Author Topic: *OFFICIAL* SmackDown Discussion Thread: 20th December 2016  (Read 529 times)

Offline Awesome

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*OFFICIAL* SmackDown Discussion Thread: 20th December 2016
« on: 20 December 2016, 10:51:08 PM »
Quote from: WWE.com
WWE.com has learned that tonight’s SmackDown LIVE will kick off with AJ Styles defending his WWE Title against James Ellsworth. Immediately following that contest, The Miz will put his Intercontinental Title on the line against Apollo Crews. These two title matches have set the stage for a huge night for Team Blue.

Can the chinless Superstar somehow find a way to earn a fourth victory over “The Champ That Runs the Camp” without Dan Ambrose in his corner? Can he claim WWE’s most illustrious prize in the process? Will Crews turn The A-Lister into a B List player? Find out tonight!

In recent weeks, The Wyatt Family has been on an absolute tear, capturing the SmackDown Tag Team Titles and gaining a strong foothold on SmackDown LIVE. But in last week’s Fatal 4-Way Elimination No. 1 Contender’s Match, Luke Harper failed to emerge from the chaos with a WWE Title opportunity after Dean Ambrose hit him with Dirty Deeds for the pin.

Tonight, Harper will attempt to unleash his own dark brand of retribution on The Lunatic Fringe. Will he take down the unstable Superstar? Or will Ambrose introduce his bearded opponent to the Ambrose Asylum?

Last week during Natalya’s match against Carmella, The Queen of Harts once again tried to explain that it wasn’t she who attacked Nikki Bella at Survivor Series. However, in the heat of the moment, Natalya pushed Nikki. Was she simply shoving the fearless competitor out of the way of The Princess of Staten Island? Or was Natalya, for one moment, outing herself as Nikki’s attacker all along?

In any event, the lingering controversy continues to surround all three Superstars like a dark cloud that refuses to dissipate. Will we finally learn who attacked the star of both “Total Divas” and “Total Bellas” tonight on SmackDown LIVE?

Forced to compete in a SmackDown Women’s Title rematch against Becky Lynch by SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon last week, Alexa appeared to suffer an injury and was unable to finish the match … or did she?

Moments after the bell, The Wicked Witch of WWE attacked her opponent and seemed absolutely fine. Later, on WWE Talking Smack, we learned that the titleholder hadn’t even gone to the trainer to get checked out. 

Will Shane-O-Mac and Daniel Bryan get to the bottom of this controversy? Regardless of what they determine, we are pretty sure Becky Lynch will have a few things to say about it.
Quote from: CM Punk
Please, if you say ‘Because it’s your destiny’, I swear to jeebus I’m going to start drinking.


Offline Awesome

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Re: *OFFICIAL* SmackDown Discussion Thread: 20th December 2016
« Reply #1 on: 21 December 2016, 08:45:25 AM »
I would have expected there to at least be a Styles Clash, but I guess the point in the WWE World Championship match between AJ Styles and James Ellsworth was to show that Ellsworth isn't even remotely on Styles' level and further prove that the earlier victories by Ellsworth truly were only due to Dean Ambrose's interference. The attack afterwards further emphasised that, but unfortunately for the crowd who were chanting for tables, none were used.

The confrontation between Dolph Ziggler and AJ Styles afterwards made sense ahead of next week's title match between the two, but I'd have preferred that Baron Corbin didn't stick his nose into things. We'll see where that is headed in time though I guess.

A quick eye poke in the brief time that the referee wasn't looking was enough for The Miz to follow it up with a Skull Crushing Finale to retain his Intercontinental Championship. An outcome I'm not surprised with but happy enough to see.

The Miz's comments towards Renee Young were certainly unexpected, but I would assume it to be a reference that she is in a relationship with Dean Ambrose in real life. WWE does love to blur the lines and it can make things more entertaining as well as controversial. It can also be awkward for the viewer (although I'd imagine it to feel just as awkward to those actually involved) as you wonder if the people involved would have preferred that their relationships not be used in such a way, but possibly couldn't really object to it as it could affect their job.

The saga of who attacked Nikki Bella is finally revealed as I expected from the very start (Survivor Series itself) - Natalya did indeed attack Nikki Bella before taking her place at Survivor Series. More blurring of the lines with suggestions that The Bella Twins were given things rather than earning them, and the suggestion that nobody cared about them during the time that they were gone from WWE. Clearly the rivalry between Carmella and Nikki Bella will be pushed to the back if it is still used, but taking over will be a new rivalry between Natalya and Nikki Bella instead. It should be interesting to see where things go from here.

I thought that the occasional yells by "La Luchadora" had an Irish lilt to them, so I wasn't too surprised when she won the match against Alexa Bliss with a Dis-arm-her and revealed herself as Becky Lynch shortly afterwards.

Carmella walking away with a beaten up James Ellsworth was unexpected, but I guess we'll see where this is headed (if it is actually headed anywhere) in time.

I would still have preferred that the match next week stay between AJ Styles and Dolph Ziggler only, but I guess turning it into a Triple Threat gives the opportunity for Corbin to take the fall without it hurting either Styles or Ziggler as much as it would if one pinned the other, assuming that there will be more matches between Styles and Ziggler in the near future to follow next week's match.
Quote from: CM Punk
Please, if you say ‘Because it’s your destiny’, I swear to jeebus I’m going to start drinking.