No Mercy comes live from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. While SmackDown’s last exclusive pay-per-view (Backlash) was solid if not amazing, we would see if the blue team would step their game up for their October event.
JOHN CENA vs. DEAN AMBROSE vs. AJ STYLES (World Heavyweight Championship): This match started with enough tension in the air that you could cut it with a knife. Ambrose went for a low blow on Styles and then attempted Dirty Deeds on Cena. Then Cena attempted an Attitude Adjustment but was stopped. Ambrose did a dropkick sending Styles out of the ring. Cena pursued, but Ambrose sent him careening into the security barrier. Ambrose then went back to work on Styles, slamming his head into the Spanish announcer’s table repeatedly. Ambrose attempted a dive off the apron to Cena, but Cena caught him in mid air and slammed his back into the ring post. Styles then caught Cena with the pescado over the top rope and a stinging forearm. Ambrose caught Styles with a stun gun and attempted to suplex him out of the ring. Styles tried to do a German suplex on Ambrose. Cena ran in and German suplexed both men simultaneously. Styles went for the Styles Clash on Cena, but Cena countered. Cena went for the Attitude Adjustment, but Styles countered with a Pele kick, nearly knocking Cena out. Ambrose did a DDT on Cena and Reverse DDT to Ambrose simultaneously. Ambrose went for his signature charge into a corner forearm, but Styles catapulted him over the top rope and crashing into the metal ring stairs. Cena hit a variation of the Sunset Flip driver, nearly pinning Styles. Styles put Cena in an Argentine Backbreaker and turned it into a power bomb. Cena barely kicked out before three.
Cena started to build momentum, but Styles cut him off with a sleeper hold. Cena eventually reversed it into a sleeper of his own. Styles escaped, but Ambrose then locked in a sleeper on Cena. Cena then went on to hit his five moves of doom, but Styles planted him with a German suplex. Ambrose hit a Gory special on Styles, who kicked out of the pin and tossed Ambrose out of the ring. No one held the momentum that long before getting countered or someone else interfering, keeping everyone on the edge of their seat. Styles hit a top rope Frankensteiner on Ambrose, but Ambrose kept rolling, nearly getting the pin on Styles. Cena caught Styles with an Attitude Adjustment, but Styles quickly rolled out of the ring. Ambrose went for Dirty Deeds, but Cena countered it into another A.A. Ambrose kicked out with authority. Cena then locked the STF on Ambrose, but Styles broke up the hold. Styles suplexed Cena on the apron (I really wish that they would stop making “the hardest part of the ring” an actual ring tactic or part of the story of a match). Styles raked Ambrose’s eyes and hit a Styles Clash. Cena immediately broke up the pin and put an STF on Styles. Ambrose wisely grabbed Styles’ hand preventing him from tapping out. Cena lifts up both men for a super A.A. Both men escaped and Styles hit Cena with an Enziguri, while Ambrose then hit Styles with a lariat. A botched cross body block into an A.A. was countered by Styles, who locked in a Calf Crusher, but Ambrose broke up the hold. Ambrose then locked in the Calf Crusher on Styles. Cena added insult to injury, locking the STF on Styles. Styles tapped out, but the ref was confused as to who actually made Styles tap out. Ambrose and Cena wouldn’t give the ref a moment to clear things up as they began to brawl again. Cena’s attempted A.A. was reversed into Dirty Deeds. Before Ambrose could get the win, Styles pulled the referee out of the ring. Ambrose hit him with a Tope Suicida. Cena went for the Avalanche A.A. and hit it. Styles wailed on Cena’s back with a steel chair, making it easy for him to get the pin. WINNER: AJ STYLES
NIKKI BELLA vs. CARMELLA: Bella goes right after Carmella, who uses the referee as a shield. Bella uses Carmella’s hair, dragged her around and proceeded to beat Carmella from pillar to post. Carmella was able to turn the tide and slammed her into the hard ring apron. Carmella attempted to get the count out victory, but Bella crawled back into the ring. Carmella used a modified bow & arrow lock on the ring post, going after Nikki’s surgically repaired neck. Carmella botched several moves during this match, further proving that she was not ready to be called up. The Bellas are not known for being able to carry matches against green opponents, but Nikki tried her hardest here. Carmella tried to get as much heel heat as possible, grabbing the hair, using the ref’s five count in the corner, but can it really be called heel heat when that’s all you know? Nikki hit a quite impressive top rope Enziguri, followed up by a Bella Buster, but wasn’t able to get the three count. Carmella hit a head scissors takeover and followed that up with a super kick. She then hit a Flatliner and then locked Bella in the Code of Silence submission. Nikki fought her way to the bottom rope to break the hold. Bella surprised Carmella with a Rack Attack 2.0 and got the victory. WINNER: NIKKI BELLA
We got a backstage segment with The Miz and Maryse as they stated to SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan that after Miz retires Dolph Ziggler tonight, he wants to renegotiate his contract. There will be freed up funds with Ziggler no longer on the roster, so he will be demanding a raise.
THE USOS vs. HEATH SLATER & RHYNO (Tag Team Championship): Jimmy Uso started off against Rhyno. He was not able to out power the Man Beast from Detroit. Slater got the tag but the Usos began making quick tags and wearing down the West Virginia native (all while the crowd began chanting the catch phrase on Slater’s t-shirt, “He’s Got Kids”). Rhyno got the hot tag and went wild in the ring, delivering stiff clotheslines followed up by a Belly to Belly suplex on Jimmy Uso. Jey got the tag and did a running hip strike to Rhyno. Jey kept a knee lock on Rhyno while Jimmy nailed him with a running splash. Jey kept drilling Rhyno with knife edge chops, with Rhyno asking for more, screaming E-C-W repeatedly. Rhyno turned the tide with huge spinebuster. Slater got the hot tag and delivered flying knees and leg lariats to both Usos, following that up with a hangman’s neckbreaker to Jimmy Uso. The Usos bounced back and were looking for a double super kick to Slater. Rhyno dragged Jey out of the ring. Jimmy Uso went to the top rope, but Slater hit him with a top rope powerslam. Jimmy caught Slater with a super kick. They then used the super kick to the calf that put American Alpha out of commission several weeks ago. Rhyno gored Jimmy outside of the ring, then got the tag to deliver a gore to Jey Uso, picking up the win. WINNERS: HEATH SLATER & RHYNO
Cut to a creepy vignette in a dark room. Bray Wyatt sits on his rocking chair, singing “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”
JACK SWAGGER vs. BARON CORBIN: Corbin was hammered by several clotheslines at the opening of this, one sending him over the top rope. Swagger slammed him into the security barrier and then into the Spanish announcers table. Corbin went for the knee, then turned the tide by kicking Swagger’s hand into the metal ring steps. He delivered a running clothesline, flooring Swagger. Corbin kept the offense focused on Swagger’s injured hand. He kept the pace slow and methodical. The Lone Wolf has not been looking as out of place on the main roster lately. Swagger was able to cut him off with a flapjack onto the ring post. Corbin missed a clothesline. Swagger caught him with two clotheslines and then a power-slam, followed up with a Swagger bomb. Swagger tried to lock in the Patriot Lock, but his injured hand forced him to break the hold. Corbin nailed Swagger with the Deep Six, but Swagger kicked out of the pin. Swagger locked in the Patriot Lock again. Corbin dragged him to the apron to force the break. While the ref wasn’t looking, Corbin delivered a thumb to Swagger’s eye and dropped his opponent with End of Days. Corbin is looking like an actual superstar lately. Hopefully Swagger can help him further up his game with a prolonged program. WINNER: BARON CORBIN
DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. THE MIZ (Intercontinental Championship): Ziggler wanted to put away Miz early, going for a super kick that Miz dodged, but Ziggler followed up with a roll up pin. Miz kicked out and proceeded to leave the ring to get a breather. They got back into the ring and Ziggler caught him with a picture perfect dropkick. Miz came back with a hard Irish whip into the turnbuckle. The crowd was shockingly 50/50 behind each competitor. Miz locked in a reverse chicken wing submission, but Ziggler escaped, only to eat a clothesline. Miz then stomped a mudhole in Ziggler. Miz then drove Ziggler’s knees into the mat, all while mocking G.M. Daniel Bryan by doing his YES! Taunt. Miz hit his combination neckbreaker, but Ziggler kicked out of the pin. Miz then used Daniel Bryan’s repeated dropkicks into the corner. He went for a fourth one, but Ziggler caught him again with a dropkick to the face. Ziggler gained momentum with a Stinger Splash and then a spinning neckbreaker. Miz went for his slingshot power bomb, but Ziggler countered. Ziggler attempted his Satellite DDT, but Miz countered with a DDT of his own. Both men were on the top rope. Miz attempted a Sunset flip powerbomb, but Ziggler countered. Miz locked in the Figure Four leg lock, Ziggler fought his way out of it though. Miz connected with the slingshot power bomb, but Ziggler kicked out of the pin. Miz went for Daniel Bryan’s Yes kicks, but on the last one, Ziggler dodged and nailed Miz with the Zig Zag, nearly pinning the Miz. Ziggler missed the super kick, Miz’ Skull Crushing Finale was countered. Ziggler locked in a sleeper hold. Miz reached the bottom rope at the very last second. Maryse sprayed Ziggler in the face with perfume while the ref was distracted. Miz followed up with the Skull Crushing Finale, but it wasn’t enough to put away the Show Off. Miz kept going after Ziggler’s injured leg, but Ziggler caught him with a super kick. Maryse called out Ziggler’s old buddies, the Spirit Squad. They distracted the ref, but Ziggler super kicked both. Miz hit Ziggler with yet another Skull Crushing Finale, but Ziggler kicked out of the pin yet again. The referee finally ejected all of the ringside help of Miz. While Miz argued, he didn’t see Ziggler recover, then nail Miz with a super kick. He finally got the big win against the Miz and became the new Intercontinental Champion. WINNER: DOLPH ZIGGLER
ALEXA BLISS vs. NAOMI: Due to a medical issue, Becky Lynch was not available to defend her Women’s Championship. Bliss toyed with her opponent, stomping her head into the mat over and over. Naomi came back with rapid fire bicycle kicks to her opponent. She followed up with a split legged moonsault to Bliss. Bliss drilled her with a stiff forearm, but Naomi countered with a variation of the Codebreaker. Bliss used the bottom rope for a twisting wrench of Naomi’s arm. Bliss focused on Naomi’s right arm and shoulder for the duration. Despite solid ring work, the crowd was relentless with “We Want Becky” chants. Several Irish whip reversals left Naomi going face first into the second turnbuckle. Naomi came back with a spinning facebuster. She followed this up with the Rearview. Alexa was able to kick out. A botched spinning arm breaker lead to Naomi getting a quick pin on the number one contender. WINNER: NAOMI
BRAY WYATT vs. RANDY ORTON: They started off with a traditional collar and elbow tie up. Orton Irish whipped him into the corner, but Bray rebounded, doing his creepy upside down taunt. Orton attempted an RKO, but Wyatt escaped and left the ring to gather his composure. Wyatt chopped Orton in the chest. Orton fired back with a clothesline and a Garvin stomp. Wyatt dragged him out of the ring and laid in some aggressive offense. Orton once again went for the RKO, but Wyatt sent him flying over the announcer’s table. Wyatt dragged the ring stairs over to the announcers table, but Orton caught him with a vicious clothesline. Wyatt mocked Orton’s ‘Legend Killer’ pose before leading the crowd in another sing along of He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands. Both men traded punches for a bit, with Wyatt getting the upper hand with an uppercut. They fought on the apron until Wyatt caught Orton with a nearly botched DDT. Wyatt locked in a second reverse chin lock. He attempted a second rope Senton, but Orton avoided the impact. They traded fisticuffs again. Orton dished out his vintage powerslam. Orton went for his Hangman’s DDT, but Wyatt escaped and nailed him with a flying cross body. Repeated counters lead to a uranage by Wyatt. Wyatt went for a Senton onto Orton, who was laid out on the ring stairs, but Orton evaded and Wyatt crashed and burned. Orton continued attacking Wyatt’s back with a belly to back suplex on the security barrier followed up by a Hangman’s DDT. Orton set up for an RKO. The lights went out, but when they came back on Orton was facing Luke Harper, who had been out for months with an injury. This distraction allowed Wyatt to nail Orton with Sister Abigail and get the pin. WINNER: BRAY WYATT
The show ended with me feeling the same way I did with Backlash. It was not a bad show at all, just not a particularly memorable one. It could be because the World Championship match was not the main event of the evening, but hopefully Hell in a Cell will come a little stronger at the end of this month.
