SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
WWE Smackdown review
September 26, 2014
Taped 9/23/14 in Little Rock, Ark.
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist
– WWE Open.
– The opening video package focused on Dean Ambrose’s Raw return and his interactions with John Cena and Seth Rollins.
– The Miz and Damien Sandow were in the ring as soon as the show began. Tom Phillips sent it to a clip of Ambrose guesting on an episode of Miz TV on Main Event.
1 – THE MIZ vs. DEAN AMBROSE
Miz exited the ring quickly to take a break as soon as the bell rang. Ambrose rolled Miz up for a two-count 43 seconds in. The Miz kept regrouping and not allowing Ambrose to work up any significant momentum. Ambrose finally gave chase and pummeled Miz once they were back in the ring. A thumb to the eye allowed Miz to take over. Dropkick by Ambrose surprised Miz. He went over the top rope and onto Miz outside the ring and tossed Miz into the barricade. He continued to use the safety apparatus as a weapon. A distraction by Sandow allowed Miz to boot Ambrose in the face. They cut to break at 4:08 of the match.
[Commercial Break]
Back at 6:59, Miz still holding the advantage. For those who missed Main Event and were wondering how Ambrose escaped the locked room on Monday, apparently, he went out a back door. So…there’s that. Ambrose fired back and clotheslined Miz over the top rope. Suicide dive took out Miz again. Miz cradled Ambrose when he re-entered the ring, but it only got two. Tornado DDT by Ambrose for two at 8:54. Sandow was knocked off the apron when he tried to interfere, but Ambrose missed a top-rope dropkick and Miz applied the figure-four. It looked horrible. Ambrose reached the rope. Ambrose began to get pumped up when Seth Rollins and Kane walked out onto the stage. Miz tried to hit the Skull Crushing Finale, but Ambrose connected on Dirty Deeds for the win.
WINNER: Ambrose, at 10:28. I guess you could say Ambrose is being protected somewhat, as we’ve seen babyfaces lose by that distraction all the time. It’s amazing how much more palatable these shows can be with Ambrose appearing and/or wrestling.
After the match, Rollins and Kane surrounded the ring. Rollins and Kane attacked Ambrose as the crowd chanted for John Cena. Ambrose dispatched Kane and after Rollins connected with some blows, Ambrose came back. He avoided a Kane clothesline and took the Money in the Bank Briefcase belonging to Rollins. Ambrose escaped through the crowd.
– Stardust was doing a strange dance while chanting backstage. Goldust put a stop to the craziness and said they now have the Cosmic Key, but the Usos want it back. Stardust said they can’t have it. Goldust said they won’t get it.
– Big Show takes on Rusev tonight.
– Next, an Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender Battle Royal in which the winner faces Dolph Ziggler later in the show.
[Commercial Break]
– The ring was filled with Superstars as Cesaro made his entrance back from break. Included: Heath Slater, Los Matadores, Titus O’Neil, Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, Big E (the three hanging out together in one corner of the ring), Bo Dallas, Zack Ryder, Justin Gabriel, Damien Sandow, and Sin Cara. Jack Swagger made his entrance as well.
2 – INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDER BATTLE ROYAL – WINNER CHALLENGES DOLPH ZIGGLER FOR THE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP LATER IN THE SHOW
One of the matadors was thrown out seven seconds in by Dallas. Cara was next 31 seconds in. Gabriel tried to toss Dallas, but was unsuccessful. Short DDT by Sandow on the other matador. He was then gone at 55 seconds via Sandow. Big E sent Dallas into the corner face-first and Kingston also kicked him. Ryder tried to eliminate Cesaro. Gabriel out at 1:38 via Kingston. It looked like a Codebreaker move that Gabriel sold by going over the top rope. Woods was back-dropped out by Cesaro. Cesaro pressed Big E over his head, but Titus stopped him. O’Neil helped pull Slater back in when he was in trouble via Ryder and Swagger. Cesaro picked up Big E again and dumped him at 3:12. More after the break, which took place at 3:22 of the match.
[Commercial Break]
Back at 6:53 of the match. Somehow, Ryder was still in there. Eight men were left. Ryder was in a tough spot sitting on the top rope and sure enough, O’Neil pushed him off the ropes at 7:40. Swagger launched O’Neil out at 7:52. Slater followed his partner via Swagger at 8:11. Sandow was surrounded by the other remaining participants. They all attacked him. Swagger, Dallas, and Kingston dumped him at 8:43. Kingston did some of his signature hanging on, leading to him and Dallas fighting on the apron. Dallas was kicked out of the ring at 9:34. Swagger Bomb on Cesaro. Kofi jumped onto Swagger from the top rope; Swagger tried to catch Kingston into a powerbomb but kept staggering backward, eventually throwing/dropping Kofi awkwardly in the corner. Cesaro and Kingston fought over an elimination. He lifted Kingston up and tossed him into Swagger. The two men went tumbling over the top rope.
WINNER: Cesaro, at 11:18. A pretty poor battle royal (until the final three anyway), exposing WWE’s lack of mid-card depth.
They replayed the final two eliminations.
– They showed a graphic comparing the price of Night of Champions on PPV vs. on the WWE Network. The announcers plugged the network from ringside.
– The Usos were walking backstage. Renee Young walked up to interrupt them and ask them about their Night of Champions rematch set for tonight. They seemed to be in a good mood. That match, for the WWE Tag Team Championship, is next.
[Commercial Break]
3 – THE USOS vs. GOLDUST & STARDUST – WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Lilian Garcia handled formal ring introductions. Stardust did a cartwheel after taking Jey Uso down with a hip-toss. Both Dust brothers ended up outside the ring and the Usos dove onto them. They went to break at 1:11 of the match.
[Commercial Break]
Back at 4:18 with the Usos making a relatively hot tag. Stardust ran interference and allowed Goldust to work the arm of Jey. While working on Jey, Stardust shouted “where’s the key?!” at Cole. Cole mentioned he thought the Cosmic Key was the tag titles. The heels worked Jey over in the middle of the ring. Jey was on rubber-leg street courtesy of a few Goldust right hands, and Goldust tackled Jey into the heel corner so that he could make a tag. Jey finally fought free and back-dropped Goldust out of the ring. Jey did the slow crawl allowing Goldust back in, but Goldie got Samoan dropped. Jimmy finally tagged in at 9:05. Exploder suplex to Stardust. All four men fought outside the ring where Stardust jumped backward onto both Usos, a falling star if you will. In the ring, Stardust registered a two-count. Doomsday Device by the Usos, with a great bump from Stardust. Jimmy then hit the splash off the top rope. Goldust broke up the pin using the tag title, drawing a disqualification.
WINNERS: The Usos, via DQ, at 11:15. Solid match to follow-up their Night of Champions outing, and it gives Smackdown some prestige to have the tag title rematch on the show.
A replay of the splash and interference was shown.
– Big Show vs. Rusev is tonight.
– The announcers were shown on-camera as they pitched it to what happened earlier, with Kane and Seth Rollins trying to attack Dean Ambrose.
– Rollins and Kane were backstage with Rollins still quite upset about losing the briefcase. Kane said he still has the contract, regardless of the possession of the briefcase. Rollins said Ambrose crossed a line. Rollins said if Ambrose doesn’t return the briefcase, he’ll go after Ambrose in a way that makes the cinderblock attack look like child’s play.
[Commercial Break]
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4 – SUMMER RAE & LAYLA vs. NATALYA & ROSA MENDES
This match has something to do with Total Divas. Summer Rae immediately tagged out when Natalya went after her. Layla worked the arm of Nattie early on. Layla squirmed out of a Sharpshooter attempt. Summer tagged in and she was brought into the ring the hard way. Hard clothesline by Natalya. Summer pleaded with Nattie that she wanted to be friends, but then suckered her into the corner. Quick tags by the heels as Layla taunted Natalya, asking her if she’s going to cry. Layla, using her legs, choked Natalya in the corner. Bodyscissors applied by Summer. Summer missed a leg-drop and Natalya tagged Rosa. JBL and Cole basically mocked Rosa the entire time. And deservedly so. Layla kicked Rosa in the side of the head. Natalya and Summer got involved. Layla rolled Rosa up and used the tights for the win.
WINNERS: Summer and Layla, at 4:13. Everything bad about how women’s wrestling is presented was on full display here.
– The announcers were again shown on-camera. Tom Phillips sent it to Mark Henry’s speech from Main Event and Big Show’s save.
– Backstage at Smackdown, Big Show joined Renee Young. Show talked about how hard Henry took his losses to Rusev and said that he and Henry are brothers from another mother. He was there to defend Henry against the no-goodniks, Lana and Rusev. Show said he would knock Rusev’s ass out.
– Up next, a medical update on Roman Reigns.
[Commercial Break]
– The exterior of the Verizon Arena in Little Rock was shown.
– They showed the Breaking News Update that was shown on WWE Network last Saturday. Phillips categorized it as Reigns having to miss “several months of action.”
– Entrances took place for the IC Title match. As Cesaro came to the ring, they showed him winning the #1 contender battle royal earlier in the night. No formal ring intros for this one. The match was set to begin after the break.
[Commercial Break]
5 – CESARO vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER – WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
It was a stalemate early on with neither man able to get an extended advantage. Dolph landed on his feet on a monkey flip attempt and hit a jumping elbowdrop. Cesaro came back, taking Ziggler outside the ring and sending him into the barricade. Suplex by Cesaro. Abdominal stretch was next, even using the ropes illegally for leverage. Mike Rotundo was no doubt smiling backstage. From the second rope in the middle of the ring, Cesaro dropped the point of the elbow on Ziggler. Out of nowhere, Ziggler dropkicked Cesaro down. Ziggler was up for a powerbomb but he snuck out the back and rolled Cesaro up for the win, despite Cesaro grabbing the bottom rope before the pin.
WINNER: Ziggler, at 6:19. Interesting finish, given it was the heel who got screwed here.
The finish was replayed. Cesaro argued with Mike Chioda after the match. They showed a replay again in slow motion.
– Backstage, Renee Young welcomed Lana and Rusev. Like last week, Lana spoke Russian, but this time did a little translating. She said history will repeat itself when Big Show suffers the same fate as Mark Henry. Rusev spoke in Russian but did not translate his words. The match is next.
– Back to the announcers, who plugged Part Two of the WWE2K15 Roster Reveal on WWE Network after Smackdown. A commercial for the video game led the show into break.
[Commercial Break]
– A Tweet from Florida Georgia Line was shown, answering a fan who asked what it was like attending Night of Champions Sunday night.
6 – RUSEV vs. THE BIG SHOW
Show really made Rusev look tiny here. I don’t know if that’s what WWE is going for exactly. Show whipped Rusev into the corner and splashed him. Show went to slap Rusev in the chest, but Rusev thumbed him in the throat. Sunset flip(!) by Rusev for two. He knocked down Rusev with a shoulder block and Rusev rolled to ringside. The crowd chanted “USA!” as they went to break at 1:38.
[Commercial Break]
Back at 5:27 with Rusev working the arm of Show. However, Show ran over Rusev again. The corner chopped worked this time. As Show hit the ropes, Rusev took out Show’s knee. Rusev continued to go after the left knee. Show fought back to his feet and side slammed Rusev for a two-count. Show set for the knockout punch but Rusev avoided it and floored Show with a jumping side kick. It got him a near-fall. Show was on offense again with splashes and a chokeslam. That allowed him time to really set up for the knockout punch. Lana, in desperation, grabbed Show’s foot. She ended up in the ring and begged off in the corner. From behind, Rusev wailed Show with the Russian flag, cause for disqualification.
WINNER: Show, via DQ, at 10:49.
After the match, Rusev went for a kick but Show caught him and knocked him out. There was a sizeable pop for that and a “USA!” chant again. Show’s music played as he headed to the back. They replayed the knockout punch in slow-motion and in normal speed. Rusev tried to regain his bearings while Lana shouted at ringside as the show closed.
Did you watch Friday’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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