4/7 WWE Smackdown – Parks’s Complete, Real-Time Report

Zack Ryder looks to get his WWE Intercontinental Championship back as he faces The Miz, who will be accompanied by his wife, Maryse. In addition, The Vaudevillains make their WWE debut.

WWE Smackdown review
April 7, 2016
Taped 4/5/16 in Houston, Tex.
Aired on USA Network
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @gregmparks)

– WWE Open.

– A video package on Wrestlemania 32, set to “My House,” aired.

– Smackdown Open.

– After show-opening fireworks, Roman Reigns walked out carrying the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. After he entered the ring, they showed Mauro Ranallo, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Byron Saxton at ringside. Reigns opened his promo by talking about taking back HIS WWE World Championship at Wrestlemania. He said when you have the title, it’s one versus all. Reigns once again gave his, “I’m not a good guy, I’m not a bad guy, I’m THE guy” line. I’m not so sure that’s going to work. Reigns said what he has to do is beat A.J. Styles. As he was telling the fans that’s exactly what he’s going to do, Styles came out to his theme. He wore a baseball cap to the ring.

“A.J. Styles” chant alternated with a very light “Roman Reigns” chant. Styles began by saying Reigns had a heck of a Wrestlemania, and he congratulated Reigns for his win on Sunday. The two even shook hands. Styles said he had a heck of a Monday Night Raw. He chronicled beating three superstars to become #1 contender, and he’s coming for Roman’s title. Styles said he’s been all over the world and beaten the best. Reigns said Styles hasn’t been in WWE for long and that he has to beat him for the title. They paused as if there was supposed to be a big chant from the crowd, but the alternating chant was incredibly weak. Reigns said Styles has never beaten him. Well, Reigns has never beaten Styles, either. Reigns said Styles has never beaten him and never will. Reigns then walked out. I wasn’t terribly impressed with what Reigns was given to say, especially when encountering Styles. If Reigns is going for more heelish tendencies, he did kind of talk down to Styles there, which appropriately makes Styles the underdog.

– The announcers reacted to what we had just seen.

– We saw a clip of Vince McMahon granting Shane McMahon the power to run Raw this past week.

– Tonight, A.J. Styles and Cesaro face Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens.

– The Vaudevillains are up next, as Ranallo compared their styles to guys like Frank Gotch and George Hackenschmidt.

[Commercial Break]

1 – THE LUCHA DRAGONS vs. THE VAUDEVILLAINS

The Vaudevillains got to keep their entrance from NXT, complete with black-and-white. Aiden English began with Sin Cara. Back body-drop by Cara. Cara monkey-flipped Kalisto onto English for two. Blind tag by Simon Gotch before English was clotheslined over the top by Cara. Cara tried a suicide dive, but Gotch put his knee in the way, catching Cara in the head. Ranallo put over the kind of ancient styles of fighting the Vaudevillains had been trained in. Kalisto made the tag at 2:50. Springboard corkscrew splash by Kalisto on Gotch. Cara finally nailed English with the suicide dive on the outside. Salida del Sol attempt, but English stopped it. Whirling Dervish on Kalisto for the win.

WINNERS: Vaudevillains, at 4:00. I can’t imagine what fans in the arena were thinking if they’d never seen the Vaudevillains. This was an okay debut; not a knockout, but they didn’t fall on their face. They’re different, so they at least have that going for them.

Replays were shown of the match.

– Stills of the I.C. Title Ladder Match from Wrestlemania were shown. Then, we got a clip of Zack Ryder losing his title the next night to The Miz on Raw.

– Tonight, Ryder gets a rematch for the title against The Miz.

[Commercial Break]

– More Wrestlemania stills were shown.

2 – SUMMER RAE vs. NATALYA

Charlotte was on commentary for this match, seated next to her father, Ric. They showed a clip of the new title presentation on Monday. Summer Rae got no entrance. Natalya wrestled Summer down to the mat. Summer missed a corner charge and Nattie delivered a low dropkick. Summer met Natalya’s kip up with a slap to the face. That was unique. Summer kicked Nattie out of the ring and suplexed her on the floor right in front of Charlotte. Natalya shoved Summer off after a minute of selling Summer’s offense. She caught a kick attempt and put Summer down, locking in the Sharpshooter.

WINNER: Natalya, via submission, at 2:53. Natalya did what she could in there. Excited for her to get a chance against Charlotte after being overlooked for a while.

– Up next, we’ll see how A.J. Styles became the new #1 contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

[Commercial Break]

– Shown were clips of WWE getting print media mainstream pub for Wrestlemania.

– The Raw Rebound aired.

– Tonight, A.J Styles teams up with Cesaro to face Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens.

– Zack Ryder came out for his rematch with The Miz. It’s next.

[Commercial Break]

– The exterior of the Toyota Center was shown.

– Before Miz came out, Maryse entered to her theme. She spoke some French, then introduced herself. She said she’s living proof that behind every great man, there’s a great woman. And there’s no greater man than her husband. She introduced The Miz.

3 – ZACK RYDER vs. THE MIZ –INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Mauro Ranallo brought up Dean Douglas as having the shortest I.C. Title reign and that Ryder could take solace in that. Lawler claimed to not know who Ranallo was talking about. Ryder avoided a back-breaker, neck-breaker combo and tried a few early pinning combinations. Flapjack felled Miz. He slingshotted himself from the apron and into a splash. Ryder low-bridged Miz out of the ring then, from the apron, delivered a dropkick on Miz on the floor. They went to break at 1:54 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:57 with Miz in control. He delivered a boot to a seated Ryder. Neck-breaker by Miz for two. Ryder covered up on a few left hands thrown by Miz. The champ worked back into a rest-hold. Ryder turned a vertical suplex into a neck-breaker. Ryder came off the top but Miz caught him for a sit-out powerbomb. Miz picked up a near-fall at 8:35 with a short DDT. Ryder made a comeback, but couldn’t put Miz away. With Miz outside the ring, Ryder dropkicked him through the ropes. Broski Boot on the outside. El-Bro drop off the top back in the ring for two. Ryder, frustrated, pounded and booted away at Miz in the corner. Maryse undid the bottom turnbuckle and tossed it in the ring. As the ref dealt with it, Miz poked Ryder in the eye and hit him with the Skull Crushing Finale.

WINNER: Miz, at 11:56. You could see Maryse getting involved after she had her own entrance. Match was pretty good and Ryder isn’t a bad guy to give a short run with as an I.C. Title contender.

– Tonight’s tag-team main event is still to come.

– Up next, another NXT graduate, Apollo Crews.

[Commercial Break]

– Another set of Wrestlemania stills were shown.

– The Social Outcasts were hanging out on the apron out of break. Heath Slater said the one of them has to fight Apollo Crews. They were going to rock-paper-scissors for it. Axel put out paper but said it was the axe, and that it always wins.

4 – CURTIS AXEL vs. APOLLO CREWS

Axel celebrated early on with his Outcast teammates outside the ring, but Crews sent him back out with one punch. In the corner, Crews mounted Axel and delivered both lefts and rights. Distractions by the Outcasts allowed Axel to take over. He kicked away at Crews in the corner. Dropkick caught Crews coming off the ropes. Crews responded with one of his own, followed by a flying clothesline. Standing moonsault for two. Axel was tossed into Heath Slater, who had gotten up on the apron. Crews picked up Axel for a suplex and spun him into a sit-out powerbomb for the win.

WINNER: Crews, at 2:15. It wasn’t the exact same, but surprised Miz was allowed to sit-out powerbomb Ryder in the previous match if that was going to be Apollo’s finish. Crews was fine here, showing enough athleticism to intrigue.

Replays were shown of key moments in the match.

– Tonight, Dean Ambrose will be on TV for the first time since Wrestlemania.

– Also tonight, the tag team main event.

[Commercial Break]

– The announcers discussed, and stills were shown of, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal from Wrestlemania. A highlight was shown of Baron Corbin’s mic work and the end of his match with Dolph Ziggler on Raw.

– Rich Brennan was backstage with Baron Corbin. Corbin said he’s had two WWE matches – he won a trophy at Wrestlemania and put a dent in the floor with Ziggler’s head on Raw. He said the End of Days isn’t coming…it’s here. Brief and effective.

– More from the announcers, as stills were shown from the Triple Threat Women’s Championship Match from Wrestlemania.

– Renee Young was backstage with Becky Lynch, shiner and all. She was asked about losing at Wrestlemania. She said she’s been trying to find the humor in things and at the very least, she said she has herself in stitches (pointing to her eye). Lynch said she gave it everything she had at Wrestlemania, and that’s what the Women’s Title is all about. She said she’d be back in the title picture. Emma walked up and said she kinda likes what Charlotte did to Becky’s eye. Lynch said they go way back, while Emma said she made it to WWE first and Lynch deserves a spot in the back of the line. Lynch said Emma better keep walking or she’ll ensure Emma’s eye looks like hers. Emma made another “eye” crack and walked off.

– Dean Ambrose was out. He’ll do battle next.

[Commercial Break]

– The Colons endorse Puerto Rico.

– Stills were shown of Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania.

5 – DEAN AMBROSE vs. TYLER BREEZE

Ambrose went on the attack immediately, delivering chops to Breeze. Breeze flipped out of a suplex and gave Ambrose an enzugiri. Dropkick by Breeze, but right into a catapult clothesline. Great sell from Breeze. Dirty Deeds finished things quickly.

WINNER: Ambrose, at 1:03. Quick win to rehab Ambrose after his loss to Lesnar. This also tells you all you need to know about how WWE views Breeze.

Ambrose’s clothesline and finish was replayed. Before Ambrose could leave ringside, Chris Jericho made his entrance for the main event. They passed each other in the aisle with Ambrose staring at Jericho and Jericho basically ignoring Ambrose. The tag match is next.

[Commercial Break]

– This Monday night, Dr. Phil will guest star on Monday Night Raw.

– Goldust was backstage on the phone talking about another Shattered Dreams Production. R-Truth began filming on a camera and Goldust was upset. Truth said they’ll be in Los Angeles this Monday, and R-Truth knows a guy who knows a guy giving out auditions. He said he could get Goldust a meeting with a top Hollywood producer. Goldust seemed interested at first until Truth got goofy again, and Goldust seemed to snap out of the awe he had been in.

6 – CHRIS JERICHO & KEVIN OWENS vs. CESARO & A.J. STYLES

When Owens entered, they showed his backstage attack on Sami Zayn Monday night. Cesaro did the tear-away suit thing again. Styles dropkicked Jericho down after an early exchange. Cesaro came off the middle rope with an axe-handle. Bodyslam and double stomp by Cesaro. Knee-drop by Styles followed for two at 1:01. Jericho escaped the ring and tore the cover off the announce table in anger. Owens lackadaisically tore the top off the ring steps, seemingly in support of Jericho’s anger. That was funny. They went to break at 1:07 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:05 with Styles putting Jericho down with an arm-drag. Cesaro had Jericho in a wrist-lock, made Jericho all the work to flip and kip up to get out of it, then simply clotheslined him back down. Owens tagged in and found himself on the receiving end of a European uppercut. Cesaro had Owens and Jericho in opposite corners and went back-and-forth giving them uppercuts. He couldn’t swing either Jericho or Owens though. Jericho clotheslined Cesaro over the top and Owens took advantage, sending Cesaro face-first into the announce desk. In the ring, Jericho brought the offense to Cesaro. Owens taunted Styles before delivering a short-arm clothesline to Cesaro. “I’m phenomenal, baby!” shouted Owens. With Jericho holding Cesaro in a rest-hold, they went to a really wide shot of the arena and gave the graphic for them being in Houston again. Jericho tried to prevent Cesaro from making the tag, but his dive missed and he went out of the ring. Nevertheless, he was able to pull Styles off the apron to prevent the tag. Owens came in, but missed a corner cannonball. Styles tagged in at 9:28. He fought off both Jericho and Owens. Middle-rope springboard moonsault caught nothing but air. Owens responded with a superkick. Pele kick by Styles. Jericho shoved Styles off on a Phenomenal Forearm attempt, but Owens couldn’t get the victory. Package powerbomb with a pin interrupted by Cesaro. Cesaro gave Jericho a European uppercut that sent him into the timekeeper’s area. As Owens was about to finish Styles, Sami Zayn came out, having to be held back by refs and officials. Producers Jamie Noble, Mike Rotunda, and Billy Kidman (I believe making his debut in breaking up a fight in this role) were also involved. Styles rolled up Owens to get the win.

WINNERS: Styles and Cesaro, at 12:19.

Owens and Zayn went right after each other in the post-match. Owens tossed Zayn into the stairs before the officials finally were able to hold him back.

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.