Match Ratings For WWE Smackdown Live 4/16/19, Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp Of Fightful.com

KO Show

• Kevin Owens gets a great hometown ovation from the crowd.
• He touts the Shakeup and WrestleMania, but introduces Kofi Kingston to a giant pop.
• There’s no Big E, as he has a meniscus injury.
• Kevin Owens congratulates Kofi Kingston. There are “oui” chants.
• Xavier Woods says he’s going to go crazy without Tyler Breeze.
• Big K says he’s offering himself up as backup, but then says Big O is funnier, so they’ll do that. He wants to be the third member of New Day.
• Kevin Owens is great here. He says
• Xavier Woods reminds him there’s a lot of groinal movement. Kevin Owens gets a huge pop for shaking his dong.
• The crowd wants him as the member. Big O is in New Day.
• Normally I’d hate this segment, but Kevin Owens is so good.
• They’re facing Rusev & Nakamura later. Cesaro approaches and offers his services.

Finn Balor defeated Ali
6/10

• Finn Balor is on Smackdown, and so is the IC title.
• His opponent is Ali, who is put over big time, too.
• They slug it out hard and Balor connects on a dive. They don’t exactly slow down during the commercial.
• They have a TOUGH chop trade.
• Balor stomps Ali more in the throat than the chest.
• Ali does a phenomenal super Frankensteiner, but misses his 450.
• Balor dropkick, Coup de Grace. This was good. shit. pal.
• Balor is better suited for Smackdown. Shorter show with likely less talking, a wide open space for a heel turn, and a ready made stable for a few months.

Charlotte Flair defeated Carmella (w/ R-Truth)
6/10

• Charlotte is SCREAMING in the ring. She gets superkicked twice.
• Carmella does a body press off the barricade and a Bronco Buster.
• Back from commercial, Carmella reverses a body slam with an Edge O Matic.
• Charlotte goes to work on the knee and slams Carmella into the barricade.
• Carmella taps to the Figure 8, but got a lot of offense in here. This was another good one.
• Charlotte and Carmella have really good chemistry.
• Lars Sullivan shows up, and who knows what fuckin’ brand he’s on at this point. He beats up R-Truth to a great heel reaction and eyes Carmella. Running powerbomb finishes it.

A Lot Of Things

• Becky Lynch comes out, and is quickly interrupted by both Ember Moon and Bayley.
• Bayley gets booed, and so does a mention of Sasha Banks. She says she’s on Smackdown as a singles competitor.
• They’re interrupted by the IIconics, who troll them all.
• Paige shows up, only to be interrupted by Fire & Desire, but that’s not the team she’s debuting. Asuka and Kairi Sane are.
• The babyfaces all stand tall.
• Raw got completely hosed in this Superstar Shakeup. Bayley being on the same brand as Carmella does lead to a potential reuniting of that team as well, though.

Kairi Sane, Asuka, Bayley & Ember Moon defeated Fire & Desire & The IIconics
6/10

• Corey Graves is trying really hard to bury Sasha Banks on commentary.
• I love that they keep hammering home Bayley is focused on singles competition during an 8-woman tag match. She does a huge suicide dive onto Fire & Desire.
• The New Sky Pirates are working well together.
• Mandy Rose‘s bicycle knee continues to be awesome.
• This is a really fun, fast paced match with some snug work. It’s like the Smackdown women’s division adopted Raw’s style.
• Everyone gets a little shine at the end. Billie Kay’s sell of Kairi’s spinning back fist was great.
• Kairi Sane got over with that crowd just with her finish. Great reaction. Asuka is using a reverse DDT as well.
• Raw’s women’s division isn’t short on talent, it’s short on women who have been booked well or even kept protected. The most protected might be Alexa Bliss, who they barely had wrestle for half a year

Other Crappenings

• Jeff Hardy is THE SHITS in the selfie promo. The Hardys tout their title win, though.
• Buddy Murphy is headed to Smackdown. This is a great move.

New New Day defeated Rusev, Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura
6/10

• New Day make Big O eat a bunch of pancakes to get into New Day.
• Big O does the intro REALLY well.
• New Day busting out the Unicorn Stampede so Owens could do it was a nice touch.
• The heels take control through the break, but Xavier hits a fantastic missile dropkick.
• Kofi hot tags to a big pop but Cesaro does a Swing — nobody takes it better.
• The finish is set up by a great assisted tope con hilo from Newer Day
• Trouble in Paradise into a stunner that Rusev sells HILARIOUSLY by floating over.
• New New Day win.

THE BIGGEST ACQUISITION

• Vince McMahon introduces Elias as the biggest acquisition of Smackdown. Then the Elias strum is botched.
• Elias says Vince McMahon has his finger on the pulse and will replace AJ Styles atop the brand.
• Roman Reigns is here. He’s the biggest acquisition. He takes out Elias and Vince. Vince doesn’t bump, he falls into Elias’ arms.
• Roman Reigns? How much help does Primo Colon need?