Welcome to the Smackdown Review for October 31, 2017. For both this and Raw, I will go over what the big talking points were, pick the match of the night, and look ahead to the next show.
Talking Points
Aggression Lucha Style
Maybe it was the upcoming war against the Raw brand. Maybe it was when Baron Corbin went after his mask. Whatever the reason, Sin Cara became a beast tonight. Throwing heavy hits and refusing to back off Corbin to the point of being disqualified, Cara was a man possessed. I can not recall a time when the masked luchador brought this much to a match. If he can keep it up, we might be seeing the rebirth of a superstar who never quite reached the levels of success that he could have achieved
Stranger Things
From the opening shot, this parody from Fashion Files was dead on. The board was strung with Christmas lights, Tyler Breeze played Eleven while Fandango was Jim Hopper. The Ascension were great as well, but the performance of the night has to go to Ty Dillenger, dressed up as another Eleven (“I’m actually a Ten”). It also seems that it is the Bludgeon Brothers are the culprits. A power outrage and the sounds of an attack left the office empty. Who kidnapped our boys? We might find out next week, but first… Someone wants to play a game.
Friendship
Sami Zayn might have saved Kevin Owens from Hell in the Cell, but their friendship is not putting them into the Smackdow Survivor Series Team. Owens fought Shinsuke Nakamura for a spot and this match showed how good Nakamura can be when placed with the right opponent. Near falls and hard hits had the crowd on their feet. Zayn came out to help Owens, but Randy Orton sneaked up behind him to suplex him into the announcer table. With Nakamura’s victory, Shane better make sure Owens and Zayn don’t try and mess things up for the blue brand.
Match of the Night
Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler ( 2 out of 3 falls) (Roode wins 2 falls to 1)
Here was the match I though these two were capable of! This was a classic, wiping out the memory of their previous encounters. Dolph Ziggler scored the first fall, and Bobby Roode got the second. The final fall was full of tension as each men countered the others moves. The best was at the end as Ziggler countered the Glorious DDT for what seemed likes minutes. Roode joins the team in what should be seen as his best match on the main roster. Ziggler just added to his impressive resume.
Conclusion
A lot to like on this Halloween episode. Shane McMahon named himself captain of the Survivor Series Team. The New Day were dressed as Akeem, Brother Love, and Jimmy Hart. Jinder Mahl punished AJ Styles for his disrespect. Next week, the final spot will be filled by Styles or Rusev. Hope you had a Happy Halloween and I will see you next time.