2/18 WWE Smackdown – Parks’s Complete, Real-Time Report

Brock Lesnar makes his first appearance on Smackdown in 12 years. What will he (or more accurately, Paul Heyman) have to say ahead of Fastlane this Sunday night?

WWE Smackdown review
February 18, 2016
Taped 2/16/16 in Ontario, Calif.
Aired on USA Network
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @gregmparks)

– WWE Open.

– A video recap aired showing what happened on Raw as it pertained to the upcoming Fastlane #1 Contender Match.

– Smackdown Open.

– In the arena, Kevin Owens came out, newly-won Intercontinental Championship over his shoulder. At ringside were Byron Saxton, Jerry “The King” Lawler and Michael Cole. Cole was filling in for Mauro Ranallo, who was under the weather. Because we can’t have just two voices on commentary for whatever reason. Kevin Owens joined the announce team for the following match.

1 – DOLPH ZIGGLER & THE LUCHA DRAGONS vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO & SHEAMUS & RUSEV

For what it’s worth, Lawler said he’d be calling the Fastlane kickoff match of Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio. Owens wasted no time verbally attacking Cole on commentary. Rusev shrugged off some kicks from Kalisto, but Kalisto continued to soften up the Bulgarian with those shots. Tornado DDT by Kalisto for two. Sin Cara tagged in for some babyface double-teaming. Springboard moonsault by Cara on Del Rio for only a one-count. Another tag to Kalisto, who landed a hurricanrana on Del Rio. Stereo dives onto Del Rio and Sheamus by the Lucha Dragons. Ziggler then came off the top onto Rusev with a diving elbow. Owens was getting agitated by the success of Ziggler in this match as the show went to break at 2:51.

[Commercial Break]

Back at about 5:40 of the match. Tilt-a-whirl back-breaker by Del Rio as the arguing on commentary was beginning to overshadow the match. Sheamus came in as the legal man and began to work over Cara. Sheamus brought Cara down with three Irish Curse back-breakers. Del Rio came off the top and Cara caught him with a dropkick on the way down. Tag made to Ziggler at 9:02. Ziggler clobbered Sheamus. Owens claimed Ziggler stole his air guitar routine that he did during his offensive onslaught from Eva Marie. Everybody got involved at this point. The heels took out the Lucha Dragons outside the ring. Sheamus missed a Brogue Kick. Fameasser for two. Ziggler fought off Del Rio and Rusev. Owens distracted Ziggler and Sheamus Brogue Kicked Ziggler for the finish.

WINNERS: The League of Nations, at 10:42. Cool, another feud built around the wrestlers distracting each other leading to match finishes. At least Owens vs. Ziggler at Fastlane should be good.

– The announcers at ringside pitched it to a preview of Brock Lesnar returning to Smackdown tonight.

– Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns will face the Dudley Boyz later in the show.

– Sasha Banks was walking backstage. She’s in action next.

[Commercial Break]

– A quote from Rosa Parks was shown on-screen as WWE continues to celebrate Black History Month.

2 – TAMINA vs. SASHA BANKS

After Tamina came to the ring, they showed a video shown on WWE’s Facebook page of Becky Lynch getting attacked Monday night by Naomi and Tamina. Naomi tried to enter the ring after the bell rang, but referee John Cone stopped her before she could get very far. Tamina took Banks down by her hair to start. Banks flipped out of a back suplex and kicked at Tamina’s knee to take her down. Running double knees in the corner from Banks. Naomi got on the apron at the two-minute mark and Banks knocked her down. Bulldog by Banks into the Bank Statement for the tap-out win.

WINNER: Banks, via submission, at 2:20. They really don’t trust Tamina to do much in the ring it seems. This worked okay to preview Sunday’s tag match, especially with the aftermath.

After the match, the heels attacked Banks and beat her down until Becky Lynch ran out to make the save. Banks shoved Lynch away once she got to her feet, claiming she doesn’t need Becky’s help.

– Next, Chris Jericho answers the challenge set forth by A.J. Styles for a rubber match at Fastlane.

[Commercial Break]

– Becky Lynch was walking backstage when she came upon Sasha Banks. Lynch asked Banks what happened out there. Banks pled ignorance. Lynch talked about how if the heels win Sunday, they’ll ride that momentum into Wrestlemania and she and Banks will get left behind. That’s a pretty decent throw-in for stakes for this match. Lynch said if Banks wanted to let her ego get in the way, then she’s done. Banks said they’re not friends, but she hates losing. They shook on it, appearing to be on the same page at least for now.

– Chris Jericho came out. As he did, they showed A.J. Styles putting away The Miz on Monday night, followed by the post-match interaction between Styles and Y2J. The crowd chanted “Y2J” before Jericho spoke. Jericho wanted to give his answer with Styles in the ring, so he called him out. Instead, The Miz’s music hit and he came out. Byron Saxton’s dejected “aw, man” was hilarious. Miz, on his way to the ring, said he has a more important announcement to make. Jericho hoped it was that Miz is quitting the business. Crowd chanted “yes!” to that. Miz said he wasn’t quitting. He announced that he was the guest of honor at the post-Raw Grammy Party at the Playboy Mansion. Miz also said Jericho has a match with the A-Lister right now. The two brawled and Jericho threw him out of the ring. Apparently, the match is next.

[Commercial Break]

3 – CHRIS JERICHO vs. THE MIZ

The bell rang to start the match out of break. Cole said he heard from sources that Miz was turned away at the door from the Playboy party he mentioned in his promo. Jericho delivered ten punches to the skull of Miz in the corner. He missed a shoulder charge, however, instead finding the ring-post. “We want A.J.” chant from the crowd. Jericho dropkicked Miz and went to the top rope. Miz caught him with lefts. Jericho headbutted him down then hit a flying cross-body for two. Springboard dropkick knocked Miz off the apron and to the floor. Jericho was lax coming through the ropes back into the ring and Miz took advantage. He went on offense and was there as the show went to break at 4:39 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 8:14 with Miz still in control. Miz tried to throw Jericho out of the ring, but Jericho held on and hit Miz with an axe-handle off the top. Enzugiri from Jericho for two. Miz begged off, and his kicks didn’t do enough damage. Running bulldog from Jericho, but a missed Lionsault led to a short DDT from Miz for a good near-fall. Back-breaker by Jericho that didn’t look too smooth. Miz caught Jericho with a boot to the face for two. He ripped at the face of Y2J in the corner. He went for his corner clothesline, but Jericho stepped out and caught him by the legs and applied the Walls of Jericho. Miz tapped almost immediately.

WINNER: Jericho, via submission, at 12:26. Miz’s matches have been quite decent more often than not lately. Some of that credit goes to his high-quality opponents, but he deserves a lot of credit as well.

After replays, Jericho got on the mic and said Miz is a “great performer,” but once again he came out on top. He called out Styles again, and this time, A.J. came down the aisle. The top of the hour hit just as A.J came out to meet Jericho. Jericho said there’s a saying in WWE that “you’re only as good as your last match.” He said in their last match, he came out on top. Jericho said A.J. will have to make a name for himself against someone other than him. He said he respects Styles more than anyone in WWE. He put Styles over but said it’s not just about respect, because he doesn’t like Styles and doesn’t feel like doing him any favors. He officially shot down A.J.’s challenge. Styles socked Jericho in the face and kept going after him. He clotheslined Jericho over the top rope. Styles took the mic and flipped it to Jericho. Jericho told Styles that was a stupid move…then accepted the challenge. Jericho did say Styles would regret it. They played A.J.’s music to close the segment.

– The announcers at ringside played the flash card game to try to get people to purchase the WWE Network for the Fastlane PPV.

– They showed Paul Heyman’s message to Roman Reigns Monday on Raw.

– Backstage, Roman Reigns told Dean Ambrose that Ambrose got a little crazy on him Monday night. Ambrose said it’s been a crazy week and he just wants them to do their thing tonight. Reigns then told Ambrose not to try to pull that Dirty Deeds thing tonight. “You can’t take a joke?” asked Ambrose. Ambrose walked away and ran into Paul Heyman in the hallway. Heyman said he has a lot of respect for Reigns, and out of that admiration, he wanted to warn Ambrose that Lesnar is in the arena for Smackdown. And he’s in a really bad mood. And he’s looking for Ambrose. Ambrose got nervous and asked Heyman for advice. Heyman couldn’t. Ambrose calmly said he’ll just figure it out on his own.

[Commercial Break]

– Hip-Hop artist Fabolous and his son were shown at ringside.

– The Cutting Edge Peep Show will be featured on the Fastlane Kickoff Show, with guests New Day.

– JoJo was backstage with the aforementioned New Day. Xavier Woods scoffed at JoJo’s question about how they’re preparing for the upcoming interview. Woods gave an Allen Iverson-like practice rant. Kofi Kingston told JoJo that Edge & Christian have gone out of style, and that they’re stuck in the ‘90s. Woods gave a preview of their pose after they embarrass Edge & Christian Sunday night. It wasn’t a pose so much as gyrations from Kofi and Big E. while Woods played his trombone.

– A video aired on Charlotte, sponsored by Geico.

4 – NATALYA vs. CHARLOTTE

No entrance for Nattie. Natalya took Charlotte down a few times as Ric Flair looked on at ringside. Nattie suplexed Charlotte in which she dropped Charlotte on her butt. Charlotte got into the ropes to cause a break. They cut to commercial at 1:16 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:17 with Natalya grabbing a single-leg and taking Charlotte down. Double-underhook suplex by Natalya and Charlotte slid to ringside. Baseball slide took out Charlotte. Charlotte took advantage outside the ring with a big boot. Back in, Charlotte missed a knee-drop. Discus clothesline, then a German suplex. Charlotte tripped up Nattie on the apron, softening up her leg. Sure enough, the Figure Eight was locked in back in the ring. That forced Nattie to tap.

WINNER: Charlotte, at 6:55. Nice match. Natalya took a lot more here than I expected, but she looked good doing it.

As Charlotte mocked Brie by doing the “Yes!” chant after the match, Brie Bella ran out to her music and the two brawled. Brie Mode, engaged. “Yes” kicks from Brie. Ric rescued Charlotte from the ring, which actually knocked Ric down at ringside as well, but the camera quickly cut away from that. Brie held up the Divas Title as Charlotte threw a fit at ringside.

– R-Truth was talking presumably to his wife on the phone about a dress. He came upon Goldust dressed as a rapper and Goldust dropped some rhymes on Truth. Truth seemed to dig it. Truth rapped back, however, denying Goldust’s request to be a team.

– Tonight, Brock Lesnar returns to Smackdown for the first time in 12 years.

– Also tonight, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. The Dudley Boyz.

[Commercial Break]

– It’s official: A.J. Styles vs. Chris Jericho at Fastlane.

– We got a video package showing the destruction of the Wyatt Family over the past few weeks.

– The main event tag match is next.

[Commercial Break]

5 – THE DUDLEY BOYZ vs. DEAN AMBROSE & ROMAN REIGNS

They showed Ambrose on the receiving end of an F5 on Raw two weeks ago. Ambrose got off to a quick start in the match against D-Von. Bubba tagged in and threatened to punch Ambrose right in the face. Bubba took a cheap shot at Reigns. Bubba encouraged Reigns to enter the ring to face him, so Ambrose tagged him in. Bubba got a few bits of offense in, but Reigns and Ambrose worked together well enough to deposit both Dudley boys to ringside. The show cut to break at 2:30 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:01 with Bubba wrench on the neck of Ambrose. D-Von tagged in and hammered away at Ambrose in the corner before tossing him out of the ring. Bubba sent Ambrose head-first into the announce table. Neck-breaker by Bubba as the heels continued making frequent tags. Bubba implored D-Von to wear Ambrose down. Bubba’s big mouth got the best of him, as he trash-talked Reigns while on the middle rope. It allowed Ambrose time to not only fight with Bubba, but move out of the way of a high-risk maneuver. Tag to Reigns at 10:29 of the match. Reigns took out both Dudleys, with much vigor. As Reigns readied for the Superman punch, Brock Lesnar’s music hit and he came out alongside Paul Heyman. The Dudleys took advantage by attacking Reigns and Ambrose from behind. 3D was set up but Reigns caught D-Von with a Superman punch. Ambrose hit Bubba with an elbow off the top. Outside the ring, Ambrose threw D-Von back in, but Lesnar went after Ambrose for the DQ.

WINNERS: Reigns and Ambrose, via disqualification, at 12:24.

Reigns got involved as well and the melee was on. Lesnar delivered suplexes to both Reigns and Ambrose in the ring. A Superman punch stunned Lesnar. Reigns went to spear Lesnar, but Brock moved and Reigns collided with Ambrose. Ambrose tried Dirty Deeds, but Reigns avoided it and hit a Samoan drop. Lesnar picked up Reigns and delivered an F5. Lesnar’s music was interrupted by Triple H’s. The Game came out with his WWE World Title and he surveyed the damage. Lesnar looked on at Triple H from ringside to close the show.

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.