LIVE Smackdown thoughts - January 30, 2015

9:58 - Fun enough match but the casket aspect really limited them.  I do sincerely hope that this is the absolute last of Kane/Bryan though.  And again....when the powers that be sees the audience reaction to Bryan vs. virtually everybody else, you have to wonder why on earth they're so stubborn about just making him the focal point of the company.

I will admit to being intrigued by Triple H's announcement, though.  I suspect it might be a match between Reigns and Bryan at Fast Lane, with the winner getting the title shot (which Reigns will win).  I think this would be a mistake, if they go that route.  No need to give the audience even MORE reason to resent the guy.

9:36 - Bryan wearing the Bruiser Brody fur boots tonight.

9:35 - Bryan really needs to bring back those awesome ring jackets he used to wear.

9:19 - I love the variations of the "drop down and hit" move that Gold and Stardust do.  Goldust punches, whereas Stardust kicks.

9:14 - Goldust's new entrance jacket is a little fancier than usual.

I also love that Stardust changes up his color scheme.  I kinda wish that Goldust would do the same.  Keep gold as the constant, but maybe mix up the secondary color.  Or add a new color to the trim.

And if these two get fed to Ascension, something's seriously wrong.

9:05 - Really fun, passionate promo from Cena (which contained some really great lines, actually).  I just don't know if the anger justifies the situation.  What exactly is Cena so angry about?  For a guy who lets everything slide, it seems odd that he's so pissed about somebody saying he's not a challenge.

Also, what's the status of the United States Championship?  Cena's last line seemed to imply the title was on the line, but has that been officially clear?

8:59 - Wouldn't it have made more sense to show a clip of the, ya' know, confrontation.  Instead of the clip we've already seen earlier tonight.

8:43 - Ryback coming out wasn't the least bit surprising because WWE's Instagram account already posted a photo of him.  They have a nasty habit of doing that and it's quite annoying.

8:32 - Am I mistaken or did Vince McMahon just give essentially the same exact promo that Triple H did about a half hour ago, which was just repeated from a story reported earlier today on WWE.com?

8:26 - King....a shark is a far better and more intimidating nickname than a "killer whale."

8:22 - All of these promos from different Superstars, all of these things the announcers need to say, all of the dominance Reigns gets to show....it's a lot of work.  Wouldn't it just have been easier to let one of those guys that you openly acknowledge the fans wanted to win, win?

8:17 - Surely they'll be smart enough to give Reigns the dominant victory in this match.  Now is not the time to make him look weak or physically incapable.

By the way, I feel like I'm still getting my value for the WWE Network so I'm not all bothered by it, but I do understand why people are annoyed by the fact that WWE repeatedly gives a free month to new subscribers.  They do VERY little, if anything, to reward their long-time subscribers.  When you teach people that you're better off not subscribing than subscribing, you're doing something wrong.

8:11 - I must say, it's kinda cool that Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, and Dean Ambrose are explicitly mentioned as people the fans are upset were eliminated.  It at least shows that the WWE is aware that these three guys have a connection with the audience.  Let's hope that all three do something special at WrestleMania.

8:06 - You can tell they're using the script from Raw.  Deflated ball jokes on a Thursday?

8:05 - This is an extremely odd heel promo by Triple H.

8:02 - Sure, why not?