I've been thinking lately, more than I should do, about why it is that I anticipate Smackdown much more than I do RAW. I read the spoilers every week, know whats going to happen days in advance, can call the matches before they start. Smackdown is obviously also missing the starpower that RAW has at its disposal. So why is it that Smackdown gets me so much more excited?
I decided eventually, the reason behind it is....I absolutely love the way Smackdown is developing. I'd like to analyze why this is, from the top of the card to to the bottom....
(Warning, large rant ahead, read at your own risk. I will be focusing on positives in this post.)
Daniel Bryan
Now, as an avid IWC mark, I think I'd be expected to be quite knowledgeable about ol' DB. I'm not. I've never bothered watching any of his indy work, and have only seen him perform on WWE television. Until he won MITB, I had assigned him to career midcarder.
Boy, was I wrong. Watching him since he's held the title, the little, subtle heelish things he's been doing week after week, the heat he's starting to get from the audience...brilliant. I didn't think anything much of his mic work until this weeks Smackdown, but I really enjoy the way he's developing.
As for his ring work, another superb asset, both in the technical department and the storytelling. I don't know if he's ready for Mania as champion, but I can quite honestly say I anticipate to find out what he's going to be doing next week....against this man
Mark Henry
The world's greatest career revival. Until his "Hall of Pain" push, I didn't think Mark Henry had it in him. Again, I was wrong, in a big way. He had one of the best title reigns I can remember. He's legit scary as hell, he's improved vastly on the mic, and everything about him screams intimidation. We've seen him generate excellent heat on a weekly basis, even after dissing Micheal Cole on commentary.
He may not work wonders in the ring, but he doesn't need to...and since his hall of pain push, we've seen him do pretty decent stuff for someone with that much damn muscle mass.
Every time Mark Henry is in the ring, he brings something exciting to the table, and adds to Smackdown an excellent main event heel.
Big Show
Up until this week, it was unclear if Big Show or Daniel Bryan was going to turn heel. Its now pointing towards Daniel Bryan, as Big Show is easily getting the crowd on his side. This does beg the question, how do they turn show heel for his mania match with Shaq in such a short time? I don't know, but it'll be fun to watch and find out.
Big Show brings a fun, lovable face to Friday nights, an anti-Mark Henry presence. He reminds me very much of a much larger John Cena at the moment, and that in my opinion, is an excellent thing. He's able to bring fun to Friday nights, or a legit menace when angered by the heels.
Again, nothing magnificent in the ring, but he doesn't need to be. He is "The worlds largest athlete" and plays that character in a excellent way, though his moveset, words and actions inside the squared circle.
Sheamus/Wade Barrett
The two men who are like ying and yang. Big, powerful, fresh faces, who are both moving toward the main even of Smackdown in tandem. These guys are the future, both of them are excellent mic workers, and both of them are pretty good in the ring. These men exude their characters, both of them are highly charismatic, and it is a pleasure to see them both develop on Smackdown.
Barrett, in my opinion, need a little more work than Sheamus. It still feels to me as if he's missing something I can't quite put my finger on. However, I do feel that in 2012, both of these men will have held a world title.
Cody Rhodes
The best IC champion in a long, long time. We've seen Rhodes develop in front of our own eyes since his arrival on Smackdown from the legacy. Dashing, UnDashing, to whatever the hell you want to call the gimmick he's acting out now. His mannerisms have changed, his look has changed, and Cody Rhodes as a whole, has changed. Not only has he changed, he's thrived on that change.
Cody Rhodes seems to be a man who eats, shits and sleeps his character. When he's on TV, not for a minute do you see Cody Rhodes not be thinking about what his character would do or say next. This allows him to cut what I feel are excellent promos, and perform excellent storytelling in the ring. A Cody Rhodes promo is always a treat, as we get to watch him develop and morph more, truly making him an exciting wrestler to have on the roster.
As mentioned earlier, the man knows how to tell a story in the ring, as we've seen against the likes of Randy Orton, Booker T and even Ezekiel Jackson. He's also technically solid, and moves fluidly in the ring. Cody may not have a solid feud right now, but you know when he does, its going to be a good one.
Other misc stuff
The return of Drew McIntyre has me interested. I'm not sure where they're going with it, I can't predict what will happen next week with him, and I love that! I like Drew McIntyre well enough, but even if this does end up in him being legit released (I don't think it will), to me it will still have been a good angle.
The inevitable return of Christian, my favorite wrestler, also keeps me anticipating each and every Smackdown. I know, for me, it'll be a mark out moment when he returns, even if he never wins another world title. I will simply be happy to see the captain back in action.
Hunico/Ted DiBiase, both of them seem to be finding their characters, slowly but surely, and seem to be being allowed room to grow on Friday nights. It may not be the feud of the century, but it does seem to the be the re-growth of a midcard on Smackdown (along with Jinder Mahal and his sudden re-elevation.) I can genuinely say I'm glad to see that, as someone will have to take the IC belt off Rhodes at some point in the future....
Well, thats my rant over folks. So, with my points in hand, how do you feel about Smackdown and its card? Like me, are you pleased, or do you feel something is missing. Obviously Orton not being around hurts the show, but I do not feel that strongly about it. Do you feel that his absence is truly hurting the show? I would like to hear some other people's opinions on everything on Smackdown.
Thank you for you time.
I decided eventually, the reason behind it is....I absolutely love the way Smackdown is developing. I'd like to analyze why this is, from the top of the card to to the bottom....
(Warning, large rant ahead, read at your own risk. I will be focusing on positives in this post.)
Daniel Bryan
Now, as an avid IWC mark, I think I'd be expected to be quite knowledgeable about ol' DB. I'm not. I've never bothered watching any of his indy work, and have only seen him perform on WWE television. Until he won MITB, I had assigned him to career midcarder.
Boy, was I wrong. Watching him since he's held the title, the little, subtle heelish things he's been doing week after week, the heat he's starting to get from the audience...brilliant. I didn't think anything much of his mic work until this weeks Smackdown, but I really enjoy the way he's developing.
As for his ring work, another superb asset, both in the technical department and the storytelling. I don't know if he's ready for Mania as champion, but I can quite honestly say I anticipate to find out what he's going to be doing next week....against this man
Mark Henry
The world's greatest career revival. Until his "Hall of Pain" push, I didn't think Mark Henry had it in him. Again, I was wrong, in a big way. He had one of the best title reigns I can remember. He's legit scary as hell, he's improved vastly on the mic, and everything about him screams intimidation. We've seen him generate excellent heat on a weekly basis, even after dissing Micheal Cole on commentary.
He may not work wonders in the ring, but he doesn't need to...and since his hall of pain push, we've seen him do pretty decent stuff for someone with that much damn muscle mass.
Every time Mark Henry is in the ring, he brings something exciting to the table, and adds to Smackdown an excellent main event heel.
Big Show
Up until this week, it was unclear if Big Show or Daniel Bryan was going to turn heel. Its now pointing towards Daniel Bryan, as Big Show is easily getting the crowd on his side. This does beg the question, how do they turn show heel for his mania match with Shaq in such a short time? I don't know, but it'll be fun to watch and find out.
Big Show brings a fun, lovable face to Friday nights, an anti-Mark Henry presence. He reminds me very much of a much larger John Cena at the moment, and that in my opinion, is an excellent thing. He's able to bring fun to Friday nights, or a legit menace when angered by the heels.
Again, nothing magnificent in the ring, but he doesn't need to be. He is "The worlds largest athlete" and plays that character in a excellent way, though his moveset, words and actions inside the squared circle.
Sheamus/Wade Barrett
The two men who are like ying and yang. Big, powerful, fresh faces, who are both moving toward the main even of Smackdown in tandem. These guys are the future, both of them are excellent mic workers, and both of them are pretty good in the ring. These men exude their characters, both of them are highly charismatic, and it is a pleasure to see them both develop on Smackdown.
Barrett, in my opinion, need a little more work than Sheamus. It still feels to me as if he's missing something I can't quite put my finger on. However, I do feel that in 2012, both of these men will have held a world title.
Cody Rhodes
The best IC champion in a long, long time. We've seen Rhodes develop in front of our own eyes since his arrival on Smackdown from the legacy. Dashing, UnDashing, to whatever the hell you want to call the gimmick he's acting out now. His mannerisms have changed, his look has changed, and Cody Rhodes as a whole, has changed. Not only has he changed, he's thrived on that change.
Cody Rhodes seems to be a man who eats, shits and sleeps his character. When he's on TV, not for a minute do you see Cody Rhodes not be thinking about what his character would do or say next. This allows him to cut what I feel are excellent promos, and perform excellent storytelling in the ring. A Cody Rhodes promo is always a treat, as we get to watch him develop and morph more, truly making him an exciting wrestler to have on the roster.
As mentioned earlier, the man knows how to tell a story in the ring, as we've seen against the likes of Randy Orton, Booker T and even Ezekiel Jackson. He's also technically solid, and moves fluidly in the ring. Cody may not have a solid feud right now, but you know when he does, its going to be a good one.
Other misc stuff
The return of Drew McIntyre has me interested. I'm not sure where they're going with it, I can't predict what will happen next week with him, and I love that! I like Drew McIntyre well enough, but even if this does end up in him being legit released (I don't think it will), to me it will still have been a good angle.
The inevitable return of Christian, my favorite wrestler, also keeps me anticipating each and every Smackdown. I know, for me, it'll be a mark out moment when he returns, even if he never wins another world title. I will simply be happy to see the captain back in action.
Hunico/Ted DiBiase, both of them seem to be finding their characters, slowly but surely, and seem to be being allowed room to grow on Friday nights. It may not be the feud of the century, but it does seem to the be the re-growth of a midcard on Smackdown (along with Jinder Mahal and his sudden re-elevation.) I can genuinely say I'm glad to see that, as someone will have to take the IC belt off Rhodes at some point in the future....
Well, thats my rant over folks. So, with my points in hand, how do you feel about Smackdown and its card? Like me, are you pleased, or do you feel something is missing. Obviously Orton not being around hurts the show, but I do not feel that strongly about it. Do you feel that his absence is truly hurting the show? I would like to hear some other people's opinions on everything on Smackdown.
Thank you for you time.
