10 Thoughts on WWE Smackdown! 12.16.11 — TLC, Randy Orton, Zack Ryder

Reviews, Shows, Top Story, TV Shows

Who’s ready for some TLC? I know I am! One of my favorite PPV concepts (excluding that damn Chair Match nonsense…), and the card looks pretty decent!

1. I have to wonder. Were announcers always involved this much? I feel like 2011 is the Year of the Commentators. With Lawler, Cole, and now Booker, it just feels like too much. At first it’s a shocking little angle, but now it’s just overdone.

2. Cody Rhodes and Daniel Bryan…wow! I was surprised by how enthralling this match was. And nothing outrageous happened, so why was it so good? I’m not sure. But I liked it.

3. It seems impossible to still be surprised every time a Diva’s match is approximately twelve seconds long and embarrassing, but it always happens. For once, Alicia Fox looked sober and I could have watched for a bit longer. But of course, it ends in a damn rollup. But I can’t complain, I suppose.

4. Okay, I’ve been absent from Smackdown for a few weeks, so I can’t believe I forgot, but how amazing is it to hear Lilian’s voice again? Instant smile.

5. It’s nice to see Primo on TV. I was one of the eight people in the world who actually kind of liked him, especially when he was always on Superstars. And Epico impressed me from his first appearance. So to see a real tag team taking on another real tag team was delightful.

6. I am so sick of Big Show, and completely done with Henry. Feel free to leave comments about how I’m wrong/stupid/just a girl/crazy, but I’m so over it. I will say that Show’s match wasn’t bad at all. I liked the rises and falls. But they’ve exhausted me. This feud needs to end like, yesterday.

7. This whole DiBiase Posse thing is great! I like that it really connects the WWE to the fans, even if it is only in a small way. The fans seem to be a means of measuring success, rather than the fuel that keeps it going, so I like that they can really connect. Wrestling needs more of that.

8. I’ve been a fan of Sheamus since the start. I’ve loved watching most of what he’s done. And it’s awesome to see him really capture the whole main event status. Which is why it’s a bit confusing to see him squaring off with midcarders who are about a week away from being future endeavored. This week, it was Jinder. Nothing against him, or the matches, but I just feel like he’s in that gray area right now, and needs to settle on something concrete.

9. Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler seemed to really click during the tag team main event. I’m not sure what it was, but they stole focus completely. That’s not to discredit Ryder and Barrett, two others I adore. But it was great. I like that it’s going to be Randy Orton against Wade Barrett, and Dolph Ziggler against Zack Ryder at TLC. These are two matches that sound a little strange on paper, but will probably tear the roof off.

10. I left out my predictions for the TLC Rasslin’ Roundtable because the Christmas shopping, overload of hours at work, out of town guests, and passing of a family friend has drained me. So, here are my choices! The predicted winners are in red.

World Heavyweight Championship Chairs Match
Mark Henry vs Big Show

WWE Championship TLC Triple Threat Match
CM Punk vs Alberto del Rio vs The Miz

United States Championship
Dolph Ziggler vs Zack Ryder

Intercontinental Championship
Cody Rhodes vs Booker T

Sledgehammer Ladder Match
Triple H vs Kevin Nash

Table Match
Randy Orton vs Wade Barrett

Of course I’ll be at my favorite bar, hammered while watching it. Be sure to check my Twitter account (@pulsekelly) for the ridiculous Tweets…

Kelly has been with Inside Pulse since 6/2010, beginning with just her 10 Thoughts on WWE Superstars column. Now she brings you her 10 Thoughts on Smackdown weekly, and constructs the Rasslin' Roundtables for PPV's. In her spare time, she works with indy fed, Future Stars of Wrestling - AZ, wrangles children for her day job, and is generally and exceptionally awesome.