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The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
APRIL 16, 2015
TAPED IN LONDON, ENGLAND AT THE O2 ARENA
AIRED ON SYFY
[HOUR ONE]
-Michael Cole introduced the show as pryo blasted in the arena and the camera panned the crowd.
-John Cena’s ring entrance took place to a mixed reaction. A clip from Raw aired of Rusev attacking Cena from behind as Lana distracted him, then Lana announcing his match at Extreme Rules will be a Russian Chain match. Cole said it’ll be the first time in WWE history a Russian Chain match is televised. Cena began speaking in the ring after his music stopped. He thanked London for being a gracious host for WWE. He said there are no pinfalls or submissions or DQs or countouts. He said you are locked to your opponent by a chain made of unbreakable Siberian steel. He said the only way to win is to incapacitate your opponent long enough to touch all four corners consecutively. He said a match of this punishment won’t be pretty and won’t be for the squeamish. He said every single time he issues the U.S. Title Open Challenge, there is a chance at a new champion being crowned and that new champion going on to Extreme Rules to face Rusev instead. He said enough about Extreme Rules, because they were there for Smackdown. He called out his challenger. Out came Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Natalya.
Kidd said they’re not out there to accept his challenge for the U.S. Title. He said they want to drop some facts on him. Cesaro said, “You are looking at the greatest champions in WWE today. Fact.” They made fun of his pandering to the London audience. “Fact.” Then Kidd said London does not deserve a WrestleMania. Cesaro said there were some great chants on Monday Night Raw. Kidd said the retire chants were directed at the wrong person. Cesaro said fans want to see Cena retire because fans want to see more of the greatest tag team in WWE. Cena asked one of them to step up and the other step aside and they fight right now. Cesaro turned to Kidd and said he didn’t seem to understand what they were saying. Suddenly Daniel Bryan’s music played.
Jerry Lawler said the plot thickened and got more interesting. Bryan, wearing his IC Title, said he heard some talk about the greatest champions in WWE today. He asked the fans if they think Cesaro & Kidd are the greatest champions in WWE today. Boos. He asked if Cena is the greatest champion in WWE today. Not much reaction. Bryan then asked the fans, in a twist, if he is the most handsome man in WWE. He got a mixed reaction. Bryan then challenged Cesaro & Kidd to a tag match against him and Cena. The crowd loudly chanted “Yes! Yes!” Cesaro and Kidd conferenced as Natalya trash-talked Cena and Bryan. Then Kidd said they’re on. Bryan’s music played some more as the crowd chanted “Yes! Yes!”
-They went to ringside with Cole, Byron Saxton, and Lawler. Cole said they want to make the proposed tag match official. He also hyped Neville vs. Sheamus. Lawler hyped Bray Wyatt in action next. He called it “a rare in-ring appearance.” [c]
-Saxton announced that the All Champions Tag Team Match was made official during the break.
(1) R-TRUTH vs. BRAY WYATT
Cole again noted it’s a rare in-ring appearance from Bray. As Truth gyrated in the ring after an early flying forearm dropped Bray, Bray bridged up into the crab position. Truth jumped back like he saw a two headed snake. Bray then got up and went on the attack on Truth and quickly finished him with Sister Abigail.
WINNER: Bray in 2:00.
-At ringside, Cole said he still gets the chills when he sees Bray in person. Lawler said it’s good to have him back, especially after seeing his front. They showed the Spanish announce team. Then they threw to a clip of the Divas Battle Royal on Raw on Monday which Paige won, followed by Naomi attacking her. Cole said Paige has been advised by WWE doctors not to compete in WWE until further notice. Cole then talked about Big Show attacking Roman Reigns on Raw and throwing him onto the roof of the prop taxi. Then he threw to a sitdown interview with Reigns on WWE.com during which Reigns said he’s going to bring a big fight to the Big Show so he better have his cardio and be ready for him to keep getting back up. [c]
-Miz stood in the ring and said Damien Mizdow got lucky on Monday night, but said it will never happen again. He said everyone knows Mizdow is nothing without the Miz. He said he made him who he is. He said he made Mizdow, he made Summer Rae, he made “The Marine 4” into a soon-to-be success. He was interrupted by Bad News Barrett’s music. Cole noted he’s from Preston, England. Barrett smiled and said Miz is confused. “We’re not in retched Hollywood now. We’re in London.” He said the WWE Universe didn’t come out to see a pretend movie star, they came to see a man from the United Kingdom who is going to crush the Yes Movement and become a six-time Intercontinental Champion.
(2) WADE BARRETT vs. THE MIZ
Miz tried to quiet the crowd obnoxiously before he removed his sunglasses. Barrett then surprised Miz with a bull hammer for the sudden win. Byron said that didn’t seem fair.
WINNER: Barrett in seconds. [c]
-They went to the announcers again at ringside who threw to the Raw Rebound which focused on the Randy Orton-Seth Rollins stipulation determination storyline.
-Rene Young interviewed Mizdow and Summer. Rene asked how it felt to get a victory over The Miz. Mizdow said it’s like an early spring day with sunshine and birds chirping. She looked over at Summer and said “it feels like a bright Summer Rae.” Miz interrupted and asked Rene rudely to leave. He said he wants Mizdow to know that last Monday on Raw was a fluke and he wants a rematch. He said he wants him to stop using the Miz name. “You are Damien Sandow.” He told him to stop walking like him and dressing like him and using his entrance theme. He said there is only one Miz. Summer said, “Everyone knows Mizdow does The Miz better than The Miz.” Miz said nobody does him better than him.
Mizdow took off his sunglasses and began mimicking his words. It drove Miz batty. Mizdow suggested they wrestle on Raw on Monday and the winner gets to keep the Miz name and the license to use the entrance music, wardrobe, sunglasses, and everything. Miz asked if he has any idea how valuable the Miz brand is. Summer mockingly asked Miz what’s wrong and asked if he really believes Monday was a fluke. Miz said they just dug their own grave. Miz said after Monday, Summer can go back to her lingerie football league wearing a helmet, which would be an improvement. She slapped Miz. Mizdow sold it like he was hit. Mizdow looked at Summer and said, “Now that was awesome.”
-Sheamus’s ring entrance took place with his new music. Lawler said what’s uncalled for is Sheamus’s new look, new music, and new attitude. Cole said you have to give Neville credit for challenging Sheamus. Cole then presented a trivia question: Which former WWE Superstar is the famous brother of Road Warrior Animal? Choices were Hawk, Michael Hayes, and John Laurinaitis. [c]
-Lawler revealed it was Laurinaitis. Byron said he thought it was Michael Hayes.
(3) SHEAMUS vs. NEVILLE
Neville ring entrance aired in its entirety. He was introduced as: “The Man that Gravity Forgot, the Sensational Neville.” Sheamus said, “What do we have here?” He said he’s a teeny, tiny little man. He said he thought he’d be taller, just like Daniel Bryan. The size difference was striking. Sheamus looked like he was standing on a crate compared to Neville. He asked where is from. “That’s right, New Castle, England.” Small crowd pop. Sheamus said he’s from Ireland, the real Ireland. The crowd booed. He said he really doesn’t like him. Sheamus shoved Neville into the corner. Byron said Neville put in a mouth guard and said he’ll probably need it if he wants his teeth at the end of the match. Neville did his gymnastics style handspring backflips out of the corner and then caught a charging Sheamus with kick to the face followed by a head scissors that sent him to the floor. Next he landed a running dive over the top rope. Cole said that’s why he’s the new sensation. He climbed to the top rope and Sheamus rolled to the floor. Sheamus caught him at ringside and slammed him on the floor. They cut to a break. [c]
Back in the ring, you won’t believe it, but Sheamus had Neville in a headlock. Sheamus began tossing Neville around. Byron touted Sheamus as one of the most self-assured Superstars in WWE. A minute later Neville jaw-jacked Sheamus and then avoided a corner charge. Sheamus went shoulder-first into the ringpost and tumbled to the floor. Back in the ring Neville went on a flurry of offense. He played to the crowd. Cole said he was starting to fire up. He landed a standing moonsault for a short two count. Sheamus came back and set up forearms to Neville’s chest, but Neville fought out of it and kicked Sheamus’s leg. Then he hit a top rope dropkick for a two count. Cole said it would’ve been a major upset. Byron wondered what it would do for the career of Neville to score a win over Sheamus. Neville kicked Sheamus in the head and then landed a second rope flip splash for a near fall. Next Neville climbed to the top rope and set up the Red Arrow. Sheamus got up and knocked Neville off balance. Cole said that’s why Neville didn’t take time to go to the top the first time. Sheamus lifted Neville onto his shoulders. Neville turned it into a sunset flip for a believable near fall. He followed with an enzuigiri and a kick to the face and a clothesline over the top rope. Cole said Neville has been relentless. Sheamus lifted and dropped Neville onto the announce table. The ref immediately DQ’d him.
WINNER: Neville via DQ in 11:00.
(WK Reax: Really good, well constructed and executed TV match. It protected both Sheamus and Neville effectively, plus made it really clear based on their words, body language, and wrestling style who was worth rooting for and against.)
[HOUR TWO]
Sheamus attacked Neville afterward with a series of knees to the shoulder and chest. Dolph Ziggler ran out for the save. Sheamus fled quickly. Ziggler told Sheamus the English don’t like him, but neither do any other nationalities. “Not even the Irish like you, Sheamus,” he said. “Because you are nothing but a bully.” He said there is only one thing to do to a bully, and that is stand up to him. He challenged him to a fight right now. Sheamus: “Aren’t you adorable, a little lad speaking big words. Kiss my arse.” Ziggler said that’s pretty weak, even for him. Sheamus said he doesn’t mean that metaphorically, but rather literally. He told Ziggler he’s challenging him to a Kiss My Arse match at Extreme Rules. He said he’s going to humiliate him in front of the world by making him get down on his hands and knees and kiss his arse. Ziggler said he doesn’t know or care, any match he wants is fine, so he’s on. Ziggler said he’s going to “grind him, pull you, and stretch you so bad, you won’t know which way is up.” Then he said he’s going to make him kiss his own arse. Lawler said that’s pretty extreme.
(WK Reax: It’s always good to see babyfaces sticking up for each other like that. It never makes sense when there’s an extended heel beatdown and none of the babyfaces come out for the save. But a Kiss My Arse match? Ziggler did the best he could in accepting that stip without seeming the least bit enthusiastic about either kissing Sheamus’s ass or even having Sheamus kiss his.)
-They showed Cena and Bryan talking in the locker room backstage. Cole said they were discussing strategy. [c]
-They showed the London Tower Bridge.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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(4) LOS MATADORES (w/El Torito) vs. THE NEW DAY (w/Big E. & Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods)
Big E. did some mic work before The New Day’s entrance music began. Then the trio walked out onto the stage. Big E. looked grumpy while Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston looked happy. Big E. said they are there to bring them sunshine. Kofi told the fans they clap so they don’t snap, so they are going to clap on and clap on and clap on and clap on and clap on. Xavier said, “Make today your New Day.” The crowd yelled “Sucks!” A “New Day Sucks” chant started. Torito stomped the ringside steps to the beat of “New… Day Sucks.”
WINNERS: The New Day in 2:00.
(WK Reax: There might be more fans clapping along with New Day now that they’re heels than when they were babyfaces. Byron clapped along, too, which may kill off ironic clapping some of the guys in the crowd were doing.)
-A clip aired of Fandango dumping Rosa Mendez on Raw on Monday and dancing to his music while standing on the announce table.
-Backstage Fandango told a distraught Mendez to realize he was letting her go so the whole world could Fan-dan-go. The camera stayed on her as she soaked up the sad news. Then Adam Rose’s party animals danced past her. Rose stopped and said if she makes the right move, she might be number one again in a certain somebody’s life. He sucked on his lollipop and told her to think about it.
-They showed Big Show walking backstage toward the entrance stage. Apparently Hornswoggle was holding the camera, as it was pointed almost straight up at Show to accentuate his size.
-A commercial aired for the latest Ultimate Warrior DVD. [c]
-Big Show walked out and looked at the dented taxi. Lawler said Show makes it look like a Hot Wheels car next to him. That wasn’t enough of an exaggeration for Cole, so Cole said, “That’s being generous.” Really? Show said on Raw it was made obvious to him that people from England suck. He said they don’t appreciate him, the greatest giant in history. He said no one can stop him in the arena, in the country, or even in the world. He said not even Roman Reigns can stop him.
He said the fans might have new respect for Reigns because he went toe-to-toe with Brock Lesnar. He said this past Monday, Reigns was disrespectful to him when he called him out to the ring. He said he answers to no one but The Authority. He said if they tell him to jump, he says, “How high?” He said he doesn’t see Reigns as a threat, but rather a victim of an automobile crash. A replay aired of Show denting the taxi door with Reigns’s body. They continued to air clips of the beating as Show provided commentary.
They showed Reigns getting up from the chokeslam on the roof and refusing help. Lawler said he didn’t know if it was pride, but somehow Reigns made it to his feet. Show sat on the roof of the taxi and laughed. He said Reigns was stumbling and bumbling just like someone from England looking for a toothbrush, but not finding it. He said at Extreme Rules he will face Reigns in a Last Man Standing match. He said when he’s done with Reigns, he won’t be the last man standing. “Respect that,” he said. His music played as he stood on the hood and rocked the taxi back and forth.
-Lawler hyped the main event tag team match. Byron said up first it’ll be Natalya vs. Alicia Fox vs. Cameron. [c]
-They aired a clip of Cameron turning on Natayla last Thursday on Smackdown.
(5) NATALYA vs. ALICIA FOX vs. CAMERON
Early in the match Cameron bumped way early on a Natalya clothesline. It took a clever camera angle to try to hide that bad botched spot. Fox took over on Natayla as Cameron rolled to ringside to try to regain her sense of timing. She yanked Natayla to the floor and shoved her into the ringside barrier. She yelled at Natalya to stay down there, then entered the ring to go after Fox. Fox quickly took over control. Byron said the Divas Division is like an overheated steam room with everyone trying to get to the door. Cole and Lawler rightfully made fun of Byron’s awful analogy, then they joked that they wouldn’t rush for the door if they were in there with them.
A series of near falls with all three ensued. Natalya dropped Fox with a spinning clothesline. She shoved Fox to the floor and went after Cameron. Cameron surprised Natalya with a small package for a two count. More near falls and reversals. Natalya eventually applied the Sharpshooter mid-ring. Cameron crawled toward the bottom rope, but Natalya yanked her back to the middle. Fox jumped in to break it up. Natalya avoided a scissors kick and then put her in the Sharpshooter mid-ring. Cameron broke it up. Natalya tossed her to the floor. Fox then gave Natalya a boot to the face followed by her scissors kick. Cameron threw Fox out of the ring and stole the pin on Natayla.
WINNER: Cameron in 4:00.
(WK Reax: A mess of a match, but a good finish. Fans weren’t sure who to root for most of the way, or just didn’t seem to care.) [c]
(6) FANDANGO vs. ADAM ROSE
With just 18 minutes left in the show, they wedged another match in before the main event began. Rosa Mendez ran out and got in Fandango’s face at ringside, yelling at him. Rose surprised Fandango with a slidekick. He flirted with Rosa briefly, then returned to the ring. Rosa stood on the ring apron and caused a distraction of Rose, leading to a schoolboy win for Fandango. As Fandango danced on the Spanish announce desk, Rosa seemed conflicted or confused, but perhaps still a bit smitten by Fandango. Cole and Byron did the Fandango. Lawler didn’t join in, because he has pride.
WINNER: Fandango in 1:00.
(WK Reax: For those keeping track, the ring announcer pronounced Fandango’s name wrong, like the movie ticket service instead of how Fandango pronounces his own name. Lawler switched back and forth.)
-They cut to a vignette with Bray Wyatt. He warned someone to be more careful because the reaper walks in the daylight. He then laughed maniacally and said “Run!” Lawler asked if anyone had a clue what that meant.
-Bryan’s ring entrance aired followed by Cena’s. [c]
(7) JOHN CENA & DANIEL BRYAN vs. TYSON KIDD & CESARO (w/Natalya)
The bell rang with nine minutes left in the show. As the tag champs controlled the action early, Cole noted that they’re the tag champs whereas Cena and Bryan have rarely teamed. They isolated Cena from Bryan as Bryan held out his arm in hopes of a tag. At 3:00 Cena avoided a Cesaro charge in the corner, so Cesaro went shoulder-first into the ringpost. Cena also avoided a charging Kidd, who flew through the ropes to the floor. Cena crawled toward Bryan as Cesaro crawled toward Cena’s feet. Right before Cena reached Bryan’s hand, Kidd yanked Bryan off the ring apron. Cena took Cesaro down in mid-ring with an STF. Kidd broke it up quickly. Cena lifted Kidd into an AA, but Kidd landed on his feet and dropkicked Cena for a two count. Bryan punched Kidd and then Cena gave Kidd a backdrop. The crowd chanted “Yes!”
Cena hot-tagged Bryan who threw punches at Kidd in the corner as the crowd chanted “Yes!” Bryan flipped over Kidd and then used a drop toe hold to send Kidd into the corner face-first. A series of round kicks followed and then a huracanrana out of the corner leading to a two count. Bryan threw some of his round kicks. When Cesaro entered, Bryan kicked him, too. He went back and forth, one kick for each in rotation like a drill in karate class. Kidd schoolboyed Bryan, but Bryan kicked out and then kicked Kidd on the side of his head. Next Bryan set up a running knee, but Natalya stood on the ring apron. Bryan turned to argue with her. Kidd charged at Bryan, but he moved and Kidd knocked Natalya off the ring apron and into Cesaro’s arms at ringside. Bryan then put Kidd in the Yes Lock. When Cesaro entered for the save, Cena gave him an AA and then the STF. Kidd then tapped out.
WINNERS: Cena & Bryan in 8:00.
(WK Reax: Good tag team TV main event. Bryan didn’t take any bumps, but he executed enough moves to not raise any suspicions he was about to pulled from the European tour. Kidd and Cesaro, as the tag champs, were competitive enough to not look like jobbers relative to the two singles champs.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Solid edition of Smackdown start to finish. Highlight was Sheamus vs. Neville. The low point was Cameron’s premature bump for Natalya’s clothesline. There were some Extreme Rules developments, although by the end there wasn’t any big angle or moment to get you thinking about the Cena-Rusev main event or anything else about the show. Show was effective in making you want to see Reigns shut him up, but the absence of Reigns continues to underline how he’s just not a top babyface WWE can rely on to fill TV time on both shows each week. Yet another sitdown interview with that same off-putting speaking style of Reigns – where he seems like he’s frustrated at having to explain to someone for the 75th time how to use his remote control – shows he’s not where WWE needs a top babyface to be in terms of filling TV time and hyping his own matches in front of fans in the arena.)
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