MCMAHON’S In-Person SmackDown Report 4/11 — JBL Chants, Nakamura Dark Match, Attendance

— The dark match main event featured Shinsuke Nakamura defeating Dolph Ziggler in about 10 minutes. The match was well received and a good portion of the crowd stuck around for the match, which hit the ring as soon as 205 Live went off the air. They setup the main event dark match during a commercial, immediately following the Ziggler-Nakamura segment that aired on SmackDown. After going back through the curtain, Ziggler returned when the show hit the break and challenged Nakamura to the match later in the show. After the match, Nakamura shook hands with several people at ringside, on his way up the ramp.

— There was a very loud “We Want Mauro!” chant, obviously for Mauro Ranallo, about 10 minutes before the show went on the air. The SmackDown announce team was introduced as a unit, but to JBL’s music. The live crowd booed loudly at the introduction, and then started the Mauro chant moments later.

Later in the show, there was another “We Want Mauro!” chant, as well as a “You’re an A**hole!” chant directed at JBL during the SmackDown telecast. The crowd also chanted “Fire Bradshaw!” at points during the show.

There were also several people with signs in the crowd supporting Ranallo. One fan was holding a sign that read, “JBL Bullied Me,” and he was kicked out of the building.

— Tye Dillinger was very well received by the live crowd, which almost the entire building chanting, “10! 10! 10!” on his three count.

— TD Garden was almost sold out, with just the balcony at the far end of the building blocked off with tarps.

— There was no return date announced, but according to someone connected with the building, WWE will likely return to TD Garden for an episode of Raw on August 14, and then again on Dec. 17 for the TLC pay-per-view, which I’m told will be a SmackDown exclusive show.