By Scoti Wilkerson
WWE Smackdown
Air Date: 1/9/15
Location: Laredo, Texas
Announcers: JBL, Tom Phillips, and Michael Cole
We see highlights of John Cena Appreciation Night and The Authority fire Erick Rowan, Ryback, and Dolph Ziggler.
Lillian Garcia introduces Seth Rollins as he makes his way out with J&J Security. Rollins says he feels good tonight. He asks the fans if they all saw the look on Cena’s face on RAW Monday Night. Rollins then shows the video of Cena’s face. Rollins explains that after Cena made the right decision reinstating The Authority, the 3 men who thought they could count on John Cena were fired. He names off Erick Rowan, Ryback, and Dolph Ziggler. Rollins says he’s still there and is now in the main event at Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship. Rollins says he understands he the fans don’t like how The Authority does. Rollins says they aren’t bad and neither is he. He says he’s going to show he isn’t a bad guy by paying tribute to the lackluster careers of Erick Rowan, Ryback, and Dolph Ziggler. The 10 Bell Salute starts until Roman Reigns’music plays to interrupt.
Roman Reigns enters the ring and Rollins says it’s good to see him again and calls him brother. Reigns questions the brother statement. He apologizes for interrupting and then takes back his apology.Reigns tells Rollins he’s full of himself now and full of something else. He calls Rollins a snivelling suck up sellout suffering succotash. He says that wasn’t easy to say, He says his so called brother has donkey dong for brains. Rollins wants to know why he came out. Reigns says what he’s trying to say is he’s going to kick Rollins’ ass. Reigns then clears the ring of Rollins and J&J Security. Rollins tries to re enter the ring but J&J Security hold him back and they head up the ramp. The Big Show then makes his way out and stares down Roman Reigns. Kane then makes his way out with a mic and tells Reigns he has an expression, 1 vs. all. He says it’s going to be put to the test when Roman Reigns will face The Big Show and Seth Rollins in a handicap match unless he can find a tag team partner. He says if someone did tag with him they would fall to the disfavor of The Authority. He wishes Reigns luck and then some. Show says the superman punch is nothing compared to the knockout punch and he”s going to knock Roman Reigns out, if anyone tags with him, they”ll get knocked out and if need be, he’ll knock the entire WWE Universe out. He says Roman Reigns woke up a sleeping tiger which isn’t smart but what is worse is he riled the arye of a 7 foot giant, he says to make a long story short, Reigns is screwed.
We see The New Day headed to the ring for Big E’s match against Adam Rose up next.
We see Kane in his office on the phone with The Authority saying he has everything in control. The Miz and Damien Mizdow show up and Miz says it must be great with The Authority back in power. Miz says no one is more happy than he is, he isn’t even upset that Miz TV with Seth Rollins was cancelled because Seth Rollins should have his own spotlight just like he should. He says he and Mizdow deserve a straight up tag team match with the Usos for the tag team titles. Kane says Miz is right that is fair and Miz asks for water for Mizdow who splashes it on Kane. Kane says but life isn’t fair and thanks to Mizdow it’s still a triple threat tag team match.
Big E w/Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods vs. Adam Rose w/ Cesaro and Tyson Kidd
Big E takes Rose in the corner and works on the ribs and whips him into the ropes but Rose with a drop toe hold. Rose with a rest hold on Big E and then a cover for a 2 count. Rose gets the rest hold back on Big E, who fights out with repeated clotheslines and then a belly to belly. Big E gets a light New Day chant and then splashes Rose. Big E goes for the Big Ending but Rose gets out and then Big E charges at the corner but Rose with a kick. Rose with a tornado DDT for a 2 count. Rose then goes for a clothesline on Big E as he gets up but Big E with the big ending for the pin and the win.
winner: Big E
Still to Come: The Usos defends the Tag Team Championships against The Miz and Damien Mizdow and Goldust and Stardust; Also, Roman Reigns and a possible tag team partner take on The Big Show and Seth Rollins
The Ascension’s music plays as they make their way out. Rick Viktor says there were so called dominant tag teams in the past like the Road Warriors. Connor O Brian says they couldn’t carry their shoulder pads. Viktor brings up the Powers of Pain, Connor says their power would cause them pain. Viktor says they are The Acension and Connor says welcome to the wastelands.
The Ascension vs. ????
One of the guys locks up with Connor but Connor lifts him up and throws him over the rop rope and tags in Viktor. Viktor then gives him a reverse russian leg sweep outside the mat and brings him back in. Viktor then knocks the other guy off the apron and The Ascension do their double team move to the legal man and Connor pins him for the 3 count.
winners: The Ascension
Byron Saxton is backstage with The Usos. Saxton asks how they feel about the firing of Rowan, Ryback, and Dolph. They say it isn’t right just like them defending the tag team titles in a triple threat tag team. They say it’s all right because they always come refreshed and ready.
Alicia Fox vs. Naomi
We see a replay of Alicia Fox backstage rubbing it in Naomi’s face she was taken off Total Divas and she was added to the cast. Alicia Fox then attacks her and the fight is broken up. Naomi says that Alicia Fox attacking her backstage on RAW shows how shady and psychotic she really is. She says he’s going to take a page out of her husband’s book and go USO crazy on Alicia. Naomi with adropkick and then a bulldog. Naomi pulls her hair and whips her in the corner and it’s broken up and she fights her in the corner. Naomi then whips Fox in the other corner and clotheslines her in the corner. Fox gets a cheap shot on Naomi and then whips her in the ropes but Naomi surprises Fox with a hurricarana and a pin for a 2 count. Naomi lifts up Alicia but Alicia gets out and rolls Naomi up and gets her foot on the rope for the pin and the win.
winner: Alicia Fox
We see highlights from Michael Cole’s weekly interview with HHH. HHH says that all 3 guys fired knew the chances they were taking. He says that Dolph, Ryback, and Rowan were the heroes and their heads were off the chopping block. He says that Cena had turned on the guys who went to bat for him reinstated The Authority knowing there was a chance the guys who would watch his back got fired. HHH suggests that once Cena can’t benefit from someone anymore he
has nothing to do with them anymore.
We are taken back to the Ambulance Match between Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose on RAW Monday Night. They put over how hardcore the match was and that Bray Wyatt won and Ambrose was driven out of the arena. Bray Wyatt is shown backstage and says when he first saw him, he thought he was looking at his reflection. He says he thought Ambrose was different but he was wrong, Ambrose is like everyone else.He’s an insect trying to climb out of a jar. He says Ambrose found out the hard way that no one can escape fate. He describes fate as a pretty girl with a sword in her hand He says fate closed in on Ambrose when the ambulance door was closed. Wyatt says in 3 weeks time, another journey will begin at the Royal Rumble where 29 other superstars will fall. He tells them all to Run.
Next week when Smackdown moves back to Thursday Nights, Daniel Bryan returns to action.
WWE Tag Team Championship Match:
The Usos (c) vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow vs. Goldust and Stardust
The Miz and Jey Uso start the match off. Miz gets Jey in a headlock and Jey rolls out of it. Miz almost gets in a shoving match with Goldust and Stardust. Miz gets Jey back in a headlock and Jey shoves Miz off but Miz with a shoulder tackle to Jey. Jey back to his feet and the 2 lock up and Miz with an irish whip to Jey and then Jey starts a series of roll up attempts between him and Miz which all end up in 2 counts. Jey tags in Jimmy. Jimmy with a big right hand to Miz and Miz with a right hand to Jimmy. Jimmy then whips Miz into the ropes and Stardust tags in. Jimmy gets Stardust in the corner and tags in Jey who gives Stardust a forearm. Jey with a pin attempt for 2. Jey with an irish whip on Stardust but Jimmy blind tags in and they double team Stardust. Stardust rakes he eyes of Jimmy and tags in Goldust. Goldust and Jimmy Uso lock up and then Goldust starts giving Jimmy lefts and rights and whips Jimmy against the ropes and Jimmy with a flying clothesline to Goldust. Stardust comes in and Jey comes in and The Usos clear the ring of Stardust, then Goldust, then The Miz. Mizdow then does his stunt double duties and falls out of the ring on his own. Jimmy Uso then charges out the ring with a flying headbutt to everyone outside the ring except Mizdow. Usos stand tall in the ring and then Stardust knocks Mizdow down and then Jimmy Uso surprises Stardust with a flying clothesline. Jimmy gets Stardust back in the ring and Stardust gets the advantage with a DDT for a 2 count as we go to break.
Back from Break and Stardust and The Miz are the legal men. Miz counters an enziguri attempt on Stardust and DDT’s him. Miz with a 2 count. Miz tries a skull crushing finale but Stardust shoves him off and Mizdow blind tags in. Mizdown then with a clothesline on Stardust. Miz yells at Mizdow which distracts him and Stardust rolls Mizdow up for a 2 count and tags in Goldust. Goldust then with a neckbreaker on Mizdow. Goldust with a rest hold on Mizdow but Mizdow gets out and Goldust tags in Stardust who gets a neckbreaker on Mizdow for a 2 count. Stardust tags Goldust back in and Goldust then works on the back on Mizdow and then gets him in a rest hold. Mizdow fights his way out but Stardust is tagged back in. Stardust then gives Mizdow some lefts and rights and whips him in the rope and hits an upper cut on Mizdow. Stardust goes for a clothesline but Mizdow with a backbody drop. Mizdow tags in Jimmy Uso who cleans house of Goldust and Stardust. a Brawl happens between all 3 teams in the ring. Mizdow hits a skull crushing finale on Stardust and then Goldust with the curtain call on Mizdow. Goldust then goes for the curtain call on Jey Uso but Jey counters into a rollup for a 2 count. Jey with a superkick to Goldust and then tags in Jimmy who comes of the top rope for the pin and the win.
winners: still WWE Tag Team Champions, The Usos
We see a video replay of Bad News Barrett losing the original Intercontinental Championship match but Barrett attacked Dolph after the match and then Kane comes out to announce a best 2 out of 3 falls match where Barrett won the 2 falls and the Intercontinental Championship. Bad News Barrett says he has some good news because he is the new Intercontinental Champion. He says to rest assure there are no hard feelings and he asks for Dolph to come to the ring for his rematch and then remembers he can’t because he was fired. He says bad luck to Dolph but moves on to announce more good news which is that he is entering the Royal Rumble where he will win and go to Wrestlemania 31 and become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Sin Cara’s music plays as he’s Bad News Barrett’s opponent.
Bad News Barrett vs. Sin Cara
Barrett knocks Cara down right away and gives him punches against the mat. Barrett then sets Cara up on the top rope turnbuckle and kicks the ribs of Cara.Barrett with a rest hold on Cara and then whips him into the ropes but Cara comes off the ropes with a DDT. Barrett then with a sidewalk slam for a 2 count. Barrett then goes for wasteland but Cara gets out and rolls Barrett up for a 2 count. Barrett with a punch to the abdomen and Barrett launches Cara to the top and Cara with a kick to Barrett knocking him down. Cara comes off the top rope with a senton on Barrett for the pin and the win.
winner: Sin Cara
Post Match: Sin Cara heads up the ramp but Bad News Barrett exits the ring and heads after Sin Cara and attacks him and sends him back in the ring and hits Sin Cara with the Bull Hammer.
We see where wwe.com caught up with Ryback, Erick Rowan and Dolph Ziggler after they were fired. Ryback says he trained hard for 3 years to get to WWE and for The Authority to take it from them and it mean nothing is the worst thing in the world. Rowan says dissapointment comes to mind and puts his goat mask on and walks off. Dolph Ziggler says with everything on the line at Survivor Series he felt great saving everyone’s jobs and now he doesn’t have it anymore.
The Big Show and Seth Rollins w/Kane and J&J Security vs. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose
Ambrose tackles Rollins as Reigns battles The Big Show. Ambrose and Reigns clear the ring of Reigns and Ambrose. Rollins tells Show he’ll start the match for his team as he starts the match off with Ambrose. Ambrose is on offense right away as he constantly chops Rollins in the corner. Ambrose slams Rollins on the mat and tags in Reigns. Reigns comes in and gives Rollins a stiff forearm knocking him down. Reigns tags Ambrose back in who sends Rollins in the ropes and tackles him to the mat. Show dares Ambrose to come over to him and Ambrose asks him what he’s going to do which Show replies he’ll knock his ass out. Ambrose whips Rollins into the ropes but Show pulls Rollins out to regroup as they head to break.
Back from break and Show is choking Ambrose in the corner. Show pulls Ambrose to the middle and tags in Rollins who holds Ambrose’s leg as Rollins comes off the rope and with a right hand to the leg. Rollins then stomps on the ankle of Ambrose. Rollins then unloads punches on Ambrose but Ambrose rakes the eyes of Rollins.Rollins regains control and sends Ambrose out the ring ans Rollins distracts the ref as J&J Security attack Ambrose and send him into the barricade. Ambrose is back in the ring and Rollins tags in Show who charges at Ambrose and knocks him down and gets a knee to the face of Ambrose. Show challenges Ambrose to get up and pushes him around but Ambrose gets some right hands on Show and Show goes for a chokeslam but Ambrose gets out and comes off the top rope with a DDT on Show. Show and Ambrose tag in their respective tag team partners and Roman Reigns comes in and cominates Rollins. Reigns knocks Rollins into Kane, who was on the apron, and then hits the superman punch on Rollins. J&J Security get on the apron and get a superman punch for their troubles. Big Show then gets a chokeslam on Reigns. Ambrose with a dropkick to Show off the top rope sending Show out of the ring. Ambrose then comes off the top rope outside the ring on top of J&J Security, Kane, and Show. Rollins then goes for a curb stomp on Reigns but Reigns ducks it and gets the spear on Rollins for the pin and the win.
winners: Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose
Post Match: Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose head up the ramp as Kane, Big Show, Seth Rollins, and J&J Security are upset in the ring. We see Ambrose and Reigns fist pump as Smackdown comes to a close.