WWE Smackdown review
May 28, 2015
Taped 5/26/15 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @gregmparks)


- WWE Open.

- Smackdown Open.

- Fireworks (which are becoming the norm again) kicked off the show as Tom Phillips immediately plugged Elimination Chamber on Sunday.

- In a Raw rematch tonight, Kane and Seth Rollins face Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns.

- Ambrose came out, but not for the match. He talked about the contract signing situation from Raw and how The Authority got him arrested. They showed clips of him hitting a cameraman and stills of him being arrested. With his one phone call from jail, Ambrose said he called Roman Reigns. He recited the conversation, then they showed footage from WWE’s YouTube channel of Seth Rollins pushing the cameraman into Ambrose. Ambrose said once the authorities saw that footage, the charges against him were dropped. He said the boys of the NYPD are huge Ambrose fans. All it took was a few autographs and photos and he was able to get out and even use the paddy wagon. They showed footage of Raw and Ambrose signing the contract as he still spoke in the ring. He said Sunday is just going to be two guys beating the hell out of each other. When the smoke clears on Sunday, he said the reign of Rollins would be over.

- Paige takes on Naomi tonight on Smackdown.

- In addition, Ryback vs. Rusev.

- A lumberjack match was scheduled next. The Prime Time Players came out as lumberjacks, followed by Los Matadores with El Torito, The Ascension, and The New Day. Cesaro & Tyson Kidd take on the Lucha Dragons, next.

[Commercial Break]

1 – CESARO & TYSON KIDD vs. THE LUCHA DRAGONS – LUMBERJACK MATCH

Natalya accompanied her husband and Cesaro. Quick action to start with Cara and Kidd. Cesaro delivered an uppercut as Kidd lifted Cara for a German suplex. Jerry Lawler tried to explain the lumberjack match origins, which is the same story Matt Striker has recited in the past. Cesaro powered Kalisto off the mat and into a vertical suplex. Kidd came off the top and sort-of pushed Kalisto’s legs down as Cesaro finished the suplex. Another weak-looking double-team move, second only behind New Day’s finisher. Headscissors take-down by Kalisto. New Day tossed Kidd back into the ring as he tried to take a break. They cut to commercial with Cesaro having words with New Day from the apron at 4:02 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 7:57 of the match with Cesaro in control of Kalisto. Cara made the tag at 8:42 and got the better of Kidd. However, the success didn’t last long as the teamwork of Cesaro and Kidd came into play. Kalisto tried to get involved but Cesaro dropkicked him out of mid-air. Arm-bar take-down by Cara for a very near-fall. Corkscrew splash by Kalisto for two. Eventually, Kidd applied a Shapshooter to Kalisto. Cara broke it up with a springboard headbutt. He was met with a superkick from Cesaro for his troubles. Cesaro and Kalisto both went over the top and into the lumberjacks. Salida del Sol by Kalisto put away Kidd after Kidd was distracted by New Day.

WINNERS: Lucha Dragons, at 13:41. The lumberjacks didn’t play a huge part in the bulk of the match, which was fine. This was good, but was missing a higher gear that we’d see out of these teams in, say, a PPV match.

Replays of the finish were shown, including Xavier Woods grabbing the leg of Kidd before the finish.

- Kane was backstage on the phone. Seth Rollins and J&J Security came in. Jamie Noble compared Dean Ambrose to his crazy aunt. Noble is like Creed from The Office: He may only get one line per episode, but it’s usually one of the highlights. Kane assured Rollins that he had a plan and that after tonight, Rollins won’t have to worry about anything come Sunday.

- Tonight, we’ll see the latest attack from Kevin Owens.

[Commercial Break]

- Phillips thanked The Offspring for “Coming For You,” the official Elimination Chamber theme.

2 – R-TRUTH vs. KING BARRETT

Truth did an inset interview talking about danger. He said he puts the “d” in danger. He said he doesn’t worry about danger…danger worries about him. An oddly serious promo from Truth given his character of late. Barrett also did an inset interview, saying his rivals would bow down to him after Elimination Chamber. That was like a bad early 90s Royal Rumble promo. Barrett went after Truth aggressively to start. Neck-breaker found the mark. Barrett put the boots to Truth. Barrett set up for the Royal Bull Hammer. He missed and Truth rolled Barrett up for a near-fall. Lie Detector to Barrett for the victory.

WINNER: Truth, at 2:25. Barrett took basically the entire match, but Truth needed some credibility heading into Sunday.

Sheamus came out almost immediately after the match and delivered a Brogue Kick to both Truth and Barrett. Truth’s Lie Detector was replayed, as was both Brogue Kicks by Sheamus.

- The announcers plugged WWE Network, the exclusive home of this year’s Elimination Chamber show.

- Lana was shown backstage discussing something off-mic with a production assistant. We’ll hear from her (Lana, not the production assistant), next.

[Commercial Break]

- The exterior of the Mohegan Sun Arena was shown.

- They showed a clip of Rusev telling Lana, on Raw, that he wanted her to say she was wrong. Lana wasn’t hip to that, and Rusev didn’t take it well.

- Lana was backstage with Renee Young. Lana said she really thought Rusev could change and be different. But she was wrong. She’s no man’s property. Young asked about Lana’s relationship with Dolph Ziggler. She said she had no relationship with him. They showed stills of Lana kissing Ziggler and Rusev’s attack on him. Lana said Rusev’s attack won’t stop Ziggler from competing on Sunday. Rusev walked up and Young left the scene. Lana asked Rusev if he had come to throw another temper tantrum. Rusev said he already had his way with “little” Dolph Ziggler. He asked where Ziggler was and suggested he was afraid to show up with Rusev there. Rusev was smiling and said Ziggler isn’t bothering him. Lana asked if Rusev was just a little jealous. Rusev said no and said Ziggler is suffering because of her “wretched” kiss. She dug her grave, now she has to rot in it.

- Ryback came to the ring. He faces Rusev, next.

[Commercial Break]

3 – RYBACK vs. RUSEV

While they acknowledged on Raw that Rusev has re-embraced his Bulgarian roots, it’d be nice to hear from Rusev exactly why that is. The two men played a power game early on. Rusev’s shoulder tackles couldn’t knock Ryback down, but Ryback kicked Rusev to the mat. Ryback lifted Rusev for a delayed vertical suplex for two. Rusev finally took Ryback down with a hard clothesline. A “we want Lana” chant greeted Rusev as he was on offense. He seemed distracted by it, leading to Ryback trying a comeback. He was felled by a back elbow. Ryback dumped Rusev over the top rope, right in front of the announcers. Rusev regained his bearings and hit a fall-away slam on Ryback outside the ring. They cut to break at 6:20.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 9:53 with Rusev in control in the ring. He locked Ryback in a rear chin-lock. The two men exchanged rights in mid-ring as the announcers drew attention to Rusev’s ankle injury. Ryback picked Rusev up to slam him but Rusev snuck out the back, collapsing due to his ankle. He rolled out of the ring and to ringside. Ryback came outside and Rusev shoved him into the ring-post. And again. Somehow, that led to the announcer calling for the bell. Ryback was then thrown into the ring-steps.

WINNER: Ryback, via disqualification, at 11:53. Going twelve minutes against each other was a lot to ask these two. I wonder if the finish was a call made on the fly due to Rusev’s injury. The post-match was a bit awkward, though the finish did fit into the idea that Rusev was so distracted and angry about Lana that his anger boiled over here.

- They showed Naomi attacking Paige after the battle royal on Raw last month.

- Naomi, with Tamina, and Paige were walking in a split-screen. That match is next.

[Commercial Break]

4 – PAIGE vs. NAOMI

Paige did an inset interview in which she said she was owed a title match, which Naomi stole from her in London. She said the attack by Naomi has given her the fuel she needs to take back what is hers. Naomi had a message in an inset interview as well, laughing off the idea that Paige will get even with her tonight. She said she’d become Divas Champion on Sunday. Naomi was trying the hit-and-run offense against Paige, without much success. Paige hammered away at Naomi in the corner, then stomped the proverbial mud-hole in her as well. Naomi, from outside the ring, rammed Paige’s arm into the ring post. Back in, Naomi continued work on the arm. Paige escaped Naomi’s grasp, then clotheslined her down a number of times. Superkick took Naomi down. Paige kicked Tamina, who looked to be getting involved from ringside. Ram-Paige by Paige for the win.

WINNER: Paige, at 3:48. These two finally going at it in a one-on-one match could’ve meant so much more than a throw-away Smackdown match. Could’ve had Paige vs. Naomi one-on-one at Elimination Chamber, then the Divas Title match at Money in the Bank.

After the match, Nikki and Brie Bella came to stand on the stage. Nikki showed off her Divas title, and even kissed it.

- In a rematch from Raw, Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns face Kane & Seth Rollins in the main event.

- Kevin Owens debuts on Smackdown in an exclusive interview, next.

[Commercial Break]

- The WWE Tough Enough App was plugged. They showed a lot of clips from…young ladies…who sent in videos. I guess we know the demographic WWE is aiming for with the App.

- Michael Cole was in the ring. He introduced Kevin Owens, who came to the ring making his Smackdown debut. They showed his confrontation with John Cena from Raw two weeks ago, then what happened this past week. Owens interrupted Cole right off the bat, noting that he may have been in WWE for only two weeks, but he’s been in this business for 15 years. He said he’s dominated all over the world, just like he’ll dominate John Cena at Elimination Chamber. He interrupted Cole again when Cole tried to say Cena isn’t the usual competitor. Owens said he knows Cena’s CV, which includes 57 different terrible t-shirt designs. Owens said he has nothing to prove to Cena; in fact, Cena has something to prove to him. Cole reminded Owens of Cena’s words from Monday, saying Owens knows how to start a fight but we’ll see if he knows how to finish one. Owens cued up clips of him beating Sami Zayn from Takeover, as evidence that he knew how to finish a fight.

Owens said he did exactly what he said he’d do at Takeover. He said Zayn was his best friend, someone he traveled the world with for over 10 years. Imagine what he’d do then, Owens said, to John Cena. Instead of imagining, all one has to do is tune in to Elimination Chamber to see it first-hand. Owens said the entire WWE Universe will know for a fact that the real champ is here. As he said that, he raised the NXT Title over his head. Byron Saxton said Owens’ words were “a little disturbing to hear.” As Owens was climbing the ramp to head to the back, he was passed by Dean Ambrose, who came to the ring for the main event. Ambrose paid no mind to Owens as he passed him. The Raw tag rematch is next.

[Commercial Break]

- Daniel Bryan will be on Miz TV on the Elimination Chamber pre-show Sunday on the WWE Network.

5 – DEAN AMBROSE & ROMAN REIGNS vs. SETH ROLLINS & KANE

Of course, J&J Security came out with the WWE World Champion. As the match began, Rollins ran into the ring and knocked Ambrose off the apron while the legal man, Reigns, was distracted by J&J Security scampering around ringside. A loud “Justin Bieber” chant erupted for Rollins. Reigns suplexed Kane down and both men were struggling to their feet less than a minute into the match. Rollins came off the top rope and Ambrose kicked him in the gut. He tried Dirty Deeds, but Rollins was pulled out of the ring by his security team. The heels regrouped outside as they cut to break 1:47 into the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:21 of the match. J&J Security were taking the fight to Ambrose outside the ring behind the ref’s back. Ambrose broke free from a Kane nerve hold. However, Kane pulled Ambrose’s leg off the middle rope as Ambrose went for a high-risk move. Rollins cheap-shotted Reigns off the apron as he and Kane continued the beat-down of Ambrose. After a while, Ambrose was again thrown out of the ring and into the hands of J&J. This time, Ambrose fought back, knocking the duo over the announce table. Ambrose and Rollins fought on the top rope, with Ambrose winning that exchange. Kane went up to meet Ambrose next, but Ambrose out-muscled him. Tornado DDT by Ambrose. Reigns tagged in at 10:36 of the match. He clobbered Rollins, hitting a Samoan drop. Ambrose took out an interfering Kane. Reigns set up the Superman punch, but Rollins dodged it. After some back-and-forth, Rollins landed on his feet on a back-drop. He turned around into a Superman punch. As Reigns went for the pin, J&J Security interfered.

WINNERS: Reigns and Ambrose, via disqualification, at 12:00.

Ambrose eventually dove onto both Mercury and Noble at ringside, then brawled with Rollins there. Kane signaled for someone to come out, and The New Day ran out to attack Ambrose. Reigns took flight, knocking out the entire heel group. Well, except for Xavier Woods, who was alone in the ring. Ambrose took care of him with Dirty Deeds. Kofi Kingston tried to come off the top rope, but Reigns gave him a Superman punch. A spear for Big E. Kane chokeslammed Reigns, and Rollins came in for a two-on-one advantage on Ambrose. Rollins finished Ambrose with a very nice-looking Pedigree. The Superman punch to Kofi was replayed, as was the spear to Big E and Kane’s chokeslam on Rollins. Finally, the Pedigree. Rollins and Kane stood tall in the ring to close out Smackdown.


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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