Match Ratings, Notes, Analysis For Smackdown Live 10/17 From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening segment
8.25/10

• Daniel Bryan gets an awesome reaction from his hometown crowd and addresses Sami Zayn.
• Sami Zayn sarcastically dancing is just the best.
• Zayn talks about their similarities and takes a shot at Bryan's retirement.
• Owens is out, and they call Daniel Bryan a housewife, and refer to him as The Authority. 
• This is an outstanding promo. They really rail on Bryan, who says he's going to find someone to beat them up. 

Charlotte, Becky Lynch & Naomi defeated Lana, Tamina & Natayla
2/10

• As much as I like Becky Lynch, I wonder about her offense sometimes. She runs about two feet to the ropes for a leg drop.
• Wow, Lana wrestling. She has a little trouble working the camera. 
• Lana is the one tasked with bumping for Charlotte's hot tag. Man, it's shitty. Charlotte wins.
• Lana was miserable in this match.

Backstage Crappenings

• Bryan tells Steenerico that Orton and Nakamura are facing them. Why are Nakamura and Orton pals now? If Nakamura and Orton win tonight, why are they not in line for a tag title shot in kayfabe?
• Fashion Fiction is pretty good. The Ascension want to be Breezango's friends, and Breezango like gluten. Everyone knows the Bludgeon Brothers are the ones behind all the fudgery. This is probably the most over The Ascension have ever been on the main roster.
• Bludgeon Bros. vignette. I'm willing to give it a shot.
• I don't know who told Shelton and Gable to do what they were doing, but it was stupid and bad. 
• There's a comical New Day, Aiden English, Rusev segment. Rusev is over as a babyface. People love him.

Sin Cara defeated Baron Corbin via countout

• Corbin says he's not willing to keep the United States Open Challenge going. Sin Cara beats him up and wins by countout. Ha!

Jinder Mahal

• "You can't wrestle" chants for Jinder. Haven't heard those in a while.
• He calls out Brock Lesnar. The crowd doesn't care.
• Ah, so they're feeding AJ to Jinder to gas him up for Brock, eh? 
• Why should AJ be in line for a title shot? He just lost clean as a sheet to Baron Corbin.
• Styles attacks Jinder. Backstage, Jinder wants to make AJ Styles pay. He volunteers Sunil to fight AJ next week. 

Dolph Ziggler defeated Bobby Roode

• This match was really, really fast paced and was the best one they've had.
• 50/50 booking really sucks, but if it means the matches are better, whatever I guess. Ziggler wins. Roode shouldn't have forgotten his lines last week. 
• I love Bobby Roode using the Saito Suplex.

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn defeated Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura
6.5/10

• Zayn and Nakamura is a one on one match I want again.
• There's an RKO tease on Owens early that is really good.
• It's definitely a change of pace to see Zayn slowing a match down and working over a body part as a heel. 
• Nakamura is having the same match he's had forever though — he has his knee targeted and then uses it. 
• Zayn is sent through a ANNOUNCEMENT TABLE by Orton. He's holding his arm after, but looks okay a little bit later.
• Orton catches Zayn with one of the best powerslams I've seen in recent years.
• A low blow, Zayn gets a win!!!
• This was good stuff, and Randy Orton looked motivated.
• Backstage, Owens and Zayn hilariously ask Daniel Bryan what's next. Bryan says it's up to a returning Shane McMahon next week.
• The show was timed out wrong and Owens and Zayn go back out to celebrate. Woops!