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
March 19, 2015
Taped 3/17/15 in Kansas City, Mo.
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist
– WWE Open.
– The show began with the Brock Lesnar video package from Raw with promo clips from him talking about how he enjoys hurting people.
– Smackdown Open.
– Fireworks went off in the arena, two weeks out from Wrestlemania. Roman Reigns came to the ring through the crowd. As he did, Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and Jerry Lawler were shown at ringside. In the ring, Reigns said Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar think they can intimidate him. Before Reigns could say anything else, Mark Henry’s music hit and he walked out with a mic. Henry said last week he wanted to see what Reigns had. And Reigns showed him something. For whatever reason, Henry decided to cue up video of him getting destroyed by Reigns last week. Henry admitted he got what he deserved. He said he wanted to make it official: He put his money on Reigns beating Lesnar at Wrestlemania. That’d be an interesting storyline: WWE wrestlers coming to Reigns, pressuring him to beat Lesnar at Mania to get the title off a rogue, someone who is rarely around, and bring it back “home” to WWE after it has been held hostage for so long. After Henry spoke, the theme of Seth Rollins played. He came out with Kane, Joey Mercury, and Jamie Noble.
Kane spoke first, saying Henry can’t really believe Reigns will beat Lesnar. Rollins held up his briefcase and said anything can happen at Mania. Then he turned his attention to Randy Orton and their date for Wrestlemania. Rollins said Orton was not in the building. He said the best security team in the world, J&J Security, have secured and blocked every entrance. Uh-oh, that must mean he’s going to show up. Rollins said it’s being done for Orton’s own good. He said he’s saving all of the revenge he’s going to exact for Wrestlemania. But now, he’s in the mood for a tune-up. Kane then made a tag match: Him and Rollins vs. Henry and Reigns.
– At the announce desk, Cole talked about Sting getting involved in the Orton vs. Rollins situation on Raw. We’ll see clips of that later on.
– Tonight, the six challengers to Bad News Barrett’s I.C. Title at Wrestlemania will be involved in a gauntlet match tonight.
– The Bella Twins were walking backstage. Brie faces Paige next.
[Commercial Break]
– Cole voiced over the announcement of Tatsumi Fujinami being inducted into the WWE Hall-of-Fame this year. That was one I don’t think anyone saw coming.
– Paige was already in the ring. They showed Paige and Brie getting into it at ringside on Raw during Nikki’s match with A.J. Lee. A.J. was at the announce desk for the next match.
1 – PAIGE vs. BRIE BELLA
Nikki also joined the commentators for this match, a match that immediately spilled to ringside with a brawl. Paige picked Brie up and slammed her on the announce desk as they continued their back-and-forth. Back in the ring, second-rope dropkick from Brie for two. Bulldog (Briedog?) out of the corner for two. A.J. said the issue at hand right now is bigger than her issue with Paige, which is why they’re on the same team. She said it’s about breaking Diva stereotypes. Double clothesline in the ring and both were down. Running knee by Brie, but Paige turned a pin by Brie into a roll-up and squeaked out the win.
WINNER: Paige, at 2:27. Not bad for the time they were given. They’re playing up the even-steven nature of the battles of the four heading into Wrestlemania.
– The IC Title contenders’ gauntlet match is still to come.
– Next, we’ll see Sting help out Randy Orton on Raw.
[Commercial Break]
– Cole plugged Wrestlemania week shows on the WWE Network.
– The Raw Rebound aired.
– At the loading dock outside the arena, Noble and Mercury were giving instructions to other security members about not letting Randy Orton into the building if he shows up.
– Dean Ambrose came out to begin the gauntlet match. It starts after break.
[Commercial Break]
– They showed Tweets from Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Scott Hall, all looking forward to the Ladder Match at Wrestlemania.
2 – INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE CONTENDER GAUNTLET MATCH
2a – DEAN AMBROSE vs. STARDUST
They showed an inset interview with Stardust where he was seemingly having a two-way conversation involving only himself. When the match began, Ambrose went after Stardust with kicks and chops. Stardust was chased at ringside by Ambrose, but back in, a Disaster kick was landed for two. The crowd got into Stardust’s head with “Cody” chants. Face-first suplex by Stardust as Bad News Barrett was shown watching on a monitor backstage. Stardust tried a sunset flip, but Ambrose sat down, hooked the legs, and got the pin.
WINNER: Ambrose, at 1:47 of the segment.
After the match, Stardust went on the attack and rammed Ambrose shoulder-first into the ring post twice. R-Truth ran out as the next participant, but he and Stardust went at it. Truth got the better of Stardust then awaited the bell.
2b – DEAN AMBROSE vs. R-TRUTH
Right after the bell rang, Stardust got on the apron to distract Truth, who walked into Dirty Deeds and was pinned.
WINNER: Ambrose, at :12 of the segment.
– Luke Harper came out for the next leg. Harper also cut an inset promo and said you don’t know true freedom until you’ve lost everything. He said at Wrestlemania, he’ll piece himself back together. That beard is getting out of control. Harper vs. Ambrose, next.
[Commercial Break]
2c – DEAN AMBROSE vs. LUKE HARPER
The bell rang as soon as the show returned from break. Cross-body by Ambrose for a near-fall. Harper worked the shoulder of Ambrose including applying a cross-face. Harper charged at Ambrose, who low-bridged him out of the ring. Ambrose dove at Harper from the apron, blasting his foe with an elbow. Back in the ring, Harper again took over with shoulder work. Ambrose bit the hand of Harper to break the old. Ambrose fought back with rights and chops, then a cradle for two. Saxton called Ambrose’s mind “a cocoon of chaos.” Both men were down following an Ambrose clothesline. Harper sent Ambrose into the ropes and connected on a discus clothesline. Sit-out powerbomb ended it.
WINNER: Harper, at 4:20 of the segment.
Daniel Bryan came out next. Lawler said the crowd’s reaction was not pandemonium, but fandemonium, which was an old quote by former Buffalo Bills radio announcer Van Miller. Bryan vs. Harper, next.
[Commercial Break]
– Two more members of security were being instructed by Noble and Mercury. A man walked through the door and all four men immediately pounced on him, demanding to see his credentials. He checked out.
2d – LUKE HARPER vs. DANIEL BRYAN
The match was joined in progress. Bryan kicked away at Harper, finally taking him off his feet. Surfboard by Bryan. Harper broke free but continued selling the leg. Harper picked Bryan up and just dumped him over the top rope and to ringside. In the ring, Harper dropped two elbows and made a pin for two. Gator roll into a side headlock. Uppercut by Harper seemed to disorient Bryan. Backslide by Bryan for two. Harper booted Bryan down for a near-fall. More kicks from Bryan. Bryan was thrown out of the ring, but skinned the cat and pulled Harper out with his legs. Suicide dive by Bryan. Kicks to the chest from Bryan in the ring. Overhead suplex by Harper and Bryan landed right on his head. Ouch. Clothesline by Harper for two. Bryan with a heel hook, reversing a powerbomb attempt, and Harper tapped.
WINNER: Bryan, 6:54 of the segment shown.
Dolph Ziggler was out to face Bryan. He did an inset interview running down his Ladder Match opponents, saying he’d bring the title home at Wrestlemania. Ziggler vs. Bryan closes out the gauntlet match, next.
[Commercial Break]
2e – DANIEL BRYAN vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER
The match began on the WWE App, but it didn’t look like they got very far in when the show returned. Bryan and Ziggler traded offense in the corner, with Ziggler getting the better of this exchange. Bryan went for a single-leg take-down, but Ziggler rolled him up for two. Neck-breaker by Ziggler, but he missed a corner charge and Bryan hit a running dropkick. Ziggler and Bryan exchanged right hands in the middle of the ring. The men collided in mid-ring when both went for a cross-body. They went to break with both men recovering from the move.
[Commercial Break]
Bryan and Ziggler continued to go back-and-forth. Bryan went to the top rope, but was crotched. Ziggler received the same treatment. Bryan tried a back suplex off the top, but Ziggler turned it into a cross-body for a very near fall. Bryan kicked Ziggler in the face for a two-count. Bryan went for the running knee and ran into a superkick. Both men’s tanks were about on “E.” Bryan tried to apply the Yes Lock and hooked it in. Bryan and Ziggler fought over a backslide and Bryan got the better of it for two. Out of nowhere, a Zig Zag ended the match.
WINNER: Ziggler, 11:02 of the segment shown. Bryan vs. Harper and Bryan vs. Ziggler were about the only two legs of this gauntlet match with any value. A good way to highlight each man in the Wrestlemania match, but it takes away the specialness of the match by having them physically interact so much before Mania.
A replay of the finish was shown. The two shook hands after the match. Bad News Barrett walked out and congratulated both men, somewhat sarcastically. He gave some bad news, but only got half of it out before cheap-shotting Ziggler with the mic. Bryan went after Barrett, but he got stuck with the mic as well. Bull Hammer elbow was received by Ziggler and Bryan.
– The announcers plugged Wrestlemania on the WWE Network.
– They showed Bray Wyatt answering Undertaker’s answer to Wyatt’s Wrestlemania challenge from Raw.
– The main event tag match was plugged.
[Commercial Break]
– The announcers plugged the Divas tag match at Wrestlemania. A video package was shown focusing on the feud, while also showing other Divas giving their predictions for the match. This makes it seem like it’ll end up being a lumberjack match of some sort. If there were enough Divas to assemble such a match, that is.
– Back to the announcers, who threw it to the contract signing of John Cena vs. Rusev from Raw. Perhaps not surprisingly, no comments from Rusev’s attorney aired.
– Oh God, I forgot about this match. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Natalya came to the ring for the six-being, inter-species tag-team match, which occurs after the break.
[Commercial Break]
– A Sheamus return video package was shown.
– More instructions to more security by J&J Security. Yeah, Orton is definitely showing up.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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3 – CESARO & TYSON KIDD & NATALYA vs. LOS MATADORES & EL TORITO
As Los Matadores came to the ring, they showed how this match came about from Raw. Hurricanrana by one of the matadors on Cesaro. Natalya tagged herself in, which meant El Torito had to come in. Before they could touch, Tyson Kidd tagged himself in. One of the other matadors came in and took Kidd down with a drop toe-hold. Kidd recovered and choked the matador in the ropes. Cesaro kicked his foe in the head from the apron. After a tag, one of the matadors cleaned house. El Torito leg-dropped Kidd while one of the matadors held him in a sidewalk slam position. Hijinks ensued with Torito. Stereo suicide dives onto the tag champs, leaving Nattie and Torito. Arm-drag by Torito. He went to the top, but Natalya caught him and delivered a sit-out powerbomb for the win.
WINNERS: Cesaro, Kidd, and Natalya, at 3:49. This is the top of the tag division, folks.
– Reigns and Henry face Orton and Kane, next.
[Commercial Break]
– Roman Reigns came out for his tag match. Mark Henry’s music played, but he didn’t come out. They went backstage where referees, along with Darren Young, Titus O’Neil, and Zack Ryder surrounded a fallen Henry, who had apparently been attacked and knocked out in the hallway. Rollins, Kane, and J&J Security came out. They had even more security with them.
4 – ROMAN REIGNS vs. SETH ROLLINS & KANE – HANDICAP MATCH
So Reigns was going at it alone here. An immediate distraction by Rollins led to Joey Mercury grabbing the leg of Reigns so that Kane could deliver a big boot. Neck-breaker by Rollins found the mark for only a one-count. The crowd chanted “Randy.” Some double-teaming by Kane and Rollins went down. Reigns fought out of the corner against Kane, but Kane hit a DDT for two. Rollins slowly worked Reigns over, but Reigns came back until Rollins sent him face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Jumping clothesline by Reigns to Kane, followed by clotheslines in the corner against Rollins. Tilt-a-whirl slam by Reigns. He took out Mercury with a Superman punch, then delivered a blow to the back of the head of Rollins. Noble was knocked off the apron at this point. Rollins brought Reigns down throat-first across the top rope. Rollins came off the top and fell victim to a Superman punch. He had made the tag to Kane, however, who was speared for the pinfall.
WINNER: Reigns, at 5:02.
The spear was replayed. Reigns left the ring and headed to the back. Rollins stood in the ring and threw a fit. Randy Orton’s music began to play and security readied for him. Orton came through the crowd (which makes one wonder how his music was cued up) and attacked Rollins as well as the crack security team. RKO to Noble. Rollins avoided and RKO but Orton had him by the legs. Mercury came off the turnbuckle and was RKO’d, allowing Rollins to evade Orton’s grasp and high-tail it up the ramp. He stood atop the ramp staring at Orton, while Orton celebrated in the ring to his theme.
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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