Tonight on Smackdown Live, the NXT inclusion on to the main roster continues. A rematch of The Elimination Chamber’s Faces vs Heels. A Fast Lane match announced and big announcement from Daniel Bryan. Let’s dive in to what went down on our Smackback recap!
A Fastlane match announced. The NXT “invasion” continues.
An apology and a match made.
After a nice video package featuring Kofi Kingston’s hard fought week, Shane McMahon opens the show. Shane tells the crowd that he was impressed with the debuts of the NXT stars last night. So Ricochet, Tomassa Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, and Alister Black will be on tonight’s show. Shortly after the announcement, The Miz enters and apologizes to Shane. The Miz states that finally that his father is proud of him, but The Miz feels like a failure for letting Shane down. The A-Lister then asks Shane to make a rematch to regain the titles they lost. The Usos walk out and mock The Miz and his request. This leads to Shane to book a rematch for the Fast Lane PPV, for the tag team titles.
Aleister Black vs Andrade. Aleister Black wins via Black Mass pinfall.
Aleister Black starts off NXT’s inclusion on the main roster, this time vs Andrade with Zelina Vega. Both men start off fast, trading moves with Black coming on top. Now Black has control over Andrade with hard strikes including knee shots. Zelina then interferes allowing Andrade to regain control and now both men fight on the ring apron. Andrade lands a big neckreaker on Black on the apron. Andrade and Black now back in the ring, Black regains control with a big kick. The two now trade a flurry of moves, Andrade hits a running double knee for only a two count. Aleister Black recovers and hits the Black Mass for the pinfall. This was just a glimpse of what these two men went through in NXT. I hope it continues on the main roster.
DIY (NXT Champion Tomasso Ciampa/NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano) vs The Bar. DIY wins via roll up pin.
After a backstage interview, in which The Bar interrupts and tells DIY to stay out of SDL, DIY retorts with that they are “not to set the bar, but to break the bar”. A match is booked for tonight and I couldn’t wait for this! Sheamus and Ciampa start off the match, with Sheamus quickly over powering Ciampa. Tomassa fights back enough to send Sheamus outside the ring. Sheamus recovers and tags Ceasaro in, while Ciampa tags in Gargano. Johnny Wrestling then takes control of the match, taking out The Bar. After Gargano sends a tagged in Sheamus outside and hits a suicide dive, Ciampa attempts the same on Cesaro. However the Swiss Superman catches Ciampa in mid air and hits a gut wrench suplex.
After the break, Ceasro has Ciampa in a chin lock. Tomasso fights out and Sheamus is tagged in. What looked like a botch counter, Ciampa lands a Sunset Flip Powerbomb with Sheamus landing on his knee. Gargano gets the hot tag and takes out the Bar, The Bar recovers and hit Johnny with a tag team move. Ciampa breaks the count and Gargano hits a Super Kick on Sheamus, for a two count. Ceasaro now legal, is attacks Gargano with a shoulder tackle, but Ciampa blind tags in and rolls up Ceasaro for the pinfall.
The Empress meets the Golden Goddess. The Future of Flight meets SAnity.
The missing Empress arrives. Mandy Rose vs Asuka. Mandy Rose wins via roll up pin.
After missing the Elimination Chamber for whatever reason WWE creative decided, Asuka arrives. In a short interview, in which the question was who will step up to challenge for the title. After Asuka goes about her promo, Mandy Rose interrupts and says she will challenge Asuka. The two face off with Rose actually being in control of the match. This was short lived as the Empress of Tomorrow regains control with her hard strikes. Just as it seems that Asuka was about to put Rose away, Lacey Evans enters. This distracts Asuka and allows Rose to gain a win over the champion.
Ricochet vs Eric Young of SAnity. Ricochet wins via 630 splash pinfall.
Possibly the brightest star of the “NXT Invasion” enters. Ricochet faces off against the leader of SAnity, Eric Young. Who? Yeah, I almost forgot myself as SAnity is barely on TV. Well, Ricochet and Young lock up with Ricochet coming on top with his dazzling move set. Wolfe then interrupts ( as the commentators forgot his name, I told you that they are barely on air) and allows Young to take control of the match. this was short lived as the Future of Flight regains control of the match. Wiping out Killian Dain, Alexander Wolfe, and hitting a beautiful 630 splash on Young for the pinfall. I’ve been a big follower of Ricochet in the past and WWE can’t get this fantastic worker over, then there is no hope.
6-Man tag team match. Face vs Heel. AJ Styles/Jeff Hardy/KOFI Kingston vs Samoa Joe/Randy Orton/Daniel Bryan. Face wins via Kofi’s Trouble in Paradise pinfall over Daniel Bryan.
After a backstage interview building up Kofi and the audience is treated to see how The New Day’s intro is done, with Big E taking the microphone. This building up match for Kofi Kingston begins. It starts between Kofi and Samoa Joe, Kofi uses his speed to take control over Joe and tag in Jeff Hardy. The Enigmatic One follows with his signature move set and attempts the Twist Of Fate. Samoa Joe counters and tags in Orton, the Viper targets Hardy’s knee with swift kicks. Randy with control tags in Bryan and the Planet’s Champion hits the “Hemp kicks” ( I’m coining it) on Hardy. The Elimination Chamber “Heels” show good tag team chemistry and work over the “Babyface” team. Kofi eventually gets the hot tag and takes it to the heels, landing a load of shots on Randy Orton. Kofi then goes for the Falling Senton on Orton, but Bryan pushes him off the ropes and Orton then slams Kofi in the tables. The match goes in to chaos mode.
After the break, Bryan is beating down Kofi. The Viper is tagged in again and slams Kofi on the announcers table fr the second time. Kofi is rolled back in the ring, fights out of a chin lock, and dodges a tackle. Kingston then hot tags AJ Styles and The Phenomenal One goes to work. Hitting Pele Kicks on Daniel Bryan and attempting the Styles Clash. However, Randy Orton breaks it up. Styles again lands a Pele kick on Bryan and hot tags in Kofi. The Heart of New Day takes it to Bryan, and hits the Falling Senton on both Bryan and newly arrived Rowan. Daniel Bryan is back in the ring, just to get hit by Kofi’s Trouble in Paradise for a pinfall.
A title match announced.
Shortly after the victory, Shane McMahon walks out and asks who should Daniel Bryan defend his title against. The crowd and the baby faces all chant “Kofi”. So Shane listened and book the WWE Heavyweight Championship title match between Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston.
