WWE Smackdown 12/27/2024

WWE Smackdown 12/27/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/12/wwe-smackdown-12202024.html

This is the last 2 hour edition of Smackdown for the time being as Smackdown moves to 3 hours next week. As a fan, more content is good. As a reviewer, it means more work and a later night than I'd like. It'll get new people on the show and develop the midcard more which is good.

We are in Tampa, Florida. Michael Cole and Corey Graves are on commentary.

Nick Aldis says Kevin Owens is in control of the Winged Eagle Title. He says KO has no right or claim to it and has until the end of the night to give up the belt. He says he will face severe consequences if he does not. 

Bianca Belair and Naomi are interviewed. Naomi says she's been wanting to win gold since she returned and it means a lot to her to do with BB. BB says Naomi showed up and says they won't forget about what happened to Jade. She says she knows either Nia, Tiffany or LaRae did it. Bayley then comes in. She says asks her if her and BB are okay and they head out.

Nia Jax gets on the mic before her match. She says none of her group touched Jade. She said Tiffany couldn't even help them win the tag titles and asks if they think Tiff could help orchestrate an attack. Nia says they are doing just fine without Jade. She says BB took zero time in replacing Jade and is trying to avoid suspicion on herself. She says BB didn't want to share the spotlight with her and just snapped. Nia says she will make her own up to it if she doesn't want to.

Naomi, Bianca Belair and Bayley vs Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton and Candice Larae

BB side headlock takeovers Tiff. Tiff headscissors her. they switch girls and repeat the spot. BB waistlock takedowns Tiff. BB slams Tiff. They heels are outside. Bay hits a tope and BB plancha's outside.

We go to break and return. BB dropkicks Nia. BB hits corner punches on Nia. Naomi stinkfaces Nia. Nia pop-up headbutts Naomi for 2. CL beats up Naomi in the corner. Naomi bulldogs her into the 2nd buckle. CL takes a double suplex. Naomi split-legged drops CL and BB handspring moonsaults CL. BB is tripped on the buckles and Nia legdrops BB. BB takes a top rope dropkick + spinebuster combo. Tiff top rope splashes BB and almost nails CL. CL and Tiff argue about it. Tiff pulls on BB's hair and BB forearms her. Bay hits forearms on CL.

Bay knees CL in the face and backdrops her. Bay tries to dropkick CL under the bottom rope but is swung head first into the post. CL pounds on Bay. CL facebusters Bay on the apron. We go to PiP break and return. Tiff and Naomi get in. Naomi flying back elbows her then kicks her off the 2nd rope. Naomi slides out of a lariat and upkicks Tiff. Naomi tiger feint bulldogs Tiff for 2. Tiff spinebusters Naomi then takes a belly to belly from Bay. CL odebreakers Bay. BB hits a gutbuster then Nia slams BB.

Naomi handstand headscissors Nia off the top then hits a split-legged moonsault for 2. Tiff plancha's Naomi outside. Tiff teases cashing in her MITB briefcase. CL stops her. Tiff says she wants to be champ and CL says no. Naomi bubba bombs CL and wins.

Thoughts: It was a decent tag. There was nothing wrong with this and they tied Tiff trying to cash in to excuse the heels losing here. It wasn't great but I was fine with it. 

Nick Aldis talks to A-Town Down Under. Waller says Aldis owes him money for Braun destroying his set. Aldis says they should take their issues up with Braun. Sami Zayn comes in and Waller calls him a homeless bum. Sami says they should talk. We go to break and return. They are still talking. Sami says he should get his crack at Bloodline. Carmelo Hayes comes in and gives Nick a card he made with him on it. Sami basically says Melo shouldn't interrupt when they talk. Sami says he should wait his turn and hits him with the card. Melo asks what he's doing here and says he is only here when he gets beaten up by Bloodline. Melo says he should stay off his show. Sami asks for a match with Melo tonight. Aldis agrees.

Thoughts: Ah the simple-mindedness of Sami. He waits all week to come to SD to ask for a match with Bloodline and gets distracted by Melo. He then sets up a match with him instead.

Braun Strowman vs Austin Theory

Austin runs into some shots from Braun. Austin is thrown shoulder first into the corner. Austin lifts up Braun but gets thrown by the neck across the ring. Austin goes out and we go to break. We return and Austin short ddt's him. Braun chops him. Theory clips him and forearms him.

Austin rolls into a dropkick then takes a dropkick from Braun which sends Austin out. Braun pulls Austin up to the apron by the hair. Braun stomps on Waller hand then back body drops Austin out onto him. Austin runs around the ring and lariats Austin when Waller ducks.

Waller distracts Braun on the ropes. Theory picks up Braun and drops him then Braun powerslams him to win.

Thoughts: I think they botched the finish here but it's hard to say. I swear they rib Braun on purpose by making him run around the ring and dropkick people, knowing full well it won't look good. It wasn't the cleanest thing ever but they had some creative spots and had the right idea in this one.

Kevin Owens talks in his car. He said he heard what Nick Aldis said. He said Aldis said he's not the champ but KO says he is and shows the title belt. KO says him and Aldis need to have a discussion. He says he wants to talk to Aldis alone in the ring.

Chelsea Green has a championship celebration. The ring has red, white and blue all over it and her face is in the presidential logo. Green is dressed up as The Statue of Liberty. Piper puts her over as the first and longest reigning Women's US champ.

Green says we did it. She said we turned the blue brand into the green house. Green puts over herself for standing by her side and Piper thinks Green is going to talk about her instead. Green says without her, the fans would be stuck with a she-troll in the back. She says good riddance to Michin. She says she's shocked Michin made it that far in the tournament. She tells the fan to ask not what Green can do for her, but what they can do for Green. Green says it's the year of red, white and green.

Michin comes out with a kendo stick. She says she'd be champ if it wasn't for Piper. She says she will introduce Green to her little friend to give her the whooping she deserves. Michin hits Piper with the kendo stick in the aisle. She swings at Green and Piper saves Green.

Thoughts: Green's promo was good here and hearing a good promo is a breath of fresh air in 2024.

DIY see Nick Aldis, B-Fab and The Street Profits in the back. Nick asks if there's anything they want to tell them about how attacked The Profits 3 weeks ago. Nick says there were 2 eye-witnesses to what happened and brings in Pretty Deadly. They say they don't remember but may if there was funding for a musical. Nick says they'd have lots of time if they were unemployed. PD blame Los Garza. The Profits and B-Fab question it but then call for Los Garza. They then fight with them in the back. Nick breaks it up and tells them to take it to the ring.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs Los Garza (Berto and Angel)

We join this in progress though they say it was only a few seconds. Dawkins hits Angel on the apron. The two are then knocked off the apron together and take plancha's. Berto clubs on Ford. Ford lariats Berto.

Berto takes a double flapjack for 2. Berto pulls Dawkins into the middle buckle. Angel forearms Dawkins over for 2 then hits mounted forearms. Angel hits crossface shots on Dawkins. Dawkins hits shots on both opponents. Ford shoulders over Berto then is flipped onto him. Ford is dropkicked into the post on the apron by Angel. We go to PiP break and return. Angel spinebusters Ford. Ford takes a dropkick to the back of the head.

Angel facewash kicks Ford. Ford jumping ddt's Angel. both tag out. Dawkins flapjacks Angel then flying back elbows Berto. Ford is crotched up top. Angel superkicks Dawkins. Ford takes a double gorilla press off the 2nd rope. Angel asai moonsaults on Dawkins outside. Berto top rope moonsaults Ford for 2.

Ford enzugiri's Angel. Elektra Lopez pulls Angel out. B-Fab flying kicks Lopez. Ford tope con hilos on Los Garza outside. Angel takes an electric chair blockbuster and is pinned.

Thoughts: It was okay but it wasn't their best work. They did a decent bit of flying here and Dawkins had a nice hot tag but I didn't think it was great. Los Garza lost as expected.

Andrade does a video on Shinsuke Nakamura. Andrade is hard to understand as usual. He says SN is a man of no respect and says he is coming for him. He says he will expose him.

DIY talk to Pretty Deadly in the back. PD ask for them to scratch their backs if they scratch their backs. Ciampa says if they look out for them, they will look out for Pretty Deadly. B-Fab and The Profits go up to PD. They say they appreciate them and offer respect. The Motor City Machine Guns run into The Profits. They say they want the next match for the tag titles and go to the back. Apollo Crews comes in and says DIY attacked The Profits and says they got played. Crews says he saw it. I hope we aren't going back to Crews' seeing the future gimmick in NXT.

Sami Zayn vs Carmelo Hayes

Melo hands out his Christmas cards to fans. They lock up and is Sami is shoved. Sami hits chops on Melo then wristlocks him. Melo rolls over Sami's back and dropkicks him. Sami throws Melo over the top. Melo pulls Sami out. Sami jumps on the rail and moonsaults onto him.

We go to break and return. Sami's head is banged off the buckle then Melo's head is banged off of it. Melo pulls Sami's neck down over the top. Melo springboard twisting lariats him. Melo hits mounted punches on Sami. Melo hits some punches. Sami punches him back then blind sprinboards over him and lariats him.

Sami 2nd rope double axe handles him. Melo is caught with a blue thunder off a blind springboard. Melo hits a jumping codebreaker for 2. Melo does a bling springboard diving ddt on Sami. Melo comes off the top and runs into Sami's lariat. Sami hits mounted punches. Sami exploders Melo into the buckles.

Melo goes out to avoid a helluva kick nd walks up the aisle. Braun Strowman shows up behind Melo. Melo then runs to the back as Braun chases him. Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu then attack Sami.

Thoughts: I'm not sure of the official result here though it seemed like Sami won by DQ. It was a solid match. I liked the blue thunder counter spot and Sami lariating Melo as he came off the top. I'd like to see this one again and thought they worked well together. I wouldn't have had Melo leave though as it made him look like a punk.

Sami gets beaten up on by Bloodline. Fatu spears the post when Sami moves. Solo knocks down Sami but we don't see it due to a camera miss. Braun see Sami getting beaten up and goes to help him. Braun throws Tama into the rails. He and Solo then fight and Braun shoulders him over. Solo goes out. Fatu gets in the ring again. Him and Braun stare down. Braun is clipped from behind and takes 2 samoan spikes. Sami then spears Solo and gets hit by Tama.

Officials and refs come down. Fatu hits a double jump moonsault on Sami. Solo hits a samoan spike on Sami. 

Thoughts: It was nice to see Braun be featured like a player here. I'm up for Braun vs Bloodline.

Kevin Owens comes out and Bloodline leaves.

Nick Aldis and Kevin Owens talk in the ring. Nick tells him to do the right thing and hand the title over. KO says that's the worst thing he could do. He says it's the only bargaining chip he has. He says he wants his rematch. He says Nick can have it back but Cody Rhodes has to come out and take it back.

KO says he had Cody beat. Nick says this is not a negotiation. He says hand the belt over or KO never steps foot in a WWE ring again. Cody Rhodes comes out. Nick tells him to walk away for the sake of his health and the company's health. Cody says he's not gonna walk away. He says he doesn't want KO to hand over the title. He says he doesn't want to make a martyr of someone who is begging to be one.

Cody says KO has made this what he thinks it's about. Cody says he used to do things for him but now does it for his family, the announcer, his cousin who is the timekeeper, Orton and the fans.

Cody says it's not Nick's responsibility, it's his to take it back from KO. Cody tells KO to shut up. He asks if they were friends before he's champ. He says they aren't friends now though. Cody says KO wants a match where the ref can't screw him and says Cody wants a match where the ref can't stop what he does to him. Cody challenges KO to a ladder match. Nick agrees and says they will face each other in a ladder match at the Royal Rumble. KO says he'll see Cody there. He offers a handshake. KO then pushes Nick into Cody and stomps on Cody's neck. KO says, "I'll see you at The Rumble, b!tch".

Overall thoughts: It felt like a longer show than usual. I'm not sure why but it did. All the matches were fine here and storyline wise everything is fine, so I thought this was a good show. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 but I don't really think you need to see it.