The April 23, 2019 episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE. Here are 4 takeaways from this week’s show:
Shane McMahon & Elias Got Revenge On Roman Reigns
SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon came down to the ring to start off this week’s show. Shane told Greg Hamilton to introduce him again as the best in the world before carrying on with the promo. Shane stated that he was out here to talk about Roman Reigns’ actions last week on SmackDown.
Shane rolled the footage of Reigns hitting Vince McMahon with a Superman Punch last week. McMahon then scolded Roman for hitting another man’s father and called Vince a national treasure.
Shane ordered that Roman Reigns come down to the ring right now to face the repercussions for his actions. Reigns got in the ring and dropped the microphone. Shane dropped his microphone as Elias snuck up behind Reigns. Roman knocked Elias off the apron and Shane attacked him from behind. Elias and Shane beatdown Roman as the crowd booed. Elias planted Reigns with the Drift Away to end the segment.
Later on the show, Elias challenged Roman Reigns to a match at Money in the Bank. Roman Reigns accepted the challenge and vowed to break Elias’ jaw at the PPV.
The only entertaining part of this segment was Shane McMahon accidentally saying “Rount Mushmore”. I’m not at all interested in a storyline between Roman Reigns, Elias, and the McMahons.
Kairi Sane Won Her First Singles Match On SmackDown
Kairi Sane battled Peyton Royce tonight on SmackDown. Paige, Asuka, and Billie Kay were ringside for the match. Royce started out the match in control and beat Sane down int he corner of the ring.
Sane battled back with a Dragon Screw and then a Neckbreaker. Kairi followed that up with a terrible looking Interceptor Spear and then the sliding elbow. Kairi made her way to the top rope and hit the Insane Elbow for the pinfall victory. After the match, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville came down to the entrance ramp. Rose and Deville confronted Paige about not reuniting Absolution during a backstage segment aired earlier in the show.
Billie Kay and Peyton Royce continue to lose matches in under a minute, even though they captured the Women’s Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania. Thus, The IIconics are doing absolutely nothing for the titles and this is just a giant waste of time until they drop them.
Charlotte Earned Another Title Shot
Charlotte Flair stated that Becky Lynch won both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Championships at WrestleMania by pinning Ronda Rousey. Flair added that Ronda Rousey lost her title and that Becky did not defeat her to capture the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Becky Lynch interrupted and said that she has lost count of how many times she has beaten Charlotte Flair. Charlotte claimed that she was in Becky’s head because she brings her up on Twitter and in her feud against Lacey Evans on RAW. Charlotte added that she has nothing to lose and claimed that she was next in line.
Lynch stated that Charlotte needs to get out of the way for new challengers like Bayley, Mickie James, and Ember Moon. Bayley joined the party and said that the Superstar Shake-Up is supposed to be about fresh starts, all she sees is a rerun. Bayley pointed out that Becky Lynch has never beaten her in her career. Bayley challenged Charlotte Flair to a match to see who deserves a title shot.
Charlotte then battled Bayley and the winner of the match will earn a future title shot. Bayley controlled the match early and knocked Charlotte to the outside. Back in the ring, Bayley connected with a Clothesline but Flair shrugged it off and hit a Neckbreaker.
Flair slapped Bayley in the face and then hit her with an elbow. Bayley responded with a roll-up for a two count and then a Crossbody for another near fall. Flair went to work on Bayley’s left knee and posed for the crowd as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Charlotte climbed to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but Bayley got out of the way. Bayley hit a Belly to Back Suplex and went for the cover but Flair kicked out at two. Bayley then hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb and Flair’s head bounced off the bottom turnbuckle.
Bayley went for the cover but Flair somehow kicked out at two. Bayley stumbled her way to the top turnbuckle but Flair quickly knocked her to the canvas. Flair went for the Figure Four but Bayley countered into a roll-up for a near fall. Charlotte then hit the Spear for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Becky Lynch was interviewed backstage. Becky stated that she will have Lacey Evans tapping before she can get her gloves off and everyone knows that she can defeat Charlotte Flair. Lynch vowed to defeat both Flair and Lacey Evans at Money in the Bank.
I enjoyed Bayley’s promo tonight and she had a decent match against Charlotte. I find it hard to believe that Lynch is going to walk out of Money in the Bank with both titles. The most obvious thing would be for Lynch to defeat Lacey Evans, and then lose to Charlotte at Money in the Bank.
Kevin Owens Betrayed New Day
Shinsuke Nakamura squared off against WWE Champion Kofi Kingston in the main event of this week’s SmackDown. Xavier Woods and Kevins Owens joined commentary as Rusev and Lana were ringside for the match.
Kofi controlled the match early and knocked Nakamura out of the ring with a Dropkick. Shinsuke battled back and locked in an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring. Kingston broke free and made his way to the top rope. Kofi hit Nakamura with a Crossbody for a two count. Nakamura connected with a knee to the back of Kofi’s head as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Nakamura was still in control of the match. Kofi battled back with a Dropkick and went for a Splash in the corner but Shinsuke got out of the way. Nakamura then hit a snap German Suplex while Kofi was caught up in the ropes.
Nakamura went for the Kinshasa but Kofi countered with a Double Stomp. Kingston followed it up with the SOS and went for the cover but Rusev broke it up. Rusev stomped on Kofi and the match ended in a DQ. Kevin Owens and Woods beat down Rusev as Kingston hit Shinsuke with the Trouble in Paradise.
Kevin Owens then hit Kingston with a Superkick and ripped off his New Day shirt. Owens threw Kofi out of the ring. Owens slammed Kofi into the barricade and then bounced his face off the ring post. Owens rolled Kofi in the ring and shouted that he was going to take the WWE Championship from him. Kingston tried to battle back but Owens stomped on him in the corner of the ring.
Owens threw Kingston back outside the ring and set up for a Powerbomb. Xavier Woods broke it up with a Dropkick through the ropes. Owens then leveled Woods with a Clothesline and Powerbombed him on the ring apron as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”.
It was pretty obvious that Owens was going to betray New Day, but this was still an entertaining segment. Owens and Kingston can definitely put on a great WWE Championship match at Money in the Bank and I’m looking forward to the build over the next few weeks.
