Here are my Smackdown Thoughts, Facts, & Stats:
Again, I like the big fight feel of everyone entering the building.
Good video on the Women's Chamber Match.
Liv Morgan VS Tiffany Stratton was alright. The finish was a little stupid with Bianca Belair. FACTS: This was Liv Morgan's 1st Smackdown match & opener of 2024, her 1st Smackdown match since she & Raquel Rodriguez defeated Damage CTRL on May 12, 2023 & 1st 1-on-1 Match on Smackdown since she lost to Rhea Ripley on March 3, 2023. This was Tiffany Stratton's 2nd week in a row on Smackdown & her 1st Smackdown opener.
Solid promo by Drew McIntyre. Good exchange with Bobby Lashley. I like Lashley bringing up Mania 37.
OK segment with Ashante Adonis & Cedric Alexander to introduce them as a Tag Team. I can't wait to see them in action.
Interesting segment with The Bloodline.
Good look at everyone in Australia.
Damn, such disrespect for Dante Chen. He's an incredible wrestler making history as the 1st Singapore wrestler to be on Smackdown & he doesn't get an introduction. He did make Bron Breakker look good and at least it wasn't a local wrestler that we won't see again. FACTS: This was Bron Breakker's Smackdown debut, making him the 1st Steiner to wrestle on Smackdown, 1st 1-on-1 Match since he defeated Nathan Frazer on NXT on December 26, 2023, & 1st on the main roster since he defeated Akira Tozawa on Main Event on February 16, 2023. This was Dante Chen's Smackdown debut, making him the 1st Singapore-born wrestler to wrestle on Smackdown & his 1st match on the main roster since he lost to Akira Tozawa on Main Event on February 15. This was the 1st time he wrestled a 2nd Generation wrestler since he lost to Brooks Jensen on Level Up on February 2.
OK promo by The Judgment Day.
Good segment with The LWO & Elektra Lopez & attack by Legado Del Fantasma.
Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne VS The Judgment Day was an awesome match. If they win tomorrow, Bate will be the only man to hold the Raw, Smackdown, NXT & NXT UK Tag Titles & they will be the 1st British team to hold both Championships. FACTS: This was Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne's 1st Smackdown since February 9. This was Dominik Mysterio's 2nd week in a row on Smackdown, making it the 1st time since he defeated Santos Escobar on March 3, 2023 & The Judgment Day defeated The LWO on March 10, 2023 that he wrestled 2 weeks in a row on Smackdown. This was JD McDonagh's Smackdown debut. They are the 1st wrestlers since #DIY on February 5 & 9 to wrestle on Raw & Smackdown in the same week.
Good post-match stuff with The Judgment Day, but Bate & Dunne escaped.
Good video on the Men's Chamber.
Hilarious segment with Logan Paul, Austin Theory, Grayson Waller, Kevin Owens, & Paul Heyman.
What happened to Dakota Kai?
I just realized they didn't say where they are tonight. I guess they don't want people to know that this was taped last week.
Despite my issues with AOP, The Street Profits VS AOP was a fun match. I love all of the chaos. I hope Bobby Lashley's arm will be OK for Chamber. FACTS: This was Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford's 1st Smackdown of 2024 & their 1st Smackdown since they lost to The Judgment Day on November 24, 2023. This was AOP's 2nd week in a row on Smackdown, making it the 1st time since they lost to Bobby Roode & Chad Gable & then defeated Roode & Gable on November 19, 2018 & November 26, 2018 on Raw that AOP wrestled 2 weeks in a row. This will be the 3rd 2-on-2 Tag Team Match between them after NXT on January 17, 2018 & March 28, 2018, which were both won by AOP.
Interesting conversation with Bayley & Dakota Kai. I think Dakota Kai is setting Bayley up. She has history of turning her back on her partners.
BTW, it's crazy that the Chamber almost didn't get to Australia because of pirates. They should bring back Paul Burchill or Jean-Pierre Lafitte to play off it.
Interesting. What will Roman Reigns tell Grayson Waller to do with Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins tomorrow.
Next week's Smackdown looks great. Dakota Kai back in action with Bayley VS The Kabuki Warriors and Carlito VS Santos Escobar in a Street Fight.
Looks like Bobby Lashley is OK.
LA Knight VS Drew McIntyre was a great match. I figured it would end in a cluster with a brawl with the rest of the Chamber Match Participants getting involved. BTW, Owens was hilarious was commentary. FACTS: This was LA Knight's 1st Smackdown match & main event since January 26 & the 1st time he wrestled a Scottish wrestler in his Career. This was Drew McIntyre's 1st Smackdown since February 9 & 1st Smackdown main event of 2024. McIntyre was the 3rd wrestler to wrestle on Raw & Smackdown in the same week tonight. This was the 6th No Contest of 2024, the 1st since Raw on January 22, & 1st on Smackdown since January 19.
Here are my Smackdown Match Rankings:
1) Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne VS The Judgment Day
2) LA Knight VS Drew McIntyre
3) The Street Profits VS AOP
4) Bron Breakker VS Dante Chen
5) Liv Morgan VS Tiffany Stratton
EXIT 8 on the Road to WrestleMania: Smackdown in Salt Lake City, UT again. It was a solid show for the last minute build for Elimination Chamber with great matches.
EXiT 9: Elimination Chamber in Perth, Australia
Ends Smackdown Thoughts, Facts & Stats, for all of the Chamber W/L Records, Facts, & Stats for tomorrow's show, check out
darrenswinloss.wordpress.com/2024/02/23/2k24ec/ It's time for Blue Bloods. I will watch Level Up tomorrow after Elimination Chamber on Hulu.
Since I won't be up to watch Elimination Chamber, here are my Picks: McIntyre, Lynch, Ripley, Judgment Day, Kabuki Warriors. So, to everyone that is staying up to watch it, enjoy the show. I will be tucked in my nice warm & cozy bed, sleeping, though I sometimes get up at 5 to pee. I will give my thoughts later on after I have breakfast & update my site.