For this week’s SmackDown In A Nutshell, I have a simple theme…it’s the blue brand does Brooklyn.
Because, you see, this week’s show is in the Big Apple.
It’s surely going to be a show loaded with the fallout from Survivor Series.
And with good reason.
Perhaps even some additional surprises? Because, let’s be honest…WWE looked a lot different a week ago.
We knew about Orton...and he will be on this week’s show. But, we mostly didn’t know about CM Punk…and he isn’t expected on tonight.
Both are considered free agents, so one never knows.
So, having fun in Brooklyn, the blue brand Superstars are going to deal with the aftermath of WarGames…and perhaps start working on hype ahead of January’s Royal Rumble.
All in all, it should be a really terrific show tonight. At least, I have high hopes.
But enough about hopes…let’s actually see what happens when…
Blue Brand Does Brooklyn : SmackDown In A Nutshell
Let’s crack open this Nutshell and see what happens!
Best Match of the night:
Not going with a match, but rather that closing segment.
It was a big one, with SmackDown signing Randy Orton over to the blue brand.
I think its safe to say that WWE knew Punk would be on RAW, pending TV rights.
And then Orton would join SmackDown.
But drawing it out a bit and how it all went, it felt like a massive deal, as it should.
Worst match of the night:
Maybe Santos and Wilde? But only if I have to.
Crowd Chants of the Night:
E-S-T
Dragon Lee
Randy
Crowd was hot tonight.
Star of the Night
Dragon Lee, even in street clothes, is a highlight reel.
Spot of the Night:
Dragon Lee is a new human highlight reel. Pick any number of things he did tonight.
And those RKOs were, as always, a thing of beauty. Missed them.
Like, Jimmy took a massive RKO.
Jobber of the Night:
Butch wasn’t beating Lashley. Nor was Wilde beating Escobar.
IYO, in spite of the title, took a lot of the abuse in that opening segment, where Damage CTRL was also missing Bayley.
Upset of the Night:
Adam Pearce will no doubt be upset because Orton has signed with the blue brand.
Nick Aldis might be regretting signing Orton, based on events, so perhaps he’s salty too.
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
He might have gotten the Viper to sign…but…
Botch of the night:
If there was one…I did not catch it.
Commentary of the night:
Nothing for me to call out
LOL Moment of the night:
Hey Paul…you can call Roman Reigns…and you can tell him…Daddy’s back”
Orton should do well on Fridays.
Noteworthy Moment:
We have heard that the return of Sheamus is imminent.
I can’t help but think that the attack by Pretty Deadly on an all-alone Butch sets up at least one thing, if not two.
First would be a tag match requiring a partner, and it’s Sheamus. Second would be someone telling Butch that it’s Pete Dunne’s time now.
We are going to have a tournament to get Logan Paul’s next challenger. Pretty cool stuff, and notably, one mystery NXT Superstar will be involved.
Is that Bron? Baron Corbin?
Carmelo Hayes even?
Regardless, KO and Logan Paul should be fun.
Overall lowlights:
Nothing I am going to complain about in this show.
Overall highlights:
Lots of big things done well-Logan Paul teasing a KO clash, but to do that, Owens needs to win the US Championship tournament.
Damage CTRL has a crack, maybe.
Randy Orton. Need I say more?
LA Knight didn’t need to do much, but crazy pop.
After the final bell:
While we didn’t get someone declaring for the Rumble yet, we did have a lot of stories continued, so I love to see it.
Next week gives us Punk on the show, as well as the Tribute to the Troops episode. Should be good.
