5 Takeaways From SmackdownLive - 1/15/19

It's not often we get two solid WWE shows in the same week. Creative has been unbelievably bad with certain angles, and absolutely stout for others. This particular episode of Smackdown is an example of that, as one specific storyline is tasteless, yet on the same show we got to see an all-time great match.

I will dive in, and give you the five takeaways from this week's episode of Smackdown in a moment. I just wanted to give a shoutout to The Enzuigiri. We are a group of long-time wrestling fans living in the Tri-State area. We have results, news, interviews, and so much more! Please check out our podcast, Reddit, and Facebook page!

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Let me start by saying this: call backs to the "attitude era" and "ruthless aggression era" are usually very positive. The majority of the time, this means the product is showing signs of being more edgy, featuring more violence and blood. However, this is not the case all of the time.

As of late, Mandy Rose has been depicted as the petty blonde who wants to do nothing other than break up the marriage between Jimmy Uso and Naomi. She sent him the key to her hotel room, and a personal letter. Her plans backfired as it was her who was set up (although she beat down Naomi in the end), but this story is going nowhere, and benefits nobody.

Both of these women are much too talented to be stuck in such a pointless feud, and it contradicts the entire women's revolution that WWE has been touting for the past few years.

The Iiconics and Absolution are virtual locks for the Women's Tag Title match, but Smackdown needs one more team to band together. Carmella vs Sonya Deville was scheduled to take place, but was canceled for unknown reasons. One would assume Carmella will assist Naomi in her battle against Absolution, thus forming the final team for Elimination Chamber.

Both of these women are entertaining, and solid in the ring. I'm sure this is the plan, but you never know with WWE. Another thing that would be funny is if R-Truth attempts to team with Carmella in the chamber instead.

A superstar who has been wasted since making his WWE debut is Samoa Joe. The "submission machine" should have won a major title within the first couple months of being on the main roster.

On this episode of Smackdown, he was scheduled to compete against recent 205 Live call-up, Mustafa Ali. Instead of the match, what we saw was Joe viciously attacking Ali beforehand. The bout never got started, and Joe later mentioned he's setting his sights on winning the Royal Rumble, and said the other 29 men are simply "targets" to him.

I like this intensity from Joe. He is on the top of his game week in and week out, yet has never received the major push he truly deserves. While I doubt Joe will win the Royal Rumble match, I'm looking for him to make an impact, and possibly last to the final four.

I'll admit it, I've never been a fan of Shane McMahon. I'm not sure why exactly, but the Smackdown commissioner has never stood out to me as he has done to others. I have respect for his daredevil antics over the years, and he had solid mic work, but it just never clicked together to me.

Having said all of that, this current storyline with The Miz as his tag team partner is the most interesting he has been to me since the days of the Corporate Ministry. In all likelihood, it is The Miz who captivated me into this angle. Shane's partner is fantastic on the mic, and is so conniving that you never know when you can really trust him.

I'm actually excited to see their tag team title match against The Bar at Royal Rumble. No doubt McMahon will drag the match down from an in-ring perspective, but it will be plenty entertaining, so I don't mind.

I have been a huge fan of the former Andrade Cien Almas since he made his Smackdown debut (I'm not a huge NXT viewer). This man puts on great match after great match whenever he gets the chance. I think it makes no sense that WWE chose to change his name, and only call him "Andrade", but luckily it didn't have any affect on his performance this week.

Andrade faced off against Rey Mysterio, in a match that can legitimately be called the greatest match in Smackdown history. The two went head to head for nearly 20 minutes, with some great spots and near falls. In the end, Zelina Vega distracted Mysterio long enough for Almas to hit him with a spiked Hammerlock DDT for the incredible win.

This match showcases not only the fact that Rey Mysterio has not lost a step in the ring, but also that Andrade Almas has a ridiculously bright future ahead of him in the WWE. I can't wait for potential matchups for Almas, such as rematches with AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan, or Mustafa Ali, Finn Bálor, or Seth Rollins.

Well, there you have it! Did you enjoy Smackdown this week? Who is your pick for the final Smackdown women's tag team? Let me know in the comments below, and thank you for reading!