SmackDownLIVE - Official Thread - 8.23.16 - TWO new titles to debut tonight!
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Per GM <a href="https://twitter.com/WWEDanielBryan">@WWEDanielBryan</a>, two NEW championships will be introduced to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDLive?src=hash">#SDLive</a> TONIGHT! <a href="https://t.co/oJ896WXeXb">https://t.co/oJ896WXeXb</a> <a href="https://t.co/oIaNShdC3a">pic.twitter.com/oIaNShdC3a</a></p>&mdash; WWE (@WWE) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWE/status/768192918305792000">August 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
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SmackDown Live Preview : Quick Hits

What will two new championships for the New Era mean for SmackDown Live?
Who is coming after Dean Ambrose’s WWE World Title?
AJ Styles addresses WWE Universe as fans wonder whether Cena has given up
Will Nikki Bella take over?
The Usos just put American Alpha and the Tag Team division on notice

Tag and woman's. They can't be stupid names though. Daniel Bryan insulted the Universal name.

Should just be World Womens Championship and World Tag Team Championshipseries. Hoping New Day gets awarded new Universal Tag Team Championships soon for their historic run.

It wouldn't make sense for the belts to be Universal. Or look like shit.

I'm curious to see who becomes the first Women's World Champion. Or Women's Wrestling Champion. Or whatever they call it. My heart cries for it to be Becky Lynch, but I think her nugget is being the first woman drafted to SmackDown. My bet is that Natalya, Nikki or Alexa gets it.

can't handle twitter comments that think it's the cruiserweight belt...smh

Can someone tell me who is in next weeks fatal 4way for the title on Raw. I dont feel like downloading and i missed it. Thanks

I would love it if it is a Cruiserweight Title.

Big Cass vs Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins vs Kevin Owens

That title and division is EXCLUSIVE to RAW

Oh wow Big Cass! Nice.. that would be cool as shit if he somehow won.

Yeah, I think that's shitty.

Would be a cool twist like SD beat Raw to the punch and has already signed some guys and have a title but not likely to happen.

That's exactly it. :y:

You can't just throw 15 guys out there on RAW and expect them to get over either. Plus, you've got other cruiserweights on RAW currently that would demand some time with the belt. Spreading the cruisers out is going to give more of them a chance to get over. And it creates a fun little way to open SmackDown, which has had some trouble getting that flow going.

The Women's Title is going to be the same as the RAW one but blue.

SmackDown is one woman short of a tournament.

That's if you don't count Eva Marie.

Billie Kay's SmackDown appearance was brought up at Takeover. Is it possible she gets a first round call-up?

Nikki Bella feels likely. Not even in a "LOL CENA'S GIRLFRIEND WINS" way either...I just think they'll ride the momentum of her recent return.

Meanwhile with the Tag Team Titles, I feel like American Alpha WON'T win them right away. They've been propped ahead of all of the other teams in the division that it would almost feel too obvious.

But who would win them then? Certainly The Vaudevillians (as much as I love them), The Ascension, and The Hype Bros aren't ready.

The Usos are a steady fallback and I expect them to have some killer matches with Alpha, but it might make The Usos heel and it'd really throw off the balance of the divison.

Darkhorse candidate: Breezango. Good workers who should also be able to have a great showing against Alpha before dropping the belts to them and moving on to The Usos. It'd also be nice to give Johnny Curtis some sort of title reign for his years of service. The guy's been with WWE for a fucking decade.

Got a feeling you're right. They've got six active women -- my guess is that they do qualifying matches for a Triple Threat to crown the new Women's Champion at Backlash -- just like the first RAW Women's Champion was crowned in the Triple Threat. Becky's trivia will be that she was the first woman drafted to SmackDown and was in both matches, but Nikki will get the belt.

I like Breezango and they've been trying with them, but they don't quite feel "serious enough" to be given that shot. I imagine the finals of a tag tournament are going to come down to The Usos and American Alpha. It might seem wad-blowing to put the belts on Alpha, but I have a feeling that they will do that and then have The Wyatts or The Revival attack them to set up an immediate feud for them.

I guess they could go with The Usos or even Harper & Rowan right off the bat to give the belts some "veteran" exposure, but part of Alpha's charm is that they can't be stopped. To stop them would be to piss on them a little bit. Have their sympathetic moments happen outside the ring.

Message from me to all of you...


<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/DrJonoSuave">@DrJonoSuave</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Ciaran_HEEL">@Ciaran_HEEL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MtlBroski">@MtlBroski</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Laurie_HEEL">@Laurie_HEEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/f3IzKneEde">pic.twitter.com/f3IzKneEde</a></p>&mdash; Kenton Lane (@TheKentonLane) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheKentonLane/status/768230890661044224">August 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
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(someone wanted to know what my voice sounded like on twitter...not recording that b/c I am a total loser...)

Very slick voice, slik.

I would kinda be funny/cool if Daniel Bryan started the cruiserweight division on Smackdown as a big "fuck you" to Raw.

The more I think about it, the more I like it.

Can't say I'd mind that at all.

Alpha/Usos
Alpha/Wyatts
Alpha/Revival

Some really great options here. I do kinda worry that they'll wind up sticking The Revival on Raw for some reason and whilst they're good enough to thrive wherever they wind up I just don't see as many intriguing feud options on the red brand.

Make SmackDown's pool of talent smaller and more concentrated. You've already got Kalisto. Bryan sneaks in Zack Sabre, Jr. because of his technical ability. Bryan is the guy to get that over. Rich Swann comes in because of his heart and back story. Brian Kendrick comes in because he's friends with Bryan, and is the savvy veteran trying to get one last shot at glory. Drew Gulak could come in and be all "I'm the better technician, Zack" and there you have a feud. Mustafa Ali can come in due to his impressive showing the CWC, while Ariya Daivari incites race hate on the other brand. Kota Ibushi wins the CWC and becomes the hottest free agent 205lbs or under, but neither Bryan nor Foley can sign him (explaining his absence).

It basically writes itself. One of WrestleMania's Kickoff matches is a RAW vs. SmackDown cruiserweight cascade. Then you've also got the two title matches as "wake up" bouts due to the show being so long.

Here live. Chime in when I can.

I definitely want The Revival on SmackDown. That chemistry between them and Alpha should be exploited. They're too similar a team to Gallows & Anderson too. I could see the same arguments being said about them and The Wyatts, but I think the Wyatts have more of a "monster" thing going on.

When you run Alpha vs. The Wyatts, you can also have The Usos in there as bumpers. The Wyatts vs. The Usos is definitely worthy of headlining a SmackDown main event.

Roster in the ring.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is the brand with a champion who isn't injured <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReasonsToWatchSmackDown?src=hash">#ReasonsToWatchSmackDown</a></p>&mdash; WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWECreative_ish/status/768094843738394624">August 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">See what's left of <a href="https://twitter.com/RandyOrton">@RandyOrton</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReasonsToWatchSmackDown?src=hash">#ReasonsToWatchSmackDown</a></p>&mdash; WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWECreative_ish/status/768117130126618624">August 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Ziggler call him an asshole?

Going to laugh if another impromptu battle royale happens tonight with the roster in the ring to start the show.

ERIC ROWAN SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THAT SCENE

I lol'd at Rowan hanging out backstage

Is this the same set as RAW? Looks better for some reason...

Those belts look much better

Everytime I see DB I feel horrible because you know he wants to be wrestling its like they are rubbing it in.

That belt actually looks good

YYEEEESSSSS

Tag belts design still looks dumb but using silver makes them look way better than RAW's tag belts.

Heath Slater for WWE Champion

1st BACKLASH match announced

SLATER FOR GALATIC CHAMPION

Heath Slater & Owen White... Smackdown Tag Team Champions :y:

Slater baby!

Also tag belts look really good

and by that I mean they don't look like giant copper pennies

:( AJ not a fan of helping Slater out. Ziggler being just as bad by blatantly ignoring Slater to pummel Styles.

Slater is like my 2nd fav thing in the WWE now

I wish they'd get some new designs for the belts. They don't look terrible, just uninspired.

Slater and Hawkins baby

This is already better than RAW tbh

Ladies up.

Well, if this does become an 8 team tournament then the door is open for a Revival call up. Or Wyatt/Rowan (Harper/Rowan if Harper is nearly ready to return).

Slater is tremendous and is making the most of this opportunity. He legitimately almost cracked up Daniel Bryan then.

I can't see Heath Slater and his partner winning the belts. I imagine his partner will walk out on him, which makes people want to see Slater get some ANGRY VENGEANCE.

Oh god, Becky and Alexa in the ring together.

Brb, lubing up.

What is a 6 pack challenge

1 v 1 v 1 v 1 v 1 v 1 match. First pin or submission wins.

On SD I can watch w/o fear of spotting the dreaded JeriCrack

Triple H won his 2nd WWF/E championship at Unforgiven '99 in a 6 pack challenge match after Vince won the title and then vacated it.

One fall to a finish. Two wrestlers in the ring, the others each take a corner and you can tag in and out of the match.

The logic problem with the match is that you can only win if you're a legal participant. So it makes no sense to ever tag out, unless you're confident you can force a tag late.

Would have preferred a Championship Scramble over a 6-pack challenge, to be honest. But it should be good.

As happy as Becky/Alexa makes my penis, Becky/Taeler Hendrix would send me into overdrive.

Bliss is short in person.

Becky Lynch's new ring gear. :eek:

That was actually pretty nifty. Nothing outstanding, but not everything has to be. The right girl went over.

I've got the odd feeling that Slater's tag team partner is going to be Kane.

Let's see if my pre-SummerSlam prediction happens: AJ Styles beats Dolph Ziggler and then Bray attacks Dolph.

Fun start to the show so far.

I mean if you are getting your ass beat and can push them off you for a second.

Here's the fun thing about the tag team tournament.

Some team other than American Alpha has to pick up a win for the first time in 30 years.

UCE! NO!

Maybe if the Usos weren't in it already.

should be these belts...

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/...20150224114048

Ascension putting in work

Otunga responding to JBL's suggestion that his wife speak with Miz for acting tips is the first time he's shown personality at the desk.

JBL stop mentioning the champion-less competition

camera work seems horrible tonight

making me want to freaking "hurl"

is the main camera out or something, why are they using that weird ass angle

really sick right now... everything spinning... can't handle unorthodox camera work...

Aww and I missed it :(

What they mean is that they'll be speaking to Ortons widow

Chrisley Knows Best commercial making the room spin more

Just started SD and I can't believe that they just copied those ugly tag team championshipseries. Dumb and not to creative at all.

You know what would bring stability to your life and this forum?

Banning Heyman.

Hope AJ makes fun of Cena for not being a man of his word. Cena promised if he lost, he'd be in the ring the next show to claim Styles is the better man or whatever the promise was about.

JAMIE NOBLE!

Already looking forward to the main event

Should have been if Ziggy wins, AJ is out as #1 contender.

Right now Styles is guaranteed to be in the match regardless what happens tonight just with or without an extra guy involved.

Hawkins and Slater for tag champs

Looking forward to these Curt Hawkins vignettes leading to him jobbing on Superstars.

I love Curt Hawkins but these "Fact" vignettes are so corny.

If there's any humor in it, it's knowing that Chuck Norris Facts were popular like 10 years ago, so that's very likely why Vince is only just now hearing about them.

Prediction for women's matches at WrestleMania:

* Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley for the RAW Title
* Nikki Bella vs. Becky Lynch for the SmackDown Title

I'm actually wondering if Ziggler gets into the main event of Backlash now. I kind of think that would be shit, because it means that the Backlash main event is going to be Ambrose vs. two guys that have lost recently.

Palette swaps were cool in Mortal Kombat like twenty years ago, but Vince is still using that for his belt designs.

Former Patriots Cheerleader. Carmella.

Glad to have Nikki's butt back on TV.

Interesting character turn.

Oooh, Carmella heel turn outta nowhere. Didn't actually see that one coming.