Another night of live recap action here as we’ve got an episode of SmackDown Live coming up. You can stick with us here and watch this space as always.
Lengthy video of the twists and turns of the Roman Reigns saga opens the show. We then see Roman walking backstage. Interview Girl #3 asks if he has anything to say to Bryan and Rowan. Roman says he thinks it’s better if he saves what he has to say for the ring.
Kofi Kingston makes his way out. He says Orton likes to slither around the ring talking about Kofi being stupid. But who got his ass knocked out last week? Things have escalated between himself and Orton. All he ever wanted to do was prove that he belonged in the top spot and deserved to be the champ. He recounts the awful things Orton has done, but the last thing we saw was Randy Orton cowering, running away with fear in his eyes. Because he saw the look in Kofi’s eyes. A look that says, when you mess with my family I do not play around. Now the match is set for Clash of Champions, Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston for the WWE title. He will finally prove that he was ready then, and more important, he’s ready now. And Orton will find out why he is your WWE Champion…
But Randy interrupts on the tron with constant repeats of ‘Stupid’.
Randy says there’s nothing he’d rather do than go out and prove to the world how stupid he is but he’ll wait until Clash of Champions. But earlier this morning someone slid a letter underneath his door. He says the letter is very touching and he wants to share it with Kofi.
‘Dear Mr. Orton, stop hurting Kofi Kingston. Kofi is not stupid. Kofi is a good man but you’re a mean man. So mean that you make my hero Kofi cry every night. Do you know how I know this? Because Kofi Kingston isn’t just my hero, Kofi Kingston is my daddy.’
He says it’s signed by the name of Kofi’s child. And Randy says he realizes that he’s staying at the same hotel as his family. He doesn’t have to write back to him, he can simply go pay him a visit right now… and then he walks away. Kofi leaves the ring and hurries back up the ramp.
Backstage, and we go right into a brawl between Kofi and Orton! They trade blows and repeatedly throw each other onto tables, until Orton nails a Draping DDT onto the floor! He calls Kofi stupid yet again as he walks off.
Backstage, we see Big E coming out of the doctor’s room. He says that Kofi will be ready to compete at Clash of Champions, but after tonight… he can’t say the same for Randy. E has a match against Orton tonight.
Now we get into King of the Ring action, and here’s one of my favorite Cruiserweight feuds revisited in prime time!
King Of The Ring Round 1 – Ali vs. Buddy Murphy
The two somewhat surprisingly meet with a respectful handslap. Quick catch-as-catch-can, headscissor takes Murphy to the outside. Ali hits the ropes for a tope attempt, but Murphy rushes into the ring and hits him with a pumping knee lift to take him down… and we got a commercial but it’s luckily still in the inset. Why do they only do this for SmackDown? Weird. Buddy gets Ali up and lays him out with a knife edge chop. Ali tries to fight into getting the advantage but Murphy cuts him off with a sleeper. Ali tries to fight out, I believe gets caught with a back suplex just before he can escape. Murphy gets him up, tries for another but Ali shifts weight and falls on top of him for a quick pin attempt! Murphy kicks out, Ali looks to get the momentum going but is immediately cutoff with an elbow before getting in a chinlock.
Ali gets to his feet, charges him into the corner once, twice… three times to finally break the hold. But Murphy grabs Ali and shoves him headfirst into the middle turnbuckle! Whips him to the opposite corner as we come back but Ali reverses. Catapult into the corner, Ali follows up with a running dropkick. Buddy’s on the floor, Ali wants another dive, Buddy tries to beat him to the punch again but Ali expects it, catches him with a kick to the face that knocks him to the floor! Now he finally gets the suicide dive! Clever stuff there. Buddy tries to charge Ali in the corner but gets a high kick. Rolls in through the ropes and springs up into Buddy, but he catches him… and then just tosses him all the way over the top rope, big show of strength! Huge tope follows and the crowd starts chanting for Buddy.
He’s very, very good y’all. In case you didn’t know. Buddy goes up top, tries for a double foot stomp… Ali avoids it, gets him with a superkick! This turns Murphy around for a reverse rana! Nearfall. Good stuff here! Ali tries to go up top, but Murphy stops him, Cheeky Nandos kick into a Liger Bomb, pin, kickout directly into a Kamigoye and then the Ishii brainbuster for a nearfall. Yes, that’s four consecutive New Japan moves and no that’s not a bad thing. Now the strong style segment starts, appropriately. Elbow trade, Murphy gets his big combo going but Ali cuts him off with a ROlling Wheel Kick that takes him to the apron! From there, somehow Ali manages a tilt-a-whirl tornado DDT! Goes up top… 450, that’s it.
Winner: Ali
Warms my heart to see my favorite 205 wrestlers go onto SmackDown and have a 205 Live match, and get over! Awesome stuff. Handshake afterwards, Buddy seems to be turning face along with the reactions here.
Backstage, Ember Moon meets up with Bayley. She admits she was beaten fair and square, though she’s still processing that loss. But when they step in that ring again, she will win. Until then, Charlotte isn’t the face of SmackDown, Bayley is. At the end of the day, the best woman won. Cue Lacey Evans, claiming the entire division needs to raise their standards. She says Charlotte was right that Bayley’s bringing the division down. But Lacey claims that she is the true face of the division, causing both Bayley and Ember to burst into laughter. Appropriate response.
Up next: The Miz vs. Sami Zayn.
Miz comes out after a replay of last week’s attack. Miz says that last week they used the forum of MizTV to take their frustrations out on him and they position themselves as kindred spirits… really? He says Shinsuke is a champion and Sami Zayn is a Stage 5 Clinger. He rides his coattails because he just can’t do it himself. He puts Nak over but says if he thinks he needs Sami’s help, he’s got a problem. And if he thinks attacking Miz will take him to the next level he’s got an even bigger problem. Miz takes credit for restoring prestige to the IC title and challenges to face Nak for the title at Clash of Champions.
Sami comes out and calls himself a liberator. He’s liberated Shinsuke Nakamura and now he’s feeling more free than he has in years. But what he finds laughable is that Miz continues to talk about the Intercontinental Champion as if it’s his. He keeps associated himself with that title but Sami makes it clear that Shinsuke Nakamura is your Intercontintental Champion, and an artist and a poet and the King of Strong Style. And he says that if anything, Miz is the King of Soft Style. Burn. Sami says it’s about time Miz had a little respect beaten into him. Miz challenges him to step into the ring and do just that.
Sami doesn’t appear to be dressed to wrestle though. He says we don’t just do things on his time to try and please the idiots. Miz then says maybe he should come out and beat some respect into him instead. He leaves the ring as Sami tries to beg him off. Chases him up the ramp, but Nakamura sneaks up from behind and attacks him. Sami narrates the beating and this is hilarious. He gets Miz against the LED board, and Kinsasha’s him right into it as Zayn’s having a laughing fit. He yells Nak’s name, to a chorus of boos.
Nak drags Miz into the ring as Sami claims Miz has no respect for atristry. He holds Miz’s head up and asks for a close-up. Nak obliges with another Kinsasha. Sami raises Nak’s hand.
Backstage, Kevin Owens confronts Elias in Shane’s office. Kevin asks what he’s doing here. Elias says he’s three matches away from winning KOTR so he’s doing what he wants. Owens asks where Shane is. Elias just says Shane isn’t here. Owens has him clarify this and then walks away.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley vs. Lacey Evans (Non-title)
Bayley gets Lacey with an armdrag, Thesz Press. Lacey gets up and gets a go-behind, but Bayley quickly escapes and gets another arm drag into an armbar. Tries to transition it into a La Magistral but Lacey mistimes and they just give up on it. Scoop slam from Lacey. Lacey gets Bayley into the corner, tries to spring up but gets taken to the apron. Knocked off, Bayley goes out and lays her out with a clothesline to a surprising pop. But then out comes Charlotte to the ramp before she can capitalize. Charlotte stares on as we go to commercial. Back from break we see Lacey rammed Bayley into the post during the commercial. In the ring Lacey gets Bayley down with a sloppy looking facebuster, before gator rolling her to the apron. Singles out an arm and weakly stomps it against the LED. Gets her in the corner, springing bronco buster for a nearfall.
Lacey rips off a headband and I guess grinds it against her face. She continues attacking the arm, hooking it in the ropes. Bayley caught in a hammerlock. Escapes through the ropes, and reverses it on her! Running dropkick to the back! And whaddya know, Bayley’s been booked pretty strong the last couple of weeks and people are starting to cheer her on again. But the comeback gets cut off and Lacey stomps the arm again. Bayley keeps trying to fight back, whipped to the corner but Bayley escapes to the apron. Slams Lacey headfirst into a top buckle, then over to another. Hooks the leg in the ropes and pummels her. Series of clotheslines gains momentum, she’s making sure to use just the good arm. Trip, into an inverted figure four! Lacey escapes, Bayley gets the hotshot stunner, looks for Bayley-to-Belly but Lacey takes her down to counter. Goes up top, spins around for a nice moonsault, gets 2!
After a replay we somehow get to the outside where Bayley suplexes Lacey off the barricade. That happened really damn fast. Double count out spot but they both make it in. Flash pinfall sequence, both kickout. Bayley lays in elbows, but gets rolled through only for Bayley to counter with a knee to the face. Bayley-to-Belly, but Lacey got her hand on the middle rope. I was gonna chastise her again for how poorly she took the move but she needed to overshoot to get to the ropes so that’s understandable atleast. Lacey gets a neckbreaker, flips into a splash attempt, Bayley gets the knees up. Another Bayley-to-Belly and she takes this one really poorly too with less excuse. Bayley thankfully goes up top to finish with a top rope elbow drop instead.
Winner: Bayley
Weirdly put together bout there, atleast in that last minute, but Bayley keeps racking up wins which is nice.Promo from Bryan and Rowan backstage. Bryan says that in spite of revealing the despicable man behind the attacks on Roman they have yet to receive an apology from Roman Reigns. Wanna note that Roman really hasn’t been too confrontational with them all things considered. Not a bad thing, just makes the complaints less warranted which is perfectly fine for a heel.
Orton out now for his match with E.
Randy Orton vs. Big E
E comes out of the gate with body blows, throws him to the outside. Big shove right into the steps! E tells Orton he’s got hell to pay, before tossing him over the announce table and Orton just vaults it to slam right into the barrier! Damn. E gets Orton up but catches a thumb to the eye. Orton tries to whip E into the barrier but E reverses and tosses him over the barricade! Pulls him back and shoves him into the ring. E locks in an Abdominal Stretch and licks the hand before laying in… spanks. Shoves him off, elbow for a 2. Orton counters and whips E into the post, and actually takes a moment to sell his backside. Whips him to the opposite corner but E bounces off into a clothesline! Knocks Orton to where his head is on the apron, E goes for a running apron splash, but Orton rolls away and he hits it hard!
On the outside, Orton gets his favored announce table back suplex and E gets up high to bounce hard off it. We go to break, but the match continues in the inset. Orton repeats the back suplex spot onto the table, likely hoping to break it but boy does he have a bad track record with that. Orton rolls in to break the count, before getting up and hitting a third one! Bouncing off that table yet again. Orton now attempts to get a 10 count. But as we come back Orton just breaks it himself and gets E up. He looks for a fourth one, but E reverses it and gives him some of his medicine, slamming him spine-first against the table! Back in the ring, stomp session from Orton ensues. Orton hits the ropes, but gets hit with an over-head belly to belly! Another belly to belly, E with the gyrations, sets up for his big running splash but the Revival up on the apron to distract! E knocks them off, Orton tries for the RKO, E escapes, Orton whips him to the ropes where the Revival clobber him, he staggers back into the RKO for the finish.
Winner: Randy Orton
That finish was a mouthful, but really well done. Brief beatdown afterwards, Shatter Machine/RKO lays E out. Orton does his usual legend killer pose whilst Revival adorably hold up three fingers.
Backstage, we get a promo from Chad Gable. I can’t believe I’m writing that but I’m not mad about it. Gable says Shelton can make all the funny little jokes he wants, but he of all people should know better than to underestimate him. At the end of the night, it’ll be Shelton looking up at him.
Benjamin walks by and says he’s looking for Chad. He calls him ‘shorty Gable’ and pretends he can’t see him. Fairly lame but hey, he’s a heel.
We get the usual strum and hear from Elias, who is seated upon the KOTR throne with the crown and scepter. Elias says once everyone sees what he’s done they will all scream, “Long live King Elias“. He mentions former KOTR winners who have all interrupted him but says he is a king you can believe in. But he gives up, saying he’s in Louisiana trying to reason with filthy swamp people. As he continues, Owens appears behind the throne. He jumps Elias, throws him into the ring… Elias catches him with stomps, throws off his jacket and tries to get his 24/7 title off, but Owens catches him with a Stunner! No ref present though so he doesn’t pin him. Sure, okay.
Elias laid out, R-Truth sneaks in to try and make the cover, but Drake Maverick grabs Truth by the ankle and pulls him from the ring. He comes in and pins him and becomes 24/7 Champion! He celebrates like crazy, tripping over the steps at one point but keeps going anyway. Back from the ensuing, Benjamin is already back in the ring for this…
King Of The Ring Round 1: Shelton Benjamin vs. Chad Gable
Of course we start with some catch-as-catch-can, Benjamin with a quick flapjack for 2. Vertical suplex. Double leg jacknife cover from Gable gets 2, Benjamin cuts off his comeback attempt with an irish whip, Gable bounces hard off the turnbuckle Bret Hart style. Benjamin mocks Gable on the ground, only to catch a slap. Gable throwing hands and uppercuts. Thrust kick to the midsection, sets up a Rolling Liger Kick basically, then a spinning neckbreaker. Avoids a charge, bounces Benjamin off the ropes for a big German Suplex! But Shelton swiftly gets back into the lead with a shoot of the leg, ankle lock, Gable escapes forcing him to the outside. Gable tries leaping off the apron at him but Shelton catches him terrifyingly upside down, only to spin with him and slam him headfirst into the barricade! Gets in the ring, Shelton wants a superplex, Gable knocks him off, looks for a moonsault, Shelton avoids it, Gable lands on his feet but catches a knee lift! Shelton tries for a powerbomb but Gable rolls through and gets a beautifully smooth sunset flip for the quick 3!
Winner: Chad Gable
Quick, but nice action there, crisp finish.
With roughly seven minutes left in the show, Reigns finally comes out to confront Bryan & Rowan. Before he can speak, Bryan and Rowan appear on the stage. Bryan says it’s very simple. Two words. Just say “I’m sorry”. Roman asks the crowd if he should apologize and they say ‘no’. He asks again for a louder ‘no’ and then a chant of ‘no’. Roman decides to check out a video that they play on the screen and says Bryan should too. We see the scaffold fall on Roman and an alternate angle shows a hooded figure with a big red beard walking across the stage. Backstage, Bryan asks Rowan what he did and he’s furious, slapping him and saying he hates liars. Bryan is furious and walks through the corridors to the arenas claiming that he’s been betrayed and he didn’t know anything. Bryan throws Rowan under the bus saying he’s lied to him and somebody has put Rowan up to it and it wasn’t him. He goes into the ring, continuing to plead his case, only for Roman to spear him.
And that’s the end of the show.
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