WWE Smackdown Results
March 17, 2016
Cincinnati, Ohio
Report by: Alex Kahrs of Wrestleview.com
“WWE: Then. Now. Forever.”
We open with a look back at Monday Night RAW, where Roman Reigns made his return to exact revenge on Triple H for about a month ago. The brawl goes all the way backstage, where Roman unleashes with everything he can find and then some. From there we go to the packed crowd in Cincinnati, where Roman Reigns makes his way out via the stage for the first time in forever. Commentary talks about Roman’s injury and return this Monday as Roman gets to the ring, climbing the turnbuckle with his fists up high. Commentary hypes the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestlemania as Roman paces the ring, mic in hand. Roman says we’ve seen the footage; that’s what happens when you run your mouth. Triple H believes in money, power, and respect, but I’m a little different. I believe in the big fight, and the big fight knocked Triple H into next week. Triple H isn’t here but he’s watching, he’s always watching. You’re still the champ, but I’m the man standing in your arena. I’m just the man standing in your ring, and going back there eating your catering on your dime because I can, and I’m gonna do it every week till you and I are in the same area code…and then I’m gonna beat your ass again, because I can. On April 3 at Wrestlemania, in front of the whole world, you’re gonna see me destroy Triple H and I’m gonna win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and hold it over his body because I can. Triple H, if you’re as smart as you say you are, you’re gonna believe that! Roman drops the mic as his music plays while he stares at the Wrestlemania sign, looking ready as ever for his upcoming battle. Commentary talks about the rivalry between Jericho and Styles leading to the implosion of Y2AJ on RAW two weeks ago, and Jericho’s words against AJ Styles last week on Smackdown. We go to Jericho’s promo after his match with Neville this past week on RAW, interrupted by an AJ Styles attack. Backstage, Renee Young is with AJ Styles as she talks about the deterioration of the friendship between AJ and Jericho. AJ says the WWE Universe can chant whatever they want, but Chris made this personal. This past Monday it felt really good dropping Jericho in the middle–AJ is interrupted by Kevin Owens, who says AJ sounds just like Sami Zayn. “My friend attacked me, and made this personal”…you and Sami should get your own show on the WWE Network where you hold each other and cry, because you’re both too stupid to realize that in this business, friendship doesn’t matter. All that really does matter is this, as he looks at his championship. AJ says that Owens sounds just like Jericho: smug, arrogant, jackass. Owens says it’s weird you didn’t mention we’re both Canadians, but what’s your point? AJ says they have a match tonight, so you get to put your money where your big mouth is, and I get to shut it. Owens just chuckles, saying they have the same haircut before walking off. Back at ringside, Dolph Ziggler makes his way to the ring for the opening contest of the night as we go to commercial!
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Back from commercial, The Miz makes his way to the ring for this “Battle for Ohio” as the match starts.
Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz
Ziggler takes Miz down, but Miz reverses until Dolph gets a rollup for a nearfall, not once but twice. Miz grabbing the ropes to break things up. Some technical wrestling occurs as Ziggler gets another nearfall, but Miz turns things around with a headlock takedown that Dolph reverses into a nearfall. Dolph with a couple of headlock takedowns of his own, but Miz gets back to his feet. Dolph against the ropes now, but gets a shoulder tackle on Miz. Dolph goes for a dropkick, but gets caught by Miz who monkey flips him into the ropes. Dolph skins the cat, missing a kick but rolling Miz up for a nearfall. Dolph with a hip toss before dropping an elbow on Miz repeatedly until Miz rolls out of the way. Miz catches Dolph on the top rope, but Dolph responds with a big dropkick when Miz comes back in, getting a nearfall! Dolph slams Miz in the corner but Miz responds by whipping Ziggler hard into the corner, sending Dolph out of the ring with a baseball slide as we go to commercial!
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Back from commercial, Miz drops Ziggler with a double axe handle for a nearfall. He stomps on the chest of Ziggler, locking in a bodyscissors and grabbing Ziggler’s hair as Dolph yells in pain. Dolph gets to his feet and to the corner, where Miz runs into a shoulderblock by Ziggler. Ziggler responds with some clotheslines and a neckbreaker, and finally a bodyslam before getting a nearfall. Dolph misses a kick, and Miz rolls him up for a nearfall. Miz misses a boot of his own, but blocks the DDT to drop Ziggler with a boot for the nearfall. Miz looks for Skull Crushing Finale, but is blocked as Dolph rolls him up for a nearfall. Miz locks in a Figure Four Leglock as Ziggler inches toward the ropes. Ziggler grabs the bottom rope, breaking the hold before dropping Miz with a superkick for the win!
Winner via pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Dolph celebrates with the crowd as commentary talks about the League of Nation’s attack on New Day on Monday night. They hype Kofi Kingston taking on King Barrett later tonight, and a face off between Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch!
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Back from commercial, we get a video hyping Wrestlemania in Dallas coming in less than three weeks! We go back to RAW on Monday night, where Ryback challenges Kalisto for the United States Championship at Wrestlemania. Earlier this week Kalisto accepted the challenge, and commentary hypes the match now made official for Wrestlemania! We go back to RAW on Monday as Dean challenged Brock to another fight as they get ready for their No Holds Barred Street Fight at Wrestlemania, before Mick Foley gives Ambrose some advice and his barbed wire baseball bat! We go to earlier today, as Dean Ambrose looks on at his hometown. Cincinnati, Ohio: the Queen City, the Fountain City, a better looking Cleveland. Brock Lesnar has been training for a fight his entire life, NCAA, UFC, WWE, but down there you train to fight for your life. You train to fight for a better life. Down there, every day is Wrestlemania, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The pressure is off the charts, and pressure makes diamonds. So every time I got a brick thrown at me, every time I got jumped, I learned a lesson. Cincinnati taught me everything: how to fight, how to live, how to survive, how to be Dean Ambrose and I plan to pass that learning onto Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania. I hope he’s ready, because from my experience nothing hurts like an education! Back at ringside, Bubba Ray is accompanied to the ring by D-Von as he makes his way to the ring for the next match. The Dudley Boyz enter the ring as we go to commercial.
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Back from commercial, commentary hypes the Hall of Fame class of 2016 as Goldust makes his way to the ring. This match is underway!
Bubba Ray Dudley vs. Goldust
D-Von pulls a table out from under the ring, distracting Goldust long enough for a sneak attack by Bubba. Bubba tells D-Von to put the table away as he throws Goldust into the corner twice over. He mocks Goldust as he drives an elbow into the back of Goldust, followed by some right hands as he pulls Goldust up for a neckbreaker. He mocks Goldust some more, and takes some right hands for his troubles. Bubba blocks a sunset flip, but Goldust evades a seated drop by Bubba Ray. Bubba mocks Goldust with a Bionic Elbow shades of his father Dusty Rhodes, but Goldust responds with a kick to the gut and a right hand to the face! Goldust gets some momentum, driving his fist into Bubba Ray in the corner before hitting a bulldog into the middle of the ring for a nearfall. Bubba rolls out of the ring, and Goldust follows dropping D-Von with a right hand. Goldust goes back into the ring but is caught with a punt by Bubba for the win!
Winner via pinfall: Bubba Ray Dudley
D-Von runs in after the match to attack Goldust, before R-Truth runs down to make the save! He unleashes some right hands on both Dudley Boyz before getting dropped by Bubba Ray. The Usos make their way out next, scaring the Dudley Boyz out of the ring. Bubba and D-Von regroup on the stage as the Usos’ music plays. Commentary talks about the showdown between Shane McMahon and Undertaker this past Monday, as well as the face off between Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch up next!
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Back from commercial, Charlotte makes her way to the ring accompanied by Ric Flair. Charlotte gets a mic, and talks about defending HER Divas Championship in just over two weeks against two women that I’ve almost known my entire adult life. We’ve laughed, we’ve fought, we’ve made up, and we have fallen apart, but I honestly would not be standing out here today if it were not for the two of them. Sasha, Becky, I’m asking you to remember our history and accept my invitation. Becky Lynch makes her way out to the ring now, mic in hand as Charlotte remarks “just you? No BFF?” Becky says the last one didn’t work out so well. Charlotte says she showed up, and she can count on Becky, and Becky agrees; she can count on Becky taking that title at Wrestlemania! Charlotte starts to respond, but is interrupted as Sasha Banks makes her way to the ring with a mic of her own. Charlotte says look who finally showed up, but Sasha says as The Boss you can’t tell me when to show up! Becky asks if they’re going to litter the road to Wrestlemania with bickering and nonsense, but Charlotte says she won’t. She’s been thinking back to NXT, when we trained every single day together. This is what we’ve worked for! I remember the day I called my dad and said I met the most amazing, talented women. Her dad said they sound like the Horsemen, and said maybe they’re the Horsewomen. She thought Ric would disown her, but he said if they’re as good as she said then maybe they are. Charlotte hates to admit when she’s wrong, but that’s why I brought the two of you out here…to apologize. In front of all these people, I want to apologize. Dad, I’m sorry…for every thinking these two were worthy of being called Horsewomen! Becky wondered when the real Charlotte was going to show her face, and Sasha asks if Charlotte brought them out here to be embarrassed. Charlotte has felt guilty since her dad’s faction granted the name to two women who didn’t deserve it. Becky doesn’t care, Charlotte can call her whatever she wants but come Wrestlemania, she is taking the title! Sasha disagrees, saying she’s the one who pinned Charlotte for the NXT Women’s Championship. In fact, since she’s arrived she hasn’t been beaten. She deserves to be here more than Becky Lynch, who needs to get to the back of the line for the Divas Championship! Becky says she only lost that match because of “Daddy Dearest” and hasn’t gotten her rematch since Royal Rumble. Where she’s from, it takes more than a self-entitled ego and some dollar store jewelry to be a Boss! Both women drop their microphones, shoving each other before going after Charlotte! They drive the champ out of the ring as Sasha’s music hits while Charlotte and Ric regroup on the ramp. Commentary hypes AJ Styles taking on Kevin Owens later tonight, and Kofi Kingston takes on King Barrett up next!
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Back from commercial, WWE promotes great Dogs in WWE History with a video package on the British Bulldogs before…
“OH CINCY, DON’T YOU DARE BE SOUR! CLAP FOR YOUR WORLD FAMOUS TWO TIME CHAMPS, AND FEEL THE POWWWWAAAAHHHHH!”
The New Day make their way to the ring carrying some bags filled with something as they enter the ring, Big E showing off a box of Booty-O’s as we go back to RAW on Monday when the New Day get attacked by the League of Nations after the Tag Title match. Woods has a mic in hand, saying they’ve been recuperating with a delicious box of Booty-O’s cereal…they make sure you ain’t booty! You probably thought we’d be upset and do something like this…Big E yells that they’re gonna kick Sheamus’s pasty behind from pillar to post! Big E interrupts Woods to continue on, before Kofi says they accept the League of Nation’s challenge because the League of Nations is really just four bags…of hot garbage! They run down the League as they kick the bags of trash out of the ring. But we, the New Day, are your WWE World Tag Team Champions because New…Day Rocks! They’re interrupted by the League of Nations, as King Barrett gets ready for this match! Commentary hypes The New Day vs The League of Nations as this match begins!
Kofi Kingston vs. Wade Barrett
Barrett going for a clothesline but takes a dropkick from Kofi, who begins a one man unicorn stampede before Barrett slides out of the way to regroup with the League of Nations as we go to commercial.
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Back from commercial, Kofi is still in control with some kicks and punches before Barrett reverses an Irish whip. Kofi gets distracted on the apron by the League, as Barrett drops Kofi with a boot to the face! The New Day stand off with the League as Barrett gets Kofi back in the ring for a nearfall. Up on the turnbuckle is Kofi as Barrett lays into him with some right hands and a punt to the midsection, bringing Kofi down for a nearfall. Kofi gets some momentum as he hits a springboard crossbody for a nearfall. Kofi evades a clothesline for a unique DDT and a nearfall. Del Rio on the apron for the distraction, as Rusev drops Kofi before Big E stops him. The League beat up on Big E as Kofi gets back in the ring, hitting a spinning heel kick as the League get up on the apron. Big E and Woods drop Rusev and Del Rio, and Kofi lands a superkick on Sheamus before rolling up Barrett for the win!
Winner via pinfall: Kofi Kingston
New Day regroups on the stage, celebrating as commentary hypes the schedule for the WWE Network for the week of Wrestlemania: Stone Cold Podcast with Mick Foley, NXT Takeover: Dallas, the WWE Hall of Fame Red Carpet and Ceremony, and of course Wrestlemania! We go to another vignette of Dean hitting the town, this time at Madonna’s Bar and Grill. It’s a great place to lick your wounds, numb your pain, and there’s a hell of a open mic night on Thursdays. Over the years, you learn a lot about yourself from bars like this: you think about the fights you won and lost, and dream of fighting for big money…and then you realize it’s all crap, and none of it matters! What matters is fighting for pride, for who you are and where you come from. At Wrestlemania I’m bringing the entire city of Cincinnati with me! Brock Lesnar doesn’t know what pain is, he doesn’t know what a street fight is…not yet. He’s gonna find out, and he’ll find out at Wrestlemania! Bottoms up!
Commentary hypes what went down between Shane McMahon and the Undertaker, and we’ll see more next!
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Back from commercial, we go back to Monday Night RAW for the RAW Rebound! Vince McMahon talks about what Shane has to say being a dream that will turn into a nightmare because of MY instrument of destruction, The Undertaker! Vince says Undertaker doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty doing the devil’s work, he’s not gonna mind at all Shane’s spirit simply in a puddle beneath your feet. Some call this an unholy alliance, I simply call this best for business. Shane interrupts, saying he will stop at nothing to defeat Undertaker at Wrestlemania…and Taker says that won’t be enough! Shane calls him Vince’s puppet…and bitch, prompting an attack by the Deadman! Vince shoves Shane into the path of a chokeslam by Taker, as commentary hypes the Hell in a Cell match between Shane McMahon and The Undertaker at Wrestlemania! Back at ringside, Social Outcasts are sitting on the apron as Heath Slater insists we’re looking at top-grade talent! Bo Dallas says at Wrestlemania, Social Outcasts will be the first team in history to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal together! Heath says he’s the leader and he’s gonna win this battle royal, but Curtis says he knows a thing or two about battle royals. He was never eliminated from the 2015 Royal Rumble match, but Adam Rose interrupts to insult Curtis as Dean Ambrose makes his way out to the ring! Dean’s got a kendo stick in hand, swinging it at Heath and Bo as Curtis and Adam go after him, before both taking shots to the body by the Lunatic Fringe. Dean grabs a mic, asking if the Social Outcasts were done. It doesn’t matter, because we’re in the ‘Natti tonight baby! Dean was walking around town when he heard a rumor that Brock Lesnar is coming to Smackdown next week. Last week you walked away from a fight with me, so next week I’m gonna be standing in the middle of this ring ready to rock and roll…so let’s see if you’ve got the baseballs to step up to the plate! Dean’s music hits as commentary talks about the impending collision between Ambrose and Lesnar next week on Smackdown. We see AJ Styles and Kevin Owens walking backstage before their big match coming up next!
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Back from commercial, Kevin Owens makes his way to the ring for this big main event! Kevin poses with his title in the ring as AJ makes his way to the ring now as commentary hypes AJ’s debut in the Royal Rumble match before being eliminated by Kevin Owens. We go back to two weeks ago on RAW when Y2AJ imploded after Jericho dropped Styles with three Codebreakers, and last week on RAW when AJ responded with an attack of his own on Jericho!
Main Event (Non-Title Match)
WWE Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles
Owens gets a headlock on Styles, who powers out and hits a dropkick on Owens before laying into the champ with some chops and a forearm. AJ on the apron, but Owens drops AJ with a rib breaker, giving him a boot to the outside as we go to commercial.
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Back from commercial, Owens is in control with a sleeper hold before AJ gets back up but Owens shoves him to the mat. Owens going for the running senton, but is met with knees by AJ who sends Owens into the steel post. The ref begins the count as Owens rolls back into the ring, right into a flurry of offense by Styles! Styles looking for the Styles Clash, but Owens drops him with a back bodydrop. AJ sends Owens out of the ring, and lands a springboard forearm before bringing Owens back into the ring. AJ has Owens on his shoulders, hitting a Ushigoroshi for a nearfall! AJ with a waistlock, but Owens reverses. AJ goes for a moonsault but Owens evades, setting up what appears to be a package piledriver(!) but hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. AJ getting some steam now with some kicks and an enziguri, but Owens responds with a huge lariat! Both men exchanging blows now, and AJ unleashes some offense only to take a superkick by Owens! Owens goes for the Pop-Up Powerbomb, but AJ blocks it and hits a Pele Kick! AJ lifts Owens into a torture rack into a big slam for a nearfall! AJ gets to the top turnbuckle, but takes a forearm from Owens. Owens sets up for a superplex, but AJ knocks Owens off the turnbuckle with some headbutts before Owens stops any further offense. AJ looks to go for a springboard forearm but Y2J’s music hits, distracting AJ as Owens delivers a boot and the Pop-Up Powerbomb for the win!
Winner via pinfall: Kevin Owens
Owens celebrates with his title before leaving the ring as Jericho enters, standing over AJ with a smirk on his face. He picks up Styles, dropping him with a Codebreaker before getting a mic from ringside. Jericho mocks the crowd’s chants of “AJ STYLES” as he looks over the fallen Styles. He raises a fist with a smug grin on his face as the show comes to a close.