Match Ratings For WWE Smackdown Live 2/12/19, Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp Of Fightful.com

Charlotte

• We see video of last night’s happenings that led to Becky Lynch being replaced by Charlotte Flair.
• Charlotte comes out and says she’s the backbone of the division and Vince made a smart business decision and picked a future Hall of Famer.
• Charlotte Flair does some really good troll work in this promo. She’s letting Becky Lynch have it. This is really, really good stuff and a strong heel promo.
• Charlotte Flair says that she’s going to be at the Raw Women’s Title Match at Elimination Chamber between Rousey and Ruby Riott, and maybe we’ll end up seeing a new champion.

Loser enters Elimination Chamber first
Fabulous Glow defeated Fire & Desire and The IIconics
5/10

• IIconics standing on the same side of the turnbuckle. 
• This is one of Naomi’s “on” nights. Carmella avoiding Sonya’s strikes and taunting was good, too.
• Mandy avoids Naomi at all costs and runs away. Ideally one of these teams could just walk out and not lose.
• A major part of this match takes place during the commercial break and the work doesn’t look great. 
• Deville and Carmella have a couple of interactions here, but the match is largely built around the Naomi vs. Mandy Rose stuff.
• Naomi picks up the win with a split legged moonsault on Mandy.
• The IIconics never tagged in, but posted both members of Fabulous Glow after the match. Probably the best use of them. 
• A largely average match with a solid story and an okay crowd. Everyone was used pretty well, and there were stakes. 

Backstage crappenings

• We see promos from the Raw tag teams. Nia talks over Tamina three times. Liv cut the best promo of all of the Raw field there. 
• Mustafa Ali does a cell phone promo and says WWE haven’t cleared him. He won’t let this hold him down.

McMiz TV

• The Miz announces that Shane McMahon is going to be on NCIS LA. NCIS might be the only show with camera work I hate more than WWE.
• The Usos come out and say McMiz are trying to be the Usos.
• The Miz and McMahon counter Uso knowing each other so well by giving one another the answers. There’s a spot where they get a cheap pop for the Toledo Mud Hens.
• After some trash talk, Usos superkick McMiz.
• This was a really good, fun segment that furthered their story.

Winner enters chamber last
Randy Orton Wins 
8.75/10

• I’ve been pitching it on the Fightful Podcast for a long time, but I would totally be for a Daniel Bryan vs. New Day feud.
• Bryan and Kofi go at it for a while. Kofi eats a couple of vicious kitchen sinks. This feels like a very fresh matchup. 
• Before  a commercial, Kofi does a great dive over the top rope. Bryan only gets a two when he does a guillotine knee drop. Bryan misses a diving headbutt, and the high flying tactics are fast and furious. Kofi does a standing somersault senton, too.
• Bryan does an amazing tree of woe dropkick, but both men wipe out on a belly-to-back superlex attempt. 
• DB applies a LeBell Lock and Kofi manages to get to the ropes.
• Bryan flies to ringside and hits Kofi with a knee, but Kofi dropkicks Bryan.
• Rowan gets involved, but New Day takes him out and they’re kicked out. Rowan still attacks Kofi, then he’s banned too. 
• Kofi gets Trouble in Paradise and beats Bryan!

DANIEL BRYAN is eliminated after 24 minutes (8/10)

• Jeff Hardy is next
• Some sloppy work early outside, and Hardy misses a Swanton.
• After a little back and forth, Kofi Kingston gets the win with an SOS!
• There wasn’t a ton to this nine minutes but Kofi looked very strong.

JEFF HARDY is eliminated after nine minutes (Kofi is at 33)

• Samoa Joe is out next and cracks Kofi.
• Joe works over Kofi with an adbominal stretch and a clothesline. 
• Both men eat floor on a Kofi slingshot over the top and both make it back in by the count of ten.
• Kofi Kingston kicks out at ONE after a clothesline.
• This is how you build up a guy as a contender in one night. Bravo, WWE.
• Koqina Clutch is applied but Kofi does the Hart/Piper and Hart/Austin finish to pin him!

Samoa Joe is eliminated after 14 minutes (Kofi is at 47)

• Joe is LIVID and chokes out Kofi. AJ is next and attacks Joe. 
• AJ tries to show Kofi sympathy, but Kofi pushes AJ Styles. Styles goes off and decks him.
• Kofi fights back after being worked over, but Kofi walks into a VICIOUS backbreaker and howls in pain. 
• Kofi Kingston flies into the ring post knees first in a brutal spot. He makes it in by the ten count!
• Styles misses a super frankensteiner! Kofi Kingston body presses Styles’ back for a two. 
• Kofi is placed in the Calf Crusher and taps out.
• Kofi Kingston lasted an HOUR.

Kofi Kingston eliminated after an hour (Styles is at 13 minutes)

• RKO. Pin.

AJ Styles eliminated after 14 minutes. Randy Orton Wins

• They were VERY short on time. This was an amazing story. I will always remember this as Kofi Kingston’s Smackdown.

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.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!