Smackdown was three things tonight. The first was a predictably stupendous match between Dean Ambrose and Daniel Bryan. I think anyone with a pulse and a working knowledge of professional wrestling for the last four years would have known and expected that. The second was Ryback, during his disappointing main event match with Chris Jericho, turning the crowd's sarcastic and played-out "Goldberg! Goldberg!" chants against them by mockingly chanting it himself as he was working over Jericho. Odd that he'd pick a match against someone so infamously linked to Goldberg to start doing that. Hmm...
However, the only real reason to watch Smackdown tonight didn't even do anything to advance a feud. It was all Mark Henry pulling two tractor trailers, a weight over over 55 tons, across a fixed distance to break a world record. They weren't even pretending that Henry was supposed to be the bad guy anymore. From his promo before the pull to him straining and struggling to pull the trucks to the Prime Time Players cheering him on to him falling onto the ground victorious but exhausted. The coup de grace was Lilian Garcia's congratulatory message. Heels don't get that. I don't even want to say we saw a double turn here, because I doubt the fans will stop cheering for Sheamus if they haven't already. But it was surreal seeing a timeout from kayfabe, just so one of their most physically impressive dudes could perform an awesome feat of strength.
It's not enough to forgive the fact that Smackdown was mostly dull this week, but I chalk it up to the "52 week" corollary, that it's damn near impossible to do a weekly show with all slam bang material. Some weeks, crowning the King of Hoss is enough, I suppose.
However, the only real reason to watch Smackdown tonight didn't even do anything to advance a feud. It was all Mark Henry pulling two tractor trailers, a weight over over 55 tons, across a fixed distance to break a world record. They weren't even pretending that Henry was supposed to be the bad guy anymore. From his promo before the pull to him straining and struggling to pull the trucks to the Prime Time Players cheering him on to him falling onto the ground victorious but exhausted. The coup de grace was Lilian Garcia's congratulatory message. Heels don't get that. I don't even want to say we saw a double turn here, because I doubt the fans will stop cheering for Sheamus if they haven't already. But it was surreal seeing a timeout from kayfabe, just so one of their most physically impressive dudes could perform an awesome feat of strength.
It's not enough to forgive the fact that Smackdown was mostly dull this week, but I chalk it up to the "52 week" corollary, that it's damn near impossible to do a weekly show with all slam bang material. Some weeks, crowning the King of Hoss is enough, I suppose.