SmackDown In A Nutshell: Rapidly Approaching The Draft

We wrap up our regularly scheduled wrestling week with SmackDown In A Nutshell. This week, we keep in mind that the blue brand (really, all brands) are rapidly approaching the draft.

As in, WWE is doing yet another Superstar Draft. That starts next Friday and continues the following Monday on RAW.

So what’s on the menu this week? Well, less than a week removed from Clash of Champions, we get to see who is still walking, for one.

Meaning, specifically, what is the fallout from the Intercontinental Championship ladder match. Sami Zayn won, but all three men took a ton of abuse.

After such a hard hitting match, you’d think maybe it’s time to change gears…but given how things ended, I am betting Jeff Hardy wants another shot at Sami Zayn.

What else do we have in store tonight?

And at the same time…we are rapidly approaching the draft!

Let’s crack open this Nutshell and find out!

Best Match of the night:

Sami Zayn and Jeff Hardy in the main event.

Strong showing this week, on the heels of a strong ladder match.

Worst match of the night:

Gable and Sheamus. Or Morrison and Otis.

Flip a coin, honestly.

Crowd Chants of the Night:

Forget a chant…the pumped in crowd noise was bad yet again. Instead of sounding like organic crowd noise, where it isn’t always a deafening buzz…we get really annoying white noise.

It seemed like someone was mucking around somewhere, because at the very end, the noise went away for like five seconds. Otherwise, for me, it was hard to even hear the entrance themes.

Star of the Night

Could go a few ways here…so I am going to.

Sami Zayn for his nice defense.

Alexa Bliss and The Fiend, because…well…they were quite good.

Spot of the Night:

It’s not often (yet) that Kevin Owens is on SmackDown, but he was this week to talk with Alexa Bliss.

For all that trouble, Owens got taken out by The Fiend.

This week’s spot? The mandible claw that did the trick.

Jobber of the Night:

I was going to say John Morrison. But then Chad Gable came out and told him to hold his beer.

Upset of the Night:

Nothing.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

Well, we know who that mystery blonde is now…though some had connected the dots already.

Noteworthy Moment:

Well, while we are rapidly approaching the draft, there is also an upcoming PPV: Hell In A Cell.

For that, we have our first confirmed match.

With the odd dynamic between Reigns and cousin Jey, even after the beating at Clash, the cousins can still hug.

We should find out eventually what was said as they hugged. Perhaps we are getting more than Hell In A Cell?

Career on the line? Loser leaves SmackDown?

Or, it was just a hug and a whisper…

Overall lowlights:

The piped in crowd noise.

Overall highlights:

Carmella is back.

Next week’s draft show looks loaded, with several big matches.

Solid television main event too.

After the final bell:

Well, next week is shaping up to be solid, isn’t it?

The draft by itself should provide plenty…but why stop there?

So far, in terms of announced matches:

-Sasha Banks versus Bayley, for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

-Kevin Owens versus The Fiend

-Big E and Sheamus in a street fight.

Now, by the time the blue show wraps, it’s entirely possible a few of those Superstars will be calling RAW home.