WWE Smackdown review
April 30, 2015
Taped 4/28/15 in Moline, Ill.
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @gregmparks)


- “In Memory of Verne Gagne: 1926-2015”

- WWE Open.

- Backstage, Seth Rollins was flanked by J&J Security when he came upon someone and yelled at them. The camera panned to the side to reveal Kane. Rollins said he had a problem with Kane, and Kane talked about best for business being giving the audience what they want. Rollins said Kane is jealous of him. Kane got in Rollins’ face and said he’ll make a man out of Rollins if it’s the last thing he does. So tonight, Rollins takes on the man he was supposed to face last week, Dean Ambrose. “You know what I think is ‘best for business’? Kane from 20 years ago!” said Rollins. Rollins dared Kane to prove, in the arena, that he has anything to contribute to The Authority. He and his cronies then stomped off in a huff.

- Smackdown Open.

- After fireworks in the arena, Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Jerry “The King” Lawler were shown at ringside. They talked about the upcoming main event of Ambrose vs. Rollins.

- Roman Reigns made his way through the crowd. They showed clips of the main event, involving Reigns, from Raw. And also, the announcement that Reigns and Randy Orton would both face Seth Rollins for the WWE World Championship at Payback. Back in the arena, Reigns first sent a shout-out to Ambrose and wished him luck against Rollins tonight. Reigns said since Wrestlemania, he’s had to scratch and claw, and every fight he’s been in has been his biggest. Scratch and claw? He got into the title match at Payback via fan vote for pete’s sake! Kane’s music interrupted, and he de-robed on his way to the ring. He waved someone down to the ring, and it was referee Charles Robinson. So, we have a match.

1 – ROMAN REIGNS vs. KANE

Kane shrugged off some Reigns right hands and shoved him into the corner. Kane was sent outside the ring and Reigns followed him. Kane was sent head-first into the ring post, then Reigns dropkicked him. Kane grabbed Reigns and side-slammed him onto the announce table. They went to break at 1:58, so apparently that’s not a disqualification as using the ringside table has been in the recent past.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:50 with Kane holding Reigns in a bear-hug. Reigns elbowed out, but couldn’t muster any immediate offense. Reigns fired back with right hands and a suplex. Both men were down at that point. “This is so good, I don’t want this to ever end,” said Lawler in one of the taller tales he’s told on commentary (and that covers a lot of ground). Reigns knocked Kane around with clotheslines in the corner. Samoan drop from Reigns. Superman punch attempt, but Kane caught him and chokeslammed him for a near-fall at 7:43. Kane signaled for the Tombstone. Instead, Reigns backed out of it and hit a DDT. Superman punch on the money. Spear attempt followed, but Kane ducked out of the ring. He headed up the ramp and made it backstage by the time Robinson counted to five, which is impressive. He did not return. Rollins and J&J watched questioningly on a monitor backstage.

WINNER: Reigns, via count-out, at 9:15. Reigns faces Kane and Big Show so often those matches are actually becoming pretty decent.

- Renee Young approached Rollins, Jamie Noble, and Joey Mercury backstage. Rollins said Kane was in over his head in that match. Rollins said he never runs away from a fight, which is the main difference between him and Kane. He said at Payback, he’ll beat both Reigns and Orton on his own. He even said he didn’t need J&J Security to help him win that match. He said the future is now, which makes him “the man.”

- Coming up tonight, The New Day defend their newly-won tag titles against Cesaro and Tyson Kidd.

[Commercial Break]

- Damien Sandow came to the ring. He repeated JoJo’s ring announcement of him, but in a babyface way (including taking about eight pounds off his listed weight). He even did the same when she announced Curtis Axel, but called Axel “the village idiot of Minneapolis, Minnesota.” Is this really the best they have for Sandow after his run with Miz?

2 – DAMIEN SANDOW vs. CURTIS AXEL

Axel trash-talked Sandow when the match began, tearing off his shirt right in front of Sandow. Sandow feigned tearing his off, having to avoid a charge by Axel before he could do it. Eventually, the shirt came off, however, and Axel was sent to ringside. Axel caught Sandow coming into the ring and put the boots to him. Corner splash by Axel. A second one missed. Sandow took Axel’s gimmick and imitated Hulk Hogan’s comeback. Sandow finished him with a full-nelson slam.

WINNER: Sandow, at 2:29. Sandow’s new character is the attempted embodiment of WWE’s, “we put smiles on people’s faces” mantra.

They replayed the finish of the match.

- Ryback joined Renee Young backstage. Ryback said he has a special dedication tonight to Bray Wyatt when he devours his former follower, Luke Harper. Ryback said his message will be very clear tonight and will contain no big words. In fact, it’ll be three small words: “Feed Me More.” Ryback vs. Harepr is next.

[Commercial Break]

3 – RYBACK vs. LUKE HARPER

Ryback fought out of a side headlock and turned it into a brief top wrist-lock. Harper hit the ropes in what looked like slow motion, and Ryback Thesz pressed him. Vertical suplex by Harper. Harper flexed for some heel heat. Ryback then lifted Harper for a standing vertical suplex. Ryback mounted the second rope for a few punches, but Harper walked him out to mid-ring for a sit-out powerbomb. Ryback was kicked out of the ring as they went to break at 3:10 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:36, with Harper knocking Ryback to the mat. Ryback, however, followed by planting Harper face-first. Powerslam by Ryback, then a splash for two. Spinebuster, then Ryback set up for the Meat Hook clothesline. Harper kicked the arm on a charge and then superkicked Ryback for a two-count. Meat Hook finally connected, as did Shell Shock for the win.

WINNER: Ryback, at 9:28. Not a bad match, but Harper seems in danger of fading into the background for the time being.

As Ryback celebrated, Bray Wyatt’s logo flashed on the screen and he appeared in the middle of the ring, attacking Ryback. The lights stayed dim as Wyatt hit Sister Abigail.

- Still to come, Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins.

- Next however, a tag title rematch.

[Commercial Break]

- The announcers discussed what was coming up this week on the WWE Network.

4 – BIG E. & KOFI KINGSTON vs. CESARO & TYSON KIDD – WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

JoJo handled formal ring introductions. Kidd and Kingston engaged in some mat wrestling early on. After some nice teamwork from Kidd and Cesaro, it continued with Kidd launching Kingston into the air so Cesaro could deliver a European uppercut. Backslide by Cesaro for a one-count. Kingston attempted an inside cradle but Cesaro blocked it and lifted Kingston into the air. Kidd helped bring Kingston down on the suplex for a near-fall. Upon a tag, Cesaro lifted Big E. into the air for a German suplex. Cesaro and Kidd kicked at Big E. in the corner to the chant of “New Day sucks.” Big E. knocked Kidd off the apron, sending him into the barricade. E. then continued the onslaught, sending Kidd spine-first into the barricade. Kidd hit the ropes but Kingston tripped him up. Kidd dropkicked Kingston as Kofi was coming off the middle rope. Overhead belly-to-belly by Big E. as Kidd rolled to ringside in pain. They went to break at 6:39 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Kidd hot-tagged Cesaro upon return from break and Cesaro went wild on The New Day. Big E. finally broke his momentum and Kofi rolled Cesaro up for two. Big E. flattened Cesaro with a clothesline but a pin was broken up by Kidd. Kidd did an impressive somersault through the middle rope and onto Kingston at ringside. Cesaro hit a flying uppercut off the middle rope. Cesaro swung Big E. into a Kidd dropkick. Both Kofi and Xavier Woods broke it up, resulting in a disqualification.

WINNERS: Cesaro & Kidd, via DQ, at 13:11. Cesaro and Kidd are head-and-shoulders above most of the teams, including New Day, in the division. They were really impressive here. Big E. and Kingston were okay, but they didn’t stand out nearly as much as the challengers.

The New Day escaped with their tag titles while Natalya helped Kidd and Cesaro recover from the attack in the ring. Kingston and Woods even lifted Big E. up and he held both titles in the air.

- Earlier today: Summer Rae and Cameron were backstage making fun of Brie Bella and talking about how Naomi took out Brie (Cameron taught Naomi everything she knows, after all). Nikki walked up and Summer left. Nikki took issue with Cameron talking about Brie behind her back. Nikki stonewalled a Girl Bye attempt. Nikki wanted them to settle it in the ring and Cameron said she had no problem with that. Nikki said Cameron isn’t nearly as good as Naomi, then gave Cameron a Girl Bye of her own.

- Ambrose vs. Rollins is tonight’s main event.

[Commercial Break]

- A graphic was shown for John Cena vs. Rusev at Payback in an I Quit Match.

- The announcers discussed the return of Tough Enough and showed some videos that had been submitted to this point.

5 – CAMERON vs. NIKKI BELLA

During Nikki’s entrance, Naomi cut an inset promo and said the Bellas want to do good in the world and the nice and polite fail in the real world. Wait, when did the Bellas become nice and polite? Naomi said she would shatter Nikki’s championship dreams. Nikki took Cameron down with ease, and did jumping jacks to hammer that point home. Cameron got the better of Nikki and pushed her out of the ring with her foot. Cameron then threw Nikki into the barricade. Cameron expressed her disgust with the referee’s count on a pin attempt. Face-buster by Cameron. Rear chin-lock by Cameron, who kept running her mouth. Nikki broke free and made a comeback. Second-rope kick by Nikki. Cameron slapped Nikki across the face, and Nikki took exception. A big right hand, then the Rack Attack finished it.

WINNER: Nikki, at 3:57. I’m still not sure why I should cheer for either Bella at this point, other than “they’re not Naomi.”

The slap and response was replayed.

- The Prime Time Players were backstage again. They riffed on the new tag team champions as Darren Young became emotional and needed tissues to dry his eyes. They brought out a “New Day be gone” box. I’m not really sure what the point of that was, since they said you just need to clap The New Day away. They talked about wanting WWE to put their Prime Time Players shirts online so they can make millions of dollars.

- Up next, clips from the King of the Ring Tournament.

[Commercial Break]

- Rollins and J&J Security approached Ambrose backstage. Rollins said it’s in their best interest of Ambrose backs out. Rollins said he has a huge title match at Payback, and since the match tonight was made out of spite, Triple H will take it out on anyone who participates including him. Rollins asked Ambrose to back out, but Ambrose declined, deciding instead he wanted to humiliate Rollins.

- The announcers pitched it to a video of past King of the Ring winners, then clips of this year’s tournament were shown.

- Dean Ambrose came out for the main event. It’s next.

[Commercial Break]

6 – DEAN AMBROSE vs. SETH ROLLINS

Ambrose worked the arm and wrist of Rollins in the early going. Ambrose surprised Rollins with a cross-body attack, then clotheslined Rollins over the top rope. J&J Security got in between Ambrose and Rollins, which merely slowed down Ambrose. However, they did provide a distraction soon after, allowing Rollins to dropkick him through the ropes. With the ref’s attention turned, Mercury and Noble put the boots to Ambrose. Kane then walked out, presumably to neutralize J&J. They went to break at 3:28 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:59 with Rollins still in control of Ambrose. Short-arm clothesline floored Ambrose. Ambrose came back with thrusts to the chest of Rollins and a bulldog that got good height. Ambrose dropkicked Rollins out of the ring, then connected on a suicide dive. Ambrose went for a back suplex, but instead drove Rollins face-first into the mat for two. Saxton dubbed Ambrose the “model disarray” this week. Equally terrible as the rest of his similar offerings. Rollins managed to deliver a buckle bomb to Ambrose, but Ambrose kicked out of a pin at 10:43. Rollins gave Ambrose a superkick for two. As Rollins argued with Rudy Charles about the pin count, Ambrose rolled him up for two. Rollins was thrown over the top and onto Kane at ringside. J&J Security helped him up, but Ambrose came off the top with an elbow on J&J and Kane. Rollins snuck in and took out Ambrose. Rollins checked on Kane, but Kane grabbed him yb the throat. He did the same to Ambrose. Charles threatened a disqualification (not sure who would get disqualified in that scenario) and Kane almost grabbed Rudy’s throat. Chaos continued at ringside with J&J being sent over the announce desk by Ambrose. In the ring, a spike DDT by Rollins got him the win.

WINNER: Rollins, at 13:24.

Kane entered the ring after the match, and Rollins fell on his butt trying to evade Kane. Instead, Kane attacked Ambrose. Rollins and J&J Security joined in until Roman Reigns ran out. He cleared the ring, along with Ambrose when he recovered. Reigns speared Kane as Rollins watched from atop the ramp. A plug for Live! With Chris Jericho on the WWE Network (with Stephanie McMahon as guest) was plugged. Rollins taunted Reigns and Ambrose with his title from afar while the babyfaces celebrated their moral victory in the ring.


Did you watch Thursday’s Smackdown episode? Send your 0-10 score & Reax to pwtorch@gmail.com for our TV Reax feature.

Greg Parks has been covering WWE Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. He is the host of “Moonlighting with Greg Parks,” a PWTorch VIP-exclusive audio show posted each weekend. Follow him on Twitter @gregmparks for live Tweeting during Raw, Impact, and PPVs, as well as other bits of wisdom. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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