It’s time for another SmackDown In A Nutshell, and with how last week ended…will there be WarGames for Damage CTRL?
In case you may have forgotten, last Friday gave us a pair of significant heel turns.
Honestly the Asuka heel turn wasn’t hugely stunning, because she’s been a ‘tweener a lot lately to me…but what did surprise is that she is now aligned with the growing women’s faction.
The other turn was the long-awaited Santos Escobar turn. Sadly, with Rey now out due to surgery, this one won’t get a big match at Survivor Series (at least, not with Rey).
But what about those women? Will there be WarGames in their future?
Spoiler On Who Will Be In WarGames
We’ve heard there will be one for each of the men and women. On the men’s side, we know how that is setting up…pending one more WWE Superstar.
Nothing yet has been announced for the women. Damage CTRL can run out Bayley, IYO SKY, Asuka and Kairi Sane…and I am sure they could find a fifth.
But who could they face? And if that is where things are headed, could GM Nick Aldis make a big announcement this evening?
It’s time to find out….
WarGames For Damage CTRL? : SmackDown In A Nutshell
Let’s crack open this Nutshell and find out!
Best Match of the night:
I have to give a nod to Axiom and Dragon Lee.
Not sure if Axiom is being showcased, or has been called up, but he is someone who can work with Lee and others like him and wow crowds.
Knight and Uso was good too…the drawback here was, it wasn’t as awesome as Lee/Axiom.
Plus, the Cody run-in was just…I mean it would have made more sense if Rhodes was there “scouting for their 5th”. Maybe he was and I missed that segment?
Worst match of the night:
No matches I feel like complaining about.
Crowd Chants of the Night:
No chants. Hot crowd for the big moments…gave Santos a ton of heat.
Star of the Night
I have to go with these choices…
Dragon Lee and Axiom. Random…maybe…but with Cole CONSTANTLY mentioning Lee’s ties to Rey…will he be joining the LWO? Or whatever survives?
Zelina was good.
Santos was better
Spot of the Night:
The slap by Zelina was top notch, as was the camera shot right after showing Santos’ LWO tattoo.
Jobber of the Night:
Joaquin Wilde and Cruz del Toro, because Escobar needed to beat up someone until Carlito finally arrived.
My only complaint there is…it sounded like we’d eventually see a reunited Legado…so you wouldn’t expect Escobar to first pummel them, but here we are.
Also…any female Superstar that was seen talking to Bianca in the back. They all got taken out.
Upset of the Night:
Santos was upset at Rey, and let everyone know it.
Zelina Vega was upset at Santos, and let him know it.
Ridge and Pete Dunne having issues?
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
I mean, the rumors were out there for a while, and we knew it was coming, but Becky Lynch as the fourth for Team Charlotte in Chicago gets the nod.
What I disliked was them being like “Charlotte, call her” and Flair being like “well I did but I don’t know if she will be here in time”.
Like…we all know she’s already there. Come up with better lines maybe?
For what it’s worth, I disliked how the turn went last week for Santos (was OK, was overshadowed by Asuka’s). However, his promo tonight was top notch and exactly the follow up he needed.
Botch of the night:
Cole…yes…COLE…botched a line.
He said Lynch was joining “Charlotte Team”. Yes, I knew what he meant.
But, I needed a botch, and that was a botch.
He almost made up for it with a JEOPARDY dig, but it still counts.
Commentary of the night:
No lines, but I enjoyed Road Dogg as special guest.
LOL Moment of the night:
Opening segment was good, and Bayley’s face was priceless as Dakota was like…well one person in this ring isn’t in Damage CTRL for WarGames.
And Bayley, nervous since last week, was like…oh no.
I mean…we all know she’s eventually getting booted, right?
And I almost spit out my Mt. Dew Zero when Heyman said-more than once-that Cena would hit the “5 Moves Of Doom”.
Noteworthy Moment:
Santos back on his own (for now) rocking a revamped logo borrowing from Legado. I like it, and Escobar is going to be a good heel.
Overall lowlights:
I have to say it…it irks me that the men’s WarGames match will be 5 on 5…but the women’s version will apparently be 4 on 4.
You can’t tell me that WWE couldn’t find two more women to work that match?
I mean, Cora Jade seems perfect for Damage CTRL, and surely there’s someone else that could work alongside Flair, Becky et al.
There’s still time for that to change, but everything we’ve seen and heard thus far tells me it isn’t going to.
Overall highlights:
Having Cody there was fun (did I miss him saying why?).
Becky got a nice pop.
Lee and Axiom…top notch, crazy spots…and safe!
Heyman’s promo was strong too.
And, you know…LA Knight…YEAH!
After the final bell:
Well, with just a week to go, the Survivor Series card is shaping up.
Carlito fights Santos in a rare singles match.
The women’s WarGames bout got added.
We have a tag title match next week too, but that one happens on next week’s SmackDown.
There’s probably something I left out, but it was busy (in a good way) show.
