Jonathan Dehn
WWE Smackdown
04/18/2014
Nashville, Tennessee
-HHH is out to talk to kick this show off, cocksure grin as usual. HHH starts by talking about how watching The Shield grow brings him much pride, but they took too much power. They crossed the line. A snappy video package recaps the events of the attack on The Shield and the reforming of Evolution. HHH would have allowed The Shield to grovel at his feet, but they refused. HHH likens The Shield to soldiers who have lost their value. HHH makes the match, pitting Evolution against The Shield at Extreme Rules.
Alberto Del Rio vs. Big E
Before the match, Big E gets to show off his charismatic side with an insert promo about his IC Title challengers. Del Rio gets a couple of strikes, to begin, but Big E runs through him. Del Rio fights out of the backbreakers and hits a corner enzuigiri for two. Del Rio grabs a headlock, but Big E fights him off into the corner. Del Rio gets the boot up on a charge, however. Del Rio hits him with a goal kick and gets two from that, then proceeds to stomp away in the corner. ADR goes into the post, missing a charge. Big E hits a couple of clotheslines and a belly-to-belly. Del Rio gets the knees up on the big splash and Big E rolls outside. We hit the break.
We return with both men on the outside and fighting their way back in. Big E, himself, misses a corner charge and goes into the post. Alberto hits a DDT for two, building on Big E’s headfirst spill to the outside during the break. To the top and blowing a kiss, Del Rio leaps up but is caught and folded with a backbreaker. Del Rio takes a flapjack of sorts, and a big splash. THE STRAPS ARE DOWN. Del Rio floats out the back and gets the backstabber for two. The crowd has been into this the entire match, with Big E being especially over.
Del Rio gets the cross armbreaker, but Big E drags himself to the bottom rope. Del Rio holds onto the hold UNITL five. That spunky referee doesn’t take that guff and disqualifies Del Rio. ADR stomps away at Big E in frustration and drives the knee into the arm. Del Rio misses the Si Kick and takes The Big Ending.
Final Thoughts: **3/4. I shouldn’t mind Del Rio taking the DQ, since he didn’t deserve to eat the pin. Still, this was a good match between two guys that have great chemistry. WWE has to figure out a way to capitalize on Del Rio before he walks.
-Thanks to Bo Dallas, I’m gonna leap off of the Sears Tower, because I just know I can fly. I gotta take that shot!
-Paul Heyman stands in the ring and introduces himself as the man behind Brock Lesnar and Cesaro. He gets heat from the crowd by repeating the fact that his client, Brock Lesnar, conquered the streak. He really gets the fans going. After repeating this about twenty times, taking to his knees in determination, Paul is done with his venting and feels better. I’m okay with this as long as those ignorant Tennesseans are okay with this. Paul gets personally for a moment; his client, Brock Lesnar, conquered the streak. He’s just so proud.
-On Main Event, Hornswoggle joined 3MB to feud with Hornswoggle. They had a showdown. Kajillion stars. Oh wait, this is a match tonight? Maybe you should forget what I just said.
Paige vs. Aksana
It turns out that Tamina won a battle royal on Main Event and will face Paige for the strap at Extreme Rules. I thought that the last show wasn’t so important, as Big Show was in the main event, I think. Before the match, cult-icon Aksana has a microphone and tells Paige that the Divas are jealous of her, but she isn’t, and her good luck runs out tonight. Aksana blindsides Paige and knocks her down. Aksana grabs a snap suplex and pulls on a rear waistlock. Paige backs her into the corner and elbows away. She then drives some knees into her on the apron. On the outside, Aksana hits a clothesline. Back inside, Aksana grabs a spinebuster and rubs Paige’s face into the mat. Aksana moves to the rear chinlock. I’ve been watching some bad WCW from 1999 on the Network, and I have to say that Aksana might have bested the Steiner Recliner.
Aksana cuts off the comeback and crawls around sexily. Aksana lays in some stiff boots, and the two collide in the middle with crossbody blocks. Aksana slaps Paige across the face, but gets a knee to the face in retribution. Aksana breaks up the chaining clotheslines, but eats a dropkick. Paige locks on the Scorpion Crosslock for the end.
Final Thoughts: Yeah, Paige is already the best worker in her division. *1/2. This was short, snug, and solid. Aksana looked terrific in more ways than one, joining Alicia in recent solid matches had with Paige.
-Renee is backstage with Sheamus. He’s pumped for his match with Batista, likening him to a bully from his childhood that Sheamus sent down the river. Sheamus tells no jokes and is ready to FIGHT.
Hornswoggle vs. El Torito
I hear that Kenta Kobashi flew in to watch this match in person. 3MB and Los Matadores keep them apart to begin. JBL has goosebumps. There’s a shoving match. El Torito grabs a rear waistlock and moves to the side headlock. Cole and JBL crap on this match. Torito gets a shoulderblock. He follows with a ‘rana and a dropkick that sends Hornswoggle to the apron. Hornswoggle fights back, putting El Torito into a buckle. BANSAI DROP gets two. Horny hits a Clothesline from Hell and puts on a rear chinlock. Drew tells Hornswoggle to enjoy his moment, because Drew is awesome. El Torito goes down to a scoop slam, but gets a rollup for two. Torito goes into the corner, but dodges a charge. Torito “gores” him into the corner and hits a Bronco Buster. This has already gone on far too long. Luckily, this ends with Torito finishing him off with a nice little moonsault for the win. JBL is obnoxious in calling this the greatest thing ever.
Final Thoughts: Torito is actually a wrestler that I’m sure might have a problem with his work being treated in such an obvious way. But yeah, just a comedy match with some awkward spots thrown in.
-Bad News Barrett is back with his podium and wants some decorum for the match that just happened. However, he has ill tidings. Wade notes that their enjoyment outlines their puny intellects.
R-Truth vs. Alexander Rusev
Truth gets in a couple of right hands and flips around. He hits the heel kick and hits a dropkick out of the corner. Rusev easily kicks out and catches R-Truth and stares at him before they break. Rusev kicks his head off and then delivers some knees in the ropes while holding him. Rusev chains into the Samoan drop. Lana tells him to crush, and he does, locking in The Accolade for the win. After the match, Woods gets involved but is easily dispatched, crushed in the corner and tossed from the ring.
Final Thoughts: This was a fine, entertaining squash that outlined more of Rusev’s offense. You know, putting Rusev into that 11-3 match was a poor call. He needs to be highlighted. Still, so far, so good.
Fandango vs. Santino Morella
I feel like I’d be getting terrible penalties for running this match again in TEW. I guess that Layla being out there would make it different enough. Fandango hits a right hand that floors Santino after Santino goofs around. Fandango runs over Santino and gets two from a boot. ‘Go hits a suplex but misses a slingshot legdrop. Santino gets the hiptoss and headbutt. Layla takes the sock away once more, but gets tackled by Emma. I guess it was more of a huggle, since it was Emma. Santino gets the sunset flip for the win. He and Emmy do a little slapstick after the match, with Santino’s reclaimed Cobra striking Emma’s hand and rendering her right arm useless.
Final Thoughts: This was light, but is going to kill a crowd that already saw a comedy match on the card.
-WWE is running all sorts of plugs for Bryan returning to Raw. That makes sense; promoting the guy that a successful WrestleMania was built around. Oh, and the guy who helped get the best rating since the 1000th Raw.
Sheamus vs. Batista
It looks this one is going to get some time. Sheamus begins to club away. Batista rolls out and bring Sheamus outside and gets some licks in. Back inside, Sheamus returns fire with a clothesline and some clubberin’. Into the corner, Batista fights back and hits a corner clothesline from a charge. Sheamus gets the boot up and hits a clothesline for two. Sheamus puts a knee into the back and locks on an armbar. Batista fights out of the beats in the ropes, but takes a knee on the way back in that sends him into the barricade before we go to break.
We’re back from commercial with Sheamus hammer throwing Batista into the corner. Outside, Batista puts Sheamus’ head into the stairs and kicks them into his thigh. Sheamus goes against the barricade. Batista hits some elbows on the apron, to follow up. Back inside, Sheamus fights back but gets tripped up into the buckle on a corner charge. Batista throws Sheamus into the ring post and out of the ring. Batista pulls him back in and nearly blinds Sheamus with a rope guillotine. That gets two. Sheamus fights out of the Batistabomb and throws Batista from the ring. There’s a lot of breathers going on here. Batista goes into the post now, which is definitely our repeated spot of the night.
Sheamus gets a babyface flourish, but walks into a knee in the corner. Sheamus fights out of the powerbomb again, and attacks with knees in the corner, actually hitting a high knee since he’s a badass. Batista takes a clubberin’ in the ropes and is up at two following The Battering Ram. We go WWE Main Event Style with Batista getting up at two from an Irish Curse. Batista gets away from the Cloverleaf, but walks into a powerslam. Sheamus is pulling out a good match against all odds. He calls for The Brogue, but Batista bails. Sheamus follows, and they go back inside. Sheamus misses The Brogue and takes a spear for two. Sheamus backdrops out of the powerbomb and Sheamus goes up. He gets caught and is crotched on the rope. Batista hits the Batistabomb for the obvious win.
Final Thoughts: **3/4. The middle of the match felt like a bit of a time waster to make sure that Batista had enough left for the finish, which Sheamus valiantly carried him through. This was pretty good for what it is and really picked up towards the end. Sheamus really needs some direction, or he may start up an Irish-Mex restaurant with Del Rio by this time next year.
–Other than the two comedy matches, there was some quality on this show. Paige is such an upgrade over the standard Diva that she bridges this show pretty well. We went somewhere with HHH making that main event match for Extreme Rules, and the matches that bookended the show were pretty good. Still, I’m starting to hear about guys like Sheamus and Del Rio being a part of a forgotten generation of WWE. They’re just these guys that were given the rocket far too soon, and then damaged seemingly beyond repair as they were made to pay dues after their initial pushes.
