WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT (01/31/14) by Nicholas Sebastian
Smackdown opens up this week with a recap of what happened on Raw this past Monday. John Cena, Daniel Bryan and Shamus defeated the Shield in a three-on-three tag team match to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match. The Wyatts caused a disqualification by attacking John Cena.
DOLPH ZIGGLER VS ANTONIO CESARO (WITH ZEB COLTER)
ELIMINATION CHAMBER QUALIFYING MATCH
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
- Cesaro nailed a dropkick to the chin on Ziggler literally seconds into the match and went for the pin, getting a two count.
- Ziggler came off the ropes right into Cesaro's spinning backbreaker.
- Cesaro hit standing double underhook suplex on Dolph Ziggler.
FINISH: Ziggler's attempt at his zig-zag finisher was thwarted by Cesaro grabbing onto the top rope. The Cesaro swing on Ziggler is followed by his Neutralizer finisher and a three count for the victory.
WINNER: ANTONIO CESARO
IN THE ARENA: The Shield come through the crowd to cut a promo inside the ring. Dean Ambrose says that if the Shield would have been in the Elimination Chamber match, one of them would have walked out of there WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Roman Reigns says he knows it would have been himself. Some back and forth between Ambrose and Reigns teases dissension in the ranks, before Seth Rollins steps in to calm things down.
Rollins goes on to say that the Wyatt Family is the reason the Shield isn't in the Elimination Chamber match and that they must be dealt with. Dean Ambrose goes on to challenge the Wyatt Family to a match at the Elimination Chamber. Vicky Guerrero comes out to make the match official only to be interrupted by the COO of WWE, Triple H. He comes down to the ring and tells them to forget about what the Wyatt's did because there is no benefit in going after them. Roman Reigns tells the COO that they're not asking for his approval, so Triple H relents and makes the match for the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.
FANDANGO VS XAVIER WOODS
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
- As Xavier Woods came off the ropes, Fandango hit an overhead belly-to-back suplex that was good for a two count.
- Xavier Woods got in a flurry of offense and hit a somersault dive over the top rope onto Fandango who was on the outside near the entrance ramp.
- Summer Rae spotted NXT wrestler Emma in the front row and took away her sign, breaking it over her knee. Emma then pulled out another sign she just happened to have.
FINISH: Xavier Woods went to the top corner but Fandango hit the ropes, causing Woods to drop down and get crotched onto the top turnbuckle. Fandango hits a suplex out of the comer and drives Woods right into the canvas, getting the three-count and the victory.
WINNER: FANDANGO
PRIME TIME PLAYERS VS CURTIS AXEL & RYBACK
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
- Very short match, it went less than two minutes. Titus O'Neil never tagged in, and Curtis Axel won it with his Hangman's Facebuster finisher.
WINNERS: CURTIS AXEL & RYBACK
AFTER THE MATCH: Titus O'Neil, visibly frustrated with losing because of Darren Young, tells his partner he's getting rid of the dead weight and attacks him. He says he's a winner and that he's going off on his own to be just that. He leaves Darren Young in a heap outside the ring after a brutal beatdown.
We're then shown two promos, one that highlights Jake "The Snake" Roberts induction into the WWE Hall of Fame on Wrestlemania Weekend, the other by NXT Wrestler Alexander Rusev and his valet Lana, speaking in Bulgarian and telling us that the Rusev legacy starts now.
Before the next match begins, we're shown footage from Raw this past Monday where a frustrated Zeb Colter verbally berated Jack Swagger and slapped him, not happy with his ongoing performance in his match.
CHRISTIAN VS JACK SWAGGER
ELIMINATION CHAMBER QUALIFYING MATCH
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
- Swagger starts off early on the offense, throwing Christian from a fireman's carry position inside the ring, over the post and down onto the arena floor.
FINISH: Christian hits a frog splah off the top rope to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match.
WINNER: CHRISTIAN
After the match, Renée Young interviews Christian who says he is desparate because his window of opportunity is closing. He says he will be dangerous at the Elimination Chamber.
DAMIEN SANDOW VS KOFI KINGSTON
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
- Another very quick match, Sandow got in some offense but was quickly dispatched with the SOS by Kofi Kingston. The announcers kept mentioning Sandow's current losing streak during the last few months.
WINNER: KOFI KINGSTON
WWE TAG-TEAM CHAMPION "ROAD DOGG" JESSE JAMES VS CODY RHODES
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
- Very even, fast paced but quick match again. Cody Rhodes hit his Diaster Kick finisher to get the victory.
WINNER: CODY RHODES
After the match, Billy Gunn comes in to cause some trouble but is quickly taken care of by Goldust. All four men get into a brawl inside and outside the ring until the New Age Outlaws retreat to the back.
BACKSTAGE: Before the Shield's match, the Wyatt Family cuts a promo. Bray Wyatt says war is his favorite game. Luke Harper speaks and says they will reap what they sow and they picked a beautiful hill to die on. Bray Wyatt warns the Shield not to invite the Devil into their backyard because he might like it and decide to stay.
SHAMUS, REY MYSTERIO & DANIEL BRYAN VS THE SHIELD
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
- A very even match-up at the start with Shamus and Roman Reigns exchanging power moves.
- Roman Reigns hit his Superman Punch on Shamus.
- Daniel Bryan gets Seth Rollins in the bow and arrow submission but was unable to make him tap.
- Daniel Bryan had Roman Reigns in his Yes Lock submission but was hit from behind by Dean Ambrose before he could get a tap-out.
FINISH: Daniel Bryan makes the hot tag to Rey Mysterio. He unloads a flurry of offense on Roman Reigns but falls prey to a huge spear as he went for his 619 finisher.
WINNERS: THE SHIELD
END
