Match Ratings, Podcast Notes For WWE Smackdown Live 1/8/19 From Sean Ross Sapp Of FightfulWrestling.com

Daniel Bryan defeated R-Truth
5/10 (short)

• Daniel Bryan is up by the concession stands cutting an all-time great YOU PEOPLE promo about how disgusting the concessions are and the people who use them.
• He slaps a hot dog out of some guy’s hand, and throws a soda in the face of a fan.
• Bryan comes out through the crowd and calls them impotent as he continues his rather hilarious rant.
• When Bryan gets to ringside, he’s attacked by R-Truth.
• Truth is on fire, and we come back to see his big hiptoss and a flying kick. 
• Things don’t go Truth’s way for very long. He eats turnbuckle and a knee to the face.
• On the top of the ramp, Styles attacks Daniel Bryan. When he tries to go after Bryan with a chair, DB gets away.
• As Daniel Bryan is leaving backstage, he goes off and says that AJ Styles hasn’t seen anything yet. 

Andrade Cien Almas & Samoa Joe (w/ Zelina Vega) defeated Rey Mysterio & Mustafa Ali
6.25/10

• This is gonna be fun.
• Joe and Ali trade strikes early, until Ali gets the better of it with a couple of dropkicks. These are four guys that need good, fresh matchups to help out Smackdown Live. 
• Rey gets caught with a NAUGHTY feint kick to spinning back elbow. Damn.
• Rey is able to respond with a reverse Infared on Almas, and Ali capitalizes with a rolling facebuster and Tornado DDT.
• Before a commercial break, Joe fallaway slams Mustafa Ali over the announce table. 
• Back from that break, Rey is going wild off a hot tag that leads to a Canadian Destroyer.
• We just saw a Canadian Destroyer on WWE TV. Woah
• Ali sails over Almas to tope con hilo Joe. Almas catches Rey’s 619 with a gutbuster and Hammerlock DDT and wins.
• This was neat. 

SAD RUSEV DAY

• A somber Rusev is in the ring. He blames Nakamura for hurting Lana.
• Rusev says he has the body of 1000 Hemsworth brothers.
• Lana chants. 
• Rusev wants to fight Nakamura for harming his wife.
• Nakamura is in the TV truck to prove it isn’t his fault. He shows Rusev kicking Nakamura with Lana on his back. 

If Usos Win, They Get A Title Shot
The Bar (c) defeated The Usos
6/10

• The Usos cut a basic Uso promo before their match.
• Miz wants Shane McMahon to abuse his power to put them in the tag team title picture, but Shane wants to work at it.
• This is a pretty standard match through the first commercial break. A lot of brawling with the Bar running things.
• It picks up right after the commercial, when Sheamus gets White Noise and Cesaro lands a nice flying elbow drop. 
• Jimmy Uso eventually makes the tag and does what all WWE tag teams do in that instance — RUNS WILD. Throw in some Samoan drops, asses to the face and a suicide dive.
• A double kick in the corner on Sheamus is good for a two count and we get a commercial when the crowd is bumpin’.
• The action stays fast paced during said commercial, and we’re welcomed back by a Cesaro Swing into a Sharpshooter. 
• Cesaro eats a superkick.
• Mandy Rose comes out in a towel and distracts Jimmy, wearing way more than her gear shows off. This leads to a Cesaro Neutralizer and win.
• The Miz is out and challenges The Bar at Royal Rumble.
• Cesaro is shocked that an uncoordinated team with daddy issues wants a title shot (not really). Sheamus Brogue Kicks Miz and accepts.
• Backstage Naomi confronts Mandy, who actually had her gear on and attacks. That brawl with Sonya, Naomi and Mandy was A+. Just wish I could have seen it. But shaky cam.

Top Contender Match
Becky Lynch defeated Carmella and Charlotte Flair
6.75/10

• Carmella talks her title reign and says Charlotte discovered a kendo stick and Becky discovered her personality, but she already beat Charlotte twice. We get similar promos out of Becky and Charlotte.
• WWE has had an IC Title, two tag title matches and a two top contender matches the last two night. They’re at least trying to add stakes.
• We come back from a commercial to see Becky doing a Deadly Drive on Charlotte onto Carmella. 
• Carmella gets a Flatliner on Becky, and applies the Code of Silence on Charlotte. It doesn’t last long because Charlotte takes both women out. 
• I’m glad we’re at a point where women main eventing is the norm. Not history making, just good wrestling
• Charlotte lands a moonsault on both opponents as we hit another commercial break. 
• Carmella is on fire when we come back — a Stratusphere on Charlotte and suicide dive on Becky.
• Charlotte BREAKS HER BUTT Abe Lincoln style on a moonsault attempt. 
• Becky does a Bexploder on Carmella outside, then Charlotte catches Becky with Natural Selection on from the top rope.
• Good on Charles Robinson for counting pins when people’s shoulders are on the mat, even when the wrestlers aren’t intending it.
• Charlotte has Carmella in a Figure 8, Becky flying leg drops her. Becky has a Disarmher on Charlotte, Carmella kicks her. 
• Carmella seems like she’s getting winded about the time she taps out from a Disarmher.
• I’m tired of the “Charlotte didn’t get beat so she’s seething by the barricade” shot.
• Asuka’s music hits and she comes to the ring to taunt with her back to Becky Lynch for some reason. 

Rating guide

10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5.The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.