can the blue brand last until survivor series
source: custom, wwe twitter screenshot

It’s another Friday of fun, which means SmackDown In A Nutshell. This week, our question: can the blue brand last until Survivor Series?

The question might seem odd, but if you caught even the opening segment for SmackDown, you likely have this Nutshell figured out.

So why ask if the blue brand can last til Survivor Series?

Imagine, if you will, a women’s team captained by Sasha Banks…and with new heel Shotzi on the same team.

Shotzi, if you forgot, turned heel ON Sasha Banks a couple weeks ago.

Yeah, that won’t be awkward at all…

On top of that, the team was announced (again) by Sonya Deville. Deville has a simmering issue with Naomi, so we had that fun too.

And yes…that was only the opening chunk of this week’s SmackDown In A Nutshell.

So, it likely makes a lot of sense now, that we ask…can the blue brand last til Survivor Series?

Of course, that does not even touch on the men’s team. Or Roman Reigns, barrelling toward a clash with Big E.

The setup for Survivor Series has been a little quiet…it certainly does not feel like it did when I was a kid.

However…things are quickly getting interesting. So, let’s get to it…

SmackDown In A Nutshell: Can Blue Brand Last Til Survivor Series

Let’s crack open this Nutshell and see who survives!

Best Match of the night:

I enjoyed the women’s opening tag match. Will be interesting to see what is going on with Aliyah’s replacement…but something feels like it’s going to be Naomi, and a turn.

The main event was solid too. Payoff is going to be…somewhere, eventually, Roman Reigns will fall…and it may just be quite a tremendous pop.

can the blue brand last until survivor series

source: custom, wwe twitter screenshot

Here’s the challenge to WWE. You’ve built Reigns up for this long…you cannot just have him lose to anyone.

However…I challenge them to NOT have it be Brock. To me, you want a rising Superstar to knock off this guy.

It will mean more, it could really boost someone. Lesnar needs no such boost.

Worst match of the night:

I honestly sit here, show over…and I don’t have one to complain about.

Star of the Night

Well, once again, Roman Reigns dominates. With a little help, of course.

can blue brand last

source: custom, wwe twitter screenshot

We ended the show with Reigns abdicating the throne. Or something like that, as Xavier was down and out.

Spot of the Night:

There were a few good ones…but I have to admit, I am still thinking about that nifty reversal by Aliyah.

I have to imagine it’s been done before…but it felt fresh for me.

Jobber of the Night:

Natalya, for taking that pin by Aliyah.

Sure, it was planned…they all are. But…Natalya is the veteran doing what veterans sometimes do…and that is putting over new/young talent.

Upset of the Night:

I have to give this one to Aliyah.

Yes, sure, fine, she got the assist from Naomi…but it was the long-time NXT hand who got the big win on SmackDown.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

Wow, talk about crushing dreams…Aliyah is on dream street, happy for her first SmackDown win.

And then…Sonya Deville tells her…she’s not on the team anymore.


 But wait…there’s more?!

What is Von Wagner doing on SmackDown?!

And could HE replace Sami Zayn? Wouldn’t that be an utterly meteoric rise?!

I mean, a couple months ago, no one really knew of him in WWE. Since then, he’s been in an NXT title match and now on the blue brand doing…something?

blue brand

source: custom, wwe twitter screenshot

LOL Moment of the night:

Sami Zayn…giving a pep talk to…no one.

Well, Jeff Hardy was there. Zayn didn’t notice at first…

Then Hardy was noticed and Zayn asked for the critique. He probably wishes he had not.

Noteworthy Moment:

Aliyah’s long road paid off…kind of. She debuted on SmackDown, won the match for her team, made and was taken off of the Survivor Series team.

That was her night in a nutshell.

Von Wagner might just be some muscle for Adam Pearce. Or something.

Wait…no Bar reunion? But…Ridge and Sheamus next week?….

last until survivor series

source: custom, wwe twitter screenshot

Roman Reigns…head of the table, and now illegitimate King of the Ring.

smackdown

source: custom, wwe twitter screenshot

Overall lowlights:

One knock on the Reigns/Woods/King stuff…it’s playing into the Reigns/Big E match in a week.

That is all well and good…but I swear, WWE wanted the trio split. I mean, they are working separate shows, right?

So, if you do that…why have them linked constantly? I am not hating it…more like…either do a full break, or none at all.

Also…please don’t have Jinder and Shanky rap anymore, OK?

Overall highlights:

Hard not to be happy for Aliyah. It seemed like the happiness from Superstars like Sasha Banks was more real than not.

Considering she spent 7 years in NXT before this…and many Superstars on RAW and SmackDown beat her to get where they are….it has to feel good.

Liking Toni Storm coming in and challenging. As with my Reigns comments above…I would not object to using Charlotte’s next title loss to put over someone newer.

Nothing against a veteran like Natalya…but getting a new champ would be good. Even getting Shayna Baszler into that echelon would be good-and smart.

After the final bell:

It almost seems surreal to me that yes, Survivor Series is only a bit more than a week away.

I say it all the time…I miss the card being effectively all 4 on 4 or 5 on 5 tag matches, with the random special singles match in there.

The team names, the times they did one final survivor match to determine if the heels or the faces were the ultimate survivors….heck, when the event was a Thanksgiving eve tradition even.

It is beginning to feel more and more like…well…just another PPV.

Mind you, the show was not bad, even if there were doubts if the blue brand would last until Survivor Series.

Just…not overjoyed for Survivor Series. I feel like we could use a reboot of sorts.

Like, title versus title? Nah…how about Reigns and Big E as captains, and then they pick four.

Then, Nakamura and Damien Priest are captains…and they pick four. And so on and so forth, with the singles champions captaining teams, and then a single tag team themed one.

It still gives WWE the RAW versus SmackDown element it craves, and it livens things up. I mean…could  you imagine Big E’s Team RAW going against a Team SmackDown group that actually had Woods and Kingston opposing him?

Won’t happen…but it’s fun to dream…and not of the Gobbledygooker either.

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