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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.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 12/6/16: Drunk Off Chin And Juice
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 12/6/16)
Drunk Off Chin And Juice
– The opening video replayed James Ellsworth’s betrayal of Dean Ambrose, as he tipped over a ladder with him on it and caused him to land through two tables outside, which helped WWE World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles retain. As we learned on the post-TLC Talking Smack, Ellsworth planned to challenge Styles for the belt and pawned off the idea of an angry Ambrose as an obstacle. The dynamic would be interesting this time since Ellsworth was on his own.
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 11/22/16: Mountie-Bred Madness
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 11/22/16)
Mountie-Bred Madness
– The opening video highlighted Survivor Series, where Team Blue emerged victorious over Team Raw with the “stakes higher than ever.” We saw the bickering between WWE World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose cost the team an elimination. Another highlight was James Ellsworth’s “revenge” against Braun Strowman as he held down the big man’s feet and prevented him from beating an in-ring count. Of course, Ellsworth was thrown off the stage and through a table, but it counted. The biggest story though – Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton were the sole survivors, as they defeated WWE United States Champion Roman Reigns.
WWE Survivor Series 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
If WWE in 2016 has taught us anything, it’s that content outweighs logic.
After an hour and 51 minute pre-show came a three hour and 26-minute Pay-Per-View for a total of five hours and 27 minutes of air time.
Nothing screamed “filler” like interbranded 10-man elimination tag matches, with little consequences. Three of them, to be exact.
It’s like watching the World Series between two teams you don’t like. There’s no emotional investment besides the ones who’re directly involved.
Luckily, the best build ironically went to Goldberg-Brock Lesnar, the personification of the overhyped “Fantasy Warfare Just Got Real” catchphrase.
In this case, some things should stay fantasy.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 11/15/16: #900
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 11/15/16)
#900
– It was nice to see SmackDown Live’s 900th episode fall during the Survivor Series go-home week. In the realm of tradition and nostalgia for the blue brand, there was also a purpose. The opening video nicely “relived” various highlights from past talent like Eddie Guerrero, King Booker, Edge, JBL, Booker T and Stone Cold Steve Austin. The DX Bus explosion was shown as was the infamous Gore by Rhyno that took Chris Jericho through the original oval set. It seamlessly transitioned into current storylines where we saw hype for the WWE Intercontinental Championship match between Champion Dolph Ziggler and The Miz, the return of Edge in “The Cutting Edge” and a “Date With The Deadman,” The Undertaker. How lovely. Certainly beats Raw.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 10/25/16: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em…
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 10/25/16)
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em…
– The opening video built up the main event of Dean Ambrose-WWE World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles with the catch that if Ambrose won, he’d be #1 Contender for the World Title. They also glossed over James Ellsworth’s two wins over Styles with Ambrose’s help and how it’d all factor into things. It was another cool instance where a bout came from a “Talking Smack” segment. Only SD Live hypes their own post-show. None of that happens on Raw, but we guess three hours is enough to suffer through for most.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 10/11/16: Special Lunatic Referee
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 10/11/16)
Special Lunatic Referee
– No Mercy came and went, as the opening video gave us “exclusive” still shots of such highlights as Dolph Ziggler’s career save/WWE Intercontinental Championship win despite countless odds, AJ Styles as he defeated both John Cena and Dean Ambrose to retain his WWE World Heavyweight Championship despite that he technically tapped out to both men earlier in the match. Usual glitz and glamour.
WWE No Mercy 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
In an unprecedented period where we had five pro wrestling pay-per-views between Sept. 11 and Oct. 11 between WWE, Ring Of Honor and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, we were exhausted by Oct. 9 when No Mercy rolled around.
Luckily, if you look at that nice poster to the side, SmackDown Live had been headlined by the excellent heel duo of WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz/Maryse as he was engaged in a “Title Vs. Career” feud with Dolph Ziggler.
That feud would become synonymous with this show for reasons we’ll explore below.
It also helped that we had a Triple-Threat main event for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship between Champion AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose and John Cena that actually opened the show for a change.
Cool on the surface, but that brought us to the problem – one disorganized card.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 10/4/16: Keeping The Spirit Alive
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 10/4/16)
Keeping The Spirit Alive
– With the star-studded trio of John Cena, Dean Ambrose and WWE World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles all coming to a head by the end, they were wise to hype this from the opening video. They were set for battle at No Mercy just five days away.
Pro Wrestling Opinion 