Isenberg Reacts: WWE Smackdown Live “Ellsworth, Wyatt and Women’s Wrestling”

October 19, 2016

James Ellsworth vs. AJ Styles

Former Miss France and Europe 2006 Alexandra Rosenfeld (C) poses with US wrestler Allen Neal Jones known as AJ Styles (R) and Mexican wrestler Alberto Rodriguez known as Alberto Del Rio (L) before attending a show at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris, as part of the WrestleMania Revenge Tour, the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) European tour, on April 22, 2016 in Paris. / AFP / THOMAS SAMSON (Photo credit should read THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images)

You can criticize it all you want, but it got a reaction. It got interest and it was very well booked. James Ellsworth should have been a one week wonder, but he was able to carry momentum into Smackdown Live with Dean Ambrose to get a shot at the WWE World Championship. The match was comical, with Ambrose helping him out the entire way. Ellsworth connected with a huge superkick and then got a near fall.

We knew what was going to happen, but it does not devalue how entertaining this opportunity was for James Ellsworth. The Ellsworth chants were great and the crowd was invested. This was DIFFERENT than a tag team main event. It was DIFFERENT than a non-title match between Styles and Ambrose. Do we need to see this again? No, but when Smackdown Live is trying to keep Ambrose vs. Styles fresh, they went completely out of the box and gave the fans something entertaining.

I wanted to hate this idea, I really did. I can’t say anything too negative about it. Smackdown Live continues to try new things and I am sure Vince was probably medicated up during this time of television booking.

WZ 7.5

@JoshIsenberg4 on Twitter. WWE Smackdown Live Rating:

WZZ 6.5

Josh controls most of the creative writing and ideas for the show on a weekly basis, as well as an on-air talent.
Aside from working with WrestleZone, Isenberg began his career in Broadcast Journalism interning at ESPN and worked with CBS Radio for three years. He has also had the opportunity to interview some of the best athletes and performers alive, including Andrew McCutchen, Ben Roethlisberger, Chris Jericho, Billy Gunn, Karl Anderson, Matt Hardy, Steven Strasburg and others.
Currently, Josh Isenberg works for Major League Baseball in their Advanced Media Productions. He grew up in Pittsburgh and went to Point Park University, which is where Chair Shot Reality is filmed each week.
His life outside of his obsession with wrestling include being a savant for Seinfeld, NFL, NBA, MLB and many television shows. He also has an undying love for musicals, which includes many shows he was a part of in high school. Some of his favorite wrestling moments can be linked to such superstars as Edge, The Rock, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and The Great Khali.

Follow @JoshIsenberg4