“I’m Better Than You, And You Know It”

"Every Man Has A Price For The Million Dollar Man"

"The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be"

"Whatcha Gonna Do, When Hulkamania Runs Wild On You"

"And That's The Bottom Line Because Stone Cold Said So"

<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Daniel Bryan Gets A Different Opponent</strong></h2>



<p>Daniel Bryan just keeps proving that he is one of the best wrestlers of all time, even though he didn’t need to. </p>



<p>When we first heard of him turning heel we were skeptical of it all. We never could see someone so well loved being hated by the WWE universe but boy has Bryan made it work. You could feel the bile for Bryan that emanated from the crowd today. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="youtube-embed" data-video_id="J735whxNxho"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Mustafa Ali interrupts Daniel Bryan: SmackDown LIVE, Dec. 11, 2018" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J735whxNxho?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<p>WWE had given something new to open RAW and they carried that forward to SmackDown. Instead of having a segment involving AJ Styles, it was 205’s Mustafa Ali that faced Bryan in the opening match. </p>


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<p>The pre-match banter was quite fun and you felt sorry for Mustafa and pure hatred for Bryan through it all which showshow well he is doing his job as the heel. The match was rather short but did what it was supposed to do – paint Bryan as the most heelish character around.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="youtube-embed" data-video_id="lKwwBGNGHHQ"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Mustafa Ali vs. Daniel Bryan: SmackDown LIVE, Dec. 11, 2018" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lKwwBGNGHHQ?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>We have been shouting for some change and Bryan has been giving it to us in truckloads and we love it. A great start to the show.</p>



<p><strong>Winner: </strong><em>Daniel Bryan</em></p>



<p><strong>Rating: </strong><em>Thumbs Up</em> <i class="fa fa-thumbs-up" style="font-size:30px;color:lime"></i></p>


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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>God Awful Rap Battle</strong></h2>



<p>Remember how promos used to be the biggest weapon in a wrestler’s arsenal? It is what separated guys like the Rock, Stone Cold, John Cena, and Chris Jericho from the rest of the world and yet, we are now in an era where it is a cheap knockoff of what it used to be. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="youtube-embed" data-video_id="KBEJTIevuUE"><iframe loading="lazy" title="The Usos vs. The Bar - Rap Battle: SmackDown LIVE, Dec. 11, 2018" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KBEJTIevuUE?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<p>Rap battles have their place in wrestling when done right. We weren’t overtly joyous the first time The Usos and The New Day had a rap battle. Throw in the Bar and you have the perfect recipe for disaster. The Bar are not good at rapping. Why did WWE have to shame them like this? The Bar’s rapping also felt phony. </p>


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<p>Just having these guys talking smack to each other would have been good enough to build up their match on Sunday but this was as shitty as it can get. The Bar had the last laugh but by that point no one seemed to care. </p>



<p>This feud already felt like something that was hastily put together and all of this did not help. Would be excited with a title change? No! Would we want the Bar to retain? No! That is how pathetic this whole angle has become.</p>



<p><strong>Rating: </strong><em>Thumbs Down</em> <i class="fa fa-thumbs-down" style="font-size:30px;color:red"></i></p>







<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What The Heck Is Going On With Shane And Miz?</strong></h2>



<p>We had another set of jobbers for the reluctant team up of The Miz and Shane McMahon. This time it was Shane who was in the ring and amazingly, McMahon was able to do what the Miz couldn’t do last week –WIN. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="youtube-embed" data-video_id="taR2jV_QpdA"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Shane McMahon &amp; The Miz vs. The Vegas Boys: SmackDown LIVE, Dec. 11, 2018" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/taR2jV_QpdA?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<p>While we love a good laugh every now and then, this was anything but fun. Is WWE trying to prove that Shane McMahon is actually better than the Miz? This match was pathetic. </p>


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<p>Shane McMahon has one trump card and that is pulling off high risk moves. His capabilities are pathetic and that was on full display tonight. WWE might have something amazing down the line but so far this seems like something randomly put together. </p>



<p>Is the Miz still a heel? WWE’s biggest issue is ambiguity right now. They are confusing suspense with bad storytelling and this is anything but motivating the dwindling audience to keep watching WWE.</p>



<p><strong>Winner: </strong><em>Shane McMahon and The Miz</em></p>



<p><strong>Rating: </strong><em>Thumbs Down</em> <i class="fa fa-thumbs-down" style="font-size:30px;color:red"></i></p>


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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Finally Some Respite For Rusev And Jeff Hardy</strong></h2>



<p>This one came as a pleasant surprise. <strong>Nakamura</strong> and <strong>Samoa Joe</strong> teamed up against <strong>Rusev</strong> and <strong>Jeff Hardy</strong> and for once we had a match involving Nakamura that did not include some shenanigans to decide the victor. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="youtube-embed" data-video_id="m76vb7Y5g2E"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Jeff Hardy &amp; Rusev vs. Shinsuke Nakamura &amp; Samoa Joe: SmackDown LIVE, Dec. 11, 2018" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m76vb7Y5g2E?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<p>This was a true wrestling match for wrestling fans and showcased what these four men can do if they are allowed to properly wrestle. The match was good but points to the sadder fact that Nakamura will retain again on Sunday and that Rusev’s day might not come anytime soon. </p>


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<p>We just hope that WWE pull off a surprise on Sunday just as they pulled one with the quality of this match. It will obviously take a long time to rectify all the damage done to Nakamura’s character but this is a good start. </p>



<p>On a side note, Rusev and Jeff Hardy make an awesome tag team.</p>



<p><strong>Winners: </strong><em>Rusev and Jeff Hardy</em></p>



<p><strong>Rating: </strong><em>Thumbs Up</em> <i class="fa fa-thumbs-up" style="font-size:30px;color:lime"></i></p>







<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>And That Is How You Build A Title Match</strong></h2>



<p>We have half a mind to stop watching WWE altogether if this match does not close out the show on Sunday. That was how good it was. </p>



<p>What else could you expect from Asuka and Charlotte? They were given enough time to slowly build up the match to a crescendo and keep it there. Even though Becky Lynch wasn’t fighting, we didn’t care. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="youtube-embed" data-video_id="KBLZQMTfmXc"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka: SmackDown LIVE, Dec. 11, 2018" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KBLZQMTfmXc?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>It is almost confirmed that Asuka will not win on Sunday and this was her moment to shine and she grabbed it by both hands and put it into an Asuka lock. There was a surprising amount of technical wrestling on display and WWE seem to be teetering on keeping Charlotte as a bad guy too. </p>


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<p>After Asuka kept kicking out of everything Charlotte could throw at her, she used a kendo stick to finish the match and give Asuka a DQ win. </p>



<p>It was what happened post match that really sets the tone for Sunday. We saw Lynch throwing down after weeks and boy was it refreshing. Asuka stood tall at the end again pointing towards her being the fall guy on Sunday. </p>



<p>This is the one feud that has been interesting from the start. Great way to close the show.</p>



<p><strong>Winner: </strong><em>Asuka</em></p>



<p><strong>Rating: </strong><em>Thumbs Up</em> <i class="fa fa-thumbs-up" style="font-size:30px;color:lime"></i></p>


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<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide"/>



<p><strong>Overall Review: </strong>TLC&#8217;s go-home SmackDown episode was like a sandwich with the most exquisite bread on the outside separated by actual crap. </p>



<p>The opening segment was great and the closing segment was awesome. Everything in between except for the Rusev and Hardy win was utterly forgettable. Also, having AJStyles appear only in a backstage segment was poor booking. </p>


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<p>Whatever the heck is happening with Shane McMahon and the Miz is anyone’s guess. At least they are hiring jobbers instead of employing their own wrestlers as jobbers. </p>



<p>WWE seriously needs to begin kicking ass or risk permanently losing a big chunk of their fans very soon. We do feel bad to rate this show with such an awesome main event badly but that is how bad most of WWE’s bookings are right now.</p>



<p><strong>Overall Rating: </strong><em>Thumbs Down</em> <i class="fa fa-thumbs-down" style="font-size:30px;color:red"></i></p>



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WWE SmackDown Live Results & Review: December 11, 2018

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