Isenberg Reacts: WWE Smackdown Live “Welcome Home and Welcome Heels”

January 18, 2017

Dolph Ziggler Superkicks a King

An edition of The King’s Court with Jerry “The King” Lawler takes place on Smackdown Live, where he wants to know what is going on with his new attitude. After minutes of silence, Dolph Ziggler breaks it and says that he has footage to show Lawler. It takes us back to 2012, where Dolph hit some elbow drops to Lawler before he suffered a heart attack. He says he should blame him and if he keeps asking him questions, he will finish what he started.

Jerry Lawler talks about how his attitude changes will still make him a loser, so Dolph superkicks him in the chest. JBL leaves the announcer’s table and helps up Lawler. Dolph slowly walks away and to the back with the two legends in the ring.

The new attitude for Dolph Ziggler is working and I am really enjoying what he has been able to do. With someone so beloved by the fans and so talented in the ring, it was not going to be easy. That is why they brought in a legend in Memphis and in WWE, with Ziggler getting easy heel heat to further his turn. I just wonder who he can face off with on Smackdown Live that will help him reach another level of heel abilities.

I am good with Lawler and JBL helping him get heat, but I do not want to see a match with them. I am not sure who his actual feud can be with, which could ultimately hurt his overall progression. He has so much left in the tank and has so much to offer, so let’s be optimistic that he gets there and they do not drop the ball on this new heel turn.

WZ 7

Dean Ambrose vs. Randy Orton

A match that could have been forgotten and wasted was more about the continued dissension of The Wyatt Family. After a solid bout between Randy Orton and Dean Ambrose, it was more about Luke Harper getting into the ring to cause a distraction. Randy yelled at him to leave, which he did. Randy would get rolled up by Ambrose and Orton suffers another loss at the hands of Harper.

The overall outcome is still to be determined, but the mind games between the three men intrigues me. If you really want Randy to feel like a member of The Wyatt Family, why is he not dressed like it? Hell, they did it for a few weeks with Daniel Bryan. There has to be some major resolution here and not like a throwaway feud for Orton. With Wyatt, he deserves a solid match at WrestleMania, but I think Luke Harper does as well.

Wyatt Family feuds will all center around Bray, no matter what. How do they develop Harper as a legit threat over Wyatt?

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.