BRM Reviews the 12/18/2012 Smackdown

[Big Red Machine]

MIZ TV WITH AJ, DOLPH & LANGSTON- EXCELLENT! They have actually managed to do this AJ thing in a way that made total sense. "Earmuffs, babe." LOVE IT!

BOOKER T & TEDDY LONG TALK ABOUT BRAD MADDOX- bad. Teddy comes off like an idiot here. He is impressed by Maddox's social media following? SO WHAT?! He is the assistant to the GM of Smackdown! I doubt Brad Maddox can help his or Smackdown's social media presence. Maddox deserves a second change? HE HAS HAD ONE! Two, in fact.

SIN CARA vs. DAMIEN SANDOW (w/Cody Rhodes)- 5.5/10
The match was fine but I HATE the Shield's involvement. First of all, Sandow needs help to be Cara? If you wanted to have Sandow lose to Rey & Cara, why did you have Sandow & Cody go over at TLC and get the title shot tomorrow night? Secondly- yes, the Shield might have assaulted Rey and taken his mask... or they might have just bought a Rey Mysterio mask from the concession stands (after all, they did just come from that area).
I also really hate this random use of the Shield to just attack people. It feels very Nexus-ish. If a group claims to have an ideology, it is best of they stick to it. The Shield can't just go around attacking random people.

TENSAI vs. SANTINO MARELLA- 5/10
Very good match for it was. Oodles of fun.


KOFI, KANE, & DRAGON BACKSTAGE- dumb.

I agree with Vince McMahon: Wade's entrance jacket both looks moronic and detracts from his street fighter personality.
WADE BARRETT & THE PRIME TIME PLAYERS vs. KOFI KINGSTON & TEAM HELL NO- 6/10
Everyone looked good.

CENA & SHEAMUS BACKSTAGE- not bad.

CM PUNK PROMO- F*CKING AWESOME! Ryback was decent.

ANTONIO CESARO vs. RYBACK- 4/10
Shouldn't Ryback have earned a US Title shot because of this? How are they going to resolve that.

AJ & KAITLYN BACKSTAGE- okay

WWE DIVAS TITLE MATCH: Eve Torres(c) vs. Kaitlyn- no rating. GREAT segment.
I really want to see Kaitlyn win the title now.

BRAD MADDOX vs. BRODUS CLAY (w/the Funakdactyls)- DUD!
Maddox gets squashed. This does nothing for Brodus, makes Maddox look like a chump, and makes Teddy Long look like an idiot for talking him up. After the match, the Nexus Shield jumps Brodus. See my above comments about the Shield for my feelings on that.

JOHN CENA & SHEAMUS vs. THE BIG SHOW & DOLPH ZIGGLER (w/BIG E LANGSTON & AJ LEE)- 6.25/10
Not good enough for a main event, and basically the same finish as last night.

Overall, a great episode of Smackdown, with the main event being the only flaw.

[kiel297]

As far as I'm aware, in WWE, beating the champion in a non-title match doesn't guarantee you a title match, it just puts you in higher standing for one. Add on to this the fact that Ryback is challenging for the WWE Title, that IMO would cancel it out if he were automatically entitled to a US Title shot for beating the champion.

[Big Red Machine]

As far as I'm aware, in WWE, beating the champion in a non-title match doesn't guarantee you a title match, it just puts you in higher standing for one. Add on to this the fact that Ryback is challenging for the WWE Title, that IMO would cancel it out if he were automatically entitled to a US Title shot for beating the champion.

It should give you a title shot anywhere, just on pure logic.
Of course the WWE Title shot takes precedence, but when Ryback loses to Punk (and he will), he still deserves a shot against Cesaro.