BRM Reviews the 5/22/2018 Smackdown (bad)
Posted: May 23rd, '18, 12:17
We’re getting Jeff Hardy vs. Daniel Bryan in an MITB qualifier tonight. Why are Bryan and Jeff just getting a second chance to qualify?
MIZ TV WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE NEW DAY- pretty good
I enjoyed New Day’s unity getting under Miz’s skin as his attempts to cause dissension failed. The only thing I didn’t like here was the end when they three pancakes at him like obnoxious children. Miz went backstage but Paige told him to back out and face Big E in a match Miz had talked himself into in his frustration even though he really didn’t want it, so we got…
THE MIZ vs. BIG E. (w/the New Day)- 5.5/10
Sheamus & Cesaro interfered to help Miz win. It’s good that they’re building something up on the undercard, but why does it have to be this stupid feud about pancakes?
DASHA FUENTES INTERVIEWS DANIEL BRYAN- Excellent promo by Bryan, though now I’m confused about his match with Jeff. Is it just the winner qualifies for MITB or does the winner have to face Joe first? I think that between Bryan Dasha, and the announcers, both things have been said.
MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH: Billie Kay (w/Peyton Royce) vs. Lana (w/Aiden English)- DUD!
Rusev isn’t at ringside tonight because he is in Bulgaria. No explanation of what he’s doing or anything. He’s just randomly “in Bulgaria.” They tried to keep the match short and gave Lana basically nothing she could f*ck up. Unfortunately, Peyton Royce selling Lana’s shot on the outside- one of the only two important spots in this short match- was so hokey that I need to give it a DUD anyway.
ZELINA VEGA PROMO- awesome, aside from the camera angle they used. I get that they’re trying to use Vega’s shortness to make Almas look taller, but the discrepancy here just looked a little too goofy.
ANDRADE “CIEN” ALMAS (w/Zelina Vega) vs. A LANKY JOBBER- squash
DASHA FUENTES INTERVIEWS CARMELLA- aweomse promo by Carmella
AJ & NAKAMURA SEGMENT- good stuff by all involved. We’re getting a Last Man Standing Match at the PPV.
#1 CONTENDERSHIP MATCH: Gallows & Anderson vs. The Usos- 3/10
They traded pre-match promos that very few people in the crowd cared about (and I didn’t care about them at all, either). The match didn’t even get five minutes.
MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH: Naomi vs. Sonya Deville (w/Mandy Rose)- 0.25/10
JEFF HARDY INTERVIEW- fine
WINNER FACES SAMOA JOE IN A MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH NEXT WEEK: Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy- 6.75/10
Samoa Joe was on commentary for this match. These guys were given a disappointingly short amount of time for a match between two big stars. Bryan won. Joe cut a promo on him afterwards.
A very bad episode of Smackdown in the ring, but there were at least a few pretty great promos on here, and I suspect Joe will beat Bryan next week but Bryan’s win tonight will give him a shot at Jeff’s title at some point so at least we have that to look forward to.
MIZ TV WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE NEW DAY- pretty good
I enjoyed New Day’s unity getting under Miz’s skin as his attempts to cause dissension failed. The only thing I didn’t like here was the end when they three pancakes at him like obnoxious children. Miz went backstage but Paige told him to back out and face Big E in a match Miz had talked himself into in his frustration even though he really didn’t want it, so we got…
THE MIZ vs. BIG E. (w/the New Day)- 5.5/10
Sheamus & Cesaro interfered to help Miz win. It’s good that they’re building something up on the undercard, but why does it have to be this stupid feud about pancakes?
DASHA FUENTES INTERVIEWS DANIEL BRYAN- Excellent promo by Bryan, though now I’m confused about his match with Jeff. Is it just the winner qualifies for MITB or does the winner have to face Joe first? I think that between Bryan Dasha, and the announcers, both things have been said.
MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH: Billie Kay (w/Peyton Royce) vs. Lana (w/Aiden English)- DUD!
Rusev isn’t at ringside tonight because he is in Bulgaria. No explanation of what he’s doing or anything. He’s just randomly “in Bulgaria.” They tried to keep the match short and gave Lana basically nothing she could f*ck up. Unfortunately, Peyton Royce selling Lana’s shot on the outside- one of the only two important spots in this short match- was so hokey that I need to give it a DUD anyway.
ZELINA VEGA PROMO- awesome, aside from the camera angle they used. I get that they’re trying to use Vega’s shortness to make Almas look taller, but the discrepancy here just looked a little too goofy.
ANDRADE “CIEN” ALMAS (w/Zelina Vega) vs. A LANKY JOBBER- squash
DASHA FUENTES INTERVIEWS CARMELLA- aweomse promo by Carmella
AJ & NAKAMURA SEGMENT- good stuff by all involved. We’re getting a Last Man Standing Match at the PPV.
#1 CONTENDERSHIP MATCH: Gallows & Anderson vs. The Usos- 3/10
They traded pre-match promos that very few people in the crowd cared about (and I didn’t care about them at all, either). The match didn’t even get five minutes.
MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH: Naomi vs. Sonya Deville (w/Mandy Rose)- 0.25/10
JEFF HARDY INTERVIEW- fine
WINNER FACES SAMOA JOE IN A MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH NEXT WEEK: Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy- 6.75/10
Samoa Joe was on commentary for this match. These guys were given a disappointingly short amount of time for a match between two big stars. Bryan won. Joe cut a promo on him afterwards.
A very bad episode of Smackdown in the ring, but there were at least a few pretty great promos on here, and I suspect Joe will beat Bryan next week but Bryan’s win tonight will give him a shot at Jeff’s title at some point so at least we have that to look forward to.