The April 11th edition of WWE SmackDown aired live on the USA Network from the TD Garden in Boston, MA.
– Tom Phillips, JBL and Byron Saxton welcome us to the last night of WWE's Superstar Shake-up tonight on SmackDown from the TD Garden in Boston.
– WWE United States Champion Kevin Owens is out to the ring first to open up the show, he's now a SmackDown Superstar. Owens welcomes us to the “new Kevin Owens Show,” and says he just elevated the whole show by bringing the U.S. Title with him. Owens mentions he’s a Canadian holding the U.S. Title, and cuts a pro-Canadian promo. Owens says he can beat anyone on SmackDown, which brings out Baron Corbin to interrupt. Corbin says Owens can’t beat him, and says Owen ran away from RAW after being beaten up by Rollins and Jericho. Corbin wants a title shot, but so does Sami Zayn who interrupts next. Zayn is also now a SmackDown star, which infuriates Owens. Corbin tells Zayn no one cares he’s here, and then AJ Styles interrupts next. Styles says this is the show that he built, and this is his show. Daniel Bryan interrupts next, and says that Owens will have to earn his spot on the SmackDown roster by beating Chris Jericho at Payback. Therefore, the U.S. Title won’t be defended on SmackDown until after Payback. The #1 contender for that Championship will be decided tonight in a triple threat match between Baron Corbin, AJ Styles, and Sami Zayn. Bryan leads the crowd in a “yes” chant before leaving.
"It's a known fact that Canadians make better athletes than Americans!" Interesting choice of words from @FightOwensFight. #USTitle #SDLive pic.twitter.com/vpHMs2vHba
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 12, 2017
– We see WWE Champion Randy Orton backstage getting ready for a match.
– Randy Orton def. Eric Rowan via DQ: Just moments into the match, the lights go out and Bray Wyatt appears on the big screen. Wyatt says he’s everywhere, and that Randy should be looking forward to his “house of horrors” match. When the lights come back on, Orton is alone in the ring. Orton sees that Rowan is at ringside so he rolls outside, but Rowan immediately hits him with the ring steps and is disqualified. Rowan throws Orton back in the ring and hits a full nelson slam on him before leaving.
– The Usos (c) def. American Alpha: The Usos’ Tag Team Titles are on the line in this one. The Usos use frequent tags and double team moves to keep Jordan isolated early on. Gable gets the hot tag and unloads with a series of belly-to-belly and t-bone suplexes on Jimmy. Jordan and Gable hit the top rope double team bulldog shortly after, but Jey breaks up the tag. The Usos throw both American Alpha members outside and go for suicide dives, but Jordan and Gable catch the Usos in mid-air and throw them with belly-to-belly suplexes. Back in the ring, Gable eats a superkick and gets confused about which Uso is the legal man. The Usos use the confusion to take advantage with a double team and Jey hits the big splash on Gable for the win. The Usos head backstage with the Tag Titles as the challengers recover.
A picture perfect #Bulldog from the top rope! #AmericanAlpha is pulling out ALL THE STOPS on #SDLive! @JasonJordanJJ @WWEGable @WWEUsos pic.twitter.com/UBmeHUDz6o
— WWE (@WWE) April 12, 2017
– After the match, The Shining Stars show up in street clothes and beat down Jordan and Gable to make their SmackDown debut in the Superstar Shake-up.
– Mojo Rawley def. Jinder Mahal: Gronk from the New England Patriots is at ringside. Lots of stiff strikes between Jinder and Mojo in the opening moments of this one. Jinder gets the advantage but then gets distracted by Gronk at ringside. Jinder heads out to ringside to trash-talk Gronk, but then Mojo hits Jinder from behind. Jinder falls against the fan barricade right in front of Gronk, and Gronk throws a beer in Jinder’s face to get him back for the one at WrestleMania. Mojo throws Jinder back in the ring and hits the big running forearm in the corner for the win. After the match, Mojo jumps into the crowd to celebrate with Gronk and their friends and Gronk hits some chops on Mojo. Mojo puts on JBL’s hat and stands on the announce table to celebrate the win before leaving.
NO ONE messes with GRONK and gets away with it! @RobGronkowski @MojoRawleyWWE @JinderMahal #SDLive #SuperstarShakeUp pic.twitter.com/22HgcuURG1
— WWE (@WWE) April 12, 2017
– Shane McMahon is out to address the Superstar Shake-up and the future of the Smackdown women’s division. Shane introduces the current SmackDown women’s division, consisting of Naomi, Natalya, Becky Lynch, and Carmella with James Ellsworth. Ellsworth takes the mic from Shane and says Natalya is a horrible champion. Ellsworth says the only reason people tune into SmackDown are to watch Carmella and Ellsworth, together known as Carmellsworth. Naomi briefly has words with Carmellsworth, before asking Shane to continue with what he was saying. Shane introduces two new women to the SmackDown roster, and they’re both second-generation wrestlers with fathers in the WWE Hall of Fame. Tamina comes out first, and Charlotte comes out next before we go to commercial. They are both now on SmackDown.
– We see Sami Zayn backstage warming up.
– Aiden English is in the ring to cut a promo about being a singles wrestler now. He sings that the spotlight is solely on him now, but Tye Dillinger’s entrance music interrupts and we have a match.
– Tye Dillinger def. Aiden English: Dillinger dodges English’ attacks early on and frustrates the former Vaudevillains member. English finally gets a hold of Dillinger and whips him in the corner for a big running splash. English takes a moment to sing to the crowd an Dillinger comes back with some flying forearms. Dillinger stomps a mudhole in English in the corner then hits the Tyebreaker for the win after a short match.
– Dolph Ziggler comes out to the ring and cuts a promo about how SmackDown is the show he built, and he’s not going anywhere. He says eventually the fans will get sick of the new stars who just arrived, and he feels he’s the backbone of the show. Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hits and he interrupts. Ziggler asks who he is, and Nakamura introduces himself. Ziggler goes for a superkick, but Nakamura catches his foot and throws him down. Ziggler acts like he’s going to charge Nakamura, but he doesn’t and heads to the back. Nakamura does his pose in the ring as we go to commercial.
– We see a video announcing that The New Day is moving to SmackDown.
#SDLive is about to get a serious dose of POSITIVITY, because #TheNewDay is coming to Tuesday nights! @WWEBigE @TrueKofi @XavierWoodsPhD pic.twitter.com/FemTNk3NHl
— WWE (@WWE) April 12, 2017
– AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin vs. Sami Zayn: AJ and Sami try to double team Baron early on, but Corbin reverses into a double vertical suplex on both men. Corbin clotheslines Styles to the outside then trades strikes with Zayn. Zayn hits a running hurricanrana on Corbin, then Styles rolls back in the ring to face off with Zayn. Styles throws Zayn with a hurricanrana, but Zayn comes back with a dropkick. AJ rolls outside and Sami gears up for a suicide dive, but Corbin pulls Sami outside and throws him into the fan barricade. AJ comes over and brawls with Corbin until Zayn hits a springboard moonsault onto both men at ringside. Back in the ring, Corbin takes control and beats on both Styles and Zayn in different corners of the ring. Corbin hits a side slam on Zayn for a two count. Corbin hits a big boot on AJ for a two count on him too, and Corbin starts getting frustrated with the referee. Zayn comes back with the exploder and then he measures up for the Heluva Kick. AJ blocks the Heluva Kick and hits a version of the Tyebreaker on Zayn, then AJ turns around into a clothesline from Corbin. Zayn throws Corbin outside then AJ knees Corbin in the face from the apron. Styles steps back in through the ropes and Zayn immediately hits him with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near-fall. Zayn goes for a Superplex on Styles, but Corbin comes up behind and lifts up Zayn in the electric chair position. AJ goes to springboard off the top rope but Zayn dodges the attack and knocks down Corbin. Corbin hits the Deep Six on Zayn but AJ breaks up the pin. Corbin charges at AJ but The Phenomenal One moves and Corbin hits the ring post. AJ kicks Corbin down to the mat and hits a springboard 450 splash off the top rope, but Zayn breaks up the pin. AJ hits flying clotheslines on both Zayn and Corbin, then Corbin hits a splash on AJ and Sami. Zayn dodges and splash and hits big boots on both Corbin and AJ, but then AJ drops Zayn with a Pele kick. Zayn throws Styles out to the apron, then Zayn boots Corbin again and sends him to ringside. Zayn turns around into a Phenomenal Forearm from AJ. Styles pins for the three count, and he is now the #1 contender for the U.S. Championship after WWE Payback.
With a #PhenomenalForearm, @AJStylesOrg seals the deal to become the #1Contender to the #USTitle! #SDLive @BaronCorbinWWE @iLikeSamiZayn pic.twitter.com/zsn5ZPdwvx
— WWE (@WWE) April 12, 2017
