SmackDown Live review: WWE champ Daniel Bryan slams 'parasite' Vince McMahon as Becky and Asuka rumble early
Here are five things we learned from SmackDown:
Charlotte is The Queen of stirring things up
SmackDown kicked off with a Becky Lynch v Asuka showdown – but it was Charlotte Flair who stole the moment.
The Queen interrupted their face-off to assess the top female contenders heading into Royal Rumble.
She said she’s beaten Sasha Banks so many times she’s lost count, she beat the holy hell out of Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series, and ended Asuka’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania.
And though Becky may have owned her in recent months, Charlotte said: “I have owned this division the last four years.”
Charlotte then stood back and smirked as Asuka attacked Becky from behind, which turned into a fun pull-apart brawl between the Royal Rumble opponents.
WWE officials tried to separate them as they scrapped around ringside and fans chanted for Becky.
And “The Man” got the upper hand when she launched a flying clothesline onto Asuka from the announce table.
Daniel Bryan thinks Vince McMahon is a parasite
Mr McMahon was set to host a face-to-face confrontation between WWE Champion Daniel Bryan and challenger AJ Styles – but Bryan refused to step inside the ring.
Instead he cut another scathing promo on AJ Styles for helping sell fattening hot dogs and plastic merchandise.
When Vince demanded the champ get in the ring, Bryan directed his anger at Vince. He said: “You and the entire baby boomer generation are the great parasites of this world.
“You take, you take, you take and you give nothing back, putting profits above the people and the planet every time.
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“And they bow to you… while you conceal from them all the environmental and economic debt you’ve created, they’ve become satisfied with trading Instagram likes and Facebook messages.”
Bryan is the best promo in WWE and is presumably writing his own material – this is leagues ahead of what WWE’s script writers usually serve up each week.
AJ rushed out to attacked Bryan at ringside, but when Bryan eventually got into the ring he foiled AJ’s phenomenal forearm attempt by hiding behind Vince.
Bryan then laid out AJ with a running knee. What a segment this was.
The Bar have evened the score against Shane and Miz
Last week Shane O’Mac and The Miz – AKA “The Best Team in the World” – humiliated The Bar when Miz beat Sheamus one-on-one and then splatted both Sheamus and Cesaro’s faces with birthday cake.
It was a different story last night when Miz faced Cesaro – Sheamus got involved on the outside, helping Cesaro hit Miz with the Neutraliser for a quick win.
Shane attacked Sheamus with his laughable flurry of punches, but The Bar took control when Shane went for his trademark elbow but Sheamus pushed him off the top rope (At one point Miz threw himself on Shane to protect his partner – so WWE’s most hateable heel is now a proper babyface?!)
The Bar laid out Miz on the announce desk and then dropped Shane onto Miz and through the table.
But something tells us The Best Team in the World will have the final word when they challenge for The Bar’s tag titles this Sunday…
Mandy Rose is 1-0 over Naomi
The controversial storyline between Mandy Rose and Naomi – which has seen Mandy try to break up Naomi and Jimmy Uso’s marriage – finally got in the ring last night.
But Naomi didn’t get her revenge – not yet at least.
Sonya Deville caused a distraction on the outside, which allowed Mandy to push Naomi into the ring post and get the three count.
Expect them to have another showdown in the women’s Rumble match.
Rey Mysterio and Andrade have done it again (even if Samoa Joe and Randy Orton spoiled it)
Last week’s Mysterio v Andrade match was the talk of the wrestling world – so last night they went at it one more time in a 2-out-of-3-falls match. And once again it was sensation stuff.
Andrade got the first fall with a stunning powerbomb from the top rope and Mysterio scored one back with a sunset flip powerbomb that spiked Andrade right on his head.
The level of innovation Rey is churning out after 20-odd years in the business is a sight to behold – and these kinds of matches with surely placate Andrade, who is rumoured to be unhappy in WWE.
But Samoa Joe – who’d already defeated Mustafa Ali earlier in the night – barged in to attack both Rey and Andrade to make it a no contest.
Joe got on the mic afterwards and sent a warning to the other 29 competitors in the Royal Rumble. But there was one more surprise yet to come.
Two-time Rumble winner Randy Orton sneaked up behind Joe and hit an RKO to end the show.
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