The “Superstar Shake-Up” is half-way through; last night on Raw, many Smackdown! superstars went to Monday night. Who will be “traded” from Raw and have a new home here? Only one way to find out – read on!
Tuesday Night Smackdown! Live Television Report for April 11, 2017 – “A (Partly) New Crew”
Introduction: Arena Promo
The United States Champion – Kevin Owens – is the first wrestler out, and is now a part of Smackdown! Also, commentator Byron Saxton has come here too. He saunters out and claims this as “the new Kevin Owens show.” Owens rips on America, proclaiming Canada to be superior. He challenges someone – in French at first, since he is from Quebec – to take him on, and declares himself “the new face of America.”
Baron Corbin answers, and recognizes that Kevin may be able to attack most of the arena and the wrestlers, but wants a title match against him because Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose moved to Raw. Sami Zayn’s music plays and he jumps out! Owens is not pleased, but the fans are. He announces himself as the newest addition, but Baron says “nobody cares.”
“The Phenomenal One” A.J. Styles enters now. To the happiness of the crowd, he puts himself over. General Manager Daniel Bryan walks out to the stage. He makes the first call of Kevin Owens taking on Chris Jericho at Payback for the United States Championship still happening, since it was booked before the “Superstar Shake-Up;” he declares that the winner will officially be on Smackdown! As well, he makes a Triple-Threat for tonight between Baron, A.J., and Sami to determine who will wrestle the U.S. Champion after Payback for the title.
Later tonight, Commissioner Shane McMahon will talk about the women’s division, and up next, WWE Champion Randy Orton wrestles Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan.
Commercials.
Match #1: Single – Erick Rowan VS. WWE Champion Randy Orton (Non-Title)
Orton controls early until Rowan hits him hard and punches in the corner. He places Randy atop the turnbuckle and tries a superplex, but Orton battles out. He hits an elbow, ducks a clothesline, and plants Erick with a powerslam! They go to the outside where “The Viper” throws Rowan into the steel steps.
Randy catches Rowan with his Draping DDT and gears up for an R.K.O.! The screen then turns to The Wyatt Family’s video and Bray is on the Titantron. He talks to Randy about them meeting in “The House of Horrors,” and then Erick hits Orton with the steel steps, forcing the referee to call a DQ.
Winner via Disqualification: WWE Champion Randy Orton
Post-match, Rowan gives Orton a Full Nelson Slam to the canvas!
Up next, the Tag-Team Championships will be on the line as The Usos defend against American Alpha!
Commercials.
Match #2: Tag-Team for the Tag-Team Championship – The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) (Champions) VS. American Alpha (Jason Jordan and Chad Gable)
Jason slams Jey and Alpha double-team him. Jey switches with his brother, but is also doubled-up on. Jordan and Gable are dominating early.
Commercials.
Jordan and Jey are going at it, with The Usos now in control. Jimmy is tagged in, but chucked to the floor. Jey tries a splash, but Jason moves and he face-plants the post! Jordan gets the hot-tag, and Chad cleans house on The Usos with many German and Exploder suplexes! He lands an awesome moonsault for a near-fall! Jimmy superkicks and splashes from the top turnbuckle, but Gable reverses into a cradle for two!
Alpha hit a double-team bulldog from the top turnbuckle but Jey just breaks the count! Chad and Jordan are dumped to the outside, but they catch and overhead belly-to-belly suplex both Usos out of a dive-through-the-ropes!
Back in the ring, The Usos one-up and superkick Alpha. They cover for the victory!
Winners via Pinfall and STILL Tag-Team Champions: The Usos
Post-match, Primo and Epico assault Alpha! They are now a part of SD!
After the break, Mojo Rawley takes on Jinder Mahal – who also moved from Raw.
Commercials.
Match #3: Single – Mojo Rawley VS. Jinder Mahal
Mojo starts fast but is taken down. Jinder grabs him in a grounding rear chinlock, but Rawley punches back. He hits a splash in the corner, but gets a boot in the other. Mahal goes to the outside and in the face of the NFL’s New England Patriots tight-end Rob Gronkowski; Rob throws his beer in Mahal’s face, which allows Mojo to take advantage. He hits a hard forearm back in the ring and gets the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winner via Pinfall: Mojo Rawley
Post-match, Mojo celebrates with Rob and J.B.L.’s hat.
Commercials.
Arena Promo
Commissioner Shane McMahon builds up the Women’s Division, and asks the current women of Smackdown! to join him. Women’s Champion Naomi, Natalya, Carmela (with James Ellsworth), and Becky Lynch make their way. Shane congratulates Naomi on her WrestleMania Women’s Championship victory, but James interrupts and says that he and Carmela are the only important ones. Naomi warns him to shut-up and gives Shane the spotlight back.
McMahon announces the two newest members, who are both second-generation wrestlers – Tamina and Charlotte.
Sami is shown in the back preparing for his match later tonight.
Commercials.
The announcer’s go over more wrestlers moving to Smackdown! – Kalisto and Rusev.
Arena Promo
Aiden English is alone now, and starts to sing in an opera-like tone. “The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger interrupts him and they are going into a bout!
Match #4: Single – Aiden English VS. Tye Dillinger
Tye shows-off early with a couple of quick moves and “10” taunts. Aiden does the same with his operatic-version, but Tye regains and finishes Aiden with his Tye-Breaker!
Winner via Pinfall: Tye Dillinger
Video Promo
A.J. Styles’ Smackdown! career montage plays.
Commercials.
Video Promo
A couple of clips of Lana – who appears to have a makeover as a Dancing With The Stars look – airs; she is “coming soon” to SD!
Arena Promo
Dolph Ziggler is in the ring and denounces the importance of all who now have come to Smackdown! Shinsuke Nakamura – who debuted last week on Smackdown! – interjects. Dolph does not seem impressed, but Shinsuke lets the fans do the chanting.
Nakamura does introduce himself, and taunts Ziggler to take him on. Dolph backs away and Shinsuke poses.
Commercials.
Arena Promo
The announcers tell us that Sin Cara and The New Day are joining in the next while!
Video Promo
Sami’s career highlights are shown.
Sami, Baron, and A.J. make their entrances for the main-event, next!
Commercials.
Match #5: Triple-Threat – Sami Zayn VS. Baron Corbin VS. A.J. Styles
(Stipulation: #1 Contender’s Bout to the United States Championship)
Baron knees Sami, but then Sami and A.J. double-team on Corbin. They go for a double-suplex, but Baron reverses it and suplexes them both! He kicks Zayn in the corner, and then harshly clotheslines Styles to the outside. He whips Sami into the ropes, but Sami counters with a springboard and then a headscissors! He and A.J. clothesline Corbin to the floor!
A.J. and Sami face-off and lockup. They counter and hit moves on each other, and then Baron trips Zayn and pulls him out of the ring. He puts Styles to the outside mat, and launches Sami into ropes, but Zayn lands on the apron and springboards back with a moonsault onto both A.J. and Baron!
Commercials.
“The Lone Wolf” is governing both Sami and A.J., but Sami begins a comeback. He drives Corbin into the corner with an exploder-suplex but is driven by A.J. with a fireman’s carry knee-to-the-back-of-the-head. Baron follows with a hard clothesline on Styles. After a small rest, Corbin runs around the ring but right into a running-knee from A.J. on the apron!
In the ring, Zayn spins Styles around with his Blue Thunder Bomb but can’t take this as A.J. just barely kicked out! All three trade hard-hits, and A.J. and Sami are left. Styles springboards off of the top rope with a 450-splash, but also can’t take this!
Soon after, it is only Zayn and Styles again and A.J. manages to hit his Phenomenal Forearm from the top rope! He covers Sami for the hard-wrestled victory!
Winner via Pinfall and #1 Contender to the United States Championship: A.J. Styles
Post-match, A.J. celebrates to close the show.
End of Smackdown! Live.
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