Welcome to the Smackdown Review for September 19, 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
A Coward’s Debt
Shane McMahon returned to the blue brand after his suspension. There was no dancing or smiles as he quickly addressed the attack on his father last week. After calling Kevin Owens a coward, Shane promised that he would take Owens to Hell on the pay-per-view. Owens appeared later via satellite and actually apologized for the attack. He did, however, turn it back on Shane, saying that this is what he made him do. Call me an old time fan, but I love when the villain blames the face for his actions. The only problem is that this story line has started so hot, and with so much time to go, it will be hard to keep the stakes this high.
Too Far
Jinder Mahl was back out out for another round of mocking Shinsuke Nakamura. What started off as a possible retrend of last week’s promo suddenly took an unexpected turn when Mahl began to mock Nakamura using xenophobic words. The idea of a heel who preaches that Americans are racists, then uses the same type of language for their opponent is very interesting. I have always believed that there was more to the Mahl character and this might be a peak at where the character can go. The Modern Day Maharaja is becoming more then the one note character he was before.
Enough is Enough
The New Day were back in action, facing the Hype Bros. Earlier, The WWE announced that the Usos would get their rematch at Hell in the Cell. This match was fast paced and fun, a staple of the New Day. One of the best moments came when Kofi Kingston dove from the top rope in a pose that looked very much like a certain NFL player. After the New Day victory, the focus shifted to Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder. Deciding that losing was too common, the Bros decided on a change. No mention of Ryder walking off last week, but a change could get these Bros to the next level.
Match of the Night
Tamina vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Naomi (Charlotte wins by pin fall to become the #1 Contender for The Smackdown Women’s Championship)
Welcome back Charlotte Flair. After thanking the WWE Universe for their support for her father, Charolette challenged Natalya for her belt. This brought out Becky, Naomi, and Tamina who argued for their right to challenge. A match was made, with the winner to face Natalia at Hell in the Cell. Raw might be getting Asuka, but Smackdown has four main event women right now. This was a great match with everyone looking great. The crowd was up for this match, chanting and cheering ever step of the way. Charlotte winning is a chance to revisit her classic rivalry with Natalya from NXT.
Conclusion
Some very interesting things happened on this show. Rusev got revenge on Randy Orton, scoring a quick pin fall on the Viper. Baron Corbin never got his US Tile match with AJ Styles, an attack by Ty Dillinger stopping it before it started. Dolph Ziggler continued mocking entrances, making anticipation for who will eventually interrupt him grow each week. Next week, we should see a bigger build up to Hell in the Cell, even though it is already shaping up to be a great one.
