Smackdown
Date: May 9, 2014
Location: First Niagara
Center, Buffalo, New York
Commentators: Michael
Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
After Monday dealt with
the fallout from Extreme Rules, which was fallout from Wrestlemania,
we get to deal with the fallout from the fallout here on Smackdown.
The main story at the moment is Evolution laying out Shield to end
the show, meaning we're likely setting up Evolution vs. Shield II at
Payback. Also Daniel Bryan has gone from a monster at Wrestlemania
to Laurie Strode about a month later. Let's get to it.
We
open with a recap of the battle royal where Sheamus won the US Title,
last eliminating reigning champion Dean Ambrose. This transitions
into a recap of the main event where Evolution helped the Wyatts
defeat Shield and beat down the Hounds of Justice post match.
US Title: Sheamus
vs. Dean Ambrose
No Rollins and Reigns
outside this time. Dean is favoring his ribs or arm coming in but
takes Sheamus down to start. The champion counters into a headlock
takeover followed by a running shoulder. Cole is already playing up
Sheamus getting the title through less than fair measures, even
though he won the match though totally fair and legal means. Sheamus
cranks on the arm but Dean fights back with that kind of running
Thesz Press of his.
They
head outside with Sheamus ramming Ambrose into the announce table but
getting suplexed onto the floor. Sheamus comes back with a rolling
fireman's carry as we take a break. Back with Dean fighting out of a
full nelson and hammering away at Sheamus' head. Sheamus goes
shoulder first into the post and out to the floor, setting up a great
looking suicide dive from Dean. Back in and we hit the Figure Four,
which is some pretty lame psychology after Sheamus' shoulder hit the
post and barricade about twenty seconds ago.
The champ gets to a
rope and comes back with the Irish Curse and a Cloverleaf. Another
rope is grabbed and Dean heads to the apron, setting up the ten
forearms to the chest. A big kick to the chest sends Dean into the
ropes but he explodes out with a clothesline to put both guys down.
Back up and the Brogue Kick out of nowhere sends Ambrose to the
floor. Ambrose dives back in at nine, only to take a second Brogue
Kick for the pin at 8:19 shown of 11:49.
Rating:
C+.
Again, I don't see why this is supposed to be the start of a heel
turn for Sheamus. He won the title in a match that is about everyone
being in the ring at the same time where the announcers talk about
how you have to watch your back. Then he beats the former champion
clean with his finishing move. That sounds like one man being better
than the other, not one man cheating to win. If that's where they're
going, then hopefully Sheamus starts doing some heelish stuff instead
of the turn being forced because the script says that's what happens.
Rob Van Dam/Big E.
vs. Bad News Barrett/Cesaro
Van
Dam has a big black eye and Heyman is on commentary. The Bad News
for the week is that climate change is coming and soon people like
Big E. are going to be forgotten pieces of history. Barrett hammers
on Van Dam to start but gets caught by the springboard kick to the
face. Bad News puts on a chinlock as Heyman talks about Brock
beating Undertaker. Another kick puts Barrett down and it's a double
tag to Big E. and Cesaro. Big E. takes over with the usual and gets
two off the splash. A Rock Bottom out of the corner gets the same
but Van Dam accidentally kicks Big E., setting up the Neutralizer for
the pin at 2:38.
We
look at stills of Bryan vs. Kane from the PPV.
Rusev vs. Kofi
Kingston
Just
Rusev now. We get another pro-Putin rant from Lana before the match,
saying he should win the Nobel Peace Prize. Kofi fires off some
kicks to start but gets crushed by a jumping kick to the face. A
dropkick staggers Rusev and Kofi hammers away with right hands in the
corner, only to have his sunset flip countered by a choke. The cross
body gets two on Rusev but Kofi slams him down and hooks the Accolade
for the win at 2:06.
The Wyatts come on
screen with Bray talking about how the world must crumble because
we're all just slaves to judgment. Judgment tells him he must adapt
and it is judgment that says he must bow to Cena. But where we're
going, no one ever comes back.
Bolieve!
Layla/Fandango vs.
Santino Marella/Emma
Santino
takes Fandango down with a headlock to start but the dancer slams him
down. He takes too long dancing on the middle rope though and misses
a knee drop, allowing for a double tag to the girls. There's the
Dilemma to Layla and everything breaks down. Emma loads up the pink
Cobra but the guys fighting allows Layla to roll her up for the pin
at 2:06.
Fandango and Layla kiss
on stage.
Roman Reigns vs.
Mark Henry
We
get an inset interview from Henry saying this is about revenge for
Shield attacking him 3-1 a few months ago. Points for continuity.
Henry throws Reigns into the corner a few times before winning a
slugout by going for Roman's bad ribs. Mark talks a bunch of trash
about how Reigns is by himself tonight and you can hear JBL cover up
a laugh. He bends Reigns' bad ribs around the post as this is one
sided so far.
As I say that, Reigns
comes back with the jumping clothesline to put Henry down for the
first time. Roman tries another charge but runs into a clothesline
from Mark. Henry loads up what appeared to be a Vader Bomb but
Reigns lifts him onto his shoulders and plants Mark with a Samoan
drop. The spear is enough for the pin at 3:45.
Rating:
C-.
This was a nice mini story with Reigns fighting through adversity and
going into Beast Mode to win in the end. That's the kind of win that
makes Reigns look like a monster who isn't going to be stopped and
that's exactly what he needs at this point. It's not a masterpiece
and was just a quick match but it was nice to see.
3MB vs. Los
Matadores/El Torito
It's
Slater/McIntyre for 3MB here along with Horny. McIntyre clotheslines
Fernando down for two to start before stomping away. Off to Slater
as the big guys start tagging in and out to work over Fernando. JBL
drops a Bastian Booger birthday greeting of all things as Horny comes
in for some shots of his own. 3MB keeps up the tags until Fernando
scores with a dropkick to put both guys down.
Horny: “TAG ME IN! I
WANT TO RIP HIS FACE OFF!” Both small guys get tags and Torito
starts biting, only to get punched in the jaw for his efforts. The
Gore puts Horny on the floor but only seems to tick him off. Slater
won't tag in for some reason but does break up a pin attempt off a
splash. Heath comes in legally but misses a charge, allowing Torito
to hit a moonsault press for the pin at 4:23.
Rating:
D+.
The match was nothing to see but that's become the standard for this
feud. Speaking of nothing to see, did Los Matadores fall into a hole
for the second half of the match? I'd assume they were fighting with
the other full sized guys but the camera didn't catch much of it if
they were. This feud has run out of steam though.
Long recap of Bryan vs.
Kane on Monday.
Mr. T. wishes us a
Happy Mother's Day.
Batista vs. Seth
Rollins
This has potential.
Rollins is banged up as well with a bad arm and misses a charge into
the corner to start. Another missed charge sends Rollins to the
floor and Batista ties him up in the ring skirt for a beating. The
fans tell Batista he can't wrestle before he pulls Rollins away from
the ropes for a big crash to the mat. Back outside already with Seth
going into the steps.
We
hit the chinlock for a few moments before Batista goes after the bad
arm by wrapping it around the post. Batista tries to pull Rollins
out of the corner again but Seth backflips (mostly) to his feet. Big
Dave misses a charge of his own and goes shoulder first into the
post, allowing Rollins to hit some running forearms in the corner. A
running sleeper slam from Rollins sets up the standing Sliced Bread
#2 but Batista gets away.
Seth
scores with an enziguri from the apron but misses the top rope knee
to the head, only to run into the spinebuster. The Batista Bomb is
countered and now the running knee sends Batista down to the floor.
Seth goes up top for a dive, only to be sent face first into the
announce table for the countout at 8:55.
Rating:
C+.
Give this another five minutes and it's a far better match. This was
another good sign for the Shield as Rollins can clearly hang in there
with a big star in a longer match. He reminds me of a Jeff Hardy in
the ring with all of the dives and it's easy to get behind his
comebacks.
Post match Batista lays
Rollins out with a Batista Bomb.
Wyatt Family vs.
Usos/John Cena
Cena
runs over Rowan to start and scores with a quick release fisherman's
suplex. Harper comes in for one of those freaky looks of his so Cena
takes him down with a bulldog. Off to Jey for some shots to the face
before Jimmy comes in for some running shots in the corner. Luke
comes back with a right hand of his own and it's off to Rowan who
walks into a Jimmy punch. Harper comes back in to take over on Jey
with catapult into the middle rope for two.
Bray
is legal for the first time and chokes even more as this isn't the
most energetic match in the world. Wyatt does the Spider Walk out of
the corner but Jey kicks his arm away in a nice counter. A low
bridge puts Bray on the floor but Harper breaks up a tag attempt.
There's the Gator Roll followed by a chinlock before it's back to
Erick for a headlock.
Jey shoves him into the
corner and avoids a splash, finally allowing for the hot tag to Jimmy
to face Bray. Cena gets in a cheap shot from the apron as Jimmy
superkicks Harper down for two. Bray and Rowan double team Cena but
Jimmy dives on all three of them. He goes back inside though and
eats the discus lariat from Harper for the pin at 8:18.
Rating:
D+.
The match was fine from a technical standpoint but there was no
energy to this at all. It felt like a dark match or the main event
of a house show at the end of a long tour. Most of it was just
punching and variations of chinlocks with no real big saves and
almost nothing from Cena at all. I expected more from this one but
it does advance the Family vs. Usos down the line.
Overall
Rating: D+.
This wasn't much of a show as it's really just a supplement to Raw,
which wasn't a great show in the first place. It's cool to see the
Shield wrestling on their own and they didn't perform horribly, but
the rest of the show really didn't do anything for me at all. It's
really just a long set of matches that don't change anything and
won't matter by the time Monday comes around.
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:
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