Ezekiel Jackson vs. The Great Khali Review:
A slow paced match as we expected, with two super heavyweights. Khali hits a few chops, and knocks down Jackson with a clothesline. Khali hits hand chops on Jackson. Jackson does not get much offense until Khali attaches the Vice Grip, as he powers out of it. Khali accidentally hits Mahal, and that distraction allows Jackson to put him in the Torture Rack.
Reaction:
Jackson continually gets beaten down in this match from Khali, as we know what kind of match to expect when Khali is involved. He does the same routine on every opponent, but Jackson putting him in the Torture Rack was impressive. I wish they gave Jackson more offense, showing his suplexes and clotheslines to overpower Khali. Where will Jackson go from here? I wonder what is next in his path. This segment gets a C.
Orton wonders how many times he has to face Christian, in a backstage promo.
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry Review:
Not living up to the match from SummerSlam, both men seemed a little slower and more cautious here. I enjoyed their match at SummerSlam, but tonight it was a step below from what we saw. Mark Henry and Sheamus brawled in the ring, as Henry hits a running clothesline, and tries to overpower Sheamus with a body slam. Sheamus hits a knee and a kick to the face of Sheamus as he is wrapped up in the ropes. Sheamus goes up top, and shoulder blocks Henry. He gets a two count. Henry and Sheamus brawl to the outside, as Sheamus takes out Henry on the announcer's table. Henry gets counted out, but the night is not over. Henry goes to attack Sheamus, hits a thunderous clothesline and hits the World Strongest Slam onto the steel steps.
Reaction:
Giving Sheamus the win was smart because it keeps him relevant and not losing steam as the second face on Smackdown. Henry will be in a title match, most likely at Night of Champions, but his aftermath on Sheamus shows why he continues to get pushed. His size, his ability to dominate a larger opponent, and all of the confidence he has gotten will get him to face Orton. Neither of these men got buried due to the count out, and I feel we may have one more match between the two. Good storyline building without directly having Orton involved. This segment gets a B-.
Overall:
Friday Night Smackdown did not build to Night of Champions at all, but they still have three weeks to make matches. I liked how they spread out their stars and matches, but I would have had different matches in different places. Christian and Bryan showed their skills with one another, and why this could be a feud down the road. Both men tone their abilities in the ring each week, adding a small wrinkle to keep it fresh. Cody and Ted continue to separate apart, looks for good now, and Randy Orton still shows why he holds the gold. I like how it seems like the main event picture is crowded, when it really isn't. I need to see Wade Barrett being pushed more, as he deserves to be in the title hunt as well, or possibly a longer, extended feud with Sheamus. Those two work perfect together. I did not like the Divas match or Sin Cara match a lot because the timing was off. They need to tighten inside the ring, so watch some Bryan or Orton matches. There needs to be a continuous flow from one move to another to create the story. Overall, Friday Night Smackdown gets a C+.
Follow @JoshIsenberg4 on Twitter. Impact Wrestling Reaction will be posted tonight! Reaction, over.
