WWE: Smackdown Live 27: We don't deserve anything!

[Dr Pepper]

Yeah I'm not sure what to make of the NXT call-ups.....like they're just in town to tour Raw and Smackdown before heading back down? Or are they sticking around? If it's the former, I guess that just means Vince/HHH/Creative didn't have anything for Rusev, or Nakamura, or Tye Dillinger (lol), or countless other talent that were AWOL this week, PPV included.

Zero storylines booked, might as well fill the airtime with some random NXT squash matches. That's all they were, really, just exhibitions with no storyline.

"Oh cool, here's Aleister Black vs Elias for no reason whatsoever. Ricochet? Let's see, what can we do with him? Oh, I know, what's SAnitY up to lately? Let's just use one of them while the other two just stand around outside the ring. That's great storytelling, no?"

 

[xtra]

Daniel Bryan has to beat kofi via interference from Rowan correct?

There’s no time to set up another DB mania feud and that allows the wwe to put a stipulation on for a WrestleMania match regarding interference and still give kofi a WrestleMania moment right?

 

[GarbageGoal]

Watching SD as we speak. Asuka really lighting the world on fire.

 

[GarbageGoal]

So, here's my take on what's going on with Kofi...

Obviously, he wasn't planned to be in the position he's in right now. Ali was supposed to be in the chamber match and bad luck for him to get hurt. The crowd is eating up Kofi right now which is cool.

I'm not a fan of the random throwing-in of a wrestler into a storyline and them taking it over. It's not like Kofi isn't a good wrestler...he's been a dependable worker in that company for a long time. I loved his feud with Orton many years ago. I thought Air Bourne was a fun tag team...and obviously, New Day is a lot of fun.

Considering who is on this roster right now...I wouldn't have pictured Kofi being talked up as an opponent for one of the main titles at WrestleMania. Big E has been the guy who should be the breakout singles star in that group. You see how irrelevant guys like Nakamura and Rusev have become recently and hell, the US title has become irrelevant. You have Owens and Zayn returning soon. Again, it just seems so random to throw Kofi into this big angle in such a short time ahead of Mania. Are they actually booking this because the fans are reacting to Kofi?

I think what messes with me is that Kofi wasn't intended to be in this spot...or at least that's what we hear. I think he's been very good in this position but then you think why haven't they booked him like this sooner? I guess I shouldn't overthink this is and just enjoy it. I just wouldn't have pictured him being the new darling of the fans in just a matter of 10 days. If you told me last summer or fall that Kofi vs. Bryan was the Mania match for the WWE title...I would've probably laughed in your face.

I like Kofi and I'm happy for him, it just feels so random. I'm not against what they've been doing but I guess I'm just not washed away in this groundswell of support.

Kofi, similar to Becky but moreso due to longevity, has always been over and completely undervalued as simply a "good hand" (like Christian was too). They are so desperate to find organic people who are over at a time when the product is not cool that they put him in a position to succeed and are actually shocked that people still care about the guy, even as basically the third wheel of New Day. It shows how completely clueless they are to the viability of their own talent. Like Vince McMahon woke up and finally realized people like Kofi Kingston, a guy who has a ridiculously cool move set and an upbeat babyface personality. And we gotta listen to Triple H, the supposed genius, pontificate like he just discovered it too about guys "stepping up", when we know he's exactly the type who probably thinks Kofi is nothing more than a "flippy dippy" spot freak and likely never advocated for him after his buddy Orton trashed the guy years ago.

Whatever. I'm all for Kofi's push.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Vince thinks most of the roster is damaged beyond repair but it literally took the first chance Kofi had to grab the brass ring so to speak and catch lightning in a bottle again. Now he’s getting “KOFI” chants whenever he’s on screen, or at the mere mention of his name — even f***ing Lafayette chanted it to HHH in the opening.

to a lesser degree, WWE may be setting themselves up to have another Daniel Bryan run, this time with Kofi. I say lesser degree because no one is hijacking shows for Kofi or Becky, but Kofi is stupid over right now and if Bryan doesn’t win clean at Fastlane and Kofi is screwed and then Owens or Wyatt is in that spot, I’m not completely confident fans would accept it. A lot of people seem to be organically on board with Kofi in the WM spot.

 

[GKJ]

I think the difference is that the belt right now is on someone the crowd doesn't actively hate.

 

[Cor]

Eh, if KO or Bray return to confront Bryan after Bryan beats Kofi, I don't think the crowd would reject it.

I've been loving the KO promo things.

 

[BladesofSteel21]

They don’t even pay attention to the small details.

Watch the Charlotte locker room interview, the green backpack directly behind them belongs to the “suspended” Becky Lynch.

 

[Jussi]

They don’t even pay attention to the small details.

Watch the Charlotte locker room interview, the green backpack directly behind them belongs to the “suspended” Becky Lynch.

How do you know that...?

 

[BladesofSteel21]

How do you know that...?

Someone on twitter pointed it out with several pics of Becky with the exact same pack bag, including 1 from the rumble. Could be a coincidence, but doubtful.

Their still irl best friends, so no surprise there lockeroom pals.

 

[Dr Pepper]

They don’t even pay attention to the small details.

Watch the Charlotte locker room interview, the green backpack directly behind them belongs to the “suspended” Becky Lynch.

Well seeing as how she's still getting her shots in during this "suspension", I don't think Vince cares a whole lot about the "small details".

Kayfabe suspensions are the most lax of all the suspensions.

 

[GKJ]

When it comes to Kofi, and it worked with Seth, at least they know they have a vehicle they can go to if they're needed to at least make someone serious if it's worked well they go over other strong people. If I were them, it's something I'd change into at Wrestlemania and do a DQ finish at Fastlane, and then switch to some kind of stipulation for the Wrestlemania match. They have someone hot and organic during a time where we now know they're desperate to make somebody into a star player. There's something about when everyone knows someone is busting their ass for an hour.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

If he’s not winning the title put MITB on him.

 

[GKJ]

You could do that, but that's a risk that he won't be as hot not only when he wins it, but also cashes in.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

You could do that, but that's a risk that he won't be as hot not only when he wins it, but also cashes in.

Which is why I’d have him win the title at WM and hold it until after the Saudi Arabia show since Daniel is never going to go to that.

WWE really needs to just run with Kofi here. They gave Mark Henry a “thank you” legacy run for all his work. Kofi should get that 100%.

 

[GKJ]

The irony of it is that if Kofi wins he's going to have to hold up that hemp title belt. If you're Vince, you'd probably want someone you're not that invested in with that visual - either someone whose won it a bunch of times, or someone like this who you weren't planning on.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

The irony of it is that if Kofi wins he's going to have to hold up that hemp title belt. If you're Vince, you'd probably want someone you're not that invested in with that visual - either someone whose won it a bunch of times, or someone like this who you weren't planning on.

I fully expect when Bryan actually loses it they’ll be bringing in a blue WWE Title like the red Raw belt. In the meantime though, even for a month after the SA show, I don’t know why he couldn’t carry a replica leather WWE Title.

 

[TD Charlie]

When it comes to Kofi, and it worked with Seth, at least they know they have a vehicle they can go to if they're needed to at least make someone serious if it's worked well they go over other strong people. If I were them, it's something I'd change into at Wrestlemania and do a DQ finish at Fastlane, and then switch to some kind of stipulation for the Wrestlemania match. They have someone hot and organic during a time where we now know they're desperate to make somebody into a star player. There's something about when everyone knows someone is busting their ass for an hour.

They have lightning in a bottle with Kofi, but there’s no guarantee it lasts much longer than these few short weeks. If they really want to make a splash he’s gotta go over at Fast Lane or Mania.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I fully expect when Bryan actually loses it they’ll be bringing in a blue WWE Title like the red Raw belt. In the meantime though, even for a month after the SA show, I don’t know why he couldn’t carry a replica leather WWE Title.

Point being is the night of his win he has to celebrate with the hemp belt, and they might not want the immortal image of someone’s Mania moment to feature that.

Not that it matters. They have to get dragged kicking and screaming to go with what is actually white hot at any given time, and if they do it is months later when the heat has died down.

Kofi will look awesome at Fastlane, but come up short and get shuffled into whatever New Day will do at Mania.

 

[TD Charlie]

Never thought about the hemp belt being lifted by someone else. That puts a wrinkle into things i suppose.

If kofi is going over, and i don’t think he is, they could always have Woods and E come running out as soon as the match ends. They’re each holding black trash bags (Bryan’s trash) full of various organic food waste or something that would be embarrassing for Bryan. They empty the contents in the ring and in the second bag is the real title belt.

It’s just about the perfect New Day thing the New Day could ever do, and gives Kofi a moment for the archives.

 

[BonMorrison]

Kofi isn't winning or is gonna be in the Mania match, ya'll. We need to let it go.

As pointed out earlier, WWE barely ever has rematches of shows immediately prior at Mania.

 

[TD Charlie]

Kofi isn't winning or is gonna be in the Mania match, ya'll. We need to let it go.

As pointed out earlier, WWE barely ever has rematches of shows immediately prior at Mania.

This makes me sad because it’s true.

 

[offkilter]

You could always book it like this...

Kofi wins at fastlane goes to raise his hand with the hemp belt in celebration and Bryan snatches the belt like Gollum and runs off with it. The next Smackdown Bryan opens the show with his hemp belt stating he is the only one qualified to be the enviroments champion.

New Day confronts him and says they care about the enviroment too and did some recycling of their own before revealing the old "symbol of excess" championship belt they dug out of the trash and cleaned up. Bryan loses his mind at seeing Daisy again and challenges Kofi to a belt vs belt match for the Smackdown championship at Wrestlemania.

 

[Disclose]

we ran out of ideas: Black and Ricochet vs Nakamura and Rusev... next week.

and Cesaro vs Johnny Wrestling (i know this isnt Take OVer but. damn. should be good.)

 

[M.C.G. 31]

It’s Smackdown so it’ll be good enough.