Tonight on SmackDown Live, a new Champion is crowned, another returns, and so does a crowd favorite. FastLane story lines take the front seat in this show from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
The Planet’s Champion calls out “nobodies”. The Miz is focused on the Tag Team titles.
“Nobodies” worry Daniel Bryan.
The Planet’s Champion with Rowan opens the show. SDL, quickly turns to a Kofi Kingston video package to show how he was treated. Afterwards, Bryan turns his attention to Kevin Owens. Daniel states that he knows why the crowd chants for Kevin Owens. Champion of Earth says that KO reminds the crowd about themselves, nobodies. However, that is what concerns Bryan because “nobodies” have nothing to lose. Owens enters and the two exchange banter, leading up to Rowan to intervene. A brawl ensues and Rowan Palm Slams KO.
The Miz vs Jey Uso. The Miz wins via Skull Crushing Finale pinfall.
After a comedic skit from the Usos, which was pretty funny and a retort form the World’s Greatest Tag Team, the match begins. The Miz and Jey quickly exchange moves on each other, trying to gain control. The fast paced chess match ends with Jey missing a Super Kick on an apron prone Miz, but Jey still sends him to the floor. Back in the ring and Jey in control. One half of the Uso’s misses a body splash and Miz ducking outside. The A-Lister then grabs Jey’s feet slamming Jey’s head on the apron.
Again, back in the ring Miz is control landing two running double knees on Jey. However, Jey scouted the the flying clothesline and counters with a backslide pin for a two count. The Miz fights back and attempts the Skull Crushing Finale, but is countered a Samoan Drop. Jey then hits high impact butt slam on Miz and climbs the ropes. The Miz raises his legs in time to counter, but Jey recounters with a roll up pin and help from Jimmy. This invokes Steel Step Flying Shane McMahon as he takes out Jimmy. Jey see the comotion outside and goes to dive outside. However The Miz catches Jey in mid stride hit the Skull Crshing Finale for the pin.
The U.S Championship Open Challenge continues.
R-Truth vs ??
The U.S Champion R-Truth arrives with Carmella and provides another great comedic skit. Stating that he is already tired of defending the title like his childhood hero. After the skit, the contenders arrive. Yes, contenders. Lacey Evans interrupts and walks away, again. R-Truth thinks that the challenge is over, but then walks in Samoa Joe, Rey Mysterio, and Andrade. The Open Challenge just turned to a Fatal 4-Way.
It begins. R-Truth vs Rey Mysterio vs Samoa Joe vs Andrade. Samoa Joe wins U.S Title via Samoan Driver pinfall.
The match starts off with Samoa Joe just brutalizing the competition. Sending Truth and Andrade outside and turning his attention to Rey. Joe then plants Mysterio and goes for a quick cover, for a two count. Samoa Joe now decides everyone deserves his attention and walks around the outside, delivering hard chops to all. When Joe gets to Andrade, the Lucha star slightly fights back. Joe rewards Andrade’s fight with a beat down in the ring. I mean Joe is in total control over the other three men with veracity. Andrade luckily gets a back elbow shot on Joe, but Joe sends him outside and LANDS A SUICIDE DIVE! This from a man Joe’s size shouldn’t be able to do, Joe is focus and he is going to make people pay.
Joe’s dominance is weakened.
As Samoa Joe continue to work over anyone that dares stand in front of him, R-Truth sneakily launches off the barrier and takes out Joe. After the break, we see Andrade hitting Eddie Guerrero’s 3 Amigos suplex chain on Mysterio. After a chess match on the turnbuckle between the two, R-Truth gets back in and starts to gel. R-Truth lands splashes on Joe, while taking out Rey Mysterio, and setting them both up with the 5 Knuckle Shuffle for a two count. Afterwards, Andrade and Rey battle with Andrade hitting a huge Sunset Flip Power Bomb on Rey to the outside floor. This leads to R-Truth going after Joe with a Bicycle Kick, Truth is countered with the Coquina Clutch!
R-Truth is fading until Rey connects the 619 on Joe. Truth outside is hit by Zelina Vega’s Tilt-A-Whirl, Carmella answers Vega with a Super Kick. Inside, Andrade hits Rey with a beautiful Flip Powerbomb and a Frog Splash. Rey going for the pin, is interrupted by a Senton Splash by Joe. The Samoan Submission Machine then hits Andrade with a vicious Samoan Driver for the pinfall and the title
NXT’s Golden Stars continue to shine. Two squash matches that only provided a bad ending. Charlotte Flair gets her wish from The Man.
Aleister Black/Ricochet vs The Bar. Black/Ricochet win via 630 Splash for pinfall.
Now I do LOVE me some Aleister Black and King Ricochet, but being on both shows for weeks is getting tiring. This time they face off against The Bar, arguably one the best tag teams in WWE. Ricochet and Sheamus start off the fight, a battle between speed and strength. While Sheamus quickly overpowers Ricochet, The One and Only counters with a set of Hurricanrana into a dropkick into a Standing Moonsault! This man can do everything, however Cesaro distracts Ricochet long enough for Sheamus to hit a big knee shot. Afterwards, Ricochet is rewarded with a classic tag team beatdown from The Bar. Ricochet eventaully fights back and hot tags Black in. Aleister then goes on a strike mission, landing hard strikes after hard strikes.
Cesaro breaks up the pin count and Black is now in trouble. Aleister is hit by the Demolition Decapitation from the Bar. Black kicks out, counters the Neutralizer from Cesaro, and hits the Black Mass! Sheamus runs in only to be tossed out by Black and a recipient of a Moonsault dive. Ricochet bland tagged in and hits the 630 on Cesaro for the pin.
Shortly afterwards, Rusev and Shinsuke attack Ricochet/Black. But the Hardy Boyz run in for the save, landing Poetry in Motion and Ricochet providing a corkscrew exclamation point to end the brawl.
Mandy Rose vs Naomi. Rose wins via Angel’s Wings pinfall.
A squash match, Naomi starts off strong hitting all of her signature moves. Attacks like hip shots, sliding slaps, and jawbreaker. But Sonya DeVille distracts Naomi, allowing Rose to hit a big knee and the Angel’s Wings for the pinfall. After the fight, the duo walk up the ramp and is met by the Empress of Tomorrow, Asuka! The Empress totally ragdolls the two and walks out to much of Naomi’s delight.
Kevin Owens vs Erick Rowan. KO wins via disqualification
KO gives it his best against Rowan, but Organic 7-Footer is too strong. For every hard fought counter Owens attempted, Rowan just smashed him and then sent him outside. Bryan sitting at ringside decided he has enpugh of Owens and attacks him. The referee calls the DQ, but the Vegan Duo would not stop the assault. Then The Heart of 205 Live, Mustafa Ali arrives for the save! Ali takes it to the duo hitting Frankensteiners and pop up dropkick. Just When Ali has lost control of the two, Owens makes the save and hits The KO STUNNER on Bryan!
Charlotte gets her wish.
Charlotte Flair called out Becky Lynch earlier in the show for “just a talk” and The Man enters. Lynch hobbles her way out to “talk” with Flair and The Lasskicker explains that she is in everyone’s head. Ronda can’t decide on what she wants, trying to get Becky in a match then avoiding Lynch. Then Becky turns her attention towards Flair, stating that she beat Flair with only one leg. Invoking what Daniel Bryan said at the start of the show, Becky says she has “nothing to lose”. Charlotte attacks Lynch and then starts to take cocky shots on Becky. This allows Lynch to roll her up in the Dis-Arm-Her until refs can break it up.
That’s the show! What did you think? Great show, average, poor, could’ve been better? Let us know and sound off!
