Tonight on WWE Thursday Night Smackdown features Brock Lesnar for the first time in twelve years. Also, this is the first Smackdown for Kevin Owens since winning the Intercontinental Championship on Raw. With WWE Fastlane only three days away, will Chris Jericho accept AJ Styles’s challenge, and who will be going in with the momentum in their favor?
Dolph Ziggler & The Lucha Dragons vs. The League of Nations
Before the match starts, the new Intercontinental Champion, Kevin Owens, joins Byron Saxton, Jerry Lawler, and Michael Cole on commentary. Cole is replacing Mauro Ranallo this week on Smackdown, since Ranallo is out with an illness. He will be back on commentary next week. Owens is the best Superstar to come out on commentary, because he builds up his feuds and calls out commentary for not paying attention to their guest.
When Kalisto entered with Sin Cara, Eden Stiles still mentioned that he was “Slammy Award winning,” which seems like forever ago. Since he is the United States Champion, he doesn’t need the extra accolade in his entrance. It’s very beneficial for WWE that they signed Kalisto before Lucha Underground became big, because Kalisto would do very well there.
Kevin Owens distracts Dolph Ziggler, leading to a Brogue Kick to give the League of Nations the victory. Winners: The League of Nations
Kalisto will face Alberto Del Rio this Sunday at Fastlane on the pre-show in a 2-out-of-3 falls match for the United States Championship.
Tamina (w/Naomi) vs. Sasha Banks
This plot between Sasha Banka/Becky Lynch and Naomi/Tamina has been decent enough to give fans exposure to Banks and Lynch leading up to their probable triple threat match against Charlotte at WrestleMania 32. The biggest benefit from this feud is that Fastlane will two Divas matches.
After a relatively short match, Sasha Banks locks in the Bank Statement for the win. Winner (via submission): Sasha Banks
Unsurprisingly, Naomi attacks Banks after her win. Also unsurprisingly, Becky Lynch came out to save her Fastlane tag team partner. Banks doesn’t seem to want her help, but the two makeup backstage and have a formidable alliance leading into Fastlane.
Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch will take on Naomi and Tamina in a tag team match at Fastlane.
Chris Jericho answers AJ Styles’s Challenge
On Monday Night Raw, AJ Styles challenged Chris Jericho to a third match in their series at Fastlane. Jericho said he would announce his decision on Smackdown, so here it is.
Jericho calls out Styles, and out comes the Miz, who tells Jericho to save hsi decision because they have a match next.
Chris Jericho vs. The Miz
After another great match for Jericho and The Miz, Jericho locks in the Walls of Jericho for the win. Winner (via submission): Chris Jericho
After the match, Jericho goes back to his original reason for being in the ring, and calls out AJ Styles to give him his answer to Styles’s challenge to a match at Fastlane.
Jericho doesn’t want to give Styles and handouts in making a name for himself, and declines the challenge. In response, Styles decides to deliver several quick blows to Jericho, including the devastating spinning backfist that knocked out The Miz’s teeth a few weeks ago. That angered Jericho enough where he changed his mind.
It’s official: Styles/Jericho III will take place at Fastlane.
Charlotte (w/Ric Flair) vs. Natalya
When Charlotte was NXT Women’s Champion, one of the matches that really put her on the map was when she defended the Women’s Championship against Natalya at NXT Takeover.
One little thing I noticed in this match is that Natalya is one of the few people on the roster (other than Brock Lesnar) that uses a German suplex.
After sweeping Natalya onto the ring apron, Charlotte locks in the Figure Eight for the win. Winner (via submission): Charlotte
After the match, Charlotte starts a “Yes!” chant, mocking Brie Bella, and Brie attacks Charlotte, who only escapes because of the help of Ric Flair.
Golden Truth update: Goldust just tries his best to relate to R-Truth, and Truth insults him.
Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns vs. The Dudley Boyz
On Monday Night Raw, The Dudleys attacked Reigns during his promo with Paul Heyman for some reason that hasn’t been explained yet.
During the match, Bubba Ray Dudley talks a lot of smack to Reigns, and the two heavy hitters go at it. Seeing that in this match shows that after Reigns (probably) wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 32, Bubba Ray Dudley in his Bully Ray persona from TNA would make a great challenger to Reigns.
Reigns and Ambrose seem to have the match won, when Brock Lesnar comes out to attack his Fastlane challengers. Winners (via disqualification): Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns
Lesnar leaves Reigns and Ambrose, when Triple H stands at the entrance ramp to remind Lesnar that after having to get through Ambrose and Reigns, he would have to face Triple H at WrestleMania. After this episode of Smackdown, Fastlane is sure to be interesting.
