Thursday Night Smackdown! TV Report for April 28th, 2016

Introduction Segment: Video Promo and Welcoming

A recap of Raw with Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, A.J. Styles, and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns airs. The regular Smackdown! video plays and the pyro blows in the arena of Manchester, Connecticut.

Segment #2: Arena Promo

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns is welcomed by Eden Stiles, the ring announcer. He tells us that he, like us, knows of A.J. Styles’ reputation around the world, and that he doesn’t think that Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Styles aren’t working together.

Reigns is interrupted by Intercontinental Champion The Miz and his wife, Maryse. They talk about the situation that Roman is in and then kiss, until the WWE World Heavyweight Champion has had enough.

Later tonight, Dean Ambrose will host an “Ambrose Asylum” featuring Natalya and Divas Champion Charlotte. Up next, the League of Nations will take on three mystery wrestlers in a Six-Man Tag!

Commercials.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns going against Intercontinental Champion The Miz in “Champion VS. Champion” (non-title) is made for tonight’s main-event!

Segment #3: Backstage Promo

Rene Young invites The League of Nations – Rusev, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio. She tells them they have been “stronger” since getting rid Wade Barrett; Sheamus agrees and they all “unite” as one for their upcoming challengers.

Match #1: Six-Man Tag-Team – The League of Nations (Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, and Rusev) VS. United States Champion Kalisto, Sami Zayn, and Cesaro

The League starts off strong, dominating over Kalisto and triple-teaming him in the corner. Sami is tagged and hits a few kicks on Rusev, but is taken over quickly.

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Sheamus is now governing Zayn, along with Del Rio, who throws him into the corner and gives him a smacking kick. Sami tries to punch back, but Alberto turns him around into a Backstabber! He poses then winds up, however, Rusev tags himself in and he and Alberto suddenly get into a shoving match, along with Sheamus! Alberto rolls from the ring and walks away.

Sami moves from a double-team effort, and Sheamus hits Rusev by mistake; they now argue and Rusev marches off! Sheamus is left alone in the ring, where Kalisto springboard-hurricanranas him. He switches with Cesaro, who runs at Sheamus with an uppercut on the outside into the corner of the barrier. In the ring, Cesaro soars off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody for two, then delivers multiple corner uppercuts and a couple of running ones, then a dropkick!

He signals for the Swing, but Sheamus manages to wiggles to the bottom rope to break and goes to the back, getting counted-out!

Winners via Count-Out: United States Champion Kalisto, Sami Zayn, and Cesaro

Commercials.

Segment #4: Video Promo

A montage of WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish is shown.

Segment #5: Backstage Promo

Rusev, Del Rio, and Sheamus continue to verbally joust, then fight again before Sheamus walks away, declaring the League of Nations “finished!”

Baron Corbin makes his entrance and will face Damien Sandow, next!

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Match #2: Single – Baron Corbin VS. Damien Sandow

(Note: we get a quick clip of Dolph Ziggler attacking Baron on Raw, which is why this bout is happening tonight.)

Corbin completely directs this, finishing Sandow with End of Days (swinging-flatliner)!

Winner via Pinfall: Baron Corbin

Up next, “The Ambrose Asylum!”

Commercials.

Segment #6: Arena Promo

Dean Ambrose first talks about Chris Jericho and what happened on Monday, then what he will do to “Y2J” this Sunday at Payback!

He switches personas now, going into talk-show host. He brings Natalya out first and shows everyone how Natalya got her title shot. (Raw, three weeks ago, when Charlotte taps to the Sharpshooter, but Ric Flair pulled the referee out, causing a dq and Charlotte retaining.)

Women’s Champion Charlotte, and her father Ric Flair, are out next and they get into a verbal confrontation with Nattie about family.

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Tag-Team Champions The New Day strut out and promote the Tag-Team Championship Tournament Finals this Sunday at Payback, which is sponsored by their “Booty-O’s” cereal! Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E. then ask Mauro Ranallo, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Byron Saxton to move, and they take over on commentary!!

Match #3: Tag-Team – The Social Outcasts (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) (with Social Outcasts member Heath Slater) VS. Enzo Amore and Big Cass

Enzo and Bo begin with a lockup, which Dallas gets out of by an armdrag. Enzo and Bo go back-and-forth a little, then Axel and Dallas gain a small advantage. It doesn’t last long, as Amore moves and Bo sails through the ropes to the floor!

Enzo hot-tags Cass, and they both end this with a big splash from the top turnbuckle by Enzo!

Winners via Pinfall: Enzo Amore and Big Cass

Segment #7: Locker Room Promo

R-Truth is looking at himself with a homemade phone-camera/stick combo (his cell-phone on a branch!) when Goldust walks in. “The Bizarre One” was fine with dancing with Truth last week on Smackdown, but before he can explain more, Truth says he’s got a new partner – Tyler Breeze. They will be known as Gorgeous Truth. Goldust is disappointed, but kind of comforted by Fandango afterward.

Apollo Crews enters and will be wrestling after the break!

Commercials.

Match #4: Single – Apollo Crews VS. Stardust

Despite a valiant effort from Stardust, Crews continues his roll after the spin-out sit-down powerbomb!

Winner via Pinfall: Apollo Crews

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Segment #8: Video Promo

Another Raw replay airs, this time with Stephanie and Shane McMahon bickering about controlling Raw.

A.J. Styles walks out and sits at ringside for the main-event!

Commercials.

Match #5: Single – Intercontinental Champion The Miz (with Maryse) VS. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns (Non-Title)

Miz backs away at first, but Reigns controls quickly with a shoulder-block then a Drive-By running front-dropkick. Roman and A.J. glare at each other, allowing Miz to take advantage by pushing Reigns into the ring post and getting a two in the ring!

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Miz has Roman clamped in a grounding chinlock. Reigns strong-holds out of it, but Miz hits back with a clothesline in the corner then a double-axe-handle off the top turnbuckle! The I.C. Champ chokes the WWE Champ on the middle rope, then yanks at his hair and knees him in the back. He punches away, then rips at Roman’s chin again.

Reigns powers out, but is kneed in the gut. He reverses a neckbreaker attempt into a Samoan Drop to regain himself. He has the momentum now and is all over Miz with punches, kicks, and clotheslines. He signals for the Superman Punch, but Maryse pulls Miz out of the ring.

Miz dropkicks the steel steps into Roman’s legs, and goes for the Figure-4 in the ring, but Roman kicks him off. Miz plants a DDT and almost a Skull-Krushing Finale, but Roman counters into his Spear; he covers for the victory!

Winner via Pinfall: WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns

Post-match, Reigns and Styles face-off until Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson march out. They assault Roman while A.J. looks on from the ring. The Usos run out and save Roman, then Jimmy Uso hits Styles. “The Phenomenal One” hits back, and gets in Gallows’ face after he clotheslines Jimmy to the floor.

Roman Spears Luke, then he and Styles fight! He tosses A.J. over the top rope, but Styles hangs on and Reigns goes for the Superman Punch, but “The Phenomenal One” hops off the ring. A.J. and Roman stare at each other to close the show.

End of Smackdown!