WrestleTalk Roundtable – WWE Smackdown Live – November 13, 2018

“Siri, show me disappointment.”

“Okay. What time is your appointment?”

“Oh, come on. I said disappointment, you moron.”

“Calling mom.”

“I swear to God, you damn machine. Just show me disappointment!”

CONFIRMED – Becky Lynch has been pulled from Survivor Series.https://t.co/VeODpDlemN

— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) November 13, 2018

Ah, there it is. It’s easier if you just embrace it, friends. Let the pain in.

Throughout this misfiring, forgettable build to Survivor Series, we’ve had one constant to desperately cling to. One shining beacon amongst a sea of over-booked men’s elimination matches and meaningless ten-on-ten tag team contests even WWE seems to have forgotten about.

That one saving grace was Becky Lynch vs Ronda Rousey. Or, more accurately, just Becky Lynch.

Confirmation that the SmackDown Women’s Champion wasn’t physically cleared to compete on Sunday came about in the most bittersweet of ways. In what was one of the most memorable moments of Raw this year, Lynch attacked Rousey backstage before leading an invasion of the red brand’s women’s division. Becky looked amazing leading the charge and the visual of her triumphantly leaving the arena, covered in blood, was easily a highlight of the year.

Sadly, we learned last night that her injuries were even more grisly than they appeared. A facial fracture and concussion would be keeping Becky out of her scheduled mega-bout against the undefeated Rousey.

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In the larger context, Becky’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for both her and WWE. As much as we all love ‘the Man’ now, it’s important to remember that her rise to the top has been fairly short-lived. Three months ago at SummerSlam, Becky executed one of the best heel turns in recent memory and in the process, completely revitalised her career.

The likeable, but too often maligned ‘Irish Lass Kicker’ had turned the page to become one of the hottest characters on TV. Gone were the quinoa skits, the wide Bálor-esque grins and the tea cup celebrations; in their place came ego, anti-establishment resentment and the will to stand alone.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to call Becky the biggest star in WWE at the moment. And her match against Rousey was shaping up as the most anticipated bout in many months.

While Ronda has undeniable mainstream appeal, Lynch’s popularity lies mostly among WWE‘s core fanbase. Defeating Rousey wouldn’t have damaged her in the slightest. She’s lost before in the UFC and remained a massive draw. Plus, with an injured arm and no titles on the line, all the ingredients were there to hand Rousey her first loss without any lasting repercussions.

She's THE man. Don't forget it. #SDLive #TheMan #SurvivorSeries @BeckyLynchWWE pic.twitter.com/Oi55lOFmew

— WWE (@WWE) November 14, 2018

Victory for Becky, on the other hand, would send fans into orbit. It would have demonstrated a willingness to push stars when they’re most over. It would have shown fans that their voices matter and the company pays attention to its consumers. Most importantly, it would have rewarded Becky for injecting life into a stagnating product. In a world where Brock Lesnar is once again Universal Champion, Becky could have been the fans’ saviour.

Unfortunately though, we won’t be getting that at Survivor Series. In just one of many segments on last night’s SmackDown Live, a replacement for that match was named. We also got team announcements, last-minute re-alignments ahead of Sunday’s pay-per-view and a shock WWE Title match. Join us as we take you through the good and the bad from last night’s episode, and settle on a rating of the show overall.

• wrestletalk roundtable
• SmackDown Live
• Becky Lynch
• wwe

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