WWE Smackdown Live October 11th - Analysing and Grading each segment
After another successful PPV in No Mercy this past Sunday on October 9th, Smackdown Live was focused primarily on the aftermath of the event, in addition to some hints at possible matches for the brand at the upcoming brand-shared PPV Survivor Series.
After their incredible match of the year contender at No Mercy, The Miz and Dolph Ziggler once again clashed in a war of words which then led to a handicap match for Dolph. AJ Styles had a special opponent in mind for him to face, but Dean Ambrose being booked as special guest referee hindered his plans.
These segments and more were the main features throughout the show, as the long build (6 weeks) to Survivor Series begins. So, how well did Smackdown Live handle the aftermath of No Mercy this week? Let’s find out as I Analyse and Grade Each Segment from The October 11th edition of Smackdown Live.
Dolph Ziggler Opens the Show, Dolph Ziggler vs Spirit Squad:
Grade: 8.5/10
After their spectacular match last night, it was a smart decision to capitalise on the hype by having the feud take centre stage to open the show. Ziggler’s promo was less intense than usual, but that was made up for by the gratitude he showed to the fans for their support in his win.
Despite losing his IC Title, Miz was still excellent here, as his heel work is always top notch, and the emotion he has been exuberating in every promo as of late is brilliant. A rematch looks to be in the works for these two, and I don’t see the fans complaining after the incredible quality of the last bouts.
Overall, a splendid opening promo segment that set the stage for the handicap match that would follow it as well as alluding to another anticipated rematch between Miz and Ziggler.
Grade: 7/10
This was a decent, yet short match that was only in place to allow Miz to pounce with a post-match assault. Kenny and Mikey looked good despite not being regulars in the ring for a long time, but the obvious focus of this bout was on Ziggler, who played the role of the sympathetic babyface against the odds to perfection.
Although I expected Miz and Spirit Squad to gain the upper hand this week over Ziggler, the introduction of Rhyno and Heath Slater was a welcome addition to this segment, and a possible match with Spirit Squad would be much better than anything the Ascension or Vaudevillians could produce with Beauty and the Man Beast.