WWE SmackDown: Results, Highlights and Grades for January 3rd

Otis vs. Drew Gulak

Drew Gulak comes out to say from the heart that Mandy Rose will never date Otis. She wants people who are smart, like Ziggler or himself, but Otis looks like he’s “leaking butter.” Instead, Gulak makes a 372 page POWERPOINT PRESENTATION on how Otis can date Mandy.

Instead, Otis pulls Gulak into the ring to get the bell to ring before just clobbering Gulak with forearms and punches.

Meanwhile, during the match, we get telecast of Ziggler and Rose (featuring Sonya Deville) arguing about … something.

Gulak briefly gets the heat, but Otis is inspired to pull his shirt off and give Drew Gulak the business. The business is a bunch of scoop slams and clotheslines.

Otis then nails The Caterpillar followed by a Vader Bomb (which is a perfect finish for Otis) for the win.

Winner: Otis

Grade: D

Not a fan of this match or the way Gulak is back to a powerpoint gimmick that is long behind him (sad that it seems to be the only he can get on TV, even though his newer, rougher in-ring style and beard don’t fit the character anymore) but it makes Otis look strong so … sure.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1213285316464979970

Cesaro vs. Braun Strowman

Lockup to start. Braun backs Cesaro into the corner. Cesaro does the same into another corner. No fear from either man and they’re both evenly matches. Cesaro with a headlock before bouncing off the ropes into Strowman like a wall. Another shoulder block, but this time, Strowman bounces back and knocks Cesaro down. Followed by a Biel Toss.

Cesaro attempts a kick to the gut, but Braun blocks it and goes for a shoulder block. Cesaro eventually stops Braun’s momentum, but can’t get the deadlift apron suplex attempt going. Braun knocks Cesaro off the apron, leading us into a commercial break.

Back from break, Cesaro has a sleeper hold on Braun, but Braun backs Cesaro into the corner. Cesaro dropkicks Braun’s legs and pushes Cesaro onto the middle rope. He distracts the ref so Nakamura can kick Braun in the face.

Cesaro tries to go for a double axe handle, but Braun catches him for a chokeslam attempt, which Cesaro avoids with a sleeper hold that Braun turns into a sidewalk slam. Shoulder block follow up. Nakamura on the apron, but Braun punches him off, allowing Cesaro to hit a sea of uppercuts.

But eventually, Cesaro finds himself outside where Braun goes to bulldoze through everyone in sight (except Zayn, who is hiding under the ring). Back in the ring, Bruan sets up a Powerslam, but Zayn causes a brief distraction allowing Cesaro get the advantage.

Cesaro goes for the Neutralizer, but Braun Strowman turns it into a Powerslam for the win, but as soon as he wins, he turns around into a Kinshasa. Cesaro lost, but the heels walk away as Braun is laid out.

Winner: Braun Strowman

Grade: B+

I’m a sucker for a strong boy, mean guy matches. This is the definition of such a match, so I kind of loved it.