The June 4th episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, TX. It was the final episode of SmackDown before WWE Super ShowDown this Friday. Here are 5 takeaways from the show:
Dolph Ziggler Attacked Kofi Kingston Again
WWE Champion Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods kicked off this week’s episode of SmackDown. Kingston will defend the WWE Championship against Dolph Ziggler at Super ShowDown.
Kingston stated that he has learned that life is full of surprises after becoming WWE Champion. He noted that it hasn’t always been highs, there have been a lot of lows but he has been able to fight through them all. Kofi said that it was most important for him to inspire people to believe that anything is possible. WWE then rolled a video package of Kingston returning to Ghana after 26 years.
Kofi got emotional and said the look in those kids eyes was what it is all about. Dolph Ziggler interrupted and told Kingston that he was an inspiration, but if this were Friday he would be beating the hell out of him. WWE then rolled another video package highlighting moments from Ziggler’s career.
Dolph got pissed off and said that it should have been him that won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. Kofi pointed that the first time Ziggler won the IC Title and the US Title, he beat him. Kingston added that he knows what it is like to be passed over. Kingston then rolled footage of Ziggler relinquishing the US Title in December of 2017.
Kofi said it could have been Ziggler at WrestleMania, but when things don’t go his way he quits and takes himself out of the game. Kingston added that no matter how hard things got for him, he never quit on himself, his brothers, and the WWE Universe. Kofi told Ziggler that as long as he is WWE Champion, it will never be Ziggler’s moment.
Dolph then pointed at the jumbotron and yet another video package rolled. This time it was a compilation of Ziggler attacking Kofi in recent weeks. Dolph then stated “Friday, it will be me”. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn then came down to the ring for their tag match against Woods and Kingston.
Ziggler was shown backstage watching the match as Owens and Zayn isolated Woods in the ring. Owens connected with a Senton for a two count as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Kingston tagged in and hit Zayn with a Dropkick.
Kofi followed it up with the Boom Drop and geared up in the corner of the ring. Owens grabbed Kofi’s leg but Woods knocked him to the floor. Kingston then hit Zayn with Trouble in Paradise for the pinfall victory. After the match, Dolph Ziggler Superkicked Kofi and Woods.
Alexa Bliss Will Face Bayley For The Title At Stomping Grounds
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley was a guest on A Moment of Bliss tonight.
Bliss stated that it was an incredible honor to be one of tonight’s Wild Cards from WWE’s better brand, RAW. Bayley then joined the show as Alexa took a sip of her coffee. Bliss complained that SmackDown’s coffee was terrible and an assistant came out with another cup of coffee. Alexa took a sip and told the assistant to put in her other mug.
The two sat in silence for a moment and Bayley asked if Bliss was going to ask her a question. Bliss got pissed off because she didn’t have her coffee then started boasting about all of her own great moments on SmackDown. Alexa claimed that the title actually meant something when she had it and sarcastically asked if the title meant anything around Bayley’s waist.
Bayley was about to answer but Alexa cut her off because her coffee was coming. Bayley smacked the coffee out of Alexa’s hand and Bliss got pissed off again. Carmella interrupted and said that she is a former SmackDown Women’s Champion and that Bliss cannot just walk in from RAW and challenge for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Charlotte Flair joined the party and said that she just talked to her good friend Shane McMahon. Charlotte announced that there will be a Triple Threat Match between Alexa Bliss, Carmella, and Charlotte to determine who Bayley will defend the title against at Stomping Grounds.
Carmella locked in the Code of Silence early but Charlotte was able to escape. Charlotte sent Carmella to the outside and hit Bliss with a big boot. Carmella leveled Flair with a Superkick as Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville came down the entrance ramp.
Bliss capitalized on the distraction and slammed Carmella into the barricade. Flair hit Carmella with a chop and then brought Bliss back into the ring. Alexa hit Flair with a Dropkick for a near fall as SmackDown went to a break. When SmackDown returned, Carmella hit Flair with a Hurricanrana for a near fall.
Carmella hit Bliss with a Bronco Buster and then knocked her out of the ring. Flair applied the Figure Four to Carmella and then bridged into the Figure Eight. Alexa climbed to the top rope and hit Charlotte with Twisted Bliss but Carmella broke up the pinfall at two.
Charlotte hit Alexa with Natural Selection but Carmella once again broke it up. Charlotte set up for the Figure Four on Bliss but Carmella hit her with a Superkick. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville then tripped up Carmella and Bliss planted her with a DDT for the pinfall victory. Alexa Bliss will now face Bayley at Stomping Grounds for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Instead of giving a member of the SmackDown women’s division a chance, WWE opted to give RAW superstar Alexa Bliss another title shot. The only way this match could be worse is if it was another Kendo Stick on a Pole Match. I’d rather not revisit one of the most embarrassing storylines of 2017 with Bayley and Bliss. Alexa is already over with the crowd, it would have been nice to see a superstar that has been wasting away in catering get this opportunity.
R-Truth Recaptured The 24/7 Championship Moments After Losing It
Shane McMahon informed 24/7 Champion R-Truth that he will be defending his title in a Lumberjack match against Elias tonight on SmackDown.
Several SmackDown superstars surrounded the ring and Elias immediately sent R-Truth to the outside. The lumberjacks beat R-Truth down and then rolled him back into the ring. Elias then pinned R-Truth to capture the 24/7 Championship. The superstars then surrounded Elias and attacked him.
Elias escaped out of the ring and then R-Truth chased him under the ring. R-Truth somehow pinned Elias under the ring to become the 24/7 Champion once again. R-Truth then avoided Drake Maverick and escaped through the crowd.
https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1136073921168650240
I can see a lot of the younger crowd finding these segments to be entertaining. However, I find the title to be goofy and cannot envision it lasting long.
Shane McMahon Speared Roman Reigns Again
SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon came down to the ring with The Revival. Shane demanded a proper introduction and posed on the turnbuckle as Greg Hamilton proclaimed that Shane McMahon was the best in the world.
The crowd responded with a loud “CM Punk!” chant as Shane started his promo. Shane complimented The Revival on their efforts last night on RAW, and rolled footage of him leveling Reigns with a Spear.
Shane compared Roman Reigns to a “high-spirited” dog that needs to be disciplined. He said that he was going to neuter the Big Dog at Super ShowDown. Roman Reigns interrupted and hobbled to the entrance ramp.
The Revival ran at Roman and predictably Reigns took them out with a couple of Superman Punches. Roman slowly made his way down the ramp and towards Shane in the ring. Drew McIntyre came out of nowhere and hit Reigns with a Claymore Kick. Shane McMahon hit Reigns with another Spear and then taunted him as the crowd chanted “you suck!”.
This feud has been terrible and hopefully, it comes to an end this Friday at Super ShowDown. Reigns will then go on to face Drew McIntyre at Stomping Grounds, in a WrestleMania rematch that nobody asked for. We pretty much saw this exact same segment last night on RAW after the 6-man tag match.
The Undertaker Interrupted Goldberg
Goldberg will face The Undertaker this Friday at WWE Super ShowDown. On last night’s episode of RAW, The Undertaker cut a promo on Goldberg and finished it by saying “you’re next”.
Goldberg responded to The Undertaker in the final segment of this week’s SmackDown.
Goldberg stood in the ring as the crowd loudly chanted his name. Goldberg thanked the crowd and said that it was time to get down business. He stated that he has been waiting over 20 years to face The Undertaker.
Goldberg stated that Undertaker made an interesting point last night on RAW when he said he didn’t want to face the family man version of Goldberg. He added that he left the family man at home will be the ass-kicking version of Goldberg that went 163-0.
He added that will all find out on Friday who the better man is. Goldberg then said “Undertaker, you’re next to rest in peace”. The lights went out and Undertaker showed up behind Goldberg in the ring as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t”.
The two legends stared at each other in the ring and then the lights went out again. The lights went out again and The Undertaker was gone. Goldberg grabbed the microphone and shouted that The Undertaker to bring his jock strap to Super ShowDown and to “tighten it up because it is going to be a ride”.
It was a cool moment to see The Undertaker and Goldberg in the ring together tonight. However, Goldberg’s jock strap line was a bizarre way to close the go-home show for Super ShowDown.
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