Thursday Night Smackdown! TV Report for April 21st, 2016

Introduction Segment: Video Promo, Welcoming, and Arena Promo

Highlights of A.J. Styles’ and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns’ confrontation from Raw is shown, along with Luke Gallows’ and Karl Anderson’s attack on Reigns is shown first, then the regular Smackdown! video plays and the pyro bursts in the 02 Arena of London, England. Mauro Ranallo salutes us and gets ready for MizTV!

Maryse asks us to “rise to your feet” and homage the Intercontinental Champion. Miz gets right to it, asking his guest, A.J. Styles to join. Miz goes over the history of Styles’, Luke Gallows’, and Karl Anderson’s relationship in Japan, then grills him about “hiring” the duo to assault Roman.

Miz accuses A.J. of calling for Gallows and Anderson because he cannot defeat Reigns single-handily. He orders Styles to “tell the truth,” and Maryse tells him to say it “Will Smith” style; Miz obliges and Maryse approves. They make-out until A.J. furiously strikes Miz and walks away.

Later tonight, Sami Zayn and Dean Ambrose will team up to face Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens! Up next, Ryback will meet United States Champion Kalisto.

Commercials.

Match #1: Single – United States Champion Kalisto VS. Ryback (Non-Title)

“The Big Guy” controls almost all of this early-on before the break.

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Ryback is still governing, dropping Kalisto with a big suplex from the middle rope and kicking him multiple times in the corner. He runs at Kalisto, but misses and hits the ring post! Kalisto follows with a legrop to Ryback’s head from the top rope, and then kicks away. Ryback shoves him off, but Kalisto hits back with a front-dropkick and springboard-tornado-elbow! He drives him down with the hurricanrana-facebuster for a near-fall, then tries the Salida-Del-Sol, but Ryback counters into the Meathook Clothesline.

Ryback picks up the U.S. Champ in a Shellshock position, but Kalisto reverses into a DDT! 1 – 2 – Ryback gets his shoulder up! Kalisto dives off the second turnbuckle, but Ryback catches him. Kalisto works his way out and hits a spinning-back-kick, but as he goes for another Salida-Del-Sol, Ryback reverses that into the Shellshock and covers for the victory!

Winner via Pinfall: Ryback

Up next, Baron Corbin takes on Dolph Ziggler!

Commercials.

Match #2: Single – Dolph Ziggler VS. Baron Corbin

Baron immediately hits Ziggler as “The Show-Off” was making his entrance. He tosses him around the ring, barricade-to-barricade, and into the ring steps before finishing with his End of Days.

Winner: None due to No Official Start

Post-match, Rich Brennan interviews Corbin on his actions. “Because I can,” he replies.

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Match #3: Single – Intercontinental Champion The Miz (with Maryse) VS. A.J. Styles (Non-Title)

They lockup and Miz shoves A.J. into the corner. styles fires back with fast chops and punches, but Miz drags him down with a side headlock, and a running shoulder-block. A.J. leapfrogs Miz, but is slammed to the canvas right after. A.J. counters with a headscissors, and hits a kneedrop for one! He ties Miz up in an Indian Deathlock/Mutalock, but Miz gets out of it and goes to the outside.

A.J. follows and throws Miz into the ring, but Miz hits a knee and stomps away. Styles counters a Miz run with a dropkick and chops away after. He flips over a backdrop attempt and hits Miz to the floor with a spin-kick. Styles purses, but Miz places Maryse in front to block, then punches and lets go of A.J. face-first on the barrier. He chucks him into the opposite one too.

Commercials.

Miz is mudhole-stomping in the corner, then runs with a clothesline and dives off the top turnbuckle with a double-axe-handle! He mount-punches Styles and receives chorus of boos as he looks on. A.J. chops back and almost gets this with a roll-up; Miz does the same with a kick! Miz props Styles atop the turnbuckle, and sets up for a superplex; A.J. headbutts out of it, but is crotched! Miz goes for the superplex again, but Styles slips out and trips up Miz. They both run at each other in crossbody-formation and hit together!

A.J. has the momentum with a couple of elbows, then a snapmare and running forearm! He pump-handle-knees Miz for two, then goes for the Styles Clash; Miz pushes away, and catches A.J.’s left leg, kicking it hard. He knees away at A.J.’s knee, but Styles reverses into a small-package for a near-fall! Miz drives A.J. down with a DDT and covers, but “The Phenomenal One” kicks out!

A.J. counters with elbows and the “Ushigoroshi” (fireman’s-carry kneedriver; thanks Maruo!) but still can’t pin Miz for three. Miz chops at A.J.’s knee, and catches him into a Figure-4 as he dove off the turnbuckle! Styles writhes, but manages to turn over Miz!

Miz gets out of it and runs at A.J. in the corner, but Styles ducks and rolls Miz into the leglock. Miz struggles but makes it to the bottom rope! A.J. victory-rolls for two, then delivers a Pele Kick! He goes for the Springboard-Forearm, but Miz escapes. Maryse gets his I.C. Title, and he goes to walk up the ramp until Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows saunter down. Miz turns around into a Springboard-Forearm, then A.J. hits another in the ring for the 1 – 2 – 3!

Winner via Pinfall: A.J. Styles

Segment #2: Backstage Promo

After clips of Raw with Sami Zayn, Chris Jericho, Shane McMahon, Dean Ambrose, and Kevin Owens, Rich Brennan is with Sami and Dean asking about their tag match. Ambrose calls Jericho and Owens “dirty, rotten scoundrels.” He is mad that Jericho gave him a “cheap-shot” on Raw, and Zayn reiterates that they want to “stop” Kevin and Chris. They then bicker over a Tag-Team name and walk away.

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Segment #3: Backstage Promo

A recalling of the A.J. Styles/Miz finish is shown, then Brennan asks Karl and Luke about it. They claim they are here just “to make an impact.” Anderson and Gallows promote that their match debut will happen next Monday on Raw, against Jimmy and Jey – The Usos!

Match #4: Tag-Team – Tamina and Naomi VS. Natalya and Paige

Tamina and Natalya start out with a waistlock by Natalya. Tamina breaks out of it and works over Natalya’s arm, then grabs her head and whips her to the mat. Naomi is tagged in and whips Nattie into the ropes, but Nattie reverses. Naomi grabs the top rope and headscissor-wiggles Natalya’s face, but Nattie reverses a run, driving Naomi into the canvas.

Paige is in, to the delight of the fans, and her and Natalya wishbone-leg split Naomi. Natalya is back and tries the Sharpshooter, but Naomi moves and kicks Nattie from the apron. She legdrops Natalya for a near-fall, and switches with Tamina, who clotheslines Nattie hard. Paige begs for the tag, but Tamina hits her, and then double-teams Natalya as Paige tried to enter but was block by the referee.

Naomi’s back in and tears on Natalya’s chin, then Tamina does the same. She misses a kneedrop, allowing Natalya to make the hot-tag. She runs at Naomi with a knee, then kicks Tamina off the apron. She soon plants Naomi with the Ram-Paige DDT, but Tamina breaks the cover. Natalya comes back in, and both her and Paige lock Tamina in the Sharpshooter and Naomi in the Paige-Tap-Out, respectively. Naomi and Paige are the legal women, so the referee checks and Naomi gives in!

Winners via Submission: Natalya and Paige

R-Truth and Fandango will square-off with Goldust as the Special Referee.

Commercials.

Match #5: Single – Fandango VS. R-Truth

(Note: Goldust is the Special Referee)

This quickly turns into a dance contest, with Fandango and Truth even grabbing Goldust to get him to groove. Fandango twirls right into a Jumping-Flatliner, and Goldust counts to give it to Truth!

Winner via Pinfall: R-Truth

Post-match, Goldust and Truth dance to celebrate.

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Segment #4: Arena Promo

Big Cass and Enzo Amore are out; they don’t get far before The Vaudevillians interrupt. Simon Gotch and Aiden English rip on Enzo and Cass for their choices of language and verbal-skills, but Amore and Big warn them that it will be the boys from ‘Jersey who are standing after Payback, the new #1 Contenders!

Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens are on their way to the ring!

Commercials.

Match #6: Tag-Team – Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens VS. Sami Zayn and Dean Ambrose

Jericho and Zayn begin, with Chris giving Sami a standing side-headlock. Zany turns it into a wristlock, but Jericho punches back. Sami leapfrogs from the middle rope over Jericho, then armdrags him around a couple of times. He locks on an armbar and tags in Ambrose. Dean and Chris both go for their finishers, but work their ways out of it. Jericho and Owens discuss on the floor.

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Jericho is in control and tags in Owens, who punches away at Dean. The two Canadia(e)ns (Montreal spelling of Canadian is Canadien) take over! Ambrose elbows Chris and makes the hot-tag to Sami, who is all over “Y2J.” he hits Kevin off of the apron, then soars off the second turnbuckle with a crossbody!

He kicks Chris and chops, then walks up the ropes and dives onto Owens on the floor! He runs back in the ring, but is tripped up by Kevin, and run into the ring post (thanks Mauro!) and punched at by Owens. He is dominated for a bit by Jericho and Kevin, until ducking a clothesline and spinning Chris to the canvas with a Blue Thunder Bomb!

“The Lunatic Fringe” is hot-tagged and controls Owens! He runs through the ropes with a dive, and also shoves “Y2J” into the barricade. Dean goes back into the ring but eats a superkick for a near-fall, but soon gets in a Dirty Deeds DDT! 1 – 2 – Jericho breaks it up! Sami gets in there too, but Jericho stops Ambrose on the top turnbuckle and Owens capitalizes with a cover to receive the victory!

Winners via Pinfall: Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens

Post-match, Zayn and Ambrose look on as Jericho and Owens back up the ramp with arms raised to close the show!

End of Smackdown!

Reporter’s Rumblings

In light of the tragic passing of Joanie Laurier, a.k.a. Chyna, I will offer my memories of her in the WWF instead of my usual review of the week.

My first memory is of the training videos showed near the time she first debuted as Hunter Hearst Helmsley’s bodyguard; she was different! It was the first time I had seen a woman that muscular and built, about as big/if not bigger than some of the guy wrestles.

The mystifying thing about Chyna for the first couple of years was her silence. I was always intrigued as to what she sounded like, but for all of 1997 that I can remember, and a good chunk of 1998, she never spoke. When she finally did, I will admit that I was a little floored on how high her voice was; I was expecting a lower-sound because of her physical appearance.

Then she became more than a bodyguard; she got in the ring and competed semi-regularly, with both the men and women. This was ground-breaking then, as most women couldn’t wrestle period, let alone have decent matches with anyone. 1999 was her year; I remember “popping” when she won the “Corporate Rumble” on Raw, and becoming the Intercontinental Champion in the fall of that year. Just prior to SummerSlam 1999, I actually thought she was going to win and/or be in the match for the WWF Championship!

Even now, writing about her being the I.C. Champ, I can see that happening again in this era of the Women’s Revolution; Charlotte, Sasha, Becky, Bayley all have the capability to give credit to the championship too.

While I disagree with her post-WWF career and lifestyle morally, her WWF career is the legacy that I think she has left; Chyna was the first to make it fine for women to compete in and overtake a sport dominated by men.

May God rest her soul, and provide love and support to her family and friends.