Smackdown Spoilers for 11/22/13

[Matt D]

Really good show. I suggest skipping past the Orton segment, but the in-ring stuff was fun.

 

Rhodes family vs Real Americans was excellent. Rey/Usos vs Shield was okay, sort of low end for a Shield match but part of that was because Rey was the hot tag and not the FIP and i think everyone watching will just be waiting for him to get in. Once he does, it's a bit of a tease but there's some good stuff. I thought Dolph/Big E vs Sandow/Axel was a perfectly fine five minute match with everyone getting their stuff in well. Axel does a dropkick that matches Ziggler's and I love Big E's ultimate warrior splash which I'm not sure I've seen him do before. Harper vs Bryan is really, really good, with great comeback spots and just brutal cutoffs. It doesn't really have a finishing section but what we have is worth watching.

 

The incidental stuff was fine. AJ vs Funkadactyls is laid out well enough. Ryback vs Khali has a huge moment. Etc. And apparently i accidentally skipped past the 3birds. Oops.

[MGFanJay]

Good lord is SD so much better without commercials. Barely an hour of actual content after filler like video packages and recaps. Match-wise, this show delivered. The opener was probably my favorite match, although the Shield 6-man was pretty good too. It's kind of sad that a Shield loss barely matters now, but also good because they're simply bullet-proof right now. Loved JBL's slip-up saying "REIGNS JUST SPEARED RUSSO IN HALF!" The main event was good-ish, but hurt by a lack of time and a shitty finish. Good post-match beating though. PRETTY RICKY returning ruled.

 

http://jayreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2013/11/wwe-sd-11-22-13.html

 

Screens -

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.imagebam.com/gallery/tta4pnq80kpl6x7n3r2gcrstlm0aq1rk

[Hagan]

Apparently the international market can't handle the 3Birds.

 

I'm really enjoying Luke Harpers's work. Nice fucking Michinoku Driver there.

[Matt D]

That thing was nuts. It was like a tilt-a-whirl version. 

[Exposer]

I actually thought the tag was disappointing. Cody just doesn't do it for me as FIP. Of course, Goldust is RIGHT THERE to do that but whatever. I also thought Cody looked off in general really. A couple of the counters he tried with Cesaro were initially hurt by Cody then covered up by Cesaro. I will say the finishing run was real good. 

[Jrag]

They should have stuck Rey Rey on the super face team instead of the mid-card elimination tag.  Harper vs Rey needs to happen soon before Rey hurts his knees again.

[Exposer]

FUCKING 3 BIRDS GOT SNUBBED

[Greggulator]

I haven't seen the whole show yet. But from what I saw:

The Rhodes Boys vs. Real Americans was great. I loved the Giant Swing on Cody so, so, so much. The end sequence was really hot, too. I loved Goldust's finisher. Super nasty.

The main event was great. I think we're about to see The Wyatt Family near or at the top of the card for, oh, the next half-decade or so. The cue to the audience of the weird sound effect with the vision of Rowan in the sheep mask is the best cue they've had in years. As soon as that happens, everyone knows something is happening. There's either going to be a beatdown or some crazed Bray promo. Even when it leads to a ring entrance it has such a sense of eerie dread -- when the lights come on, there's no telling where The Family will be.

Luke Harper is world-class. We keep talking about Roman Reigns deservedly as the next breakout star? Harper might be that guy, too, when they get around to the whole "Harper strays from his master" angle at some point. The guy can also talk a little bit, as seen in his NXT stuff against Kassius. This match was really good. Bray is SO friggin' great at ringside -- manic, weirdly off, threatening, etc. I loved him rolling his eyes in the back of his head in ecstasy right before hitting Sister Abigail. Bray can also friggin' throw a punch, too.

[MushroomJones]

PTP vs. Fabulous 3Birds is on WWE.com, and the commentary makes me think they had no intentions of airing this one

[Andrew POE!]

PTP vs. Fabulous 3Birds is on WWE.com, and the commentary makes me think they had no intentions of airing this one

 

Yeah, JBL knows his history that's for sure. Although Heath Slater did the worst moon-walk I've ever seen.

 

All they needed was Drew as Gordy telling someone not to touch his truck.

[John Kennedy]

Harper is fast becoming the guy I look forward to watching most on the roster

[The Natural]

Another fan of Luke Harper here.

[MGFanJay]

He's made the Wyatts worth watching in the ring. I love the current setup of Harper wrestling a ton, Wyatt talking, and Rowan looking like a creepy motherfucker - it's the best overall use of the group right now.

[hammerva]

Cole and JBL were completely confused on who Drew was supposed to be although it is obviously Gordy.  To be fair this was the WCW Freebirds because I guess they wouldn't figure out which one could do a Buddy Roberts

[Patrick B.]

According to them, Jinder was Gordy so Drew would have been Buddy.

[Peck]

And I thought Jinder was obviously Jimmy.

[Curt McGirt]

If there aren't enough reasons to love Ambrose already, he freakin' busted out a version of Shinzaki's straightjacket camel clutch in this one. That's one of my favorite submissions that nobody uses. 

 

Pretty Ricky is like a cross between Keenan Ivory Wayans' Frenchy and the Homeboy Shopping Network guys, both on In Living Color. 

 

How long was that tag with Big E? Three minutes tops? Damn. 

 

It's surreal seeing a legitimately scary hillbilly character bust out Michinoku Drivers and Liger Bombs. Somehow it works, probably because they're used as defensive moves. Shite finish but more time for the insanity of the Wyatts. These are the best characters WWE has come up with in years. 

 

Missed Fabulous 3 Birds, so can't comment on the stupidity of the announcers. I do not approve of a Jimmy Jam Garvin iteration however as noted in the photo thread.

[Eivion]

Harper/Bryan did little for me. Match was fine, but I actually dug their last match on SD more. Real Americans vs. The Rhodes was really good. I think I enjoyed it more than both Shield matches though I still put the first Rhodes/Shield match higher.