wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s WWE Smackdown Review 4.10.26
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Alright people, it’s Friday is it’s time for WWE Smackdown. WrestleMania is next week but boy is the blue brand’s Mania presence feeling incredibly weak. Last week Pat McAfee returned and turned heel to join Randy Orton, the idea being to get Randy some heat but since Pat mostly aired grievances a non-trivial portion of the audience agrees with it didn’t work. People are still cheering Randy, and will likely continue to do so despite Pat promising a massive surprise for tonight. WWE champion Cody Rhodes is stuck in the unenviable position of having to be a fiery babyface while defending the WWE’s current lame duck booking, price gouging, and general fan malaise. On the women’s side of things women’s champion Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley continue to poke each other but those two have turned out to have 0 chemistry so we’re just treading water until Mania. Sami Zayn retained his US title last week, leaving Carmelo Hayes out in the cold along with Ilja Dragunov despite those two breaking their backs carrying Smackdown for months on end. Sami is set for Mania against Trick Williams who has a very over chant. Allegedly Royce Keys is finally making his TV debut, he’s only been MIA since his Rumble debut. Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu are still at each other’s throats and tonight Drew promises to expose the real Fatu, whatever that means. Tiffany Stratton and women’s US champion Giulia wont be on Mania it seems, the women’s tag team scene is the same as it’s been forever, Aleister Black is still wandering around being all spooky, Tama Tonga seems to hint at standing up to Solo Sikoa but Solo still wants to put an end to their feud with the Wyatt Sicks. They’ve wasted God knows how many hours of air time on that stupid feud, they’re certainly not going to just let it die quietly. Tag team champions Damian Priest and R-Truth don’t have a real challenger yet, but the Motor City Machine Guns have started making some minor noise recently. Still no sign of the Street Profits, and Shinsuke Nakamura is stuck waiting for Tama’s betrayal to show up and help him out. No official matches have been announced, which is always a good sign. The last two weeks for Smackdown have been not good, hopefully tonight bucks that trend as WrestleMania looms ever larger on the horizon.
Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett welcome us to San Jose, California for the show. Then we get a recap of last week and Pat McAfee’s involvement in this whole thing.
After that we see WWE champion Cody Rhodes talking with Nick Aldis in the parking lot. Pat is on his way and Aldis says Cody cannot put his hands on Pat tonight. Aldis is under orders for this one. Jelly Roll shows up and asks the same questions and then Aldis tells Jelly to stay out of things tonight. Aldis heads out and Jelly says this is just about 20 years of history between Cody and Randy, and don’t get distracted because this isn’t just Cody’s story anymore.
To the ring and here’s Rhea Ripley. Ripley looks pissed after what happened on RAW, and we get a recap of that in case you missed it. Ultimately Ripley gets a mic and says Jade Cargill finally used her brain to find a weakness, but now this is personal. She wants a fight with Jade but instead here’s Iyo Sky, Iyo’s dressed to wrestle. Iyo gets a mic and knows Ripley is angry, but so is she. Jade attacked her, and she knows Ripley will handle Jade at Mania but tonight Iyo wants her pound of flesh. Ripley brings up Iyo’s diminished state and wants to be sure she really wants this. Iyo is sure and she wants Jade tonight. Aldis comes out, for some reason he gets boos, and he gives Iyo her wish for our main event.
We see various wrestlers arrive earlier, including what’s up next with Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley, and then we head to break.
Post break we get another confirmation for Jade vs. Iyo as the main event. Gotta be honest, that feels a little weak as the main event but mostly because Ripley vs. Jade is such a dud of a feud.
To the ring, here’s Bayley to a big pop since she’s in her hometown. Alexa Bliss follows, both women have their tag team partners accompanying them.
Match #1: Alexa Bliss w/ Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley w/ Lyra Valkyria
Some circling to stat then we get a tie up, Bayley then hits a shoulder block. Another shoulder block from Bayley then some sliding attacks but Bliss counters one into a crucifix for 1. Both women avoid finishers and we get a stare down. Another tie up then Bayley starts laying in elbows, Bliss avoids a corner knee then hits a drop toe hold into the ropes. Bliss mocks Lyra a bit stands on Bayley’s back before running into a clothesline. Bliss powders and Bayley follows her with a diving dropkick as we go to break. Still got a Netflix feed so I’ve got you all.
Bayley sends Bliss back into the ring and hits a suplex. Both women head out of the ring so Bayley can have fun with the crowd but Bliss fights back and sends Bayley back into the ring. Another clothesline from Bayley to retain control. Bayley goes after the back of Bliss with some knees then follows up with corner work. Some more control stuff from Bayley but Bliss fights back with an arm related takedown, kind of a reverse Divorce Court. Bliss with chops now then her own shoulder blocks and a dropkick as we rejoin the broadcast. Combination of strikes from Bliss then a low dropkick and a walk over Blockbuster for a 2 count. Back heel trip from Bliss then knees to the body but Bayley avoids a flipping senton then hits a Sunset Flip throw into the corner and gets her own 2 count. Bayley goes up top, Bliss meets her though and then yanks her into a tree of woe followed by a dropkick to the body. Now it’s Bliss who goes up top, Bayley meets her, Bliss shoves her down then tries a leaping tornado DDT but man that did not go to play. Bayley blocks Sister Abigail’s DDT and hits a Bayley to Belly suplex. They get into a hockey fight and Bliss then tries a Small Package for 2. They take turns with pin attempts then Bayley just slings Bliss into the corner. Bayley up top again and hits an elbow drop for a near fall, Bliss let that get super close and it looked great. Bliss powders, Bayley follows and chops her in front of Charlotte then does the Flair strut. Lyra and Charlotte are both over here and things get chippy until Bliss grabs a School Boy on Bayley for the surprise 3 count.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexa Bliss won in 10:07
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Some solid stuff here, Bayley and Bliss have worked together plenty but a few rough spots knock this out of 3 star territory. It was incredibly nice to not have Nia Jax or Lash Legend show up.
After that we get a recap of Sami Zayn and Trick Williams stuff from last week.
In the back Matt Cardona talks with Carmelo Hayes in the trainers room as Hayes is still favoring his knee from last week. Trick Williams and his collection of letters show up. Everyone bickers and Hayes nearly gets into things with Yachty while Cardona seems disapproving. Cardona has issues with Yachty being mouthy as a guest, Trick sticks up for his friend but Yachty offers Trick for a match tonight and Cardona accepts.
That sends us to break.
Post break we get a Drew McIntyre video. He says Jacob Fatu is a failure as a man and father. Tonight we’re close to Fatu’s hometown and he reveals he’s in a jail cell and knows Fatu spent a lot of time here. This cell is who Fatu is and always will be. A convict. Fatu is the one who’s harmed himself more than anything Drew can do, his family needed a father and provider while all Fatu gave them was a walking mugshot. Unsanctioned at Mania he’ll beat Fatu within an inch of his life, just so Fatu can screw up again and wind up right back here. The system failed Drew, and Fatu has been stealing from him ever since getting here. And at Mania he’s Fatu’s judge, jury, and executioner. I could do without hitting that same beat over and over but this was a good video from Drew.
We see Fatu was watching that, and Cathy asks about what we just saw. Fatu is live and direct in San Jose, he goes onto Drew but here’s Solo Sikoa with his Midcard Forever Team to make everything worse. Solo and Fatu trade words and Fatu says they can run this back again later if he wants. Solo brings up Fatu losing teeth and how we still don’t know what happened, then he says Tama might do something about it. Fatu questions that but Tama is willing to step to Fatu tonight. Everyone else leaves but Tama looks less than thrilled with this development.
Next a Royce Keys hype video. It’s pretty generic stuff but it’s well delivered overall and goes over a bit of his background and motivation to love wrestling. His Smackdown debut will be up after this break.
Post break we get confirmation of Cardona vs. Trick and Fatu vs. Tama.
Back to the ring, Berto is here to get squashed by Keys. The former Powerhouse Hobbs then heads to the ring, decent reception for him overall.
Match #2: Royce Keys vs. Berto w/ Angel
Keys stares down Berto then Berto runs into a standing avalanche. Keys hauls Berto up into a spinning powerslam. Corner work from Keys and Berto powders. Keys follows but Angel distracts him so Berto can shove Keys into the ring post. Back in the ring Berto up top and hits a lovely missile dropkick. Some corner work from Berto including a 10 punch attempt but Keys counters then catches a leaping Berto for a Fall Away slam. Running powerslam from Keys then a corner avalanche. Keys drapes Berto up top, clotheslines a charging Angel, then kills Berto with a sick spinebuster to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Royce Keys won in 2:50
Rating: Kuri krui squash
Thoughts: Pretty much exactly what it needed to be, Keys isn’t quite going to do the Oba Femi raw squash thing but this was still a good overall introduction for him.
Outside in a truck here’s Pat McAfee. Pat talks as he walks and finds Aldis. Aldis says no one from WWE will touch him tonight. Pat is a glorious douchebag and walks in to find Jelly Roll. Jelly asks if Pat told Randy to RKO him, Pat says Jelly shouldn’t have been out there. Jelly asks why Pat is here at all, and Pat says this is bigger than Jelly can imagine, those two get face to face and Jelly threatens him but Aldis comes over and Jelly reminds us he doesn’t work here so he’s not bound by the same rules. Pat keeps walking and talking, he’ll address us all after this break. I cannot stress enough how little I want Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll in the main event scene.
Post break Cathy talks with Keys in the back, Keys puts over the moment of making his Smackdown debut in the Bay area. Solo Sikoa waddles over to make everything worse. Solo says he runs things around here so if Keys needs anything he should come to him. What a terrible idea this pairing is.
Back to the ring, here’s Pat McAfee. Hey he’s getting heat this time at least and flips off the crowd as he walks to the ring. Pat gets a mic and calls San Jose a shithole. There’s an art to cheap heat and he at least gets a bit of that. He says it’s crazy to boo him because he’s the hero of this entire thing. You cheer for spineless bums like CM Punk. He brings up being called MAGAfee, and he says that to an adult with a brain you can’t take Punk seriously. Punk talked a lot about a lot of people more important, more famous, and in better shape than him. All Punk was wearing was WWE licensed merch to bitch about the WWE and TKO merch check. The TKO check doesn’t go to needy wrestling families who can’t afford Mania, it goes to Punk’s “I’m sorry Saudi Arabia” account. Punk’s a fraud, like every politician. A man who had the chance to change things but who just rolls over like a bitch when told to. Pat, on the other hand, is a man of action and agent of change. Everything Punk claims to be Pat actually is. Pat agreed about ticket prices, especially for a bag of bones like Punk main eventing. So now Pat is the hero for the people, you scumbags. Even though the fans don’t deserve it Pat is helping them out. He called Ram trucks, official sponsor of Mania, to see if they’d help the fans and Ram will be picking up 25% of the bill to Mania Saturday from now until RAW. Well that doesn’t speak well to how tickets are moving but costing fans less is always good. Now as for Mania Sunday, it’s ass and you shouldn’t spend money on it but Saturday features a once in a century talent like Randy Orton winning his 15th world title. Local sports references follow so Pat can mock their failures. In Las Vegas Randy will pummel the puppet current champion, and that does bring out WWE champion Cody Rhodes. Cody, suited and booted, walks to the ring to his most universally positive reaction in several weeks. Pat mockingly sings along with the song as Cody gets his own mic. Cody says Pat doesn’t belong here. Now Cody knows he can’t touch Pat, but Pat should get his replica title and Cody says Pat can then live out his dream then go back to whoever sent him and say “thank you daddy”. There’s an old term in wrestling, “play wrestler” which Cody only really understood after last week while Pat did catchphrases and Cody brings up how the Attitude Era was 30 years ago and Randy debuted after it was done. Cody brings up how Pat just layered in buzzwords all week trying to make the business great, and Cody says there’s no marks just customers. When you grew up because of the customers, when your families life work is because of them they’re not just customers they’re family to Cody. Now Pat does have a gift, for the centuries of professional wrestling no one has agreed on anything except the following. All the fans agree that they want to see Randy Orton and do not wan to see Pat McAfee. So go home Pat. Cody drops his mic and leaves as the crowd predictably takes up the chant. Pat says he is home dipshits, he was born to be a wrestler while Cody was born into it with a silver spoon. Cody gets back in the ring, and Pat says he just sees the fakest dude on earth, spray tan, bleach hair, fake teeth, and an overpriced suit he only has because Ric Flair said he should wear it. Cody is fake, and Pat will rid the business of him. Oh and Pat has a message, if Randy doesn’t leave Mania as champion then we’ll never see or hear from Pat ever again. Cody picks his mic back up and waits for another “go home Pat” chant to build fall before asking Pat to take his shades off, or is he too high to remember standing on that table “yeeting” his brains out. Well if Pat’s tired then maybe we should get Gunther out here to put him to sleep once and for all. Cody does leave now, Pat talks to him and says Cody’s been an elite runaway artist, and asks if he’s going to politic with Triple He more. Cody takes off his jacket, vest, and tie, then heads back down. Before he can get there we see Randy Orton on the tron. Randy thinks Cody might forget something, and we see Randy is over a fallen Jelly Roll. Well Randy is going to bring his boy out to him. Randy does drag Jelly from gorilla to the stage and Cody stalks up and Randy scoots to the back. Pat sneaks up behind Cody, Cody backs him off then Randy runs back down to attack Cody. Randy with uppercuts to Cody then they head into the ring. Jelly staggers up and moves to the ring while Randy and Pat stomp on Cody. Pat invites Jelly in, Jelly goozles Pat but Randy then attacks Jelly to save Pat. Cody avoids a Pat kick and unloads on Randy with strikes. Pat then attacks Cody from behind which lines up Randy for the draping DDT. You can still hear the “RKO” chants, they’re not as loud but still definitely there. Randy gets the belt and blasts Cody with it then poses over the downed Cody, and Pat actually leaves with the WWE title belt. That scene sends us to break.
We come back to a recap of what happened, in case you missed the last 30 minutes of the broadcast. In the back Pat and Randy walk with Pat holding the belt, and they talk about Mania season only starting once the focus came to Randy. Both men get in the truck and Pat drives off with the belt in his possession after telling the marks they’re welcome. I can’t wait for next week when Pat has the belt in a briefcase.
Next a RAW recap, because of course we need that after nearly 40 minutes between wrestling matches. This one is just the cliff notes from Punk’s promo on Roman.
Back to the ring, here’s Jacob Fatu and he’ll take on Tama Tonga after this break.
In the back Miz and Kit Wilson talk with Aldis, Miz isn’t happy with the match last week and Aldis says the man was cursed and there’s nothing to be done about that. Miz still disbelieves in curses, Wilson wants consequences for the ref. Aldis then puts Wilson in a match with Danhausen, unless they’re worried about the curse. Miz again says there’s no curse.
Back to the ring, here comes Tama Tonga who doesn’t get to use his own music again and instead comes out to Solo’s as the whole squad is here to stand on the stage but Tama comes down alone.
Match #3: Jacob Fatu vs. Tama Tonga
44 minutes between matches, good grief. Commentary starts putting over Tama as a good guy, telegraphing their plans for him. They tie up and we get a clean break out of the corner by Fatu. Tama grabs a side headlock then runs into a shoulder block and neither man moves. Fatu lands a right hand but Tama avoids a corner attack and lays in some strikes. Fatu comes out of the corner with a back elbow then unloads strikes on Tama including a headbutt. Handspring standing moonsault from Fatu and Tama powders then Fatu follows with a suicide dive that launches Tama over the announce table and sends us to break.
Fatu rams Tama into the barricade and we get some ringside brawling before Tama launches Fatu into the ring steps. Tama leaps off the ring steps and hits a clothesline. They head back into the ring and Tama lands a sliding clothesline. Some leg work from Tama now then a chin lock. Well at least it’s not a nerve hold. Fatu fights up and they’re trading blows as we rejoin the broadcast. Boot from Fatu, Tama with elbows then a kick but Fatu powers up and unloads on Tama with a clothesline and senton then a corner avalanche. 10 headbutt spot from Fatu then a hip attack. Tama fights back with a running kick then an attempted Angels Wings that was a little more like a Pedigree but it’s still just a 2 count. A little trash talk from Tama then Fatu with the pop up Samoan Drop but Tama counters into a Whirling Dervish for a 2 count. Tama lines up a Cutthroat but Fatu with a superkick then pop up Samoan Drop and Mighty Moonsault to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jacob Fatu won in 8:07
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: A little slow, Tama’s control stuff remain uninspired, but Fatu needed a win and good performance which he got. This should continue to sow discord between Tama and Solo if nothing else, though again no one really seems to care about the drama in the Solo Squad.
Fatu gets a mic post match but Drew McIntyre jumps him from behind. So we get some brawling, Fatu lands a superkick but then runs into a Claymore. Drew throws Fatu out of the ring and then runs him into the ring steps. Next Drew gets a chair and lays into Fatu with it, then hits a Future Shock DDT on the floor. Some handcuffs from Drew now, very long ones at that, and he cuffs Fatu’s left arm then rams him into the ring post before cuffing Fatu’s other hand and hooking the chain over the ring post. A little blood is coming from Fatu, he falls off the apron and the cuffs break because they’re cheap. Drew rolls with it and tries to cuff him up again, this time it seems to stick. Some trash talk from Drew then Fatu headbutts him because the Samoan Werewolf doesn’t go down. Drew with a boot and the cuffs break again, this would be nice if not for that comedy aspect of it. Drew cuffs Fatu’s hands again and sends him into the ring to deliver one more Claymore. Officials try to get involved but Drew shoves them away then whips Fatu with his belt for a bit. That sends us to break.
We come back to a recap of Drew’s attack on Fatu, in case you missed it.
In the back R-Truth shills for ESPN’s various apps and platforms. We can’t see who he’s talking to, then the camera pans over to reveal Danhausen. Danhausen is excited for Mania and he’ll become Miz’s apprentice after beating Wilson tonight. Damian Priest walks over and isn’t sure he wants to be here and Truth denies confusing Danhasuen with Asuka and comedy ensues. Danhausen disappears and then we hear a commotion as Ripley has beat the crap out of B-Fab off camera. She says there’s just one to go.
Back to the ring here’s US champion Sami Zayn for I assume promo time. Sami gets a mic, he’s getting booed a bit, then acknowledges the mixed reaction. So it’s about time to nip this in the bud and talk about this, he can hear what’s going on and feels the winds of change. All everyone talks about is change these days, even his friends like Cody and Randy advised him to change a bit. But out here, by the sound of it, the people want to see change as well. Sami has built his career around giving people something more than a t-shirt, phrase, or viral moment, he’s tried to give us himself. He wants to give us something real, and he knows people will boo but there’s people here that still care that he gives them something real. Those are the fans he cares about, the kids he meets who believe in him, or people who found inspiration in him, or the fans in California who’ve had his back since day one. He’s still getting booed. Anyway Sami still loves us and wont betray us, and wont change until he’s dead in the ground. As for the ones booing him, he doesn’t even know what he did to deserve that. But that’s OK, because he doesn’t care. His real fans will always have his back, he knows there are ride or die Sami fans out there, and knowing they’ll always have his back then all the negativity evaporated. In 9 days he enters Mania as champion and will exit it as champ. That brings out Trick Williams. Trick and his stupid side kick, who drops a mic audibly, walk and talk to the ring. Yachty eggs on the crowd’s chant. Trick thinks the people are tired of hearing Sami talk, that gets a big pop. All Sami does is whine and cry, has bad breath and chokes in the big spots. The idea of Trick having his first Mania match with Sami makes him want to wash his hands. He knows Sami hates Trick, Sami couldn’t handle the sauce and flavor of Trick. Trick didn’t need 20 years to get to this spot, and he knows favor isn’t fair but whether you like it or hate it he’s going to beat Sami’s ass at Mania. Everyone loves Trick Williams. Sami disagrees, the people don’t love Trick. Love takes time to build, they might like Trick, maybe even be a little infatuated and for good reason. But here’s the thing, you can make jokes at his expense but at Mania Trick has wrestle a main eventer and Sami will drown him in deep waters. Trick hasn’t shown anything, and at Mania we’ll find out real quick if Trick is just talk. Yachty says the trappings don’t make Trick, Trick makes Trick and Trick will become US champion. Out comes Matt Cardona for our next match and we head to break.
Match #4: Trick Williams w/ Lil Yachty vs. Matt Cardona
Match starts during the break, Trick with a side headlock takeover and starts working the hold. Shoulder block from Trick then another headlock. Sami is sitting by commentary. Cardona grabs his own side headlock then shoulders down Trick a few times and Trick takes a second to recalibrate. Full on powder from Trick now. Trick eventually gets back in the ring, we get another tie up and they jockey for position as we come back. Clean break and then Trick grabs another headlock. Cardona gets free then corners Trick but Trick avoids the punches for a bit before Cardona finally clocks him with an elbow. Trick fights back with a knee then a scoop slam. Some corner work from Trick then Cardona fights back with elbows only for Trick to drop him and Yachty gets some cheap shots in. Some rope running the Cardona lands a leaping clothesline. No real pop for Cardona. Second rope dropkick from Cardona sends Trick out of the ring then he follows with a diving baseball slide. Back in the ring Cardona knees Trick then goes for a 10 punch but Trick slips free and yanks him down as we head to break.
Trick retains control then grabs a chin lock. Some control from Trick in the ropes then a corner chop. More cheap work from Yachty then Trick hits a suplex before grabbing another chin lock. Trick with some mounted strikes as we rejoin the broadcast. Jawbreaker from Cardona then a back suplex as a counter to a side kick. Cardona with a boot out of the corner then Trick clubs him down with a right hand. Facebuster from Cardona then some corner elbows. Broski Boot from Cardona then he hits the Unprettier for a near fall. Trick counters a Rough Rider with a Stun Gun followed by a back hand and slam for a 2 count. Trick misses a corner splash but then tosses Cardona over the top to the floor. On the floor Trick lands a clothesline then trash talks with Sami for a bit. Trick allegedly shoves Sami, almost no contact was made though. Trick and Cardona are back in the ring, Trick keeps talking as Sami talks back from the apron. Yachty then yanks Sami off the apron, so Sami counters with a Helluva Kick against the barricade. Trick is shocked and gets rolled up for 2 but does hit a Trick Shot to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Trick Williams won in 13:21
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: This was a bit too long, Trick’s control work is spotty and repetitive and this would have been better at 9 minutes instead of north of 13.
Post match Trick tends to Yachty as we then get another RAW recap, this time around Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi.
After that here comes Danhausen for his in ring debut, which will be up after this break.
We come back to Danhausen i the ring, and here comes Kit Wilson along with Miz.
Match #5: Danhausen vs. Kit Wilson w/ Miz
Danhausen and Wilson go face to face, Wilson shoves him but Danhausen then lands a dropkick and Northern Light’s Suplex for a 2 count. Kick from Wilson then some elbows, Danhausen hits the ropes then slides out and poses with Miz to his chagrin, then Wilson with the flying uppercut to drop Danhausen. Back in the ring Wilson with some corner uppercuts for a 2 count. Wilson says Danhausen isn’t real, so Danhausen with a jawbreaker then Wilson with a slow motion Jawbreaker Lariat for a 2 count. Next Wilson goes up top but Danhausen sits up and curses Wilson, pyro goes off behind Wilson on the ring post and Danhausen laughs at that. Eye poke to Miz on the apron then the You Are Cursed boot for the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Danhausen won in 3:00
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: More or less what it needed to be, Danhausen is a fun character but he needs to actually wrestle sparingly like this. Wilson isn’t really hurt by this loss and overall Danhausen continues to be pretty fun overall.
Post match Miz looks for a Skull Crushing Finale but the lights go out and Danhausen escapes.
In the back Jade walks and looks for her goons, she finds a much abused Michin around a broken kendo stick. Ripley’s work to be sure, and we head to break.
Post break we get confirmation of the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal next week, plus an 8 man street fight with the Wyatts and Solos goons. Fine, end that stupidity finally.
Next commentary runs down the full WrestleMania card.
In the back Iyo warms up and Ripley comes over to tell her she took out Michin and B-Fab to make sure Iyo had a fair fight. Iyo asks Ripley to stay in the back for the match though, and Ripley agrees but wants Iyo to leave a little something of Jade for her at Mania. Iyo then heads to the ring and we head to break.
Post break here comes Jade Cargill.
Match #6: Jade Cargill vs. Iyo Sky
Iyo hits the ropes and lands a dropkick then fires punches and grabs a side headlock. Jade blocks a takeover and tosses Iyo away but misses a corner attack. Elbow from Iyo but she runs into a shoulder block. Almost no heat for Jade. Scoop slam from Jade then the Jericho pin for 1. Iyo with some misdirection then gymnastics and a kick then her pop up dropkick. Jade powders, Iyo lines up a dive but Jade intercepts with a right hand. On the floor Jade hoists Iyo onto her shoulders then drops her onto the apron, no heat again as we go to break.
Jade throws Iyo into the barricade, Iyo is bumping her ass off but no heat for Jade still. Back in the ring a taunt from Jade finally gets a bit of a reaction. Iyo tries to fight back with strikes but Jade cuts her off with a back elbow. Some corner work from Jade then a suplex. Jade with some pushups, Iyo tries to fight back but Jade has more firepower right now. Corner boot from Iyo then she jumps but Jade catches her, then Iyo sort of counters a Catatonic with either a Flatliner or DDT, couldn’t really tell, and both women are down as we rejoin the broadcast. Striking flurry from Iyo then she slips to the apron and yanks Jade’s arm over the ropes. Iyo up top, dropkick and the crowd actually woke up a bit finally. Bullet Train attempt from Iyo after she rallied the crowd, it connects then Iyo wants Over The Moonsault, but Jade attacks her on the ropes. Jade with a Military Press to Iyo, Iyo counters into a Sleeper hold. Jade fights up and very slowly rams Iyo into the corner then snapmare’s her way free. Iyo avoids a pump kick and rolls up Jade for 2. Jade avoids a buzzsaw kick and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for a 2 count. Some trash talk from Jade then Iyo rolls through a chokeslam and hits a double stomp. Jade rolls out of the ring, Iyo follows and hits an Asai Moonsault. Back in the ring, but Jade rolls out of the ring again, Iyo follows and hits a palm strike but Jade then drops Iyo onto the ring steps. Back in the ring again Jade with a pump kick then a yell for heat which doesn’t really work. Jaded connects and we’re done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jade Cargill won in 9:10
Rating: 2 stars
Thoughts: Pretty heatless, Jade’s control stuff is still awkward and the outcome was never in doubt. If even Iyo Sky can only get the crowd this interested in Jade then they’ve got a serious problem.
Post match Jade grabs a chair but that summons Ripley to stare her down. The two women circle, do they no know how over time we are? Jade just exits the ring then sits in her chair as Ripley checks on Iyo and the episode ends.
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