Smackdown Live! - 9/6/2016

***Smackdown Opening Segment: Daniel Bryan showed off the new Smackdown women's Championship and explained that the 6 pack challenge at Backlash is elimination style. Weird spot where Bryan brings out Becky who is confused that he didn't bring Nikki. Some Total Bellas plug and some odd “heat” between Bryan and Nikki (probably to play on the Total Bellas relationship) All the Smackdown women came out and brawled. (S): Opening segment was a women's segment. I want there to be good things on the women's side, and hope Lynch gets the belt but am guessing it goes to Nikki. (J): I'm with you on this one Stew. Becky needs the title if she's going to get a legitimate run in the company. If she doesn't, I'm really concerned that she's just going to fade into obscurity (or as obscure as you can get with only 6 competitors to compete with. My prediction of Sunday (or at least what I want to see happen), Nikki comes within a hair of getting the 3 count, Carmella breaks it and the two just slug it out as Becky locks Natty into the Disarmer for the win. This would set up for a continuation of the feud between Nikki and Mella, and give Becky the standing she deserves.

***Match 1: Miz v Apollo Crews: Ziggler is on commentary. Standard match where Crews isn't important just the prop for the Ziggler and Miz. Miz throws Crews into Ziggler and and then into the ring post. Rolls him into the ring for the pin. (S): Pretty standard fare. Wasted Miz's fire. Rumors state it's because fans thought it meant Miz v Bryan, but Bryan can't work so they needed to move the heat to Ziggler.It isn't working. I was for Ziggler in his push against Ambrose but he quickly became a bridesmaid again, and I suspect this isn't going to be different. (J): I actually thought this was one of Miz's better matches for a while. I do agree though that he's lost his fire. So has Ziggler. Shame really that the two guys who looked like they were about to break out are now going stale fighting over what is probably the fan-favorite title. I really don't know what I expect to happen at Backlash here, and I'm starting to not care. I hope they can turn it up and bring the heat back this Sunday, otherwise, they might as well dust off that chicken suit and grey wig. ***Bray Wyatt promo- Wyatt talks Orton and calls himself a god again. (S): Pretty standard Wyatt promo. Here's hoping he wins the feud but I'm not holding my breath for the Eater of Losses. (J): I love Bray Wyatt's promos, and he can work in the ring with the best. You're right though Stew, he just can't seem to win the big ones anymore. I hope that he and Randy can keep this one going for a while. When he faced off against John Cena for three months, it was brilliant. Bray eventually lost, but he come out on top pretty much every other meeting leading up to that final match. Bray is a character who works better in the long game, not bouncing from opponent to opponent. ***Match 2- Becky, Nikki, & Naomi v Natalya, Alexa, & Carmella. Similiar to most of these Divas matches. Ended in a big brawl, with Carmella submitting Nikki. (S): Smackdown's women's division only has two stories right now. Story one is Becky is the chosen girl and yet she seems to never win, while story two is Carmella beating up Nikki. It's kind of compelling as Carmella's Princess of Staten Island schtick was over on NXT but floundered on the Blue brand. It is nice to see Nikki is actually being the baby face in peril rather than the all conquering monster they have treated as before. (J): Nikki was only really the all conquering monster as a heel. I was never much of a Nikki fan, and I feel like her being on the same show as her Brother-in-law GM makes it feel like it would be showing favoritism to her if she just plowed through everyone to the title. Having her go this route counteracts that. I'm loving Naomi's new character, but I don't feel like she has anyone to go against. I like Alexa Bliss, but I just don't see what they have against each other to really get a good feud going. Maybe something will come about from Backlash. I think bottom line is they need a few more stars to round out the division. Also, give them more time, even if it's not every week, that way we don't have to see all of them all together every time one of them shows up. ***Match 3- Usos v American Alpha. Usos with heel sneak attack right off the bat. Quick and dirty match with American Alpha dominating the Usos quickly. Post match beatdown that “injured Gable”. (S): Good to see the Usos as heels. They need the change. Sad to see them dominated though to lose so fast. WWE seems to have an issue letting heels get over and get wins. I'm not sure if the injury is so that Slater and Rhyno can win but AA still looks good blaming their loss on an unjust injury? We will see. (J): I'm curious to see how they can do as heels. They are really going to have to do some major changes to their schtick to pull it off because everything about them screams face. ***Backstage Segment with Randy Orton. He talks Bray Wyatt. (S): While we haven't ventured into Raw in the absurdity of backstage stuff, it is getting to be a bit much here. This was just to put more emphasis on the Orton/.Wyatt feud.
(J): Gotta hand it to Randy on the story telling. I thought it was going to flop when he started, but he picked up steam as he went and ended it nicely.

***In Ring Segment- Fandango danced with a woman, insulted her and she left. Kane squished him like the milk man, last week. (S): Man Fandango can't catch a break. He has a pretty cool heel tag team with Breeze and this is what they do with him. These segments need to go. (J): Never been a Fandango fan. I do like his work with Breeze, but personally I feel like Breeze outclasses him all the way. I guess this at least put them in the picture for a title opportunity, but Breeze should cut the dead weight. Can we have him somehow run in and win the IC Title? I would almost rather see that at this point. And seriously, what is creative doing that all they can think of is, "hhhmmmm... their bigger than most competitors.... I've got it! Squash some chump."

***Match 4:Heath Slater and Rhyno v The Hype Bros. Standard back and forth, with Rhyno again finishing with the Gore. (S): I want Slater to win, his stuff has been some of the best stuff from the draft on. His “family” not so much but his mention of them are. I hope for more of good things from him. As a side note I have always enjoyed his absurdities, his typical comedy act is just on the right side of funny but not too obnoxious for me and is appreciated. (J): Odd as it may seem, I never really paid much attention to Slater until an episode of Swerved where he stood up for a woman who he felt was being mistreated. Call it my chivalrous side, but all of a sudden I had a ton of respect for this guy, and started really watching him. He's got a lot of potential to do some really entertaining work. I said it last week, and I'll say it again, future Heavy Champ? Unlikely, future Hall of Famer? If they will give him a chance, I say definitely.
***Backstage Segment- Renee Young interviews the Usos. Heel promo about not getting respected. (S): Standard explaining the turn promo. Hopefully they get some new gear and the attitude freshens them up. Also wouldn't mind a decent double team finisher or some new finisher. (J): That double team attack to the leg of Gable though was sick. They should work that into their arsenal as a finishing move with person holding the victim in place following up with a roll into some sort of knee bar for a double team submission finisher.

***Closing In Ring Promo- AJ and Dean confront each other. Dean gives AJ a participation trophy. Crowd chanted “Soccer Mom” at him, which has been the new thing. AJ kicks Dean with a low blow and breaks the trophy. (S): AJ needs a damn haircut, though it looked hilarious with Cena's armband. AJ needs this win, and I hope he gets it. Dean is better either as a heel or chasing the title. Given the situation I hope AJ gets the title. (J): I like Dean as Champ. He has gotten a little nonchalant about it lately. Maybe this battle with AJ will branch out into a nice long story line between the two. I don't think we'll see Dean turn heel, at least not against AJ. They went to too much trouble to make AJ look like an ass by running down everyone throughout the night. My prediction (hope) for Sunday here is that either Dean and AJ will fight it out to a no-contest and they'll continue on for another PPV or so, or AJ will win the title and then Dean will have to go after again. Either way, I think we'll be seeing more of these two squaring off. I don't think this will be a one and done. ***Closing Thoughts- (S): Smackdown was decent, neither bad or great. Was some good spots and the main event stuff wasn't too sufferable. Compared to the backstage-athon of Raw I think SD was a better show. Could it have been even better? Sure, but it was good for what it was. No big surprises and all the feuds moved a step closer to this sundays PPV which is what you want. Here's hoping to some good at Backlash (and at least one big surprise to make the extra PPVs interesting).
(J): I have to wonder if people who were at the live shows felt like they were getting their money's worth given how much of the shows happened back stage. I really don't think that much happened to move stories forward tonight other than Carmella getting a one up on Nikki, AJ getting in a good one on Dean, and determining who will compete in the Tag Team Championship match. Given how close Backlash is to Summer Slam, I don't think that we should really expect much to be well and truly settled by Sunday. We'll have at least a couple of new champs, and maybe some new stories will come out of those matches, but I think we can expect Backlash to be just a longer Smackdown episode. Best case scenario, the roster realizes this is their first chance to really make a PPV statement and go balls-to-the-walls to put on great matches that will set a tone for what's to come.