Thursday Night Smackdown! TV Report for October 22nd, 2015 – “One Last Stop On The Road To H.I.A.C.”

Introduction Segment: Backstage Promo

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is walking through the hallway when he is nerved to see his Hell In A Cell opponent. He wonders why Kane is there when he was suspended. The Director of Operations corrects him, citing the suspension was only for Raw. Seth eggs on Kane and claims that he will defeat “Demon” Kane at the pay-per-view and he will no longer be on Smackdown! Kane informs Rollins that he may in fact be the WWE World Heavyweight Champion for the last time tonight on Smackdown, so he wants to give the fans a chance to check him out again. Rollins accepts, declaring that he will once again be “the man” tonight. Kane says that he will start the show, but to be careful, because “you never know who might show up!”

Kane continues on and meets Tag-Team Champions The New Day. They complain that Xavier Woods is out because of The Dudleyz putting him through a table, but Kane does not seem to care. Instead, he books them in a Tag-Team bout with Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns!

Match #1: Single – WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins VS. Cesaro (Non-Title)

Cesaro flips Rollins over and twirls around over him, then gutwrench-suplexes him and covers, but only gets two! Seth escapes to the outside for a break, then the camera pans over to the crowd, where Stardust and The Ascension are watching; Stardust has a “Stardust Section” sign held up. The referee starts to count-out Rollins, but Seth rethinks and enters competition again. Cesaro hits numerous running-uppercuts and tries the Cesaro Swing, but Rollins wiggles out to the floor. Cesaro follows, but is overtaken and chucked into the steel steps.

Commercials.

Rollins is still control, giving Cesaro a springboard-knee from the top rope. He kicks away in the corner, and runs at another one, but Cesaro turns it around and props Seth on the top turnbuckle; he hits a dropkick that sends The Champ tumbling to the mat below. Cesaro runs with another uppercut, and both fall over the barricade. Cesaro then soars off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody for a near-fall! Rollins hits an enziguri and kick-to-the-head but also only gets two! He climbs the turnbuckle, but misses a move and gets an uppercut! 1 – 2 – Seth kicks out but is locked in the Crossface Submission. Seth manages to get to the ropes for the break. He counters a apron-to-ring suplex and cuts off Cesaro from the middle turnbuckle. Rollins plants Cesaro with The Pedigree and covers for the victory!

Winner via Pinfall: WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins

Later tonight, The Miz welcomes Summer Rae and Dolph Ziggler to MizTV.

Segment #2: Backstage Promo

Rene Young is with Miz, who winds up what “MizTV” is going to be about tonight. He claims that Summer is “going to drop a bombshell,” so we all need to tune in.

Up next, Paige is out to talk about her relationship with Natalya, Becky Lynch, and Divas Champion Charlotte.

Ads.

Segment #3: Video Promo

The video from Raw promoting WWE’s work with the Susan G. Komen Foundation is re-aired.

Segment #4: Arena Promo

Paige is in the ring and ready to talk. First, recap of what has happened recently between her, Natalya, Becky, and Charlotte is shown. Back live, she invites Becky and Charlotte out so she can tell them what is going on. She is grateful at first for them joining her in the ring, but Becky cuts her off and asks her to “hurry up and finish your ‘empty speech’ will ya!” Paige insists that she was happy at first when Lynch and Charlotte arrived on Raw; Becky calls Paige out on a few statements she had made about her former partners, which Paige owns up to. Charlotte chimes in, saying that she tried to figure out what Paige’s reasons were, however she was not able too. Charlotte realizes that Paige doesn’t “respect” her, then accosts her for thinking only about herself, especially right before Charlotte’s championship match on Sunday.

Team Bella interrupts and mocks the “communication breakdown” of Team PCB. Charlotte responds, wanting to wrestle Nikki tonight, but Paige “stands up” for Charlotte and challenges Nikki instead. Bella agrees, so now it will be those two taking on each other next!

Commercials.

Match #2: Single – Paige (with Divas Champion Charlotte and Becky Lynch) VS. Nikki Bella (with Team Bella partners Brie Bella and Alicia Fox)

The bell rings and they lockup. Nikki gets the better and then does jumping-jacks, then scoop-slams Paige to the canvas. She rams Paige’s head into her knee, then performs push-ups in front of her H.I.A.C. opponent, Charlotte!

She runs at Paige, but Paige counters into an armdrag, then a scoop-slam and headbutt. She repeatedly puts knee-to-head in between the top and middle rope, then wiggles out of an Alabama Slam attempt and gives Nikki a harsh knee-to-the-face. 1 – 2 – Nikki kicks out! Bella elbows back and spins her around with a Tornado-armbreaker from the second turnbuckle!

Ads.

Nikki is still dominating, pulling at Paige’s arm against the bottom rope. She continues to work over that arm, slamming it against the metal ring post. Paige works her way out of out of a grounding arm/chinlock stretch, then repeatedly head-butting Nikki quickly. She hits a big superkick, but only gets two! She is rolled-up off the ropes, but kicks out, then given a spinebuster for another two!

Paige elbows out of a Rack Attack attempt, but is Alabama-Slammed a bit later. Nikki measures Paige, then counters a kick with a clothesline. She taunts Charlotte, then drops Paige with the Rack Attack for the 1 – 2 – 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Nikki Bella (with Team Bella)

Up next, MizTV!

Commercials.

Segment #5: Arena Promo

After replays of the saga between Dolph Ziggler, Rusev, and Summer Rae, Miz welcomes Dolph to the ring. Ziggler accuses Summer Rae of using Rusev, and “trying to use me.” Miz brings out Rae now, and insinuates that Dolph messed up hers and Rusev’s relationship. She isn’t phased and hits on Dolph, but “The Show Off” denies her flirtations.

Summer laughs him off and has “moved on.” She introduces her “new man,” NXT wrestler Tyler Breeze! “Prince Pretty” struts out, but Dolph is not impressed. Breeze, amid “NXT” chants, tells Dolph he is stuck in the 80s, while listing all his nicknames. He was not pleased to find out that Dolph was “mistreating” Summer, and has now decided to stick by her side. “Together, we’re about to give WWE a much-needed facelift.” Tyler and Summer take a “selfie,” then Breeze and Dolph engage in a brawl. Tyler drives his “selfie-stick” into Dolph’s throat, and continues to pound away until referees moves him away.

Ads.

Match #3: Tag-Team – The Lucha Dragons VS. King Barrett and Sheamus (with Rusev)

Prior to the bout, a side-video of Rusev, Barrett, and Sheamus is shown in which they declare they will be victorious over Neville, Cesaro, and Ziggler at the Hell In A Cell kickoff show.

Sheamus and Barrett, take this one after Sheamus gives a Brogue Kick to Kalisto!

Winners via Pinfall: King Barrett and Sheamus (with Rusev)

Recap of Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt slugging it out on Raw after their sit-down chat is aired.

Commercials.

Match #4: Single – Bo Dallas VS. Ryback

Before this gets underway, Bo Dallas declares that he accepts John Cena’s United States Championship Match at Hell In A Cell. He says this is on behalf of his “Bo-Mericans,” and starts to sing the National Anthem until Ryback makes his entrance.

Ryback finishes Bo in very short-order with the Shellshock Marching Samoan Drop!

Winner via Pinfall: Ryback

Segment #6: Backstage Promo

Rene Young is with Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens, who was checking out his Hell In A Cell opponent’s match. Owens tells Rene that Ryback is a “monster, a ‘physical freak of nature,’ he’s intense, he’s shown a lot of respect for champions that came before him; while me, I’m not really any of those things am I? And yet I’m the champion. Now what does that say about me?”

Young responds, insinuating that Kevin is “arrogant,” but Owens disagrees and says he is better. He proclaims that the I.C. Championship did not exist before he won it, and will keep the Intercontinental Championship.

Ads.

Segment #7: Video Promo

The history of Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker is shown.

Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose enter for their main-event match with Tag-Team Champions The New Day, next!

Commercials.

Match #5: Tag-Team – Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose VS. Tag-Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Big E.) (Non-Title)

Kofi and Dean begin, with Dean getting the better. He tags in Roman, who leaps on Kingston with a clothesline. Reigns now faces off with Big but is put to t mat with a shoulder-block. Reigns catches Big off the ropes with a Samoan Drop position, but E. squirms out. He is given an uppercut, however, and ran at in the corner with a clothesline. Reigns whips Big into the opposite corner, but is tossed to the apron when running. He knocks Kofi to the floor, but Big uses that distraction to shove Roman off.

Ads.

Big is still dominating, wearing down Reigns with an abdominal stretch. Roman fights out of it, and chucks E. shoulder-first into the ring post. He makes the hot-tag to Ambrose, who cleans house on Big E. He slingshot-crossbodies R, but is stopped by Kofi who trips up Ambrose. Kingston runs from the apron with a kick, then covers but only gets one.

New Day control until Dean ducks a springboard crossbody by Kofi. Ambrose gets the other “hot-tag” to Roman, who again “cleans house,” to the point where New Day go to get counted-out by walking to the back. Their opponents at Hell In A Cell, however, cut them off, as The Dudley Boyz back them up into a flying Reigns and Ambrose from the steps and ring, respectively!

Reigns gears up, roars, and Spears Kofi to get the victory!

Winners via Pinfall: Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns

Post-match, as Reigns and Ambrose are celebrating, Bray Wyatt appears humming on screen. “Remember Roman, no matter how hard you try, you can’t out run your fear.” He laughs maniacally as Roman nods to close the show.

End Of Smackdown!

Reporter’s Rumblings

Other than the debut of Tyler Breeze (more on him below), this was your average go-home show before a Pay-Per-View/Network show, with nothing else of significance happening. Onto the particulars:

Excellence: matches between Rollins/Cesaro, Paige/Nikki, and New Day/Ambrose/Reigns. Promos by Kevin Owens, Paige/Charlotte/Becky/Nikki, Tyler Breeze, and Rollins/Kane opening the show.

Bogus: matches of Sheamus/Barrett/Luchas and Ryback/Bo Dallas – too predictable and overdone; plus I think the Luchas should be pushed, as they are great tag-team, so I don’t like to see them losing/not on TV as much. I was intrigued in Dallas’ recent aggressive turn, but sad to see that he is relegated to jobbing again. Again, he should be pushed as well.

Am upset to see that Harper/Stroman/Dean and ??? is off H.I.A.C. for now; I understand (and it sucks) that Randy is injured again, but I know they could’ve easily found a replacement to join Dean.

While I think Tyler Breeze will be a great fit, and could be a great feud, I also believe it is too soon for him to be called-up; at least should’ve waited until after H.I.A.C., as it seemed they just ended Rusev/Ziggler without one final bout. I’ve never liked a new debut the week of/before a Pay-Per-View/Network Show/Special, as they kind of get lost/it makes no sense since the wrestler they’re debuting against should already be in a rivalry and ending it at that PPV/Network Show. Hopefully this trend ends.

Hell In A Cell Picks: Charlotte to retain Divas Championship; Owens to keep I.C. Title; Reigns to win over Wyatt and move on to upper card/main-event again; Dudleyz to win Tag-Team Championships; Kane to win WWE World Heavyweight Championship for one last run; Undertaker/Lesnar to go no-finish and have their final match at Survivor Series with it being Undertaker’s 25th Anniversary, which should be a Last Man Standing Match!

Until Raw and after H.I.A.C., Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Readers and Fans!