SmackDown Live Recap & Review – Episode 954
New Day takes on Benjamin and Gable, and Styles faces The Singh Brothers in a good, not great, episode of SmackDown Live.
New Day takes on Benjamin and Gable, and Styles faces The Singh Brothers in a good, not great, episode of SmackDown Live.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens serve as the punching bags for SmackDown’s collective disappointment with the outcome of Survivor Series, and NXT continues to funnel females onto the main roster this week.
A night of unsurprising yet fairly entertaining surprises culminated in an expected brawl before Survivor Series.
Fallout from Hell in a Cell takes precedence on an alright, but no great, episode of SmackDown Live.
Vince McMahon confronts Kevin Owens in a good episode of SmackDown that featured three title matches.
AJ Styles is the new United States champ after a win at a live event at Madison Square Garden, but Owens doesn’t like it when Styles issues an open challenge for his new title. Also, with less than two weeks until Battleground, the card continues to form in an episode of SmackDown that feels rather forgettable, but sets up some matches and story lines heading into the big show.
The women’s Money in the Bank contract is put up for grabs once again as they redo the MitB ladder match that was ruined by James Ellsworth at the PPV.
Daniel Bryan makes a decision about the “controversial” women’s Money in the Bank match, Kevin Owens issues and open challenge, Dolph Ziggler takes on Shinsuke Nakamura, and more take place on this pretty good (sometimes very good) episode of SmackDown Live.
Zack Ryder returns to the ring as the Hype Bros face The Colons and the Kickoff for this year’s Money in the Bank PPV.
The Usos face the Hype Bros in a pretty okay episode of Main Event.
Randy Orton changes the direction of his feud with Bray Wyatt, team members are decided for Survivor Series, the tag titles are on the line, and James Ellworth attempts to help Dean Ambrose in his match with AJ Styles in a good episode of SmackDown.
Zack Ryder takes on Tyler Breeze and American Alpha faces The Ascension in a predictable but pretty entertaining episode of Main Event.
The Hype Bros versus The Vaudevillains and Jack Swagger versus Tyler Breeze were both decent matches, making this episode worth watching.
AJ Styles picks his next opponent, the Wyatt Family is (mostly) back together, The Miz isn’t done with Dolph Ziggler, and more on a packed and entertaining episode of SmackDown.
A big eight-man tag match featuring American Alpha, Hype Bros, The Vaudevillains, and The Ascension served as a good warmup for the second SmackDown Live PPV.
On the last stop before No Mercy, this SmackDown was packed with stuff, though it felt a lot like a glorified promo for the PPV. Which I suppose it kind of is.
Heath Slater officially signs with SmackDown, The Miz puts himself in the main event, the new “champ that runs the camp” has a hard time finding a friend, Swagger switches brands, and more on a show that was heavy on talk and light on action.
The best of Backlash wasn’t as good as the best of Summer Slam, but this was an enjoyable show and a good start to the brand exclusive PPVs.
The Usos make a statement in an okay episode of SmackDown.
A fine show made better by the return of The Headbangers!