By Jason Powell
WWE Smackdown on USA Network
Taped on Tuesday in Indianapolis, Indiana
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[Q1] A video package recapped the WWE Fastlane main event with Roman Reigns earning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania… Mauro Ranallo, Jerry Lawler, and Byron Saxton were on commentary…
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H made his entrance. Hunter was dressed in a suit rather than in his concert attending gear. Once in the ring, Hunter set the title belt on a podium in mid-ring and the cameras showed off his custom side plates.
Hunter quoted “Sympathy For the Devil” by the Rolling Stones and said the song could have been written about him. “Am I the devil,” Hunter asked. “Maybe, it depends who you ask.” Let the record show that he did not deny it! Hunter set up a video package of the ass kicking he gave Roman Reigns.
Hunter spoke about Reigns lying in a pool of his own blood on Monday night and then lying on an operating table on Tuesday. A photo of Reigns “post surgery” was shown on the big screen. Hunter said that’s the look of a man who is humbled.
Powell’s POV: Thank goodness they showed what a man looks like after being humbled by Triple H rather than a man who was humbled by Iron Sheik.
Triple H said he is the authority and you can’t beat the authority. Hunter said that if fans search inside themselves then they know it’s true because they bow to authority. Hunter quoted the “Sympathy For the Devil” song and concluded with the “Or I will lay your soul to waste” lyric.
Hunter said he walked over a lot of people to get to where he is and spoke about blood, sweat, and tears. Hunter said Reigns has the sweat part down. He pulled out a blood soaked bandage and said he has the blood. “And as far as the last one goes, I’ll get the last one, I’ll get it at WrestleMania,” he said. Hunter said he will humble Reigns at WrestleMania and he will get those tears…
The broadcast team spoke at ringside. Mauro said it was good to be back after missing last week (with the flu). Mauro said Reigns underwent nasal reconstruction surgery on Tuesday and no timetable has been set for his return. They hyped Chris Jericho, AJ Styles, and a partner vs. New Day for later in the show, and highlights of Shane McMahon’s return on Raw…
Powell’s POV: Well, we know that Reigns is a crier based on his reaction to losing the title to Sheamus. I like Hunter. I like Reigns. I still cringe at the thought of the two of them meeting in the main event of WrestleMania in 2016. That said, this was a good promo, especially considering that Hunter worked in lines from one of my favorite Rolling Stones’ songs. You’re either feeling it or you’re not as far as the WrestleMania main event is concerned. I’m in the “not feeling it” camp, but let’s see if they can get me there over the next five weeks. By the way, I am filling in for Jake Barnett this week. Jake will be by on Friday with the WWE Smackdown Hit List.
[Q2] [C] 1. Kalisto, Sin Cara, Neville, and Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Rusev, and Alberto Del Rio in an eight-man tag match. League of Nations jumped the babyfaces to start the match. It quickly settled into Ziggler and Sheamus. Barrett checked in and performed a Winds of Change heading into the break. [C]
Rusev taunted Ziggler as he tried to get to his corner to make the tag. Sheamus checked in and did the “are you not entertained” bit. Ziggler superkicked him and made the tag to Neville, who got the better of Barrett briefly. Neville set up for his finisher. Sheamus ran over to break it up, but Neville hit a top rope move anyway, only to have his pin broken up. Neville hit the Red Arrow, but the pin was broken up again. Sheamus caught Neville with the Brogue Kick and pinned him…
League of Nations beat The Lucha Dragons, Neville, and Dolph Ziggler in 8:45.
[Q3] Footage aired from “earlier today” of Renee Young interviewing Kevin Owens, who said acted like he felt bad about Dean Ambrose getting beaten up by Brock Lesnar on Monday. He offered Ambrose an Intercontinental Title shot. Owens acted surprised when Young told him that Ambrose was recovering, and said he has beaten everyone so apparently he has the night off two. Big Show showed up. Owens told him the road to retirement “is that way.” Show grabbed Owens and said he would be seeing him later… [C]
Powell’s POV: The eight-man tag was a good match involving a whole bunch of underutilized wrestlers. Okay, I’ll be fair, Sin Cara is an overachiever at this point, but the other seven men are underutilized. I liked the Owens and Show setup. Owens offering Ambrose a title match he can’t accept is simple and effective, and Show vs. Owens feels fresh. When is the last time anyone has felt that way about a Big Show match?
A Harriet Tubman quote was shown for Black History Month…
2. Jimmy Uso (w/Jey Uso) vs. D-Von Dudley (w/Bubba Ray Dudley). Mauro dropped a Spinal Tap reference, which more than makes up for him not calling Winds of Change by its name. Before the match, Bubba spoke about not using tables. D-Von said they don’t care what people think about them. He said they do what they do “for us.” Bubba said fans could shove their tables and chants.
Jimmy jumped out to the quick start and set up for a top rope splash, but Bubba pulled a table out from underneath the ring, which drew Jey over and distracted the referee. Bubba dropped the table and shook the ropes to knock Jimmy down. D-Von rolled up Jimmy and pinned him…
D-Von Dudley beat Jimmy Uso in 0:50.
The broadcast team hyped Kevin Owens vs. Big Show, and Raw footage of Shane McMahon’s return…
Powell’s POV: That wasn’t much of a match. The right person won the match to keep the Dudleys’ heat, but I wish they would have waited to have these teams touch until their first showdown match. And the streak continues with the Uso Brothers performing their usual entrance. To their credit, they weren’t all smiles following the war cry portion.
[Q4] [C] Did You Know? Raw was the No. 1 show socially (because you guys bitch a lot on Twitter)… A video package recapped Shane McMahon’s return on Raw and the angle with Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon… Ranallo hyped Undertaker appearing on Monday’s Raw…
Backstage, Chris Jericho spoke about how he didn’t like AJ Styles at first. He said he has been a tag champion with five different partners. He said the thinks they can reach that point if they keep doing what they are doing.
Powell’s POV: Beating The Social Outcasts?
They spoke about how they could send a message by beating New Day tonight. They agreed that they need a partner. Mark Henry entered the picture and said he would be their partner. They sure as hell weren’t going to tell him no during Black History Month! Jericho and Henry shook hands. Jericho said Hentry was crushing his hand. Henry said he was funny, but New Day was funny too. Jericho said it would be an honor to have him on their team tonight…
Big Show made his entrance for the match with Owens… [C] Mauro and Lawler hyped The Godfather entering the WWE Hall of Fame. Religious Sting and Pimp Godfather were shown together in the HOF graphic…
[Q5] 3. Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens vs. Big Show. Before the match, Ryback’s post-match heel turn promo was shown. Big Show wasn’t happy, which is really, really, really hypocritical when you think about it.
Show chokeslammed Owens early in the match and Owens rolled to ringside. Once they were back in the ring, Owens caught Show on the ropes and set up for a superplex (or something). Owens crotched Show on the top rope. Show tumbled to the floor and was counted out…
Kevin Owens beat Big Show via count-out in 2:55.
The broadcast team hyped the six-man tag main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: Forget what I said about this feeling like a fresh match for Show. I’m ready for Owens to work with other opponents. In other words, I hope this was just a one-off and not a WrestleMania feud.
4. Natalya vs. Becky Lynch. Natalya performed a German suplex on Lynch, who rolled to ringside. Naomi and Tamina ran out. Natalya went to ringside and rolled Lynch back inside the ring. Naomi and Tamina attacked Natalya, which led to the ref apparently throwing out the match. Naomi and Tamina went after Lynch, who fought them off. Sasha Banks ran out and helped clear Naomi and Tamina from the ring.
Natalya fought Becky Lynch to an apparent no-contest in 1:30.
[Q6] Charlotte and Ric Flair made their entrance and delivered a promo from the stage. Charlotte said she just found out that Sasha will face Lynch on Monday at Raw to determine who will be the No. 1 contender. She said she will have a front row seat to see who wants the title more…
Powell’s POV: Another quick match with outside interference. I like Naomi and Tamina, but their interference is getting annoying and not in a good heat way. I am looking forward to the No. 1 contenders match. It will be interesting to see if they go with a singles match at Mania or if Charlotte taking a front row seat means she will interfere and then get upset when she has to defend the title against both women in a Triple Threat.
5. R-Truth vs. Heath Slater (w/Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose). Just as the match was about to start, Goldust made his entrance and spoke with Truth at ringside. Goldust made sure Truth heard a “Golden Truth” chant. Late in the match, the referee was distracted by the Social Outcasts climbing onto the apron. Truth went for a backslide. Goldust climbed onto the ring apron and punched Slater, who then fell into the backslide and was pinned. Truth wasn’t happy about Goldust helping him out…
R-Truth beat Heath Slater in 2:35.
The broadcast team hyped replay footage from Raw of Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose…
Powell’s POV: Why has the Golden Truth setup received more storyline attention in weeks than the Uso Brothers have received in years? By the way, the tease for replay footage is probably effective with those who didn’t see Raw, but what about those of us who did? Coming off the last three matches, the video made me look at the clock to see how much time is left in this throwaway show.
[Q7] [C] The WrestleMania video aired… Lawler explained the definition of insanity. He was not talking about parity booking. Rather, he applied it to Dean Ambrose… A video package recapped the Ambrose, Lesnar, and Ambrose segment from Raw…
New Day came to the ring and mock laughed at the thought of Mark Henry being the World’s Strongest Man. Kofi Kingston said he knows a man in the ring who would beg to differ. Xavier Woods stepped forward and flexed. Woods said they ride, eat, and bathe together. Kingston and Big E weren’t down with the last part… [C]
[Q8] [C] Lawler hyped Undertaker’s return to Raw…
Powell’s POV: The hype for Taker has been very generic. You would think that they broadcast team would be questioning how Taker feels about being named as Taker’s opponent, but instead it’s just Lawler doing his usual faux fight routine.
6. AJ Styles, Chris Jericho, and Mark Henry vs. Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods. New Day took an early powder and regrouped at ringside heading into the break. [C] Jericho performed a springboard dropkick that knocked Kingston off the apron. However, New Day ended up isolating Jericho in their corner for a stretch. Woods played the trombone at ringside.
Jericho eventually made the tag to Styles. Henry ate Trouble in Paradise from Kingston. Kofi tried to perform the same move on Styles, but Jericho shoved Styles out of the ring and took the move instead. AJ performed his spinning back fist on Woods, who fired back with nice forearm shot. Styles rolled him into the Calf Crusher and got the submission win…
AJ Styles, Chris Jericho, and Mark Henry beat New Day.
Powell’s POV: The ring entrances and the commercial break took up more time than the actual match did. There are shows when New Day is fun and then there are shows like this one where New Day felt a little flat. The same is true with Smackdown, as this was very much B-show filler coming off of two weeks WWE loading up the show more than usual. I’m not sure what to read into Jericho taking Kingston’s finisher to spare Styles. Are they trying to establish that he’s willing to sacrifice himself for Styles because they are a tag team or is this something that a heel Jericho will eventually bring up when he uses heel logic to explain why he turned on Styles? Thanks for watching along with me. Jake Barnett will be by on Friday with the WWE Smackdown Hit List.
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