Smackdown! TV report for 04/14/2016

Thursday Night Smackdown! TV Report for April 14th, 2016 – “

Introduction Segment: Video Promo, Welcoming, and Arena Promo

The regular Smackdown! opener starts, and we are acknowledged by Mauro Ranallo, Byron Saxton, and Jerry “The King” Lawler. They go over the line-up, which includes A.J. Styles facing Alberto Del Rio and Sami Zayn taking on Chris Jericho!

Maryse is in the ring and welcomes her husband, Intercontinental Champion The Miz. They put over each other over until Zack Ryder interrupts. He vows to regain the I.C. Championship, challenging him to wrestle tonight! Maryse plays it up with the fans, and Miz agrees, for a short moment. He remembers that Zack is actually in another match, against Baron Corbin!

Commercials.

Match #1: Single – Zack Ryder VS. Baron Corbin

They lockup and Corbin shoves Ryder to the mat, then shoulder-blocks him. Baron throws him into the corner, but Zack hits out of it. The comeback is not long, as Corbin takes over, punishing Ryder with kicks and punches, then an arm and chinlock.

Baron hits a few clotheslines, but Zack battles back with knees and a dropkick from the second turnbuckle! he goes for the Broski Boot, but Baron rolls to the outside. They go back into the ring, where Corbin catches Ryder off the ropes with the End of Days Swinging Flatliner; he covers for the victory!

Winner via Pinfall: Baron Corbin

Post-match, Corbin attack Ryder but Dolph Ziggler’s music plays and he runs out to make the save! He tries a superkick, but Baron catches the foot. Corbin goes for a clothesline, but Ziggler ducks and attempts another superkick. Baron backs away up the ramp.

Segment #2: Backstage Promo

Rene Young asks Kevin Owens about Sami Zayn’s match against Chris Jericho tonight. Owens gives props to Young for introducing him better, then inquires Rene if Sami knows what is going to happen to him, and walks away.

Emma and Paige are shown walking backstage, and will be wrestling next!

Ads.

Match #2: Single – Paige VS. Emma

An elbow/collar tie-up starts, then Emma pushes Paige’s face. Paige retaliates with hard mudhole stomps in the corner, but Emma rams her into the bottom turnbuckle, then runs with a crossbody-splash. She continues to slam Paige’s head against the bottom turnbuckle, then gets a two-count.
She rips at Paige’s hair against the ropes, and gives her an overhead butterfly-suplex. 1 – 2 – Paige gets her shoulder up! Paige breaks out of a submission with kicks, then runs at Emma in the corner with a knee, then another one on the canvas!

Paige props Emma on the top turnbuckle and headbutts, but Emma slides out and trips her up, sending Paige face-first into the top turnbuckle. Emma presses against Paige with a jackknife for the 1 – 2 – 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Emma

A recap from Raw of the beginning of the Tag-Team Title Tournament is shown.

Commercials.

Enzo and Cass make their entertaining entrance, tell about their life, and rip on The Ascension.

Ads.

Match #3: Tag-Team (#1 Contender’s Tournament to the Tag-Team Championship) – Enzo and Big Cass VS. The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor)

Enzo and Konnor start out, with Konnor overpowering. He quickly switches with Viktor, who whips Enzo into the corner, but Enzo counters with a headscissors! He tags in Cass, who scoop-slams his partner onto Viktor! Cass and Enzo double-team Viktor in the corner, then Enzo goes to the top, however is pushed off by Viktor after a distraction from Konnor.

On the outside, Konnor clotheslines Enzo against the barricade, and receives a near-fall back in the ring. Viktor continues to control until Enzo dumps him to the outside and lets Konnor run into the ring post. He gets the hot-tag to Cass, who dominates over The Ascension!

Cass almost gets this after a big-boot on Viktor, but Konnor breaks it up! Cass boots Konnor off the apron, then rockets Enzo off the top turnbuckle with a splash onto Viktor to finish this!

Winners and Advancing via Pinfall: Enzo and Big Cass

Segment #3: Backstage Promo

JoJo greets A.J. Styles. He talks about always having to climb to the top, and how both he and Roman have not wrestled someone like each other, ability-wise. Alberto Del Rio interjects and berates A.J. “The Phenomenal One” promises to make Del Rio think again in the ring.

Commercials.

Match #4: Single – A.J. Styles VS. League of Nations member Alberto Del Rio

They begin with a lockup, then Alberto tries to control first. A.J. chops back and leapfrogs over Alberto, and then hits him with a dropkick! He hops over the top rope and runs with a knee from the apron! A.J. rolls Alberto back in the ring for one and corners him. Styles shoulder-rams Alberto, but is reversed and kicked on an Irish Whip.

Del Rio throws A.J. into the corner of the barrier, then he soars off the top turnbuckle with a double axe-handle smash! He runs at Styles in another corner, but misses and eats the post! A.J. snap-suplexes Alberto, but his momentum doesn’t last long. Del Rio runs to the outside on Styles with a front-dropkick.

Ads.

Alberto’s still in control but misses a running-enziguri when A.J. ducks. “The Phenomenal One” capitalizes with a fireman’s-carry kneebuster, but Del Rio slides off a pump-handle attempt and brings A.J. down with a backstabber! He lines up for a kick, but A.J. rolls out of the way and flips over with the Pele Kick! 1 – 2 – Alberto get his shoulder up!

Del Rio places A.J. upside down and climbs the turnbuckle, but Styles kicks at Alberto. He follows with a Phenomenal Forearm attempt, but Del Rio ducks. Alberto signals for the Cross Armbreaker, but A.J. reverses into a roll-up to take this!

Winner via Pinfall; A.J. Styles

Segment #4: Locker Room Promo

R-Truth is wondering why Goldust hasn’t answered his messages; “The Bizarre One” replies that “Golden Truth” will be tonight, as he found a new partner for the Tag-Team Title Tournament match – Fandango. They are labelled as “Golden-Dango.” Fan and Goldust dance awkwardly, as Truth looks on shocked.

Ads.

Match #5: Tag Team (#1 Contender’s Tournament to the Tag-Team Championship) – The Vaudevillians (Simon Gotch and Aiden English) VS. Golden-Dango (Goldust and Fandango)

English and Gotch control early, but Fandango gets the hot-tag and takes over. Goldsut tumbles to the floor with Aiden, but Gotch gets the better of Fandango, and he and English complete this with the Whirling-Dervish.

Winners and Advancing via Pinfall: The Vaudevillians

Commercials.

Segment #5: Backstage Promo

Chris Jericho rips on Dean Ambrose with Jojo for rearranging the “Highlight Reel” and puts himself over.

Sami Zayn enters and the main-event is up next!

Ads.

Match #6: Single- Sami Zayn VS. Chris Jericho

They tie-up to begin, then Sami chops Jericho. He gives him a three-consecutive armdrags, sending Chris to the outside. Kevin Owens walks out, but Dean Ambrose follows, placing “Ambrose Asylum” signs on Owens and giving them to the crowd! He sits at the announcer’s table for commentary. Sami rolls-up Jericho, but “Y2J” kicks out. Dean gives Chris a sign too, which Jericho tosses away.

Commercials.

Zayn is all over Jericho, and Owens is now on commentary. Jericho controls now and suplexes Sami from the apron to the ring. He clotheslines Zayn in the corner and wears him down with a grounding rear chinlock. Sami gets some momentum, ducking a running Chris in the corner. Jericho slaps back and climbs the turnbuckle, but meets Sami’s fist as he dove off! Sami capitalizes with a Tornado-DDT for a near-fall!

Jericho works his way out and tries the Walls of Jericho, but Zayn flips him over. Sami also counters a Lionsault with his knees, but misses the Helluva kick! Jericho drags Sami to the center of the ring and turns him around into the Walls of Jericho. Zayn manages to break it, but gets put to the outside. Jericho jaws and brawls with Ambrose, but is dumped onto Owens. In the ring, Kevin attacks Sami, causing a dq!

Winner via Disqualification: Sami Zayn

Post-match, Ambrose helps Sami and the two fend off Jericho and Owens, yelling at them to close the show.

End of Smackdown!

Reporter’s Rumblings

This was a great week; both Raw and Smackdown! were very-good shows. Lots of great wrestling, some great promos, and new/better stories told.

Excellence: matches from Cesaro/Owens (Raw), Natalya/Charlotte (Raw), Styles/Zayn (Raw), Ryder/Corbin (Smackdown!), Emma/Paige (Smackdown!), Enzo/Cass/Ascension (Smackdown!), and Styles/Del Rio (Smackdown!).

Promos by Shane (Raw), Roman Reigns (Raw), Charlotte (Raw), Kevin Owens (Raw and Smackdown!), Baron Corbin (video, Raw), Enzo and Cass (Raw and Smackdown!), Dean Ambrose (Raw and Smackdown!), The New Day (Raw), Dr. Phil (Raw), and Bray Wyatt (Raw).

Love the Tag-Team Tournament; this is a great idea for new opponents for The New Day, and showcase the Tag-Teams. Reigns’ attitude is great and his pending match with A.J. Styles is intriguing, as is his partnership on Raw with The Wyatt Family. Maryse’s return has also been great and she is a good talker; she’s getting The Miz back over, and I think outtalks him. Liking Baron Corbin’s position and feud with Dolph. Glad that Cesaro is just as over, if not even more, since returning and he also has stepped up with charisma in this feud with Miz!

Bogus: as much as I loved Jericho, I feel his “best in the world” shtick is getting old; on the flip-side, Ambrose is the perfect person now to feud with Jericho and actually point that out (particularly with taking over the “Highlight Reel”).

While I think I’m going to like the team of Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, I feel they should’ve held off their debut until after the Tag-Team Title Tournament, especially since The Usos won. If they caused Jimmy and Jey to lose, then I could see it; but for now, they should’ve remained off until Payback or the night after.

End “The Golden Truth” segments now!

Overall, a great week for Raw and Smackdown; let’s hope they continue! Until next Monday’s Raw, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Fans!