but runs into AJ and knocks her over. The match apparently ends in a no contest because AJ got knocked down? If a match ended in a no contest every time an outside party got knocked over, there wouldn’t have been a real finish to any match during the attitude era. SMH again. WWE, give us something believable to work with, please. This is beyond ridiculous. Show cries. Jericho copycat from Monday? Stretcher is brought down. Bryan is yelling at Big Show for being wreckless. Show is crying on the stage as Smackdown goes off the air. No reason for a World Title match to end under these circumstances. A trained wrestler took a bump. Great reason to end a match. Am I bitching enough about this one? I ignored the idiocy of how the walkout angle ended, and I’ve ignored a lot of really dumb storylines in between then and now. I understand that WWE wants to save the match for Show, Henry, and Bryan for the Rumble, but why not just book them against other people every week? Coming up with these ridiculous finishes is an insult to anybody with half a brain.

Overall, I felt like I had scene this entire show in bits and pieces over the last few weeks. WWE needs to change it up a bit and have different opponents and angles. It’s too repetitive. I’m pretty sure this is my first show recap where I’ve been more annoyed than pleased with what I watched. I hope next week is better. I’ll have the Raw column up sometime Tuesday. Until then, you’ve been ThunderStruck!

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