I’m Jordan Huie of the Overtimer as always, and we’ve got another night of recap-action known only as recaption here. WWE SmackDown Live! Watch this space!
Erick Rowan opens the show, coming out alone once more. Huh. They seem to be using different cameras now, the framerate has changed. Reminds me a bit of Lucha Underground’s filming. Rowan claims that what they’ve seen from him is a work of art. He demands respect, says people like to belittle him and make up names for him. He says Daniel Bryan and the whole SmackDown locker room knows he’s right and that’s why they fear him.
Daniel Bryan interrupts. He says if Rowan wants respect, he can fight him right now. Rowan throws away his jacket, ref in the ring, big chant of “Yes!”… here we go!
Erick Rowan vs. Daniel Bryan
Rowan with a big biel to open, clothesline follows. Hits the ropes, elbow drop, hits again for a running splash. Tosses Bryan to the floor! Runs around ringside, huge crossbody! Poses to a chorus of jeers! Tosses him into a ringpost. Throws him into the ring as a chant of ‘Daniel Bryan’ begins. Starts his neck crank. I’d probably need to see this in HD for the full effect but it’s definitely interesting seeing the show filmed this way, when it’s looked one way forever. Bryan tries to start up his comeback with leg kicks, hits the ropes but gets caught with a spinning heel kick! Commercial break.
We come back to see Rowan take Bryan down with a forearm on the floor. Hoists him up, powerbombs him into the post! Bryan breaks the count but gets body blocked into the corner. Bryan meets an Idiot Charge with a low dropkick to the shins. Chop block follows as Daniel tries to chop the tree down. Second one gets Rowan to the mat! Pulls him out, slams a leg into the post once, twice. Gets up on the apron, running dropkick to that same leg against the post! And a third slam. Rowan is in the corner, running dropkick sequence begins! Bryan hits two, but on the third, Rowan catches him, hoists him up into a unique powerslam, kind of like a modified jackhammer, gets 2. Bear hug ensues. Bryan fights out, but eats a boot to the gut leading to a powerbomb, nearfall!
Abrupt commercial but the match continues in the inset. Rowan works Bryan in a heat segment, goes up to the middle rope just to mock the Yes chants. People seem to be getting into a frenzy over it though obviously I can’t hear, can only look at them… close-ups in particular are striking now. Short-arm clothesline keeps Bryan down. Rowan goes for a powerbomb, Bryan with a sunset flip counter, immediate kickout, Bryan to the ropes, lets Rowan fall to the floor, Bryan goes for a suicide dive, Rowan catches him but Bryan escapes behind him and shoves him into the ringpost! Back in the ring, missile dropkick to the back of Rowan! Bryan kips up as the crowd is getting into it. Roundhouse kicks to the chest, and he actually gets the headkick this time but Rowan kicks out at 1!
Bryan goes up, Rowan catches him out of the air and tries for the Clawslam but Bryan gets the guillotine! Transitions to the mat into the LaBell Lock! Rowan struggles but gets to the ropes… and Bryan notices Luke Harper at ringside! Baseball slide and suicide dive takes him down for a split second, but Harper hops right up and goes to the announce table! Rowan grabs Bryan by the head up to the apron, Iron Claw Slam hits and in a crazy accident, Bryan’s leg gets caught up in the top rope even though he hits the canvas! Rowan has to remove the leg from the ropes, drags him to the center for a second Iron Claw and that is it.
Winner: Erick Rowan
Afterwards Harper and Rowan setup the announce table, but out comes Roman Reigns! He gets a driveby in on Harper but Rowan clips him off. The two continue dressing down the broadcast table. Bryan fights to his feet, but Harper tosses him into the ring; Bryan ducks a Discus Clothesline and gets the Buisaku Knee! But Rowan in the ring, wants another Iron Claw – only for Roman to cut him off with a Spear! Roman tends to Bryan. Offers to help him up… but Bryan slaps his hand away. Gets up on his own power and demands a mic.
Bryan says all he wants is a one word answer. Do you want to see him and Roman kick their disrespected asses? Huge “Yes” chant follows, Bryan’s music hits.
Nice first half hour of the show there, this angle seems to have heated up a fair bit. Good match too, there’s no ignoring that Rowan’s gotten a lot better. Of course anybody should be able to have good matches with Daniel Bryan of all people, but he was in there a good while and seemed just fine.
We have a sit-down interview with Kofi Kingston and Michael Cole. Kofi is asked why on Earth he would accept this challenge. The answer is really simple; when he became WWE Champion he made a promise to be a fighting champion and this is just another chapter. He admits you can’t really prepare for Lesnar, but he’s beaten superstars like Samoa Joe, Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Kevin Owens… some of the best in WWE. He feels at the top of his game. Cole brings up the fact that this match takes place on SmackDown’s premiere on Fox and asks if he feels pressure. Kofi says there’s always pressure, but this is a huge opportunity for him. He says everyone thinks Lesnar’s just gonna come in and have his way, but he’s not ready to give up the title just yet. He proclaims he will defeat Lesnar and remain WWE Champion, he seems confident.
Chad Gable out now with a mic. He says Corbin’s made a lot of short jokes, but his run in the King Of The Tournament was not a joke. He mentions Corbin taking the low road and getting himself DQ’d on Raw, but suddenly Mike Kanellis comes out to cut him off. Mike apologizes for cutting him ‘short’ but he came here to prove to his pregnant wife that size does matter!
Chad Gable vs. Mike Kanellis
Gable with the immediate overhead belly-to-belly. Aaaaand Chaos Theory… aaaaaaand ankle lock.
Winner: Chad Gable
Yep.
As Gable celebrates, Elias pops up on screen. He calls Gable shorty and says his story has inspired him to write a little song. Chad Gable the underdog has everyone inspired, if it were up to me little people would be fired. If he won the tournament, how would people feel about a king that can’t see over the steering wheel? He finishes with, “Randy Newman said it best, short people got no reason to live.” That last one got some heat, and Gable looks agitated.
Backstage Charlotte asks R-Truth where Carmella is and Truth pretends to not know who she’s talking about. Mella eventually comes out and Charlotte congratulates her for winning the 24/7 title but she hopes she’s focused on their match tonight. The two will team up against Bayley and Sasha Banks next.
Charlotte & Carmella vs. Sasha Banks & Bayley
Banks gets Carmella quick on the bell, but Charlotte evades a charge in the corner for a moonwalk. Gets her little corner move where she slams Sasha’s head into her foot, wish they would name new moves. Right hand from Banks, Carmella thrown to the floor. Tag to Bayley. Bayley throws hands and slams Carmella into the announce table. Tosses her into the ring and tries for the pin, quick kick-out. Bayley yells, “I’ve changed?!” as she pounds on her. Tag to Sasha, double-team toss into the corner. Sasha hits both ropes, then goes in for the troll headlock. We aren’t in front of a PWG audience so it doesn’t work at all but points for trying.
Carmella tries to fight up, slam to the mat, tag to Bayley. Carmella tries to fight out and tag, Bayley pulls her in for a slam, Carmella escapes behind her and gets a hair-whip. Tag to Charlotte, who nails Banks and goes to chop the hell out of Bayley. Ducks a spinning elbow for a back suplex. Exploder, kip-up. Backbreaker, big boot. Locks in the figure four but Sasha comes in with a meteora to Charlotte’s face to break the hold! Drags Bayley to the corner to tag herself in, piggybacks Charlotte but eats the stunner, tag to Carmella who comes in for a superkick, and then another for the pin but Bayley breaks up. Couple of superkicks takes Bayley to the floor (It’s almost like there’s only one move she can do) but then Sasha gets her with the Bank Statement. Mella taps.
Winner: Sasha Banks & Bayley
Kinda had to figure Carmella was largely just here to get beaten. Afterwards the female 24/7 squad runs out to go after Carmella who R-Truth fireman’s carries out of the arena… but this leaves Charlotte alone. Sasha and Bayley jump her and she eats a Backstabber. However out comes Becky Lynch! Both girls eat Bexploders, Becky wants the Dis-arm-her on Sasha but Bayley pulls her out of the hold and out of the ring, as the two powder.
Ali vs. Shinsuke Nakamure (Non-title)
Sami with a boisterous introduction of Shinsuke as always. Nak’s IC title has never looked more feverishly polished. Ali ducks a clothesline, dropkick takesNak to the floor. Ali with a crazy daredevil warhead suicide dive! Damn near lands on his head but he went right through Nak first. Takes Nakamura into the ring, solid crossbody hits for 2. Ali on the apron, Sami nearly clips him and barely avoids a kick, Nakamura grabs Ali and throws him into the post and of course Ali takes it as hard as he possibly can. Sami berates him on the floor as we go to commercial. In the inset, Nak gets his kneedrop on the apron and takes him for a pin, Ali kicks out.
Heat segment ensues as Shinsuke wears him down with an inverted chinlock. Ali tries to fight out with body shots, Nakamura gets a snapmare and a kneedrop for 2. Sharp kicks to the chest, knees to the side. Ali catches a kick right as we come back, spins him around and nails the dragon whip! Ali avoids an idiot charge, WWE Headkick knocks Nak back, Ali rolls in for his X-Factor! Running double knees in the corner, hoists Nakamura to the top rope, goes up, gets flipped off the rope, lands on his feet on the canvas, Nakamura jumps at him but Ali gets him with a dropkick out of the air for 2! Nakamura avoids a charge, hangs Ali up in the ropes, roundhouse kick to the back of the head, running German Suplex to take him off the ropes! Sets up for the Kinsasha… but Ali cuts off the charge with a superkick for a nearfall!
Nakamura gets his running knee as Ali is hung up top, Ali fights back, flying Tornado DDT! Goes up top… but Sami drags Nakamura out of the ring! Crowd boos… Ali hits the ropes and flips over the referee for a wild tope that sees him roll to his feet on the ramp! Sami distracts, Ali chases him into the ring where he gets caught with the Kinsasha.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Fun match. Ali should, really probably be the IC Champ by now, I don’t really know why they stopped and started with this feud in the summer.
Daniel Bryan & Roman Reigns vs. Erick Rowan & Luke Harper happening at HIAC, made official. New Day out now.
The New Day vs. The B-Team
Axel with a kick and does the Floss. Xavier slides between his legs, thrust kick to the gut. Gets distracted by Bo and Axel attacks him from behind. Isolation in the corner with stomps, Bo with a snapmare, Axel gets Woods into a headlock. Somehow I didn’t expect the B-Team to get heat on the New Day, I guess I should’ve known better. Tag to Bo who takes out E on the apron, clothesline to Xavier in the corner, tosses him into a DDT from Axel, Bo covers for a 2 count. B Team go outside and Bo demands a “B TRAIN” and the two start running around the ring with the classic Bo thumbs up. E pursues, grabs Axel and throws him over the barricade! Chase into the ring where Xavier clips Bo, tag to E, Midnight Hour and that’s that.
Winner: The New Day
After the match, E and Woods celebrate at ringside with one of the 49’ers.
Fire & Desire are backstage, Mandy hands out magazines as Sonia demands she focus on their match coming up. Otis Dozovich asks them for a selfie and settles for one of the magazines. The October issue of Maxim Australia has Mandy Rose on the cover. Also turns out the Kabuki Warriors are still a thing.
The Kabuki Warriors vs. Fire & Desire
Asuka and Sonia brawl to open up. Asuka catches a kick, gets a combo of spin kicks in. Sonia reverses a whip and gets a leg kick, side headlock. Asuka with the whip, Sonia with the shoulder block, Asuka bounces off and hits one of her own. Tag to Kairi, double team arm drag. Double running kicks from either side of Sonia. Sonia ducks a spinning back fist from Kairi and nails her with a right hand. Takes her to the outside. Mandy rubs her magazine in Kairi’s face. Kairi looks at it through a periscope, then kicks it out of her hands. In the ring, headscissors gets Mandy down. Kairi stomps over to the opposing corner, Sliding D. Sonia gets her from behind with a hair trip from the apron, Mandy covers for 2. Kairi kicks Mandy away, tag to Asuka who comes in and is a house of fire, big hip attack in the corner into a bulldog. PK, cover, Sonia breaks it up. Sonia eats a running dropkick from Kairi, Asuka kicks out of a roll-up, roundhouse kick, tag to Kairi. Asuka with a running codebreaker, Kairi off the top with the InSane Elbow, for the win.
Winners: The Kabuki Warriors
Not a bad match but Asuka becomes more and more of just another WWE style worker with every rep. After seeing her in NXT it’s always gonna be a little hard to see her like this, even if she does get pushed.
Tag match pitting Bayley & Banks against Lynch & Charlotte announced for next week. That’d be a fine TV draw if they hadn’t already done it randomly on a Raw a couple weeks back. Should be good again though.
Shane McMahon is out with his attorneys and he invites Kevin Owens out, who comes out from the crowd. Shane says they’ve got some options for him. Option 1 is he keeps Owens unemployed for years and gives him appeal after appeal after appeal. Option 2 is that Owens drops the lawsuit, Shane will reinstate him on the spot and drop the $100,000 fine. To him, it’s clear what the smart option is, and offers to start with a clean slate. He offers him a handshake, the crowd chants “no”. Kevin calls Shane a real idiot to a big pop. He says Shane doesn’t get it. The lawsuit stuff actually makes him sick, and the only thing that makes him sicker is the thought of Shane back with their locker room because he doesn’t belong there. Pop. And that’s what the lawsuit has always been about, it’s not about money, it’s about getting under his skin, it’s about gaining leverage and it’s about seeing Shane’s ass get fired. He asks that they settle things the best way he knows how – the two of them in one final match. If Shane wins, Owens is fired for good but if Kevin wins, Shane is gone from WWE.
And he wants a very particular match… the situation has been hanging over his head for so long and for years they’ve heard about the family climbing the corporate ladder. So he challenges him to a ladder match! They already did a Cell match between the two a few years back so, makes sense.
Interviewer Girl #2 has Becky asking what is Sasha without a steel chair when Sasha comes up form behind and jumps her. Backstage brawl ensues. Becky gets grinded against a chain-link fence. Sasha gets pulled off Becky, but slams the fence into her legs anyway and storms off. Becky is left laying as we go off the air.
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