Thursday Night Smackdown! TV Report for May 26th, 2016

Introduction Segment: Video Promo and Welcoming

Raw’s Money In The Bank Qualifying bouts are reviewed, and then the regular Smackdown! video plays. The pyro explodes in the arena of Norfolk, Virginia!

Segment #2: Arena Promo

Michael Cole is in the ring and puts over the concept of the Money In The Bank briefcase,

Commercials.

Match #1: Qualifying for Money In The Bank (Single) – Alberto Del Rio VS. Zack Ryder

Del Rio runs immediately, but Zack puts him into the corner and punches away. He whips Alberto off the ropes, but Alberto kicks back and clotheslines; he takes over with punches and a suplex. Ryder hangs over the apron and Del Rio gives him a running boot-the-head. Zack switches a whip and drops Alberto with a flapjack, then slides into him with a jumping front-dropkick, ring-to-outside!

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Alberto has now taken over with a grounding chinlock; Ryder counters a whip into a facebuster, then double-knees out-of-the-corner! The momentum doesn’t last long, as Ryder is kicked in the head! Del Rio winds up, but Zack counters with a jawbreaker and the Broski Boot (running corner kick). 1 – 2 – Alberto kicks out!

Ryder measures, but is tossed into the turnbuckle as he went for the RoughRyder Leg Lariat. Del Rio sets him up upside down in the corner, but misses the Double-Stomp! Zack plants the RoughRyder, but Alberto rolls out of the ring. Ryder follows, but Del Rio rolls into a cross armbreaker, forcing Zack to submit!

Winner via Submission and Qualifying: Zack Ryder

Segment #3: Video Promo

A recap of Extreme Rules and Seth Rollins’ Monday Night Raw return is aired. Seth will also be on Smackdown! tonight!

Commercials.

Segment #4: Arena Promo

Big Cass and Enzo walk out to the ring, but before they can get into their usual mike skills, The Dudley Boyz interrupt. Cass and Enzo cut them off and challenge them to a match, which Bubba-Ray and D-Von accept – only for next Monday’s Raw. Cass calls them “S-A-W-F-T!”

Segment #5: Backstage Promo

Rene Young interviews United States Champion Rusev and Lana about his U.S. Title bout with Kalisto. He states that Kalisto is “a little baby” compared to Rusev, who is a “grown men.”

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Segment #6: Video Promo

The Intercontinental Championship Match from Extreme Rules is recalled.

Match #2: Single for the United States Championship – Rusev (with Lana) (Champion) VS. Kalisto (Challenger)

Kalisto flies around to start, but Rusev quickly dominates with power.

Commercials.

Rusev continues to govern until Kalisto makes a valiant comeback. He goes for the Salida Del Sol, but Rusev holds him and places him upside down on the turnbuckle. Kalisto moves from a headbutt and hits a rockets off the opposite turnbuckle with a 450 Splash, but Rusev gets his knees up! The “Bulgarian Brute” follows with a stomp on Kalisto’s back and The Accolade, making Kalisto tap!

Winner via Submission and STILL United States Champion: Rusev (with Lana)

Post-match, Rusev goes to attack Kalisto more until Titus O’Neil marches out and challenges Rusev, who walks away with Lana.

Segment #7: Video Promo

Women’s Champion Charlotte’s scathing opinion of her father, Ric Flair, from Raw airs. She then makes her entrance!

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Match #3: Single – Dana Brooke (with Women’s Champion Charlotte) VS. Natalya

Natalya takes Brooke down with a side headlock, then gives her fury punches in the corner. Dana moves and clotheslines Nattie, then rams her face against the mat. She misses an elbow, and Natalya manages to tie her up in the Sharpshooter, but Charlotte slides in and stops, causing a dq.

Winner via Disqualification: Natalya

Post-match, Charlotte beats on Natalya until she is locked in the Sharpshooter; Dana helps her new friend and they attack and stand tall.

Segment #8: Video and Backstage Promo

Picture-stills of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship bout between Champion Roman Reigns and A.J. Styles at Extreme Rules airs, as does Styles’ losing effort against Kevin Owens in a Money In The Bank Qualifier on Raw.

Rene Young is with A.J. now and inquires what his future holds. “The Phenomenal One” recalls his WWE career so far, and is “not sure” what is up next.

Commercials.

Match #4: Tag-Team – The Golden Truth (Goldust and R-Truth) VS. Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango)

In short, Breezango picks this one up after Goldust is knocked off the apron by Fandango, and Tyler kicks Truth down, allowing Fandango to cover!

Winners via Pinfall: Breezango

Up next, Seth Rollins is out!

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Segment #9: Backstage Promo

Goldust is trying to convince R-Truth that they will be “the most powerful force the WWE has ever seen!” Tyler Breeze and Fandango walk by, laughing and making a joke.

Segment #10: Arena Promo

Seth Rollins walks out to a nice ovation; he is happy to be back on Smackdown, but not happy to see the people. He promptly drops the microphone and walks away.

Commercials.

Match #5: Single for the Intercontinental Championship – Cesaro (Challenger) VS. The Miz (with Maryse) (Champion)

They begin equally and then Cesaro takes over, sending Miz to the outside.

Ads.

Miz is now in control, working over Cesaro’s injured shoulder. Cesaro makes a comeback, almost taking this with an inside cradle! Miz rolls-up Cesaro, but “The Swiss Superman” reverses into The Sharpshooter! Miz worms, but gets to the rope for a break.

Miz dumps Cesaro to the outside, but Cesaro hits an uppercut and a spinebuster in the ring. Cesaro tries The Swing, but Miz worms to the floor. Miz collects his championship with Maryse and walks away, but Cesaro catches him, uppercutting into the corner barricade. Cesaro soars off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody for a near-fall! He runs into the corner, but Miz moves and plants Cesaro with the Skull-Krushing Finale! Miz covers and receives the victory!

Winner via Pinfall and STILL Intercontinental Champion: The Miz

The Miz and Maryse celebrate on the stage to close the show.

End of Smackdown!

Reporter’s Rumblings

This was a pretty-good week, however I definitely enjoyed Raw more than Smackdown! Onto the reasons why:

Excellence: matches between Sheamus/Sami (Raw), Miz/Cesaro (Raw), Ambrose/Ziggler (Raw), Styles/Owens (Raw), and Del Rio/Ryder (Smackdown!)

Promos from Seth Rollins (Raw and Smackdown!), Sheamus (Raw), Baron Corbin (Raw), Big Cass and Enzo Amore (Raw and Smackdown!).

Seth Rollins’ returned played out how I suspected and I loved it! I was surprised to the ending of Extreme Rules and didn’t expect him back then, but very happy he is continuing the character he had before, as he makes a superbly arrogant heel!

Liked most of the Qualifying Matches/Results and the Ladder Match is looking to be interesting.

With my review, I just picked up on the fact that Cesaro def. Miz on Raw in a Non-Title, so him getting the I.C. Championship shot on Smackdown made absolute sense; way-to-go! However, I’m also glad Miz retained and he is becoming much better again!

As well, enjoying the combination of Rusev and Lana, and Rusev being the U.S. Champion again; he is also much better in his promos and this is the character he needs to be for the rest of his career!

Bogus: matches between New Day/Outcasts (Raw), Jericho/Crews (Raw), Brooke/Natalya (Smackdown!), Golden Truth/Breezango (Smackdown!), and Cesaro/Miz (Smackdown!)

Promos from The Shining Stars (Raw), A.J. Styles (Smackdown!), and Goldust/R-Truth (Smackdown!)

I’m not sold on Charlotte’s dumping of Ric yet; I think they should go longer with the pairing until she loses the Women’s Championship. Also, the part of her promo where she said she can do it on her own didn’t follow with the result (distraction by Dana) at Extreme Rules, so that was an oops! And, I was disappointed with Dana and Nattie’s Smackdown! match – could’ve been given more time.

The only reason I wrote Cesaro/Miz’s Smackdown! match in “Bogus” was purely timing – could’ve also been given a longer bout, especially since the title was on the line. Could not care less about Golden Truth, so please no more!

Smackdown! was filled with too many promos – both video and talking – and less in-ring action; always should be the other way around!

While it totally makes sense for Rollins’ to get his rematch for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, I would’ve liked to see The Club and The Bloodline continue feuding at least through Money In The Bank; again they were making me think of The Freebirds VS. The Von Erichs the way they were fighting, and that is an awesome comparison!

Until Raw, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Fans!