4/14 WWE Smackdown Recap (Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho)

Apr 15, 2016 - by Steve Gerweck

Wrestleview.com

“WWE: Then. Now. Forever.”

The intro to Smackdown brings us to a packed arena in San Diego for another exciting edition of Smackdown, as commentary hypes AJ Styles going up against Alberto Del Rio, and Sami Zayn going one on one against Chris Jericho. Inside the ring is Maryse, who tells the crowd to get on their feet and help her welcome her husband and Intercontinental Champion, The Miz! Miz’s music plays as the champion makes his way to the ring for what appears to be a new edition of MizTV with special guest…Maryse!

MizTV with Special Guest: Maryse

Miz wants everyone in the WWE Universe to know the person that I know, and the question on everyone’s minds is what is it like to be married to The Miz? Maryse says in one word, perfection. A champion, a movie star, an A-Lister, a role model for all children around the world. Miz calls Maryse her muse; just you presence inspires me, you make me a better man each and every day of my life, and I want to give you the world. Red carpets, film premieres, holidays with Leo in St. Bartes. Maryse says we are the real-life People Magazine. This year, Miz will be named Sexiest Man Alive. The couple begin to make out when…

“WOO WOO WOO, YOU KNOW IT”

Zack Ryder makes his way out to the delight of the crowd. Zack Ryder says that was sick; no, literally, the sight of you two is making everyone physically ill. Miz says every woman in this arena wishes they could kiss me. Maryse says Ryder’s just jealous because my husband is a real man, and he killed your Wrestlemania moment in less than twenty-four hours. Ryder asks Maryse how does it feel to be married to a man who wears more makeup than you? Miz mocks “poor, sweet, dim Zack” by saying he had his big moment, but now it’s over. Ryder says Miz may have beaten him for the title, but he had his Wrestlemania moment in front of a hundred thousand people, and that’s something you can’t take away from me. I’ll get that title back, but in the meantime I look forward to you losing to the new number one contender, Cesaro! If you’re too nervous to face the Swiss Superman, how about I take that title off you right here, right now! Maryse scoffs at this, asking the crowd who wants to see Zack Ryder take on The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship right here, right now? The crowd is loving it, as Miz and Ryder stare each other down. Miz says it’s on…but says Ryder is already scheduled for a match. Miz and Maryse say “Ciao!” before Baron Corbin makes his way to the ring for the opening match of the night as we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, the bell rings and this match is underway!

Zack Ryder vs. Baron Corbin

Both men lock up, and Baron brings Ryder down hard before tossing him around with ease. Ryder gets some offense in, but gets caught with a right hand off the rope by Baron. Corbin follows with some hard boots to the back, and a right hand to the head for a nearfall. Corbin goes to work on Ryder with a chinlock as Ryder slowly gets back up, only to take a clothesline in the corner by Corbin. Corbin sends Ryder down with a lariat, but Ryder comes back with a knee to the face and a missile dropkick. Ryder is hyped up with some forearms to Corbin, before going for the Broski Boot, but Corbin gets out of the ring to avoid it. Ryder brings Corbin back into the ring, but runs into the End of Days by Corbin for the win!

Winner via pinfall: Baron Corbin

Baron throws Ryder out of the ring, looking to do more damage before Dolph Ziggler makes his way out for the same. Baron keeps Ziggler at bay long enough to get out of the ring. Corbin assures Ziggler the same will happen to him as he retreats up the ramp while his music plays. Backstage, Renee Young is with Kevin Owens. Renee asks Owens given his history with Sami Zayn, if he can give any insight on his match tonight. Kevin says Renee’s getting better at this, because of course he has more insight than anybody. As far as tonight’s concerned, Sami was lucky he was escorted out on Monday night but tonight, no one can help Sami. Renee asks if Kevin is threatening to get involved in tonight’s main event. Kevin says Renee should go to Sami and ask if he has any insight on what’s coming to him in tonight’s main event. Commentary hypes Paige taking on Emma, coming up next!

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, Paige is already in the ring as Emma makes her way to the ring. We get an inset promo from Emma, who talks about her new attitude: she was that lovable girl until she was rejected, but Becky Lynch was instantly loved and got to be in the most historic women’s match in WWE history at Wrestlemania. You can kiss your leather princess Paige goodbye, and I’m going to show Becky that what they say is true: nice girls finish last! The bell rings, and this Di–women’s match is underway!

Paige vs. Emma

Both women lock up, and Paige gets Emma into the corner, laying into her with some boots. She goes back to it, but Emma drops Paige into the corner before laying into her and getting a nearfall in the process. Emma gets Paige on the ropes, pulling her by the hair before clubbing her with a forearm and hitting a suplex for a nearfall. Emma right back on Paige with a full nelson, as Paige slowly gets to her feet. She powers out of it, dropping Emma with a kick to the midsection. A knee to the head gets Paige a nearfall. Paige gets Emma in the corner, but Emma slides out and drops her facefirst on the turnbuckle, covering Paige for the win!

Winner via pinfall: Emma

Emma brags about her win as she goes up the ramp, before commentary take us back to RAW where New Day announce a tournament to determine new number one contenders for the Tag Team Championships. We see highlights as Dudleys defeated Lucha Dragons and The Usos defeated the Social Outcasts to advance, but Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson attacked the Usos after the match. Commentary cover the brackets for the tournament, sponsored by Booty-O’s. When we come back, we’ll revisit the surprising team of Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt from this past Monday!

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, we go to our RAW Rebound as Roman talks about his upcoming match at Payback against AJ Styles, when the League of Nations interrupt saying they could’ve defeated Roman for the title. Roman challenges them to come down, to which they comply looking to take out Reigns before the Wyatt Family comes out to beat them down! Shane McMahon comes out to announce the main event: a tag match between two of the League of Nations against Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt, which the bitter rivals manage to win before Bray stares down the champ. Back at ringside, Enzo Amore and Big Cass make their way out to the ring. Enzo speaks up, reminding us that his name is Enzo Amore…and he is a certified G and a bonafide stud, and you can’t teach that! This right here is Big Cass, and he’s seven foot tall, and you can’t teach that! Bada boom, realest guys in the room, how you doin’? The crowd chants “How you doin’?” as Enzo continues: hard places breed hard people, and our opponents, if they grew up where we grew up, they’d be sent to live with their auntie and uncle in Bel-Air. We grew up in a tough neighborhood, and if me and Big Cass got a dime for every time we got beat up as kids, we’d have zero dimes! Big Cass is the Big Bambino Babe Ruth of beatdowns, he’s a shot caller. I am the Michael Jordan of jargon. I could put my mouth on a treadmill, I could give you soundbites or I can give you substance. As for our opponents The Ascension, but the worst thing I could say…is that you’re The Ascension, how you doin’? The crowd chants “How you doin’?” as Big Cass speaks. He says you’re looking at the next WWE Tag Team Champions, we’re gonna march through this tournament, and anyone who wants to get in our way…there’s only one word to describe them, and I’m gonna spell it out for ya: S-A-W-F-T…the crowd respond with “SAWWWWWWWWWWFT” as their music plays before we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, Ascension is already in the ring as this match is underway!

No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Tournament – First Round
Enzo & Cass vs. The Ascension

Konnor and Enzo start things off as Enzo gets a headlock, but Konnor powers out and sends him down with a shoulder tackle. Viktor tags in, laying into Enzo with a chop. Enzo gets him with a flying headscissors and a forearm for the nearfall before tagging in Cass, who slams Enzo onto Viktor before Cass gets a nearfall. Cass stares down Viktor before tagging in Enzo, gets an assisted crossbody onto Viktor. He goes to the top rope, but Konnor distracts him long enough for Viktor to knock him down to the outside. Konnor gets a tag as Ascension double team Enzo on the outside, before Konnor takes Enzo back in the ring for a nearfall. Tag to Viktor as they double team Enzo again for a nearfall by Viktor. Viktor mocks Enzo as he works a sleeper hold, but Enzo gets out before a tag to Konnor. Konnor charges at Enzo but takes a boot to the face, and Viktor is taken out of the ring as Enzo inches toward Cass. The hot tag is made as Cass unleashes on Viktor with a body slam and the Empire Elbow drop. Stinger splash in the corner and a boot for the nearfall before Konnor breaks the count. Enzo stands off with Konnor, who gets taken out of the ring not once but twice. Bossman slam by Cass and a tag to Enzo, followed by the Rocket Launcher for the win!

Winners and advancing via pinfall: Enzo & Cass

Enzo and Cass celebrate in the ring as we get replays from the match, and Enzo dabs before we go backstage with Jojo and AJ Styles. Jojo says AJ has had a phenomenal streak in recent weeks, and asks if this is what we can expect in his match tonight. AJ says he’s had to fight his way to the top everywhere he’s been. He hasn’t been in the ring with someone like Roman Reigns before, but it’s safe to say Roman hasn’t been in the ring with someone like AJ Styles before. AJ is interrupted by Alberto Del Rio, who says AJ has been fighting for scraps. Everywhere I go, people just wanna talk about AJ Styles like I care who you are are. I asked myself why don’t I face AJ in the ring tonight, but standing here right now I can see it, I can smell it…you don’t belong here, perro! You’re all hype, muchacho. AJ says ADR is right, he doesn’t belong here…flapping his gums backstage…he wants to prove it to Del Rio tonight. Del Rio just laughs it off before walking off. Up next, AJ Styles takes on Alberto Del Rio!

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, AJ Styles makes his way to the ring for this big first-time matchup! Commentary hypes Roman Reigns defending his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles at Payback as Alberto Del Rio makes his way to the ring. Alberto stares the crowd down before this match gets underway.

AJ Styles vs. Alberto Del Rio

A smattering of “Si” chants as both men lock up, ADR forcing AJ into the corner before the ref forces the break. ADR wit a headlock, but AJ forces him off only to take a shoulder tackle from the former US Champion. ADR takes AJ to the corner again with some right hands, but AJ gets ADR in a headlock only for it to be reversed before AJ is able to knock ADR down with a dropkick that takes ADR out of the ring. AJ follows up with a hard kick to ADR, bringing him back into the ring for the nearfall. AJ lays into ADR with a chop, but ADR sends him into the ropes before hitting a superkick and a dropkick to the back for a nearfall. ADR and AJ on the outside now, and ADR sends AJ crashing through the barricade! ADR sends AJ back into the ring, and drops a double axe handle on AJ for a nearfall. AJ in the corner as ADR charges at him, but AJ ducks out sending ADR’s shoulder into the steel post! AJ with a snap suplex for the nearfall as ADR retreats to the corner, where AJ hits a chop followed by a forearm. AJ charges at ADR, who evades and hits AJ with an enziguri that sends him out of the ring! ADR follows with a hard dropkick that brings AJ to the floor as we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, AJ is powering out of a sleeper old before ADR lays into him hard. AJ gets ADR in the corner, but ADR evades and goes for another kick that AJ avoids this time. AJ against the ropes, delivering a hard forearm before hitting a clothesline in the corner, setting him up for the Ushigoroshi and a nearfall. ADR hits a backstabber, driving the knees into AJ’s already hurting lower back. Chants of “Si!” continue for ADR, who goes for a superkick…but AJ ducks, hitting a Pele kick for a close nearfall! AJ climbs up top, but gets caught by ADR who ties him up in the tree of woe and hits some hard right hands. ADR goes up, landing an inverted superplex for a nearfall! ADR sends AJ into another corner, setting up in the tree of woe again before going for the double foot stomp, but AJ manages to get out of the way just in time! AJ goes off the ropes, but ADR gets out of the way before setting up for the cross armbreaker…but AJ gets out, rolling him up with an Oklahoma roll for the win!

Winner via pinfall: AJ Styles

ADR is shaking his head in disbelief as AJ leaves the ring, while we get highlights from the match. AJ poses on the stage before we go backstage, where R-Truth is on the phone trying to text Goldust when the Bizarre One, who tells Truth he talked to management that they’re not teaming up in the tournament before introducing his partner for tonight: Fandango. The two of them start dancing before walking off, leaving a concerned Truth as commentary hypes the main event as Sami Zayn is set to take on Chris Jericho later tonight.

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, we get highlights from The Vaudevillains making their Smackdown debut last week in a win over the Lucha Dragons. Back at ringside…

“Gather round everyone, and witness the debonair devastation of such exisquite sophistication! Aiden English, Simon Gotch…the Vaudevillains!”

Gotch and English make their way to the ring as commentary puts over the impressive debut they had last week. Out next is Goldust, followed closely by Fandango. The bell rings and this match is underway!

No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Tournament – First Round
The Vaudevillains vs. Goldust & Fandango

Match starts with Goldust and English, who takes Goldust into the corner with some hard stomps and a mule kick to the gut before tagging in Gotch. They set Goldust for Dukes Up which sends Goldust to the mat. Gotch with a snapmare and a big elbow drop as he tags in English, who hits a big kick for a nearfall. Goldust sent into the corner, but surprises English with a powerslam. Gotch tags in as does Fandango, who unleashes a flurry of offense on Gotch until Englis gets involved. Fandango with an enziguri before Goldust takes English out of the ring, as Fandango gets distracted before Gotch tags English back in before setting up the Whirling Dervish for the win!

Winners via pinfall: The Vaudevillains

Gotch and English celebrate as commentary brings up Jericho, who has a message for the WWE Universe up next!

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, commentary talks about Shane McMahon running RAW and some of the repercussions, like Ambrose changing the Highlight Reel to the Ambrose Asylum. That segment ended with Ambrose hitting Jericho with Dirty Deeds, as we go backstage where Jojo is standing by with Chris Jericho. Jojo asks what the thread is between the three man Jericho has been dealing with since his return: AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, and Sami Zayn. Jericho says they’re not men, they’re amateurs with no respect. Ambrose in particular is either too stupid to know what respect is, or too much of an idiot to know who he is. Do you know who I am, Jojo? I am the greatest of all time, and that’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. It was proven in this dump in San Diego when I beat The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in one night to become the first Undisputed Champion. How great do I have to be to do that? That’s why I returned, to give these people the gift of Jericho. I’m like Haley’s Comet, a talent like me comes around once every 76 years. A talent like Sami Zayn, once or twice a week. Sami has gotten too comfortable since coming over here. Tonight, I’m gonna teach Sami a lesson…tonight, Zayn is gonna feel the pain. Because I am the best in the world at what I do, do you understand what I’m saying to you right now? We go back to ringside, where Sami Zayn makes his way for tonight’s main event before we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, we get another greeting from Puerto Rico, the Shining Star of the Caribbean. Back in the ring, Sami is warming up as Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring to a mixed reaction from the crowd before this match gets underway!

Main Event
Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho

Both men lock up, and Jericho forces Zayn into the corner as the crowd starts up the old “Ole” chants for Sami. Zayn sends Jericho down with some arm drags, sending Jericho to the outside. Jericho tosses a chair aside in frustration before getting back to the ring as Kevin Owens makes his way out to the ring, but suddenly Dean Ambrose comes out to even te odds. He hands Owens a flier before handing some more out among the crowd and joining commentary as Sami surprises Jericho with a rollup for a nearfall. Sami gets some more offense in on Jericho before sending him out of the ring, where Ambrose hands him a flier. Jericho is not impressed, crumpling the paper and throwing it at him as we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

Back from commercial, we find that Kevin Owens has joined commentary as well as Jericho gets one over on Zayn. Sami up on the apron, and Jericho catches him with a suplex back into the ring for the nearfall. Boot to the face on Zayn before Jericho berates Ambrose at ringside. Jericho up top, hits an elbow on Zayn for a nearfall, and locks in a sleeper hold. Ambrose and Owens begin arguing on commentary as Zayn powers out of the sleeper, only to take a dropkick by Jericho for a nearfall. Jericho slaps around Zayn, but Zayn responds with a clothesline twice over on Jericho. Zayn with a crossbody for a nearfall, but Jericho blocks a back suplex to get a butterfly backbreaker. Jericho back up, taunting Ambrose before taking a right hand by Zayn who follows with a Tornado DDT for the nearfall. Zayn goes for the half and half, but Jericho reverses into the Walls of Jericho until Zayn gets out. Jericho catches Zayn with a boot to the face and a running bulldog, looking for the Lionsault but Zayn gets his knees up. Jericho in the corner as Zayn goes for a Helluva Kick but Jericho reverses into the Walls, wrenching the back of Zayn who inches toward the ropes. He grabs the bottom rope, forcing the break. Zayn on the ropes, gets caught by Jericho who follows with a dropkick through the ropes. Jericho comes after Ambrose, beating him and tossing him into the barricade as Owens mocks Zayn. Jericho runs at Zayn, who sends Jericho over him right into Kevin Owens! Zayn puts Jericho back into the ring, but takes a basement dropkick as he comes in. Jericho mocks Zayn, who responds with an exploder suplex into the corner. Zayn in the corner gets ready for the Helluva Kick, but Owens runs in to attack Zayn as the ref calls for the bell!

Winner via disqualification: Sami Zayn

Owens continues the attack as Jericho joins in, before Ambrose comes in to stop Jericho. Jericho turns it around as Owens continues beating up Zayn, but Ambrose nearly gets Jericho with Dirty Deeds before Owens drops him with a forearm. Owens continues until Zayn catches him with a Helluva Kick that sends him out of the ring. Jericho leaves, escaping through the crowd as Owens retreats up the ramp and Ambrose and Zayn stand tall as the show comes to a close.

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