Smackdown Live Analysis – 30.01.18 – Friction between Owens and Zayn, US Title Match made & Carmella cashes in?!?!

Shinsuke Nakamura opens the show.

Crowd canting Nakamura’s name.

Kevin Owens interrupts him.

Sami Zayn joins him.

Zayn and Owens aren’t happy that they didn’t win the WWE Title on Sunday.

Zayn and Owens say Nakamura will face them for the WWE Title at Wrestlemania.

Nakamura calls them losers.

AJ Styles comes out as Owens and Zayn looked unhappy with Nakamura.

Styles and Nakamura want to face Owens and Zayn but they say no.

Kofi Kingston v Jinder Mahal v Zack Ryder v Rusev for the US Title number one contender is up next.

As we return New Day are making their way to the ring.

All other competitors are already in the ring.

Before the match, Daniel Bryan tells Owens and Zayn they will face Styles and Nakamura tonight.

Bryan says Owens and Zayn will get the chance to face Styles at Fastlane, by facing each other next week.

Bobby Roode is on commentary.

Two superstars fight outside the ring, the other two inside.

Mahal and Rusev beating down Kingston and Ryder in opposite corners.

Neckbreaker by Ryder, Mahal breaks up the pin.

Ryder clotheslines Mahal over the top rope.

Kingston jumps over the top rope, and lands on Ryder and Mahal.

Xavier Woods, Big E, Aiden English and Sunil Singh are thrown out of ringside.

Carnage at ringside between all four competitors.

Kick to Mahal’s chest by Rusev.

Spear in the corner by Rusev.

Ryder beats Rusev down in the corner.

Broski Boot by Ryder on Rusev.

Mahal rolls up Rusev, kick out at two.

Kick to the head by Rusev and Ryder.

Accolade by Rusev on Kingston, who taps out.

Uso’s do a pre-recorded promo.

We are now backstage with Breezango.

They are answering questions from the WWE Universe.

The Ascension join them.

Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin interrupt them.

Gable and Benjamin rip up the set.

Usos now head to the ring.

Bludgeon Brothers head to the ring.

Rowan and Harper are in action next.

They will face two jobbers.

Match done in pretty much a minute.

Tye Dillinger is backstage talking to Shane McMahon.

Baron Corbin interrupts.

Dillinger to face Corbin tonight.

Charlotte is next out.

She is interviewed with Renee Young.

The Riott squad come out.

Riott is the only one talking.

The Riott Squad surround Charlotte.

Charlotte eliminates all three from the ring.

Now all three beatdown Charlotte.

Charlotte gets beaten up as the Riott squad leave the ring.

Carmella is here.

Carmella accidentally dropkicks the official instead of Charlotte.

Carmella is shouting at the ref to hurry up.

Carmella now decides not to cash in.

Nakamura is teasing Styles backstage.

Dillinger out next.

Young is now interviewing Carmella.

Corbin now heads to the ring.

Dillinger attacks Corbin outside the ring.

Corbin now beatsdown Dillinger in the middle of the ring.

Corbin throws Dillinger out of the ring.

Corbin attempting to get Dillinger to submit.

Corbin goes shoulder first into the steel ring post.

Scissor kick by Dillinger.

Chokeslam backbreaker by Corbin.

End of days by Corbin, and he gets the win.

Owens and Zayn are talking about next week.

Benjamin and Gable now taking on Breezango.

Ascension looking on backstage.

Fandango faceplants Gable.

Gable throws Breeze into the steel steps.

Dropkick by Breeze.

Gable and Benjamin team on Breeze and get the win.

Styles, Nakamura, Owens and Zayn already did their intro and began the match by the time we get back from ads….

Grapple game.

Owens beats down Nakamura.

Knees to Owens’ head by Nakamura.

Owens and Zayn having an argument.

Zayn walks out on Owens.

Clothesline by Styles.

Styles drops Owens face first.

Zayn has returned.

Zayn and Owens beatdown Styles.

Zayn and Owens arguing again.

Zayn walks off again.

Elbow drop by Owens, Styles kicks out at two.

Pelee kick by Styles.

Kicks to the chest by Nakamura.

Nakamura knees Owens whilst he is on the top rope.

Nakamura hits his finisher and gets the win.

 

 

2015 Royal Rumble Match – The start of WWE’s new Golden Boy? – Analysis & Thoughts!

Match Analysis

The Miz and R-Truth begin the match.

Bubba Ray Dudley enters next.

D by Truth and Dudley.

Dudley eliminates Truth.

Dudley eliminates Truth.

Luke Harper enters next.

Bray Wyatt enters next.

Wyatt eliminates Dudley.

Curtis Axel was meant to enter next but Erick Rowan attacks him from behind.

Rowan eliminates Harper.

Wyatt eliminates Rowan.

The Boogeyman enters next.

Wyatt eliminates Boogeyman.

Sin Cara enters next.

Wyatt eliminates Cara.

Zack Ryder enters next.

Wyatt eliminates Ryder.

Daniel Bryan enters next.

Fandango enters next.

Tyson Kidd enters next.

Stardust enters next.

Bryan eliminates Kidd.

DDP enters next.

Rusev enters next.

Rusev eliminates DDP.

Rusev eliminates Fandango.

Wyatt eliminates Bryan.

Goldust enters next.

Kofi Kingston enters next.

Adam Rose enters next.

Rusev eliminates Rose.

Rusev eliminates Kingston.

Roman Reigns is next to enter.

Reigns eliminates Goldust.

Reigns eliminates Stardust.

Big E enters next.

Damien Sandow enters next.

Rusev eliminates Sandow.

Jack Swagger enters next.

Ryback enters next.

Kane enters next.

Dean Ambrose enters next.

Titus O’Neil enters next.

Reigns and Ambrose eliminate O’Neil.

Wade Barrett enters next.

Cesaro enters next.

Rusev eliminates Big E.

Big Show is the penultimate competitor.

Kane and Show eliminate Ryback.

Show eliminates Swagger.

Dolph Ziggler enters last.

Ziggler eliminates Barrett.

Ziggler eliminates Cesaro.

Show and Kane eliminate Ziggler.

Show eliminates Wyatt.

Kane and Show eliminate Ambrose.

Reigns eliminates Kane and show to win!

The Rock turns up to save Reigns after the match.

Rusev comes back in as he wasn’t eliminated.

Reigns eliminates Rusev.

My Thoughts

You can tell that the WWE Universe clearly weren’t happy with the decision to let Reigns win this Rumble.

There was a severe lack of top stars in this match. I don’t remember seeing Cena, Orton, Rollins, Sheamus and a lot more.

I get the feeling this is where Reigns’ push started to happen, and you can tell the WWE Universe felt that too.

2013 Royal Rumble Match – The Golden Boy wins again! – Analysis & Thoughts

Match Analysis

Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho start the match off.

Cody Rhodes enters next.

Kofi Kingston enters next.

Santino Marrella enters next.

Rhodes eliminates Marrella.

Drew McIntyre enters next.

Titus O’Neil enters next.

Jericho eliminates McIntyre.

Goldust enters next.

David Otunga enters next.

Heath Slater enters next.

Sheamus enters next.

Sheamus throws Otunga into O’Neil to eliminate O’Neil.

Sheamus eliminates Otunga.

Tensai enters next.

Brodus Clay enters next.

Rhodes eliminates Goldust.

Rey Mysterio enters next.

Darren Young enters next.

Clay eliminated by multiple superstars.

Kingston eliminates Tensai.

Bo Dallas enters next.

Kingston eliminates Young.

Rhodes eliminates Kingston.

The Godfather enters next.

Ziggler eliminates The Godfather.

Wade Barrett enters next.

John Cena enters next.

Cena eliminates Slater.

Cena eliminates Rhodes.

Damien Sandow enters at 20.

Barrett eliminates Mysterio.

Daniel Bryan enters next.

Cesaro enters next.

The Great Khali enters next.

Kane enters next.

Zack Ryder enters next.

Kane eliminates Khali.

Bryan eliminates Kane.

Bryan is eliminated by Cesaro.

Randy Orton enters next.

Orton eliminates Ryder.

Jinder Mahal enters next.

Cena eliminates Cesaro.

The Miz enters next.

Sheamus eliminates Mahal.

Sin Cara enters next.

Dallas eliminates Barrett.

Barrett comes back to eliminate Dallas.

Ryback is the last entrant.

Ryback eliminates Sandow.

Ryback eliminates Sin Cara.

Ryback eliminates Miz.

Ziggler eliminates Jericho.

Ryback eliminates Orton.

Sheamus eliminates Ziggler.

Ryback eliminates Sheamus.

Cena eliminates Ryback to win the 2013 Royal Rumble!

My Thoughts

A good Royal Rumble match.

The pop when the Godfather came out was great as I am pretty sure that nobody suspected it.

From what I remember, Ryback was doing very well at this moment in time, so a win for him, rather than Cena would have probably made more sense.

Jericho and Ziggler lasting so long in the match was good to see as well.

 

2011 Royal Rumble Match – The biggest Royal Rumble in history – Analysis & Thoughts!

Match Analysis

CM Punk is the first man out for the record 40-man Royal Rumble.

Punk was still a part of the Nexus at this point.

The core come out to attack Punk.

The Nexus come out to defend Punk.

Punk starts off against Daniel Bryan.

Justin Gabriel comes in third.

Bryan eliminates Gabriel.

Zack Ryder is the next man to enter.

Bryan eliminates Ryder.

William Regal enters next.

Ted DeBiase enters next.

John Morrison enters next.

DeBiase eliminates Regal.

Yoshi Tatsu enters next.

Husky Harris enters next.

Chavo Guerrero enters next.

Mark Henry enters next.

Henry eliminates Guerrero.

Henry eliminates Tatsu.

JTG is next to enter.

Michael McGullicuty enters next.

McGullicuty eliminates JTG.

Harris & McGullicuty eliminate DiBiase.

Chris Masters enters next.

David Otunga enters next.

Punk eliminates Bryan.

Punk eliminates Masters.

All members of the Nexus eliminate Morrison.

All members of the Nexus eliminate Henry.

Tyler Reks enters next.

Punk eliminates Reks.

Vladmir Kozlov enters next.

Punk eliminates Kozlov.

R-Truth enters next.

Punk eliminates Truth.

Great Khali enters next.

Khali eliminates Harris.

Mason Ryan enters next.

Ryan eliminates Khali.

Booker T enters next.

Ryan eliminates Booker.

John Cena enters next.

Cena eliminates Ryan.

Cena eliminates Otunga and McGullicuty.

Hornswoggle enters next.

Cena eliminates Punk.

Tyson Kidd enters next.

Cena eliminates Kidd, after he and Hornswoggle AA him.

Heath Slater enters next.

Cena eliminates Slater.

Kofi Kingston enters next.

Jack Swagger enters next.

Sheamus enters next.

Sheamus eliminates Hornswoggle.

Rey Mysterio enters next.

Mysterio eliminates Swagger.

Wade Barrett enters at 30.

Dolph Ziggler enters next.

Diesel enters next.

Drew McIntyre enters next.

Alex Riley is next to enter.

Diesel eliminated by Barrett.

Big Show enters next.

Alex Riley eliminated by Show.

Show eliminates Ziggler.

Show eliminates McIntyre.

Ezekiel Jackson enters next.

Jackson eliminates Show.

Santino Marella enters next.

Alberto Del Rio enters next.

Randy Orton enters next.

Orton eliminates Kingston.

Orton eliminates Sheamus.

Kane is the last entrant.

Kane eliminates Jackson.

Mysterio eliminates Kane.

Barrett eliminates Mysterio.

Miz eliminates Cena after a distraction by Riley.

Orton eliminates Barrett.

Del Rio eliminates Orton to win the 2011 Royal Rumble!

Marella is still in the match.

Del Rio eliminates Marella, and now he has won!

Thoughts

A pretty good Royal Rumble in all honesty. You can tell the eliminations were pretty quick as they tried to fit in all 40 competitors.

I like the part where Nexus dominated the most, as that showed they were a force to be reckoned with, but when it took one man to eliminate almost all of them it was pretty stupid booking.

Miz eliminating Cena could also set up future storylines.

Marella at the end was pretty funny, the whole crowd wanted him to win, but I liked that added comedy at the end.

Question – What are your thoughts on the 2011 Royal Rumble?

 

09.01.18 – Smackdown Live Analysis – Becky’s Back, Rusev Day is cancelled & Zayn & Owens get a taste of their own medicine

Shows starts with us seeing highlights of Sami Zayn beating AJ Styles last week, with Kevin Owens, Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon at ringside.

Show opens with Renee Young welcoming Styles to the ring.

Styles says he takes pride every-time he steps foot in the ring.

Crowd cheers when AJ says he could beat the crap out of Zayn and Owens at the Royal Rumble.

Crowd chants Styles’ name.

Owens’ music hits as Styles was about to say: “SD Live is the house that AJ Styles built.”

McMahon interrupts Zayn and Owens as they say they can do what they want to.

McMahon says he is baffled by Bryan’s decisions.

McMahon announces Owens and Zayn are to face Styles, Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura tonight.

McMahon goes backstage and is met by Bryan who says he’s made a great main event.

The returning Becky Lynch to face Ruby Riott, next.

Becky Lynch is the first one to come out.

Lynch announces she is the last woman on Smackdown Live to enter the Women’s Royal Rumble match, in something that was pre-recorded.

Charlotte comes out to support Becky.

Followed by Naomi.

All of the Riott squad come out together, as usual.

Grapple game early on, dominated by Lynch.

Logan holds Lynch’s foot as she hits the rope, but Riott can’t take advantage as lynch throws her out of the ring.

We arrive back from the ad-break with Lynch in a submission in the middle of the ring.

Lynch escapes by trying to pin Riott, who kicks out at two.

Riott in control of the match.

Lynch hip tosses Riott to get some momentum.

Lynch delivers some uppercuts.

Lynch delivers the Bex-ploder.

Riott goes for the Riott kick, but Lynch reverses into the dis-armer and wins.

When we get back the Ascension are in the ring.

The Bludgeon Brothers now on their way to the ring.

The Ascension attack the Bludgeon Brothers before the bell.

From that point on it’s a squash match that ends up being over in about 15 seconds, as Viktor is pinned.

Konnor goes to see if Viktor is ok, and the Bludgeon Brothers attack him from behind.

Bobby Roode is now on his way out.

It appears Roode is at ringside to watch Mojo Rawley against Zack Ryder.

When we get back from the ad break Ryder is in the ring looking at the US title.

Rawley runs straight towards……. the US title, when he comes out.

Ryder dropkicks Rawley.

Rawley throws Ryder off the top rope.

Rawley is bullying Ryder now.

Neckbreaker by Ryder, after he counters Rawley’s suplex.

Ryder goes for the broski boot, by Rawley rolls out the ring to avoid it.

Rawley wins after catching Ryder with a punch.

Roode goes to meet Rawley in the ring.

Now we go backstage to see Jinder Mahal cut a promo.

Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable will head to the stage, after another ad-break.

We saw highlights of Natalya getting paired with Nakamura for the Mixed Match Challenge.

We now get to see highlights of the tag-team title match from last week.

Gable cutting a heel promo.

They are getting a good heel reaction from the crowd.

They claim they lost to instant replay last week.

They call out the referee who cost them the titles last week.

Daniel Bryan comes out instead.

Crowd chanting Bryan’s name.

Bryan announces at the Royal Rumble, The Usos will defend their titles against Benjamin and Gable in a 2 out of 3 falls match.

We cut backstage to Orton, who tells AJ he’s coming after the WWE title at Mania.

Nakamura likes the team talk: “Good talk.”

Nakamura ‘too sweets’ the title, maybe a hint about Nakamura v Styles at Mania.

English and Rusev are already in the ring.

Rusev and English getting a good response from the crowd again.

Fandango starts strongly, throwing English around the ring.

We return from, yet another ad-break, with English having a submission hold locked in on Breeze.

Rusev kicks Fandango a couple of times.

Spinning heel kick by Rusev.

Rusev kicks Breeze in the head, but then Fandango rolls him up to get his team the win.

Rusev Day is cancelled.

We go backstage to Bryan and McMahon.

McMahon isn’t happy with the matches Bryan has been making.

McMahon accuses Bryan of being unstable.

Bryan accuses McMahon of the same.

AJ Styles is the first man out for the match.

Followed by Randy Orton.

Followed by Shinsuke Nakamura.

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens come out to Owens’ theme music.

Orton and Owens begin.

Orton throws Owens into the barricade.

Orton throws Owens in the ring, as he rolls in himself Owens starts kicking him.

Nakamura delivers some knees to Zayn.

Nakamura dominant over Zayn.

Owens and Zayn retreat when it isn’t going their way.

McMahon comes out to stop them leaving.

McMahon announces the match is now no count-out.

Return from an ad-break with Zayn in control of Styles.

Owens now in control of Styles.

Styles gains control, after a neckbreaker on Owens.

Orton DDT’s Zayn from the middle rope.

Orton goes for a RKO, but Owens hits him with a chair.

Owens attacks both Styles and Nakamura with the chair too.

McMahon comes out again.

McMahon now announces it’s now a no count-out, no disqualification match so anything goes.

Styles hits Owens with a chair.

Zayn tries running from Nakamura and Orton, but they catch him.

Zayn is thrown against the steel ring post.

Orton hits Zayn with the steel steps.

Nakamura and Orton thrown Zayn over the announcers table.

Orton throws Zayn onto the table.

Zayn is thrown into the ring, where Nakamura hits the Kinsasha.

Orton RKOs Zayn, and gets the three count for the win.

 

 

Smackdown Live Analysis – 02.01.18 – Becky Lynch Returns, as Sami Zayn pins AJ Styles

Show opens with highlights of last week, when Kevin Owens beat AJ Styles in a non-title match.

Styles will start the first Smackdown Live in 2018.

Styles opens by wishing the WWE Universe a happy new year!

Daniel Bryan is called out by Styles to tell him whether Owens is allowed at ringside this week, after Zayn cost Styles the match last week.

Shane McMahon comes out before Bryan can say a word.

Crowd starts the chant: “Shane O’Mac,” closely followed by: “Daniel Bryan.”

McMahon apologises to Styles for costing him the match last week.

Bryan, McMahon and Owens will all be ringside for the match later tonight.

The Usos to defend the tag-team titles against Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable, next!

Usos talk on the mic to Gable and Benjamin before the match.

Benjamin throws one of the Usos off the top rope then Gable does a moonsault and then pin is broken up at two, fast paced start to the match.

The Usos go flying out the ring multiple times.

Benjamin and Gable win a very disappointing and short match.

Another referee comes out, and it appears the man pinned wasn’t the legal man, confusion in the arena.

The referee restarts the match, so much confusion ongoing at the moment.

The Usos attack Gable and Benjamin as they hesitate when getting back into the ring.

Double super-kick by the Usos, then a frog splash off the top rope gets the Usos the win, very disappointing match, that.

Zayn and Owens do a backstage segment with Renee Young, where they discuss the match later on tonight.

Breezango come out to face the Bludgeon Brothers.

The Bludgeon Brothers started the match before the bell even rang, by beating down Breezango, then The Ascension come out to save them, and get crushed.

We then go to the backstage with the New Day, and Big E and Kofi Kingston have bought Xavier Woods gifts.

They are interrupted by Aiden English and Rusev!

Rusev calls them: “Little kids,” as the crowd cheers for #RusevDay.

Mojo Rawley then does a backstage promo talking about how he will beat Zack Ryder next week.

Rusev and English are stood in the ring waiting, and Rusev decides it’s him turn to sing English a song, that was pretty awesome!

Woods goes faces first into the steel steps after English dodges him.

English sings: “Rusev Day!” to himself in the ring whilst he is in control of the match.

Back-breaker by Woods, and English kicks-out at two and a half.

Jinder Mahal is watching backstage, with the Singh Brothers.

Woods wins after an elbow-drop from the top tope, Rusev day is cancelled!

The Welcoming Committee do a backstage segment about how they are going to beat the Riott Squad.

The Welcoming Committee come out first, accompanied by Lana.

The Riott squad win with quite possibly the worst finisher you will ever see, a knee to the back of the head…

Ruby Riott cuts a promo post match that is full on heel.

Charlotte interrupts the promo.

Charlotte then introduces Naomi, closely followed by the returning Becky Lynch.

The three make the Riott squad retreat, after the beatdown.

Baron Corbin then announces that he will be in the Royal Rumble match.

Styles came out first, and he was followed by Bryan and then McMahon.

Styles goes straight after Zayn, after he cost him the match last week against Owens.

Ringside confrontation between Owens and McMahon, after Styles has Zayn down outside the ring, Bryan tries to break it up.

Chants of: “AJ Styles, Sami Zayn,” ring around the arena during the match.

Zayn hits the blue thunder bomb, but Styles kicks out at two.

The official rolls out the ring, but Styles pins Zayn for a three count in the ring, but there’s nobody to count it.

McMahon pushes Owens over.

McMahon gets Owens ejected, then Bryan tells McMahon to leave too.

Zayn hits the Helluvah kick during all of the chaos and gets the pin on Styles.

Styles cuts a promo, and it results in Bryan announcing that Styles will defend his title in the Royal Rumble in a handicap match against Owens and Zayn.

Question – What did you make of #SDLive tonight?

Twitter – https://twitter.com/RAWrestling