WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:03.319 Well, finally Wressell Palooza is upon us. We won't have 2 00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:07.839 to hear the name Wreussell Palooza after tomorrow, the kickoff 3 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:10.720 of the ESPN Era. In case you didn't know, I 4 00:00:10.759 --> 00:00:13.119 don't know how you would not know if you would 5 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:16.280 have watched this show tonight. They made that very clear. 6 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:19.679 You know. I have to say as I was watching 7 00:00:19.800 --> 00:00:24.320 this conclusion to this episode of smack though, which was 8 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:27.600 not a terrible show. It was a solid enough go 9 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:31.320 home show. But there's a pattern that is developing here. 10 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:34.759 Where would this show be if it wasn't for the 11 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:39.000 Sammy's A and US Title Open Challenge matches? Like if 12 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:41.679 you take those matches out of the equation and you 13 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:46.560 look at SmackDown, like fucking yikes. Seriously, where would this 14 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:49.200 show be without those matches? Because those matches have become 15 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:53.439 the highlight of SmackDown ever since they started. So I 16 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:55.560 don't know what that says about the rest of the show, 17 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:59.280 but thank god we at least have that. What we 18 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:02.560 had in the the closing segment tonight was Cody Rhodes 19 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:06.439 and Drew McIntyre. They are wrestling for the WWE Championship tomorrow. 20 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:08.799 We now know that will be the main event of 21 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:11.280 the show. They are closing the show with the WWE 22 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:14.719 title match. That is the belief. We certainly know what 23 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:16.959 match is not closing the show. We know John Cena 24 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:20.359 and Brock Lesner are opening the show. They did confirm that. Well, 25 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:22.640 we had a contract signing with Cody and Drew, and 26 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:25.719 we haven't really had a whole lot of interaction between 27 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:28.159 the two of them because Cody was gone. He was away, 28 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:32.000 he was filming Street Fighter as Roman Reigns is right now. 29 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.239 He's gone, he's filming. So in terms of the build 30 00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:38.040 up to this WWE title batge, we really haven't gotten 31 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:41.159 a whole hell of a lot, right McIntyre Cody into 32 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:44.640 the announced desk that was over a month ago, Cody vanished, 33 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:48.319 Cody came back, We got a contract signing, and when 34 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:52.599 it was over, the champion was left laying, the challenger 35 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:56.120 was standing tall. Probably doesn't bode well for Drew McIntyre. 36 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:59.040 But I have to say, if they are closing the 37 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:02.799 show with Cody Roads and Drew McIntyre tomorrow, they have 38 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:06.799 to do something big, and the biggest thing that you 39 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:10.560 could do would be to put the WWE Championship on 40 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:13.319 Drew McIntyre. But I just can't. I just don't see it. 41 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:16.599 I don't see it. Cody is defending his title for 42 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:20.120 the first time since winning it back at Summer Slim. 43 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:22.960 This is his first title defense since beating John Cena, 44 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:28.159 and they're just gonna take the championship away from him. 45 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:31.639 I would certainly consider doing it, I just can't. I 46 00:02:31.639 --> 00:02:34.159 can't see them doing it. But if this is going 47 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:36.240 to be the main event of the show, something big 48 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:40.000 has to happen. Does that involve Randy Orton? Are we 49 00:02:40.039 --> 00:02:42.400 gonna get a Randy Orton heel turn at the end 50 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.360 of Russell Palooza tomorrow? That would certainly be a big development. 51 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:48.400 But I just can't see this being the main event 52 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:51.400 and then doing just the you know, Cody beats Drew, right, 53 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:54.719 how fucking lame would that be, or just doing some 54 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:58.479 sort of nonsensical finish without there being some kind of 55 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:02.280 big angle that they do to close that show. But 56 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:05.840 they were in the closing segment on tonight's show, brock Lesner, 57 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:09.520 as he willed tomorrow, he opened the show and he 58 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:15.280 wreaked all kinds of havoc in the opening segment leaving 59 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:19.520 an announcer lay. He was attacking the announcers tonight, which 60 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:21.719 is a very interesting way of building up his match 61 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:24.360 here with John Cena, and the closest thing to any 62 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:27.919 sort of explanation, and it's not really an explanation, but 63 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.719 it's the closest thing to cling to as far as 64 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:34.080 why he has been attacking John Cena. Actually came later 65 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:37.080 on in a video package where we got a little 66 00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:40.439 snippet from Brock talking about how John is on this 67 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:44.360 stage phony retirement tour and I'm gonna fuck it all up. 68 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:47.680 That's the closest thing to an explanation that we've gotten 69 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:51.560 of why Brock lesnar shows now after two years to 70 00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:54.960 come back and go after John Cena. Of course, John 71 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:57.560 Cena was not on the show tonight because he is 72 00:03:57.639 --> 00:04:00.840 done with SmackDown. We will not see him on SmackDown 73 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:06.560 ever again here for the duration of his retirement tour. 74 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:09.879 We did have another entry in the US Title Open Challenge, 75 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:12.879 thank god, because without it, my God, this show would 76 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:16.959 have sucked. Samy' zaining defending the championship against Carmelo Hayes, 77 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:19.959 another very good match. We had the women's tag team 78 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:23.399 titles on the line as well, which wasn't so good. 79 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:26.839 It was fine, it was decent. It really wasn't anything special, 80 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:29.839 and that's a great way to describe this episode of SmackDown, 81 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:33.800 not really anything special. They did the hard sell for 82 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:35.399 the things they had to do the hard sell for. 83 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:37.480 But the two key matches that they built up on 84 00:04:37.560 --> 00:04:39.439 this show, if you really think about the way they've 85 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:42.560 built those matches up, has left a lot to be desired. 86 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:46.560 And the best built match on this entire pl tomorrow 87 00:04:47.240 --> 00:04:50.959 involves a woman who has not wrestled in ten years. 88 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:54.560 That mixed tag match with see I'm Punk and aj 89 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.160 Lee against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch is the best 90 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:01.279 built match on that pl tomorrow. The two key matches 91 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:05.800 on SmackDown, they've done the bare minimum of what they 92 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:09.439 could do. Some people weren't available, whatever the case may be, 93 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:12.319 but here we are and it is still a five 94 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.519 match card. There was talk of it being expanded to six. 95 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:19.319 In fact, there was a Women's Championship triple threat match 96 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.600 that was listed apparently on some of the t shirts 97 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:26.319 for the show. Plans change, and it has nothing to 98 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:29.000 do with an injury. We'll talk about that as well. 99 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:33.639 This is your Friday Night SmackDown review. It is September nineteenth, 100 00:05:33.720 --> 00:05:37.680 twenty twenty five. I am the Solemn Monster. Thank you 101 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:40.079 for hanging out with me here on a Friday night. 102 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:43.480 Do me a favor like and subscribe. Super chats are 103 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:46.199 open as well. We have a little goal going in 104 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:48.920 the chat. You will see they will be triggered on 105 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:53.000 screen as they come in. Hey, the Bubba Fetts in 106 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:55.319 the chat has the right idea. I've heard from a 107 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:59.240 lot of people asking me about the VPN. That's how 108 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:01.920 I will be tuning into Wrestle Pollouza tomorrow, and I 109 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:05.279 suggest you do the same, especially if you are someone 110 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:07.639 who does not have access to ESPN and they're going 111 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:11.160 to force you to pay thirty bucks for this five 112 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:16.560 match card tomorrow. Tell you ExpressVPN and Netflix it's all 113 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.839 you need. You got a Netflix account, You're good man. 114 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:24.959 These PL's are still airing internationally on Netflix in most markets. 115 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.519 So that's what he's doing, he says in the chat. 116 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:30.439 That's what a lot of you guys should be doing 117 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:34.639 tomorrow when you tune into Wrestle Palooza. You'll thank me later. 118 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:38.279 I get those super chats on in I'm going to 119 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.839 be reading your messages and we'll have some fun with that. Also, 120 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:47.319 I want to mention channel memberships always open. And just 121 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:50.000 before SmackDown went on the air tonight, I actually got 122 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:54.680 up a new episode of the lost episodes. This one's 123 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:58.600 pretty cool. Among the lost episodes of the sound off 124 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:03.920 is this edition of SI Scoops Live from March twenty fourth, 125 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:09.759 two thousand and eight, right before WrestleMania twenty four. This 126 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:12.920 was the old Monday night raw post show that myself 127 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:16.079 and Noah Mark did for a period of time, and 128 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.759 we have live call ins. We do WrestleMania prediction, some 129 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:22.279 cool stuff going back and listening to it that is 130 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:25.560 up right now, just went up tonight. If you are 131 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:29.519 on the Legends Tier Legends Tier Channel members, you have 132 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:32.839 access to that almost an hour of that episode of 133 00:07:32.920 --> 00:07:35.040 SE Scoops Live. You want to talk about going back 134 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:38.600 in the vault. There you go. That's going back in 135 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:42.000 the vault right there, So go ahead and check that out. 136 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:45.360 More content to come. Now's a great time to become 137 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:48.160 a channel member. Let's get into this show. Here they'll 138 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.120 talk about SmackDown. Saidro again, thank you, and we'll be 139 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:54.000 getting to your message and everybody else is here as 140 00:07:54.040 --> 00:07:57.399 we go along. They opened the show tonight with a 141 00:07:57.399 --> 00:08:00.279 shot of Michael Cole and Corey Graves and Bob Way. 142 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:05.480 Wade Barrett is scheduled back any week now. Wade Barrett 143 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:08.199 was only taking two weeks off. He is going to 144 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:10.199 be back likely. I don't know if he'll be there 145 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:12.519 at Russell Polluza tomorrow. I think Pat McAfee's going to 146 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:16.040 be back on the show since it's in Indianapolis. But 147 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.439 by next week I would expect to see Wade Barrett 148 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:22.000 back on TV. But they opened with Cole and Corey 149 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:26.240 Graves at ringside announcing that John Cena versus brock Lesner 150 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.959 is going to open the show tomorrow at Russell Palooza. 151 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:33.000 Cole said that he was supposed to sit down with 152 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:35.240 Brock for an interview later on, but he was being 153 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:38.720 told in his ear Tony Kahn was telling him he 154 00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:41.960 relays those messages to Tony Schavani every week. He was 155 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.080 relaying a message that Brock apparently wanted to talk now. 156 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:48.240 So Cole took his glasses off and he stood up 157 00:08:48.759 --> 00:08:51.840 and he went to go interview brock Lesner. He made 158 00:08:51.879 --> 00:08:55.240 it as far as the isle before Lesner's music hit. 159 00:08:56.200 --> 00:09:01.559 An outcomes Cowboy Brock and he walks down the aisle 160 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:05.960 and Michael Cole looks like he's about to shit himself. 161 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:10.480 Terrible dry Chicken says. Wade Barrett and Pat McAfee are 162 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:14.559 doing commentary on Russell Paloosas there you go. Wade Barrett 163 00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:20.120 will be back according to him tomorrow. I said he's 164 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:25.799 gonna be back any week now. Yeah, Welfare Queen says, 165 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:29.279 my mom misses Jacob fa tou Yeah. Where's he been? 166 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:32.120 I see he's been doing some dark matches. I think 167 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:35.720 he had a dark match last week against RUSSEV. That's 168 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:40.639 great and all. Where the fuck is Jacob fa tu boy? 169 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:44.440 Did they cool him off? Where's he been now? But 170 00:09:44.440 --> 00:09:48.879 we got a vignette tonight with Tongaaloa and Solo Socoa. 171 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:55.799 It's ridiculous. Brock walks down the aisle. He grabs Michael 172 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:59.840 Cole like a child and he puts him over his shoulder. 173 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:03.279 He proceeds then to walk around the ring. He circles 174 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:07.000 the ringside area with him, walks up the ring steps 175 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:10.919 and then dumps him into the ring and Brock follows 176 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:13.000 him into the ring and he had Cole in the corner. 177 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:17.279 He was threatening to destroy this man. Corey Graves could 178 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:20.360 take no more. Corey Graves is a man that sticks 179 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:22.960 up for his friends, and so he puts his headset down. 180 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:26.360 He gets into the ring and he approaches Brock. This 181 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:29.600 is like approaching a wild animal, you know, in a zoo. 182 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:32.879 You're not supposed to get that close. Bad things could happen. 183 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:36.080 And he's trying to calm down Brock Lesner, which is 184 00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:40.120 a terrible idea. And so for his efforts, Brock grabs Corey, 185 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:43.080 he picks him up on his shoulders and he delivers 186 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:46.360 an F five and that is the first bump that 187 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:51.159 Corey Graves has taken since he retired in was that 188 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:56.600 eleven years ago? Twenty fourteen? I believe now he's been 189 00:10:56.679 --> 00:10:59.559 medically clear. For those who don't know, Corey Graves is 190 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:03.639 medically cleared. If you wanted to wrestle, take bumps. He's 191 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:06.679 been medically cleared for about three years now. He just 192 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:10.799 chooses not to so every now and then to use 193 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:12.879 him in an angle like this could be very effective. 194 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:16.440 So he gets laid out with an F five. The 195 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:20.320 craft starts chanting for John Cena Lesner grabs the camera 196 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.440 and he begins yelling into it, and he's saying, John, 197 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:31.519 it's D Day tomorrow. I'm coming for blood. That's as 198 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:35.279 close to an explanation as we're gonna get. That in 199 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:39.000 that little little snippet from the interview package later on, 200 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:42.559 that's about as close to an explanation as we're gonna get. 201 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:46.879 He wants blood, Brock, he's a vampire. Brock is back 202 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:51.320 for blood. So after that, he paces around ringside. He 203 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:55.200 destroys the prime hydration station. I've been waiting for somebody 204 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:58.279 to do that. Of course he does it. Nobody's gonna 205 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:01.720 tell him not to. He's throwing shit around, he's picking 206 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:03.519 up the ring steps, and he sees it in the ring. 207 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:05.759 A bunch of producers have gotten into the ring to 208 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:08.360 try to assist Corey. He gets into the ring, he 209 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:11.720 chases all of them away, and then he picks Graves 210 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:14.960 back up. He delivers a second F five, and the 211 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:19.039 crowd was so concerned for Corey Graves, for the welfare 212 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:23.879 of this man. They begin channing one more time, and Brock, 213 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:27.360 being the heel, does not oblige. He leaves the ring. 214 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:31.159 Everybody booze and Brock heads to the back. It was 215 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:34.519 a hot segment. I'll say that it was a chaotic 216 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:37.120 way to start the show. It was a different way 217 00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:39.600 to start the show, which I appreciate. You know, when 218 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:41.720 they deviate from the norm and they do something that 219 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:45.000 hasn't been done in a while, it's good, right because 220 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:48.159 they follow the same formula generally week to week. So 221 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.679 I like what they did here in this segment. The chaos. 222 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:53.960 I don't know that it does much to add to 223 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:58.279 the match with him and John necessarily, you know, it 224 00:12:58.360 --> 00:13:00.799 just reinforces the idea that this man isn't just like 225 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:04.440 an uncaged animal, right, He's like a wild beast, and 226 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.600 you don't know what he's capable of, You don't know 227 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:08.879 what he's you know, how far he's willing to go. 228 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.399 I mean, that was the idea basically that they were 229 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:14.080 driving home. But this is a match that has not 230 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:16.799 had any real build. You know, these two obviously have 231 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:20.639 history together, They've had many matches before, but in terms 232 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:24.519 of this one, this being their final one, there has 233 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:26.720 not been much build to speak of here in this match, 234 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.159 and it has been sold purely based off of the 235 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:31.799 names involved. You know, John Cena has a very limited 236 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:34.919 number of matches left. Brock Lesner is wrestling his first 237 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:39.080 match in over two years. They're both big names, and 238 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:43.200 that's how the match is being sold, and that might 239 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:46.200 work for some people, it doesn't work for others. There 240 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:48.600 are some people, I'm sure, who were very excited to 241 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:51.480 see this match again, and I know there were a 242 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:53.840 lot of people who are not. Doesn't mean they're not 243 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:58.279 going to tune in, but it's hard to get overly 244 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:01.639 excited for a match that either you've seen a bunch 245 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:04.639 of times before, you know, and now they're a lot older, 246 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:08.360 or the story that you're looking for just isn't there. 247 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:12.720 Whether or not this is a match that needs story, 248 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:15.320 I guess we'll find out, you know, we'll see because 249 00:14:15.320 --> 00:14:18.240 this show has largely been sold off of this match. 250 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:20.399 You know they're opening the show with it, But for 251 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:22.679 all intents and purposes, this is the real main event. 252 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:25.879 You know of Wreussell Palloza. When Joe Tessitor was on 253 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:27.919 Sports Center a few weeks ago and said, the main 254 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:31.120 event is John Cena against brock Lesnar. It doesn't matter 255 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:33.919 where it is on the card, you know it is 256 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:37.799 it really is that whole show. Look at the posters. 257 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:41.320 This whole show has really been built around this match. 258 00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:43.799 So but of course they are opening the show with 259 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:47.440 it so Lesner can get back to Saskatchewan as quickly 260 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:50.519 as possible. I guarantee you that Lesner that plane is 261 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.840 going to touch down on the tarmac up in Saskatchewan. 262 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:56.360 The main event will not even be in the ring yet, 263 00:14:57.159 --> 00:14:59.600 Cody and Drew will not even have made their entrances 264 00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:01.720 down to the ring, and Brock will be back home, 265 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:04.960 safe and sound in Saskatchewan. He is going to get 266 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:09.440 out of there as quickly as humanly possible. Now, when 267 00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:12.399 they came back from the break, Corey Graves was still 268 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:16.960 face down in the ring. Producers were checking on him, 269 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:20.000 Michael Cole pointing out to them. I think he said like, oh, 270 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:23.080 his neck is starting to swell. I could have sworn 271 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:25.200 that's what he said. Oh, look, his neck is starting 272 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:28.600 to starting to swell. He took two face bumps on 273 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.759 the F five, but his neck is starting to swell. 274 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:33.759 So they cut to the back. Brock is walking and 275 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:37.200 he stops in his tracks because he sees something, and 276 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:39.840 he walks over and the camera pans over and what 277 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:43.720 does he see? He sees his old friend and nemesis 278 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.440 Paul Hayman. It's been a while since these two have 279 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:51.600 come face to face. So they share a bit of 280 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:55.440 a tense stare down here. And Hayman was not alone. 281 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:58.480 He was had bron Breaker and Bronze and Read with him, 282 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:01.720 so they share you're a tense stare down for a 283 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:06.879 moment before Lesner tells him we should talk and then 284 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:11.159 he walks off. Very interesting. So then Nick All this 285 00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:14.159 the general manager of SmackDown. He shows up. He warns 286 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:16.960 the Vision don't cause any more problems tonight. I don't 287 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:19.120 know why you're here, but I have a contract signing 288 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:22.360 later on with Cody and Drew. I don't want anything 289 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:26.639 messed up. And Hayman assure you. He says, oh, we're 290 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:28.480 looking for the USOS. Do you know where they are? 291 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:31.480 And all this says you know, Dan well that they're 292 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:35.600 not here. And with that, Hayman and the Vision they 293 00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:39.279 left saying we're simply here to enjoy the show. But 294 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:44.399 that was a very interesting tease there between Lesner and Hayman. 295 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:49.000 My first thought when I see something like that, Brock 296 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.960 is never going to learn. He's never going to learn 297 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:57.360 this man has turned on him. Twice in the past, 298 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:01.879 twice in twenty plus. You would think he would learn 299 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:03.799 his lesson that this man is not to be trusted, 300 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:06.279 but evidently he doesn't seem to mind, and he's still 301 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:09.079 willing to do business with Paul Hayman. What kind of 302 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:12.119 business though? You know Lesner and Hayman is a duo. 303 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:17.079 It's just such a natural pairing. If they really did 304 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:19.640 want to put them back together. And I'm not saying 305 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:22.599 Brock has to join the Vision, but if you wanted 306 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:26.039 to put Lesner and Hayman back together, I'm okay with that. 307 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:29.759 It's a natural pairing, as natural as Undertaker and Paul 308 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:33.119 Behar were pairing for so many years, right. They just 309 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:36.319 go so well together. It just makes sense. But my 310 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:39.480 other thought, of course, ties into what's coming up in 311 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:43.440 a couple of months, which a Survivor series and the 312 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:46.680 very likely probability that the Vision will be playing a 313 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:49.839 role in the Men's Wargames match. Now, right now, there's 314 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:52.880 only three members of the Vision, right seth Rollins, bron Breaker, 315 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:55.720 Bronson Reid, so they would need some help if it's 316 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:58.319 four on four, if it's five on five. But if 317 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:00.519 you assume that they're going to be on the heels 318 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:02.759 side of a Wargames match. And now we have Hayman 319 00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:05.400 and Lesner are teasing, Oh, we need to talk, right, 320 00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:08.079 We need to have a conversation, a conversation about what 321 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:12.200 is it possible that Paul Hayman will enlist the services 322 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:15.480 of Brock Lesner to be joining forces with the Vision 323 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:19.079 in a Wargames match. Absolutely, I think it's possible. And 324 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:22.920 if so, I could see Lesner and the Vision on 325 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:25.039 one side and maybe they need one more person, But 326 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:27.160 you got that crew, and on the other side of 327 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:30.079 the ring, you got John Cena, who's never been as Brock, 328 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.319 never been in a Wargames match before. You can have 329 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:38.720 John Cena, Roman Reigns, cmpunk all on the same team 330 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:43.519 or John Cena, Roman Reigns and the USOS. Actually, you 331 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:45.920 know what would be really cool if they could figure 332 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:48.599 out a way to work someone like Jacob Fatu into 333 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:52.480 that equation. Again, he has been absent on SmackDown now 334 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:57.680 for weeks and has been severely cooled off. Now, what 335 00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.200 I would like to see is if you're gonna do 336 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:02.839 something like that works someone like him into the equation, 337 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.960 because you would have bron Breaker and Bronson Reid on 338 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:08.640 the other side, right, And bron Breker is someone who 339 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:11.440 people look at as oh the future of WWEE right, Oh, 340 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:15.759 he's gonna headline multiple WrestleManias. Guess what, so can Jacob Fatu. 341 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:19.039 He should be worked into that equation as well. How 342 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:22.519 about a John Cena Roman range Jacob fa Tu team 343 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:26.319 with one or two other people against Brock and the vision. 344 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:30.000 I could see that vision, I could get behind that. 345 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.119 That would be an interesting wargames match. So that, I 346 00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:37.160 think is the first tease of what's to come, because 347 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:38.839 I don't know that we're looking at a full blown 348 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:41.680 reunion between Lesler and Hayman. But if they're gonna do business, 349 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:44.960 what else would they be doing business for if it's 350 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:47.839 not tied into wargames in some way. So that'll be 351 00:19:47.880 --> 00:19:51.440 something very interesting to keep an eye on going forward. 352 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:55.759 Let's move on here, because back in the arena, Michael 353 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:58.799 Cole returned to the announced desk. He was at a 354 00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:02.640 loss for words about what happened to his partner. He 355 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:04.680 said that in the years that he's been on commentary, 356 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:09.559 he never felt as helpless as he did tonight. Cole said, well, 357 00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:12.599 I mean, I don't know about that. I do recall 358 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:14.799 a certain segment on this show many years ago where 359 00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:17.000 he was shoved up against the wall by one heiden 360 00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:19.279 Reich where he looked kind of helpless. But you know, 361 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:22.039 the less said about that, the better. He said that 362 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:25.640 if that's what awaited John Cena tomorrow, he doesn't know 363 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:31.440 if even Sina has the answers for brock Lester. Charlotte 364 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:33.599 Flair and Alexa Bliss were up next. They were defending 365 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:38.440 the women's tag team titles against Chelsea Green and Alba Fire. 366 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:42.279 Still no sign of Piper Niven, so whatever is going 367 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:45.680 on with Piper? She has been mia for several weeks now. 368 00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:49.079 Chelsea took a shot at Alexa in the corner, ended 369 00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:52.519 up eating an elbow from Charlotte. Bliss tagged herself in. 370 00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:56.039 She went to work on Chelsea and Alba. The challengers 371 00:20:56.119 --> 00:20:58.720 ended up with the advantage heading into a commercial break. 372 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:02.599 Ring In the commercial break, the mizz came down to 373 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:06.200 ringside to join Michael Cole on commentary and sit in 374 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:09.559 for Corey Graves for the remainder of the show. So 375 00:21:09.640 --> 00:21:13.000 they returned from the break, Bliss was desperately reaching for 376 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:16.039 the tag, trying to get that tag she almost got it. 377 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:19.400 Charlotte got pulled from the apron by Alba, which gave 378 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.880 Chelsea a chance to continue her attack. Chelsea ended up 379 00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:26.960 missing a shoulder tackle. This allowed Bliss to finally get 380 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:30.759 the hot tag to Charlotte. Charlotte teed off with chops 381 00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:32.880 on both women. She tried to set up for the 382 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:37.119 figure eight Green, though provided a distraction and ate a 383 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:39.799 big boot. Alba went for a roll up, could not 384 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:42.839 get the pin, and as Charlotte headed up top, Chelsea 385 00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:45.680 grabbed her leg, which allowed Alba to connect with the 386 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:50.240 Swanton bomb. Bliss broke up the pin. Bliss and Flair. 387 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:54.880 They delivered stereo natural selections to Chelsea and Alba, and 388 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:58.640 Charlotte got the pin on Chelsea to retain the tag 389 00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:03.079 team titles. Decent little defense here for the champs. They 390 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:07.279 were also successful on the NXT homecoming show this week. 391 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:10.839 You know it was fine. Hopefully they can put their 392 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:14.519 issues with the secret hervists in the rear view. The 393 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:18.519 challenge now is I mean, they have not established any 394 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:22.240 other team as the obvious next in line challengers for 395 00:22:22.359 --> 00:22:26.880 Charlotte and Alexa. So the risk you run here is 396 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:29.160 that if you really have not set anybody else up 397 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:32.160 as the obvious challengers, and they don't have a story 398 00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:35.759 with somebody else kind of ready and waiting here, you 399 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:38.680 could end up kind of stalling the momentum that they 400 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:42.720 have as far as their characters go. I don't know 401 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:45.880