WWE Smackdown for 4/10/20 (Strowman / Wyatt)

By
Ian Abugov

WWE Smackdown is here WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman confronts The Fiend Bray Wyatt

WWE Smackdown returns with WrestleMania in the books, It provided us with many moments and WILL be remembered for the right reasons. The Wyatt-Cena piece was a work of total genius. Like an epic film, you could watch it a dozen times and find something new to be thrilled with every viewing. Amazing story with the theme of one protagonist being dragged into a parallel universe fuelled by his own perceived inadequacies while the other seeks redemption after a defining setback.

The landscape has changed significantly on the Blue brand with Braun Strowman defeating Goldberg in a little over two minutes and with a move set that would get most aspiring bookers expelled from the Performance Center. We have a full-time champion and it appears that for now anyways, Braun will go forward as a face.

Otis has checked out of the Heartbreak Hotel and Dolph Ziggler finds himself at the end of Lonely Street on WWE Smackdown.

While Fire and Desire have been reduced to merely Ire. Otis and Mandy Rose will show us that nothing beats stronger and purer than the hearts of those whose love blossoms in the Spring. Elation and isolation can co-exist.

Neither the Intercontinental, tag-team nor Woman s titles changed hands but it looks like we will see new plot lines and programs develop as we move into the pre-Summerslam phase. One intrigue amongst many- will Bayley and Sasha continue their symbiotic bond. When the Boss interfered in the five-pack challenge to take out Lacey with a backstabber, was it perhaps the first step in backstabbing Bayley and advance her own championship aspirations.

In terms of the tag team division, frustration has to set in between the Usos and the New Day. John Morrison prophetic when he mentioned that when the two aforementioned teams SHOULD work together when they attempt to do so the results are invariably disastrous.

New programs, stories, rivalries, and twists should commence with this very edition of WWE Smackdown.

New trails will most likely be blazed as of tonight. The post WrestleMania season often sees the return of many talents who have been out of the spotlight for a while. One never knows who will show up.

One point is clear, there is air time to fill without the urgency of hyping the event of the year, the focus is more long term, slow burn.

Slated to appear, Braun Strowman will address the WWE Universe and lay out his agenda for the next few months. While the champion is brimming with confidence and enthusiasm we expect a challenger to step up and try to rock Braun’s boat. Good luck with that quest.

We will also see a WrestleMania rematch as the newly crowned woman ‘s tag team champs, Alexa Bliss and the mercurial Nikki Cross will defend their titles against the Kabuki Warriors. As Osuka might say ” This is a match not to be MIST. ”

First things first, all aboard the Braun Express. The new Universal Champion appears and celebrates his WrestleMania triumph. He gloats about kicking down the door of opportunity and refusing to stay down after several spears by Goldberg.

Strowman immediately interrupted by Shinsuke Nakamura who surprisingly is not accompanied by Sami Zayn. However, there is a knock, knock, knock on Strowman’s door. Cesaro joins the fray, momentarily distracts the champion which allows Nakamura to paintbrush Braun with a superkick.

WWE Smackdown

Kabuki Warriors vs Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross

The curtain-raising match sees a WM rematch with the Kabuki Warriors getting an opportunity to recapture their titles against Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. Kairi Sane opened with a flurry. After a pristine dropkick on Alexa Bliss, Asuka was tagged in and we witnessed a clinic on double teaming.

Alexa got back in the thick of things, sought a tag but Nikki Cross was nowhere to be found. Nikki Cross though would meet up with Asuka on the broadcast table of all places and even delivered a cross body strike as we headed into a break.

Returning to not so live-action, Asuka is dominating Alexa Bliss and the Warriors manage to pull off no fewer than four counts of a two and a bit, one of them even following a very nicely executed modified Doomsday device on Cross.

Alexa Bliss interfered to help Nikki out of a potential submission hold, got tagged in and face planted Kairi Sane for a two count. After Asuka interfered, Alexa was still able to dish out some Twisted Bliss. This was followed by a quick tag to Nikki Cross who used the twisting neck breaker to procure the “W” for the newly crowned champions.

Winners: Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross

A musical interlude followed with Elias standing triumphantly on the very perch he was hurled off of by King Corbin two short weeks ago. We got to hear a new composition entitled “Walk with the King.”

Dolph Ziggler vs. Tucker Knight

Next up, Dolph Ziggler and Sonya DeVille grace us with their presence and express their concern for poor Mandy Rose who has been incommunicado for the week.

Tucker Knight shows up and shows us pictures of Otis and Mandy together and in wonderful spirits. Tucker mentions to Ziggler that the two of them have unfinished business. That confrontation to follow immediately.

As the match commenced, Ziggler took advantage of DeVille’s interference, executed a suplex and garnered a count of two. Tucker would roar back driving Ziggler into the announce table and then into the unforgiving ring steps. Back in the ring, a power slam, a clothesline, and even a crossbody lateral press could not put Ziggler away.

Tucker attempted a splash like a shoulder strike on Ziggler in the corner but missed his mark. Ziggler would rebound with a superkick hitting Tucker squarely in the chin. The three-count was to follow. A shallow victory for Dolph having to lose his romantic interest Mandy Rose to Otis.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Grab ahold of the Dirt Sheet and welcome the Miz and Morrison who unlike Wade Barrett have some good news to share. After reviewing WrestleMania highlights, they mention the best news of all is their debuting their lit single” Hey, Hey’. Shortly after beginning the song they were once again interrupted by the Usos who in turn were interrupted by the New Day.

Both challengers lamented the fact that it was almost absurd to have had a tag team match, a three-way ladder match in fact with only one participant from each team given that the Miz was not medically cleared to wrestle at Mania.

The end result, somewhat of a shock, is that next week there will be another three-way match featuring those who didn’t partake in Mania, namely, the Miz, Big E, and Jey Uso. No mention either of it being a ladder match.

Forgotten Sons vs. Lucha House Party

A new tag team to Smackdown would appear next, The Forgotten Sons. They are NXT alumni and their vignettes prior to their NXT debut portrayed them as Veterans who were disgruntled and frustrated by being ignored upon their leaving the service. The unit is comprised of Steve Cutler, Jaxson Ryker, and Wesley Blake, the latter having been trained by the legendary Dory Funk Jr.

Their opposition tonight was the Lucha House Party who seemed to be on an upward curve after their impressive PPV performance in Philadelphia.

No love nor brotherly love is shown by the Forgotten Sons. This match featured the classic high flying vs ground and pound style. The Sons did a fine job of cutting the ring in half and taking advantage of their considerable strength and thunderous strikes. A clothesline to Gran Metalik would turn out the lights on this Lucha House Party.

Winners: Forgotten Sons

Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss celebrated backstage only to be challenged by Carmela and Dana Brooke. Nikki Cross accepted the challenge without hesitation.

Sasha Banks and Bayley were up next and Bayley didn’t hesitate for a half-second to deem herself untouchable. Tamina Snuka then appeared and to make up for lost time, she issued a challenge to Bayley for her championship. The role model acquiesced on the condition that Tamina defeats Sasha Banks next week. Tamina telling Sasha …” your bestie just screwed you,” We see the seeds being carefully planted for a Boss vs Bayley program in the near future.

WWE Smackdown

Sheamus vs. Cal Bloom

Next up was Sheamus in a foul mood after being looked over for Wrestlemania. The Celtic Warrior making very short order of enhancement talent Cal Bloom. The Brogue kick taking the shine off Bloom’s rose. If you sneezed three times in a row, you missed this confrontation. The announce crew presented the first part of a historical retrospective on the career of Jeff Hardy which prompted Sheamus to give a nasty glare at Michael Cole and Corey Graves. Look then for a Sheamus-Hardy rivalry sooner than later.

Winner: Sheamus

The main event is about to take place. Prior to that, Money in the Bank is hyped and we learn that next week, there will be two qualifying matches; Daniel Bryan vs Cesaro and Naomi vs Dana Brooke.

WWE Smackdown

Braun Strowman vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Once again, Nakamura came to the ring with Cesaro but without the Great Liberator. Nakamura used his speed and agility to take a very early and equally shortlived advantage. Braun would bounce back swiftly and decisively. After launching Nakamura into a barricade, Strowman followed that up with a power slam and a quick count of three.

Winner: Braun Strowman

No doubts as to what Braun’s finishing move will be. He is also being packaged as invincible.

We end on a high note, another edition of the Firefly Funhouse which was surprisingly not even hinted at the outset of the show. Bray reviewed the WrestleMania vignette and of course mentioned not being able to see John Cena. Wyatt congratulated Strowman on his exploit but then recanted. He stated, “I brought you in from the swamp but you turned your back on me. ”

Wyatt sought an apology which was refused and then proclaimed ” Since I brought you in, I am going to have to take you out.” We suppose Adam Rose could not be reached for comment.

Strowman replied, “Anytime you’re ready, I am ready to let you in”.

Very interesting program in perspective.The balancing of a revigorated Fiend regaining the credibility he lost after dropping the belt to Goldberg and the bolstering of a new and very threatening champion in it for the long haul.

We suspect that these programs will be by no means rushed through. If we look ahead, it appears that we will be lucky to have Summerslam in front of a live crowd. Our guess is that the E will aim to put a grandiose show on then and basically keep things in a holding pattern in the next little while. . Moving forward but with small and deliberate steps.

The show tonight accomplished what it meant to do. Entertaining yet still in the post WM buzz. Kind of like the leftovers after a scrumptious holiday feast. We look eagerly forward to the coming weeks as we stride hopefully closer to normality while anticipating further storytelling and the appearance of more new talent. The WWE doing more than its part to entertain and divert, thank goodness for small mercies.

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