It’s Michael Benjamin here with another Smackdown Report! After reading about tonight’s show ahead of time, I’ve become very excited to watch and recap it for you guys and gals. Seeing Ambrose wrestle his first singles match in the main event against Undertaker should be a sight to see. Alberto and Swagger wrestled a very good match last week and it’ll be interesting to see what they can do with a no disqualification stipulation. So I guess we should get to it then…
SHOW ON!
Championship Roll Call:
WWE Champion: John Cena
World Champion: Dolph Ziggler
US Champion: Kofi Kingston
IC Champion: Wade Barrett
Diva’s Champion: Kaitlyn
WWE World Tag Team Champions: Kane & Daniel Bryan
WWE Smackdown Report 4.26.13
Then. Now. FOREVER!!! .
No Disqualification: Jack Swagger (w/ Zeb Colter) vs. Alberto Del Rio (w/ Ricardo Rodriguez) They start the match brawling, exchanging punches. Del Rio clotheslines Swagger over the top and follows up with a shoulder tackle to the outside between the second and third rope. Del Rio grabs a kendo stick while Swagger rolls to the inside. Del Rio follows him through with the weapon but Swagger catches him with a boot to the gut. He grabs the kendo stick out of his hand and beats him down. After a bit of kendo stick offense, Alberto grabs it from him. Swagger dodges a kendo stick shot and tosses him to the outside. The two men brawl outside the ring and head halfway up the ramp. Alberto manages to lock Swagger in an overhead lock and hits a suplex on the ramp as the crowd chants “si.” Alberto follows up by pulling a ladder out from under the ring. Swagger makes it to his feet and charges at him, but Del Rio sees it coming and gives him a hip toss onto the ladder set up against the apron! COMMERCIAL TIME!
–Commercial Break–
We’re back and Swagger has an overhead sleeper locked in on Swagger! Alberto tries fighting back with a few punches to Swagger’s ribs but gets caught with a belly to belly suplex. Swagger covers and gets TWOOOO. Swagger heads outside for a chair but Alberto hits him with an enziguri on the apron! Swagger rolls back in and delivers a bevy of punches before hitting a stiff clothesline. He covers Alberto for two. He goes outside and grabs the chair. He wedges it in the corner and lifts Alberto up. He doesn’t get the job done as Alberto hits a stunner like arm breaker to Swagger’s left arm. Del Rio follows through with a clothesline and a tilt-a-whirl back breaker! He traps Swagger in the ropes for his signature punches to the ribs, but instead hits him with nine kendo stick shots! He hits the back stabber and gets two. Alberto picks up Swagger and goes for the cross arm breaker! Swagger fights it off but Alberto stays on top with a superkick! ADR gets TWO! Swagger gets in control and gets a roll up for two! He follows up with a patriot lock attempt but ADR fights it off! Swagger sends him face first into the chair wedged in the corner! Swagger heads outside and grabs the ladder. He slides it in between the bottom rope and the middle rope but ADR uses leverage to catapult it into Swaggers face. ADR follows through by heading outside to attack Swagger, He ends up getting hit in the head with a ladder! Swagger rolls him in and goes for a pinfall victory! TWO. Alberto locks in a cross arm breaker but Swagger makes his way out and beats Del Rio down with the kendo stick that Colter slid into the ring for him. ADR attempts to fight back but succumbs to the Doctor Bomb and Swagger pins him for three. That was an anti-climactic finish. The match felt like it was about five minutes away from ending and this seemed pretty abrupt. It was a solid match but it isn’t comparable to their match last week
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jack Swagger @ 12:33 aired via pinfall
RATING: **3/4
–Commercial Break–
Aksana vs. Layla This is happening on Smackdown? Alright then. They lock up to start and Layla hits a boot to the gut followed by a butt to the face in the corner. She tosses Aksana to the outside. Aksana crawls back on to the apron but Layla dropkicks her in the ribs into the barricade! Aksana crawls back in the ring and they exchange near falls. Aksana reverses a charge and gives her the snake eyes before grabbing the wrist and wrenching it. Aksana is wearing way too much clothing for my liking. She whips Layla into the ropes but Layla hits a kick to the face of Aksana! Aksana fights back and locks in a side headlock!
Aksana whips Layla into the ropes but Layla comes back with a schoolboy pinfall and gets the win! Boring Divas match. I have no idea where this division is going
OFFICIAL RESULT: Layla @ 3:05 via roll up pinfall
RATING: 1/2*
–Commercial Break–
– They air the last few minutes of The Shield vs. Team Hell No and Undertaker match from Raw. It’s the same part they aired on Main Event. As I said on Wednesday, I’d peg this match at ***3/4. My third favorite TV match of the year behind Alberto vs. Ziggler and Punk vs. Cena.
– Next up, we get a Shield interview from backstage on their personal camera. As always, they cut a great promo. Whoever put these three together is a genius. Ambrose says that tonight, he’s going to beat The Undertaker. Justice, and not Undertaker, will be immortal. He won’t rest in peace, but he’ll believe in The Shield
–Commercial Break–
Fandango (w/ Summer Rae) vs. Justin Gabriel Summer Rae sucks at dancing but she’s SO MUCH HOTTER than his last dancer. As somebody said in the comments section, she’s a perfect mix of Kelly Kelly and Stacy Keibler. Fandango starts with a knee to the temple followed by a suplex attempt. Gabriel floats over and rolls Fandango up for two. Fandango rolls out of the ring to get some heat, but the crowd in the O2 arena loves him. He heads back into the ring and Gabriel applies a headlock. Fandango quickly escapes and corners Gabriel. He delivers a few punches and knees as the crowd Fandangos. He puts Gabriel in between the middle and top rope, rolls to the outside and hits a nice kick to the face. Fandango rolls in and gets TWOOOOOOOO. He lifts Gabriel up but Gabriel fights back with a flurry of kicks. Fandango tries Irish whipping him into the ropes but Justin hits a nice outside crescent kick.
Gabriel follows up with an assisted clothesline from the apron but Fandango catches him with a clothesline of his own! He hits the Roll of the Dice followed by the Alabama Jam. It’s over and the crowd loves it. This was a fun little squash. When the crowd is firmly behind Fandango, it makes his matches far more entertaining
OFFICIAL RESULT: Fandango @ 3:14 via pinfall
RATING: *
–Commercial Break–
Sheamus vs. Big Show IT’S A SHAMEFUL THING. LOBSTER HEAD! What a fresh match. I’m rolling my eyes but you can’t see. Just know that I am. They grapple to start and Show shoves Sheamus off. They lock up again and Sheamus throws Show into the corner. Show attempts a third lockup but Sheamus delivers a bunch of kicks and punches. Big Show pushes him off, locks him in the ropes and chops him a few times. He throws Sheamus over the top rope to the outside and pursues him on the mat. He tosses Sheamus back into the ring and steps on the apron but Sheamus cuts him off and delivers THE IRISH CLUBBERING~! Big Show takes the beating and still fights back with a headbutt. He delivers a sideslam in the ring and follows up with an elbow to the heart for TWO! He chokes Sheamus on the middle rope for legal four seconds before letting go. Another headbutt from Show. Show follows up with the final cut but only gets a two count. He picks up Sheamus but Sheamus fights back with some strikes. He attempts to lift Show up, but the weight is too much and Show falls on top of him. TWO COUNT. Big Show lifts him up and hits him with some more headbutts and strikes. Sheamus is laying with his torso hanging outside of the ring. Show steps to the outside and delivers an overhand chop before we head to another break.
–Commercial Break–
We’re returning from break as Big Show sends Sheamus shoulder first into the ropes. He follows Sheamus out and sends him into the steel steps! Sheamus makes it back into the ring. Show continues the assault in the ring, working over Sheamus’ left arm. Sheamus fights his way up and tries to brawl with show but Big Show knocks him down and locks in an arm bar on the injured left arm. I’d mark if somebody ever worked over a right limb. Sheamus fights out and hits a DDT! Both men are down for the count! Both men are exchanging blows on their knees. Biggest Giggity I’ve written so far. Sheamus hits the ropes and delivers a high knee! He goes upstairs and hits a huge shoulder block off of the top rope. He tries lifting Show up for White Noise but Show fights him off! He tries again and hits it! Sheamus is setting up for the Brogue! This crowd is loving Sheamus. Big Show wisely rolls out of the ring! Sheamus delivers an axe handle off of the apron! Show fights back and gets into the ring. Sheamus hyper-extends Show’s arm over the top rope! Sheamus goes upstairs and Henry distracts him! Big Show pulls him off of the top rope and hits the KO punch! It’s over! This was a decent big man match that didn’t blow my mind but delivered as it should.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Big Show @ 10:43 aired via pinfall
RATING: **1/2
–Commercial Break–
– Barrett cuts a promo saying that he never believed the grave robberies until today. He’s going to steal Regal’s corpse or something? IDK.
William Regal vs. Wade Barrett I’m digging all of these Regal matches we’re getting this week from England. Barrett comes right out of the gate with a knee to Regal’s gut. Regal pushes him into the corner and delivers a battering of knees himself. Regal goes for the Bull Hammer but Regal gives him a hip toss. Regal misses a clothesline. Bull Hammer and it’s over. They should run a Bull Hammer vs. RKO feud. That’d be interesting.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Wade Barrett @ 00:53 aired via pinfall
RATING: SQUASH
– We get a recap of Paul Heyman challenging Triple H to a steel cage match for Lesnar. Am I the only one who doesn’t want to see this match a third time? I didn’t want to see it a second time and a cage is just going to limit what they’re going to do. I’m expecting a bigger letdown than Mania. If I’m wrong, I’ll probably enjoy the match a fuck load due to low expectations. I don’t see that happening though.
–Commercial Break–
Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry There’s a lot of matches tonight that could legitimately main event the show. I’m all for that. Here comes Henry. He’s walking down the ramp with a bunch of swagger. Why? That’s what he does. The match begins with a grapple! You surprised? Mark immediately attempts a world’s strongest slam but Orton escapes. Orton and Mark end up battling on the outside. Mark comes out on top and tries sending Orton face first into the ring post but Orton slides off and enters the ring. He gains control and stomps Henry like a bitch. Orton says “I can’t quite hear you!” Did he need to use “quite” there? Anyways, Mark battles back and delivers a few shoulder thrusts to Henry in the corner. He backs off and taunts the crowd for some heat. He goes back for Orton but gets knocked down with a series of rights and clothesline. Orton is feeding off the crowd. IS HE GOING TO GO TO THAT PLACE!?! Nope. He hits a DDT and gets a two count. He hits an assisted DDT off of the second rope but Henry rolls outside before he can get pinned.
Orton follows him out and gets beaten up. Henry turns around and there’s Sheamus! Brogue Kick! DQ! He turns around and boom goes the dynamite. He takes an RKO from Orton. Henry may have got the win but Orton’s music is playing so Orton walks away looking strong.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Mark Henry @ 4:37 via Disqualification
RATING: **
–Commercial Break–
– We return with a Raw Rebound of the Ryback/Foley confrontation on Raw. I thought Ryback did pretty good besides repeating a bunch of lines while trying to remember the script. I’m willing to give him a chance while he learns his new roll though.
The Undertaker vs. Dean Ambrose Man, this is pretty crazy seeing Ambrose headline a show against Taker. It’s telling that he’s going to have a nice long tenure in the WWE. Mean Mark doesn’t come back to wrestle just anybody. They feel each other out to start. Taker tries going for grapples while Ambrose evades. Ambrose corners Taker with a plethora of punches before Taker turns the tables and does the same. He clotheslines Ambrose over the top rope! VINTAGE LEG DROP OVER THE CHEST BY TAKER! Ambrose fires back with a flurry of punches to Taker on the outside. He rolls Taker in and continues the assault. He corners the big man and delivers a few elbows before hitting a nice dropkick. He only gets a one count however. Ambrose stays on offense and delivers a nice neckbreaker. Taker powers out at TWO. Ambrose goes for a headlock but Taker locks him in for a chokeslam! Ambrose fights out and the two deliver punches! Taker comes out on top and sets him up for a chokeslam! Ambrose low blows him and rolls to the outside!
Taker quickly rolls back in and delivers a DDT! Taker locks in the triangle chokehold and Ambrose taps out immediately! The match was short but it served its purpose. Ambrose looked like a threat but it was all about The Shield’s beating post match.
OFFICIAL RESULT: The Undertaker @ 3:37 via submission
RATING: *1/2
– After the match, Roman Reigns spears Taker through the barricade and The Shield triple powerbombs Taker through the announce table. The Shield is the real deal.
OVERALL: This was a pretty entertaining episode of Smackdown. Every match served its purpose and delivered. Multiple matches could have headlined and it still blows my mind that Ambrose headlined a Smackdown in a singles match. That’s great for him. Everything was solid besides the diva’s match. You probably expected that though. Check this episode out if you have the chance.
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