Introduction Segment: Video Promo and Welcoming
The regular Smackdown! opener plays and we are greeted by Mauro Ranallo, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Byron Saxton
Segment #2: Arena Promo
A.J. Styles’ music plays as he, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson walk out; replays of The Club defeating The New Day on Raw this past Monday are shown.
A.J. compares the upcoming Money In The Bank Pay-Per-View to WrestleMania, particularly for the dream match of A.J. Styles VS. John Cena. Styles says that “The New Era” begins when “takes out” Cena. He talks about the reputation The Club has left over the world, and claims that will continue when he defeats Cena and Anderson and Gallows win the WWE Tag-Team Championships.
Enzo and Big Cass interrupt and remind The Club that they are also involved in the Tag-Team Championship Fatal-4-Way. Cass nicknames Anderson and Gallows “The ‘Mr. Clean’ Dream Team,” and Enzo declares he and Cass to be the next Tag-Team Champions.
Commercials.
Match #1: Tag-Team – The Club (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) VS. Enzo and Big Cass
(Note: Tag-Team Champions The New Day are on commentary.) Enzo and Anderson start out, with Karl clamping on a standing side-headlock. He shoulder-blocks Amore, and kicks him in the corner. Enzo fires back with a headscissors and both crossbody each other, and then Luke comes in and boots Amore down. Gallows and Anderson take control for a bit.
Amore avoids a big boot from Luke on the outside, then goes for the tag to Cass, but Karl dropkicks him to stop. The Vaudevillians walk onto the stage and look on.
Ads.
The Club is still dominating until Enzo bulldog/DDT combos Gallows, and does get the hot-tag to Cass. The 7-footer cleans house, but this breaks down with all four teams, as Simon Gotch and Aiden English brawl on the outside with The New Day, and everyone gets involved, causing the referee to call for the bell and Enzo and Cass left alone in the ring!
Winners: None due to Referee Stoppage
Segment #3: Video Promo
A recalling of how Chris Jericho and Dean Ambrose’s feud got started back in April airs.
Ads.
Segment #4: In Memoriam
Muhammad Ali’s tribute video from Raw plays.
Segment #5: Backstage Promo
Rene Young interviews Lana and United States Champion Rusev. They declare Rusev the greatest United States Champion of all-time, until Titus O’Neil walks up and they get into a verbal argument.
Cesaro and Sami Zayn make their entrances, as they will be teaming up against Alberto Del Rio and Kevin Owens, next.
Commercials.
Match #2: Tag-Team – Cesaro and Sami Zayn VS. Alberto Del Rio and Kevin Owens
Sami and Owens begin, with Kevin governing Zayn. They both switch out, and now it is Cesaro and Del Rio, who wants a tag but Owens leaves him! Sami follows and he and Owens fight to the back and Cesaro and Alberto are left alone.
Ads.
It is just Del Rio and Cesaro now wrestling well until Owens and Zayn battle back out to the ring. They actually get back in this, and after some encouragement, Kevin steals this from Alberto!
Winners via Pinfall: Alberto Del Rio and Kevin Owens
Segment #6: Video Promo
Another recap of Ambrose/Jericho’s rivalry is shown; this one is Jericho smashing the plant over Dean a month ago.
Becky Lynch enters with Natalya, and will wrestle Dana Brooke after the break!
Commercials.
Match #3: Single – Becky Lynch (with Natalya) VS. Dana Brooke (with Women’s Champion Charlotte)
Brooke controls early, with help from Charlotte, but Becky gains momentum with a clothesline and jumping calf-kick. Charlotte gets Lynch’s attention, and Brooke goes after Natalya until Charlotte spears Nattie. The referee sends Natalya and Charlotte to the back, and Dana rolls up Becky for a near-fall! Lynch rolls through and clutches on the Disarmer, forcing Dana to tap!
Winner via Submission: Becky Lynch
Baron Corbin is walking through the hall and is in a bout soon!
Ads.
Segment #7: Video Promo
Bob Backlund is giving Darren Young more advice on how to be “great again;” he wants to know how Darren celebrates after a win, and Young replies that he will stop going to the movies and eating popcorn. Darren wonders how Bob saves money, and Bob says that the suit he’s wearing is his only one. Backlund asks Young about putting on a bowtie.
Match #4: Single – Kalisto VS. Baron Corbin
Kalisto makes a valiant effort but Baron finishes with the End of Days!
Winner via Pinfall: Baron Corbin
Segment #8: Video Promo
The last footage of Dean and Chris’s rivalry airs with it being Ambrose tearing apart Jericho’s jacket on Raw before Extreme Rules in May.
Commercials.
Segment #9: Backstage Promo
Sheamus is admiring himself in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, but the Golden Truth, Summer Rae, and Zack Ryder are not impressed. Apollo Crews walks up and shoves Sheamus, to which everyone else laughs.
Match #5: Single – Chris Jericho VS. Dean Ambrose
Ambrose is aggressive early with quick punches. On the outside, he dives through the ropes and then tears apart the announce table; he tries to give Jericho Dirty Deeds on it, but Jericho reverses into a slingshot!
Ads.
They go back-and-forth, trading pins and moves. Jericho sweeps for The Walls of Jericho, but Dean reverses into a hurricanrana; Ambrose tries another slingshot, this time in the corner, but Chris lands on the ropes and springs off; Jericho attempts The Codebreaker, but Dean catches him and goes for Dirty Deeds DDT again, but Jericho shoves him into the corner. Ambrose halts before hitting referee Charles Robinson, but turns right around into a Codebreaker; Jericho covers for the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: Chris Jericho
Post-match, as Jericho is celebrating, Dean knocks him down and collects a ladder. He climbs it and dives off with an elbow-clothesline! Ambrose is standing to close the show!
End of Smackdown!
Reporter’s Rumblings
Raw was so much better than Smackdown! this week – mainly wrestling-wise and a bit storyline-wise. I’m liking most of the angles, it’s just the way Raw was put together versus how Smackdown! turned out that put Raw above. Onto the particulars of why:
Excellence: Promos from Money In The Bank wrestlers (Raw and Smackdown!), Teddy Long (Raw), Seth Rollins’/Roman Reigns’ videos (Raw), John Cena (Raw), The Club (Raw and Smackdown!), and Enzo and Big Cass (Raw and Smackdown!)
Matches between all six M.I.T.B. wrestlers (Raw and Smackdown!), Swagger/Rusev (Raw), Vaudevillians/Cass and Enzo (Raw), The Club/Enzo and Cass (Smackdown!), Becky and Dana (Smackdown!), and Kalisto/Corbin (Smackdown!)
Both video highlights and speeches from Rollins and Reigns were very well-done – although Seth’s talking was better – and really put meaning into this feud. I truly care and am not sure who’s going to win; that’s a good thing!
Same as above for the Money In The Bank Ladder Match; I don’t know (although I’d like Dean to win and have a full-circle Shield feud for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship through SummerSlam) who’s going to win, as I can really see any of them being legit since it’s a one-year contract.
Vaudevillians and Enzo/Cass’s rivalry is heating up nicely and very old-school over wrestling and each other! Again, can see any of the four teams walking out with the Tag-Team Championships!
Cena/Styles had great points and Styles is really good at being a little cocky/arrogant/comedic!
Bogus: while I like the feud between Titus and Rusev, I actually wish Swagger had won the U.S. Title on Raw, for a home-state pop/surprise, and I think the three of them would mix well together.
Do not care about The Shining Stars (one match and they’re back to video promos?) or Breezango/Golden Truth. Also, Corbin defeated Ziggler at the Extreme Rules kickoff; that should’ve been the end of their feud!
Dana’s having great wresting matches, but losing! I don’t like this; she needs wins to be credible and not just Charlotte’s lacky.
Could’ve done without the numerous Jericho/Ambrose recalls.
To end of on a sad but special note, the tribute videos to Muhammad Ali were very nice and commendable. May God rest his soul, and provide love and support to his family, friends, and fans at this time.
