FEEDBACK: WWE SmackDown Live 7/24/18

Leave us your feedback to SmackDown Live from Tuesday in Evansville, Indiana and any other questions for Wai & I.

Tune into Rewind-A-SmackDown later tonight.

RATE TONIGHT’S EPISODE OF SMACKDOWN LIVE:

  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

0 voters

Brandon from Oshawa

This show was tremendous. How is this the same company that puts out the crap we see on Monday Nights? I dont understand it. I’m giving it a 10. Orton cut maybe one of the best promos of his career. We had a few solid matches. A great angle to get a new title challenger, without the same old #1 contenders matches and a great final segment. It was everything I could ask for in an episode.

Also, I listened to the Elias album. It’s solid for what it’s supposed to be. He talks trash and talks about himself mostly. It’s only 4 songs, if it were any more, it would be too much. It’s $2.99 on iTunes, but I have Spotify, so didn’t have to pay luckily.

2 Likes

Connor from Minneapolis

Hey guys, I have to start off by thanking you for keeping my love of professional wrestling going even after I gave up on WWE after Jinder became champion. Your podcasts and Glow have actually corralled me back in and here I am watching my first WWE show since WM and occasionally watching matches that sounded great from your reviews. I will be brief with my review since I included an as brief as possible week by week breakdown of the significant moments in the Sasha and Bayley feud since late January when it began. Hope you enjoy my suffering and find it worth it in some capacity.
Loved the opening promo from Orton. Its been said a bunch already, but heel Orton, when unleashed , can be great.
Joe vs AJ should be great. Joe’s promo afterwards with Paige was perfect and has me looking forward to next week.
Becky vs Carmella was actually a pretty good match. As a huge Becky fan since NXT, even I had to admit that the last few weeks have done nothing to help heat her up after MITB. This match was sorely needed and helped give me some confidence in them telling an interesting story here… Hopefully.
Honestly, a little hard to boo Miz with the baby there, but it works so well with how it ends up being just a baby actor.
Quick question what was Bryan going to do if the Miz was actually carrying his real baby? Maybe I am just overthinking this.
Overall a solid Smackdown which solidifies the biggest matches Summerslam and brings some momentum, my favorite WWE word, into the coming weeks. Good 8.5/10 in my biased book.

The Sasha v Bayley Saga

1/29/18 – Sasha has great match with Asuka which she loses.
2/5/18 – Sasha believes she can beat Asuka, but Bayley boasts she has beaten Sasha before, which mean she can beat Asuka too.
Bayley has a match with Asuka and loses, but Asuka shakes her hand afterwards which she did not do to Sasha.
2/12/18 – Bayley and Sasha snipe back and forth and Kurt Angle makes a match between the two.
Bayley got the win. After the match they stare at each other before Nia Jax interrupts and destroys both of them.
2/19/18 – Bayley and Sasha team with Mickie in a 6 woman tag with all Chamber participants.
2/25/18 – Elimination chamber match and Sasha and Bayley’s Lion King moment.
2/26/18 – Another 6 woman tag with them on a team. Initially seem to be getting along once the match started Sasha clearly wanted the win for herself, but eventually conceded and went to tag Bayley who hopped off the apron.
Sasha tags Asuka in and Bayley does aid Asuka. Ends with Sasha staring daggers at Bayley.
3/5/18 – Bayley has a match against Mandy Rose w/ Absolution at ringside.
Bayley overcomes the odds and wins but gets beat down after the match.
Sasha runs them off and helps Bayley to her feet, but Bayley refuses to give her a hug!
3/12/18 – Sasha versus Sonya Deville w/ Bayley and Absolution at ringside. Bayley does help Sasha during the match, but leaves after Sasha picks up the win allowing her to be beatdown by Absolution.
3/19/18 – Sasha decides to forgive Bayley, because she is the bigger person. gasp
The Hug gangster clearly does not believe the Boss’ words and responds.
Bayley states that she didn’t mind what Sasha did during the Chamber match, but rather how much she seemed to enjoy.
They are interrupted by Absolution and a tag match starts.
Sasha accidentally distracts the ref from counting what would have been the winning pin by Bayley.
Bayley is pushed in Sasha, who is on the apron, knocking her off leading to Bayley getting pinned and losing the match.
3/26/18 – Sasha and Bayley become the first 2 women to declare themselves in the Wrestlemania Andre the Tiny Moolah Fabulous trophy battle royale.
Bayley and Sasha argue back and forth, Bayley claiming that Sasha always took advantage of her and Sasha made no apologies for her me first mentality.
Bayley finally hits a nerve when she says “Even though Banks was a 4 time champion, she never held it for that long.”
Which led to Sasha throwing Bayley into lockers and the two fighting before being pulled apart by refs.
4/2/18 – Bayley vs Sonya Deville w/ Absolution at ringside. Bayley wins, but gets beatdown after the match.
Sasha comes down for the save and then aggressively demands that Bayley allow her to raise her hand. Bayley refuses and the two brawl again.
Absolution takes advantage of them fighting one another and takes both women out.
4/8/18 – WM Battle Royale, Bayley eliminates Sasha to win! Or not. Have Naomi win and then Banks and Bayley both wallow in defeat outside while Naomi hugs bronze ovaries.
4/9/18 – Sasha vs Mandy Rose w/ Absolution at ringside (Paige announces he retirement on this episode)
Bayley makes her entrance right before the match starts.
Mandy Rose goads Bayley into taking a swing and she accidentally hits Sasha instead who goes on to lose.
4/16/18 – First day of Superstar shakeup.
Bayley vs Sasha #2 gets interrupted by the debuting on Raw Riott Squad, and are beatdown.
4/23/18 – 5 on 5 women’s tag w/ Bayley and Sasha on the same team. Rousey eventually comes out and causes a DQ loss for the two. No real significant interaction between them.
4/30/18 – Sasha can’t get a hold of Bayley and has to go into her match tonight without her.
Sasha vs Ruby Riott w/ the Riott Squad at ringside (I’m sensing a pattern here)
Sasha ends up losing thanks to the numbers game, while Bayley was shown backstage watching the match, but not going out to help.
5/7/18 – MITB Qualifying match Sasha vs Ruby Riott vs Ember Moon w/ Riott Squad and Bayley at ringside
Bayley attempts to help and fight off the other members of the Riott Squad, but Ember Moon ends up taking the victory
5/14/18 – MITB qualifying match Bayley vs Alexa Bliss vs Mickie James
Alexa wins
No interaction between the two
5/21/18 – The breathtaking Emmy worth segment that was Bobby Lashley’s sisters occurred.
Neither Sasha or Bayley was on this episode.
5/28/18 – MITB qualifying gauntlet match
Bayley starts at number 1 and between both Liv Morgan at 2 and Sarah Logan at 3, before being down by both allowing Ruby Riott at 4 to pick up the easy win.
Sasha comes in last and is able to beat a very game Ruby Riott who had already eliminated Bayley, Dana Brooke, and Mickie James, qualifying for the last spot in the MITB match.
6/4/18 – The Riott Squad vs Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, and Ember Moon.
Alexa fakes an injury causing Bayley to run down and take her place on Sasha’s team.
Bayley gets the win but Corbin got Angle to overrule it since she wasn’t legally in the match. Ruining what was a near moment of reconciliation between the two.
6/11/18 – Bayley gets an R painted on her chest in lipstick by the Riott Squad after getting beatdown.
Sasha competed in a fatal four way with the other MITB Raw contenders.
No interaction between the two.
6/17/18 – MITB match Sasha loses
Bayley not on the show, so no interaction.
My life feels very tedious right now
6/18/18 – Sasha & Bayley vs Liv Logan & Sarah Morgan
Liv pins Sasha with a handful of tights, Sasha gets upset and pushes Bayley to the ground.
Bayley follows Sasha backstage and attempts to confront her, but Sasha ignored her pleas leading to another brawl between the two.
Bayley tries to talk to Sasha once again, but Sasha again wouldn’t listen and drives off. Bayley throwing a water bottle after the car in a futile gesture
It really is starting to sounds like a romantic comedy at this point.
6/25/18 – Angle says that the two are really important to Raw so he is giving them one more chance in a 3 on 3 tag match.
From the start they work very reluctantly together, and after Sasha is pinned Bayley goes wild and beats the crap out of Sasha.
Which leads to Angle ordering the two into mandatory counseling or lose their job.
7/2/18 – Both Sasha and Bayley were unaware that their session was going to be together.
Honesty theatre… I just don’t know what to say
This was horrible
7/9/18 – Second week of counseling
Bayley continues on about how Sasha has stabbed her in the back and we as viewers continue to tune out
Cole claims that the report will not be favorable for one them
7/16/18 – Kurt threatens to trade one of them to Smackdown if they can’t coexist in a tag match… Again
Sasha & Bayley vs Alicia & Dana
Sasha get them DQ’ed
Sasha says that only she gets to beat Bayley up and that she loves how she always cares, but that it is hard for her to be as open about her emotions as Bayley, leading to an emotional declaration of love.

8 Likes

Marc from Cole Harbour

I really enjoyed Smackdown tonight.

Randy Orton had more fire than I’ve seen in ages. Very passionate promo reminding everyone who he is.

Another great promo was Samoa Joe. I know guys like the Miz and Owens are great on the mic, but I don’t think anyone sounds as believable as Joe. Total badass and as someone who didn’t see anything of them in TNA I’m excited for his feud with AJ.

Not sure what others will think but I thought the Becky Lynch/Carmella match was really good. A little sloppy at times but I felt they got the crowd with a few of the false finishes at the end.

Miz as always was great but I don’t think his segment should have closed the show. I know it was to lead in to Miz and Mrs but I would have liked it better in the middle and the AJ/Joe segment to end.

Regardless, great episode of Smackdown and so much more fun to watch than Raw.

Mike from NY

A pretty entertaining Smackdown, much better than the experience of watching RAW. I am happy the Ellsworth-Carmella experiment is over with. Like John said, they didn’t have the same chemistry this time around. Becky will most likely win the title at Summer Slam, and she is deserving of another run.

Sanity and New Day was a good match overall. I am guessing the Bar wins and faces the New Day. I would like to see a hard hitting match between the Bludgeon Bros and the Bar. I think it could be a great physical beat em up match.

The AJ-Joe program got off to a great start, with Joe showing his viciousness. With all that he has done the past couple years, I think he’s deserving of a run with the WWE Title. AJ’s title run has been a bit underwhelming, though I don’t think it’s necessarily all AJ’s fault, as he’s been handcuffed a bit.

Awesome show tonight. Loved the Almas vs Rusev match the best. Can’t wait for AJ vs Joe probably my most anticipated for SummerSlam. How many matches do you guys think will be booked for the big show?

Anthony from Philadelphia -

Not every promo tonight, regardless of the performer, mentioned Evolution.

7 STUNT BABIES out of 10, better than RAW.

Eric in Miami

The reason I loved what they did with Samoa Joe tonight. In WWE world when a wrestler is done with his segment, He’s done for the night. I loved that Joe had his match with Truth and made you think that’s it he’s done for the night. I also enjoyed the very little detail of Paige telling Joe i picked you because you’re unpredictable letting the audience know Joe was always the #1 contender and some fan in the crowd couldn’t have walked in and signed the contract. I was half expecting Joe to yell at Paige “That was unpredictable but not as unpredictable as WWE Evolution”

Chris from Melbourne, Australia.

I decide not to take notes tonight, and very little stands out after it goes off air. Carmella-Becky & Styles-Joe should be good at SummerSlam, and Ellsworth is gone again but still seems to be more over then Roman Reigns. The more I watch WWE, the more I regret buying tickets for Super Show-Down in October, at least I didn’t spend AU$3,568.25 for the current product.

Wai, on a scale of 0-10 how excited for “Miz & Mrs” are you after tonight’s closing segment?

Just two small notes how is R truth 46 years old and moves around like he’s 20? He’s still K-quicker than 80% or the roster. Also did you notice Daniel Bryan’s baby catch head cradle and all? That was impressive, I mean not that I’m for it but they could of used a real baby with that fatherly instinct of D-bry. If only he could of been slightly more careful with the security guard who he dropped on his noggin. Great show I was into to every segment

Mark from Vaughan

I enjoyed SD but neither of this week’s shows felt like we were really ramping up toward SummerSlam. There are still 3 weeks left but only AJ vs Joe has me excited for a fresh program. Everything else that’s been announced is rehashing or continuing an ongoing feud. The Evolution promotion was predictably nauseating - especially from AJ.

Question: Do you feel this would be the right time to switch the title? AJ’s been holding it for 8 months. Orton is still out there as a heel challenger in the fall if he hangs on.

Brian from MN

Well, I got in late, which is fine cuz I got to fast-forward through the coms and Evolution PPV hype in virtually every segment. Still, this was a good show overall that set up a ton of stories… RKO, Rusev Day, AJ & Joe, Becky and the Women’s Championship, Paige having a crazy night, tag-team match kicked ass, and the write off of Ellsworth was quite amusing. Once again another entertaining and fun SDLive. This show has been so much easier to watch compared to RAW. Seriously (sigh) RAW is just a chore to watch anymore and I generally just have it on in the background while I do other work.

Matt from Tennessee

Well I have to say I am cooled down some after last nights Raw. Last night I was ready to throw in the towel on the main roster but with the announcement of AJ/Joe for Summerslam I’m not ready yet. This and Miz/Bryan are about the only matches I’m excited for since the majority of the matches are rematches, might as well name the show Rematchslam. Good show overall tonight

Dude your the fucking MVP for chronicling that whole, terrible Sasha & Baley feud!

10 out of 10

1 Like

Thanks, it was around 2 hours of so of sifting through old raw recaps for the Bayley and Sasha events, and then trying to condense the information as much as I could without leaving out significant context. I honestly kinda enjoy researching things so it was actually fairly fun.

Although I did rewatch several segments to search for any body language cues that a recap may have missed. Having to actually sit down and pay attention to certain segments was very trying.

I know I’m late with the feedback, but I don’t care. I loved this show! I think one of the reasons this show and most episodes of Smackdown are better than Raw is because the roles for characters are so defined. AJ and Bryan are two great baby faces that people legitimately love and Smackdown also 4 great heels. Orton was brilliant tonight, Nakamura has to be commended for his uniqueness, Miz is always great on the mic and Samoa Joe has maybe consistantly been the best heel in WWE for the past year. Who are Raw’s top 4 heels? Owens, Ziggler, McIntyre and Corbin. All of which are a far cry from any of Smackdown’s top heels. Aside from Raw’s women’s title program, Raw is stalling while Smackdown is firing on all cylinders. GREAT SHOW!
9/10

Smackdown was really good, really easy to watch. I thought that Miz did his best to plug his show whilst being a complete heel. Mella vs Becky was really nice. Best Mella match ever ? I would say yes.