WWE SmackDown 05/08/18: Money Matches
About Last Night is a quick reflection on the matches and segments, or random observations, from a wrestling show that sticks out to us the morning after we watch them. If you would like to get your comments featured, chime in below in our comments section or tweet us. You can also help support us on Patreon.
About Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz…
SmackDown this week started off with a friendly reminder that The Miz is currently one of the best in-ring wrestlers in the main roster WWE. At Backlash he had a great match with Seth Rollins (aside from one too many finisher kickouts), while Jeff Hardy had a bland match with Randy Orton. So they put these two together in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match, and The Miz helped elevate Jeff back to the exciting style of performer we were hoping for with this singles push.
The finish was the perfect ending to a great match. Jeff hits the Twist of Fate and then fully connects with a Swanton Bomb off the top rope. But because he’s so worn out from that match (which went through two commercial breaks), he just flopped on top of him back-first for the pin. The Miz rolled it into a crucifix pin and pulled out the surprise win from the jaws of defeat. This is just what The Miz needed, as it makes him look like a shady heel while using his brain rather than cheating to get the job done.
About Charlotte Flair vs. Peyton Royce…
Charlotte looked like a dope on Sunday when she lost cleanly to Carmella in her SmackDown Women’s Championship rematch at Backlash, so having a great match with someone who can actually wrestle in Peyton Royce was just what the doctor ordered. Plus this was Peyton’s first opportunity on the main roster to put on a serious match and show that she’s more than just hilariously bad accents.
Charlotte picked up the win, because this was to qualify for Money in the Bank and of course she was going to be in the match. I just hope The IIconics can still find a way to get in as well since they’re two of the best things going on the main roster.
About Daniel Bryan vs. Rusev…
With The Miz qualifying for Money in the Bank to start the show, they ended SmackDown with Daniel Bryan attempting to qualify as well so he can finally punch his face. Unfortunately, he faced another under-pushed talent who got over on his own in Rusev. The crowd was very split during this match, and it was a solid one. I’m shocked at some of the bumps Bryan took, including a kick right to the neck, but I trust Rusev to be safe with him. But it was another kick later that led to the shocking finish of Rusev pinning Daniel Bryan clean.
It’s shocking, but it was absolutely the right call to have Bryan lose. If Bryan just kept winning everything, he wouldn’t be Daniel Bryan – the smaller wrestler who is always fighting against the odds (not John Cena “odds”) and has to struggle to eventually get to the top. Plus Rusev gets a big spotlight on the pay-per-view and will definitely be over with the Chicago crowd. We’ll have to see where Daniel Bryan goes from here to get onto the show. Hopefully it isn’t another match with Big Cass.
About Cesaro Destroying Xavier Woods’ Face…
I was very down on the idea of The Bar coming to SmackDown, as whenever I caught their stuff when checking in on Raw it seemed boring as hell. But this week I think I can say I’m all for them now. They had a backstage segment with Sheamus eating Lucky Charms to calm himself from losing to Xavier Woods, and then Cesaro saying he could have gotten it done thus setting up the match this week. Then their bags were filled with pancakes because The New Day. The actual match was short, but effective with a fun spot involving Big E throwing pancakes from his singlet at Sheamus to get him off of the ring apron. But then Cesaro hit Xavier Woods with an uppercut as he was jumping off the top rope, and by “hit with an uppercut” I mean HIT HIM SQUARE ON THE JAW. Woods’ tongue ended up with a hole in it and blood was flowing in his mouth, but damn if it didn’t look great. I continue to enjoy these two teams together and hope next week doesn’t mark the end of it with them fighting over a Money in the Bank spot.
About Mandy Rose, or Paige is an Asshole…
Becky Lynch took on Mandy Rose because… reasons? This wasn’t a qualifying match and the story was “Becky is in a slump” despite the fact she was on the winning team in the main event last week. The other story though was that Paige is an asshole who doesn’t want her former friends to be friends with each other as she bars Sonya Deville from being ringside with no real reason. However, we did get to see Mandy’s solo entrance and it is magnificent. Corey Graves going over the top sealed it, shutting up everyone else when they tried to talk.
Oh, and the actual match sucked. Whoops.
What did you think of this week’s SmackDown? Let us know in the comments!
