source: WWE
This week, we see more matches comprised of members of the Fastlane fatal 5 way, as well as the heating up of the rivalry between Charlotte, Naomi, Becky Lynch and the Riott Squad.
source: WWE
Renee Young interviews AJ Styles
Styles is asked if he is in control of his own destiny at Fastlane, and he directs Renee Young across the ring to both the steel steps and the announce table, stating that if he was beating Kevin Owens or Sami Zayn into either of them, someone could capitalize and win the championship in the center of the ring.
He’s interrupted by Baron Corbin, who reminds AJ that he’s beaten him twice in the past and claims he will do it again. Kevin Owens comes out, telling Corbin that he was handed a spot in this match due to Shane McMahon’s vendetta. Owens states that Sami Zayn let him down by losing and allowing Dolph Ziggler into the match last week.
Shane McMahon comes out to the ring and makes a couple matches for the night— Kevin Owens will face off against Dolph Ziggler and Baorn Corbin will take on AJ Styles. These matches are a filler leading up to Fastlane in a few weeks, and it’s always good to see AJ and Kevin in action.
source: WWE
Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler
Winner: Kevin Owens
After a commercial break, we see Owens briefly in control before Ziggler sidelines him with a dropkick. When KO tries to suplex Ziggler, Ziggler reverses it into a suplex of his own. Dolph gives him an elbow to the face, but when he goes to elbow him in the face on the turnbuckle, Owens moves out of the way and delivers a cannonball to Ziggler in the corner.
Dolph gives Kevin a brutal DDT. When Ziggler prepares for a superkick, Owens counters with a gut buster that only gives him a two count. KO goes to the top rope, but Ziggler gets his knees up to stop the impact of the 266 pounder, then giving him a famouser, which also results in a two count.
KO attempts a popup powerbomb but Dolph catches him in a Zig Zag. Sami Zayn runs out to the ring, distracting Dolph long enough for Owens to give him a superkick, allowing Owens to get the victory.
Having Zayn come out to the ring to help Owens win is a great move—with all of the cracks in their friendship that have come up in the past few weeks, it’s good to show that they’re still a united front.
Backstage, Sami Zayn says that he owes Kevin Owens for everything Owens has done for him (getting him in main events and more TV time), and Owens doesn’t need another enemy right now. Together, they’re more powerful, and Sami says he will “do the right thing” and lay down for Kevin to win at Fastlane. This is a surprise, because just last week, Zayn said it’s every man for himself.
source: WWE
Jinder Mahal exposes Bobby Roode’s secret
Mahal comes out to the ring and shows the crowd Bobby Roode’s ballot for the Smackdown Top 10 list, where he (illegally) voted himself as number one and excluded both Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton, even though he told Orton he respects him last week.
Bobby Roode interrupts, saying that wasn’t his list. Roode tells Jinder that he knows he’s trying to pit him against Randy Orton because he can’t win in a fair fight. Mahal admits that he wants the US title, and he tries to convince everyone he’s scared of Randy.
Roode tells Mahal to forget about Orton, that this is about them, and cue Orton’s entrance. The three men are in the center of the ring when Orton throws a punch at Jinder, and Bobby gets the upper hand on Orton with a Glorious DDT. While he’s celebrating his gloriousness, Jinder delivers a Khallas to him, leaving Mahal with the advantage at the end for the second week in a row.
I think the feud between the three men is a great example of how to utilize the top 10 list as a storyline. WWE has found a great way to incorporate 3 men into a new story, and it’s actually an entertaining one. It’s important that they get on a schedule with these lists, and not just come out with one when its convenient (ex: one every month).
The one issue I have with this is the fact that Tye Dillinger has had two weeks without a meaningful storyline since he came up on the top 10 list. I can only hope that this is because they’re going to keep putting him at 10 until he gets tired of it and beats someone up or something (a heel turn, maybe?).
source: WWE
Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan) vs. Charlotte, Naomi, and Becky Lynch
Winners: Riott Squad
As per usual, Naomi displays incredible athleticism as she takes control over Sarah Logan. She tags Becky in, and Logan bounces back, tagging in Liv Morgan. The Riott Squad double teams Becky, and Charlotte and Naomi fire back, clearing the ring of their opponents.
Naomi and Liv exchange shoulders and pushes, and Naomi capitalizes enough to attempt a springboard moonsault, but Morgan is pulled away by her teammates. Naomi attacks Riott and Logan, allowing Morgan to send Naomi through the steel steps.
Sarah Logan traps Naomi in holds on the Riott Squad’s side of the ring. When Naomi finally tags in Charlotte, she comes in hot but is distracted by Liv Morgan, allowing Logan to capitalize.
Becky traps Ruby in a Dis-Arm-Her, and Liv breaks it up. Charlotte attacks Morgan, and Logan attacks Charlotte, and Naomi attacks Logan. After these distractions, Ruby hits Becky Lynch with a Riott Kick, earning her team the win.
Each and every one of these women looked amazing in this match, and having the Riott Squad win it makes them look good for the first time in 3 weeks. Leading up to Fastlane, where Ruby takes on Charlotte one-on-one, Riott was able to show off her finisher and look good without damaging Charlotte.
source: WWE
The New Day vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable
Winners: The New Day
Xavier Woods and Chad Gable go back and forth early on, but when Benjamin is tagged in, he gains control quick. After commercial, Gable and Big E battle, and Gable suplexes E. Chad tags in Benjamin, and they do some extra double teaming while the ref is distracted. Woods breaks up the pin, and after he’s tagged in, he delivers a Shining Wizard to Shelton Benjamin, getting him the three-count.
As the New Day exit, the arena goes dark and the Bludgeon Brothers enter. They walk past New Day, who is visually terrified.
At the start of this match, I wondered why this rivalry wouldn’t culminate at the Fastlane PPV in two weeks. It wasn’t until after the match that I realized that maybe it isn’t New Day vs. Gable and Benjamin that could happen after all. The Smackdown tag division is hot right now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were two tag matches at the PPV.
source: WWE
Bludgeon Brothers vs. local competitors
Winners: Bludgeon Brothers
Harper and Rowan mutilate the pair of enhancement talent, slamming them into each other outside the ring and then onto the ground, one on top of the other. They slam themselves into their opponents before removing the cover to the announce table. Back in the ring, they each grab an arm and slam the unnamed jobber onto the canvas. 1 2 3.
The Bludgeon Brothers have been looking great lately. By now, it is genuinely believable that they could destroy any team. They’ve been acknowledged by the New Day and the Usos, and would be good competition for either team.
source: WWE
AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin
Winner: AJ Styles
At the beginning, AJ knocks Corbin down with kicks and strikes into the corners. Corbin gains an advantage, delivering a Clothesline from Hell to the WWE Champ. Styles sends Baron shoulder first into the post, then slipping his feet between the ropes to dropkick the lone Wolf.
Corbin sends AJ rolling across the announce table, and somehow, AJ quickly bounces back, hopping on the table and back to the ring, giving Corbin the Phenomenal Forearm for the two-count.
Baron Corbin takes Styles to the top turnbuckle, punching him over and over. When Styles charges at Corbin, Baron counters with an amazing deep six. However, when he goes for the End of Days, AJ counters it into a Calf Crusher. Baron buys himself some time, breaking the hold by slamming AJ’s head into the mat.
Styles delivers a Phenomenal Forearm to Corbin for the victory. After the match, AJ is ambushed by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, but both men get caught in individual End of Days’.
Somewhat surprisingly, both Corbin and Styles looked great in this match. Corbin is often criticized for not being so great in the ring sometimes, but other than the no-sell by AJ at the announce table, he looked pretty tough. Also, even though he lost clean, he ended the show getting the upper hand on both Owens and Zayn, which didn’t hurt.
Comments