Coverage

Mitchell’s WWE NXT Report! (8/29/18)

Published

6 years ago

August 29, 2018

The NXT Tag Team Champions, North American Champion and WWE United Kingdom Champion, all in one match! Which side will be the #Undisputed better team?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Dakota Kai VS Aliyah; Dakota wins.
EC3 VS Raul Mendoza; No Contest.
Keith Lee VS Luke Menzies; Lee wins.
Champions VS Champions: The Undisputed Era VS Ricochet & Pete Dunne; The Undisputed Era wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Backstage interview with William Regal.

A camera crew and a legal aide, dos this have to do with Aleister Black being attacked? Yes, and Regal is officially starting the investigation into who did it. What will Regal’s investigation uncover about the superstar who sidelined the Embodiment of the End?

Johnny Gargano heads to the ring!

He walks out in front of the NXT Universe with a bum knee after the big gamble he tried in the Last Man Standing match at TakeOver: Brooklyn 4. But fans are still supportive of him despite victory being snatched away from him. Gargano takes up a mic and speaks.

“You guys have always had my back.” Fans agree, and continue to chant. But Gargano needs to say that they’ve had his back, even when he doesn’t deserve it. They disagree, “You Deserve It!” But he doesn’t. Gargano loves the chants, but he doesn’t deserve them when he broke a promise. He’s made a lot of mistakes, and told them that if he won he’d fix things. “But I didn’t. I lost. I failed you guys.” Gargano thought he could make it right, but he didn’t, and that’s the truth of it. He isn’t sure where he goes from here. Gargano lost more than a match, he lost his sense of self. He’s done a lot of stupid things, and he doesn’t know how to make it right. After everything Gargano’s been through, he isn’t sure what’s left for him.

“In Brooklyn, I became something I’m not proud of.” He hates to admit it, but Gargano feels he became just like Tommaso Ciampa. Ciampa is in his head and Gargano doesn’t know what to do. Gargano doesn’t know what to feel or what to do or what the fans want. “I can’t get him out, and I can’t get him out, and I’ve gotta be better.” He has to be better for the fans, for Candice, for the locker room, but he doesn’t know how. But here comes William Regal! The NXT General Manager joins Gargano in the ring, and tells Gargano, “Before Aleister Black comes and burns this whole place down, I need to ask everyone, and that includes you. Did you attack Aleister Black?” Fans are sure he didn’t, and Gargano says Regal’s known him for a long time. “You tell me.”

Regal’s opinion doesn’t matter, he needs an answer. Gargano has him look into his eyes, and know the answer. But here comes Velveteen Dream! The Patrick Clark Experience, who is not exempt from the list of suspects, says “No no no no, I’m not in the mood tonight.” Dream is sick and disgusted of Gargano singing the same old song. This shouldn’t be about Gargano, and certainly not about a man who isn’t here in Aleister. Tonight is about The Experience. Tonight is about the man who stole Brooklyn, who had the world buzzing, and the top trending topic of TakeOver. Yes, tonight is about The Velveteen Dream! Tonight is not about “Johnny Failure.”

Oh that’s a good one, yeah. Failure, huh? The doctor gave Gargano a crutch just to keep the weight off, but he’s good to go! Gargano throws the crutch at Dream, but Regal keeps the peace. He tells Gargano to go to the back, and Dream will go to Regal’s office. If these two want to fight, it’ll happen next week. For now, the investigation needs to continue. Is Gargano innocent? Is Dream guilty? Or will it matter at all to Aleister?

Dakota Kai VS Aliyah!

The Captain of Team Kick as well as the Cat’s Meow both want to climb up towards the title, especially with the second Mae Young Classic on the horizon. Who will kick it up a notch to get ahead tonight?

The bell rings and many fans are on Team Kick as they chant. Aliyah and Dakota tie up and Aliyah pushes Dakota to ropes. The referee counts for the break but Aliyah barely honors it. She gets a handful of hair and a headlock takedown. Dakota counters with headscissors, but Aliya pops out. Dakota kips up to dropkick, then knees and double stomps! Cover, ONE, but she keeps on Aliyah with a waistlock. The fans duel as Aliyah fights out then runs to run Dakota over. Aliyah kicks some dirt then runs, but Dakota keeps up. Aliyah holds ropes to fake out the dropkick, then drops down on Dakota. She brings Dakota up into a camel clutch, but for crossface forearms. Aliyah grinds Dakota’s face into the mat before shaking her hips. She stomps Dakota and covers, TWO.

Aliyah keeps on Dakota but Dakota fires body shots. Aliyah clubs Dakota down then whips her to a corner. She runs in for a big back elbow while fans duel again. Dakota reverses a whip but aliyah stops herself to Thesz Press! She throws fast hands and covers, TWO! Aliyah drags Dakota into body scissors! Fans rally up and Dakota works her way out. Aliyah grabs hair as she squeezes Dakota more. Dakota still rolls her way up and around, but ends up right back in the body scissors. Fans duel and Dakota stands up. Aliyah grabs hair but Dakota keeps getting up. She bumps Aliyah off buckles and frees herself, but Aliyah grabs more hair. Dakota arm-drags Aliyah away, then rocks her with a scorpion kick! She goes Around the World for the boot wash, then side to side for another! Cover, TWO!

Dakota fires up and fans duel again. Aliyah follows Dakota on the run for a running facebuster! Aliyah slams Dakota down again, and pulls more hair. She embraces the heat, but Dakota trips her up! Dakota runs, for the sunset backstabber! Cover, Dakota wins!

Winner: Dakota Kai, by pinfall

The New Zealand Sensation blasts past Aliyah with that unique offense. Will she find herself near the top of the Women’s Division soon enough? Or will she have to worry about all the stellar talent from this year’s MYC?

Velveteen Dream is in William Regal’s office.

The interrogation is over, and Dream “appreciates” Regal didn’t waste his time. But the interrogations roll on, and we move on to the Forgotten Sons. Everything involving this case is being recorded. Where were these three the night of the attack? As usual, Steve Cutler, Wesley Blake & Jaxson Ryker have someone’s attention but for all the wrong reasons. They were looking for Regal, actually. They wanted this face-to-face chat to ask for some opportunities. But neither of them saw or did anything. They parked, they walked in, and looked for Regal. There wasn’t the time for an attack. Regal accepts this alibi, and lets them know the opportunity they’re after, comes next week in a tag team match. Best of luck. “It’s about time.” The investigation rolls on, but at least the Forgotten Sons get their NXT TV debut. Will they make sure no one ever forgets them again?

EC3 has just been attacked!!

And walking away from it, is Lars Sullivan! The Top One Percent pointed fingers at the Leviathan, and now he pays for it. Does this make two successful ambushes, assuming Lars attacked Aleister? Is EC3 able to compete in his match up next?

Nikki Cross takes her turn in William Regal’s office.

But she won’t stop spinning in her seat! There’s no way SAnitY’s Loony Lass was the attacker, but who did she see? She saw it all, yes, and knows who did it! Who did it? Is the phone ringing? Answer the phone! Nikki answers the phone and talks to no one. “I know a secret~!” Bianca Belair is annoyed, she’s not waiting any longer. Nikki, don’t touch her hair. All due respect, but Regal needs to focus on who deserves it. Bianca is healthy and so she should get the next title shot. Nikki wants the shot, too! She wants to “play” with Bianca, but The EST has no time for that. Nikki falls off the desk. “Any more questions?” Yes, many, many questions, but only one of them pertains to the investigation. Will Nikki spill the beans? Or has she lost too many of her marbles?

Raul Mendoza VS ???

Mr. Mendoza Line has been keeping even between wins and losses, but he wants that career-defining win to push him up over the edge. EC3 is down and out, so who will be a replacement for the Top One Percent? It’s… LARS SULLIVAN! The Leviathan was the one to attack EC3, so he comes out to say something. “Unlike the Aleister Black situation, it’s not a question of who took out EC3. I did it!” Lars admits to that crime, because when his name comes out of someone’s mouth, he will rip you “limb from limb!” As for Mendoza, he’s standing in Lars Sullivan Territory! Can Mendoza survive!?

Lars rushes Mendoza, Mendoza dodges and springboards but gets swatted out of the sky! Lars clobbers Mendoza with forearm after forearm, then even more crossface strikes! The Mile High Monster drags Mendoza up, for a pop-up Oklahoma Slam! But that’s not all, here comes a FREAK ACCIDENT! This wasn’t a match, but it was a destructive return! Who will be a victim in Lars’ newest warpath?

No Contest

Tommaso Ciampa speaks.

The Psycho Killer is still NXT Champion. “Peace and quiet.” When he went away for his ACL surgery, he made a promise. He would return as the most dangerous superstar ever, and he’s surpassed all expectations. Ciampa ended Gargano’s fairy tale and captured the most prized possession in sports entertainment. “I am the greatest sports entertainer of all time, and this, this is my proof.” Understand: it takes a certain kind of man to scratch, claw and climb to the top of a mountain, but it takes an entirely different kind to build a nest there. That’s the kind of man Ciampa is! Ciampa is the main event, and NXT is his home. “This is just the beginning. No one will survive what’s coming next.” What is next for the Psycho Killer now that he is firmly atop the mountain?

Keith Lee VS Luke Menzies!

The Limitless One has already been on a roll with just one match in NXT, but he’s just getting started. Will Menzies be made to #BaskInHisGlory next?

The bell rings and Lee hears the fans chanting for him already. He and Menzies circle then tie up. Menzies gets a waistlock but Lee the standing switch. Menzies elbows out, gives an uppercut and a body shot, then runs. Lee follows and huricanranas Menzies away! And he’s not even bothered by it. Menzies runs out but Lee stops him so he can enjoy the chants. Menzies kicks low, not one for having a fun time. He gives European Uppercuts but Lee hits back with heavy hands and elbows! Menzies is rocked while fans sing for Lee. Lee embraces it but Menzies hits him again. Menzies has Lee on the ropes, and he gives his own EuroUppers.

Lee pushes Menzies but Menzies comes back with clubbing forearms. Menzies whips but Lee blocks with power. Lee scoops but Menzies slips out. Menzies shoves but misses in the corner as Lee goes up and over. Lee runs and blasts Menzies with a shoulder! Lee runs in corner to corner for a big corner splash. He hushes the crowd, for the double chop! The Grizzly Magnum is a double barrel of thunder and the fans love it! Menzies stands, but is popped right up for the Spirit Bomb!! Cover, Lee wins!

Winner: Keith Lee, by pinfall

An impressive 2-0 for the Limitless One. Lee defies physics, will he defy all expectations in NXT?

Champions VS Champions: The Undisputed Era VS Ricochet & Pete Dunne!

This tag team main event is gold-studded with the NXT Tag Team titles, the NXT North American title, and the WWE United Kingdom title! The Bruiserweight and the King of Flight aren’t exactly friends, but they have common enemies in Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly. Will the two singles champions succeed together? Or will the actual Tag Team Champions prove why they’re still champions?

Not surprisingly, the former North American Champion, Adam Cole, joins Strong & O’Reilly at ringside. He wants to keep a close eye on Ricochet to also remind him a rematch is coming. Will Cole get in the head of the One and Only? Will he also get involved as the Undisputed Era always does? But wait, what’s this? Cole says he’s subbing in?! Well, in that case, will the United Kingdom and North American Champions have a hard time against the Savior of the Backbreaker and ADAM COLE BAYBAY!?

Dunne starts with Strong, and there’s history here. The bell rings and they tie up fast and furious. Fans chant for “Everybody!” as Dunne rolls and handsprings out of Strong’s wristlock. He wrenches Strong’s arm in return, but Strong pulls hair. Cole tags in and he stomps a mudhole into Dunne. Cole puts on a headlock but Dunne powers out. Things speed up and Dunne clobbers Cole with that clothesline! Dunne goes after Cole’s hand right down to the fingers. He bends them way past their limits, then tags in Ricochet. Cole gets free and backs away, saying this happens on his time. Strong tags in so Ricochet must focus on him. Ricochet blocks the kick to fire off hands. Strong reverses the whip but Ricochet rolls off then under to headscissor and dropkick! Fans fire up with the lightning quick King of Flight.

Ricochet scares Cole off, but gets drop toehold’d into buckles. Tag to Cole, and Strong chops Ricochet. They double whip but Ricochet kicks and hits them away. He shoves them into each other, leaping neckbreaker for Strong! Cole runs into haymakers and chops from Ricochet, but kicks back low. Cole runs, but into Ricochet’s somersault clothesline! Ricochet has to hit Strong again, but Cole gets him with a kick. Cole whips but Ricochet reverses, only for Cole to catch him into a fireman’s carry. Ricochet gets out, shoves Cole, but Strong tags in. Ricochet didn’t see it so he focuses on Cole, only to get a backbreaker! Strong drags Ricohet over and stomps a mudhole. Strong gives chops but Ricochet fires back, only to get another drop toehold. Cole tags in to stomp his own mudhole. Fans rally up for Ricochet as Cole brings Ricochet up for a neckbreaker.

Tag back to Strong, and they isolate Ricochet. Another tag, gut buster to ax handles! Cover, TWO, and the Undisputed Era grows frustrated. Fans duel as Cole brings Ricochet up. Cole knees low, then tags Strong again. He feeds Ricochet to Strong’s boot, who then feeds Ricochet to Cole’s boot. Cover, TWO! Strong keeps on Ricochet with a seated cobra clutch. Fans duel as Ricochet endures. Ricochet feeds off a building rally from his fans. He stands and fights out, but Strong drops him with a dropkick! Tag to Cole, and Cole drags Ricochet up and around for knees to the spine. Cole wraps on a chinlock, but fans rally again. Ricochet stands up but Cole tags Strong. Strong kicks Ricochet’s ribs, then drags him around for another chinlock. Ricochet fights out again, and turns Strong around for a lariat! Both men are down and fans fire up.

Cole tags in but Ricochet slips away to shove him back. Ricochet fights off Strong and dodges Cole, to hot tag Dunne! Strong tags in, but gets a boot and kicks from the Bruiserweight. They run, Dunne back drops Strong to then fire off fists. Strong reverses the whip but Dunne goes up and over to enziguri! He blasts Cole with a forearm, but Strong gets the German Supelx. Dunne is right up for a buzzsaw! Then he X-Plexes Cole onto Strong! Cover, TWO! Dunne keeps on Strong with the pumphandle, while Ricochet grabs Cole. Brainbuster for Cole, but Strong boots and kicks Dunne back. Dnne escapes the Olympic Slam, and leaps for the triangle hold. Strong holds on and tries for his Strong Hold, but Dunne throws him away. Dunne dodges and Geramn Suplexes Strong! Then a sit-out powerbomb! Cover, but Cole breaks it in time!

Ricochet goes after Cole but Cole throws him out. Cole takes aim at Dunne, but the superkick is blocked. Ricochet flies in with a back elbow! Strong rocks Ricochet but Dunne rocks Strong. The Undisputed Era regroup and Dunne goes to a corner, for a SUPER ASAI MOONSAULT! Dunne gets both Strong & Cole, but Ricochet comes over, too. Ricochet DIVES, but only gets Dunne!! Strong rocks Ricochet, tags in Cole, and O’Reilly puts Dunne in for the Last Shot Shining Wizard!! Cover, The Undisputed Era win!!

Winners: The Undisputed Era, Adam Cole pinning

From switching up the players to using their opponents against each other, the Undisputed Eras stay one step ahead. But they’re not done, either, as Strong puts Ricochet in the ring for the whole team to stomp out. Strong brings Ricochet up and O’Reilly adds knees before Strong hits a backbreaker. Cole gives Ricochet the Last Shot Brainbuster for good measure, but now it’s Dunne’s turn. Or is it?! Because here come the War Raiders! Hanson & Rowe rush the ring, but the Undisputed Era run away. The NXT Tag Team Championships are targets on the backs of Strong & O’Reilly, but how long can they dodge the bullets fired from the human tanks hunting them down?

My Thoughts:

A fast paced but really great episode of NXT. It’s great to see Johnny Gargano back so soon, but obviously that’s because his injury was exaggerated for the sake of story. He’s just fine and is going to have a great match with Velveteen Dream, and thankfully he wasn’t named as the culprit in Aleister Black’s attack. I said it before, but it would’ve been too obvious if it was him. This new chapter for Gargano is going to be interesting because he feels aimless, so maybe he can have some great feuds while he waits for Ciampa to lose. That might be a long time, but that leaves a lot of potential for Gargano. Good to see Lars Sullivan back, too, even without matches. I’m expecting Lars VS EC3 as the feud right now given Aleister’s attack is going to be someone else.

Keith Lee and Luke Menzies did great, it was a pretty solid debut for the former Rugby player but of course Lee wins again. His streak has only just begun, and I’m excited of the possibilities for him, too. Kassius Ohno is starting to get an edge that feels almost Heel, so Ohno VS Lee at some point is a must. The Forgotten Sons getting a debut is going to be good for them and the NXT Tag Team Division, it already needs some fresh talent to get things going again. Nikki Cross was classic in her interrogation promo, and Bianca Belair did great. I’m expecting them to have a match to parallel what’s going on in the MYC. Bianca likely wins to keep her own win streak going, and depending on what goes down with Shayna and Kairi, Bianca probably moves into contender’s position soon enough.

That main event was great, as usual. I enjoyed the use of the loophole: the match was billed as Undisputed Era, so Cole was able to take one of the spots to the surprise of the fans and their opponents. It also worked as Strong has history with Dunne while Cole and Ricochet already have history with each other. Thankfully they didn’t go the dysfunctional oneupsmanship route with Ricochet & Dunne, though I’m sure there will be tension after that “miscue” where Dunne took the suicide dive from Ricochet. They already have a Champion VS Champion feud building now, but this will escalate things. Cole can also be thrown in in some way and that will make for even better action, though just Dunne VS Ricochet is awesome in itself.

My Score: 8.5/10

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

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AEW Coverage

Mitchell’s AEW Collision Results & Report! (4/27/24)

It’s a slam dunk!

Published

16 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Steven Mitchell

Guns up for all the Jacksonville Gold Members!

Another three hour block of All Elite Wrestling starts with a Collision! But will the Bang Bang Gang still be the best three man unit ever? Or will Top Flight go from the coldest to the goldest trio in the game?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

The Acclaimed VS Grizzled Young Veterans; win.
Toni Storm w/ Mariah May & Luther VS Anna Jay; wins.
Unified AEW & ROH World Trios Championships: Bullet Club Gold VS Top Flight; wins and

PLAY BY PLAY

[Coverage will begin after the NBA Playoffs on TNT]

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Coverage

Mitchell’s WWE SmackDown Results & Report! (4/26/24)

It’s Draft Day!

Published

1 day ago

April 26, 2024

Steven Mitchell

And with the first overall pick of the 2024 WWE Draft, SmackDown selects…

The WWE Draft returns for 2024, the first four rounds being right here on Friday Night SmackDown! With champions protected, who ends up where to challenge them?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee w/ Zelina Vega & Carlito VS Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo; Rey & Dragon win.
Bron Breakker VS Cedric Alexander; Bron wins.
WWE Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Naomi VS Tiffany Stratton; No Contest.
Cody Rhodes VS Carmelo Hayes; Cody wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Backstage interview with Paul Heyman.

Kayla Braxton is with the Wise Man and says that here on night one of the Draft, there are already rumors circulating, including those about The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. Heyman will clarify these are not rumors regarding The Tribal Chief, Roman… Reigns. These are facts! Ladies and gentlemen, Your Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, has voluntarily withdrawn from eligibility for this year’s Draft. That is not a negative but a positive. Who built SmackDown since the Pandemic? Roman Reigns. Who is the biggest star in the entire industry? Roman Reigns. Why would Roman Reigns hog the number one draft pick spotlight when he won’t be returning in the immediate future?

Read into his words, Kayla, that is not what a real Tribal Chief would do. Instead now, the pressure is on Nick Aldis. Because if Roman Reigns isn’t the first draft pick, then who is? The first two picks make history in a brand new era. And Heyman doesn’t know about you, but he is intrigued. No Tribal Chief up for grabs, who gets their opportunity to shine in the spotlight?

SmackDown throws it to the NXT Performance Center.

Jackie Redmond says the emotion down here is palpable! There is excitement, hope, and a little bit of nerves. But for these NXT Superstars, tonight is the culmination of a lifetime of hard work, dedication, a little bit of luck and a whole lot of self-belief. It was just last year that the NEW WWE Tag Team Champion, Grayson Waller, was hoping his name would be called. And it is funny this is NXT, but time to buy a vowel, throw in an E! Who is next? We find out tonight! The draft pool is deep, who rises to the top of the list?

Corey Graves is in the ring.

Corey welcomes Cincinnati and all of us at home to night one of the 2024 WWE Draft. Understandably, the GMs have their hands full, so Corey will be moderating the contract signing for the WWE Championship match that takes place next Saturday for Backlash: France. Without further ado, it’s the #1 contender, The Phenomenal AJ Styles! Styles makes his entrance, taking a seat at the table on camera right. And now, the Undisputed WWE Champion, the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes! Cincy fires up and sings along, “WHOA~ OH~!” as Cody makes his entrance and gets his pyro before joining everyone in the ring.

Styles looks over the contract, absolutely tuning out the fans going wild for “CODY! CODY!” Styles then gets the mic to say before he signs, he doesn’t know if we realize that we’ve got two Georgia boys about to mix it up for the first time, and for the biggest prize in the game. Styles understands why they boo, but they gotta know that he doesn’t respect LA Knight, LA Knight got under his skin. He accepts that. But that’s why Styles lost at Mania. But what happened? Styles got his composure back and realized that he is Phenomenal. Styles BEAT Knight to earn the right to face Cody Rhodes at Backlash.

Now unlike Knight, Styles does respect Cody. They hadn’t crossed paths yet, but they’ve been down the same roads. They had to prove themselves outside of the WWE. And Styles is willing to believe that the same man who gave him advice a long time ago gave Cody the same advice, on how to stand on their own two feet and be the men they are today. That man was The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. The fans cheer for “DUSTY! DUSTY!” Styles learned a lot from Dusty. Styles gets a little emotional thinking about Dusty, he was a good man. Dusty taught Styles how to carry himself, and to carry the weight of a championship.

And Styles looks at this WWE Championship here. The weight of this isn’t just the leather and gold. And at Backlash, we see if Cody can carry it. Styles goes back to his table, signs the contract, and then hands it off to Corey. Corey brings that to Cody, and Cody picks up his mic. “So… Cincinnati…! Whadda we wanna talk about? Certainly, we can talk about respect. There is not a locker room on Earth that you’ll find where everyone in it, every single person, they all respect AJ Styles. Last week, I went on to say you are the modern day Excellence of Execution. I respect the roads that you have traveled down to get here, the parallel paths that perhaps you and I have.

“Mutual respect, much respect. But that respect goes by the wayside at Backlash. I can feel it in your words to a degree. You’ve been here before. And it seems you’re implying that I cannot carry the weight of that championship. Well, good thing the man who trained me not far from where I sit now used to tell me all the time, it’s not about winning the title, it’s about keeping it.” The fans cheer that. Cody says boy does he respect Styles’ familiarity with Cody’s last name. But when you put C O D Y in front of it on this paper, that means they’ve never touched before. That means Backlash is a level playing field.

That means no matter how Phenomenal Styles is, this isn’t a dream match for Cody. It’s a must-win! Cody signs while the fans cheer, and it is official! Cody even throws the pen to the crowd as a free souvenir. Cody then offers a handshake, and Styles says y’know what? It was a beautiful thing to see Cody #FInishTheStory and win the title. But it’s a shame that Cody’s title reign will end at Backlash. Styles still shakes Cody’s hand, and then walks away. Cody picks up the belt and holds it high, will he get to hold it high again in Lyon, France?

Triple H is here!

Just as Cody was on his way to the back, The Game makes his way out here! HHH raises Cody’s hand, then invites him over to the podium. HHH welcomes us to the first round of the 2024 WWE Draft. It is a night that changes the landscape of the WWE going into the future, and things are a bit different this year. As the GMs ponder their next steps, they have to understand it is about protecting the roster they have as it is making the roster they want. Meaning that when they use their picks, they have just as much of a chance gaining a superstar as they do losing one they already have.

HHH just felt that since champs are protected and Cody will be staying here on SmackDown, maybe Cody could help read the SmackDown picks and HHH can read the Raw picks. And since SmackDown goes first, Cody reads first. Cody takes the card to say that with the first pick of the 2024 WWE Draft, SmackDown selects… The E S T, Bianca Belair! The stongEST, fastEST, roughEST, toughEST stays on Friday nights! HHH reads that for the second pick of the 2024 WWE Draft, Raw selects… YEET! JEY USO! Monday nights will still have Main Event Jey Uso! And the fans “YEET!” Cody says for the third pick, SmackDown selects… NXT’s Carmelo Hayes!

The fans fire up as SmackDown manages to snag… HIM! The former NXT Champion makes history again by being the first NXT superstar to be chosen this high in the Draft! HHH says that’s a hell of a pick. But then the fourth and final pick of this first round, Raw selects… SETH! FREAKIN’! ROLLINS! It is still going to be Monday Night Rollins as the Visionary stays on the red brand! Cody and HHH shake hands, and then Melo makes his way out! Melo has the mic to say when they talk about who’s next up, about who’s the hottest out, they don’t call them “the hottest out,” they just call him “Carmelo Hayes.”

The fans chant “WHOOP DAT TRICK!” to remind Melo how he’s leaving NXT. Melo says okay, okay. But then to Cody Rhodes, ever since Cody won the title, he’s been talking about “If you aim for the king, you best not miss.” Well, funny how that works. Because when Melo shoots, Melo don’t miss. And as a first round draft pick, what better way to shoot his shot on SmackDown than to shoot it right at Cody? Melo leaves the mic with Cody but Cody picks it up to say, “Fortune certainly favors the bold, but I dunno. You folks don’t wanna see me in action tonight, do ya?” The fans go wild! Oh, but what if Cody forgot his gear?

Oh that’s right! He didn’t forget his gear! And this title right here, for Cody, means absolutely 100%, Melo’s on! They shake on it, and we’re about to see a huge first-time-ever showdown! But will this bold first move work out for… HIM?

Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee w/ Zelina Vega & Carlito VS Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo!

The LWO is still not convinced Legado Del Fantasma had nothing to do with the beating that took the Boy Wonder out ahead of WrestleMania. Will the King of Lucha help get to the bottom of things? Or will Angel & “Berto” make it as easy as ABC, 1-2-3?

The teams sort out, Dragon runs up on Humberto but Humberto LARIATS him down! Humberto drags Dragon up, tears the shirt away and CHOPS! Humberto whips, Dragon ducks ‘n’ dodges to RANA! Humberto tumbles out, Dragon builds speed and FLIES! Direct hit and down goes Humberto! The fans fire up as Dragon pushes Humberto into the ring, goes up a corner, and then CROSSBODIES! Cover, TWO! Dragon facelocks to drag Humberto up, but Humberto wrenches out to CLUB Dragon down. Humberto waistlocks but Dragon throws elbows. Angel tags in as Humberto shoves Dragon. Dragon ducks but Angel holds ropes open, and Dragon tumbles to the floor!

The fans boo and LWO hurries to check on Dragon! Angel & Humberto just soak up the heat as SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns and both Dragon and Humberto are down! They crawl, hot tags to Angel and Rey! The fans fire up as Rey ducks ‘n’ dodges and tilt-o-whirl RANAS! Angel ends up in a corner, he puts Rey on the apron, but Rey ROCKS Angel! Rey goes up to SEATED SENTON! Rey keeps moving, wrenches and kicks, then hops on! CODE RED! Cover, Humberto breaks it! The fans boo but Humberto hauls Rey up. Rey fights and RANAS Humberto up and out! But Angelo kicks, scoops, but Rey slips free! Angelo kicks low, reels REy in, and underhooks, but Rey fights those to RANA Angel onto ropes! Rey dials it up to 619!

Tag to Dragon and he takes aim! Angel stands, into the tilt-o-whirl, PROJECT DRAGON!! Cover, LWO wins!

Winners: Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee, by pinfall

Carlito and Zelina hug it out with the team, but then Santos Escobar & Elektra Lopez walk out here. Santos says whoa, whoa, whoa, hold that celebration. Because Santos is many things, but a liar is not one of them. And when Santos said he did NOT attack Dragon that night before Mania, he meant it. Elektra has been working for weeks to track down the security footage from that night. And Rey… Oh, Rey. What you’re about to see, you will find very, very interesting. The footage plays, and it was CARLITO!! Carlito throw Dragon around backstage! No one can believe it, because of how well Carlito fooled even Dragno.

Speaking of, Carlito RAMS Dragon into Rey, then hits a BACKSTABBER! Never has that move’s name been more fitting! Carlito runs away in a panic, and Rey stands back up in a rage! Santos says he told Rey that he was right all along. They were supposed to be family, and yet look how that turned out. How will the LWO recover from this shocking development?

Bron Breakker VS Cedric Alexander!

The Big Bad Booty Nephew has been making a case for himself ever since showing up on SmackDown, and he’s already bringing the straps down! Is he going to break PRIMED Alexander while also breaking match time records? Or will Cedric prove he’s too fly for Bron?

The bell rings and Cedric dodges Bron to CHOP and ROCK! Cedric whips, Bron reverses and Cedric handsprings, into a SPEAR!! Cover, Bron wins!

Winner: Bron Breakker, by pinfall

Well, hard to say if that’s an all-time fast match, but that was a fast match! QR Code stuff going on, but will we all see Bron take the world by storm?

Nick Aldis heads out.

And waiting is Tiffany Stratton. She asks if he saw what she did last week. Wait, of course he did. Because she is the Center of the Universe. She dropped Naomi and Bayley, where is her title match? Aldis tells Tiff to look at his watch. It is NOT set to #TiffyTime. And he was this close to sending her to the back of the line. But then someone convinced him otherwise, good for her. Tonight, she goes 1v1 with Naomi again, and the winner faces Bayley for the title at Backlash. Whose stupid idea was that?! Bayley says DING DONG, it was hers. It is a win-win situation here. If Naomi wins, she gets the match she got cheated out of.

And if Tiff wins, then she’ll find out when she attacks the Role Model. Tiff gasps as she has a #TiffanyEpiphany. Bayley should be ringside for that match so she can see Tiff do what Bayley couldn’t, and that’s beat Naomi. Tootles. Tiff leaves, but will the only thing she gets is to #FeelTheGlow?

Michelle McCool and Torrie Wilson are here!

One is a former WWE Women’s Champion, the other is a WWE Hall of Famer, but they’re both here to present Draft picks! Michelle says with the first pick of the second round, SmackDown selects… The Viper, Randy Orton! SmackDown will still have to watch out for an RKO outta nowhere! Torrie says that with the second pick of the second round, Raw selects… BRON BREAKKER! We just saw Bron make quick work of opponents here on SmackDown, but now he’s gonna be rampaging on Raw!

Michelle says that with the third pick of the second round, SmackDown selects… NIA JAX! The Irresistible Force may have to change targets from the Women’s World to the Undisputed Women’s title, but will she be unstoppable all the same? And with the fourth and final pick of this round, Raw selects… LIV MORGAN! The Revenge Tour will still be part of Monday nights, will we watch Liv rise to the top?

The Bloodline arrives backstage.

Paul Heyman is there to greet them and open the door to the SUV. He apologizes for not being faster about that, but Solo Sikoa asks The Bloodline if they’ve been drafted. Not yet. Then give Solo the details. Okay, well, Roman Reigns withdrew right before the show began, and then Solo keeps adding members, so no one really knows what they’re getting if they draft The Bloodline! Solo sighs, and here comes Tama Tonga. Heyman asks they be patient but Solo wants Heyman to repeat that for him. Heyman gets scared, but then KEVIN OWENS jumps in! Kevin fires off on Tama, security and refs rush in to stop it!

The Prizefighter wants Solo’s “MFT” to bring the fight like he did last week! Security still drags Kevin away, but will he get that fight he wants?

Kayla Braxton is on stage.

SmackDown returns and Kayla welcomes us back to the show. And please welcome out the first overall pick, Bianca Belair! The fans fire up as The EST walks out on stage, and Kayla congratulates her on being the first overall pick. But let’s talk Backlash. Breaking news, Bianca and Jade Cargill are going to challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, against the Kabuki Warriors. How satisfying would it be to dethrone them on the stage of this magnitude? Bianca says so satisfying. She really hopes Jade gets drafted to SmackDown because given all this history with Damage CTRL, all the partners by her side, Bianca has never been the one to finally end it with them.

For everything they’ve done to her and this division, Bianca feels Jade is the perfect woman to help her end this. Now, DMG CTRL is falling apart piece by piece, and that final piece is the tag titles. So once Bianca & Jade take the gold at Backlash, the Kabuki Warriors won’t even have a reason to come back to SmackDown. But wait, they’re here now! Asuka & Kairi walk out here and Kayla moves aside. The Empress of Tomorrow and the Pirate Princess taunt the EST, but here comes The Storm! Jade makes her way to stand right by Bianca’s side. The four shout and argue, but this will be settled on May 4th!

WHOA! Tama and Kevin are brawling their way out here! The ladies move aside so the gentlemen can brawl all the way down to ringside! Tama hits low, gets in the ring, but Kevin pursues! Kevin TACKLES Tama, but Solo CLOBBERS Kevin! The fans boo as The Bloodline beats Kevin down! The refs hurry out here but clearly Solo’s Bloodline won’t listen! Tama DECKS producers, DECKS guards, HEADBUTTS them, throws hands and even THROWS the guards! Tama and Solo beat Kevin down again, but here comes Randy Orton! The Viper is still on SmackDown and he’s still pals with Kevin, so here he comes!

Orton DECKS Tama, fires hands on Solo, then RK- NO, Solo gets free and gets away! Orton wants to pursue, almost runs Jamie Noble and refs over to do it, but the Bloodline has gotten away! The fans cheer Randy on, and KAevin even hugs him! But then Kevin and Randy try to give chase! Security stops this, when and where will we see #RKKO strike down Solo and Tama?

The Dudley Boyz are here!

The fans fire up as Bubba Ray & D-Von are both here for the next round of picks! Cincy chants for “E C DUB! E C DUB!” Bubba and D-Von look at the cards, it’s hard to read. So out come the glasses! Bubba says with the first pick of the third round of the 2024 WWE Draft, SmackDown selects… L A KNIGHT! YEAH!! The Mega Star stays on Fridays! D-Von says with the second pick of the third round, Raw selects… RICOCHET! Mondays still has the One and Only, is Ricochet going to bring that WWE Speed Championship home to Raw, too?

Bubba says with the third pick of the third round, SmackDown selects… THE BLOODLINE! That means Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Paul Heyman are staying right here on Friday nights. And D-Von says with the final pick of this round, Raw selects… SHEAMUS! The Celtic Warrior just got back, but he won’t have to worry about going anywhere else but Monday nights.

WWE Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Naomi VS Tiffany Stratton!

It’s time to run it back once again! The Glow got robbed by the Spoiled Rich Girl, but supposedly, it’s #TiffyTime. Will Naomi prove there’s no such time on the clock? Or will Bayley be the one feeling the Backlash over giving Tiffany one more chance?

The bell rings and Naomi hits a THESZ PRESS! Naomi rains down fists, Tiffy shoves her away and goes to ropes, but Naomi gets up in Tiff’s face. Naomi whips, Tiff holds ropes to bail out and fans boo. Naomi scowls, runs in and WRECKS Tiff with a dropkick! Naomi then gets Tiff up, SMACKS her off the apron, and then SMACKS her off it again! And again! Naomi puts Tiff in, goes up a corner, but Tiff gets under the jump! Naomi runs back up but Tiff YANKS her into ropes! Tiff runs to HIP ATTACK! Naomi sputters, Tiff scowls and drags Naomi up, to then put through ropes. But Naomi RAMS into Tiff!

Naomi reels Tiff in, for a HEATSEEKER! Tiff flops to the floor, and then Naomi SPLIT LEG DROPS! Naomi says it’s #NaomiTime, but SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns and Naomi runs, but into a SPINEBUSTER! High stack, TWO! Naomi survives and Tiff is frustrated but the fans rally up. Tiff drags Naomi up, whips her to a corner, but Naomi goes up and sunset flips! TWO! Tiff escapes, knees Naomi low, then whips. Naomi slides under the lariat to then mule kick! Then she headscissor SPIKES Tiff down! Cover, TWO! Tiff survives but barely, and Naomi keeps her cool. Naomi headlocks, but Tiff shoves her into buckles! Tiff runs, but Naomi follows, DOUBLE RUNNING FACEBUSTERS take them both down! The fans fire up as the two rise!

Naomi KICKS, ROCKS and ROCKS Tiff again! Naomi fires shots again and again but Tiff knees low! Tiff reels Naomi in, but Naomi wrenches out to ENZIGIRI! And then BUCKLE BULLDOG! But then NIA JAX attacks Bayley!? Nia SMACKS Bayley off buckles, rains down fists, and this momentarily distracts Naomi. Naomi refocuses, but by now, Tiff’s slipped away! Nia KICKS Bayley in the side, so Naomi goes out to ROCK her! Nia POSTS Naomi and that throws the match out!

No Contest

The fans boo as Nia ruins the fun, then runs Bayley over! Nia smiles as she blows kisses to Cincy. Tiff smiles, she drags Naomi up and puts her in the ring. Then she drags Bayley in! Tiff wants a repeat of last week as she puts them side by side in the drop zone! Tiff then goes up and up for the PRETTIEST MOONSAULT EVER!! Tiff says it’s her time, but the #1 contendership is still in question. Who gets their shot at the Role Model at Backlash?

B-Fab and the Street Profits meet up backstage.

Angelo Dawkins has a “WHO-DEY” sign, but Montez Ford is wondering where Bobby Lashley is right now. B-Fab says calm down, he’ll be here. Byron Saxton walks over and apologizes for interrupting. He doesn’t know what the Draft destination for this group will be until Monday Night Raw, but we do know that The Profits will challenge A-Town Down Under for the WWE Tag Team Championships. YESSIIIIIIR~! B-Fab says it doesn’t matter where they get drafted. The Profits are going to take down A-Town Down Under and take those titles. Then they’ll have their first class tickets right back to SmackDown.

SmackDown? Did someone say SmackDown~? In walk Austin Theory & Grayson Waller, showing off the titles. And Theory says you can’t have SmackDown without the GREATEST undefeated tag team of all time. And sorry, Dawkins, but these are championships, something the Bengals know nothing about! B-Fab keeps Dawkins back, but then in steps Bobby Lashley! The All Mighty scares Theory & Waller right off, and Dawkins says see y’all next Friday! Will there be nothing keeping these Profits down the night before Backlash?

The Final Testament speaks.

Karrion Kross says good evening. What’s going on here? You guessed it! More random acts of violence! Just follow him. Kross & Scarlett lead the way to show The Authors of Pain beating down New Catch Republic! Rezar beats down Pete Dunne while Akam victimizes Tyler Bate! Paul Ellering says they will know about sacrifice! Kross says whether they get drafted to Raw or stay on SmackDown, the violence will continue until they get what they want! So sayeth The Final Testament!!

Teddy Long and JBL are here!

The Hall of Famer General Manager and the Hall of Famer WWE Champion are both here, ready to give us the fourth and final round of picks tonight! Teddy gets right to it! The first pick of the fourth round, SmackDown selects… AJ STYLES! The Phenomenal One is really an obvious choice, because one way or another, the WWE Championship stays with SmackDown! JBL says the second pick of the fourth round, Raw selects… THE ALPHA ACADEMY! Raw keeps Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri & Akira Tozawa, A THANK YEW~!

Teddy says with the third pick of this round, SmackDown selects… ANDRADE! A big move as now El Idolo will be part of Friday nights. And with the final pick of this fourth round, Raw selects… NXT’S Kiana James! The Calculator, the former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, has the Raw hat to put on, and after a quick hype package, Jackie Redmond is there to interview her. Kiana, congratulations! You are heading to Monday Night Raw! How much does this mean to her? This means the world to her. She is filled with gratitude, but also knows every decision she has made up to this point has been by design to get her here.

Kiana is so proud of her time in NXT, but she’s ready to show Raw why she is the One Percent. Was she surprised? Of course she was! HBK is here to wish her luck and congratulations. Is Kiana going to start the hostile takeover of the Raw Women’s Division?

Backstage interview with Nick Aldis.

Kayla is with the SmackDown GM and says that with night one in the books, how does he feel about SmackDown’s selections? He feels really good about them. SmackDown’s future is bright, he can’t wait for the new recruits to show up and show out for the blue brand. But he also wants to turn attentions to Backlash, because he’s got some new matches to announce! The first PLE in France, this is exciting stuff, Kayla. Aldis says that the WWE Women’s Championship will now be on the line in a Triple Threat! Bayley VS Naomi VS Tiffany Stratton! Will the odds make it that much harder for the Role Model to succeed?

There’s one more match to announce, but Aldis will let the GM GOAT take it from here. Teddy Long steps in, and don’t forget. We’ll talk about this tag team match. The Bloodline VS Kevin Owens & Randy Orton! Holla, players. Solo & Tama will have to face The Viper and the Prizefighter, will #RKKO strike fast and strike hard?

Cody Rhodes VS Carmelo Hayes!

The American Nightmare just put pen to paper for his match with the Phenomenal One, but he isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. The former NXT Champion is shooting his shot, but will this be nothing but net? Or will it be a frustrating airball?

The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, the fans rally for Cody as he puts Melo in a corner then arm-drags him away. Melo runs up, Cody headlocks, Melo powers out then drops. Melo hurdles, but Cody kicks low to RHODES UPPERCUT! Melo staggers to ropes, the fans fire up, but then melo throat chops and springboard FLYING LARIATS! Melo says that’s why he’s a first round pick! But then Cody CLOBBERS him! Cody asks if Melo’s ready for this, and SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns once again and Cody has a headlock. Cody hits a takeover, Melo flails and kicks around, but Cody grinds him down. Melo pushes with his forearm, then headscissors, but Cody kips free. Melo CHOPS, the fans “WOO~!” but Cody brushes himself off. Melo pie faces Cody! Cody fires forearms on Melo, then whips, but Melo reverses. Melo ELBOWS Cody, then runs up to KICK him in the side! Melo fires forearms and CHOPS in a corner, then throws body shots. Melo digs his boot in, the ref counts, and Cody goes to another corner. Cody eggs Melo on, Melo storms up, but Cody puts him in the corner to CHOP!

Cody swings, Melo dodges and CHOPS! Cody turns things around to CHOP! The fans rally, Cody whips corner to corner, then he back drops Melo away! Melo staggers up, Cody runs, and he rallies on Melo with forearms! Cody goes up and over in a corner but Melo tilt-o-whirls, LA MYSTICA! Melo springboards, FADE AWAY! Cover, TWO! Cody survives that flying DDT, but we see the NXT roster all fired up watching Melo take it to the champ. Melo sits Cody up, drags him into a facelock, but the fans rally for Cody. Cody fireman’s carries but Melo slips free to dragon sleeper! Melo grins, but Cody cradles! TWO!!

Melo swings, Cody boots, then Cody springboards to BEAUTIFUL DISASTER! Melo flips inside-out, Cody covers, TWO! Melo is still in this and he snarls up at Cody. Melo gives a forearm, Cody gives it back, and the fans rally up. Cody scoops Melo, storms around, and then hits a RUNNING POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Melo survives and Cody grows frustrated. Cody pounds the mat, the fans rally up, and then Cody goes to ropes. Cody springboards again, CODY CUTTER! Cover, TWO!! Melo survives yet again, proving why he’s a former NXT Champion, on top of NXT North American Champion! But then Cody drags him up!

Cody back suplexes, Melo lands out of it, then FIRST 48! Doe goes Cody and Melo goes up! Melo is setting up for the game winner! NOTHING BUT- NO, Cody avoids the flying leg drop! Melo rolls through, Cody dodges to SUPERKICK! Cody brings Melo around, but Melo gets free! They both run, both springboard, but completely miss each other, and Cody takes a rough landing! Melo drags Cody up, reels him in, but Cody wrenches out to dragon sleeper! CROSS RHODES!! Cody shakes out the bad arm but still makes the cover, and Cody wins!

Winner: Cody Rhodes, by pinfall

Melo took his shot but it was blocked! Even so, Cody sits Melo up to show him respect and tell him he’s still the future. But did this match end up more of a trap game for Cody after that crash landing? Or will he be alright in time for Backlash and his phenomenal opponent?

Speaking of, Styles sneaks right into the ring! Cody sees him in time and Styles stays back. Cody and Styles stare down, but Styles says it was that close. Styles offers a handshake, and Cody takes it. There’s still respect here, for now. But will nothing stop Styles from turning Cody’s story into a tragedy after all?

My Thoughts:

A great SmackDown to open the WWE Draft but to also set up Backlash. To recap, SmackDown took Bianca, Melo, Orton, Nia, LA Knight, The Bloodline, Styles and Andrade while Raw took Jey, Rollins, Bron, Liv, Ricochet, Sheamus, The Alpha Academy, and Kiana. Many of those choices made sense, as picks won’t be wasted on keeping champions on brands, and just need to be used to keep most stories alive and change up a few others. Kiana is perhaps one of the more surprising moves, but well-deserved. She has been a solid character and solid in-ring performer almost from the start, she’s a solid addition to Raw.

Bron of course demolished his opponent tonight, it’s just a shame it was Cedric and not local enhancement talent. But Bron will also be a good addition to Raw, but maybe he can move past his squash match phase and get right to story. Melo being a first round pick was great stuff, and he had a great promo with Cody to give us tonight’s main event. That double springboard whiff was definitely a timing problem, but at the same time, a Fade Away countered into a Cody Cutter would’ve been way too epic just for TV. Cody with a great win, and we got a really good contract signing segment, but you can bet Cody retains.

Really good tag match from LWO VS Legado but naturally Rey & Dragon won. I knew it was only a matter of time before Carlito was outed, and how he handled being exposed was pretty good. And with Andrade being drafted to SmackDown, you just know that means Andrade joins the LWO. The Final Testament attacking New Catch Republic was a wild moment, I almost thought Ellering was going to use the pliers in his hands to grab at fingers. Maybe we get that next week for SmackDown in France. Good promos from A-Town Down Under and the still technically unnamed faction of Bobby Lashley’s. As great as The Profits are, it feels like Theory & Waller will cheat to retain.

Really good promo with Tiff and Bayley to set up Naomi VS Tiff round 3, but I did not think Nia Jax would disrupt all that. A Triple Threat at Backlash is good stuff, it will protect Bayley if she loses, but can also protect Naomi and Tiff if Bayley uses them against each other to win. Good promo from Bianca that then turned into the shouting match of Bianca & Jade with Kabuki Warriors. Their tag title match is official, and I’m pretty sure Bianca & Jade win. I also liked that this segment ended up having Kevin and Tama brawl right through it. Orton saving Kevin was a great move, RKKO VS Solo & Tama is going to be awesome stuff, I can’t wait to see it.