On Episode 146, we connect some dots as we gear up for Survivor Series and NXT Takeover: Toronto this weekend by reviewing some recent episodes of Smackdown Live and NXT. Plus, we see the return of our Diamonds In The Rough segment.
We begin as Dave (with some help from his lovely wife) reviews Smackdown Live from November 1 and 8. On the November 1 episode, Dean Ambrose got one more chance to earn a right to be the #1 contender to AJ Styles WWE World Championship. Would James Ellsworth prove to be a factor yet again? Kane took on Randy Orton. Had The Viper really joined The Wyatt Family? American Alpha took on The Spirit Squad while The Usos took on The Headbangers with the winners getting added to the Survivor Series Tag Team squad. Meanwhile, Daniel Bryan went on Miz TV to announce the Smackdown Live Men’s Survivor Series team. Who did Daniel Bryan pick…and did Miz make the cut. Dolph Ziggler did something quite surprising as far as the Intercontinental Championship was concerned and Natalaya offered her services in a different kind of way for the Smackdown Women’s Survivor Series team.
On The November 8 edition of Smackdown Live, Survivor Series took center stage and the Smackdown Men’s team got thrown for a loop when Baron Corbin sustained an injury against Kalisto. What surprising replacmeent did Daniel Bryan name at the end of the show? As for Kalisto, in another shocking turn, he was granted a shot at Brian Kendrick’s Cruiserweight Championship with a special stipulation: If Kalisto wins, not only does the Cruiserweight Championship come to Smackdown…the whole division does as well! Breezeango took on The Vaudevillains for the final spot on the Smackdown Tag Team squad. Alexa Bliss got her long awaited shot at Becky Lynch and the Smackdown Women’s Title. In the Main Event, The New Wyatt Family, consisting of Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Randy Orton took on Dean Ambrose, Kane and…James Ellsworth? Did the Chinless Wonder have one more upset victory up his sleeve? We let you know on Episode 146.
Dave then brings back the Diamonds In The Rough Segment of the show where we review something on the WWE Network that may have flown under the radar. In this latest installment, Dave reviews the very first WWE 24 segment, a special look at WrestleMania 30. WrestleMania 30 was best known for the iconic opening segment between Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan’s incredible capture of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the end of the Undertaker’s unbeaten WrestleMania Streak. This WWE 24 special does a good job of looking at those key moments but it also has a special focus on The Ultimate Warrior’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame and how a special little boy touched the hearts and souls of WWE Superstars and the WWE Universe.
From there, Ol’ Gator jumps into the fray as he and Dave review NXT from November 2 and 9. On the November 2 episode, The Dusty Classic Tag Team Tournament took center stage. How would William Regal deal with Austin Aries’ eye injury as far as Aries and Roderick Strong’s scheduled match against TM61? #DIY was scheduled to take on the NXT Tag Team Champions, The Revival, but the Top Guys had different plans. No Way Jose and Rich Swan battled The Authors of Pain while TJ Perkins and Kota Ibushi took on Sanity for spots in the Semi-Finals. How did this all play out? We let you know on Episode 146.
On the November 9 installment of NXT, the Semi-Finals of the Dusty Classic Tag Team Tournament were held as #DIY battled The Authors of Pain in one Semi while in the other TM61 took on Sanity. Which teams advanced to the Finals and how would events that played out in these matcvhes impact the NXT Tag Team Championship at Takeover: Toronto? Rachel Evers took on Ember Moon. The contract signing between Shinsuke Nakamura and Samoa Joe for their NXT Championship rematch in Toronto was a very odd one, to say the least. What went down? We let you know here on Episode 146.
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