WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 1036
#SDLive
Original Air Date: June 25, 2019
Event Date: June 25, 2019
(aired live)
City: Portland, OR
Venue: MODA Center
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Video
Last night on RAW, The Undertaker appeared to attack Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre.
Backstage
Shane McMahon says Roman Reigns was so afraid of losing that he turned to The Undertaker for help. Shane says he and Drew McIntyre will defeat Undertaker and Reigns at Extreme Rules. He also warns the SmackDown roster not not get on his bad side, because Shane is pissed.
Ring Area
New day heads to the ring. Kofi says he’s enjoyed some of the best moments of his life since becoming WWE Champ, but he’s also endured some of the most painful. A day after defeating Dolph Ziggler in a cage match, Samoa Joe attacked Kingston on RAW. Kofi says Joe is like a shark, but Kofi won’t let Joe eat him alive at Extreme Rules.
Dolph Ziggler comes out to the stage. Ziggler isn’t going to let someone else come in and take his spot after doing all the hard work. Ziggler says Woods saved Kingston at Super ShowDown. He also says Kingston took the coward’s way out in their cage match at Stomping Grounds. Ziggler says everyone knows he should be champ right now. Ziggler informs everyone that management has told him that if Ziggler beats Kofi tonight, then he’ll be added to the title match at Extreme Rules. Also, tonight’s match is two out of three falls.
Backstage
Daniel Bryan and Rowan walk while Huskus the Pig Boy watches them from the background.
Backstage
The Miz asks Elias if Shane is in his office. Elias warns Miz that Shane is in a really bad mood. Miz tells Elias to tell Shane that they have some unfinished business.
Miz leaves, and Shane comes out. Elias tells Shane what Miz said. Shane says he’ll fight Miz if he can beat Elias in a two out of three falls match.
Match 1
Xavier Woods & Big E vs Rowan & Daniel Bryan (SD Tag Champs)
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Result: Xavier Woods pins Daniel Bryan after Midnight Hour
Time: 9:28
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. This was basically a beating of Xavier Woods during a commercial break, then it turned into a fun finish with everyone involved once the show came back to full-screen mode. I enjoyed it pretty well though.
Ring Area
After the match, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn attack New Day. Rowan joins in on the attack on New Day, then Heavy Machinery runs down to the ring to help New Day.
Match 2
Xavier Woods & Big E & Heavy Machinery vs Rowan & Daniel Bryan (SD Tag Champs) & Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Result: Tucker Knight pins Sami Zayn after the Compacter
Time: 4:39
Match Thoughts
This was pretty fun. New Day didn’t really do much, and neither did Daniel Brayn. Rowan beat up Tucker Knight for a while, then Sami Zayn tagged in and Heavy Machinery beat him up. It was kind of fun to watch, but it didn’t really need to be an eight man tag match.
Video
Last night, Nikki Cross told Alexa Bliss that Alexa will get a title match if Nikki can beat Bayley on SmackDown.
Backstage
The Miz walks.
Video
Ali will be the light for those in need.
Match 3
Two Out of Three Falls Match
The Miz vs Elias w/ Shane McMahon
(referee: Ryan Tran)
Result: Elias wins 2 falls to 1
1. Elias pins The Miz after Drift Away (0:58)
2. The Miz wins a fall by DQ when Shane McMahon attacks him (5:19)
3. Elias pins The Miz after a diving elbow drop (and after Elias and Shane beat up Miz between falls) (0:21)
Time: 6:38 (plus two rest periods)
Match Thoughts
Two falls happened in under a minute each. The middle fall was fine, but it wasn’t super exciting. I just don’t care about Shane or The Miz, and I especially don’t care about them feuding. Elias was fine though.
Ring Area
After the match, Shane hits Miz with coast to coast. Then Shane yells at Miz.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton welcomes Finn Balor. Balor says he respects Andrade as a competitor. The better his opponent, the better Balor has to be. Braxton asks Balor who his next opponent will be. Instead of answering, Balor watches as Shinsuke Nakamura walks up, makes some hand gestures, and walks away. Balor smiles.
Backstage
In a split-screen, Nikki Cross and Bayley warm up for their match.
Match 4
Nikki Cross vs Bayley (SD Women’s Champ)
(referee: Danilo Anfibio; stipulation: if Cross wins, then Alexa Bliss gets a SD Women’s Title match)
Result: Nikki Cross wins via pinfall with a counter to an Oklahoma Roll
Time: 6:52
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match, there were some moments that weren’t great, but there was some good drama after Bayley missed a couple of big dives. I can’t say I’m super happy with the result, but the match was fine.
Backstage
Carmella searches for R-Truth but finds Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. After some words, Rose and Deville leave. R-Truth emerges from hiding, and Drake Maverick walks up. Maverick is still upset about losing the 24/7 Title after losing it at his wedding. Maverick says R-Truth has ruined his life.
R-Truth says he’s sorry. If it means that much to Maverick, he should go get a referee. A referee appears, but R-Truth was faking. Truth says he loves the 24/7 Title more than Maverick loves his wife. Then Truth and Carmella run away. Maverick watches them go, then he’s run over by Shelton Benjamin, The B-Team, and the Singh Brothers as they chase R-Truth.
Backstage
Ember Moon smirks as she walks.
Match 5
Ember Moon vs Sonya Deville w/ Mandy Rose
(referee: Mike Chioda)
Result: Sonya Deville wins via pinfall after shoving Moon into the ring post
Time: 1:20
Match Thoughts
I liked what I saw in the match, I just wish it had been longer. Moon was angry, and she was fighting with a lot of energy. She went right after Deville, but Deville fought her off and used a distraction from Rose to take advantage. This could have been a good fight (and hopefully it will at a PPV), but tonight was more about story than wrestling.
Backstage
Aleister Black is frustrated and a little angry. He doesn’t understand why no one will fight him. He’s starting to think that there isn’t a single person who is man enough to pick a fight with him. Just then, someone knocks on Black’s door.
Match 6
Two out of Three Falls Match
Dolph Ziggler vs Kofi Kingston (WWE Champ)
(referee: Ryan Tran)
Result: Kofi Kingston wins 2 falls to 1
1. Kingston pins Ziggler with a sunset flip (3:37)
2. Ziggler pins Kingston after a superkick (0:21)
3. Kingston pins Ziggler after Trouble in Paradise (8:04)
Time: 12:02 (plus two rest periods)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The first two falls didn’t matter much (though Ziggler did some damage at ringside between two of the falls), but the third fall was a very good singles match. The third fall built up well to a frenetic attempt by both men to pin each other any way possible. This was a fun main event despite the stipulations, not because of them.
Show Impressions
Despite the overuse of stipulations in the matches, this was mostly an entertaining show. The main event left me happy, and the Moon/Deville match left me wanting more.
Match of the Night
Kingston vs Ziggler
Despite not enjoying it when the same two people just fight over and over again after one person has clearly claimed dominance, I think I’ll always enjoy seeing these two men in the ring together.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2019-06-25