WWE SmackDown Live recap: Living the 2-out-of-3-falls lifestyle

This week’s edition of WWE SmackDown Live digs in its heels on two-out-of-three falls matches. Also, Dolph Ziggler gets another match with Kofi Kingston and someone knocks on Aleister Black’s door.

In a strange turn of events, WWE Monday Night Raw has been on an upswing, while SmackDown Live has been a bit of a stagnant scene. But with less than three weeks until Extreme Rules and new stories popping up as a result, perhaps SmackDown  will get back on track this week.

Or, maybe not.

SmackDown Live opens with a pre-taped promo by Shane McMahon, who claims that Roman Reign’s “fate was inevitable,” a perfectly redundant turn of phrase by a man who has become extremely redundant on WWE programming as of late.

He warns the SmackDown roster to not get on his bad side tonight, because he’s “pissed.” Oh, goody. Welcome to the blue brand for June 25.

Let’s hear from The New Day

The New Day then make their way to the ring. Kofi Kingston talks about how much he’s loved being WWE Champion but also how painful it’s been to be the champion. He cites Sunday’s Stomping Grounds meeting with Dolph Ziggler in a steel cage and, naturally, the beating he took at the hands of Samoa Joe on Raw the night before (the two will meet for Kingston’s title at Extreme Rules).

Kingston addresses Joe but is then interrupted by Ziggler, who claims that he still deserves to be No. 1 contender for Kingston’s championship. Ziggler is not letting it go, clearly (“THIS IS MY LIVELIHOOD!”), and takes offense that Joe has now become Kingston’s next competition.

He also announces that “WWE management” have told him that if he beats Kingston tonight, Ziggler will be added to Kingston’s WWE Championship match with Joe at Extreme Rules, making it a triple threat. So, I guess this match is on for tonight.

Said management also has informed Ziggler that tonight’s bout will also be two-out-of-three falls, the new, popular conceit by the WWE to minimize wrestling during commercial breaks (it’s not been all that great thus far).

Elias is then shown noodling around on his guitar outside of Shane McMahon’s office, where The Miz is trying to get in. Elias warns Miz about McMahon’s foul mood and annoys Miz via said guitar noodling. The Miz claims he has unfinished business with McMahon that needs tending to before McMahon faces Roman Reigns and The Undertaker.

McMahon says he’ll fight The Miz tonight — but only if Miz can beat Elias in (yep) … a two-out-of-three falls match.

Match No. 1: Daniel Bryan and Rowan vs. Xavier Woods and Big E

Huskus The Pig Boy is here …

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The first match of the evening pit SmackDown Tag Team Champions, Daniel Bryan and Rowan, against New Day members Xavier Woods and Big E in a non-title match. The Champions have the upper hand through the first part of the match, which is indeed separated by the picture-in-picture commercial break. Weirdly enough, they did wrestle during said break. Guess the picture-in-picture commercial breaks don’t “count.”

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The New Day regain control following the break, despite Big E eating numerous Yes kicks from Bryan. The New Day hit the Midnight Hour on Bryan, and the champions have been pinned by the former multi-time champs (perhaps you’ve heard about that).

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens hit the ring to beat down Woods and Big E after the match (with Rowan’s help), and Heavy Machinery make the save. Everyone works together to chop down Rowan and the faces are celebrating as we head to (another) break.

Match No. 1.5: Eight-man tag team match

The match is restarted after the break as an eight-man tag team match, pitting Heavy Machinery and The New Day against Bryan, Rowan, Zayn and Owens. This differs from last night’s eight-man tag in that it doesn’t have an elimination stipulation attached to it.

Heavy Machinery have been such a pleasant surprise, proving in-ring that they are more than Otis’ odd gyrations. Speaking of which, he hits the Caterpillar on Zayn, he and Tucker hit him with the Compactor and the faces snag the victory.

Match No. 2: The Miz vs. Elias

Next up is The Miz taking on Elias in a two-out-of-three falls match that, should Miz win, will allow him a match with Shane McMahon. McMahon is, of course, on hand for it. Elias gives us a little song (he calls out the Portland Trailblazers) and lets us know he “loves none of you.”

McMahon’s distraction leads to Elias hitting Miz with Drift Away, and he has the one-fall lead. And … it’s time for another commercial break.

Elias maintained his control over The Miz after the break, but McMahon’s constant trash-talk helped give Miz the adrenaline push he needed to reverse the momentum. Despite a McMahon distraction, Miz manages to hit a Skull Crushing Finale on Elias. McMahon interrupts the pin count and attacks The Miz, but that allows Miz to pick up the second fall via disqualification. McMahon is angry, though, uh, he should know how this works.

Before the third fall can get underway, both Elias and McMahon team up to attack The Miz, including throwing him over the announcer’s desk. The crowd breaks out in a “No more Shane!” chants as McMahon — in a nod to his other rival, Roman Reigns — hits Miz with a spear. The bell finally rings for the third fall.

Thus does Elias easily defeat The Miz. And now Miz doesn’t get his hands on McMahon. End this (and all) McMahon-centric feud, please. As a punctuation mark to this statement, McMahon hits yet another one of his terrible coast-to-coast drop kicks.

Hey, this could be fun!

We then go backstage with Kayla, who is interviewing Intercontinental Champion Finn Balor (remember him?). She asks who his next opponent for his title will be and Shinsuke Nakamura walks in, gets all weird with the belt and we have our answer. Balor vs. Nakamura should be great, but like so many things that are on-paper bangers in WWE, who knows if that is how it will ultimately play out in the ring.

Match No. 3: Nikki Cross vs. Bayley

Bayley — who defeated Alexa Bliss to retain her SmackDown Women’s Championship at Stomping Grounds — takes on Nikki Cross. Cross’ “friendship” with Bliss affected Sunday’s match and if Cross wins tonight, Bliss will get a title rematch at Extreme Rules.

This match also gets a picture-in-picture commercial break. Honestly, it’s hard to keep track of how many commercial breaks there have been on Raw and SmackDown this week, but it feels like significantly more than the typical amount, which itself is a lot. At least we’ve stopped talking about the Wild Card Rule; basically, the brand split seems like it’s over.

Cross being a credible competitor in the women’s division has been a breath of fresh air. It’s also necessary for part of her storyline with Bliss. At some point, Cross and Bliss are going to split and feud, and with Bliss one of the most decorated women in the division, Cross being built up in the meantime gives her the proper credibility once that day comes.

Cross, in fact, picks up the win, which means Bliss will get her SmackDown Championship rematch against Bayley at Extreme Rules. Cross grabs a cell phone after the match, presumably to text Bliss the good news (Bliss is overseas on WWE’s Japanese tour).

Drake Maverick is so blue

R-Truth, Carmella and Drake Maverick are talking backstage (there’s no referee to officiate any would-be 24/7 Championship match).

Maverick is still miserable, telling Truth that he’s ruined his life by crashing his wedding and taking the 24/7 Title away from him. Truth (who keeps calling Maverick “Hornswoggle”) tells Maverick to get a ref, and he does. But Truth reveals he was only bluffing and that he loves the championship more than Maverick loves his wife. Truth and Carmella take off.

Match No. 4: Ember Moon vs. Sonya Deville (with Mandy Rose)

Ember Moon’s feud with Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose continues with Moon facing Deville (with Rose in Deville’s corner). Deville and Rose have been bullying Moon after Rose was featured on the cover of Muscle & Fitness.

Though a mid-card rivalry in the women’s division at present, these three women working together can easily lead to bigger and better things. The more of a showcase they get, the more recognition they will get in turn for what they’ve been putting forth in the ring and in their storylines.

The match, though, is brief and thus doesn’t do a lot to further that aforementioned agenda. Moon was distracted by Rose and hits the ring post face-first, and Deville picks up the win.

Maybe it’s GrubHub?

Aleister Black remains stuck in the promo closet, meanwhile, waiting for someone to join him in his little room and challenge him for a fight.

Alas, someone knocks … Looks like Black will get the fight he’s been begging for.

Match No. 5: Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston

It’s now time for the main event, which pits Dolph Ziggler against Kofi Kingston in (yet another) two-out-of-three falls match. Should Ziggler wins, Kingston’s defense of his WWE Championship at Extreme Rules against Samoa Joe will become a triple threat. There will be breaks between each fall — surprise!

Kingston picked up the first fall and was immediately cheap-shotted by Ziggler and thrown into the barricade. Ziggler also hits him with a Zig Zag on the outside of the ring. And it’s time for Break No. 1 of the match.

These breaks are getting insufferable.

Anyway, after the break Ziggler hits a superkick and pins Kingston. The worst part? That was the first time that Kingston has been pinned since before WrestleMania. Not even kidding.

The second break was … very short, further emphasizing how completely nonsensical the whole “no wrestling during commercial breaks thus let’s do more two-out-of-three falls matches” plan has become in no time. But now things are tied up at one fall apiece; Kingston is at his best when his back is against the wall, right? He then kicks out of a number of near-falls, proving that point.

The third fall was overall the best, with Kingston and Ziggler both trading pin attempts and reversals, with Kingston kicking out of a Zig Zag and executing various other impressive feats.

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Kingston gets the overall victory by finally connecting on a Trouble in Paradise. Ziggler’s time in the WWE Championship picture may have just come to an end.

And that’s it for SmackDown Live this week. Kingston gets to move on, Black will finally get back into the ring and it looks like we have an Intercontinental Championship challenger for Balor. Despite the terrible pacing issues re: commercial breaks, tonight’s episode was satisfactory and sometimes satisfying. What are your thoughts about this week’s SmackDown? Let us know in the comments.