Event: WWE SmackDown
Date: December 6, 2019
Location: Fayetteville, NC
With just one week to go for WWE TLC, SmackDown looked to add new matches to the card, which shockingly had zero matches before the show.
The Miz opened the show with a new episode of the Miz TV, but his guest Daniel Bryan couldn’t make it after the horrific attack by The Fiend last week. Miz said he doesn’t like Bryan but he cares for him and vowed to figure out where Bryan is.
Bray Wyatt interrupted Miz and said he wants to play with him at TLC. The Universal Champion held up a photo of Miz, Maryse, and their kids, much to the chagrin of the former WWE Champion, who immediately left the ring to chase after him.
Alexa Bliss def. Mandy Rose: In her first singles match since making a return to in-ring competition, Bliss took down Rose, as her friend Nikki Cross and Sonya Deville also played a part in the match. Bliss got her eyelashes ripped off in the match but she delivered a Twisted Bliss for the win.
Backstage: Drake Maverick tried to hit on Dana Brooke once again, and asked her about her upcoming date with Batista. Maverick was interrupted by Elias, who sung a song, humiliating the 205 Live General Manager.
Maverick got in the ring and called out Elias for a fight. Elias and Dana Brooke entered the ring and manhandled Maverick. Brooke stood on Maverick as Elias counted the pin to end the segment.
Backstage: The Miz saw his family’s photo frame inside a red-lit room, but it had Wyatt’s face instead of his, carrying his baby. Wyatt ambushed Miz and delivered a Sister Abigail.
The Revival def. Shorty G & Mustafa Ali, Heavy Machinery, Lucha House Party: The Revival defeated the three other teams from a thin SmackDown Tag Division. Lucha House Party were the first to be eliminated, followed by Heavy Machinery and finally the random team of Shorty G and Mustafa Ali. Revival will now face New Day at TLC for the Tag-Team Championships.
Sheamus cut yet another promo, promising to take over SmackDown after returning.
Lacey Evans def. Haley Jones: The freshly turned face Evans squashed the local talent, hitting the Woman’s Right to pick up the win.
Sasha Banks entered the ring and talked trash to Evans. Evans went on a rant and talked about her own upbringing and how she learned leadership skills during her time as a Marine, and said she’s the real leader of the Women’s Division. Evans went for a Woman’s Right but Banks ducked and ran away from the ring. Evans made her exit but got blindsided by SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley and Banks.
Roman Reigns def. Dolph Ziggler: Reigns overpowered Ziggler and his buddy, King Corbin, to take up the victory in the main-event of the evening. Post-match, Corbin’s guards outnumbered Reigns, and the duo ganged up on Reigns. Reigns was tied to the ring post as Corbin and Ziggler humiliated the Big Dog by pouring dog food all over him to end the show.
Takeaways from Friday Night SmackDown
1. The Alter Ego
WWE did a great job by keeping Daniel Bryan away from TV this week, after the horrific attack by The Fiend last week. Instead, Bryan’s former mentor and rival, Miz, took up his spot, and will now be facing Bray Wyatt, and not the Fiend, at TLC in a weeks’ time.
The Fiend’s gimmick is being protected rather well, and WWE is making sure they do not overdo the Fiend matches again and again. Wyatt will wrestle in his normal avatar for the first time since his return earlier this year, and the Universal Championship will not be involved.
The possible story behind Fiend’s character that he only attacks the one who have hurt him in the past (Rollins, Balor, Bryan), and won’t fight the Miz, who he has no history with, is pretty well-done and kudos to WWE!
2. The Big Dog Mess
It is very easy to get confused if you are a new viewer and think the Wyatt-Bryan-Miz story and Reigns-Corbin story is from two different companies altogether. WWE has messed up the latter storyline beyond repair, as fans are getting tired from seeing Reigns getting outnumbered every week.
This week featured a segment in which Ziggler and Corbin poured dog food all over the Big Dog, which was one of the worst things WWE has done all year. The segment served no real purpose than to get heat for Corbin and Ziggler, who are already solid heels.
We have noted this earlier as well, and WWE is sliding down that rabbit hole again. If Reigns continues to get this treatment, fans will turn on him sooner rather than later.
3. Evans Is a Star
Many wondered the reason behind the ample screentime that Lacey Evans, a relatively green wrestler, was receiving ever since her debut earlier this year. However, the former Marine is showing exactly why she deserves to be in the top feuds of the Women’s Division with solid character work each week.
Evans is turning out to be a solid babyface, and her rivalry with Sasha Banks and Bayley could be a great way to solidify her top face status.
4. The Never-Ending Saga
The Revival and The New Day have been embroiled in a rivalry since the dawn of time and their never-ending feud highlights the lack of quality teams in the roster. Shorty G and Mustafa Ali are suddenly a tag-team now, while the other two teams are Lucha House Party (perennial jobbers) and Heavy Machinery (comic relief).
WWE won’t really be focusing on calling up teams from the NXT realm, as they need solid teams in that division too. The same problem exists on the RAW side as well, as Viking Raiders have been squashing local teams for months now.
