WWE Friday Night Smackdown Thoughts: 1/6/2012

Operation 'make Daniel Bryan very annoying' is in full effect...


Here are some of my thoughts on the show as it happened:

• The intercontinental title match was an awesome opener with a great sequence of counters between Booker T and Cody Rhodes.  Cody picks up the much deserved win and fully cements his status as the man to watch in 2012.
• Drew McIntyre is still Teddydore's bitch.
• Daniel Bryan's new cocky nerd gimmick reminds me of Peter Parker in Spider-Man 3, except in Bryan's case, it doesn't completely suck.  He made me laugh when he sarcastically asked AJ why she was friends with Alicia Fox.
• Hornswoggle vs. Heath Slater.....yeeaahhhhh....so Horny wins in an over-the-top rope challenge and then gets assaulted by Slater.  Justin GAYbriel runs in for the save.  I mean, no offense if that's what your into, but I'm not so sure if he knows he looks this way.
• Hunico being accompanied by Joker from Next Friday, picks up a win over Ted Di-boring-asshole....yeeaaahhhh...cool new pin combo by Hunico though.
• Wade Barrett cuts a decent promo on how Randy Orton's viper days are long behind him until Sheamus interrupts and we have an interesting back and forth between both men.  Sigh, it then gets completely ruined by Jinder Mahal.  Mahal and Barrett jump Sheamus and after hitting the winds of change, Barrett leaves the pieces for Mahal, who then puts Sheamus into the Camel Clutch.  I would give more details but my Hot Pocket provided more interest.
• Santino Marella picks up a win over Drew McIntyre and is now the new assistant GM.  Teddy then informs Drew that next week is going to be his last chance.
• Still a big fan of the tag team resurgence...especially if it means that I get to see more of Rosa Mendes

Yes please =D

• Los Guerreros Jr. defeat Air Boom (cool new tron) after some sneaky tactics and a distraction by Rosa.  The crowd really seems to get behind the division more and more each week.  Don't stop now WWE!
• Big Show cuts a promo and AGAIN gets interrupted by the hilarious Daniel Bryan.  Bryan has let the success of the World title go to his head and I love it!  He claims that if he were given shows size, that he would have an easy path to success and would have never lost the belt in 45 seconds.  Big Show brushes these insults off once again and tries to intimidate Bryan, only for Bryan to deliver the line of the night

Great stuff! I am now very much looking forward to this match!

• Natalya and Tamina battle it out next as a result of Tamina's backstabbing last week.  Solid work and I love Tamina's new tron and theme.  She really has been growing on me lately and I dare say her Superfly splash rivals that of her father's. 

• Awesome package on the Kane-Cena-Ryder segments from this past Monday.
• Onto our Main Event:

Mark Henry was absolutely hysterical at ringside tonight.  Very entertaining shit from a guy who can't even compete, TAKE NOTICE YOUNG BUCKS!  Lots of great storytelling and psychology in the match with Bryan and Big Show.  You really get the feel that it slowly dawns on the cocky champion that Show may be too much for him.  He then baits a grumpy Henry into attacking him, earning him the victory by DQ.  VERY GOOD SHIT! I love the booking of Daniel Bryan these last couple of weeks.  I really feel like we are witnessing something special from the Dragon with his sneaky victory and over-celebration of it.  The people were genuinely pissed at the result to a pretty good match featuring more then a couple of very cool moves by Bryan tonight

Winner: Daniel Bryan by DQ.

Match Rating: 3.5/5

Final thoughts:  A very solid show with some decent action throughout.  Nothing that builds towards any PPVs though, would have liked to see more in that vein.


Overall episode rating: 7.5


What to watch if you DVR'd the episode:  The Daniel Bryan segments and his match with Big Show, the solid tag match for variety and the awesome opener with Cody and Booker T.