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It’s the end of a long road for the WWE roster, as SmackDown delivers the last show before a few days off - and then Survivor Series - on Tues., Nov. 13 in St. Louis.
The Headliners
So, about last night...
The observation regarding how WWE’s busy event schedule this fall has effected the build for each show and especially the last one in the string, this weekend’s pay-per-view (PPV) in Los Angeles, has been made plenty of times. Whether it’s because of Raw Women’s champion Ronda Rousey and her overall star power, SmackDown Women’s champion Becky Lynch and her popularity with the hardcore wrestling fan base, great performances & storytelling or all of the above, the Rousey/Lynch program has been the exception.
It was the first match announced for Staples Center and, at least on the now overrun-free Monday night flagship, it was the last angle they ran before Survivor Series. Ostensibly, it was an invasion by all the women of the blue brand to get the upper hand ahead of their five-on-five elimination tag match on Sunday. It was a message from all of Shane McMahon & Paige’s troops to Team Raw. But all anyone is talking about is Bex & Ronnie.
So it’s no surprise that’s the lead in WWE.com’s official preview for tonight’s edition of the blue brand. Being on the receiving end of multiple chair shots and arm bars isn’t something the Rowdy One is going to take lightly, and hopefully she responds with more than just DNB/millenial rhetoric. We’ll also be anxiously awaiting results from the Badlass’ medical check-up after she was busted open with what was almost certainly a broken nose.
There are other questions from last night’s invasion, too. Did Charlotte Flair’s participation mean she will answer the General Manager’s call to captain the women’s team? Has Mandy Rose accepted her role, or is she just biding her time before she tries to prove she’s better than tag partner Sonya Deville? And, of course, will Rousey lead a counter-offensive?
Not bad for a pair of angles set up in the last couple weeks.
The Title Scene
The rest of the red belt vs. blue belt line-up for Sunday is still mostly posturing. But maybe Universal champ Brock Lesnar will work an extra day to lead an invasion against WWE champ AJ Styles and the rest of Team SmackDown tonight? Okay, stop laughing and let a boy dream.
DRAKE MAVERICK and his boys AOP didn’t even get on television last night. Will Big Show and this brand’s tag team titleholders The Bar fare any better?
He says he’ll be laser focused on United States champion Shinsuke Nakamura come Sunday, but Intercontinental champion Seth Rollins is probably stull trying to decipher Dean Ambrose’s riddles.
Other stuff to keep an eye on:
- The riddles tonight’s show will be focused on are the other two elimination tag matches which give this show its name. The men’s teams are set, but will either side be able to get along with their teammates? Keeping the focus on SmackDown, they ended last week beating each other up. How will the squad react to Daniel Bryan standing tall after taking out Samoa Joe, Miz & Shane McMahon (aka everyone on his team not named Rey Mysterio)?
- Captains the Usos have to find three more tag teams to add to their Survivor Series (Kickoff) team. Are their three other pairs on the blue brand outside Jimmy & Jey, The New Day and Cesaro & Sheamus? They’re just gonna have to name everybody, aren’t they?
It’s the Survivor Series ‘go home’ show!
What will you be looking for on SmackDown Live tonight?