11/5/11

Parts Unknown #86: Smackdown


I wasn't going to revisit the blue brand this week, but it turned out to be such a compelling show, that I had to touch on it. If you've been following this column, you know that I've been disillusioned with WWE's product as of late. Mercifully, last night's episode of Smackdown got me excited about wrestling again. Could it be a fortuitous fluke? Yeah, it could be, but let's roost on the side of optimism for a change.

PROS

~ The 25-minute street fight between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. "Match of the Year" candidate. I love the fact that they gave this fight (and it was definitely a fight) time to build. It was downright vicious. See, this is where the no-blood policy pays off. When we do catch a sight of blood, it's a big deal. Kudos to the Legacy boys; they tore the house down. The only thing that bothered me was the conspicuous absence of the Intercontinental Title. And I wasn't too crazy about Cody being pinned either.

~ The short, yet sweet match between Ted DiBiase (Jr.) and Tyson Kidd. It was seamless.

~ The Sheamus/Barrett brawl. These guys are neck and neck in terms of skill, physique and potential. They work so well together. On a sidenote, I'm digging Christian as the caviling, sophomoric coward.

~ New tag team alert! They may have flubbed their finisher, but I'm willing to give Epico and Hunico a chance.

~ It appears as though the creative team is gearing up for a Daniel Bryan heel turn. I'm cool with the storyline (I can see where he would snap at The Big Show for nearly costing him the Money in the Bank briefcase), and I know that The American Dragon can pull it off. This might be just what he needs to ascend to the main event.

CONS

~ This is a minor grievance, but Sin Cara can't sell worth a fuck. Sorry, but he can't.

There you have it, folks. We are progressing in the right direction.

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