Posted on 9/12/126 by Bob Magee
After losing to Randy Orton at Sunday Night’s Main Event,
Cody Rhodes will speak on what’s next for him.
AAA Tag Team Champions The War Raiders will attempt to make
it to Triplemania with their titles intact when they defend
against Damian Priest & R-Truth while AAA Cruiserweight
Champion Rey Fenix finds himself in a similar situation,
defending against Ricky Starks.
Nikki Bella will go one-on-one with Paige in a grudge match
to round out the announced card.
Our live coverage begins at 8 pm Eastern.
**********
– Over a beautiful shot of Mexico City, Michael Cole
welcomed us to tonight’s show. We got arrivals from CM Punk
and Sami Zayn who will face off for the Undisputed WWE
Championship.
– Over a beautiful shot of Mexico City, Michael Cole
welcomed us to tonight’s show. We got arrivals from CM Punk
and Sami Zayn who will face off for the Undisputed WWE
Championship.
Randy Orton opens SmackDown
Orton opened the show, fresh off a questionable win against
Cody Rhodes on Sunday Night’s Main Event. The Mexico City
crowd serenaded Orton with his song as we went to a recap of
that SNME match.
As Orton got in the ring, he mocked Rhodes “what do you want
to talk about” phrase as he said that he wanted to talk
about Cody. The crowd booed when Orton mentioned Rhodes’
name. According to Orton, Rhodes showed the whole world who
he really was on Sunday Night’s Main Event: a good man. He
said that it took a lot to take a legend down, as it takes a
piece of your soul. It told him that Cody Rhodes’ soul was
not for sale. Rhodes might not be a killer, but Orton was.
Orton said that he didn’t care if people perceived him as a
good person. Anyone who comes between Orton and his World
Title, he won’t hesitate to pull the trigger. He called his
shot for whoever won between CM Punk and Sami Zayn,
promising to introduce them to the three most dangerous
letters in sports entertainment: R. K. O.
This was a fine promo, as it sets Orton up as another name
in the challengers for CM Punk’s title. I did find the crowd
booing Cody Rhodes’ name to be quite interesting. Will there
be more to that? Stay tuned.
*****************
– A tribute for the 25th anniversary of the September 11th,
2001 terrorist attacks was shown, particularly highlighting
WWE hosting the first live event two days after the attacks
with a live SmackDown show in Houston, TX.
AAA Cruiserweight Championship: Rey Fenix (c) vs. Ricky
Saints
As the bell sounded, Saints went for the waistlock takeover,
but Fenix slipped out and then got a head of speed for the
rana. Fenix showed great balance with the springboard
armdrag on Saints, then hitting a nice dropkick on him.
Saints answered with a nice armdrag of his own as he did his
taunt. Fenix made him pay with the poison rana for the near-
fall. Saints sent Fenix out of the ring as he hit the
Revolution DDT to the outside. He taunted in the ring as we
took a break.
Back to our match as Saints hit the cocky Old School strike
to the arms from the rope. On the top turn buckle, Saints
and Fenix fought it out, but it was the AAA Cruiserweight
Champ who got the best of his foe with the hurricanrana.
Fenix then hit the moonsault on a standing Saints for a
near-fall.
With Saints on the apron, Fenix blasted him with the Goodbye
Amigo kick across the top rope. Moonsault to the outside
left Saints reeling. Off the top rope, crossbody by Fenix
got a two-count. Fenix went for the dive, but caught in a
powerbomb by Saints for the two-count. Fenix connected with
the rebound kick to the face, but Saints responded with a
kick of his own. Handspring cutter by Fenix, but Saints
kicked out again at 2.999999999999.
Saints in a compromising spot on the top rope, as Fenix made
no mistake on the Mexican Muscle Buster for the three and
the successful defense of the AAA Cruiserweight TItle.
Post-match, Saints didn’t accept Fenix’s show of respect, to
the crowd’s boos.
Rey Fenix def. Ricky Saints via pinfall to retain the AAA
Cruiserweight Championship
This was a terrific opener. The hot Mexican crowd added a
lot to it and Saints & Fenix complemented each other well.
Good stuff.
********************
– Sami Zayn was interviewed backstage, stating that it
could’ve never been Kevin Owens, Johnny Gargano to beat
Punk, it had to be him in order for there to be justice. As
he continued on, a now back-to-normal Johnny Gargano
appeared and said that if Zayn beat Punk, he was next. he
was insistent on that fact, depsite Zayn not looking like he
wants to accept that.
– We got a promo for tonight’s TripleMania 39 live
immediately after SmackDown from Last Vegas. Los Perros Mal
and The Psycho Circus collide later tonight for the AAA
Trios Championship.
Nikki Bella vs. Paige
Paige didn’t waste time as she ran into the ring post-haste.
She hit Nikki with the Thesz Press and punches. Paige hit
Nikki with the thrust kick to the face, which sent her foe
out of the ring. At ringside, Nikki tried to fight back, but
she got thrown into the barricade for her troubles.
Nikki got sent to the Spanish announce table, as Paige hit
her with the boot to the face. Back in the ring, Paige hit
Nikki with knees to the gut. Nikki scurried ot the other
side of the ringside area and pulled Paige out of the ring.
Paige took over once again by throwing Nikki into the steel
steps. Nikki used the referee as a shield to get the
advantage as she got the stacked pin and the rope-assisted
three.
Nikki Bella def. Paige
This was terrible. The finish stunk, and the only saving
grace was that it was short, much like this analysis of the
match.
******************
Trick Williams celebrates his U.S. Championship win
The new U.S. Champion arrived to a very loud reaction from
the Mexico City crowd. A fan gave Trick a soccer ball, which
he took into the ring.
Williams took the mic and said that he was the sexiest and
most entertaining Superstar alive. He clarified that the
crowd was chanting “Quinones”, the name of current Mexican
soccer star Julian Quinones. Williams said much like Julian
Quinones, he kicked Baron Corbin’s ass at Sunday Night’s
Main Event, as he kicked the soccer ball in the crowd.
Williams gave credit to his boy, the man who helped him get
his U.S. Title shot on Sunday night, Li’l Yachty. He called
Yachty the “Five Minute Man” and the “Greatest Man Alive”.
As Yachty was entering, Baron Corbin beat him up and left
him for dead on the ramp as he ran off. Corbin returned and
hit Williams with the Trick Stick, stating that he wasn’t
done with him yet.
Baron Corbin is just not it. I don’t know what it is, but he
just has negative presence with me, and the fact that he’s
still feuding with Trick Williams does not fill me with
confidence.
*******************
– Finn Balor chatted with Nick Aldis about the current
situation as Gunther interrupted. Gunther taunted Balor and
got punched in the face. Danhausen snuck up behind Gunther
and gave him a pat.
WWE Women’s Championship: Chelsea Green (c) (w/ Tiffany
Stratton) vs. Nia Jax (w/ Lash Legend)
Green’s tope suicida was caught by Nia at ringside, as she
sent her over the top of the commentary table. In her star-
spangled gear, Jax mockingly chanted “USA” to rile up the
Mexican crowd. Green tried to fight back in the ring, but
the Biel throw by Jax sent her into the corner. Missed
corner attack allowed Green to hit Jax with the step-up
enzuigiri. A dropkick by Green sent Jax out of the ring, but
she got tripped up on the apron. Throw to the barricade by
Jax left Green down and out.
In the ring, Chelsea was crushed by a uranage by Jax,
followed by the running senton. One, two…. NO! Jax applied
the arm stretch on Green as she then slammed her down on the
mat. Jax dragged Green to the corner and hit a hanging
headlock to pull the mask off the face. A kick by Green
allowed her to channel enough strength to slam Jax onto the
mat. Hurricanrana was followed by the double knees to the
spine by Green. Jax countered into a pop up Samoan Drop, but
she couldn’t get the three. Jax ripped the protective mask
off Green’s face and sent her out of the ring.
At ringside, Lash Legend was about to hit Green with a
punch, but Tiffany Stratton saved her by taking the bullet.
Legend knocked down, but Green was left at the mercy of
Jax’s Annihilator, Green got out of the way, as she hit a
face-mask assisted headbutt from the top rope and leapt from
there to hit an unorthodox variant of the Un-Pretty-Her for
the win.
Chelsea Green def. Nia Jax to retain the WWE Women’s
Championship
This was better than expected. I liked Chelsea showing her
smarts to outfox Nia Jax, especially in the finish.
*****************
AAA Tag Team Championships: The War Raiders (Erik & Ivar)
vs. R-Truth & Damian Priest
The Raiders didn’t waste time as they attacked Truth and
Priest when the bell rang. Erik tagged in as he and Ivar
pummeled Truth against the ropes. The Raiders kept Truth
isolated from his partner, continuing to work over their
challenger.
Truth avoided Ivar’s running attack and sent Erik out of the
ring with a dipsy-do. Priest tagged in and punched away at
Ivar. A pair of jumping elbows and jumping kicks to the
Raiders by Priest. Erik tossed out of the ring and the
Flatliner from Priest to Ivar for the near-fall. Outside the
ring, Priest took out both War Raiders with a big leap from
the steel steps as we took a break.
Back from the match as Truth hit the John Cena tribute on
Erik, with Ivar tagging in not long after. Ivar got lifted
up on Truth’s shoulder for the AA. The cover, but Erik broke
the count. Priest tried to step in, but he got taken for the
ride with the assisted pop-up powerslam. Spinning heel kick
by Ivar knocked Truth for a loop as they took him for the
ride with Ragnarok for the three.
After the match, a disappointed Priest stood in the ring and
offered a hand to Truth, who accepted. The hug came after as
Priest wore his Mexican sombrero. Suddenly, Priest clocked
his own partner with a hard lariat! Priest dropped Truth
with the South of Heaven chokeslam.
The War Raiders def. R-Truth & Damian Priest via pinfall
This was… average. Nothing really speaks out for me, but as
a vehicle for Priest turning on Truth, it did its job, I
suppose.
****************
– Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss were confronted by Fatal
Influence, who mocked the two. Jacy Jayne called her shot
for the Money in the Bank briefcase, as Tatum Paxley showed
up and told Fatal Influence to watch out for her and Flair.
As Fatal Influence left, Charlotte said that she hoped that
what happened at Sunday Night’s Main Event was a rookie
mistake.
Next Week on SmackDown
Cody Rhodes Sit-Down Interview
Mens & Womens Money in the Bank Matches
– Ricky Saints interrupted Rey Fenix’s interview to
apologize for being the better man, but he just ambushed
him. He said that he was the better man as he mocked Fenix.
Undisputed WWE Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Sami Zayn
Punk clobbered Zayn with punches in the corner as he then
hit a tope suicida between the ropes to the outside, as we
took a break in the action.
This match eturned with Punk hitting Zayn with the knee, but
his own hurt knee buckled. Punk was left writhing in pain as
the referee checked up on him. Zayn smelled blood and struck
that hurt knee of Punk’s. Zayn slammed the knee across the
ringpost repeatedly. Zany exposed the knee and punched at it
over and over again. Zayn stomped on the knee as the referee
yelled at him. This gave Punk some time to recover, but the
left knee was leaving him in a bad way. Punk swung away at
Zayn and hit the swinging neckbreaker.
Zayn’s hurt wrist became a target for Punk as he ripped away
at the padding. GTS attempt, but Zayn caught Punk’s leg and
applied the figure-four leglock right in the middle of the
ring. Punk reached the ropes to break the hold as we took
another break in the action.
Our main event returned as Punk went for the bulldog, but
the bad knee was a facto. Zayn went for a Blue Thunder Bomb,
but the wrist was hurting. A second attempt was more
successful, but not in getting the three. Exploder suplex
into the corner by Zayn left Punk out cold and in position
for a Helluva Kick. Punk intercepted with the clothesline,
as he then hit the Go To Sleep! The cover: one, two…..
NO!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Gargano ran in and tried to get involved, as Zayn
looked for the roll-up pin. Punk kicked out at two, with
Zayn applying another figure-four leglock. Candice LeRae
interfered as Zayn applied the Anaconda Vice. In the ring,
Gargano tried to hit Punk with the title, but he got hit
with the GTS. Zayn reached for the title, but Kevin Owens
ran in. He hit Punk by accident as Zayn low-blowed him. Zayn
had Punk down for the Helluva Kick! The cover, and that’s
it, over. We hae a new WWE Champion.
Sami Zayn def. CM Punk via pinfall
********************
That was a great main event match, and Zayn winning the
title was a genuine shock. I’m just hoping this isn’t
another placeholder for a Cody Rhodes title reign.
This SmackDown was better than average, by some miracle.
This was set up as a big show, and it delivered for the most
part. The title matches were treated as a big deal, and the
surprise in the main event was honestly nice to see. It’s
good to see when Triple H isn’t so rigidly held to having
big payoffs happen at the PLEs. Let’s just hope he can nail
the follow-through.