Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 7.07.16

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown 7.07.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Seth Rollins defeated Jey Uso @ 9:35 via pin [**¾]
– Zack Ryder defeated Sheamus @ 2:25 via pin [NR]
– AJ Styles defeated Enzo Amore @ 6:04 via pin [**]
– Non-Title Match: IC Champion The Miz defeated Kalisto @ 7:42 via pin [**¾]
– Sami Zayn defeated Chris Jericho @ 12:37 via pin [***]

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– The show opens with the Club talking backstage, and then Chris Jericho applying hairspray and yelling at a stagehand about his missing scarf. Zayn cuts a quick promo on Jericho, hyping their match; Seth Rollins then arrives and starts some shit with Jey Uso. I like that they have been using videos like this (last week they did this as well) to start Smackdown in a different way from Raw. Hopefully more of this comes when they do the big split.

– Dean Ambrose makes his way to the ring; he praises JoJo but says he has always wanted to try the ring announcing gig. He of course took time to mock Rollins when he announced him. Rollins then sat at ringside.

Seth Rollins vs. Jey Uso: Mauro informs us that these two last had a singles match about three years ago. Uso tried to take control early, using his speed to work some arm drags. Rollins fought back, good back and forth. Rollins took control, but then Ambrose started to read announcements about the merchandise table, distracting Rollins and allowing Uso to get a near fall. Rollins would argue with Ambrose, allowing Uso to continue his attack and hit a high cross for a near fall. Rollins got sent to the floor, Uso hit a suicide dive and Ambrose mocked Rollins some more and sent us to a commercial break. Back from the break as they battled back and forth. Rollins sent Uso to the buckle and then to the floor to take control. Rollins then hit the knee strike off of the apron, rolled Uso back in and scored a cover for 2. Rollins worked the heat, Ambrose again interrupted by reading an announcement of a car being illegally parked, which allowed Uso to make a comeback. Uso fired away with rights and uppercuts, and then scored with a toss up Samoan drop for a near fall. Rollins fought back, missed the superkick and Uso connected with one of his own. Uso up top, but eats knees on the splash and Rollins then hit the pedigree to put him away. This was an overall nice opening match, the Ambrose stuff was kept largely to a minimum, and Rollins got the clean win as he should.

– Ambrose and Rollins teased a confrontation, leading to Rollins bailing and Ambrose promising to win at Battleground.

– They hype the reveal of Lesnar’s opponent for Summerslam.

– Zack Ryder makes his way to the ring with his revamped entrance theme.

Sheamus vs. Zack Ryder: This match plays off of Raw’s finish, where Show helped Ryder score the pin on Sheamus in the big tag match. Sheamus went on the attack right away, laying in clotheslines and strikes to Ryder. Ryder fought back and sent Sheamus to the floor, but then got slammed on the apron. Back in the ring, Ryder tried to fire up, but Sheamus it the back breaker and celebrated. To the corner, they battled up top, but Ryder sent Sheamus to the mat. ELBRO drop connects and Ryder picks up the big surprise victory! And so we start the tease of another possible Ryder push, I hope that they actually stick with it, but I doubt it.

– Post match Tom Phillips interviews Ryder, who says he needs some Advil and an ice pack; but next he looks to regain the US Title. He wants to be a champion again, and Rusev doesn’t respect the title. He officially challenges Rusev for the US Title.

– Sheamus is not pleased with the loss.

– Becky Lynch walks.

– We get a Baron Corbin video package

– Rusev is not impressed with Zack Ryder’s challenge. Rusev says challenges are easy from far away, but if Ryder is man enough, he can meet him on Raw. Rusev plans to prove that all Americans are losers.

– Becky Lynch makes her way to the ring for her match with a fresh coat of paint on the hair, and Natalya attacked during her entrance. Natalya tossed her around ringside and into the barricades. She then put her in the sharp shooter as the refs tried to get her to break the hold. Natalya eventually did break it, and stood tall. I liked that instead of doing a match prior to the PPV match that they are set to have

– We get a video package from the New Day/Wyatts angle from Raw. This also included highlights from the WWE.com interview with Woods, who is worried about the Wyatts, but will be with his brothers when they visit the Wyatts compound

Enzo and Cass Talk: Enzo did his regular deal on the way to the ring. Cass then said that what they did on Raw was not about saving John Cena; it was about stopping the Club from coming out and attacking everyone else. The Club arrived, and were upset that Enzo and Cass stopped them from their favorite activity, beating up John Cena. Since Cena isn’t here, they have decided to beat up Enzo and Cass. They then planned to go and eat, and then beat up John Cena. Cass was all for the challenge, but Styles claimed that he was coming to the ring to shut up Enzo. Enzo kept asking “are you talking to me” and AJ kept saying things like, “yes, I am pointing right at him, jeeze!” Enzo was all for the challenge, Cass called them all soft, and the match is next.

Enzo Amore vs. AJ Styles: Enzo was able to get the upper hand early, sending Styles to the floor. He then went for his wacky dive on the Club, got caught the ropes a bit and he almost died. Back in the ring, Styles took the heat, hitting a back breaker and slowing the pacing down. Enzo managed a dropkick, but Styles slammed him to the corner to maintain control. Styles is working an unusually bland and basic heat, Enzo kept trying to fire up, but would get cut off. Styles missed a corner clothesline, and Enzo got a backslide for 2. Enzo with rights, but Styles countered the tornado DDT and suplexed Enzo to the corner. Styles then set him up top, but Enzo sent Styles to the mat and then hit the DDT off the ropes and both men were down. The Club and Cass brawled on the floor, Enzo got distracted, and Styles grabbed him off the ropes and hit the clash for the win. Unfortunately a very bland match overall, not bad, just not all that interesting. Styles winning is obviously the right call, I had just hoped for a bit more from the match.

– Jericho is still searching for his scarf, and sees Kevin Owens wearing it. Owens has been considering buying one for his wife, so he tried on Jericho’s. Jericho wanted money to get it cleaned, because Owens was eating popcorn while wearing it. Owens gives him a handful of change, and a Jolly Rancher. Owens will be at ringside for Jericho’s main event match, and then Jericho calls him a stupid idiot.

JERICHO: "Stupid Idiot!"
OWENS: "I HEARD THAT!"
JERICHO: "You're SUPPOSED to!" #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/FXIt3T5zID

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 8, 2016

– We get footage from earlier today, Miz was still upset about the Raw food fight, and Miz wants to know who threw potato salad on Maryse. Miz was upset because Maryse is allergic to mayonnaise, Kalisto bowed up to Miz, and Miz accepted his challenge.

Non-Title Match: IC Champion The Miz w/Maryse vs. Kalisto: Kalisto used his speed and ran wild at the beginning, fun stuff from Kalisto that sent a frustrated Miz to the floor. Maryse stepped in front of Miz to protect him from a dive, allowing Miz to then send Kalisto to the steps as we take a commercial break. Post break, Miz was trying to ground Kalisto and did so with a back breaker, as he worked the heat. It didn’t last long as Kalisto fought back with kicks and then a tornado DDT out of the corner. Kalisto then laid in some kicks to the legs, but Miz countered a RANA into a slingshot sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Kalisto managed to land kicks again and then the spike RANA for a near fall. Miz then countered Salida del sol, Kalisto went for several roll ups and Miz then countered the back handspring and finally hit the skull-crushing finale for the win. This was another fun match, similar to the opener, with the Miz getting a nice clean win as IC Champion. Miz has had better TV matches this year, but I loved the fact that they got him a nice clean win here.

– Renee Young interviews Sasha Banks. Banks says the Boss always takes care of business, and Charlotte thinks she is all hype but she proved her wrong on Raw. Charlotte and Dana arrive, with Charlotte calling Banks a knock off, dollar store Nikki Minaj. They set up Dana vs. Banks for Raw. Charlotte mocked Banks for her “costume jewelry” and called herself the Labron James of the women’s division.

– We get our regularly scheduled video package with Darren Young and Bob Backlund.

– We go to the WWE studios, and Brock Lesnar’s Summerslam opponent is Randy Orton. Scott Stamford, Booker T and Corey Graves discuss the big match. I am not sure that booking a guy with shoulder (and reported neck issues) in a match where he will be suplexed for 15-minutes is a great call. I mean, Orton is the guy that dislocated his shoulder by 1) hitting the mat and 2) taking out his trash. This seems like a poor idea on paper, hopefully I am wrong.

IT'S OFFICIAL! #TheBeast @BrockLesnar will go one-on-one with #TheViper @RandyOrton at @WWE #SummerSlam! #SmackDown https://t.co/8bjUgryhSq

— WWE (@WWE) July 8, 2016

– Kevin Owens makes his way to the ring to do commentary for the main event.

– The Golden Truth does Sonic product placement spot.

Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho: Owens was, as he always does, killing it on commentary a she mocked Mauro, Saxton and was just extremely entertaining. Back and forth to begin, Jericho hit his springboard dropkick and sent Zayn to the floor. Jericho followed to the floor, but made the mistake of whipping Zayn to the barricade, because Zayn hit a moonsault and wiped out Jericho. They worked back into the ring, Jericho scored with the cheap shot as the ref tried to separate them, and we took a commercial break. After the break, Jericho maintained control and worked the heat on Zayn. Owens continued to chastise Mauro and Byron on commentary as Jericho hit the lionsault for a near fall. Jericho then slowed the action with the chinlock, grounded Zayn for a bit until he escaped and hit a lariat. Rapid fire rights by Zayn followed, and Jericho bailed to the floor. Zayn followed and attacked Jericho on the floor. Back in, Zayn went up top and hit a high cross for a near fall. Jericho then hit an enziguri off the second rope, and that led to a near fall for him. Zayn came back with the tornado DDT, and Jericho rolled to the floor once again and Zayn then hit the big over the top dive. Owens then threw a drink on Zayn, ran him down and that led to Zayn tossing Jericho into Owens. Back in the ring, Jericho managed to take control with forearms, he went up top and jumped into an XPLODER in the corner. The Helluva kick took out Owens off the apron, and Jericho got a roll up for a near fall. Jericho went for the walls, but Zayn scored with a roll up and took the win! This was a good main event, with Zayn getting the clean win, and some nice advancement for the Owens vs. Zayn feud.

– Post match Jericho laid out Zayn with the code breaker. Owens then laid the boots to Zayn and laid him out with the pop up powerbomb.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

This was an overall solid episode of Smackdown, with some solid to good wrestling, nothing bad and the right guys picking up some wins they needed prior to the next PPV. This was another easy to watch episode of the show.