{"id":174417,"date":"2024-02-25T17:59:18","date_gmt":"2024-02-25T23:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=174417"},"modified":"2024-02-26T17:37:34","modified_gmt":"2024-02-26T23:37:34","slug":"overs-unders-wwe-smackdown-2-23-baseless-presumptions-cowardly-commentary-sharing-feelings-defying-physics-drews-prayers-authors-of-mundane-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/02\/25\/overs-unders-wwe-smackdown-2-23-baseless-presumptions-cowardly-commentary-sharing-feelings-defying-physics-drews-prayers-authors-of-mundane-more\/","title":{"rendered":"OVERS &#038; UNDERS &#8211; WWE SMACKDOWN (2\/23): Baseless Presumptions, Cowardly Commentary, Sharing Feelings, Defying Physics, Drew&#8217;s Prayers, Authors of Mundane, more"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-218277121\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>Welcome ladies, gentlemen and children to another herpes-slapping, fatty-mocking, Rock-blocking evening of family entertainment. And it\u2019s pre-recorded, which means absolutely ANYTHING can happen. The surprises will be bountiful, the shocks innumerable, and the results unspoiled, as long as AEW doesn\u2019t read them on Rampage. But who would ever dare read a competitor\u2019s results on the air? Who? WHO?! Who Could Wallow in such insecurities? Okay, there was way too much there for any semblance of coherence to land\u2026just like the Road to WrestleMania! Let\u2019s dig into the most OVERRATED and UNDER-APPRECIATED moments from tonight\u2019s (recorded last) Friday Night Smackdown.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; BASELESS PRESUMPTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Corey Graves just said \u201cObviously Bianca isn\u2019t wrestling tonight, because she has her sights set on the chamber tomorrow.\u201d Why is that obvious when you just advertised Drew McIntyre versus L.A. Knight for a match\u2026on the eve of the chamber? Same with Liv Morgan versus Tiffany Stratton. If anything, you\u2019re making Bianca look entitled or cowardly by \u201cobviously\u201d not competing on the eve of the chamber.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; \u2026WITH EVERYBODY ACCESSORIZING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m normally more fashion-backward than forward, but I think I\u2019m justified in pointing out L.A. Knight\u2019s top-notch bomber jacket, and a cell phone case that matches his red-tastic shirt. If Seth Rollins has taught us anything, it\u2019s that eccentric fashion thrusts you to the top, or at least the ledge before the top, of the WWE mountain.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; COWARDLY COMMENTARY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Wait, wait, wait. If Corey Graves is to be believed, then Bianca Belair is \u201cObviously not wrestling with her sights set on the chamber\u201d, to watch two people fight on the eve of the chamber that she\u2019ll be facing? Faces should be bold, not cowardly. Thank you Corey Graves, for teaching all of us the true meaning of hypocrisy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; DATED THEME SONGS<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3845088967\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Why does Tiffany Stratton\u2019s theme song sound like a 98 degrees song? That said, I think it would be hilarious if Tiffy Time was back-in-time, and her character was completely stuck in the \u201890s with dated slang, references and style to boot.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; SHARING FEELINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d like to hear what people think of their ratings. Tiffany Stratton getting a 79 seems like juicy fodder for her to cut a promo on.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; VILLAINY AT A RUGRATS LEVEL<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tiffany Stratton is about as green as an unripe banana, but her little audible quips of mockery during the match are great. She\u2019s like Angelica from Rugrats, just putting everyone down. Also, their voices are identical. Google it and you\u2019re welcome for that revelation. Kudos to me for doubling down on my \u201890s joke. I\u2019m going to give myself a D.I.Y. pat on the back.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; DEFYING PHYSICS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Why do both of these women think spinning, and or doing somersaults before a move, gives it more impact. I\u2019m not a physicist, but I\u2019ve seen Oppenheimer and I\u2019m fairly sure he\u2019d say, with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth, that this just doesn\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; STOMPING FACES<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-665204296\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>This match is greener than Scrooge McDuck\u2019s money pit, but Tiffany Stratton\u2019s stomp to Liv Morgan\u2019s face was brutal. It\u2019s almost like she doesn\u2019t want her to \u201cLiv forever\u201d. Tiffy Time might be off by several minutes still, but that was a gorgeous combo of coincidental timing and selling. Sometimes awesomeness can be unintentional, and accidentally serendipitous.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; NO LIVE MIC FOR BIANCA?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>How on Earth are you going to have Bianca Belair ringside, and not give her a live mic? She\u2019s a fantastic talker that would have simultaneously elevated this match, and the hype for The Elimination Chamber. Instead, WWE just sat her there, looking like Jessica Rabbit while she smiles and bobs her head like she\u2019s riding a pleasantly slow rollercoaster. I don\u2019t think EST should be added to quietEST.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; LIVIN\u2019 IT UP<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Liv Morgan\u2019s punches and kicks have grown tremendously over the last year. She looks more comfortable and has sparks of explosiveness that I hope to see continue to improve. I wouldn\u2019t say she\u2019s gold in the ring yet, but that kip up was sterling silver at the very least.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; WASTING BIANCA BELAIR AT WRESTLEMANIA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It seems like it\u2019s going to be Tiffany Stratton versus Bianca Belair at WrestleMania. I\u2019m all for building new stars, but not when it diminishes a powerhouse like Bianca. She\u2019s at another level. She has a show on Hulu for crying out loud (cheap plug because I worked on it). Having her feud with Stratton leading into \u2018Mania feels like someone gave me a golden spoon and a box of Lucky Charms. No knock on Lucky Charms, but a golden spoon deserves something classy, like Rice Krispies\u2026or Kix. Mikey likes it, and I hear that decades of royalties got him a house in the Hamptons.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; THE SCOTTISH SASQUATCH<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Seeing Drew \u201cThe Scottish Sasquatch\u201d McIntyre stand next to Kayla Braxton is like watching a really awkward speed dating meet-up for smaller people who have a thing for abnormally tall mates. This juxtaposition is wildly effective for making Drew look monstrous, but I also would love to see a segment where Kayla has to use a boom mic to interview him. It\u2019s all about the LITTLE things, folks. Life is too SHORT to not enjoy. Anyway, Drew is making tonight\u2019s match, the chamber, and WrestleMania sound so epic in scale as far as stakes. The man is literally painting a Picasso of dominoes that will fall, taking his entire life with it, if he loses even one of these upcoming matches. I\u2019ve heard of a pity party but this is like a self-deprecating rave. I\u2019m here for it. Hit that music, DJ. I also love that he\u2019s keeping C.M. Punk in the conversation so they can feud the second he\u2019s back. Honest to God, I think Drew could sell a tropical timeshare to a snowman with the promos he\u2019s cutting lately. Even if he can\u2019t, he\u2019ll just pray for the snowman\u2019s home to burn down so he HAS to find somewhere else to live. The power of Christ compels him, after all.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; THE ALLRIGHTY BOBBY LASHLEY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Wait, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley fought at WrestleMania 37?! I have absolutely zero recollection of that. I feel like I just fell into an alternate timeline where that (most likely) lackluster match occurred. I feel like someone just told me about the infamous genie movie starring Sinbad that everyone remembers but doesn\u2019t actually exist. Seriously, look it up. It\u2019ll mess with your head more than finding out that those lovable bear books from the \u201890s were The Berenstain Bears and not The Berenstein Bears. Anyway, segues are weird. Back to wrestling. Clearly that gem of a match between The Scottish mid-carder and the allrighty Bobby Lashley stood the test of time. I\u2019m going to give myself another D.I.Y. pat on the back for that wordsmithery. Here I am rambling about children\u2019s books instead of what mediocre highlights could have emerged from such a matchup. To be fair though, the only real \u2018Mania memories I have of Lashley involve a former president, a former chairmen, and some hair clippers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; LEFT TURNS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gee, a hard sell for NASCAR in the middle of Friday Night Smackdown. Nothing says sports entertainment like Tide and left turns. Thank you Wade Barrett, for being the bearer of fad news. That said, I do love Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Shake and bake, WWE! Shake and BAKE!<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; FASHION (NON)SENSE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What in The Devil Wears Prada is this outfit experimentation segment? Ashante \u201cThee\u201d Adonis and Cedric Alexander are given valuable screen time in a two hour show just to highlight a writer&#8217;s joke about how ripped pants make Cedric look like he got into a fight with a cat. Thank you for the closeup of the rips, WWE, otherwise I may not have gotten the joke. Facepalm. Oh look, another outfit and another joke. If we\u2019re going to write clever quips, can we at least make sure companies are still in business? Babies-R-Us went under years ago. Also why is Adonis mocking Alexander\u2019s fashion choices when he\u2019s dressed like a Michael Jackson impersonator from the waist up, and Mick Foley from the waist down? Writing aside, this acting is about as believable as a toddler standing in a pile of broken plates explaining that someone else did it. Adonis looked like it caused him physical pain to say \u201cI can\u2019t get jiggy with it\u201d with a straight face. The only good line in this segment was when Adonis said Cedric looks like money and Cedric replied with \u201cyou must be talking about crypto.\u201d My gut tells me that was an ad lib because it was the only believably-delivered line in the segment, and truthfully the only good one. This was painful. I felt like I was watching paint dry with a painted over fly struggling to trudge his way out of the muck solidifying around him.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; PROGRESSIVE MATCH FLO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I love this segment title. Flo is a legend. I wish they\u2019d figure out a way to work her into a WWE segment. Hell, can\u2019t we just do a match at \u2018Mania between her and Jake from State Farm? Forget about unsanctioned matches. This would be the first uninsurable match! I don\u2019t even remember what they\u2019re about to lead into because the branding that the segment is brought to us by\u2026just brought the house down. Anything else is about as forgettable as a \u201cLive Event\u201d Jimmy Uso run in. Oh\u2026I see. We\u2019re recapping Jimmy\u2019s latest attempt to hang on to \u201cMain Event\u201d Jey Uso\u2019s coattails. I am honestly not excited in the least for a brother versus brother match at WrestleMania. Jey has been on fire the last few months, and they\u2019re throwing water on his momentum by dragging him down with his twin in everything but mullety looks, career accolades, crowd response, merch sales, the ability to get a single word over, and getting thousands of people to wave their hands like they DO care. I wish they had something better for Jey than this \u201cLame Event\u201d both Usos match.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; A.D.D.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After all of this writing, you\u2019d think we\u2019d be farther into the show. Nope. We\u2019re only 30 minutes in, the night is young, and my A.D.D. is ready to go full YEET. Did I use that right? Does it matter? To YEET or not to YEET, that is a pointless question. So, let\u2019s keep mining for completely inconsequential highlights!<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; STAR POWER<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s amazing how glaringly obvious it is when they don\u2019t have enough big stars on hand to work into segments on a show. This is starting to feel like the fourth installment of The Expendables, where the luster of big names has worn off, no one new and exciting is worth paying attention to, and we\u2019re just getting a bunch of callbacks to better movies. I\u2019m not bitter that the franchise took a nosedive, I\u2019m just sad that the good times we had are gone. I\u2019ll always love you, Expendables 2.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; SOLO SIKOA\u2019S THUMB<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unless Solo Sikoa is hitting the gym daily doing thumb presses, and his opposable digit has somehow built muscle, I just can\u2019t buy that a thumb could do that much damage. For crying out loud, it\u2019s bandaged to the brim. He must have broken it 406 times. I honestly think if we unravel the force behind the Samoan spike, we\u2019re going to find the thumb equivalent of a shriveled and decayed mummy. He must be terrible at WWE2K24\u2026which is on shelves March 8th. You too can finish the story, unless you encounter the impossible force of a human thumb, wielded by a guy who can\u2019t fully commit to a mohawk. Sikoa\u2019s thumb is powerful up, down or jammed into a human throat. Just don\u2019t thumb your nose or you could Nia Jaxx yourself and end up with a Becky Lynch nosebleed that could be SEEN from the nosebleeds. That could also be because she went into the crowd, and everyone there that night had 20\/20 vision, but I digress. I love long rambling callbacks. I guess you could say I speak WWE.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; LEAVING JIMMY HANGING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Okay, Jimmy Uso getting left hanging for a high five is the absolute best gimmick he\u2019s ever had. His lonely hand is now more over than he has ever been. That said, it IS attached to him, so if he plays it up, he\u2019ll get pulled along for the ride. Seeing him go for a high five to Roman Reigns, get rejected, then try to salvage one with Solo Sikoa was subtle brilliance. Jimmy, this is your thing. You\u2019re the handyman. You\u2019re the guy always trying to fit in, who laughs at the joke when you don\u2019t get it, wants to high five at all the wrong times. Own it. I\u2019m here for it. If you start selling merch with \u201cDon\u2019t leave me hangin\u2019 Uce\u201d, I&#8217;ll buy one for me and one for a friend. Honorable mention to Roman\u2019s flawless ability to create horrifying silences, as in when he asked Jimmy who sent him to Raw. He is just the king of creating awkward silences deep enough to throw the entire 24\/7 Title division into. Whatever happened to that by the way? It disappeared faster than Butch at a Pete Dunne party.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; UNNECESSARY LETTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I still find it so hard to take Bron Breakker seriously when he feels the need to over-letter his name. Do we really need to spell his last name wrong just to be cool? And is it actually cool to add an extra \u2018k\u2019, one shy of a publicity nightmare? If we\u2019re going to play with letters, why don\u2019t we at least do what singer The Weeknd does, and eliminate vowels? They\u2019re overrated and cost extra on Wheel of Fortune anyway. Let\u2019s go minimalist versus making a name look gaudy. Okkay? Do you sseee my ppoint, WWEEE?<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; SLEEP<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>WWE, I love you. I truly do, and we\u2019ve been going strong for a while. I respect your need to do a big show in another time zone, and I\u2019ll always be there for you, before sunrise or not, but can you PLEASE stop reminding me that I\u2019m going to be exhausted all of Saturday, for waking up pre-dawn for your 4-match premium live event down under? I\u2019ll be there, but I\u2019m still not happy about it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; SOMEWHAT IGNORING FAMILY LEGACIES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I like that WWE isn\u2019t shying away from highlighting who Bron Breakker\u2019s father is, but why not go full Cody Rhodes and give him his daddy\u2019s surname? Bron Steiner sounds a helluva lot better than Bron Breakker in my humble opinion. Honorable mention to Dante Chen and his adorable face paint, that Bron is about to turn to blood, bruising and jobber regret.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; BRON\u2019S INTENSITY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My God, Bron Breakker can take something as simple as a body check and turn it into an explosive work of art. Seriously, his moves pop faster than popcorn, and hit harder than the crack of a wooden bat on a baseball. I also love his calm aftermath cadence after he delivers a violent move. It\u2019s almost like he has to recharge his special meter. This guy is a gold mine built on top of an oil field. He is pure money. He\u2019s so fast, that the cameras almost can\u2019t even find him in time, and I am absolutely on board for this ride. I\u2019ll wait in line for hours for this roller coaster, and if I have to, I\u2019ll buy one of those overpriced skip-the-line tickets to get on sooner. This is an in-ring it-factor that you just can\u2019t teach. He was quite literally born and bred to do this. I like to think that the Steiner compound is something akin to Sparta, where they only keep the strong babies and throw the rest into a bottomless pit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; DANTE CHEN\u2019S SPINE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t necessarily think the human spine is overrated. I think it\u2019s a vital part of the human anatomy, the coolest part of a skeleton, and a great tapestry to adorn with tattoos (looking at you Seth Rollins). I\u2019m just trying to make Dante Chen feel better after Bron Breakker destroyed his spinal column faster than WWE pivoted their \u2018Mania main event. I love everything about Bron\u2019s presentation except for his Tourette\u2019s-like barking. I\u2019m honestly concerned he\u2019s going to pull a muscle in his neck or embarrass me in public.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; J.D. MCDONAGH<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oh joy. Another Friday night, another J.D. McWannabe in the Judgment Day match. Luckily, J.D. has human heat magnet Dominik Mysterio with him to keep the crowd on their feet. Otherwise, I honestly think J.D. could wrestle in a library with a massive crowd, and no one would irritate the librarian. Side note, I\u2019ve been trying to figure out who McDonagh reminds me of, and I finally cracked it. He\u2019s like Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa in Wonka, if said Oompa Loompa hit the gym more, got a spray tan, and grew his hair out just long enough for an adolescent-level man bun. You can\u2019t have my chocolate McDonagh. I don\u2019t care how many times you do that catchy rhyming jingle and dance to it. Doopity do not come near my stash.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; A GOOD ENTRANCE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tyler Bate desperately needs to work on his entrance bravado and mannerisms. He looks like a kid in a talent show who gets stage fright and just does random things with his body. I half expected him to break into full Napoleon Dynamite dance moves with the awkwardness he exudes by standing and non-posing the way he does. Gosh (he says in a Napoleon Dynamite voice), I\u2019m trying to be a WWE superstar, what do you think? Luckily, Pete Dunne and his fur vest of fury has enough swagger for the both of them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; PETE DUNNE\u2019S TAUNT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I still don\u2019t understand Pete Dunne\u2019s taunt of punching his own chin. Is this a show of masculinity? Is he so tough that only he can punch himself? Does he come from a long line of dentists and is trying to manually correct his jawline? Or is he just doing a really aggressive male model pose?<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; SOMERSAULTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It seems so simple, but watching Tyler \u201cNapoleon Dynamite\u201d Bate somersaulting around the ring is wildly entertaining. He takes a juvenile act of athleticism, and elevates it to badass bravado. That\u2019s wrestling skill right there folks. If I did even one of those my back would be thrown out for a week. But Bate seems like he could do this for hours. Honorable mention to Tyler Bate doing a wheelbarrow walk with McDonagh\u2019s neck hooked inside his ankles, all the way to the turnbuckle for an improvised hurricanrana. This guy is like a spider monkey after drinking a 12-oz can of Red Bull, and discovering a trampoline in his backyard. Bate is like a bleached blonde Spider-Man, but without all the sappy loyalty to his inexplicably attractive aunt. With Bate power comes Bate responsibility.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; WEAKEST LINKS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Wade Barrett just referred to Dominik Mysterio and J.D. McDonagh as the lesser members of The Judgment Day. I\u2019m the captain of the McDonagh Non-Fan club, but even I don\u2019t think such comments help with keeping the second most over faction in WWE, credible. Yes, when it comes to being weak, J.D. is the EST of that moniker. But, Dominik has unrivaled heat right now and they shouldn\u2019t be watering him down in any capacity. The guy is a straight shot of bitter tequila, it hurts to be around him but man is he a good time after you warm up to him.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; YOUR FINGERS ARE DUNNE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I will never get sick of watching Pete Dunne disassemble peoples fingers. It looks so violent and painful. Here\u2019s hoping that Godzilla meets King Kong someday when it\u2019s Dunne\u2019s finger breaking versus Solo Sikoa\u2019s thumb. It will be a match for the ages that you\u2019ll be able to catch on DIGITal media. I\u2019m not trying to point any fingers, but if WWE doesn\u2019t do this someday, it\u2019s a missed opportunity. Special shout outs to the double stomp on Dominik\u2019s fingers, McDonagh\u2019s soccer kick, and Bate\u2019s failed turnbuckle exit. These were all rainbow sprinkles on an already sweet match.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; DOMINIK MYSTERIO\u2019S THREE PLATONIC FRIENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I love seeing Dominik Mysterio\u2019s swagger when he\u2019s mocking his uncle (or real father) Eddie Guerrero\u2019s signature three amigos move. That said, Dominik performed it incredibly clunky, making it feel more like three platonic friends versus three amigos. He redeemed it with arrogant mockery mid-move though. He has really come into his own as a heel. I pop every time<br \/>\nHe sticks his tongue out, and confidently flexes his non-biceps. Dom is right at home in front of a sea of hate. He\u2019s truly like a pig in sh*t that loves the mucky warmth of his surroundings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; KEVIN OWENS DRIVES THE COMEDIC RANGE TRAIN<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This backstage segment with Kevin Owens, Logan Paul, Austin Theory, Grayson Waller and Paul Heyman was short, effective, hilarious, and elevated everyone in the brief interaction. The humor in this scene was like syrup on virtually any breakfast food. It improved the flavor of everything. There were so many amazing layers of good writing, and likely improvisation, this warrants dissecting piece by piece like a fine rack of ribs. The beginning of the segment with a ping ponging of the Paul Rudd-made famous \u201cLook at us\u201d between a couple of arrogant heels was fantastic. It was so simple, yet so effective. Next up, Kevin Owens saying he feels weird standing next to Waller was subtly hilarious. No context given. No context needed. Then, Owen\u2019s telling Logan that he hopes he tries to bring the brass knuckles to Perth, so he gets caught at customs was a smart quip that didn\u2019t just settle for the obvious low hanging fruit. Owens trusted the audience to get a tad more of a high-brow joke, and it really paid off. Owens is in his element when he is subtle and snarky in with his insults, and always acts just a tiny bit smarter than everyone else. My personal favorite line in the entire segment was Owens asking Theory, in a completely deadpan manner, \u201cWhere\u2019s your shirt?\u201d Valid question, Kevin. Then Heyman entered the scene to invite\/order Waller to go see The Tribal Chief. The look on his face seemed like a kid getting a golden ticket to Hollywood on American Idol, which is both justified over-acting, and the kind of reverence Roman Reigns should be treated with by fellow heels. I also laughed my shirt off when Logan Paul and Theory wallowed in self-pity about wanting to hang out with The Tribal Chief too, before bookending the segment with another round of \u201cLook at us\u201d exchanges. This is how backstage segments should be. It was quick, didn\u2019t overstay its welcome, every line was worth listening to, and everyone involved came out with a comedic rub that improved their character.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; INEXPLICABLE FACE TURNS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Am I the only one that doesn\u2019t remember the moment when The Street Profits and Bobby Lashley turned face again? Granted, this is where they belong. Lashley can swim in either pond with his mediocre commitment to either role, but Montez Ford Angelo Dawkins ooze charisma. Having them as stoic heels was the biggest waste of what the kids call \u201crizz\u201d, since Will Smith starred in After Earth. If you have characters with the it-factor, don\u2019t muffle their personalities. Let them shine. To loosely steal a reference from Mark Wahlberg in The Other Guys, they\u2019re peacocks and you gotta let them fly! So while I\u2019m incredibly confused as to why this faction is happy and gleeful now, I\u2019m here for it. They belong in this lane.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; THE ROCK PROMOTES THE NON-XFL XFL<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Having The Rock promote The United Football league as being built on the legacy of The XFL, is like telling me a harvest of corn was grown using cow manure. I know it, but I don\u2019t want to think about it, or it\u2019s going to ruin the taste before I even take a butter-doused first bite.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; KEEPING FANS ENGAGED<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are probably two of the only people in the WWE that can keep an entire arena engaged, energetic and on fire throughout an entire commercial break. These guys are the human embodiment of 5-hour Energy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; THE AUTHORS OF MUNDANE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m sorry, but The Authors of Pain still just don\u2019t do anything for me. I think they should have had a few weeks of dominant squashes to build back up their credibility. Right now, they still feel like they\u2019re just cos-playing an unhelpful version of the A.P.A. and to that I say\u2026DAMN.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; EQUALIZING TAG TEAM MEMBERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Commentary building up Angelo Dawkins as the powerhouse of The Street Profits is smart. It gives him his own identity that keeps him from falling into the Matt Hardy, lesser star moniker. Montez Ford\u2019s jack-in-the-box drop kicks speak for themselves. Focusing on building up Dawkins simultaneously only heightens the team\u2019s star power as a collective whole. Honorable mention to Dawkins\u2019 inexplicable agility. How can a guy of his physique move like a lucha libre wrestler? It\u2019s truly impressive, and I think he\u2019ll have a good run as a singles star when they break up. Don\u2019t hate the messenger. It\u2019s WWE, and teams get together to break up. It\u2019s just science.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; AUTHORS OF PUNCH<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Watching an Authors of Pain match feels like watching a slow motion version of Rocky. It\u2019s just a bunch of slow-paced punches and grunts. I\u2019m bored. On a side note, Karrion Kross\u2019 name is fitting because he has resting cross face. He seems like the kind of guy that gets grumpy on Christmas because the tree lights are too bright.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; PERFECTLY TIMED SHOTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The camera guy who caught Montez Ford\u2019s face as he screamed in terror as he was being launched out of the ring, deserves a raise and a chance to shoot an action movie. That was just glorious. I have no idea which one of the Authors of Pain threw him out, but it doesn\u2019t really matter. I feel like I\u2019m watching Batman &amp; Robin after getting hit in the head, and I\u2019m seeing two bad actors play a cheesy version of Bane. Authors of Bane aside, huge props to Ford for knowing he was on camera and rising to the moment mid-fall.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; UNEXPECTED CHEMISTRY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Excuse me but where did this joyous fire between Karrion Kross and Bobby Lashley come from? I haven\u2019t seen this much intensity from Lashley since he found out he could wear baseball caps to hide the forehead he is incredibly sensitive about. I could see them having a minor feud that leads to an explosive pre-show match at WrestleMania. There\u2019s something special there between those two. I\u2019m getting warm, aggressive vibes of the WWE equivalent of a Hallmark movie from these two. Just replace Christmas with violence<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; AUTHORS OF LAME<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Having The Authors of Pain go over The Street Profits (in an epic battle of teams that start with \u201cThe\u201d), is the right choice, but their credibility just doesn\u2019t seem to be working. They feel very generic, unimposing, and honestly just not dangerous. I think they need to engage in a brutal beat down outside the confines of a match so they don\u2019t seem like rule followers, which really waters them down. Side note: I\u2019m half expecting J.D. McDonagh to try to weasel his way into the group. Sorry, J.D., but you and the Authors of Lame belong in the same boat\u2026that I hope gets blown off to some distant island of non-relevancy. A.O.P. doesn\u2019t even seem to buy into their own toughness. They look like deer in headlights out there. In all seriousness though, I would send A.O.P. back to NXT for a few months to just demolish the entire division, then return stronger with a bunch of highlights that can be utilized in an effective promo reel. They also need a stronger mouthpiece. I honestly wonder, if Roman takes a few months off, if A.O.P. could benefit from some Paul Heyman guidance and wordsmithery.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; GOOD ACTING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think this Dakota Kai angle is the right move but it\u2019s just not believable. They should have shown security footage of Damage Control beating up Kai to make the angle more believable, even if they faked it. This bad acting just doesn\u2019t work, and I think if Bailey buys into it, it\u2019s going to make her look dumb, gullible and naive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; WEIRD STILLS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This match graphic of Drew McIntyre versus L.A. Knight oddly looks like the megastar just stumbled upon Drew\u2019s nudist colony, and the bare Scotsman really doesn\u2019t want him there.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; THE TRIBAL CHIEF MEETS GRAYSON WALLER<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I love that Roman Reigns has to be formally introduced to Grayson Waller. He considers himself \u201clevels above\u201d everyone so why would he have any idea who Waller is? I find that both character-enhancing for Roman, as well as great comedic fodder for The Bloodline to play with. Special shout out to Waller for looking absolutely petrified being in The Bloodline\u2019s presence. That\u2019s gold, and accolade-warranted. Having Roman say that he has something to tell him but it\u2019s for his ears only, and then cutting away is smart formatting. It gives us foreshadowing for an inevitable reveal, likely at Elimination Chamber. Smart pacing, WWE. See what happens when you take time to tell a story? THE story! The UNFINISHED story! On an unrelated note, did Grayson Waller get his ripped jeans from the same store Cedric Alexander got his cat fight pants?<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; DREW MCINTYRE\u2019S PRAYERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I personally love the Drew McIntyre praying for pain gimmick, but this little cameo of \u201cI\u2019ll pray for you\u201d felt forced. Drew is at his best when this comes out organically in the flow of a promo. This is like Steve Austin throwing around the \u201cAustin 3:16\u201d line for cheap pops. And cheap pops is what they are, because they cheapen a valuable promo that should be left alone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; POORLY TIMED PYRO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is the second week in a row that Drew \u201cBlue Flaming Swords\u201d McIntyre\u2019s pyro didn\u2019t line up with his entrance pose. Can someone please give the pyro guy a cup of coffee? It\u2019s like he\u2019s napping back there until someone smacks him, and wakes him up to hit the button.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; LOGAN PAUL INVITES HIMSELF TO THE PARTY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Logan Paul unexpectedly joining commentary heightens a relatively dull main event. He\u2019s a shot of charisma in the arm of this filler match. I love how Logan quickly stopped what he was doing to mock the crowd the second they started booing him. He is so good at reading the room, and making his timing count with every mannerism. He takes crowd heat and adds an exclamation point to it. It\u2019s inhuman how built for this business Paul is. He\u2019s starting to make Kurt Angle\u2019s early years look like amateur hour\u2026and that\u2019s damn true.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; POORLY THOUGHT OUT RATING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Drew McIntyre is (almost certainly) in the secondary main event of WrestleMania and you belittle him with a meek 89 rating? He\u2019s literally only one point above a quickly cooling L.A. Knight. They should have called an audible here and upgraded his rating for the credibility of his inevitable match with Seth Rollins. We all make mistakes, WWE, but you\u2019ve shown us you can pivot quickly. Do it again. Seriously. I\u2019ll wait\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; LOGAN PAUL LIFTS UP HIS OPPONENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Logan Paul does a great job on commentary, especially at hyping his opponents. His line about L.A. Knight, \u201cWith pecs like that you gotta be careful\u201d was particularly poetic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; POOR CHEMISTRY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>L.A. Knight and Drew McIntyre don\u2019t click in the ring for me. They both have clunky ebb and flow styles that when put together, slow the pace down so much that I feel like I\u2019m watching Netflix on weak WiFi.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; GLASGOW KISS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Drew McIntyre\u2019s headbutt is a thing of pure beauty. It sounds amazing. It looks brutal. It comes outta nowhere so fast that it makes an R.K.O. look about as unsuspecting as a hippo hiding behind a broomstick\u2026or a mop. On a side note, is this the year Moppy finally gets inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Perry Saturn? Only time will tell. Honorable mention to Logan Paul\u2019s nervous facial reaction to the Glasgow Kiss. He\u2019s pre-selling the possibility of getting hit with that move and it\u2019s wildly effective. I call that a prEaster egg.<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; BAD APPETIZERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Corey Graves just called L.A. Knight versus Drew McIntyre an \u201cappetizer for Elimination Chamber.\u201d This feels like I ordered calamari and got a plate of old, rubbery disappointment. Sigh. I should have gone with the mozzarella sticks. Live and learn, I suppose.<br \/>\nThese guys are both incredibly talented with the right opponents, but their styles are just too similar to create a fluidity needed to keep audiences engaged. This feels like I\u2019m watching the clunky robot from Lost in Space tussle with The Great Khali.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; LOGAN PAUL AND KEVIN OWENS GO FULL MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With this match between Drew McIntyre and L.A. Knight feeling more and more like a bad movie that won\u2019t end, Kevin Owens and Logan Paul hijacking commentary, and going full Mystery Science Theater 3000, is a breath of fresh air. They\u2019re the best part of this entire match and they\u2019re not even in it. Logan and Owens have such a natural chemistry that I could listen to them trade quips like \u201cThe only person I like in The Elimination Chamber is Randy Orton\u201d, and \u201cyou\u2019re such a negative Nancy\u201d all day long. Honorable mention to Logan Paul calling Kevin Owens the Squidward of the WWE. That\u2019s both a brilliant and totally accurate description of K.O. SpongeBob for the win!<\/p>\n<p><strong>OVERRATED &#8211; BAD SELLING ON THE ANNOUNCE TABLE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m all for avoiding any kind of headshot, but if L.A. Knight is going to repeatedly smash Drew McIntyre\u2019s face into the announce table, can he at least try to sell it a bit? He looks like an exhausted bongo drummer, slapping his hands on the drums without any ounce of effort to follow the beat. Seriously, go back and watch it. You\u2019re welcome. This match ended just as it began, with no ending. Not shocking considering it was just an appetizer for the premium live event at the ungodly hour of 5amET tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll be back Monday for a grumpier ride of Raw observations, as I inevitably suffer from a lack of sleep thanks to the pre-dawn joy of watching The Elimination Chamber. See you then!<\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-3387766596\"><div id=\"pwtor-1198147441\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Welcome ladies, gentlemen and children to another herpes-slapping, fatty-mocking, Rock-blocking evening of family entertainment. And it\u2019s pre-recorded, which means absolutely ANYTHING can happen. The surprises will be bountiful, the shocks innumerable, and the results unspoiled, <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/02\/25\/overs-unders-wwe-smackdown-2-23-baseless-presumptions-cowardly-commentary-sharing-feelings-defying-physics-drews-prayers-authors-of-mundane-more\/\" title=\"OVERS &#038; UNDERS &#8211; WWE SMACKDOWN (2\/23): Baseless Presumptions, Cowardly Commentary, Sharing Feelings, Defying Physics, Drew&#8217;s Prayers, Authors of Mundane, more\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,52,6930,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlightarticles","category-opnionandanalysis","category-over-and-unders","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-25-at-5.58.40\u202fPM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=174417"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174417\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":174419,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174417\/revisions\/174419"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=174417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=174417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}