3 Interesting observations from WWE SmackDown (January 17, 2020)
From 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt being tricked by a returning Team Hell No to Roman Reigns defeating Robert Roode in an exhilarating Tables match, this week's episode of Friday Night SmackDown featured several exciting moments.
The Blue brand has been firing on all cylinders recently, and last night's episode was entertaining from start-to-finish. It also featured the best opening to any pro wrestling episode in 2020 so far, wherein 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt retreated against Kane & Daniel Bryan through a well-laid trap.
On top of that, John Morrison's charismatic return to in-ring action in WWE, as well as Otis and Mandy Rose's ongoing saga, kept viewers hooked till the episode's triumphant ending featuring Reigns.
Here are a few interesting observations from this week's episode of WWE SmackDown:
#3: A Strap Match between Daniel Bryan and 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt is as idiosyncratic as their entire feud so far
Kane's return opened this week's episode of SmackDown. The Big Red Machine talked about his exceeding achievements inside the ring during Royal Rumble matches, and a Firefly Fun House promo interrupted him right away.
But before The Fiend could lay another beating to The Devil's Favorite Demon, Daniel Bryan knocked the Universal Champion down in what can be best described as a very well-laid trap by the former Tag Team Champions.
Team Hell No's reunion wasn't the biggest takeaway from this angle though, as Bryan later challenged Bray Wyatt's alter-ego to a Strap Match.
A Strap Match is a very unusual idea in this case since one can't help but wonder how Bryan would be able to contain Wyatt's evil entity inside the ring.
This traditional match isn't particularly known to excite the fans right away, but both performers - Bryan and Wyatt - can put on a very intriguing contest at one of the biggest shows of the year.
The Fiend can escape anywhere he wants to, but a Strap Match indicates that Daniel Bryan will also be dragged off to wherever his opponent wants to go. And that can lead to some very interesting scenarios during the Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View.
#2: Roman Reigns may finally have a Rumble moment where the fans are behind him
If you have been following WWE throughout the last decade, one of the most recurring Road To WrestleMania moments featured fans retaliating against Roman Reigns to a greater extent from Royal Rumble to the Grandest Stage of Them All.
But things have changed a lot since then. People have accepted Reigns as one of the biggest babyfaces of the company after his successful battle with leukemia. The Big Dog's support was evident during last night's episode, wherein the fans were positively receptive to the main event that featured Robert Roode and Reigns as opponents in a Tables match.
Several interferences and a Roman Reigns victory later, King Corbin lost his temper when his arch-nemesis added a Falls Count Anywhere stipulation to their singles match at Royal Rumble.
Falls Count Anywhere matches lead to a lot of possibilities. It could definitely create a misdirection wherein Reigns ends up being 'injured' for the 30-Man Royal Rumble match later.
Of course, this ploy is designed to create more sympathy for Reigns, who might finally overcome his prior injuries to win a Rumble match where fans are actually behind him this time around.
#1: The Otis-Mandy storyline has two definite endings at this point
It looked like Sonya Deville and Otis would be on the same page for once during last night's episode of SmackDown.
Deville wanted Heavy Machinery (Otis & Tucker) in Fire & Desire's corner to recreate last week's unusual victory scenario this week as well.
But as fate would have it, the same tactic backfired last night as Rose 'accidentally' fell in Otis' meaty arms, meaning Alexa Bliss would pick up the victory against a distracted Sonya Deville this time around.
After all that has happened up to this point, it looks like this storyline can end in two possible ways. Rose could turn into a full-fledged babyface and finally align herself with Otis in the longer run.
On the other hand, I mentioned last week how Rose is simultaneously portraying a heel and a babyface at the same time, and her alliance with Deville could result in her turning on Otis towards the end.
Whatever the case may be, WWE is surely milking this storyline to its full extent, and somehow, this version of a cheesy lovefest is way more pleasing than Bobby Lashley and Lana's antics over on Monday Night RAW.