PUTTIN’ THAT SMACKDOWN… What Happened Last (Tuesday) Night (Oct. 10th, 2014)

This week we had the 15 year anniversary special for Smackdown and to be honest, I totally forgot it was on that long.  I mean, yeah, I remembered since they’ve been plugging this show but still, in retrospect, my friends and I did congregate on Thursday nights to watch this stuff from time to time.  We were getting out of high school when it first aired and since it started during the summer, it was easier to make a time of it.  Yet, alas, college beckoned and everyone worth watching moved on and so…that was that.  Yet, I have to say this evening was a pleasant blending of new and old and in the end, it reminded me of why I came to love this stuff and why I write now to preserve and support that which engaged me so, nearly 20 years ago.

To begin, we have Teddy Long and Johnny Laurinaitis getting the crowd going with that sentiment of nostalgia mixed with the celebration of why we’re all met this Tuesday/Friday night.  Since the backbone of this whole industry lies in playful competition naturally, they trade shots, with Stephanie McMahon “mediating”, as to who can put together the most exciting Main Event.  Funny how it turns out to be more of how many people can we cram into a ring.  Who’s back there? Just throw ‘em all in except our main cats.  They’ll actually wrap up.  And so, we end up with a “15 Man Tag Team” match with just about everybody. Whatever, it’s a party.

Yet, to whet our appetites for some good wrassling, we have the first match-up in Adam Rose and Dad/Korporate Kane.  Adam Rose did not speak wisely and incurred Stephanie’s mild irritation and earned himself a dance with the “demon”.  Well, I actually liked this match, brief as it was.  It was exactly what I love about Dad.  He came out, was intimidating and rightly kicked Rose’s and a few Rosebuds’ asses and scared off the rest, even the Bunny bailed.  Just like old times.  Nobody wants a piece and yet, I’m not actually afraid of him.  It’s like when your Dad chases you around when you’re little.  You’re scared but more in that giggly, exhilarated way.  He’s not really mean; he just acts like he is to scare you…still don’t want a piece though.  Love it.  Thanks Dad!

Then we have some Diva action that was somewhat believable.  We had Alicia Fox do a little tango with AJ Lee with Paige on the sidelines supporting her new “best friend”.  What I liked about the match was that Alicia actually showed she can do more than pull hair.  She even kind of swung AJ’s 5-pound ass around, which is something I feel should happen more.  I mean, people don’t think I weigh a lot but I do.  I’m sure I got at least 20-30lbs on the gals in the Diva’s division outside of Tamina Snuka so, I don’t understand why people just don’t sit on her half the time.  Though AJ got the win with the Black Widow, to me, that seems like a perfect set-up for a Samoan Drop but…I guess you have to be in the family to use that (^_~)  Just saying, not to discredit crazy but it can only go so far.

Next up, we have Seth Rollins making his statement against Kofi Kingston.  Now, this was the first time I think I’ve seen Rollins up against someone in his weight-class so what happened was feasible at least and he managed to stay in the ring as opposed to run away.  I get the feeling that doing that would negate his “point”.  For once, Rollins displayed some dominance over Kingston, which I kinda feel conflicted about because I like Kingston but, at the same time, I know who the “bigger name” is. Rollins is definitely being established as a headlining heel though, I’m not sure how pushing a “little shit” is going to go over in the long-term.  I did like how the showing does conjure genuine dislike for his character but I also hope that Kingston doesn’t inadvertently get buried by doing his duty in putting Rollins over.  I suppose we’ll see.

Following that, we have Dolph Ziggler and Rusev go at it. This was actually a good match.  Ziggler was selling it like they used to and Rusev just was the mean “fer-ren” brute he’s been made out to be.  Though Rusev got the win, I felt like both men won due to the caliber of the match.  Ziggler actually proved that he means business out there as opposed to being some peroxide douchebag and Rusev is developing into quite the formidable heel.  It was fun.  I don’t look forward to a rematch because, Ziggler was clearly punching above his weight so, another match is more of a statement or payback but, for no reason so whatever. I’ll just chock it up to hype for Hell in the Cell.  It worked.

We then have the true moment of nostalgia when The Rock and Triple H meet up backstage and do an old-school promo fully cognizant of the present but definitely reminiscent of the past.  I do have to say this was the highlight of the evening.  Though, that can easily be viewed as kinda sad I think it should serve more as a reminder and a goal.  What the WWE needs to do is recapture the sentiments of the Attitude Era but adapt it for nowadays.  It can be done because all people really have to do is talk shit and kick ass.  That’s all you really need to do.  You just personalize how you do both.  That’s how we, as an audience, decide whether we like a wrestler or not.  What both The Rock and H did was show how this shit is done.  They both showed how they know how to build and maintain a rivalry without losing the reality of the situation.  Do they really hate each other?  Well, I’m sure they had their disagreements back in the day but in the end, this is a job.  Their career is kicking ass for a living and they demonstrated this very professionally and were entertaining to boot.  As they should be, they’ve been in the game a good minute, over 15 years actually so, they certainly should know what they’re doing and they didn’t disappoint.  Neither did Stephanie, by the way.  We’re all here to have a good time.  I think that was the underlying sentiment as it should have been.  Let’s get back to basics, shall we.  I get the feeling it will only help.

After that, we come to the penultimate match in the 15-Man Tag Team showdown.  OMG, it was a mess but it wasn’t all bad because it featured all the mid-card talent and much of whom have to be somewhat decent by default or they don’t have a job.  So, in terms of wrestling, one got what they paid for.  Everyone executed cleanly and cooperatively making it seem less like a clusterfuck and more like a hot mess.  Some minor storylines were continued.  Mark Henry continued to do himself in against Bo Dallas. The Usos performed well in their likely quest to regain the Tag Team title.  Damien Sandow was heel-tastic.  The little people in Hornswoggle and El Torito were campy and playful and even commentary was more colorful than usual with Booker T sitting in.  It was a good time, like an office party or something.  Kinda cornily loose but stayed within understandable bounds.  It was what it was.

In closing, we have another “episode” of MizTV where the guests are John Cena and Dean Ambrose.  Now, like I’ve said before, I never minded John Cena.  It’s just he’s a little like “Paradise Regained” from John Milton.  “Paradise Lost” is an engaging poem because it deals with The Devil, an interesting character because he is evil.  He is flawed and at odds with all that is good.  In “Paradise Regained”, we have Jesus’ side and he’s boring because he’s infallible.  He’ll always do the right thing.  Where’s the fun in that?  It’s an open and shut case.  There is no growth because he’s “perfect”.   That’s kinda how Cena comes off.  Where is the struggle?  Where is the growth of character?  Cena is inherently stagnant.  He’ll always be John Cena.  Which is fine.  He’s great with the kids as illustrated as he made his entrance though…meeting up with a Make-A-Wish kid at that moment seemed a little planted…whatever, it’s hard to knock and he knows how to perform whether you like him or not.  Say what you will, he’s earned the right to be respected and so, I respect him.  Nevertheless, MizTV did a good job of challenging Dean Ambrose’s character whether intentional or not.  With Cena, greeting the Make-A-Wish kid to start, that instantly makes Ambrose look like a smarmy pissant when he starts making his case.  That being said, when the tables turned at the end and Cena adjusted Ambrose’s attitude in a clean showing of tit for tat, it’s hard to side with Ambrose…depending on where your sensibilities lie.  All in all, I think the point that was made was that Cena is the Face supreme at the moment but, that doesn’t mean you can’t root for someone else, just know who the “good guy” really is.

See You Monday,

-Nicole Alexis.