WWE: Smackdown
March 17, 2016
Cincinnati, OH
U.S. Bank Arena

The current WWE champions are as follows:
WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (1/24/2016)
WWE Intercontinental Champion: Kevin Owens (2/15/2016)
WWE United States Champion: Kalisto (1/24/2016)
WWE Tag Team Champions: The New Day (8/23/2015)
WWE Divas Champion: Charlotte (9/20/2015)

So the Triple H versus Roman Reigns feud comes down to just bashing up each other’s faces? What nuance! Such twists and turns! I mean, I’m on the edge of my seat to see what will happen next!

Your hosts are Mauro Ranallo, Jerry Lawler, and Byron Saxton.

Roman Reigns starts the show to tell us more about how mad he is. All the reports say Roman was booed out of the building on Smackdown. They sweeten the audio quite a bit here, but it appears Reigns isn’t pleased with the audience. He plans on bringing the fight to Triple H and winning the WWE world heavyweight title at WrestleMania. You can believe dat. He stares up at the WrestleMania sign to close the segment. Less talking more bashing, Roman.

Next up, we see highlights of the recent Styles-Jericho situation. This leads to Renee Young meeting with AJ Styles for an interview. He talks about how ridiculous it is for Chris Jericho to get mad that people are chanting AJ’s name when the IC champ Kevin Owens shows up. Owens thinks AJ and Sami Zayn should get their own show together that would consist of them holding each other and crying over lost friendships. Sounds kind of lame, Kev. I gotta say. Styles says Owens reminds him of Jericho: a smug, arrogant jackass. AJ says he and Owens have a match tonight, so Owens will get to put his money where his mouth is, and Styles gets to shut it. Owens makes a joke about AJ and Zayn (?) having the same haircut, but it doesn’t really land at all.

• Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz
  

Ziggler and Miz roll around on the mat to start trying to gain an advantage. After they trade some headlocks, they run the ropes a little bit. Miz catches a dropkick and catapults Ziggler, but Ziggler skins the cat and rolls up Miz for two. Series of elbow drops on Miz followed by a Brunzell dropkick. Miz reverses a corner whip though and sends in Ziggler for the Bret Hart bump. He kicks Ziggler to the floor as we go to commercial. When we return, Miz is still in control now working the mid-section with a body scissors. Ziggler mounts his comeback with a Stinger splash and a swinging neckbreaker. Miz avoids the Famouser and buries a knee to the gut. He prevents the jumping DDT from happening as well and hits a big boot for two. Ziggler fights off the Skull Crushing Finale. He tries another Famouser, but settles for a sunset flip instead for two. FIGURE-FOUR by Miz! WOO! Ziggler reaches the ropes and superkicks Miz out of nowhere for the three-count. (7:22 shown) Crowd seemed dead for this one. Not a bad little match, but it just feels so usual. **

WrestleMania 32 – just 17 days away! I assume the Undertaker’s entrance will begin any time now.

Back on Raw this past week, Ryback challenges Kalisto for his U.S. title belt at WrestleMania. On WWE.com, Kalisto accepted the challenge.

In other happenings on Raw, Mick Foley appeared and awarded Dean Ambrose with Barbie for his match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. He called it a “passing of the torch”, which is pretty huge. Let’s hope they actually run with it.

Earlier today, Dean Ambrose cuts a promo on Brock Lesnar from a bridge or something outside his hometown of Cincinnati. With the skyline of the city, all I can think about while he’s talking is the “WKRP in Cincinnati” theme song.

• Bubba Ray Dudley (w/D-Von Dudley) vs. Goldust
  

D-Von pulls out a table to distract Goldust so Bubba Ray can pearl harbor him. He then puts his back once Bubba Ray is in control. He smashes Goldust’s face off turnbuckles and drops him with a reverse neckbreaker. Bubba talks quite a bit of trash here. Goldust interrupts his Flip Flop and Fly and drops him with an uppercut from his knees. Ten-count corner punch leads to the Running Bulldog. THE NATURAL DUSTIN RHODES IS BACK. Cover, 1-2-NO! Goldust chases Bubba Ray around ringside. He decks D-Von, but gets booted on the way back inside and pinned by Bubba Ray. (3:23) R-Truth comes down trying to help his buddy Goldust, but gets stopped. Now the Usos arrive and scare the Dudley Boyz out. Save it for WrestleMania when you get paid, boys. ¾*

The WWE Divas champ Charlotte goes face to face to face with her WrestleMania opponents Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch. She brings out her challengers to apologize – for thinking Sasha and Becky were worthy of being called “Horsewomen”. WOO! Somehow, Becky and Sasha start insulting one another. All Charlotte has to do is stand back and laugh. When they notice is Charlotte is just playing them like a fiddle, they both do a number on her and send Charlotte running off to daddy. Is there any possible chance Sasha Banks isn’t walking out of WrestleMania with the Divas title?

• Kofi Kingston (w/New Day) vs. King Barrett (w/League of Nations)
  

Be sure to get your Booty-O’s cereal so you ain’t booty. Big E cuts an tongue in cheek promo on the League of Nations for a match at WrestleMania. Any chance they finally break the Demolition’s longest tag title run? I hope so. In order to break the record, it would require them to hold onto the tag belts until at least the TLC PPV this December. Kofi in control to start stomps on Barrett until he bails out for a commercial break. When we come back, Barrett boots Kingston off the apron. Back inside, plenty of clubbing and kicking on Kingston. He comes back with a flying body press and a fancy DDT for two. NEW! DAY! ROCKS! When the League of Nations think they have Big E and Xavier Woods down, they get up on the apron hoping to do a 4-on-1 on Kofi. Big E and Xavier pull down Alberto Del Rio and Rusev while Kofi superkicks Sheamus down. He avoids a charge from Barrett and rolls him up (with a handful of tights just like on Raw) for the win. (4:20 shown, dude) Pretty much Social Outcasts booking for this match. *

We catch up with Dean Ambrose inside Madonna’s Bar and Grill in downtown Cincinnati. You know, because it’s St. Patrick’s Day and people drink there. He’s talking to some chick (nobody tell Renee!) when the camera looks at him. Brock Lesnar doesn’t know what pain is, but he’ll find out at WrestleMania. DRINK EM IF YOU GOT EM. Why isn’t this guy getting the Roman Reigns push again?

RAW RECAP: They show us the Undertaker and McMahons segment. For more info, look elsewhere.

The Social Outcasts are sitting on the apron being “funny” about who will win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal (or ARMBaR for sure). Dean Ambrose saves us all and comes out to make an example out of them with a kendo stick. I guess he left Barbie at his house. He didn’t really need to talk too, but he does anyhow.

• Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles
  

They don’t want none. They don’t want none. They don’t want none. Styles hits the leapfrog dropdown dropkick to start. Owens had a springboard move well scouted (as Ranallo said) and catches Styles for a gutbuster and a running senton. Commercials! AND WE’RE BACK. Styles blocks a second running senton by bringing up the knees on Owens. Styles avoids a corner charge and causes Owens to run shoulder first into the post. Back inside, AJ unloads with his flurry of strikes culminating with the lariat. Styles Clash is blocked, but AJ sends Owens to the floor for a pescado. Back inside, the Fireman’s Carry Neckbreaker on Owens gets two. The Asai DDT completely misses and Owens delivers the Package Side Slam for 1-2-NO! AJ fires back with an enziguri, but Owens NO-SELLS and levels Styles with an inside out lariat. When Styles tries coming back some more, Owens shuts him down with a superkick. Pop-Up Powerbomb time, but AJ flies over Owens and lands the Pele Kick! Rack Bomb on Owens! Cover, 1-2-NO! After a battle in the corner and on the apron, AJ sets up for a springboard move when Chris Jericho’s pyro and entrance starts. Jericho starts to walk out when Owens boots AJ and delivers the POP-UP POWERBOMB for the win. (8:13 shown) Chris Jericho applauds the victory with a completely emotionless look on his face. Owens pulls off one of AJ’s gloves and spits it out of his mouth as a sign of disrespect. Owens then leaves Styles alone with Jericho. CODEBREAKER to AJ. Jericho mocks the AJ Styles chant over and over again until we go off the air. ***½

Until next time, so long for now.