Unusual Victors.
Nine nights before WWE Money-in-the-Bank, the 774th edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown came to you from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. With the last two open spots in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match at Money-in-the-Bank filled this past Monday night on RAW, all seven of the ladder match participants would square off on SmackDown as John Cena would team with Roman Reigns and United States Champion Sheamus to face the team of Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, Cesaro, & Alberto Del Rio in an explosive 4-on-3 Handicap Match! Can these two super teams co-exist with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match just around the corner?
Twice this week, “The Devil’s Favorite Demon” Kane and Dean Ambrose have crossed paths, most notably on RAW when Kane planted Ambrose with a chokeslam. Now, on SmackDown, “The Lunatic Fringe” Dean Ambrose would have the unenviable task of going one-on-one with the remorseless monster, Kane!
After making the huge announcement on Main Event this past Tuesday night that the Money-in-the-Bank event will feature a traditional Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match where seven Superstars will compete for the right to be called “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” and hold a contract for a guaranteed shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Title with his name being the first one thrown in for the match, Seth Rollins would be in action on SmackDown as Rollins would go one-on-one with Kofi Kingston.
Match Results
- Seth Rollins def. Kofi Kingston by pin following the Curb Stomp.
- Non-Title: Dolph Ziggler def. Bad News Barrett by sunset flip roll-up.
- Adam Rose def. Titus O’Neil by roll-up.
- Adam Rose def. Titus O’Neil by roll-up.
- Kane (with Seth Rollins) def. Dean Ambrose by pin following the chokeslam.
- Big E def. Jack Swagger (with Zeb Colter) by pin following the Big Ending.
- Bo Dallas (with Layla & Summer Rae) def. Fandango by pin following the Bo Dog.
- 4-on-3 Handicap Match: John Cena, Sheamus, & Roman Reigns def. Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, & Alberto Del RIo (with Paul Heyman) by Roman Reigns pinning Alberto Del Rio following the Spear.
Detailed Results
After surviving a wild Stretcher Match against Kane on RAW to earn the final spot in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match at Money-in-the-Bank, SmackDown kicks off with the fourteen-time former World Champion, John Cena. Cena gestures to the WWE World Heavyweight Title belts hanging above the ring, saying that the titles are the “symbol of excellence” in WWE and that The Authority threw him and six other Superstars into a “meat grinder” for the title at Money-in-the-Bank. Cena then vows that he will walk out of Money-in-the-Bank proclaiming that “the champ is here”. Cena is then interrupted by a fellow WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match participant, Alberto Del Rio, who says that he was the first man to qualify for the match and he will be the first man to climb the ladder and grab the titles, saying that he will walk out as champion. United States Sheamus then comes out, saying that the fans don’t care what Del Rio has to say and he is the “biggest challenge” in the match and Money-in-the-Bank will conclude with Sheamus emerging as both the United States Champion and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. With Paul Heyman in tow, Cesaro then joins the men in the ring as Heyman says that there is only one competitor who has a “full-time strategist” in his corner and his strategy will lead to Cesaro being named the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Roman Reigns then makes his way to the ring, saying that, ever since Seth Rollins stabbed him in the back, he has had a hard time trusting people, but all that matters now is the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Reigns then looks in the face of John Cena and says that there is not a man in the ring who can stop him now. Just as a fight gets ready to break out between Cena and Reigns, Randy Orton comes out, saying that WWE was at an “all-time high” when he was the champion, telling Roman Reigns that he will not run through him and, at Money-in-the-Bank, the titles are coming “home”. Roman Reigns then slides out of the ring and a brawl breaks out between Orton and Reigns in the staging area, which prompts a brawl in the ring, as well, as John Cena and Sheamus take it to Cesaro and Alberto Del Rio, tossing both men out of the ring!
For the first time since making the huge announcement that there will be a traditional Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at Money-in-the-Bank a week from Sunday, the first participant entered into the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match, Seth Rollins, would go one-on-one with Kofi Kingston on SmackDown. Seth Rollins would make quick work of Kofi Kingston, hitting the Curb Stomp on Kofi en route to picking up the win. After the match, Seth Rollins starts to guarantee victory at Money-in-the-Bank, but Dean Ambrose appears on the Tron, saying that he wants Rollins to keep a look out every single night and wonder just when he is going to get “even” with Seth Rollins. Rollins says that it’s a shame that Ambrose has a match with Kane tonight because he would love to fight Ambrose tonight. Ambrose says that, after tonight, Rollins and Kane will have a lot to talk about when they are both sent back to where they belong, “hell”.
The Intercontinental Champion was in action on SmackDown as Bad News Barrett went one-on-one with “The Show-Off” Dolph Ziggler in a non-title match. In the end, it was Dolph Ziggler surprising Bad News Barrett with a sunset flip, keeping Barrett down for the three-count to pick up the win over the Intercontinental Champion. After the match, a disgruntled Bad News Barrett would lay Dolph Ziggler out with the Bull Hammer Elbow.
The fun-loving leader of The Exotic Express was in action on SmackDown as Adam Rose went one-on-one with Titus O’Neil. In a quick match, Adam Rose would surprise Titus O’Neil with a roll-up, pinning Titus for the win. After the match, an angry Titus O’Neil would claim that he was not ready, demanding a rematch with Adam Rose and Rose would comply, quickly catching Titus in a roll-up to pin Titus for the win again!
With Seth Rollins a guest on commentary, SmackDown would see “The Lunatic Fringe” Dean Ambrose square off with “The Devil’s Favorite Demon” Kane. During the match, Dean Ambrose would send Kane over-the-top rope to the outside, but that is when Ambrose’s emotions would get the better of him as Ambrose dives onto Seth Rollins, pummeling Rollins. However, when Dean Ambrose turns his attention back to Kane, Kane is ready as “The Devil’s Favorite Demon” catches Ambrose with an uppercut before rolling Ambrose into the ring, hitting the chokeslam on Dean Ambrose en route to picking up the win. After the match, Seth Rollins would size Dean Ambrose up, hitting the Curb Stomp on Ambrose.
With Zeb Colter in his corner, Jack Swagger would go one-on-one with Big E on SmackDown. The powerhouse Big E would make relatively quick work of Jack Swagger, hitting the Big Ending on Jack Swagger en route to picking up the win.
Backstage, Summer Rae confronts her ex-boyfriend, Fandango, and Summer apologizes for her actions, but says that Layla will never love Fandango as much as she does. Summer then plants a kiss on Fandango just as Layla comes out of the locker room and Fandango is left in turmoil as an emotional Layla retreats back to the locker room.
The self-proclaimed “inspirational” Bo Dallas was in action on SmackDown as the undefeated upstart would go one-on-one with Fandango, with Layla noticeably absent from ringside. Before the match begins, Summer Rae rushes out, eagerly dancing to try and impress Fandango, but after Summer exits the ring, Layla attacks Summer Rae. The brawl between Layla and Summer Rae then spills into the ring and an errant kick from Layla drops Fandango moments before the brawl turns into a chase as Summer Rae chases Layla to the back. Back in the ring, Bo Dallas would take advantage, hitting the Bo Dog on Fandango to pick up the win.
Then it was time for the main event as, nine nights before they square off in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match at Money-in-the-Bank, all seven of the title contenders were in action as John Cena would team with Roman Reigns and United States Champion Sheamus to face the team of “The Viper” Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, “The King of Swing” Cesaro, with Paul Heyman in his corner, and Alberto Del Rio in a 4-on-3 Handicap Match. At the end of a chaotic match, it was Roman Reigns hitting Alberto Del Rio with the Spear, pinning Del Rio to pick up the win for his team. After the match, John Cena, Sheamus, & Roman Reigns would face-off in the ring, all looking up at the WWE World Heavyweight Title belts before they celebrate their victory.
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