WWE Smackdown Results
January 31, 2014
Toledo, Ohio
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
The show kicks off with a video highlighting Triple H and Stephanie McMahon gloating about the Royal Rumble at the beginning of the show. They announced that Randy Orton would defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship inside the Elimination Chamber. Daniel Bryan then interrupted them, and he said he wants in the Elimination Chamber after The Authority kept him out of the Royal Rumble. Bryan got in Triple H’s face and said he wouldn’t leave until he got what he wanted. The Shield then came out to attack Bryan, but Sheamus and John Cena soon made the save. Later in the main event, there was a six-man tag team match where the winning team is in the Elimination Chamber match. John Cena, Sheamus, and Daniel Bryan won by disqualification when the Wyatt Family attacked Cena.
Michael Cole and JBL welcome us to the show as The Shield’s music hits. As they make their way to the ring, photos are shown of Roman Reigns in the Royal Rumble. Reigns broke a longstanding Royal Rumble record by eliminating twelve men. The previous record belonged to Kane when he eliminated eleven men in the 2001 Royal Rumble. Dean Ambrose says the Elimination Chamber is a structure and a match custom made for The Shield. The stakes on Monday night couldn’t have been any higher. The Universe, The Authority, and Randy Orton knows that if The Shield was unleashed inside the Elimination Chamber, one of them would have walked out as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Roman Reigns is seen smiling at that. Ambrose asks if Reigns thinks it would have been him. Reigns says he doesn’t think so – he knows so. Ambrose doesn’t think so. Ambrose says he doesn’t apologize for trying to throw Reigns out of the Royal Rumble. Reigns says he doesn’t apologize for actually throwing Ambrose out of the Rumble. It was every man for himself. Ambrose says maybe he won’t try to sneak up on him next time. Maybe he’ll do it to his face. Reigns gets in Ambrose’s face.
Seth Rollins jumps in between them, and he says he’s had enough of this “petty crap.” Rollins says they are The Shield, the most dominant force in the history of this company. This is their yard, and they have intruders. He’s talking about Erick Rowan, Luke Harper, and Bray Wyatt: the Wyatt Family. They are the reason they are not in the Elimination Chamber. Rollins doesn’t know why they did what they did on Monday, but he doesn’t care. What he does know is that they must be dealt with. Rollins says Ambrose is the greatest United States Champion he’s ever seen. No one even has the guts to challenge him for the title. As for Reigns, he’s been spearing people since day one. He had John Cena’s hands completely apart before the Wyatts screwed them. They had them and were close. Ambrose says if the Wyatts want a new world, then they’ll give them a new world. If The Shield isn’t going to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Elimination Chamber, they’ll do the next best thing. They’ll wipe the Wyatt Family off the face of the Earth. Ambrose tells the Wyatts to consider that a challenge.
EXCUSE ME! Vickie Guerrero says that is a brilliant idea. That’s a match no one dreamed would ever happen. As the General Manager of Smackdown, she is going to make history. Triple H’s music hits, and he comes out to boos from the crowd. He takes the microphone from Vickie, and she goes to the back. Triple H then gets in the ring with The Shield. Triple H says he understands where they are coming from. The Wyatts cost them an opportunity to get in the Elimination Chamber. They effectively cost one of them the opportunity to be champion, but it’s water under the bridge now. Triple H tells them to let it go. He asks them to trust him. There is no profit in this. There is nothing to benefit or gain. Wrong place, wrong time, and a bad situation. All there is in this is loss. All there is in this is more problems. Triple H tells them one more time to let it go.
Rollins says, with all due respect, he has to look at this from their perspective. Triple H says he has, and it wasn’t a request. Ambrose angrily reacts to that. Triple H tells them once again to let it go. Reigns gets in his face, and he says Triple H doesn’t understand. They’re not asking for his approval. The crowd begins to chant for Reigns. Triple H says he can see by the look in their eyes that there is no talking them out of this. If this fight is going to go down no matter what, then he might as well profit from this. Triple H asks the crowd is this is what they want. They react favorably. Triple H says he’ll do what’s best for business. At the Elimination Chamber PPV, it will be all three members of The Shield against all three members of The Wyatt Family. The Shield celebrates in the ring as Triple H walks off.
-Commercial Break-
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Dolph Ziggler vs. Antonio Cesaro w/ Zeb Colter
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee ever, will be the official for this match. Colter is holding a sign that says, “Illegals make me ill.” On the other side, it says, “I prefer aliens from Mars.” The bell rings, and Cesaro ambushes Ziggler with a dropkick for a two count. Cesaro argues with the referee before being rolled up by Ziggler for a two count. Cesaro goes for a sunset flip, and they begin to roll around trying to pin one another. Ziggler then connects with the famouser for a near fall. Cesaro then rolls out of the ring to catch his breath. Ziggler rolls out of the ring, chases Cesaro, blocks a kick, and punches him. Ziggler puts him in the ring and goes for a Thesz Press, but Cesaro counters into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. Cesaro taunts the fans before putting Ziggler in the corner. Cesaro catches him with a double under-hook suplex for a near fall. Ziggler comes back with some punches before hitting the ropes, but Cesaro catches him with a clothesline over the top rope.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Ziggler trapped in a chin lock. Ziggler fights up, but Cesaro takes him back down. During the commercial break, Cesaro gave Ziggler a superplex into the ring from the apron. Ziggler fights up, and he escapes the chin lock with a jawbreaker. Ziggler then ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick for a two count. Ziggler goes to send him into the ropes, but Cesaro holds on. Cesaro gives him a few forearms before going for a tilt-a-whirl slam, but Ziggler counters into a sleeper hold. Cesaro finds a way to counter into a gutwrench suplex, and he catches his breath. Cesaro misses a clothesline, and he attempts the Very European Uppercut, but Ziggler counters into a DDT! Ziggler picks up a near fall.
Ziggler goes for the Zig-Zag, but Cesaro holds on to the ropes. Cesaro then does the Cesaro Swing with seven revolutions. Cesaro cranks his neck before hitting the Neutralizer for the win! Antonio Cesaro will compete for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship inside the Elimination Chamber against Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, and John Cena.
Winner by Pinfall: Antonio Cesaro
Match Rating: * 1/2
Fandango is seen walking backstage with Summer Rae. He’ll be in action, next.
-Commercial Break-
R-Truth is on commentary for the next match.
Xavier Woods w/ The Funkadactyls vs. Fandango w/ Summer Rae
They circle the ring and lock up. Fandango applies a side headlock before Woods whips him off. Fandango hits a shoulder block before hitting the ropes. Fandango cartwheels over him, gloats, and eats a dropkick for a two count. Woods sweeps the legs for a no count. Woods follows up with an uppercut and a chop. Woods hits the ropes and goes for a wheelbarrow bulldog, but Fandango counters into a German suplex for a two count. Fandango stomps him a few times before hitting a short-arm clothesline for a two count. Fandango quickly applies a chin lock. Woods fights up, but Fandango punches him in the face. Fandango sends him sternum first into the corner and goes for a slam, but Woods counters into a rolling face-buster. Woods hits some jabs and a head-butt. Woods hits some forearms before kicking him in the midsection and dropkicking him out of the ring. Woods then takes him out with a flipping plancha.
At ringside, Summer Rae grabs a sign from NXT Diva Emma, and she breaks the sign over he leg. Emma picks up another sign and continues to happily wave it around. This was distracting to everyone in the ring. Fandango crotches Woods on the top rope and connects with the Falcon’s Arrow for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Fandango
Match Rating: *
Fandango goes to continue the attack on Woods, but R-Truth makes the save. R-Truth hits his suplex/stunner combination before checking on Woods. They then dance in the ring with the Funkadactyls.
Christian makes his return to face Jack Swagger in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Curtis Axel and Ryback vs. The Prime Time Players
Darren Young will start the match against Curtis Axel. Young executes a waistlock takeover before applying a front face lock. Axel fights up and applies a hammerlock. Young turns it into a hammerlock of his own, and Axel elbows him in the face. Axel talks a little trash, and Young forearms him in the face. Axel powers him to his corner, and Ryback is tagged in. Young punches back at Ryback. Ryback kicks him in the midsection before throwing him out of the ring. Ryback distracts the referee as Axel goes for a cheap shot, but Young fights him off. As Young gets back in the ring, Ryback kicks him in the chest before hitting a meat hook clothesline. Axel is tagged in, and he hits Turning Heads for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Curtis Axel and Ryback
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Titus O’Neil looks upset on the apron as Curtis Axel and Ryback celebrate. Young is bleeding from the mouth. O’Neil gets in the ring, and he starts yelling at Young for losing in two minutes. O’Neil begins to walk off on him, and Young gets a microphone to ask what he’s doing. Young says they’re more than just a team. They’re like brothers. They’re like family. O’Neil says they’re not family. Ever since he’s partnered with Young, it’s the first time he’s ever been known as a loser. He’s been a winner all his life, and he came to WWE to be the man. He came to WWE to be the champion. Young wants to talk in the back with him, but O’Neil says he isn’t going there. The only thing he’s doing is getting rid of the dead weight that is Darren Young. O’Neil goes to leave again, but Young continues to try to talk him out of it. O’Neil then hits him with a big boot before punching away at him. O’Neil then knocks him out of the ring. O’Neil gets out of the ring and throws him into the barricade a few times. O’Neil slaps him in the face a few times before walking off to boos from the crowd.
A video plays for Jake “The Snake” Roberts, the second inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame, Class of 2014.
Christian makes his return from injury to face Jack Swagger in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying match, next.
-Commercial Break-
A promo airs with Alexander Rusev, the NXT standout who made his debut in the Royal Rumble. Rusev speaks in his native tongue. Lana comes up from behind him, and she says, “Rusev hits, Rusev crush.” Rusev says the Rusev legacy will start now.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Jack Swagger w/ Zeb Colter vs. Christian
Before the match begins, footage is shown of Swagger struggling early in a tag team match against Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara. Colter then slapped Swagger in the face, and he regained his focus. The Real Americans wound up winning the match. JBL then walks up to Colter and has him come on to commentary to answer questions about that.
The bell rings, and they lock up. Swagger immediately powers Christian to the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. Swagger whips him hard across the ring, but he runs into some boots. Christian goes for a cross-body block from the second rope, but Swagger catches him. Swagger then military presses him and throws him over the corner turnbuckle to the outside! Swagger taunts the crowd before getting out of the ring. Swagger then runs into Christian with a knee before putting him in the ring for a near fall. Swagger rolls around the ring with him a few times before applying a waistlock. Christian fights up and breaks out of the hold. Christian elbows him, but Swagger soon shoves him into the corner. Swagger talks a little trash, and Christian responds with a couple of right hands. Christian charges, and Swagger turns him inside out with a knee to the midsection. Swagger then connects with a Swagger Bomb for a near fall. Swagger stands on Christian and mocks him. Swagger knees away at him in the corner before putting him on the top rope. Christian fights him off and connects with a tornado DDT for a near fall.
Christian hits a punch and hits a drop-toe-hold into the ropes. Christian slingshots over the top rope and uppercuts him. Christian then snaps him off the top rope before hitting a missile dropkick from the second rope for a two count. Christian goes back to the second rope, and he hits a diving European Uppercut. Christian picks him up, but Swagger surprises him with a Gutwrench Powerbomb for a near fall. Colter stands up at the commentary table and shouts at Swagger to keep going. Swagger yells at the referee. Swagger goes for another Swagger Bomb, but Christian gets his feet up. Christian hits a springboard sunset flip for a near fall. Christian goes for the Killswitch, but Swagger counters into a back suplex attempt. Christian flips through it. Christian hits the ropes, but Swagger counters into a flapjack. Swagger immediately applies the Patriot Lock, but Christian soon escapes with a rollup for a near fall. Christian avoids Swagger in the corner, and he hits the ring post shoulder first. Christian goes to the top rope. Swagger tries to cut him off, but Christian punches him down. Christian then connects with the Frog Splash for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Christian
Match Rating: * 3/4
Christian celebrates in the ring as Zeb Colter gets in the ring looking disgusted with Jack Swagger. A replay shows Colter’s reaction to Swagger losing.
Randy Orton will defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, Antonio Cesaro, and Christian in an Elimination Chamber in a few weeks.
Rey Mysterio will team with Daniel Bryan and Sheamus to take on The Shield in the main event. Damien Sandow is seen walking backstage. He’ll be in action, next.
-Commercial Break-
Christian is seen walking backstage. Renee Young stops him, and she welcomes him back to the WWE. She mentions that he earned a spot in the Elimination Chamber in his first match back. Christian says she said the key word: earned. He’s earned everything he’s gotten in his career. He realizes in the Chamber there will be five of the best superstars in WWE, but since he’s been off with the injuries, it got him thinking. That window of opportunity is closing with all the injuries he’s received. That window is to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and headline WrestleMania. Christian says he is getting desperate, and he hopes the other five in the chamber mistake that for weakness. For him, he’s using that desperation to be the most dangerous Christian that anyone has ever seen.
Kofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow
They mentioned that Damien Sandow entered into the Royal Rumble as entrant number three, but CM Punk eliminated him. In a pre-taped promo, Sandow says he’s sure all the corpulent, mouth-breathing, knuckle-draggers in the WWE Universe are having a laugh at his depressing state of affairs. All great men in history have been persecuted. This is his trial by fire, and he will emerge stronger than before.
The bell rings, and Kingston applies a waistlock. Sandow elbows him in the face and puts on a jackknife pin for a one count. Sandow knees him in the midsection and hits a side Russian leg sweep for another one count. Sandow sends him to the corner, but he misses a splash. Kingston kicks him a few times before having a whip reversed on him. Sandow turns him inside out with a knee to the midsection for a one count. Sandow applies an abdominal stretch, but Kingston counters out with a hip toss. Sandow goes for a sunset flip, but Kingston rolls through and kicks him in the face. Kingston hits some chops and a dropkick. Sandow avoids a splash in the corner as well as a springboard cross-body attempt for a near fall. Sandow shouts at the referee in frustration. Kingston quickly kicks him in the midsection, but he misses a Trouble in Paradise attempt. Sandow goes for the Terminus, but Kingston pushes him off and hits the SOS for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Kofi Kingston
Match Rating: 3/4 *
Damien Sandow shakes his head in frustration in the ring while Kingston celebrates around him. Kingston goes up the ramp as Sandow hangs his head in shame in the corner.
Cody Rhodes will take on the Road Dogg in a singles match, next.
-Commercial Break-
The RAW Rebound shows Brock Lesnar destroying Cody Rhodes and Goldust. Michael Cole is then shown interviewing Triple H about that. Triple H says Cody Rhodes and Goldust will take on the New Age Outlaws for the WWE Tag Team Championships inside a steel cage on Monday Night RAW.
Cody Rhodes w/ Goldust vs. The Road Dogg w/ Billy Gunn
Before the match begins, the New Age Outlaws do their signature in-ring banter that the crowd mimics along with them. They lock up, and Rhodes powers him to the corner. Rhodes gives a clean break, and Road Dogg kicks him in the midsection. Road Dogg hits a jab before hitting the ropes, but Rhodes comes back with a clothesline for a one count. Road Dogg and Rhodes roll out of the ring to regroup with their partners. Rhodes gets back in the ring, and he applies a hammerlock. Rhodes sends him into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Road Dogg wraps Rhodes’ injured arm (due to Lesnar’s assault) around the rope and punches it. Road Dogg continues to stretch it out over the top rope, and he applies an arm bar. Rhodes fights up, but Road Dogg twists him down. Road Dogg applies a hammerlock and sends him to the corner. Rhodes responds with a right hand, but Road Dogg quickly kicks him down and reapplies the arm bar. Rhodes fights up and comes back with a twisting rollup in the corner. Road Dogg hits the ropes, and they both clunk heads and go down.
Both men get to their feet, and Rhodes hits a pair of clotheslines with his good arm. Rhodes sends him into the ropes, misses a clothesline, and hits a high knee to the face. Rhodes uppercuts him before propping him up on the top rope and kicking him in the midsection a la Hardcore Holly. Rhodes then goes to the apron and hits a springboard missile dropkick. Outside the ring, Goldust and Billy Gunn begin to brawl. Gunn takes Goldust down with a right hand before getting on the apron. Rhodes then catches Gunn with a Disaster Kick. Road Dogg rolls him up from behind for a near fall. Rhodes then connects with the Disaster Kick for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Cody Rhodes
Match Rating: *
Billy Gunn attacks Rhodes from behind. Goldust makes the save, and he punches Gunn out of the ring. They brawl at ringside. Rhodes continues his fight with the Road Dogg in the ring. The New Age Outlaws eventually retreat from the former Tag Team Champions. Goldust and Cody Rhodes stand tall in the ring.
A promo for the Elimination Chamber PPV airs.
The Shield is in the ring waiting for their competition when the Wyatt Family’s music hits. Bray Wyatt appears on the titantron flanked by Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. The Shield’s game is justice. Wyatt says he likes war. That’s his favorite game. His soul smiles at the thought of their quivering hands waving the white flags. Luke Harper says you reap what you sow. Harper says The Shield picked a beautiful hill to die on. Wyatt tells them to be careful when inviting the devil into your backyard. He may just like it and decide to stay. Erick Rowan is then shown with the lamb mask on, and he simply says, “Run.” The Shield will be in the main event, next.
-Commercial Break-
The Shield vs. Sheamus, Rey Mysterio, and Daniel Bryan
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee ever, is back for the main event. Sheamus will start the match off against Seth Rollins. They circle the ring and lock up. Sheamus executes a headlock takeover before picking him up. Rollins whips him off, and Sheamus takes him down with a shoulder block. Rollins quickly tags in Roman Reigns. They lock up, and Reigns applies a side headlock. Sheamus whips him off, and Reigns takes him down with a shoulder block. Reigns kicks and punches him before stomping him down in the corner. Reigns sends him into the ropes, but Sheamus blocks a hip toss and hits a short-arm clothesline. Sheamus kicks him in the back before hitting a neckbreaker for a one count. Reigns comes back with an uppercut, and Dean Ambrose tags in. Ambrose punches away at Sheamus in the corner before stomping him. Ambrose head-butts him and punches him before sending him into the ropes. Ambrose lowers his head, and Sheamus clubs the back. Sheamus gets him in position for a Dominator, and he slams him gut first on the top rope. Sheamus then knees him before pulling his shirt over his head and doing the Beats of the Bodhrán. Sheamus then punches Rollins before knocking Reigns off the apron.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Rollins trapped in a Mexican surfboard stretch applied by Daniel Bryan. Bryan kicks him in the ribs before tagging in Rey Mysterio. Mysterio kicks Rollins in the face for a two count. Rollins kicks him in the midsection and clubs away at him. Mysterio boots him in the face before hitting a diving hurricanrana. Mysterio then hits a head-scissor takeover into the ropes. Mysterio goes for the 619, but Ambrose tags in. Mysterio ducks a clothesline, and Ambrose counters a head-scissor takeover into a sit-out face-buster for a near fall. Reigns is tagged in, and they do a double wishbone split on Mysterio. Reigns takes Mysterio down with a straight right hand for a two count. Reigns then sends Mysterio out of the ring sternum first. Reigns then sends Mysterio into the barricade before taunting the crowd. Reigns throws Mysterio into the ring for a two count. Reigns stops Mysterio from making a tag as Rollins tags in. Rollins stands on his head and talks a little trash. Rollins then chokes Mysterio on the second rope. Rollins hits a snapmare before dropping a knee for a two count. Rollins then applies a chin lock. Rollins props Mysterio up on the top rope, and he goes for a super back suplex, but Mysterio fights him off. Rollins then catches him in position for the electric chair, but Mysterio counters in a head-scissor into the turnbuckle.
Bryan and Reigns are tagged in, and the place explodes. Bryan ducks a clothesline, and he dropkicks Ambrose off the apron. Bryan kicks away at Reigns in the corner before having a whip to the opposite side reversed on him. Bryan backflips over Reigns, ducks a clothesline, and hits a flying elbow. Bryan begins to pump himself up, and he begins to viciously kick away at Reigns’ chest. Reigns ducks a roundhouse and charges him, but Bryan pulls the top rope down. Bryan then takes Reigns out with a suicide dive! Bryan gets back in the ring, ducks a clothesline from Rollins, and he takes Ambrose out with another suicide dive! Rollins charges at Sheamus, and he’s caught with an Irish Curse Backbreaker. Reigns then takes Sheamus out with a Superman Punch. Bryan then takes Reigns down with a missile dropkick, but he only gets a near fall. Bryan quickly puts him in the Yes! Lock, but Ambrose breaks it up.
Sheamus pulls Ambrose out of the ring, and Ambrose sends him shoulder first into the ring post. Sheamus then turns around and hits him with a Brogue Kick! Mysterio is tagged in, and he takes Reigns down with a flying seated senton. Mysterio ducks a clothesline and dropkicks him into the ropes. Mysterio then dropkicks Rollins off the apron, and Bryan takes Rollins out with a flying knee off the apron. Mysterio charges, and Reigns kicks him. Mysterio slides out of a powerbomb and dropkicks him back into the ropes. Mysterio goes for a 619, but Reigns DESTROYS him with a spear for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: The Shield
Match Rating: ** 1/4
Replays of the match are shown. The Shield is celebrating at ringside while Bryan and Sheamus check on Mysterio, who is still down on the canvas.
——————–
Quick Match Results
Antonio Cesaro def. Dolph Ziggler (EC Qualifier)
Fandango def. Xavier Woods
Curtis Axel and Ryback def. The Prime Time Players
Christian def. Jack Swagger (EC Qualifier)
Kofi Kingston def. Damien Sandow
Cody Rhodes def. The Road Dogg
The Shield def. Sheamus, Rey Mysterio, and Daniel Bryan
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