Smackdown Live at MSG kicks off with the gong and 10 years worth of pent up pop for The Dead Man. Full entrance for Undertaker complete with light show. The crowd is hushed until the entrance is over and breakout with the “Un-der-tak-er!” chants. Taker lets us know that he’s an old gunslinger that may not get to come home to MSG much anymore but he wants us to remember the legends born in that building.
Just when he gets to talking about the new generation of superstars, Sami Zayn makes and ill-advised interruption. He hypes Undertaker as a legend that New York respects for selling out the arena for 30 years. Sami respectfully objects to Undertaker opening the show, however, when he would have done a much better job. After all, 30 years is a long time and when is enough enough? The future is now and the future is Sami Zayn! He oh-so-respectfully asks Taker to leave the ring as the crowd chants “You Suck!” Undertaker begins stepping away to Sami’s shock and delight but a chokeslam has to come first and, when The Phenom leaves the ring, he leaves “the future” in a broken heap.
In his private Blue Room, Shane McMahon watches the ring action with little sympathy. Chad Gable comes in to be informed that, even though Elias has a bum ankle and can’t compete, Chad will not have a bye. An opponent hasn’t been finalized yet but Shane knows that Gable is the kind of competitor that wants to earn it every step of the way.
The Miz vs Andrade
Intercontinental Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, is giving commentary at ringside. Fun fact: the majority of the Japanese lexicon roughly translates to “Shut up, Saxton!”
As odd as it is to watch Miz play the babyface, it’s likely just as confusing for some viewers to hear the crowd pop for Zelina Vega, their hometown girl. Andrade has control (in and out of the ring) for the start of the match. During Miz’s rally, he tosses Andrade into Nakamura. Sure enough, after Miz awkwardly turns Andrade’s moonsault into a Skull-Crushing Finale for the win, The Artist paints Miz’s dome with his knee.
Your winner by pinfall… The Miz!
Shane is in the locker room, looking for Chad Gable. He has the answer no one wanted to the question that Gable has been asking. Tonight, for a spot in the King of the Ring finals, Chad Gable will face The Best in the World!
Mandy Rose (w/ Sonya Deville) vs Nikki Cross (w/ Alexa Bliss)
Prior to the match, Mandy cuts a pretty dry promo, likening Nikki Cross to an ugly sewer rat. When Nikki does come out, it’s a mad sprint straight into Mandy’s face. Once the shock subsides, Mandy takes over with a fallaway slam. Nikki brawls her way into control but gets distracted during an aerial attempt by Sonya. Alexa pulls out Sonya’s feet to make her eat the ring apron. Nikki dodges Mandy’s knee lift and school girls her for the win.
Your winner by pinfall… Nikki Cross!
Heavy Machinery is at the craft services table, making Frankfurter/Banana protein shakes to prepare for their match.
Bayley is in the women’s locker room when she’s questioned by Ember Moon about he recent attack on Becky Lynch. Bayley insists that she did it for the Smackdown women’s division. Ember’s not buying and thinks Bayley’s scared of not being a relevant champ. Bayley looks like she’s going to flex on the war goddess but Ember tells her to save it for their match tonight.
Heavy Machinery vs Johnny Silver & Alex Keaton
Tucker tosses both of the opponents like he’s preparing pizza dough. Lil’ Brother Otis gets tagged in to drop his straps and hit The Caterpillar before it’s Compactor time. Blue Collar Solid eats a pair of ham-and-eggers for breakfast. [Editor’s Note: Northeast indie fans may know Heavy Machinery’s opponents as The Beaver Boys — John Silver and Alex Reynolds].
Your winners by pinfall… Heavy Machinery!
In Shane’s blue room, Kevin Owens comes in to find out that Shane is willing to drop the $100K fine… if he referees the match between Shane and Gable “correctly.”
After a quick recap of Rowan’s Rebellion over the past few weeks, the raging redwood makes his way to the ring. He talks about how everyone had him figured wrong; how nobody controlled him. Then he mentions Roman Reigns and The Big Dog makes his way to the ring and nails Rowan with a Superman punch that sends him out to the floor. They brawl at ringside and through the crowd. I don’t know what was more surprising: Rowan using a diminutive fan as a projectile, powerbombing him into Roman and the security team, or that he joins the short but distinguished list of people to successfully headbutt a Samoan. While Roman is restrained by security, Rowan gets up a full head of steam and transforms from a freight train into a 747 by hitting a half a dozen men with a cross body block. They play Hulk vs Thor up the ramp until Rowan swings a jib camera into Reigns and the security team. Rowan leaves but the crowd chants The Big Dog to his feet and Roman heads after him.
Bayley vs Ember Moon
Charlotte Flair is at ringside to give commentary, insisting that Bayley has always been this morally ambiguous version we’ve seen as of late. She also reminds us that Bayley has never beaten her without Sasha Banks’ help.
Ember Moon comes out strong but Bayley turns it around on the outside by hanging her up on the barricade and then nearly decapitating her with a knee strike. Ember tries to make a comeback but her floor-to-ceiling powerbomb is turned into a Frankensteiner and Bayley catches her with another knee that blasts her off the apron to the floor. The Eclipse is dodged and a Belly-to-Bayley seals the deal.
Your winner by pinfall… Bayley!
Charlotte steps into the ring and motions towards Bayley’s championship belt. Bayley smiles at her but nonetheless slinks away as The Queen flashes all ten fingers at her to signify her impending tenth reign.
WWE Champion, Kofi Kingston, takes us down memory lane. It was ten years ago in Madison Square Garden that he put Randy Orton through a table and proved that he belonged in WWE. The mantra of “stupid stupid stupid” comes from floor and Randy Orton comes out, mic in hand. He says that he is sick of hearing Kofi talk about winning the WWE title and putting him through a table. He lists his own accomplishments over the past ten years and says that they don’t matter either. All that matters is exposing Kofi as the fake he always was, from his fabricated accent to his phoney baloney positivity. Kofi drops his jacket and belt to go out after Orton. Cue Admiral Ackbar because “It’s a trap!” Orton hits him multiple times with a chair but they jockey back and forth for a bit and Kofi ends up re-enacting his Boom Drop through a table ten years ago.
Chad Gable vs Shane McMahon
Shane drops to his knees to mock Gable’s height but far too soon to get cocky. The former Olympian rolls Shane-O-Mac through for a bridging German suplex and the win! Shane grabs the mic and declares the match two-out-of-three falls. The New York crowd lets him know what they think. (Hint: it rhymes with “basshole.”)
Shane gets in a cheap shot as soon as Gable returns to the ring and keeps him down with strikes. Gable gets Shane in an arm crucifix but, this time, Kevin Owens has been reminded about the $100K fine. A slow count to one gives The Money a chance to get free. Shane’s next pin attempt gets a fast count but Gable still beats it. Gable’s moonsault gets another slow count and a confused and disappointed Chad Gable is snapped across the top rope. Shane gets a chair but Owens intercepts him, warning him of a DQ finish. While Owens’ back is turned, Gable gets Shane in the ankle lock! Kevin Owens is blameless as Shane taps out and the time keeper rings the bell.
Your winner by submission… Chad Gable!
After the match, Shane blames KO but he tells him that there was nothing he could do. As the crowd chants, “You tapped out!” Shane attacks KO from behind and beats him in the corner. As we go off the air, Shane quotes his father’s famous line: “You’re fired!”
Reactions for Clash of Champions/Final thoughts for Smackdown Live at MSG:
Win, lose, or draw, if they manage to pull off the double turn for Charlotte/Bayley, I’ll applaud. They get to revisit the plans for Charlotte that they shelved when Becky took off and Bayley is the most anticipated good girl gone bad since Olivia Newton-John traded in her poodle skirt and pearls for leather and cigarettes.
Kofi Kingston vs Randy Orton will tell us if they’re truly going to commit to the idea of Kofi as “The Guy” or whether his championship experience ends with the strap back in the hands of first ballot hall of famers.
Miz beating Shinsuke will likely give him every Intercontinental Championship record save for The Honky Tonk Man’s 454 days. Shinsuke’s beating Miz will allow the two to carry this on to more drama.
I don’t like matches on Clash of Champions without any champions in it. I do like seeing Roman Reigns square off against huge guys as he has been able to elevate them every time and work with them above their previous ceilings.
I see Sonya Deville having equal potential to Nikki Cross and Mandy Rose well past that. With Alexa Bliss’ frequent injuries and her skill in front of the camera far exceeding that between the ropes, Fire & Desire (or the “Sex and Violence Connection, damnit!) seem like the smarter pair of belt hooks.
Chad Gable has managed to connect on his way to King of the Ring finals. But slow your roll. Even though Cinderella got to the ball, she didn’t get her due until later.
Shane McMahon fired Kevin Owen’s? Is the fine still active? You know, the fine from when KO, a competitor, assaulted Elias while he… was… wearing a referee’s uniform! It’s all good! Kevin’s kids going to college, y’all. Gonna be alright. Watch.
