Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.07.19

Csonka’s WWE Smackdown Review 5.07.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Ali defeated Andrade @ 5:10 via DQ [**½]
– Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: Daniel Bryan & Rowan defeated The Usos @ 12:45 via pin to become the new champions [***¼]
– Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville defeated Carmella & Ember Moon @ 2:25 via pin [NR]
– WWE Title Match: WWE Champion Kofi Kingston defeated Sami Zayn & AJ Styles @ 17:05 via pin [***½]

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AJ Styles is a Wildcard: AJ Styles arrives to kick off the show. Styles says he’s missed Smackdown, but is back tonight due to the new wildcard rule. Smackdown is still the house he built. Sami Zayn is alive and arrives. He doesn’t want to be here on his day off and runs down the Kentucky hillbillies. He knew Styles would be here and has to call him out on his toxic ego. Styles makes fin of Sami smelling like garbage from Raw. Kofi & Woods then arrive. Kofi says that they can’t have a party without the New Day. Kofi says that Styles doesn’t live in this house anymore, and wonders why he is here. Styles says he’d come here and visit like Kofi did on Raw. Woods tells him to check himself before he wrecks himself. Kofi says Styles is the champion and asks what Styles wants. Sami interrupts and says Kofi better not offer Styles a WWE Title match. The people aren’t happy for Kofi, and if anyone deserves a shot it’s Sami. Kofi also mocks him for smelling. Vince McMahon’s humor everyone. Kofi then says he defended his title last night and proved he wasn’t a fluke and is a fighting champion. He’ll defend tonight against either of them and will remain the champion. More of the same with the multi-man opening segment. It wasn’t bad but just boring really as it’s always the same stuff and smelly jokes to boot. Also, maybe ratings could improve if you actually hyped title matches in advance.

– Kevin Owens isn’t here because it’s his birthday and he hates Kentucky.

– Kofi will defend against Styles & Zayn tonight.

– Vega calls Andrade a thoroughbred and says he’ll win MITB in two-weeks.

Andrade vs. Ali: Vega is at ringside. They lock up and Andrade lays in chops, but Ali cuts him off with a superkick. They work to the floor, Vega distracts Ali and Andrade takes control. Andrade slams him to the barricade and back in, Andrade covers for 2. He grounds things and Ali then fights back with kicks and the rolling x-factor. Andrade counters back and hip tosses him to the buckles. He follows with elbow drops, and then a face buster. Andrade grounds things, Ali fires up and then gets slammed. Andrade up top and gets crotched. Ali follows him up and hits the Spanish fly. Randy Orton attacks for the DQ. Ali defeated Andrade @ 5:10 via DQ [**½] This was a solid match while it lasted with the Orton run in to help build to MITB.

– Andrade attacks and Ali joins in. Orton lays him out with an RKO and then hits Andrade with one.

– We get a Roman Reigns video package.

Shane McMahon Talks: Shane says that he’s here to address the Smackdown tag division, but first discusses Miz’s attack on Raw. Shane says this was deplorable, and disgusting. But Miz failed and he will beat him again at MITB. As for the Smackdown tag titles, they are vacant due to Jeff Hardy’s injury. So what should he do? Who is worthy? Well he knows, and the new tag champions are… Daniel Bryan & Rowan. The Usos arrive and are not fans of this decision. Shane questions why they are here, and they say that Reigns invited them to his yard anytime. They worked too hard for Shane just to hand over the titles to someone, and want a title match. Shane agrees and makes the match.

Daniel Bryan & Rowan vs. The Usos: Bryan and Jey to begin. Jey takes control and tags in Jimmy and he covers for 2. They work quick tags, and follows with double teams on Bryan, covering for 2. Bryan begs off and tags in Rowan. Jimmy follows with strikes but gets cut off. Rowan follows with a slam and splash for 2. He then lay sin strikes and head butts, and tags in Bryan for double teams; Bryan covers for 2. Bryan then grounds Jimmy, tags in Rowan and Jimmy battles back but Rowan mows him down with a running cross body. Post break and Bryan is in control. he follows with kicks, but Jimmy tags in and hits the superkick for 2. Jimmy heads up top and the splash eats knees and Bryan gets the LeBell lock. Bryan rolls him center ring but Jimmy escapes and hits the superkick for the double down. Jey & Rowan tag in and Jimmy hits superkicks and Rowan is down. Dive by Jey and Jimmy hits the top rope splash for a good near fall. Jey tags in ands they look for the double Uce, Bryan makes the save and then gets dumped. Rowan gets dumped but Rowan cuts off the dives. Knee by Bryan and back in and Rowan hits the claw slam for the win. Daniel Bryan & Rowan defeated The Usos @ 12:45 via pin to become the new champions [***¼] Not to be a conspiracy theorist, but it feels that following his recent injury, and last night’s loss to Kofi, Bryan has been downgraded to the tag ranks. I guess they needed a name with the complete lack of a viable Smackdown tag division. The match was good with a tremendously fun closing stretch.

– We get Bray’s wacky funhouse.

– Shane now announces that the winner of the MITB matches… well nothing because Miz attacks and they brawl around ringside. Shane begs off and the B Team attacks Miz to make the save. Miz fights them off and then gets laid out by a Shane chair shot. Shane stands tall. Also, that’s 5 (Styles, Zayn, Usos, Miz) and not 4 Raw wildcards on the night. It’s night two and they can’t keep shit straight.

– Bryan tells Rowan that they are the planet’s tag team champions, but that they need to fix the belts. They run into Heavy Machinery and walk away.

Carmella & Ember Moon vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville: Sonya and Carmella begin. They lockup and Carmella hits a head scissors and then a clothesline. Mandy distracts her and Sonya spears her for 2. Mandy tags in and follows with strikes, but Carmella fights her off and tags in Moon. Moon runs wild and follows with a suplex. The springboard high cross gets 2 as Sonya makes the save. Moon clears the ring and hits a suicide dive on Sonya, who saved Mandy. Mandy then hits the implant buster for the win. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville defeated Carmella & Ember Moon @ 2:25 via pin [NR] This was short and inoffensive.

– Paige arrives and announces Asuka & Sane vs. Mandy & Sonya for next week.

– Matt Hardy says Jeff had surgery and will be back and better than ever soon. Truth arrives and they talk about Lars Sullivan. Lars arrives and kicks their asses; he then powerbombs Truth through a table.

– Aleister Black cuts another cryptic promo.

WWE Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles: Styles attacks after some shit talking, but Kofi hits the dropkick for 2. The slingshot splash follows, and then a dropkick to Sami. Sami powders as Styles attacks Kofi, and he hits back breaker. He then attacks Sami, lays in chops and Sami gets a roll up for 2. Kofi then cuts off Styles and follows with shadows over hell (shades of the lizard man) for 2. Styles & Kofi trade kicks, and Kofi hits a boom drop for 2. Sami trips Kofi when Kofi tries for Trouble in Paradise. Styles with a plancha but Sami scores with a leg sweep to send Styles to the apron. Post break and Sami cuts off Styles and hits the tornado DDT for 2 as Kofi makes the save. Kofi follows with kicks on Sami, he heads up top and Sami cuts him off. The superplex follows and Sami covers for 2. Sami now follows with strikes on Styles, takes him up top but Styles slides out and takes him back up top and follows with a RANA. The ushigoroshi on Kofi follows. Styles then hits a DDT as Kofi hits SOS and all three are down. Kofi lays in rights on Styles, but Styles fires back with a PELE. Styles looks for a springboard, but Kofi cuts him off and hits trouble in paradise, sending Styles to the floor. Owens arrives and brawls with Woods, and slams him to the steps. Sami hits the blue thunder bomb on Kofi for 2. Sami hits it again and covers for 2. He hits it a third time and Kofi kicks out again. The helluva is cut off with trouble in paradise and Kofi retains. WWE Champion Kofi Kingston defeated Sami Zayn & AJ Styles @ 17:05 via pin [***½] This was an overall very good main event, with Kofi retaining and unfortunately for Sami, the right guy losing. Good work from all involved here.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 17. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka. Today, the guys will looks back on the two Wrestling Dontaku events, the return of Chris Jericho to NJPW and how Dominion is shaping up. From there, full previews of the ROH War of the Worlds events in Buffalo, Toronto, and Grand Rapids. The show is approximately 88–minutes long.

* Intro
* NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Night One Review: 2:30
* NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Night Two Review & Jericho Return Discussion: 26:50
* ROH War of the Worlds Buffalo Preview: 59:50
* ROH War of the Worlds Toronto Preview: 108:40
* ROH War of the Worlds Grand Rapids Preview: 117:40

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the
above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s episode of WWE Smackdown was a solid show, and easily better than Raw. It was far from perfect, but was an easy watch.