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Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 1/17/17: Merch Stand Mayhem
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 1/17/17)
Merch Stand Mayhem
– The opening video hyped up the big Steel Cage Match main event for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship between Champion Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch. Primarily, the focus was on Bliss’ repeated attempts to flee, but the bout’s basis would be that all paths were now closed off thanks to the cage. We were eager to give it a shot. Especially loved that this would be the closer.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 1/10/17: End Of Attitudes
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 1/10/17)
End Of Attitudes
– The opening video highlighted the latest developments in the WWE Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose-Miz feud, that began when Miz “outed” Renee Young’s relationship with the Champ. Ambrose got revenge as he attacked Miz dressed as a security guard, although Young was slapped by Maryse backstage. The ultimate last laugh came when Ambrose outsmarted Miz to take his Title and that’s where things were now.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 1/3/17: Dirty Deeds Leads
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 1/3/17)
Dirty Deeds Leads
– The WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz/Maryse/Dean Ambrose in-ring segment greatly setup their IC Title main event match while they had Miz on the mic to credit himself/Maryse as the “it” couple and “ratings spike.” It’s like Edge and Lita all over again. A good followup to last week, when Ambrose/Renee Young got one over on him, as Ambrose pretended to be a security guard to attack the Champ from the side when Miz only requested to be interviewed by Young. Also like the real-life edge that’s thrown in there as they used Young/Ambrose’s relationship as a way to draw more heat for Miz. Maryse also gets to shine as the angry wife who can slap whom she pleases. They also fit in the new year’s resolution stuff, as Miz promised to be “more forgiving” and wanted an apology from Young for her slap. The Miz/Ambrose interaction was solid, as he hid behind his wife when confronted and backed out of the ring. Maryse slapped Ambrose hard too. Easy way to stir up drama. Who’s better than Miz right now?
Top 20 Of 2016
Graphic by Salwinder Singh.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“It.” “Delete.” “Obsolete.” “The List.” “10.” “The Champ That Runs The Camp.” “Stupid Idiot.” “Glorious.” “Too Sweet.”
The list above describes a fiesta of phrases commonly found in pro wrestling jargon that made 2016 possibly its best year ever.
The one below describes select moments that help seal that argument and make us forget about things like The Titus Brand, The Cruiserweight Division, Raw’s Third Hour, WWE’s overloaded Pay-Per-View schedule, TNA’s X-Division and Matanza Cueto.
If you want to remember that bad stuff, check this out.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 12/27/16: Wild Card Finals
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 12/27/16)
Wild Card Finals
– The John Cena in-ring promo got things off to an energetic start with the rabid Chicago crowd, a longtime tradition since WrestleMania 22. His banter started on a pandering note, as he played up the Arena’s history, mentioned sports teams and enthusiastically hyped the show. He spoke up the main event before a big “Undertaker” chant broke out (related to rumors of an Undertaker-Cena WrestleMania 33 match) as he instead went a different direction. It took a more intriguing turn as he played up his losses in the year and worked in speculation that he was a “part-timer” now, but he basically was back to be a Champion and boldly challenged whoever won the Triple-Threat WWE World Heavyweight Championship main event for Royal Rumble. The biggest reason? He’s Cena. A bit stuck-up, but it oddly worked. It’s probably the closest thing to a heel Cena we’ll ever get while retaining the “Never Give Up” key to his character. Color us intrigued.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 12/20/16: Straight Shooter
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 12/20/16)
Straight Shooter
– The WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Champion AJ Styles and James Ellsworth felt overdue, but this was probably their way to finally silence Ellsworth’s surprising push. The fans obviously would side with Styles here since Ellsworth isolated himself when he betrayed Dean Ambrose at TLC. The awkward heel-heel dynamic didn’t last, because Styles laid him out with a martial arts array of strikes. Bam, three-count. Now, post-match was where things bettered. It seemed they looked to get heat on Styles as he annihilated Ellsworth with attacks that used the ring frame, barricade and steel steps. Styles’ promo afterwards set up the main event, as he looked towards 2017, but Dolph Ziggler interrupted him to remind him he had a shot next week with him. The Ziggler-Styles exchange was solid, as Styles pushed that Ziggler was known for losing, while Ziggler mentioned that Styles needed four tries to defeat Ellsworth. Baron Corbin also fit here as he claimed he should’ve had the Title match and not Ziggler. Eventually, Corbin laid Ziggler out with the End Of Days.
WWE Tribute To The Troops 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Genrally, WWE’s annual “Tribute To The Troops” is holiday filler with little storyline impact.
2016’s was somewhat different, as they took advantage of Raw’s Roadblock: End Of The Line Pay-Per-View four days away and shaped the main event around it, also in a way that allowed the “patriotic faithful” theme to stay relevant.
Did it need to be two hours though? Add to that Raw’s three hours, SmackDown Live’s two hours and 205 Live’s one hour just two days before, that was a lot to watch.
Either scenario, no going back now.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 12/13/16: Legendary Contendership
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 12/13/16)
Legendary Contendership
– The General Manager Daniel Bryan/Commissioner Shane McMahon/James Ellsworth opening backstage segment was good and bad news. We saw Ellsworth “sick” and it left Bryan/Shane no choice but to postpone his World Title shot and search for a new #1 Contender. Ellsworth was also reprimanded for his interference in last week’s WWE Intercontinental Championship match.
WWE TLC 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Two weeks after Survivor Series and two days after Ring Of Honor’s Final Battle, it was easy to view WWE’s TLC with Pay-Per-View fatigue.
Honestly, such is the story of 2016.
Thanks to the “Land Of Opportunity” mindset and the ability to make the most of the little things, the SmackDown Live brand took the TLC branding to a “new extreme,” if you will.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 11/29/16: Proven Loyalty
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 11/29/16)
Proven Loyalty
– The opening contract signing segment for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship match for TLC between Alexa Bliss and Champion Becky Lynch was a good start, as the events were also shown throughout the episode. Renee Young initially mediated, but was a ploy for Bliss to lay in some early insults, eventually hurled towards the Champ. The exchange here was strong, as Bliss continued to deliver her case that Lynch had “dumb Irish luck,” while Lynch argued that she earned everything she got so far. Lynch dipped into the Bad Pun Sea, but luckily they switched it up before eyes could roll. The physicality only made this out to be a typical contract signing segment, but was necessary. Lynch got revenge for Bliss’ attack last week as she initiated the brawl, but it was Bliss who stood tall, since she pushed Lynch off the top rope and through the table. Hey, if it worked for Sheamus in 2010…
