On SmackDown Live, it was a night for appreciation, new tag team title contenders, title changes, and a MITB rematch. Find out all you need to know on our SmackBack recap!
MITB rematch. New Tag Team title contenders. Ongoing feud.
SDL starts off fast. Kofi Kingston vs Kevin Owens. Kofi wins via Trouble In Paradise pin fall.
Owens starts off the show with a video package explaining his feud with Kofi. Afterwards, KO does his brilliant heel promo stating he didn’t attack Big E. Kevin wants to hurt and soften up Kofi for Dolph at Super Showdown. Kofi comes out and calls Owens a liar and the match starts. Just like that.
This was a good match not like their classic at MITB, but this is a TV match. Kofi aggressively starts the match with a big Drop Kick. Shortly, Owens regains control and controls the match. Owens hits Kofi with a big Frog Splash on Kofi outside the ring. KO then attempts two pin falls, one following a top rope splash and the other from a top rope Senton that would make Jeff Hardy proud. Kevin sets up the Pop-Up Powerbomb, but Kofi leaps out of it and hits the Trouble In Paradise for the pin.
Tag Team Champions has jokes.
Rowan and Daniel Bryan make their way out and Bryan states that the SDL tag division is a joke. Rowan then tells a knock-knock joke at the expense of the division. It actually was better than it sounds, Rowan is finally having some character growth. Shortly. Heavy Machinery arrive and challenge the champs. Daniel Bryan accepts, but not in “gross Oklahoma”.
Carmella vs Mandy Rose. Carmella wins via Roll Up pin fall.
Sonya DeVille and Mandy Rose hand the new Muscle and Fitness: HER magazine backstage, as Rose is on the cover. The segment not only lead to the match with Carmella, but plants the seeds of an Ember Moon feud.
The match was pretty much dominated by Rose, keeping Mella grounded. The Princess of Staten Island hits a Jawbreaker, but Sonya distracts Mella for Rose. However, it backfires and allows Mella to get a roll up pin fall.
Appreciation Night. New Champion. New feud?
The Shane McMahon demands appreciation.
Shane and his stable of Elias and Drew McIntyre come out and show off a video package that “will put a smile on your face”. The video package contains the career of the Prodigal Son. Just like most WWE production packages, it was well made and it actually did put a smile on my face. Seeing the young daredevil Shane land his greatest hits and even the highly hated by smarks Kevin Dunn gets a shout out. Leading the crowd to boo and Shane stating “you can’t boo Kevin Dunn”, hilarious.
Before hand, R-Truth was backstage escaping a flock of wrestlers and finally bumped in to Drake Maverick. Drake, has been setting up a bounty for the 24/7 title and the chase spills in to the ring. Shane looking dumbfounded on how R-Truth could interrupt his Appreciation Night, has Drew and Elias attack Truth. Elias then takes the opportunity to pin Truth and win his 1st ever WWE title.
Bayley vs Lacey Evans. Bayley wins via Roll-Up pin fall.
The newly invigorated SDL Women’s champ Bayley, quickly took control over Lacey. Charlotte Flair is at ringside and seemingly in support of Evans. Bayley is all over Evans, not letting her get any offense in the opening. Evans eventually hits a slingshot elbow on Bayley, making the champ roll out on to the floor. Flair teases to interfere, it leads to a break.
After the break, Evans has the match in control until Bayley fights back. The Hugger, even drops Flair with a hard shot for her troubles. Back in the ring, Evens was about to get a win until Flair distracts the ref and Bayley rolls up Evans for the win. Shortly, Evans and Flair attack each other, ending the short team up and maybe setting up a feud.
24/7 title suspend. Roman Reigns/R-Truth vs Elias/Drew McIntyre. Roman Reigns via Spear pin fall. New Champion… again.
Prior to the match, Shane suspended the rules for the 24/7 title during the match. Huh?! What is the point of having such a title then? Anyway, it’s a match we’ve seen Roman in for a million times. Shane distract, his minions attack Roman, they isolate him and work him over. A hurt R-Truth finally gets a tag in, but it’s not a hot tag. It is a tag to get pummeled by the heels. R-Truth eventually hot tags in Roman. The Big Dog clears house and attempts the Superman Punch on Elias. Drew attempts to interfere, but Roman sends Drew packing outside.
On the floor, Drew and Roman go at it. McIntyre attempts the Claymore to Reigns, but Roman dodges and McIntyre crashes on the announcer’s table. Roman then gets back in the ring, hits a Spear on Elias and ends the match. The Big Dog then hits another Spear on Elias and encourages R-Truth to take back his title, since the rules are back in to effect. R-Truth makes his way and regains his title.
