When

United States: LIVE, Tuesday Night, January 8, at 8/7c on the USA Network

United Kingdom: Wednesday Morning, January 9, at 1AM on Sky Sports Arena

Kofi looked great in the gauntlet match.

 

I really can't stand Shane and Miz as a team and I'm dreading their eventual match. I used to love Shane but I've really gone off him lately.

As I said with Vince's Charlotte announcement, I think it would be better if Vince doesn't say the name and let them come out first. I hate that he said their name, then we wait for the music - I know it's only a small detail but I think it adds the surprise/anticipation, if only for a few seconds.

 

I was thinking that maybe New Day would annihilate Kevin Owens once he sat down, they were going mental! I'm guessing they're using the Becky strategy with Kofi, just throwing obstacles in his way now.

 

Seeing the Hardys was a nice surprise, I guess we'll see them in some kind of tag match at Mania.

 

Just checked Wiki, R-Truth is 47! I thought he was younger. Like Alicia on Raw, he always makes me smile so don't mind seeing him although wasn't too sure about beating both Rey and Andrade in the same match.

Yea Truth is surprisingly old, he sure doesn't look like it. But I mean, keep in mind he was around in 2001/2002 as K-Kwik and had been wrestling a little before that. He just aged well.

 

This may be Truth's last moment in the sun before the twilight of his career.

 

Kofi vs Bryan at Mania. Woo! Not super thrilled about using the same "Replacement" Story that was done with Becky literally a week ago, but it gets us there so ok.

Kofi vs Bryan at Mania. Woo! Not super thrilled about using the same "Replacement" Story that was done with Becky literally a week ago, but it gets us there so ok.

 

Its the match that most of us want to see - but does anyone really expect Kofi to walk out with title.

For me, i think id rather have seen Kofi Vs Bryan ast Fastland with KO interferring to cause Bryan vs KO at mania, that would still be a good match and atleast Kevin might walk out with the belt. Also would have kept the "replacement" story away from the WWE title.

 

On the upside it was probally the most interesting Smackdown in quite some time.

Whos Asuka gonna be fighting at WM?

Id love to see Sonia get the push and title - hopefully this stuff with Mandy is a step in that direction.

I fully expect Kofi to win if they're putting it off til Mania

 

Rumor is Asuka might be fighting Lacey Evans at Mania, apparently she's in line for a push to make her one of the faces of the women's division.

 

I like Sonya too, I think eventually she'll be a champion. But right now, they like Mandy more.

I really hope it's not Lacey, she's not done anything to deserve a Mania match yet...although if she does, I guess that's one of the kick-off matches sorted :)

But right now, they like Mandy more.

And silly me read that as Mandy Moore and went off to find the news article announcing her new wrestling career. Jeez.

 

I enjoyed The Miz and Shane as a team together, but it's gone on long enough. I like seeing Kofi finally getting some credit. It's long overdue in my opinion.

Rumor is Asuka might be fighting Lacey Evans

 

Oh yeah i forgot about the Lacey Evans push.

I think i just figured that was a night after wrestlemania type of thing.

 

Does anyone else think that the WWEs insistence on having Charlotte in the Raw Womens title match is ruining the one on one match that we want between Becky and Ronda? I appreciate it could be so that Charlotte is good backup in case Becky in really really injured and that it is making for interesting story...but i figured Charlotte would get written out at Fastlane and then focus on Asuka more, with Asuka making a victory after last years defeat and then losing the Lacey on Smackdown after Mania.

Miz always does a great promo.

 

Is Charlotte using botox? I mean:omg:

 

[GALLERY=media, 537][/GALLERY]

 

I'm getting sick of all these convoluted storylines, WrestleMania is only weeks away and they haven't even got a confirmed opponent for Bryan. I imagine it will be Kofi, but come on! It feels like the only match that has had any long-term build is the Raw women's title. Everything else on the card seems like an afterthought, I guess they can now just sell it off the 'WrestleMania' name alone - with it being on the WWE Network they don't really need to build feuds to sell PPVs like they used to. At this point, I'm usually excited about a few matches but I just don't care about anything bar the Raw womens title match.

Seth won the Rumble and chose to face Brock Lesnar like, the night after the Rumble. So that's been known since January, as was Becky/Ronda. Adding Charlotte to it was likely to happen and that's fine, but I feel like they're messing with it too much and they've ran at it too hard because it feels repetitive at this point. Becky/Charlotte consistently having some kind of "face to face!" segment on Smackdown, involve Ronda when they're on Raw, rinse and repeat.

 

I think the WWE title was in flux and maybe the original opponent was Mustafa Ali, or maybe it was Kevin Owens, or maybe they just hadn't decided and then this Kofi situation fell in their laps at Elimination Chamber and they've done a good job rolling with it. Though I'd have preferred to have had it formally announced this week instead of dragging it out longer.

 

There are still plenty of other matches announced, they ran them down on Raw this week.

 

Miz/Shane - Broke up happened Fastlane, Shane announced the match 2 days later

 

Batista/Triple H

 

Tony Nese vs Buddy Murphy, Cruiserweight title - Formally announced now that Tony won the tournament on 205 Live

 

Becky/Ronda/Charlotte

 

Seth/Brock

 

Rey Mysterio vs Samoa Joe, US Title - Just announced on Smackdown this week

 

Kurt Angle vs Baron Corbin - Announced on Raw this week

 

AJ Styles vs Randy Orton - Announced...this week I think?

 

Roman vs Drew - Drew challenged this week and you know Roman won't decline, so this is effectively announced

 

Also confirmed is the Andre Memorial Battle Royal with Braun entering it, and the Women's battle royal should happen too. We're likely going to have 3 multi-team Tag title matches and a multi-person IC title match. Not sure about Smackdown women's title, they do have a 4-way coming up next week for that. Might be 1 on 1, might somehow cluster it up to get a triple threat or 4 way at Mania, who knows. Of course, we'll get the WWE title match confirmed very soon.

 

The card is about halfway announced now, and with only 2 Raws and 2 Smackdowns left before Mania, I suspect that the next 2 weeks will have the rest of these matches confirmed very soon.

I've seen the matches, I've got no doubt the card will be stacked...I just don't care about the majority of them. I don't feel like WWE have done enough in that respect. I'm sure we'll get some great matches on the night but I'm just thinking they would have been even better with some decent build-up over the past few months.

What do you think is going on with Ronda Rousey and her whole stance on, "Wrestling is fake. I'm the only real fighter." She's selling shirts that have Break Kayfabe written on them. Part of the act you think?

Yea it's part of the act but I'm not sure I like it. It runs a bit too close to the whole "kayfabe is dead" storylines Vince Russo and WCW would try to run. I don't really like the whole "Everything else is scripted but THIS? THIS IS REAL!" gimmick. If they just dropped that aspect of it and ran with Ronda being sick of the environment and the fans and peoples attitudes, I'd be all for it. But adding in this "I'm not following the script anymore" is just bs and needs to stop.

I think Ronda is trying to play like Punk by breaking the fourth wall with the fans. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the acting abilities to pull it off. I still think she would've faired better in ROH to start. That or she should have taken a public speaking class.

 

I don't quite get the distaste for Charlotte. She takes wrestling seriously and has decent skills. What is it about her that is annoying? I'm being sincere in asking and I'm aware that everyone has their favourites and those they dislike.

With Charlotte, I think she's in the same situation as Roman Reigns. She didn't come to the WWE with any street cred, but corporate liked her enough to give her a big push - again and again and again. I guess some fans feel that it's undeserved. I don't dislike Charlotte personally.

I don't have this hate for Charlotte. I like her a lot. She's great.

 

I can see some parallels between her rise and Roman's rise, but I think a key difference is how far they went to protect Roman/make Roman look strong compared to Charlotte. A big distinction is that Roman almost NEVER got pinned, even if it was by dirty tricks - while Charlotte has lost a pretty good number of times. She's won a lot too, to be sure. But she's spent plenty of time not-champion and on the backburner as well.

 

I don't think she's suffered from such ridiculous pushes as Reigns did, but perhaps it was enough for some people to compare her to Roman or Cena that way.

I don't mind Charlotte either...however I was a little miffed she beat Asuka at WrestleMania last year. I don't think a loss there by Charlotte would have made much difference to her through 2018 whereas Asuka seems to have gone nowhere since moving to the main roster.

^^ I think I just jinxed Auska.

 

I seem to be complaining each week, but once again, I was annoyed with the booking. Vince was mocking New Day for implying they wanted to quit, he then tells Kofi he's a B+ but he's not sure about Big E and Xavier. He then tells Big E/Xavier they're going in the gauntlet match and if they win, Kofi is going to WrestleMania. Huh? I know we're going to get a good match but the booking has been complete shite. :mad:

 

Charlotte makes Asuka tap out for the title. :mad:

 

The only thing I liked about the gauntlet match was The Uso's forfeiting. They've shown The Usos/New Day have mutual respect previously so that was a nice moment.

 

I don't think WWE have made me this underwhelmed about a WrestleMania before, I'm usually excited for a few matches but I'm just not feeling it this year.

What the heck was Smackdown this week

 

A 9 on 9 mixed tag match with no winner?

 

Miz somehow beating Sanity in a 3 on 1 falls count anywhere match? What is this?

Miz somehow beating Sanity in a 3 on 1 falls count anywhere match? What is this?

:explode:

 

It seems like they've got no idea what to do with Sanity, other than to make them jobbers.

 

I was hoping we might get some kind of Rey/Joe confrontation as they've not done anything with them yet, or even just have Joe on the mic trashing Rey...something!