Smackdown
Date: April 28, 2015
Location: iWireless
Center, Moline, Illinois
Commentators: Michael
Cole, Tom Phillips, Jerry Lawler
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
We're four days removed
from Extreme Rules, meaning we're two and a half weeks from Payback.
Coming out of Raw, the big story is Rollins having to defend his
title against Randy Orton and Roman Reigns in a three way at the next
pay per view, which WWE had spoiled about a week in advance. Let's
get to it.
This episode is
dedicated to Verne Gagne.
We open in the back
with Kane coming into Rollins' office. Seth yells about Kane
screwing up on Monday and making decisions not best for business
because they're not best for him. Kane tells him to cool it but Seth
accuses him of being jealous. Kane promises to make a man out of
him, so tonight it's Rollins vs. Ambrose because it's best for
business. Seth thinks the Kane from 20 years ago would be best for
business because this one has nothing to offer.
Opening sequence.
Here's Roman Reigns for
a chat. First up we have a shout out to his boy Dean Ambrose for his
match tonight against their little brother Seth Rollins. That would
be the guy that ripped down everything they had built and then cost
him the World Title at Wrestlemania. Thanks to Seth, every fight
he's had has been the biggest fight of his life, so wait until he
gets his hands on him at Payback. This brings out Kane and it's time
for a match.
Roman
Reigns vs. Kane
Slug out to start with
Kane kicking him down into the corner before planting him with a
belly to back suplex. Roman low bridges him to the floor and sends
Kane into the post but a side slam puts Reigns on the announcers'
table. Back from a break with Kane holding Reigns in a bearhug
before just stepping on his head. Roman gets back up and wins
another slugout before suplexing Kane down. A middle rope
clothesline puts him down again and Roman follows it up with more in
the corner.
The Samoan drop looks
to set up the Superman Punch but Kane catches him by the throat for a
chokeslam for two. Reigns escapes the tombstone and hits a DDT
(because it's just a transitional move), followed by the Superman
Punch but the threat of a spear sends Kane running away for the
countout at 9:59.
Rating:
D+. I have no idea why I'm
supposed to care about this potential Kane face turn but it's not
working. Kane is decent
enough as a power enforcer but he's the focus of the main event scene
instead of the champion or either of the challengers. That's really
the best idea they have?
Renee
asks Seth about what just happened. Rollins says the difference
between himself and Kane is he finds a way to win the fight instead
of running away all the time. He
doesn't need the help of the WWE, the Authority, or even the Stooges.
Cesaro/Kidd
vs. New Day for the titles tonight. So much for building a match up.
Damien
Sandow vs. Curtis Axel
Sandow
has new generic rock music and
mimics the ring announcer's introduction. This has all of a few
weeks before it gets old in a hurry. Sandow
introduces Axel as the village idiot of Minneapolis and the Pigeon
Toed Disappointment. Axel
does the shirt rip and gets caught in a headlock for his efforts.
This time it's Damien
ripping his own shirt off and throwing Curtis to the floor before
sitting down next to him. Back
in and Curtis stomps Damien down and chokes him in the corner. A
corner splash misses though and Sandow Hulks Up with three punches
and a big boot into You're Welcome (full nelson slam) for the pin at
2:30.
Ryback thinks the eater
of worlds has bitten off more than he can chew. Tonight, he's
dedicating his match to Bray Wyatt when he devours Bray's former
disciple Luke Harper.
Ryback
vs. Luke Harper
They grapple around to
start with both guys grabbing headlocks. That's not Harper's style
though so he slugs Ryback down, only to get caught by the Thesz press
and having his head rammed into the mat. Luke comes back with a snap
suplex but Ryback one ups him with a delayed vertical suplex,
complete with a few marching steps. Davey Boy pounds on Dynamite in
the corner but gets powerbombed down as we take a break.
Back with Ryback
getting Gator Rolled until he powers Harper off, dropping him face
first onto the mat. A powerslam sets up the Warrior splash for two.
Ryback plants him with the spinebuster but the Meat Hook is countered
by a superkick. The discus lariat is blocked with a Meat Hook though
and it's the Shell Shock for the pin at 9:39.
Rating:
C. I liked this about as much
as I thought I would as you have two big power guys beating on each
other for ten minutes. Ryback has been treated very well since his
return to form and it's nice to see him getting a strong push.
There's always going to be room for a guy like him with the
smashmouth style and putting him in there against Harper or Wyatt
could make for some good power brawls.
Speaking
of Bray, he appears and beats Ryback down post match.
Tag
Team Titles: New Day vs. Cesaro/Tyson Kidd
New
Day took the title with some cheating on Sunday. Fans:
“NEW DAY SUCKS!” Woods: “NO WE DON'T!” Kofi
and Kidd get things going with
Kidd grabbing a quick rollup for one, putting a big smile on his
face. Off to a chinlock
from Tyson before Cesaro
snaps off an uppercut for two. The gutwrench suplex gets the same so
Kofi tries a small package. That makes Cesaro chuckle as he powers
Kingston up into a suplex, walks him over to the corner and tags in
Kidd for a high cross body. That's
just scary strength.
Big
E. comes in off a blind tag but walks into a German suplex to keep
the challengers in control. We
get the NEW DAY SUCKS rhythmic stomping in the corner but a Kofi
distraction lets Big E. knock Kidd off the apron to finally take
over. Kidd gets caught in
the wrong corner for some stomping from Kofi, followed by stomping
from Big E. and a dropkick from Kofi. Kingston
goes to the middle rope but dives into a dropkick. Big E. runs in to
break up the hot tag attempt and we take a break. Back with Big
E. holding Kidd in a bearhug before
planting him with a belly to belly.
The
New Day Boom Drop connects but Tyson ducks Trouble in Paradise,
finally allowing for the hot tag to Cesaro. European
uppercuts a go-go in the corner get two for Cesaro before a gorilla
press drop gets the same with Big E. making the save. Big
E. speeds things up and cleans house as everything breaks down. Kidd
dives through the ropes to take out Kofi before Cesaro's middle rope
back elbow drops Big E., setting up the Swing into the dropkick but
Woods runs in for the DQ at 13:35.
Rating:
B. These four have awesome
chemistry and this was no exception. Now if only they could have a
match built up instead of just throwing it out there on a Smackdown
five days after the title change. Earlier this week on Austin's
podcast, Wade Keller suggested building it up as a big time Smackdown
main event like a month out. Why not? The match would rock and WWE
clearly doesn't care about Smackdown anyway.
Summer
Rae and Cameron are catty about Brie and Naomi. Nikki comes out to
run Summer off and stands up to Cameron for her sister's honor. A
match is made for later.
Tough
Enough videos.
Cameron
vs. Nikki Bella
Non-title.
This is Nikki's chance to carry a match. Naomi
gets an inset interview talking about all the good the Bellas think
they can do in the world. What good have those two ever done other
than paying for a plastic surgeon to have a new boat? Nikki
throws her down and does some jumping jacks before cranking on an
armbar.
Cameron
fights out of an armbar and ducks the spinning kick out of the
corner. A running kick to
Nikki's back gets two and the silence as Cameron shouts at the
referee is disturbing. We
hit the chinlock on Nikki for
a bit before she fights up and hits the second attempt at the kick
out of the corner for two. The big forearm sets up the Rack Attack
for the pin on Cameron at 3:56.
Rating:
D+. So here's the thing: Nikki
isn't horrible in the ring. She can even have a totally passable
match more often than not. However, whether it's “I WISH YOU DIED
IN THE WOMB!” to “of course my sister forgave me for being
horrible to her” to having to carry Cameron, she gets stuck with
some of the worst booking I've ever seen. I don't think she's ever
going to be anything special in the ring, but she's doing what she
can with what she has.
The
Prime Time Players ask about the New Day and hear crickets. They
introduce the New Day Clap Away box, which disappears whenever you
clap enough times. You should call to put the Prime Time Players on
TV and get their shirts on WWEshop.com so they can make millions of
dollars.
Rollins and the Stooges
come in to see Ambrose and ask him to step down instead. HHH is
going to be back soon and he'll take out his rage on anyone who was
involved with this mess, including Ambrose. Dean says that sounds
good but he means seeing Rollins get humiliated.
Long recap of Tuesday's
King of the Ring special with Barrett coming out with the crown.
Dean
Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins
Non-title. Dean starts
on the armbar early on, sending Rollins outside for a breather. Back
in and Seth takes him down with a hammerlock but Dean reverses and
kicks him in the back of the head for two. A clothesline puts Seth
on the floor but Dean follows him out for a right hand to the head.
The Stooges get in some cheap shots so here's Kane to even things
out, at least in theory.
Back from a break with
Dean kicking him in the face but getting stomped right back down.
Dean finally scores with a big clothesline followed by a barrage of
chops and punches. A bulldog out of the corner sets up the standing
elbow but Rollins kicks him out of the air, only to get dropkicked to
the floor. Dean nails a suicide dive and takes Seth back inside for
two off a faceplant. They head to the corner with Rollins pulling
Dean down into the buckle bomb for two more.
Rollins and Kane are
ready to get inside and celebrate but Kane stares at Seth on the
kicking. A surprise rollup gets two for Dean and he backdrops Seth
onto Kane. Back up and Dean dives on everyone not named Rollins, who
sends Ambrose into the barricade. Kane grabs Dean and Seth by the
throat, earning him a tongue lashing from the referee. Dean has to
save the referee but gets sent into the steps for his efforts. That
falling front DDT is enough to give Rollins the pin at 13:46.
Rating:
B-. They went a different way
than I was expecting here but it still worked. Kane vs. Rollins
isn't an interesting feud but they seen dead set on running with it
no matter how many people fall asleep watching them. Above all else
though: Rollins' new finisher is horrible. It looks like a
transitional move but it's the finisher of the WWE World Champion.
There must be something
better than that.
Kane
stares Seth down post match but joins the Stooges for the big
beatdown. Cue Roman Reigns (coming down the ramp for a change) for
the save. A double spear drops the Stooges to end the show.
Overall
Rating: B. Solid show this week
with good wrestling almost all around and two really solid matches.
They set up more of the Reigns vs. Rollins part of the title match
while leaving Orton's part for Monday. Kane is still annoying but at
least they kept it short. Anytime I get to see Ryback trading shots
with another brute and New Day vs. Cesaro/Kidd, it's a good night.
Solid show this week.
Results
Roman Reigns b. Kane
via countout
Damien Sandow b. Curtis
Axel – You're Welcome
Ryback b. Luke Harper –
Shell Shock
Cesaro/Tyson Kidd b.
New Day via DQ when Xavier Woods interfered
Nikki Bella b. Cameron
– Rack Attack
Seth Rollins b. Dean
Ambrose – Falling front DDT
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