{"id":91230,"date":"2020-01-03T14:15:22","date_gmt":"2020-01-03T20:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=91230"},"modified":"2020-01-03T20:25:26","modified_gmt":"2020-01-04T02:25:26","slug":"wwe-smackdown-primer-1-3-20-bryan-reigns-vs-corbin-ziggler-triple-threat-womens-tag-team-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2020\/01\/03\/wwe-smackdown-primer-1-3-20-bryan-reigns-vs-corbin-ziggler-triple-threat-womens-tag-team-match\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE SMACKDOWN PRIMER 1\/3\/20: Bryan &#038; Reigns vs. Corbin &#038; Ziggler, Triple Threat Women\u2019s Tag Team Match"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-693627205\" 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><h3>WWE SMACKDOWN PRIMER<br \/>\nJANUARY 3, 2020<br \/>\nMEMPHIS, TN. AT THE FEDEXFORUM<br \/>\nAIRS ON FOX NETWORK, 8:00 p.m. EST<br \/>\nBY FRANK PETEANI (@FrankPeteani), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR<\/h3>\n<p><em>Announcers: Michael Cole, Corey Graves<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Arena, Top 10 Moments of Last Week\u2019s Show<\/h3>\n<p>WWE Smackdown returns to the FedExForum in Memphis, TN. after appearing a little over five months ago in the run-up to SummerSlam. The building opened in 2004 and is home to the NBA\u2019s Memphis Grizzlies.<\/p>\n<p>Here is the YouTube clip of the top 10 moments of last week\u2019s show:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Top 10 Friday Night SmackDown moments: WWE Top 10, Dec. 27, 2019\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3QqZq79xKzw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Tonight\u2019s show will be the first WWE wrestling show of 2020 (Wednesday\u2019s NXT was an awards show). We are now headed towards the Royal Rumble which of course kicks off WrestleMania season. We know of two matches already, one of which was set up last week on Smackdown. We also know of the first entrant into the women\u2019s rumble:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Universal Championship: \u201cThe Fiend\u201d Bray Wyatt (champ) vs. Daniel Bryan.<\/li>\n<li>Raw Women\u2019s Championship: Becky Lynch (champ) vs. Asuka (\u00bd of WWE Women\u2019s Tag Team Champions the Kabuki Warriors)<\/li>\n<li>Charlotte Flair announced her entrance into the women\u2019s Royal Rumble (duh)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>WWE is advertising the following items for tonight:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Daniel Bryan teams with Roman Reigns to take on Dolph Ziggler &amp; King Corbin<\/li>\n<li>Bayley &amp; Sasha Banks take on Lacey Evans &amp; Dana Brooke and Alexa Bliss &amp; Nikki Cros<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Matches and Segments<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Daniel Bryan &amp; Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin &amp; Dolph Ziggler<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Last week on Smackdown, Daniel Bryan won a triple threat match between he, the Miz, and King Corbin to earn the right to face Wyatt. The match was to open the show, but Corbin was attacked by Roman Reigns whom Corbin defeated in a TLC match at the TLC PPV a few weeks ago. It was then decided that Miz would face Bryan one-on-one, but that match ended in a double DQ when Corbin\u2019s henchmen interfered. They finally had the originally scheduled triple threat to close out the show. Reigns showed up mid-match again to attack Corbin and took him out of the match. Bryan eventually tapped out Miz to his Cattle Mutilation submission hold.<\/p>\n<p>After the match, Bray Wyatt appeared on screen from the Firefly Funhouse and asked Bryan if he was willing to do whatever it took and \u201clet him in.\u201d Bryan responded by starting his famous \u201cYes\u201d chant with the crowd. That match is set for the Royal Rumble.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-368557203\" 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>King Corbin will certainly take issue with Reigns taking him out of the match last week. Tonight, he pairs with recent cohort Dolph Ziggler to take on Reigns and Daniel Bryan<\/p>\n<p><em>(Frank\u2019s Analysis: You couldn\u2019t have expected Miz or Corbin to have the match against Bray, so Bryan is 100% the right call. At this point it\u2019s a matter of whether or not Bryan wins the title. I\u2019m not sold he\u2019s not walking away with the gold, but it\u2019s hard to say. I still feel like they want to set up Roman Reigns to be the guy to take down Bray, but I have a better idea. Put the title on Bryan and have him take on Reigns at WrestleMania. We\u2019ll see how things may shake out starting with the tag team match tonight.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Lacey Evans &amp; Dana Brooke vs. Alexa Bliss &amp; Nikki Cross vs. Bayley &amp; Sasha Banks<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Last week on Smackdown, Lacey Evans was a guest of Alexa Bliss on A Moment of Bliss. She talked about how Sasha Banks crossed the line the week before when she taunted her six-year-old daughter. She called her and Bayley \u201cnasties\u201d that fail to be role models and proceeded to the ring to have her scheduled tag team match with Dana Brooke against Bayley and Banks. Bayley and Banks would win when Banks tapped Dana to the Bank Statement.<\/p>\n<p>Things between Lacey and Bayley &amp; Banks have been quiet on social media, but after tonight things may ramp up. Lacey &amp; Dana pair up again to take on Alexa &amp; Nikki Cross as well as Bayley and Banks in a triple threat. (Note, WWE.com isn\u2019t saying triple threat match but it\u2019s sure written that way.)<\/p>\n<p>Frank\u2019s Analysis: As I mentioned earlier, I thought they may be going to Carmella vs. Bayley in the short term. In the long run, I would think Lacey and Bayley would have a feud over the title. Whether or not that drags on until WrestleMania remains to be seen. This triple threat match just gets everyone on the show tonight to further what may or may not be the immediate plan.<\/p>\n<h3>Possible Storyline Follow-Up<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Carmella and Mandy Rose &amp; Sonya Deville<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Two weeks ago, Carmella defeated Sonya Deville. Conspicuous by her absence at ringside was Mandy Rose who was mostly involved with Otis of Heavy Machinery backstage. Last week, Mandy was set to take on Carmella and asked Sonya to accompany her. Sonya brought up the fact that Mandy wasn\u2019t there for her, but Mandy explained she couldn\u2019t go out there because she had Otis\u2019s sweat all over her. Sonya said she had some more programs to sign but would come out there.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-877592415\" 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>The match took place, Carmella won again, but Sonya was not present as she said she would be. Michael Cole said Carmella was on a bit of a winning streak. Mandy was busy getting a homemade fruitcake from Otis but was seen talking to Dolph Ziggler later on who ended up smashing the cake. Otis showed up after they left and appeared to be sad seeing the smashed cake.<\/p>\n<p>Carmella has been talking trash to Smackdown Women\u2019s Champion Bayley on Twitter:<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ok, Bayleaf. \ud83e\udd71\ud83d\ude34<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ve been SD Women\u2019s Champ for a while now, but your title reign doesn\u2019t hold a candle to mine. \ud83e\udd11\ud83d\udcb0 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pDpjCDxIJy\">https:\/\/t.co\/pDpjCDxIJy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mella Is Money \ud83e\udd11 (@CarmellaWWE) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarmellaWWE\/status\/1211482896407650306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 30, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">No. But your mom keeps saying mine. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wbuxYTejob\">https:\/\/t.co\/wbuxYTejob<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mella Is Money \ud83e\udd11 (@CarmellaWWE) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarmellaWWE\/status\/1212197813913890816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 1, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There doesn\u2019t seem to be any tension online between Mandy and Sonya, but they made a point to bring up not being there for each other. We\u2019ll see where the paths of these three women go. Sonya did put this tweet up:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">2020 I will make my visions my reality. I want gold around my waist and I won\u2019t stop until I get it. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Rememberthistweet?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Rememberthistweet<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Daria\/Sonya Deville (@SonyaDevilleWWE) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SonyaDevilleWWE\/status\/1212579826340696064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 2, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em>(Frank\u2019s Analysis: I suppose they made be setting up Carmella vs. Bayley for the title at some point, which is probably fine if you want to keep Bayley\u2019s reign going until they decide who they want defeating her. As far as anything between Mandy and Sonya, even if they run some kind of angle, I\u2019m not sure it matters. Both women have been so low on the card that I don\u2019t know if anyone will care. It\u2019s all out there, so we\u2019ll see if there\u2019s follow up.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Mustafa Ali\u2019s Championship Aspirations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Last week, Mustafa Ali was featured in a video where he talked about 2019 being a tough year for him. It featured him getting knocked out of the Elimination Chamber match which ended up leading to the run of Kofi Kingston. It also showed Brock Lesnar knocking him off the ladder at Money in the Bank, as well as coming up short in his Intercontinental Championship quest against Shinsuke Nakamura. Here\u2019s the video to get the full effect of what he was trying to say:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mustafa Ali sets championship resolution: SmackDown, Dec. 27, 2019\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gqE7PndrthY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I will right the wrongs.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mustafa Ali (@MustafaAli_X) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MustafaAli_X\/status\/1212233879647670272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 1, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I won\u2019t sell my soul.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mustafa Ali (@MustafaAli_X) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MustafaAli_X\/status\/1212866212671217665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 2, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>(Frank\u2019s Analysis: It\u2019s good that they acknowledged the shortcomings of 2019, although saying he remained in the light all year was a little weird as well the shattering of stereotypes. I\u2019m sure we all wonder if he didn\u2019t get hurt in that match against Randy Orton, would he have had the run that Kofi Kingston had? I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s earmarked for that this year, but we\u2019ll see. They had to of brought this up fo some reason. I\u2019m in a wait and see.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Other Match Results from Last Week<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Smackdown Tag Team Champions New Day (Kofi Kingston &amp; Big E) teamed with Braun Strowman to defeat Sami Zayn &amp; Cesaro &amp; Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. Strowman pinned Nakamura after a powerslam. Afterwards, he shook his groove thing for all to see. He then did a WWE.com exclusive:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The New Day happy to share Braun Strowman\u2019s secret: SmackDown Exclusive, Dec. 27, 2019\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ja133hrDGUs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Closing Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t have a lot to say other than I hope 2020 brings better things for Smackdown. Raw is trending up, while Smackdown has gone in a surprisingly downward direction. I think the key is whether or not they realize that Daniel Bryan is the guy behind whom they should get. Given history, I\u2019m not so confident, but we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Follow Frank on Twitter @FrankPeteani. Questions and discussion are welcome. Thank you for reading! <\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2255898441\"><div id=\"pwtor-1515507177\"><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>WWE SMACKDOWN PRIMER JANUARY 3, 2020 MEMPHIS, TN. AT THE FEDEXFORUM AIRS ON FOX NETWORK, 8:00 p.m. EST BY FRANK PETEANI (@FrankPeteani), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR Announcers: Michael Cole, Corey Graves Arena, Top 10 Moments of Last <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2020\/01\/03\/wwe-smackdown-primer-1-3-20-bryan-reigns-vs-corbin-ziggler-triple-threat-womens-tag-team-match\/\" title=\"WWE SMACKDOWN PRIMER 1\/3\/20: Bryan &#038; Reigns vs. Corbin &#038; Ziggler, Triple Threat Women\u2019s Tag Team Match\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5548,"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":[2,52,28,27,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prowrestlingnews","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists","category-news_wwe"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/ZigglerDolphGG_3x2_600.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91230","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=91230"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91255,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91230\/revisions\/91255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}