Thursday Night Smackdown! TV Report for November 12th, 2015
Introduction Segment: Welcoming
The regular Smackdown! video plays then Rich Brennan, Booker T., and Jerry “The King” Lawler greet us from Manchester, England. They review the situation around the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which now entails a tournament that will end at Survivor Series to create a new champion. Tonight, Stardust will take on self-professed Mex-American Champion Alberto Del Rio, Neville meets Barrett, and Ryback will face in First Round Qualifying Matches.
Segment #2: Arena Promo
The Wyatt Family walks out while a video recaps what happened with them and The Undertaker and Kane on Raw. Harper promises to destroy The Usos for Bray, as Erik and Braun say the same about anyone else who goes against them. Bray gets the microphone and claims that “The Undertaker and Kane will never ever be the same again.” The fans chant for “The Phenom,” and Bray embraces it, saying that Kane and ‘Taker are apart of him. He challenges them to a Tag-Team match at Survivor Series, and they get to pick who of the Family they face. He is letting them take the night to decide. “‘Brothers of Destruction,’ follow the buzzards” he shouts on his knees in front of Harper, Strowman, and Rowan. Braun will be wrestling next.
Commercials.
Match #1: Single – Braun Strowman (with Wyatt Family members Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erik Rowan) VS. Fandango
Fandango tries with an immediate dropkick, but Braun is too strong and dominate. Strowman makes Fandango submit to his reverse Cobra Clutch for the victory!
Winner via Submission: Braun Strowman
Up next, Neville going against King Barrett in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament!
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Match #2: Single (WWE World Heavyweight Championship First-Round) – Neville VS. King Barrett
Neville clasps a grounding headlock on Wade for a two-count, then rolls him up for the same, and goes back to the grounding headlock to wear him down. Neville flips to the corner and springboards off with a crossbody for another near-fall, but is pulled down quickly, sending him to the outside. Barrett follows to the floor and rams his head off the announce table, then shoves him into the apron and throws him into the corner of the barrier.
Commercials.
Barrett is still in control, now working Neville over with a headlock. He catches Neville off the ropes and kicks him hard in the gut. He presses his leg against Neville’s head against the ropes, then knees and boots him; Neville tumbles to the floor again as Barrett poses. He kicks Neville again in the stomach as he is on the top of the corner, then continues to tire him with the headlock.
He whips Neville off the ropes, but Neville reverses a slam into a pin combo for two, but then is slid to the outside again. Barrett also follows again and taunts Neville by holding him in front of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He throws Neville to the ring, and turns around to talk to the commentator’s, but Neville walks the barricade and somersaults onto Barrett!
“The Man That Gravity Forgot” begins his comeback and almost takes this! He also kicks out of a couple more covers, then flips out of a potential backdrop and German-suplexes him for a close-call! Neville ascends the turnbuckle and leaps over Barrett who stands up and spins him around with The Winds Of Change! 1 – 2 – Neville gets his shoulder up!
King winds up for The Bullhammer Elbow, but Neville reverses into another pin combo for two, then reverses Wasteland into a DDT! He goes to the top again and lands the Red Arrow Tornado Splash for the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winner via Pinfall and Advancing: Neville
Segment #3: Backstage Promo
Rene Young inquires The Usos about squaring off against Erik Rowan and Luke Harper. Jimmy and Jey make fun of The Wyatt Family and put themselves over, as well as the rivalry they have had with them.
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Match #3: Single (WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament First-Round) – Kalisto VS. Ryback
They shake hands to begin, then Kalisto starts fast with kicks, flips, and his finisher, but Ryback powers out at two!
Commercials.
Kalisto is kicking away but is caught into a spinebuster and three consecutive powerbombs! Ryback takes over, kneeing Kalisto in his side, then whipping him hard into the top turnbuckle. He holds Kalisto up in a standing-stalling-suplex, but Kalisto squirms out and tries to knee Ryback again. “The Big Guy” dominates again after suplex and stomps a few times. He riles up the fans with “Feed Me More” calls, then clamps on a grounding waistlock into a slam. He does this again, but Kalisto elbows out as they stand up, however is given a big-boot as he ran off the ropes.
Ryback splashes, but Kalisto moves, then the Lucha Dragon moves from a Meat-Hook Clothesline. He follows with a dropkick, then a springboard Asai moonsault to the floor, but Ryback catches and slams him. He carries Kalisto to the ring, but Kalisto shoves him into the ring apron and springboard-bulldogs him back in!
Ryback is still too strong, grabbing Kalisto from a hurricanrana position into the Marching Samoan Drop! Kalisto turns around into a sunset flip though, but Ryback gets his shoulder up. Kalisto gets planted with a Meat-Hook Clothesline though, but manages to place his foot on the bottom rope for the break! Ryback splashes Kalisto from behind twice, then places atop the turnbuckle. On top, Kalisto elbows and flips Ryback backward with his finisher and gets it!
Winner via Pinfall and Advancing: Kalisto
Post-match, “The Big Guy” hesitates but puts out his hand again and gives props to Kalisto.
Up next, Stardust or Alberto Del Rio look to move on in the tournament!
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Segment #4: Video Promo
WrestleMania 2016’s ticket sales are featured.
Match #4: Single (WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament First-Round) – Mex-America (United States) Champion Alberto Del Rio (with Zeb Colter) VS. Stardust
Prior to the bout, Zeb and Alberto rip on Manchester and assert that Del Rio will become the first-ever WWE Mex-America Heavyweight Champion.
Stardust catches Alberto with a quick roll-up, but this infuriates the Mex-America Champ, and he becomes sharp quick. Stardust comes back with an uppercut and clotheslines Del Rio over the ropes, but Alberto takes umbrage, hitting a running-enziguri and chucking Stardust into the corner of the barrier.
Commercials.
Del Rio continues to dominate, giving Stardust a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near-fall. He runs and kicks Stardust in his head, then springboard-stomps him. Stardust grabs the ropes off a cover and kicks Alberto back.
Stardust punches away in the opposite corner, but Del Rio ducks out and pulls Stardust’s leg down. He hits Stardust with another running-enziguri but only gets two! Alberto locks on an armbar using the ropes, but is forced to break it before the count. Stardust gains advantage with a Side-Effect Slam, then some momentum with running elbows. He flips Del Rio out of the corner with a cutter, and then a reverse-DDT.
Alberto ducks again and hits the Backstabber, then runs at him with a clothesline! and finalizes this after a Double-Stomp from the top turnbuckle! Del Rio goes for the cross armbreaker but Stardust counters into the Disaster Kick! 1 – 2 – Alberto clutches the ropes!
Alberto pushes him back in the corner and kicks away, but Stardust counters another run with double-boots. He climbs the turnbuckle backwards, but Del Rio chops him down, runs at him with a kick, and finalizes this with the leaping-double-stomp!
Winner via Pinfall and Advancing: Mex-America (United States) Champion Alberto Del Rio
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Segment #5: Video Promo
Paige and Becky Lynch’s match ending from Raw is shown and discussed, as well as the Divas Championship contest between Charlotte, the champion, and Paige at Survivor Series.
Segment #6: Backstage Promo
Rene Young is with Roman Reigns, who talks about his next opponent in the tournament, Cesaro. Reigns reminds us about his journey, and Rene asks about Triple H’s offer to him from Raw, which Roman restates that he wants to get everything his way.
The Usos makes their entrance for the main-event, next!
Commercials.
Match #5: Tag-Team – The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) VS. The Wyatt Family (Luke Harper and Erik Rowan) (with Wyatt Family members Bray Wyatt and Braun Stroman)
The bell doesn’t ring right away, as Harper and Erik brawl with the twins. Jimmy and Jey are still good-to-go, and referee …. starts the match. Rowan tosses an Uso from the top turnbuckle with a fall-away slam, who rolls to the outside.
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Erik is still controlling an Jey, then tags in Harper. He sling-shots the twin into the middle rope, and slaps back at him. Rowan is back and tears at Uso’s face, then lands front-first on Jey for a two-count! Harper is tagged in but taken down, as The Uso tags in his brother, who is all over Luke!
Jimmy gears up, but Rowan pulls him out to the floor. Jey follows with a splash but is dropped, and Jimmy climbs the turnbuckle and soars with a crossbody onto Luke for a near-fall! Jimmy gives Harper a Samoan Drop. He flies over the top rope onto Erik, but is stopped and put back in the ring. Luke plants him with a sit-down powerbomb, but Jey breaks it up!
Luke attempts a clothesline, but Jimmy counters with two superkicks, and both brothers superkick both members of The Family. They then dive to the aisle onto Rowan and Harper again, but Bray and Braun come in and begin to attack, causing the dq.
Winners via Disqualification: The Uso
Post-match, The Wyatt Family keep going with their finishers, As Bray goes for a second Sister Abigail, the gong sounds and the lights darken. The arena is turned into blue as The Undertaker’s voice sounds, accepting the challenge for Survivor Series. He does not state which members “The Brothers Of Destruction” will face, but lets the lighting blast to explode the corner pyro in flames and close the show.
End Of Smackdown!
Reporter’s Rumblings
Today is a sad day in professional wrestling, as on November 13th, 2005, Eddie Guerrero passed away. In lieu of my usual review and title for the show, I will instead again give my thoughts on another great lost too soon.
Though the phrase “one of the best” tends to get thrown around too often, it can be honestly said about Eddie. He had everyone and everything to make it in this business, and he truly did, through thick and thin. Firstly, it was already instilled in him by his legendary family, so he had the passion and desire for the business for most of his career. He knew how to wrestle right from the get-go and he knew the little nuances needed to get himself, his opponent, the story, and the match over. He was absolutely wonderful at both making you hate him and love him, and the feelings of you as a fan or not at times in his life were genuine.
I commend him for conquering his demons of addiction, one the few to actually do so in this business and live seemingly happier in the last few years of life. The news of his death that day was surreal, and I believe if he was around still today, he would be a major contributor to WWE for the better, whether still wrestling or backstage as an agent looking after the younger generation.
Thankfully, he did leave us on an uplifting note, both in storyline being a face, and in life since he had overcome so many obstacles and appearing to be settled and in a good place. Eddie Guerrero, you will be missed always, but thank you for the wrestler and man you were.
