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Published On: Tue, May 22nd, 2018

Bowen’s Botches and Bodyslams: WWE Smackdown Live Results and Review May 22 2018

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Smackdown Live is coming from the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Tonight features Shinsuke Nakamura revealing his stipulation for the WWE Championship Match with AJ Styles at the upcoming Money in the Bank Pay Per View, as well as a Women’s Division Qualifying Match between Lana and Billie Kay.

MizTV Show Opener

The Miz starts off with the crowd in the palm of his hand and hosts the New Day on MizTV. Miz wants to know… who… is going to represent the New Day in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. The three of them keep him going in circles chasing their answer. Miz loses his cool, and in doing so says he can defeat any of them any day of the week and that he still wants to know which one of them is going to be at MitB. Kofi says it will be Big E. Miz thinks he can beat him at MitB, but they mean tonight. Miz says if he doesn’t get what he wants, they don’t get what they want. No match. They shame him with pancakes and Miz cowers off backstage. Waiting for him was General Manager Paige. She’s holding him to his words, and he’s going back out there for his match.

Bodyslam – This is one of those segments that you see coming a mile away when you know all of the characters, but they pull it off far better than your expectations. As entertaining as New Day and Miz were, the best part was Paige stepping in immediately and forcing the match. Seeing her flesh out what it means to have Paige as General Manager of Smackdown Live is exactly what the show and her character needs.

The Miz vs. Big E

The Miz delivers a Skull Crushing Finale on Big E for the pin with the help of a distraction from The Bar.

Bodyslam – These two had a great match and Kofi and Xavier’s antics ringside and on commentary were entertaining as always. The Bar’s attack was played out perfectly and made for a great finish. New Day and The Bar will likely be waging war with each other for the foreseeable future.

Daniel Bryan backstage interview

Bodyslam – It’s Daniel Bryan being Daniel Bryan. The man who can pull off humility and confidence at the same time. It’s not an easy thing to do. Somehow he makes it look that way. But that’s Daniel Bryan.

Women’s Division Money In The Bank Qualifying Match – Lana vs. Billie Kay

Lana wins by pinfall

Bodyslam – The match was not much of a match at all. That wasn’t the point. Every character involved got to shine, the crowd was bought in, I was bought in, and everything came off perfectly. From The Iconics’ obnoxious singing to Aiden English and his sign, everything worked. Not a legendary moment in wrestling history, but it was fun and entertaining, and a whole lot better than what Sami Zayn and Bobby Lashley had to do last night.

Andrade Cien Almas and Zelina Vega promo

Bodyslam – Zelina Vega is perfect for her role and plays up Almas spectacularly.

Andrade Cien Almas vs. Jobby McJobberson

Almas wins with Hammerlock DDT and pin

Bodyslam – I had to make up a name because they didn’t even bother telling us who Almas was facing. It was another squash match to show off how impressive Almas is. This is the second one in as many weeks, hopefully the last. It’s time to let Almas wrestle in a match where someone else gets to do some offense. What is Tye Dillinger doing next week?

Carmella backstage interview with Dasha Fuentes

Bodyslam – Carmella’s greatest strength is on the mic and she nails it again. She won last year’s Money In The Bank Match, and comes into the event as Champion this year. Mella is money.

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura in ring with Renee Young

AJ Styles photo/wikimedia commons

It’s time to get the stipulation from Nakamura, but he decides to play with Styles first. Young left the ring long before Nakamura announced the match would be a Pillow Fight. Styles says Nakamura always was the King of Soft Style. Nakamura says he jokes because he has the upper hand while Styles jokes because he’s afraid. It eventually breaks down into the fight you could see coming, raging at ringside, venturing out into the crowd, and back again. Shinsuke puts AJ down with the Kenshasa and leads the crowd in counting to ten. Nakamura then announces it will be a Last Man Standing Match.

 

 

 

 

Bodyslam – Both men did well with the mic segment and had a great fight afterward. Nakamura’s English is getting better, and he’s able to show some more of his charisma. Last Man Standing is probably the perfect stipulation to get the best match yet out of these two, and is definitely in line with resolving the endings we’ve been getting.

The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson – Winners face The Bludgeon Brothers for the Smackdown Live Tag Team Championship

Gallows and Anderson hit the Magic Killer for the pinfall victory.

Bodyslam – Gallows and Anderson haven’t had much opportunity to look good lately, but they took advantage of this one. This was a really good match, and giving the Bludgeon Brothers a new team to face off with is the right move. I’m not sure where this leaves The Usos in the tag team picture though.

Women’s Division Money In The Bank Qualifying Match – Naomi vs. Sonya Deville

Naomi rolls up Sonya Deville for the pin.

Botch – Not the smoothest match, but it had its highlights. They should have done more explaining the social media backstory of the match with Sonya Deville getting another chance. If they mentioned that I missed it, and that means WWE is still not getting social media. It’s just another marketing media to them. They don’t understand the social part and how it drives the fan connections like never before. Maybe they can hire Cody back someday to teach them?

Jeff Hardy backstage interview with Renee Young

Bodyslam – “Scorch your Cerebrum” is my new favorite saying. I hope it replaces “Blow your mind” in the common vernacular.

Jeff Hardy vs. Daniel Bryan – Winner faces Samoa Joe in Money In The Bank Qualifying Match next week

Daniel Bryan wins by submission with a Dragonscrew into a Heel Hook on Jeff Hardy.

Bodyslam – A great match with a great story in the ring. Samoa Joe was excellent on commentary and confronting Bryan after the match. Somehow we need Hardy and Bryan to end up in the ring against each other again real soon. They seemed like they were just getting started.

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About the Author

- Greg Bowen is a writer, musician, DJ, political activist, and wrestling mark who still has Macho Madness to this day.

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