SmackDown In A Nutshell: Getting Ready To Rumble

It’s the end of our week, which for a wrestling fan means one thing. It’s time for SmackDown, and for us, it’s time for another SmackDown In A Nutshell. This week moves us another week closer to the January PPV-that means we are all getting ready to Rumble. What else to expect from this SmackDown In A Nutshell? Well, with the Rumble in mind, we should get an idea on a few more matches, outside of the main event battle royals. There has to be more hype for Fiend-Daniel Bryant. Let us also not forget, John Morrison is set to return to in ring action this week. In other words, it’s a pretty big SmackDown In A Nutshell…so without any further delays…let’s crack open this Nutshell!

Best Match of the night:

Some good action tonight. The highlight match was the main event, as Reigns and Roode did fine. Honorable mention to John Morrison’s blue brand return.

Segment-wise, it would be hard to hate on Kane, Daniel Bryan and The Fiend.

Worst match of the night:

Honestly, I don’t even feel like ripping on a match tonight.

Star of the Night

For getting the win, I’d say Roman Reigns.

For getting one past The Fiend, I’d say Kane and Daniel Bryan.

Spot of the Night:

WWE isn’t wrong with this tweet…

We missed seeing STARSHIP PAIN ??#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Y5bAFu95p8

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 18, 2020

.@WWEUsos hit a double Frog Splash to Ziggler through the announcers table #SmackDown #TablesMatch pic.twitter.com/a3BHIXRLIQ

— BeyondThe3Count (@BeyondThe3Count) January 18, 2020

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

This one had to be the Kane/Fiend angle. Nice to see the interaction, and impressed to see someone finally get one over on The Fiend. Also did not expect a strap match to happen, but that stipulation should make an interesting match even more compelling.

LOL Moment of the night:

.@otiswwe just saved @WWE_MandyRose from CERTAIN DOOM!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/DMRzMjD0Zg

— WWE (@WWE) January 18, 2020

Noteworthy Moment:

Tonight was all about the Rumble. We saw a few matches become official.

Bayley will defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Lacey Evans.

Shorty G will seek revenge against Sheamus.

And two big matches got themselves some stipulations.

.@WWERomanReigns has made his choice.

He wants King @BaronCorbinWWE in a FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE Match at #RoyalRumble! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/cbqwNtGgPO

— WWE (@WWE) January 18, 2020

Daniel Bryan and The Fiend’s match became a strap match, but not before we saw this play out..

Were @KaneWWE & @WWEDanielBryan going to let #TheFiend @WWEBrayWyatt escape with the upper hand?

Oh, HELL NO. #SmackDown #RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/V1Tz0LaXJp

— WWE (@WWE) January 18, 2020

Overall lowlights:

I really only have one complaint, and it’s the choice of a falls count anywhere stipulation for the Reigns/Corbin match. I could count several better options. Heck, Reigns didn’t even tease a match where the crown would be on the line (though maybe they save that for ‘Mania, assuming Roman does not win the Rumble?)

Overall highlights:

Lots to like from this week’s show.

Bryan/Fiend/Kane was fun.

Elias was excellent.

Otis and Mandy!

The Return of John Morrison.

The list goes on and on. A good SmackDown leads to a great SmackDown In A Nutshell.

After the final bell:

When I heard that the winner of the main event would set the stipulation for the Reigns/Corbin bout, I was immediately curious. Reigns won, and went with a…falls count anywhere option. Not the first choice I had, especially when he started by mentioning baseball. I honestly thought something baseball bat related.

I was hoping for more than a #FallsCountAnywhere match between Roman Reigns and King Corbin at the #RoyalRumble but maybe they will surprise me. Could be cool to see a fight in the dugout or something we have never seen since they don’t have ballpark PPV too often #SmackDown #WWE

— Cole’d Talk (@coledtalk) January 18, 2020