- Basic Chunnel
- Sep 21, 2010
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Jesus! Jesus Christ! Say his name! Jesus! Jesus! Come down now!
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”DavidFleihr1997” posted:
SMACKDOWN for Week 3 of March 2015 is being taped from the Perth Entertainment Center in Perth, Australia before a sellout crowd of 8,200.
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DARK: Paige vs. Mallory Vargas, Paige goes over with a PTO. C-
DARK: Kalisto vs. Jason Jordan, Jordan gets the pin with a CrossFire. D-
DARK: Sasha Banks vs. Manami Toyota (better late than never I guess??), Banks taps Toyota out with a Bank Statement after a solid match. D
DARK: Sami Zayn vs. El Mal Local #1, the sinister luchador falls to a Helloova Kick. C
DARK: Bayley vs. Tamina, Bayley pins the Samoan with a Belly to Bayley. C
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- After we’re introduced to the show by Joey Styles, Kevin Nash and Renee Young, John Cena’s music hits and he comes out on stage! Once the crowd has quieted he begins to speak. “I’ve had it with Cesaro, and William Regal, and their whole damned Club.” He’s agitated, pacing the stage. “I put out a challenge on Monday, man to man, to come out and face me, and what does Cesaro do? He walks out and lets his attack dogs do the work for him. Wrestlemania is just a week and half away and my opponent still wants to play games.”
“But I don’t play games. I can take a beating, hell I’ve taken more than my share over the years. The faces change but man, I don’t, and that’s why every time it’s happened I’ve come back better, and stronger. If these jackals wanted to take me out before my Wrestlemania moment, they failed, because I’m standing right here, jack. If they wanted to put the fear of failure into me, then they just don’t know John Cena. I know what failure looks like, it never leaves my mind. And you know what? That’s why I’ve never failed, even when I’ve lost. Picking myself up on the canvas is the same whether I win or don't win. Sweet or bitter, it gives me the fuel I need to get to the next fight. That’s why I always come back to become champion. That’s why I’m not afraid of Cesaro, or Tyson Kidd, or Hideo Itami, or Curtis Axel, or Triple H, or Daniel Bryan, or Randy Orton, or Batista, or Shawn Michaels, or Edge, or CM Punk. The faces change. I don’t change.”
“Next week, Cesaro, we sign our contract, and when you look into my eyes, you’ll know that nothing you do is gonna change the way this plays out. You and me, on the biggest night of your life. Don’t think you can pull out your tricks, or rest on your laurels. Belt or no belt, I am the Champ. You will come straight at me or you will fall.” Cena drops the mic, looks out at the cheering and jeering (more cheering) crowd, and walks back as his music plays. A
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- After that monologue we have none other than The Brass Ring Club (Kidd and Itami), the two and their manager looking rather severe, versus RyVaughan, known colloquially on the Australian Marknet as “the meat market” (expecting WWE creative to nick that one from us, tbh).
The BRC is as focused as ever, exacting in their technique and slippery against straightforward power offense, but Ryback is not so easily discouraged as he faces off against Kidd. Ryback powers out of an arm wrench and tosses Kidd to the corner, stunning him, before unleashing a big nasty clothesline that sends the Canadian grappler reeling. From there it’s a power display – delayed vertical suplex, a falling spinebuster – before the rattled Kidd slips out of a second suplex attempt, kicks Ryback in the back of the knee and bolts to make the tag to Itami.
If Itami’s taking the size differential into account in his strategy, he doesn’t show it, and he begins making a case for cruiserweights against the still-slowed Ryback, hitting a running facebuster from behind and taking to the Big Guy with relentless knee strikes and kicks as he repeatedly tries to get up. Ryback catches a leg – and gets an enziguiri right to the temple! Ryback is dazed and he begins to crawl to his corner where Big Poppa Vaughan is waiting for the hot tag, and Itami’s attempt to pull Ryback gets him a boot to the face. Itami clutches his jaw as he turns around just in time to see the Peak Machine driving at him like a freight train, pushing him into the far corner with force. Broad, smacking clotheslines across the chest are heard, followed by a 10-punch sequence, and then an explosive belly to belly out of the corner.
Vaughan continues to press with a falling headbutt sequence on the dazed Itami, and then gets him standing to set up an exploder suplex, but a visibly tired Itami manages to elbow out of it. Vaughan whips Itami toward the far ropes – but doesn’t see Kidd (stretching from the corner) make the blind tag! Itami ducks a lariat and bounces off the ropes again, hitting Vaughan with a shotgun kick to the face. Itami rolls out of the ring as Vaughan stands staggered and Kidd is instantly behind him, pulling him into an O’Connor roll! The ref doesn’t see Kidd pulling up on the second rope with one arm as he counts the 3 and nets BRC the win over Ryvaughan. Ryback charges in, arguing with the ref as Vaughan fumes in the ring as Regal, Itami and Kidd slink away. C+
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- Next up we have Christian taking on Luke Harper. Christian approaches the match conventionally to start off with but soon realizes that Harper’s in a whole different headspace, fighting strong and intimidatingly, but also recklessly, as he refuses to give Christian any room. Harper gets the early advantage with back elbow strikes in the corner that transition into a fallaway slam, but Christian starts getting wise, hitting the deranged giant with a running kick on the rebound of a whip as he bends down for a back body drop, then pulling off a swinging neckbreaker.
Christian locks on a reverse armbar until Harper flips him over, but Christian wastes no time in applying a triangle choke just as quickly. Harper slowly drags himself into position to get a rope break. He still has fight in him as he picks up Christian when the veteran puts him in a front headlock, charging him into the corner and laying in with forearms and chops. When he feels Christian sufficiently worn down, Harper runs to the opposite corner, placing the tips of his fingers on his temples and thrusting them forward, outstretched, at the man across from him. He begins charging forward, going for a discus clothesline in the corner, but as he makes his turn Christian slips to the side between the second and third rope! Harper rams chest-first into the turnbuckle but is unfazed… until Christian’s legs swing up from his grip on the rope and beam him straight in the face. Harper is staggered as Christian climbs the ropes, and Harper turns around only to be knocked flat on the ground by Christian’s frog splash!
Unfortunately for Christian, his unexpected leap managed to clip the ref as well, and there’s no one to count as he hooks the leg. Christian rises again and tries to rouse the ref, too frustrated to notice that Kevin Owens has slipped in from the announcer’s side of the ring with a monkey wrench in hand. Kevin waits a moment for Christian to get up then charges, but Christian’s reflexes are too quick and he dodges the swing in the nick of time. Owens turns around to swing again, and again Christian ducks… but the groggy Luke Harper behind him doesn’t! Owens hits Harper square in the chest as the bearded catatonic falls again. Owens is caught off-guard and Christian capitalizes, delivering a middle kick to Owens’ gut that causes him to drop the wrench, then putting his whole body into a series of backhand strikes to the chest that bring Owens to the ropes. A running clothesline sends him over and Christian kicks the wrench out of the ring.
Owens crawls around outside as Christian stands, wobbly, in the ring. He doubles down to catch his breath, then brings Harper up with some effort, setting up the Killswitch and hitting it just as the ref comes to. The 3 is counted and Christian wins the match. C
- Owens paces outside the ring and glares as Christian takes a mic. He’s sweating heavily. “Owens, you keep thinking… that you’ve got me on my last legs, that I’m…” his breath is labored, but it gets less so the more he talks.. “Easy pickings for your tricks. But even when I’m not at 100% I’m more than a match for any young punk who still thinks they can underestimate me. You want to barge into my matches with pipes and wrenches? You think that’s gonna shake me? You’re just clowning yourself.”
Owens laughs at this, still pacing, and Christian laughs right back at him. “Ha ha ha, that’s right. But the thing is, I’ve faced worse than you AND your tricks head-on. You might be the last, but you are not the greatest, Kevin, not by a long shot. At Wrestlemania I’m gonna show you and world, one last time, why my name will always be synonymous with tables, ladders and chairs. Bring whatever extra toys you want, if they’ll make you feel secure, but I’ll tell you this right now – my career is ending, but yours hasn't been proven yet. You keep taking me lightly, and I won’t be the only guy the WWE won’t be seeing much of anymore.” Christian drops the mic and starts playing to the crowd as Owens sneers and stomps back up the ramp. B+
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- After all that, we get a Big E vs. Rusev match in advance of their big date. Things are hot in and outside of the ring as the competitors put on a furious show of power while their retinues bicker on the outside. The test of strength a the beginning is fairly even, but it’s Big E who kicks out of it to get the early advantage with forceful jabs and some thundering knife-edge chops. Rusev, however, deflects a chop and twists it into a wristlock, pulling some distance between the two… then jolting forward into a shoulder block! Then another, then another, each shaking the ring and sounding out in meaty collision.
After the sixth block, Big E breaks free from the pull and catches Rusev in a big belly-to-belly suplex! He sets up for the running body splash, but as he makes the second rebound he stops at the ropes, looking down to see Lana encroaching on Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston, who are keeping their distance from the livid Russian. Suddenly, Lana leaps forward, slapping Woods, and as he trips backward in surprise Lana is upon him, slapping and scratching. E drops out of the ring and pulls Lana off, holding his hands up and trying to talk her down from her aggression – but he doesn’t see Rusev, newly recovered, rebound the ropes for a suicide dive that drives both men into the barricade!
Woods and Kofi holler in displeasure and Lana cackles at her successful scheming as both fighters are dazed on the mat and the ref starts the count. At 6, Rusev staggers up and turns to move toward the ring, but Big E leaps from a crouching position and clubs him across the back with a forearm that drives the Bulgarian Brute into the ring post! Rusev is out of it and the cacophony from both men’s entourage has reversed in tone. Big E struggles mightily but he only has his hands on the ring apron when the 10 count is reached. The match is declared a draw by double count-out! Lana berates Rusev as Woods and Kofi help Big E to the back. C+
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- After a good backstage skit featuring the Realest Guys on Raw and Edge & Christian (given the match Christian just had, I think this was taped for broadcast), the ring is clear for Beth Phoenix (c) vs. Naomi for the WWE Divas Championship. Phoenix is obviously the more experienced and technically sound of the two but Naomi holds her own surprisingly well, using her athleticism to slip out of holds and avoid attacks in creative ways, including a backflip out of a back suplex that she reverses into… a hair-pull head slam (old habits are hard to break).
From there Naomi starts getting in her offense – a snap suplex, a bulldog, a pretty cool cross-armtrap neckbreaker that gets a 2-count – but when she goes for her Split-Legged Moonsault, Phoenix rallies and moves out of the way. She capitalizes on Naomi’s dazed state by locking in a single-knee camel clutch that Naomi has to drag herself to the ropes to escape, and by that point the challenger is worn down enough that it only takes a few standing strikes before the Glam Slam is deployed and Phoenix gets the 3 to retain the Diva’s Championship. C
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- Backstage, Ric Flair, dressed in a cool navy blue suit, stands in a hallway with his earbuds in, snapping his fingers to an unheard beat and gazing lovingly at a velvet painting of a saxophone on the wall. The camera moves back and it becomes clear that he is oblivious to Hideo Itami and Tyson Kidd, belts around their waists, who creep up behind him. Itami and Kidd exchange looks. Kidd nods at Itami, then Flair, Itami scoffs and nods at Kidd, then Flair, and finally Kidd sighs, sniffs, and taps Flair on the shoulder.
Flair turns around, pulling out his earbuds. He’s his usual gregarious self. “Ah, Willy’s boys! Come to see my new piece, I see. Fan sent me it from Ohio, she specializes in” Flair flicks his fingers out for emphasis, “manifestations of the power of music. I can’t get enough of it, and I see plenty of the power of music in the ring with my boys, you know what I’m sayin?” Kidd grimaces. “This ain’t a social call, Flair. Where Balor and Ihara?” Flair shrugs nonchalantly. “Around somewhere. But if this ain’t a social call, why ask?”
Itami and Kidd close in on Flair, who backs up. “Old man, these belts belong to the BRC, you understand? We've got plans for this industry and these are but one piece of the puzzle that we don’t intend to give up, dig? So why don’t you call your boys off, and we can all just go our separate ways. Or we can… help you change your tune.”
Flair says nothing, a skeptical look on his face, as he’s pushed back against the wall, next to the painting. But just before Kidd and Itami can strike, they’re blindsided by Nakamoro “Hepcat” Ihara and Finn “Sticks” Balor! The faces drive the BRC off with uncharacteristic fury before tending to the shaken Flair. Itami roars from down the hall. “9 DAYS! THEN WE’RE ENDING THIS FREAK SHOW!” Balor and Ihara exchange a look as they clasp a hand on Flair’s shoulders, and the segment ends. A
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- The feed cuts to black and we see fragmentary glances of Bray Wyatt in his rocking chair. The camera comes to rest with Wyatt in profile. “So we are set on this path. Dolph Ziggler has resolved that this… collision is what he wants. He knows not what it is but he knows that he wants it.”
Wyatt chuckles. “So be it. His pride sees gold that he can polish into a… handsome trinket for him to parade around. He fails to understand it. He cannot allow himself to. But he will.” The camera pans such that Wyatt’s shadowed face is pointed just away, and in the distance in front of him, the Intercontinental championship hangs suspended in darkness. “Dolph Ziggler seeks to save his trinket from this nightmare, but this place… was made by it. It reflects it, as Dolph Ziggler soon will.”
“The trinket… There is a poison in it.” He laughs “How apt to call it what it is. So many things that cross the seas sow doom where they rest. Pox in blankets, bombs in airplanes, rats in ships." He draws out the R in rats languidly. "Where I come from there is poison in the soil and the water and the air. I sought out this championship because I saw home in it. But now I wonder…” Wyatt stares at the belt, transfixed “If the answer was not to bring it home, but to let it bring home to this world.” He turns to the camera. "This belt is mine. It speaks to me. And I, not it, will destroy Dolph Ziggler." Wyatt begins laughing, still transfixed, but there is fear in his laughter as well as deranged glee. B+
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- We arrive back in the arena as Kane’s music hits! He walks down to the ring in a grey bespoke suit. He looks rather grim as he enters the ring and takes the mic from the ring announcer.
“It was requested of me by certain individuals that I challenge Dean Ambrose to a match tonight.” The crowd boos at the Authority enforcer, starting a chant of SETH’S-A-COW-ARD. Kane looks out at the crowd impassively before continuing. “Normally I would turn down such requests. As a member of the Authority in good standing I decide where the line between my duties in and out of the ring are drawn. But after last week’s... unfortunate incident, I feel that it is my job as Director of Operations to enforce codes of conduct laid down by my employers. Tonight I’ve elected to do so directly. So Dean Ambrose, your presence is required in this ring. Come and face punishment.”
- Sure enough, the crowd pops as Dean Ambrose appears moments later to the squall of his theme. He carries the MITB case across his back like a slung jacket and nonchalantly handcuffs it to the corner post as he ascends to the ring. Kane motions to the outside and the bell rings.
The rapport of the match is almost comedic. Kane, clearly angry, goes hard and sloppy toward Ambrose, who easily outwits him. Kane batters Ambrose into the corner and gets a shoulder driven into the post when his charge is dodge. His power moves get reversed into ever-more-elaborate rollups, each getting a little more time than the last. A successful shoulder block leads to a sidewalk slam attempt but Ambrose kicks Kane in the back of the neck and rolls him into a half-crab that the big man struggles to break through the ropes.
Finally, Kane’s had enough, and he grabs Ambrose by the throat, sneering. Ambrose kicks him in the gut and he momentarily lets go, letting rip with a throat thrust instead. Ambrose stumbles backward and Kane prepares to go for a chokeslam again on the rebound, but of course Ambrose kicks up from the rope like a hinge and comes roaring out with a lariat that leaves Kane flat on his back and dazed. Ambrose picks him up on his knees for a snap Dirty Deeds and gets the pin off of it. B
- As Ambrose celebrates his win and unlocks the case from the post, Seth Rollins appears on the stage! He raises a mic. “Hello Dean.” Ambrose smirks. “You got me good last week, I will admit… and like our mutual friend on the mat, there, I’m sick of you. I’ve got bigger and better things to focus on. So just tell me what you want, and we can settle this and get my case back to me, before my real Wrestlemania moment comes.”
Ambrose laughs and gestures to the ring announcer for a mic. He paces the ring as he speaks. “Tell you what I want? I’ve been telling you, and telling you, and you haven’t listened. I’m sick of you too, honestly. I made it about as clear as I could last week, but I’ll lay it down for you in plain English again. I want one match out of you where you aren’t -” he wildly gesticulates a hand near his temple “Off in dreamland over some belt. That garbage isn’t real. This bad blood between us, that is real. I took your little box because I need you to get focused. This won’t end until you do.”
“This match at Wrestlemania, it’s happening. There’s no stopping it. But I’m giving you one last chance to prove yourself and make sure it’s the last one. Next week, on RAW, in Denver, you and me are going to meet right in here, and you’re gonna fight for this thing that you want so badly. And no matter how hard you try, you will not beat me until you’re on my level. What do you say, Seth?”
Rollins, surprisingly, looks conflicted for a moment, but it washes away momentarily. “Good, I’m in. I’ll take on the privilege of beating your rear end twice in one week.” Rollins walks backstage as Ambrose’s music plays and he smiles inside the ring. B+
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- After the obligatory WM package, the night’s main event begins as Jackson Shaw and Dolph Ziggler make their entrances – though not focused on one another in terms of ongoing storyline, the two are clearly eager to exercise the bad blood established in the previous week. Shaw, as always, is cocky, while Ziggler continues to exude the same strange intensity he’s been showing lately.
As one might expect, the match begins with flashy technical exchanges, exchanging holds and maneuvering out of them. Ziggler breaks out early, getting 1 with a schoolboy and jarring Shaw with a dropkick on recovery before driving him into a corner and laying in with chops. Ziggler’s momentum builds but when he leaps onto the second rope for an elevated facebuster, Shaw counters it into a running powerbomb that also gets 1.
Beyond that point, Shaw starts to fight back, countering an irish whip into a nice springboard twisting elbow attack. He kips up and locks on a boston crab, but Ziggler makes it to the rope, then trips up his opponent as he’s released and manages to secure a reverse heel hold. Shaw is dragged to the center of the ring but ends up kicking Ziggler loose. Ziggler rolls away, then springs up and attempts a superkick – but Shaw steps away and grabs the leg, countering it into a calf-killer!
Ziggler thrashes in agony as he’s too far from the ropes to grab them. Just as it seems he’s about to tap, he goes still, a look of slack calm over his face, as he rears up even with Shaw locked on! He drags the both of them with his hands, one steps, then two, closer to the ropes… But just as quickly as this sudden strength emerges, it fades, and Ziggler seems to start feeling it again. He fights Shaw for a few more seconds, still too far from the ropes, before tapping. Shaw wins! B
- Ziggler lies on the mat as Shaw looks down at him, confused, before flexing and turning away… and the crowd roars as Randy Orton rushes out from the back to meet him! Shaw is ready as the two brawl wildly in the ring, locked up, and they inch backward toward the ropes on the entrance side. B+
- While Orton and Shaw clash, Ziggler stirs on the mat, and at once he brings his fist up and slams it down, then again, then again, then he rears up and pounds with both hands, then he gets up as if enraged and turns around without even looking, barreling forward and leaping before the two rivals have time to react! Ziggler stretches out his arms to catch them and the three go barreling over the ropes to the floor! That looked really brutal. An angry Ziggler rises to his feet as Orton and Shaw lie dazed on the ground, and once again the severity of his expression fades and he looks around, confused. Orton looks up at him as though he’s crazy as Ziggler wordlessly stumbles up the ramp, looking back at the carnage at ringside as SMACKDOWN goes off the air. B+
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Pretty good show! I give this a B+ all around.
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Aug 30, 2015 18:38
