Welcome to my first WWE SMACKDOWN Recap and speaking of that, this is the first SMACKDOWN after the 2016 WWE Draft. And its LIVE in Buffalo, NY at the First Niagara Center. The show begins with Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan backstage talking about how everything they’re going to be doing is for the fans and it’s not about them. They make their way out to the arena and “YES!” chants break out as we go to the new opening video and theme song. Very nice direction for the video. The new theme is called “Take A Chance” by CFO$.
As the video fades out, Shane and Daniel are in the ring while Mauro Ranallo, JBL and David Otunga welcome us to the show. They’re at the normal ringside position and we see the SMACKDOWN Superstars are on the ring apron surrounding Shane and Daniel. Of course, no Superstar is on the hard camera side. Shane announces prematurely that their brand will be holding their own PPV’s starting September 11th, 2016 with the returning BACKLASH.
He goes back to talking about SUMMERSLAM and that the WWE Champion, Dean Ambrose needs an opponent for the event. He introduces Dean as his theme starts playing. Ambrose cuts a promo saying he’s ready for a new challenge, he knows he’s got what they all want and is ready for someone to step up. Daniel announces a “Six Pack Challenge” match for tonight. The winner of that match will be the number one contender to the WWE Championship and will face Ambrose at SUMMERSLAM. The participants are:
John Cena
Bray Wyatt
Dolph Ziggler
Baron Corbin
AJ Styles
Daniel makes note that the sixth spot hasn’t been filled because there will be a Battle Royal NEXT to determine who gets that final spot for the Six Pack Challenge later tonight.
MATCH.01: BATTLE ROYAL FOR FINAL SPOT IN THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER SIX PACK CHALLENGE
Participants: Alberto Del Rio, Konnor, Viktor, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Aiden English, Simon Gotch, Apollo Crews, Kalisto, Zack Ryder, Mojo Rawley, Fandango, Tyler Breeze, Kane, and Erick Rowan
The bell rings and the action begins very quickly. Simon Gotch was thrown out first. Followed by Konnor and Viktor being double choked out of the ring and over the top rope by Kane. JBL calls Kalisto Sin Cara… never change JBL. A couple more minutes of almost throw overs, punches and kicks go by until ADR hits a really nice jumping Enziguri on Kane while he’s leaned up against the corner ringpost. We go to another area of the ring where Jey Uso is throwing a Superkick party until Tyler Breeze hits him with the Beauty Kick and he along with Fandango throw Jey out and over the top rope.
We cut to commercial break and when we come back, Aiden English and Erick Rowan were eliminated. ADR hits a jumping Enziguri on Mojo and eliminates him. Del Rio was quickly thrown out after that and Kane got rid of Breezango. We’re now down to our final four: Zack Ryder, Apollo Crews, Kane and Kalisto. A few things then go on and we see Ryder go to the top rope, he jumps off and Ryder hits Kane with a missile dropkick, Apollo quickly hits Kane with a Standing Moonsault in the middle of the ring and Kalisto flies down from the top rope and connects with a Frog Splash onto Kane.
A few more standard moves are hit until Zack Ryder slips up and Kalisto has to do a few things on the fly to recoup. Kane eventually eliminates Kalisto and Ryder. Apollo goes up for a Chokeslam but backflips out of it and lands on his feet. Kane runs for him, he pulls the top rope down and Kane flies out. Apollo jumps around the ring in celebration.
WINNER AND FINAL ENTRANT INTO THE SIX PACK CHALLENGE: APOLLO CREWS
Renee interviews Apollo and he says he’s not going to really celebrate until he wins that Six Pack Challenge tonight. A run through of Becky/Natalya happens as we see them walking backstage, heading towards the ring for their match. As we go to commercial break, we’re treated to a big surprise. A vignette for the returning SHELTON BENJAMIN! It says he’ll be there soon.
We come back to Dolph Ziggler with a black background behind him and he talks about how he’s lost his way but now he’s found himself and he’s taking his destiny into his own hands.
MATCH. 02: SINGLES MATCH
BECKY LYNCH vs NATALYA
I’m disappointed in this match. And I shouldn’t have been. Last night we were treated to a spectacle with Sasha vs Charlotte and tonight, Becky really tried but the pacing was really off and it felt like Natalya just wasn’t into it. I wish I could give you some sweet spots and an awesome moveset to sink your teeth in to but, unlike my contemporary got to do for Raw wih his recap, I’ve got nothing. I’ll just say what he said… go watch Sasha vs Charlotte instead of this match. Go on, I’ll be here when you get back.
Good. All better now? Fantastic. With that, at least Becky broke her losing streak with the Disarmer into Natalya submitting. Moving to SMACKDOWN really helped that for sure. Congrats on your first win in months, Becky!
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH
(Via Submission)
Interestingly enough, Renee was there to interview Becky about finally winning to which she said “Just call me Becky Balboa, BABY!” and the theme of Alexa Bliss hits. She talks some trash and then the theme for Naomi hits. Same thing. The the theme for Carmella hits. Same thing. And finally the theme for Eva Marie… but, there’s an announcer introducing her and talking about how amazing she is. It goes on for about a minute. Eva doesn’t talk but she opens her robe and blows a kiss to the other women.
They discuss the Six Pack Challenge again and show The Miz and Maryse walking to the ring. Of course, commercial break.
We come back from commercial to see Baron Corbin getting similar treatment to Ziggler with the black background and him standing there talking about his reason for competing and his reason is himself. We are then taken to the ring where Maryse, who looks gorgeous, introduces The Miz. He talks about being exclusive to SMACKDOWN and that tonight on MizTV he will be interviewing himself. And he proceeds to do so. It’s weird and funny at the same time. Kudos to him for pulling it off. Orton’s theme hits thankfully and he makes his way to the ring.
He insults he Miz and tells him he’s “An expert at playing with himself.” in a really funny moment. Miz then goes on to say who Orton is facing at SUMMERSLAM with Lesnar being a legend. Orton shoots it down saying that he made a career of killing legends. Orton and Miz trade insults, Orton asks for a match, Miz denies. Orton asks who’s in control of The Miz and Maryse’s relationship. Maryse scoffs and accepts a match on behalf of The Miz. As they point and yell at each other without mics, we go to another commercial break.
Coming off the commercial break, the match is just beginning.
MATCH. 03: SINGLES MATCH
RANDY ORTON vs THE MIZ
The match stars off with a bit of back and forth unil The Miz throws Orton out of the ring shoulder first. Orton sells the shoulder injury and continues the match. And by continues the match, I mean stays on defense barring a few offensive moves here and there until he hits an rKo on The Miz. He sits there for a minute, sells the shoulder injury. He stands up and gets himself amped up, he goes down and slams his fist for the second rKo and pins The Miz for the victory.
WINNER: RANDY ORTON
(Via Pinfall)
Another preview for the Six Pack Challenge and then guess what? Yup. That’s right. Another commercial break!
Back from the commercial there’s an AWESOME package for American Alpha which debuts next week on SMACKDOWN! Back at ringside, Mauro is still fighting with the cord behind his back. Going into the ring there’s a local talent and Heath Slater slides in, kicks the guy out and begins his quest to get signed. He wants to make tonight’s match a “Magnificent Seven Pack Challenge”. He begins chanting “SIGN HEATH SLATER!” over and over again.
Shane comes in and tells Heath he needs to sign a resume. Heath says that the WWE Network, which is only $9.99, will show you his resume. Nexus, The Corre, ONE MAN BAND, 3MB and The Social Outcasts speak for themselves and says he’s the hottest free agent in the business. Rhyno comes onto the ring apron and Shane says he IS looking at the hottest free agent, Heath turns around cheering and gets pummeled with a GORE! GORE! GORE!
Fade out from the ring and that black background is back. This time AJ Styles is there talking about the match. He’s mad because The Club wasn’t drafted, he’s mad because he thinks the powers are against him because he’s THAT good. But it doesn’t matter. He’ll beat them all and he’ll become the number one contender tonight. Especially doing his favorite thing by beating up John Cena. And boom, another commercial.
Bray Wyatt is now the final person with the black background. He doesn’t speak much and just basically says he’s the eater of worlds and, he’s here. This leads into his entrance and everyone elses for the match.
MATCH. 04: SIX PACK CHALLENGE TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP AT SUMMERSLAM (What a mouthful, eh)
Participants: BRAY WYATT vs APOLLO CREWS vs JOHN CENA vs AJ STYLES vs DOLPH ZIGGLER vs BARON CORBIN
The bells rings and the match is underway for just a few seconds until they awkwardly go into yet ANOTHER commercial break. And man, was this an awkward break all around. Mauro sounded like he didn’t know what was going on and it just cut in mid action.
Back and we see Bray Wyatt and AJ Styles teaming up against Crews, beating him down. Bray of course eventually breaks the alliance and throws AJ out. Ziggler comes from nowhere and hits a Stinger Splash in the corner. A couple of moments later, Bray is down in the middle of the ring and AJ jumps to the top rope and hits a 450 Splash onto Bray. AJ Goes for the pin and Cena breaks it. Cena and Bray roll out of the ring, Crews comes in and hits The Three Amigos onto AJ, AJ leaves the ring and Corbin comes in and pulls off an STO on Crews. He picks crews up, knees him, tosses him into the ropes and elbows him, goes for the pin and nothing.
Crews begins to fight back but Corbin crushes Crews in the corner. He does a high back suplex and goes for the pin, nothing again. And speaking of again, commercial time…
As we fade in from break we see on the left side of the screen, AJ in suplex position on the top rope while Bray is getting ready to do it, Apollo slides under and gets Bray in position to powerbomb him. On the other side of the ring, Ziggler is the one on the top rope, Cena is the one getting ready to suplex and Corbin is the one getting ready to powerbomb. Corbin and Crews do it in sync and it looked like a beautiful car wreck when all of the bodies landed almost simultaneously on the mat.
All men on the mat laid out. Everyone rolls out eventually until were left with just Crews and Corbin in the ring. They eventually stand and trade blows. Corbin throws Crews into the ropes and connects with a Jacknife. Corbin gets frustrated and Crews hits a sit down powerbomb and goes to the pin. Bray pulls the referee out , throws Corbin out of the ring and hits Sister Abigail on Crews, Ziggler hits the Zig-Zag on Bray and goes for the pin but, no referee. Ziggler freaks out and then gets himself back in the game by hitting himself in the face.
He starts tuning up the band for a Superkick but Cena comes in and hits the AA. Styles slides under the bottom rope and connects a Peyley kick onto Wyatt and Cena connects the AA on Styles. He goes for the pin and it’s broken. Crews goes to the top rope for a splash onto Cena, he rolls it, stands up and hits an AA on him. Bray gets an AA for his trouble as well. Cena gets Corbin up for an AA and AJ connects with a Flying Forearm onto Cena, as he stands he runs right into a Superkick from Ziggler, he goes for the pin and 1, 2, 3!!! Dolph actually got the win!
WINNER AND NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP: DOLPH ZIGGLER
(Via Pinfall)
Ziggler celebrates for a minute or so with the fans until the music of Ambrose hits. He makes his way to the ring and he and Ziggler face off not saying a word until Daniel Bryan comes out and raises their hands. Then Shane hits, he makes his way to the ring and hypes Ziggler and Ambrose up for the match. Ziggler and Ambrose begin talking trash as the show goes off the air.
