Smackdown

Good evening wrestling fans and fellow readers. Tonight’s article is a condensed and abbreviated version of two episodes of Smackdown. This article will address and run down the January 7th and January 14th episodes of 2016.

On January 7th, this was the episode to kick off the new calendar year, as it debuted on USA Network. The pro’s is this show is on the same station and easy to find, just like Monday Night RAW is. However, the drawback is: Smackdown is still a taped environment with its TV being done “live” on Thursday, and televised, broadcasted on Thursday nights. How can this show be equally as competitive and compelling with RAW, when it’s a taped show? What’s changed?

January 7th featured John Cena opening up the show with his promo segment, discussing Alberto Del Rio and challenging him for a US title shot; and in what would’ve been a re-hash from that weeks Monday RAW episode. Instead, Kalisto ended up getting the bout and defeated Alberto in their budding rivalry. Kalisto due to the injury of Sin Cara is seeing more singles action and got a “half-hearted” push which ended up being just a rating pop and meaningless in the long run. (More on that later).

Miz TV was the segment show, which evolved into a huge promo featuring other wrestlers such as Ziggler, Goldust, and the featured guests, the New Day. This war of words and “let’s kill time and feature many wrestlers” was digested and of course segued into an eight-man tag. This tag bout became Goldust, Ziggler, R-Truth and Neville winning over all three members of the New Day (Kofi, Big E, and Woods) and the Miz.

In other action, Charlotte defeated Becky on their Smackdown rematch and Becky took the RAW bout from that Monday. Curious as to what will continue with that feud and the proverbial rubber match. To close out the January 7th show, featured IC champion Dean Ambrose defeating Kevin Owens.

January 14th 2016 is the second episode featured on their new network, USA. The matches consisted of Alberto Del Rio winning back his US title 24 hours after he lost it to Kalisto.

Remember earlier in this article, the point was made about a ratings pop and meaningless run? Ideally, the belt is used as a prop to elevate stars and make their status bigger. However, what did the 24 hour title reign (because the match was filmed on Tuesday technically) – do for Kalisto? He trades wins for losses and gets some promo, backstage promo time. But no real depth is made for his character, and he hasn’t had a true, legitimate run with consistency as a singles star. This match and loss for Kalisto came across as a wishy-washy, topsy-turvy, flip-flop of title changes; basically playing hot potato so to speak.

Other featured bouts were the Dudley Boyz gaining a victory in their match. The Dudley’s defeated Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. Despite the victory, Braun Strowman attacked the Dudley’s post-bell after the match, and laid them out.

In other developments, RAW from January 12th gave birth to a new faction, the Social Outcasts. The foursome tandem pits Heath Slater, Bo Dallas, Adam Rose and Curtis Axel. Ideally, it would be nice to see them get a credible run, and a feud to sink their teeth into; while giving these talents good TV time and an opportunity to show off their best trade. Hopefully this team was not made for a lack of creativity and to just “pair up” and mesh mid-carders who have been delegated to non-main event or non-frequent TV status. The entire Social Outcasts won their match on Smackdown, defeating Jack Swagger, Goldust, Damien Sandow (who is still a baby face apparently) and Zach Ryder. Ryder was pinned by Bo Dallas to lose the bout for his team.

In women’s action, Charlotte continued her heelish ways and victorious nature by defeating the less than “popular”; let’s let her “job” Brie Bella in what comes across as a throwaway match. Ideally, even in a loss, what did this match do for Brie Bella? It makes Nikki look all the more powerful and also not losing matches upon her return. How does this loss, albeit simple loss- props up the image of success and “emotional investment” in the popular Bella’s?

In the main event for January 14th, a tag team match closed the show. Dean Ambrose and Neville continued their winning ways mutually, by defeating Kevin Owens and Sheamus.

In conclusion in reviewing both episodes; having throwaway matches for the mid-carders comes across as “just a match” and no real investment helps in the individual’s story, or persona or intangibles to get them over with the audience. It’s just simply wrestlers wrestling, and winning and losing matches. Nobody in these bouts is really “going over” in a stand-out way to project both storyline consistency, as well as a position of like: Hey, let’s give this person a belt, or elevate them, or put them into a better storyline. It’s simply trading wins for losses, and meshing matches together with little variations from what we see in previous weeks, or regurgitated from Monday.
What will Smackdown do to remain compelling while making it “different” from RAW?