The Blue Brand Goes to Scotland – Smackdown Live Recap 11/8/16

I feel like I’ve been a little negative lately, which I would like to apologize for.  These shows haven’t been terrible, they’re just not up to the level of the early Smackdown Live episodes right off the brand split, but attempting to maintain that level of creative output wasn’t going to last, and both teams seem to have sold out to get themselves to Survivor Series.  I am greatly looking forward to next week’s Smackdown, as it is their 900th episode so they’re pulling out all the stops, including appearances from The Undertaker and one of my all time favs Edge.

Am I Still Watching Raw?

The show kicks off in the same fashion as Raw, with Shane and James Ellsworth joining the men of Team Smackdown in the ring.  Ellsworth is the official mascot of Team Smackdown, because why not give him more TV time…and on a PPV now.

Then there is a main event announced pitting Wyatt, Harper and Orton against Ambrose, Corbin and Ellsworth.  Later in the night Corbin tells Shane he won’t work the six man tag match, and is put into a matchup against Kalisto, so they’re actually revisiting that which is nice to see.

Kane replaces Corbin in the main event, but it’s all for not as the Backwoods Bunch picks up the win when Wyatt pins James Ellsworth.

What should have been the main event…

Given that they’ve been working towards this match for over a month now and with what Raw at Hell in a Cell, it’s a little lackluster that this was stuck in the mid-card even though they kept calling it the main event.

As could be expected, Becky Lynch wasn’t going to lose so close to home, and she gets the pin on our resident Harley Quinn cosplayer, who’s foot was on the ropes and should have gotten a break but the referee didn’t catch it.  This feud will continue.

I figured I would make you wait for some big Survivor Series News!

Kalisto vs Baron Corbin

This match never happens because Corbin does the usual attack prior to the beginning of the match.  Corbin appeared to injure his knee, which Kalisto pounces on.  Shane later announces that Corbin will not be able to compete with the men’s SS team, so he would have to be replaced, which Daniel Bryan later reveals….

If I didn’t already have tickets, I’d be completely broke getting those last minute international airline tickets.  That’s right, Shane O’Mac in-ring yet again.

Kalisto vs Brian Kendrick for the Cruiserweight Division…and the title

That’s right, in addition to Dolph Ziggler, maybe, against Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental Championship, Kalisto will get a shot at Brian Kendrick’s new Cruiserweight Title, with the added caveat that if Kalisto wins, Smackdown wins the Cruiserweight Division as a whole.

Considering the 205 Live will be a Tuesday Night event, I think we can see where this is going, but Kendrick and Kalisto should be a great match.  Giving the Cruisers to Smackdown doesn’t bode too well for The Show Off in his matchup against Zayn.

Breezango vs Vaudevillains for the final tag team spot on team SDL

In addition to giving out tickets to JBL for being an Uggo, Breezango defeated another horribly misused NXT talent in the Vaudevillains to take the final two spots on the ten man team for Smackdown Live’s Tag Team Team.

Other takeaways:

• Dolph Ziggler will defend the IC belt against Miz on Smackdown 900 next week.
• Curt Hawkins defeated Apollo Crews.  This wouldn’t really matter at all unless you consider just how poorly Apollo Crews has been used since his incredibly premature call up.
• Naomi defeated Natalya on a roll-up with distraction from Carmella and Nikki Bella.  I don’t know why the infighting has to be the storyline of all the Survivor Series teams.
• James Ellsworth got a monster pop from the international crowd when he tagged into the match, didn’t help to keep him from eating the pin from Bray Wyatt as The Family took the victory in the six-man tag.

It wasn’t a terrible show, there was just an awful lot of build to Alexa-Becky for them to be mid-show.  I’d probably give it a B-, but with the Shane McMahon announcement, I’m bumping it straight up to a B+.  And on down the Road to Survivor Series we go.  See you next week for the incredibly anticipated 900th episode celebration.