A Room with a Review: SmackDown 1/3/20

The first Friday Night SmackDown of 2020 emanates from Memphis, TN, home of The King of Rock and The King of Wrestling. All we get, though, is King Corbin.

• It’s recap time! We start the new year with a video package showing Daniel Bryan getting the win in the triple threat match that they tried to hold three times last week. Now we get DB taping up backstage as he is approached by an angry Miz. He’s angry that The Fiend violated his home and that he doesn’t get the opportunity to face him at Royal Rumble. He tells DB to beat The Fiend, for himself and everyone in the locker room.

• Tonight’s main event is Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan vs. King Corbin and Dolph Ziggler. Roman and Corbin, a feud spanning two decades.

• Sasha Banks and Emo Bayley make their way to the ring. Cheap heat from Bayley, insulting the crowd about their resolutions. Lacey Evans and Dana Brooke interrupt them as the Lacey Evans Face Tour continues. After a rambling promo about her daughter, Lacey is interrupted by Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. Alexa questions whether they should get in the middle of this personal matter and Nikki says yep, if they want to get back in the tag team title race. Of course, since all of the match participants are there, let’s go to commercial!

• The bell rings and Lacey goes straight for Sasha. After heeling off a little, Sasha tags Nikki Cross and escapes the ring. Some good wrestling early in this match, with great tag team chemistry from Sasha and Bayley. In a spot designed to anger CM Punk, Nikki jumps off the top rope to the outside and takes out everyone but her partner. Who will win this match? We’ll find out after this commercial.

• We’re back and everyone is okay. Bayley really stands out in this match. Her heel work is fantastic and she clearly has the most presence in the ring. I’m one of those who wasn’t sure how a heel Bayley would work, but so far, so good. However, Evans and Brooke get the win with a combination Women’s Right and an incredibly stiff top rope senton on Sasha Banks.

• Otis is backstage lifting a keg when Mandy Rose comes up and wishes him a happy new year. Otis refuses to look at her and says that his mom saw what happened with Dolph and her fruitcake last week. Tucker pulls him away for their match, but not without staring a hole into Mandy. Draaaaaahhhhh-maaaaaaahhhhhh!

• Miz is walking around backstage where he runs into Kofi Kingston and Big E. He’s not in the mood for their shenanigans and is still angry about The Fiend. He knocks the pancake tray out of Kofi’s hands and Kingston gladly accepts his challenge for a match.

• Elias and his bathrobe are in the ring. He compares King Corbin to an STD and implies that a man in the crowd is, too. Man, his schtick is just garbage now.

• Scenes from the Miracle on 34th Street Fight leads to a locker room promo by The Revival. They complain about the match and Shorty G stops by and tells them to embrace who they are. After some jaw jacking, we are getting a singles match between G and Dash Wilder. After the commercial, of course.

• Shorty G vs. Dash Wilder, with Scott Dawson on commentary. Shorty G has a new catchphrase “Rise Over Size”. Are they giving G the inspirational gimmick that Ali’s been doing this whole time? Wilder taps to the ankle lock, but Dawson comes in and they hit Shorty with the Shatter Machine. Sheamus is here to save the day, except he isn’t. The Irishman (no, not that one) chases The Revival from the ring but clobbers Shorty G with a massive Brogue Kick.  I’m happy to see Sheamus get another run here. Six or seven years ago I thought he and Wade Barrett were on their way to headlining a WrestleMania. I might have been a little bit off on that one, but the injury bug (and questionable booking) are hard to compete with.

• It’s time for The Miz vs. Kofi Kingston (and a fresh tray of pancakes) w/ Big E. Miz and Kofi tied for the most championships held during the 2010s. I think they are easily the best mid-carders that WWE has had in a long time, as each had a run with the WWE title and could again at any time. The similarities end there, though, as one started as a reality star and the other started as a fake Jamaican. A quick, solid match won by Kofi after reversing an honor roll, followed by a frustrated Miz attacking Kofi. As the fans boo him, Miz yells at them, questioning why they would boo him after all he’s been through. I’m very excited to get heel Miz back.

• Roman Reigns and my man D Bry right there are hanging out with Queen Cathy Kelley backstage. DB says he is winning the title and Roman says that he’s winning the Royal Rumble. Will these two be able to get along? Of course, they will. They’re both good guys.

• Back from commercial, Cathy knocks on Miz’s door to get a word. Instead, she gets John Morrison! John says that Miz has nothing else to say tonight. Eventual New Day vs. Miz/Morrison feud? John and Kofi with an impossible spot-off at Royal Rumble?

• Otis is in the ring, as he is scheduled for singles action against Drew Gulak. Drew has prepared a PowerPoint presentation to explain to Otis why Mandy Rose wants nothing to do with him. Otis pulls Gulak into the ring and starts to pound on him. Backstage, Mandy and Sonya Deville are watching the match and talking too quietly for us to hear. Dolph joins them and Mandy says he should apologize to Otis. Gulak takes the loss after Otis hits the Caterpillar and a Vader Bomb. I’m glad to see Otis get so much screen time. The man is magnetic.

• Now it’s Cesaro w/ Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. “Dancin’” Braun Strowman. Cesaro is wrestling in trunks tonight instead of his usual clamdiggers. Sami is dressed like Fidel Castro for some reason. Strowman wins with a power slam but immediately eats a Kinshasa from Nakamura. 

• It’s time for the main event. Roman gets his full entrance before we throw it to commercial. With 20 minutes left, I’m guessing we only get four or five more.

• Main event: Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan vs. King Corbin and Dolph Ziggler w/ his right-wing rhetoric gear. After Bryan tosses Ziggler over the top rope, the lights in the arena start to flicker and The Fiend’s laughter fills the air. I can’t think of a better time to go to commercial.

• Back from the break and it seems the rolling brownouts have been fixed. After taking all of the punishment, Reigns hits a Superman punch and makes the hot tag to Bryan. After getting all of his spots in, Bryan hits the Knee Plus. Before DB can get the pin, though, the lights turn red and The Fiend appears. Bryan immediately goes after him but Bray catches him in the Mandible Claw and puts him through the timekeeper’s area. Corbin and Ziggler jump Roman and bring out the handcuffs and dog food. Before they can do anything, The Usos run to the ring and save their cousin!

• A really good show this week, marked by multiple returns. They did a great job progressing storylines and mixed things up by having tag team guys work singles matches. My only real complaint is that they only had one women’s match, but that match had 80% of the women’s roster, so they get a pass this week. What did you think of the show? Whose return are you most excited about? Let me know in the comment section below.

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