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Fun action early with both guys showing the crowd what they’re in for with dueling displays of athleticism. An appreciative “205” chant breaks out. Tremendously quick pace and great chain wrestling by both guys. If you’re not watching this show, START! You can watch ANY TIME on demand! And it’s only an hour! Much less demanding than Raw or SmackDown, and lately it’s been much better TV.
On the kickoff show, the Raw women’s team is already fighting themselves when Ruby Riott brings up Anvil’s sunglasses. Why did SmackDown pick Mandy Rose and not Nikki Cross?? Lame.
So we’re going to find out who captains the Raw tag team Survivor Series team. Why does Lucha House Party get three guys? I think Strowman will win yet another tag team battle royal. Strowman cleans house. That battel royal did not last long. Oh shit, someone gave Strowman a black eye. Stephanie McMahon comes out, probably to get these hands. Stephanie gets Braun on Raw’s Survivor Series team, and Braun gets Baron Corbin, and possibly another Universal Championship match.
Britain tries and fails miserably to start a CM Punk chant. Tools. So… is Shane reversing what would have been a good heel turn? I hope not. That’s what it would seem like as he chooses Daniel Bryan as the SmackDown Live men’s Survivor Series team captain. He names Miz co-captain, so… I don’t fucking know. I’m not gonna rate this segment because I still don’t know what to make of it.
Miz and Bryan agree to Shane as the next person on their team, and Miz lets DB have the next pick.
So there’s going to be a tag team Survivor Series elimination match? Did that happen last year? I don’t remember. It seems like overkill. If there’s any justice, SAnitY will jump in and destroy everybody. I was highly entertained by Kofi’s seizure distraction while Big E came out of nowhere with a clothesline. Big E is DOMINATING this match, until Jimmy Uso throws him into the timekeeper’s area.
Kofi does a giant trust fall until both Usos from the top turnbuckle. I have no idea how Kofi doesn’t break his neck doing the SOS. He also landed way high, on Jey Uso’s face, on a top-rope cross-body splash. Big E back up gets back to trucking his competition with a spear on Jey through the ropes to the outside. He is a wrecking machine and is the best part of a really good match. Jimmy Uso hits a splash on Kofi to pick up the win for his team. The Usos give respect to New Day after the match and make them their first pick for Team SmackDown Live. New Day accepts.
Match Rating: Eight Gold Medals
Daniel Bryan makes Rey Mysterio his next pick. Miz says only if Mysterio impresses in his match against Almas tonight. I really enjoy how they will choose their final member: each picks a wrestler and they face each other, winner gets the last spot.
I can’t wait until Becky and Ronda get at each other. She says she’s gonna make Ronda her bitch, and calls out anyone. SAnitY?? Will it be NIKKI CROSS?? HELL YEAH! AND she’s back with SAnitY! This is fucking awesome.
Becky Lynch Promo Rating: Seven Becky Lynches
Nikki is giving a hell of a showing in her SmackDown Live debut. She’s batshit insane and it’s an awesome style. Nikki gets a two-count with a cross body from the top turnbuckle, and hits an inverted DDT to take control of the champ until Becky bounces her off the bottom rope then locks in the Dis-Arm-Her. Nikki taps out, but that was a good match
Match Rating: Six Gold Medals
Daniel Bryan makes Jeff Hardy his final pick, while Miz is going to pick Randy Orton. Nope, I predicted incorrectly, it’s Samoa Joe. I’m rarely wrong, but I’ll eat shit on this one.
Shinsuke cuts a decent promo on Rollins. A little chilling even.
Promo Rating: Two Jake Roberts
No Vega for Almas tonight. Good fast early pace from two well-traveled luchadors. That pace slows after Almas FLOORS Mysterio with a back elbow. After Almas catches Rey’s hurrancanrana attempt on the outside, he swings him HARD into the barricade. Rey has always been one who takes a lot of punishment.
I think Mysterio caught Almas in the head with his knee. That didn’t look good. Two straight running double knees in the corner by Almas gets a two count on Mysterio, I can’t believe he kicked out. They botch a tilt-a-whirl back breaker as I don’t think Rey’s back ever hit Almas’ knee. Come on guys, fast doesn’t mean accurate. Get the moves right.
They make up for it with an awesome sequence in the outside including a hurracanrana into the ring apron and a diving DDT by Mysterio. He hits the 619 and Drops the Dimeo n Almas for the win, likely securing his spot on the SmackDown Live men’s Survivor Series team. They lose a little bit from the sloppiness, but overall a great m—RKO OUTTA NOWHERE!
Match Rating: Seven Gold Medals
AJ gives a spoiler: he beats Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series
Promo Rating: Seven Stone Colds
Paige announces the SmackDown Live women’s Survivor Series team: Carmella, Naomi, Sonya Deville, Asuka, and Charlot… Mandy Rose? Mandy runs her mouth and gets smacked by Naomi. That was weird, and where was Charlotte?
I was mostly listening to Miz and DB argue, and then Samoa Joe makes Hardy tap out to the Coquina Clutch. Sorry, but I don’t know if this match was any good, so I’ll leave it as an undetermined rating.
Daniel Bryan attacks Joe and puts him in the Yes! Lock as Miz pulls him off, then DB attacks Miz! DB throws Shane! Bryan goes nuts! Yes! Yes! Yes! That was a cool finish.
Overall Show Rating: Seven Gold Medals
Security surrounds the ring as Baron Corbin enters. I’m sure the security is to protect Corbin from Braun Strowman. Corbin of course names himself captain of the Raw men’s Survivor Series team, but can’t compete. Makes no sense. He names Ziggler, McIntyre, and Strowman as the first three members. He taught Braun to respect authority at Crown Jewel. And Braun will teach Corbin how to eat through a straw.
Excellent and passionate promo from Daniel Bryan, except he lied about taking it from Styles at Crown Jewel. AJ says his Pelé kick to DB was on purpose. Bryan said “I am 100% honest”, but he just lied about gong to Crown Jewel. AJ SAYS LET’S DO IT NOW! Shane McMahon IS GONNA LET IT HAPPEN I THINK! Well THAT’S a way to get out of that situation! FUCK YEAH!
Daniel Bryan Promo Rating: Seven Stone Colds
AJ Styles Promo Rating: Five Stone Colds
It’s still hard to watch Joe Anoai’s announcement from last week. It puts a lump in my throat every time I see it.
Reigns looks distraught. I… have no words. Man, this is as real as real gets. I really don’t know what to say. Love or hate the character, they loved the man tonight. Such a real moment between him and the crowd, and him and his Shield brothers. There’s a lot of moments that make me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan, but this one with the way the crowd reacted, this made me proud to be one. We love you Joe.
The heels run down the Shield, talk about who is going to win the WWE World Cup, then are interrupted by The Shi…. nope, Roman and Seth. Seth calls himself the best in the world. He did that this past week and asked said he wanted a match against Kenny Omega. Omega and Tommaso Ciampa responded. I’m all for that mess of humanity. Rollins gets some cheap Philly pops. None of the promos were that good or that long. I wasn’t a huge fan of this opening. I think it’s because this feud has been stale and boring.
They have play hot potato with the women’s titles in the past, so it wouldn’t totally surprised me to see a title change here and have Charlotte go into Evolution as champion, but I don’t think it’s likely. No wasted movements in this match, each woman is all over the other. It’s such an obviously personal feud and both of them are so intense and focused.
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