WWE SmackDown Results: June 23, 2016

Detailed Results

After beating Roman Reigns to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship only to lose the championship two minutes later to Dean Ambrose, who cashed in his Money-in-the-Bank contract, at WWE Money-in-the-Bank, SmackDown kicks off with former champion Seth Rollins. Rollins says that nobody “outworks” him, saying that he came back and did exactly what he said he was going to do when he beat Roman Reigns to reclaim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Rollins then says that Dean Ambrose “stole” his championship at WWE Money-in-the-Bank and, to make things worse, he has to get the title back by beating both Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat Match at Battleground. Rollins then says that he will prove once and for all that he is the best member of The Shield before saying that he is going to prove that he is more of a man than Dean Ambrose could ever be.

With that, Seth Rollins issues an open challenge for anyone in the locker room to face him in a one-on-one match in tonight’s main event! The man to answer the challenge would be none other than “The Underdog from the Underground” Sami Zayn, who makes his way to the ring to confront Rollins. Rollins says that Sami is the perfect guy for him to make an “example out of” tonight. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Dean Ambrose then comes down to the ring, asking for his Ambrose Asylum set pieces as the champion presents an impromptu installment of the Ambrose Asylum! The champion’s first question is for Seth Rollins, asking Rollins why he’s such a “jackass”. Sami Zayn then asks why they have to wait until the main event, why don’t they just have their match right now? Rollins says that it’s his ring and they are doing things on his terms before the former champion storms out of the ring. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion then brings a close to the Ambrose Asylum.

After both Superstars failed to win the Money-in-the-Bank contract this past Sunday at WWE Money-in-the-Bank, the opening match of the night would see “The Swiss Superman” Cesaro square off with the self-proclaimed “Pride of Mexico” Alberto Del Rio. Throughout a hard-fought match, Alberto Del Rio would target the previously injured left shoulder of Cesaro and the end appeared to be near for “The Swiss Superman” when Del Rio went for the cross armbreaker, but Cesaro would roll through the attempted submission, turning it into the Neutralizer, pinning Del Rio to pick up the win.

In a rematch from WWE Money-in-the-Bank, Apollo Crews would go one-on-one with “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus on SmackDown. During the match, it would become clear that Sheamus wasn’t just looking to avenge his loss to Apollo Crews as “The Celtic Warrior” would plant Crews with his rolling slam on the outside before standing the bottom half of the steel steps up on the outside. Apollo would fire back with a dropkick, but Sheamus was not deterred as “The Celtic Warrior” blasts Crews with the Brogue Kick to the back, sending Apollo face-first into the steel steps before the steps fall on Apollo Crews! Sheamus then enters the ring, ultimately getting a count-out victory over Apollo Crews, who is helped to the back as Sheamus celebrates his victory.

Following a backstage confrontation between The Club and The Usos, SmackDown would see “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles go one-on-one with Jimmy Uso, with Jey Uso in his corner, and, as decreed by AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson would not be involved. However, much like on RAW and at WWE Money-in-the-Bank, AJ Styles would prove that his word was meaningless as, during the match, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson would come in through the crowd to attack Jey Uso on the outside. Jimmy would see the attack in progress and Uso would dive to the outside to take out Gallows & Anderson. AJ Styles would then dive to the outside as well, taking out both of The Usos before rolling Jimmy Uso back into the ring. Styles then scores with the Phenomenal Forearm as AJ pins Jimmy Uso to pick up the win with a big assist from Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson.

After a confrontation with the returning Wyatt Family on RAW, the WWE Tag Team Champions were in action on SmackDown as The New Day’s Big E & Kofi Kingston, with Xavier Woods in their corner, would face The Vaudevillains in a non-title match. In the end, it was Big E & Kofi Kingston hitting the Midnight Hour on Simon Gotch with Kofi pinning Gotch to pick up the win for The New Day. After the match, The Wyatt Family would appear on the Tron as Bray Wyatt addresses The New Day, saying that the WWE Tag Team Champions preach the “power of positivity” and they used that power to interrupt him on RAW. Bray says that The New Day made a very “painful mistake” before saying that pain “demands to be felt”. As Xavier Woods appears conflicted in the ring, Bray says that “every knee shall bow” before declaring that “New Day falls”.

After getting attacked by her now former friend Natalya at WWE Money-in-the-Bank and on RAW, “The Irish Lass Kicker” Becky Lynch would go one-on-one with Dana Brooke, with Women’s Champion Charlotte in her corner, on SmackDown. In the end, a distraction from Charlotte would allow Dana Brooke to surprise Becky Lynch with a roll-up, picking up the win over Becky. After the match, Dana Brooke would look to beat down Becky, but Becky would battle back, hitting her signature suplex on Dana before Charlotte takes Becky down with a kick to the face. This is when Sasha Banks would emerge, confidently marching down to the ring to confront the Women’s Champion. Both women then prepare themselves for a fight, but when “The Boss” makes a move, Charlotte makes a quick retreat from the ring. Dana Brooke then tries to blindside Sasha, but Sasha catches Dana with a right hand before locking in the Bank Statement with Sasha not taking her eyes off of the Women’s Champion!

Then it was time for the main event as, after issuing an open challenge earlier in the night, Seth Rollins would go one-on-one with Sami Zayn on SmackDown with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Dean Ambrose a guest on commentary. While Sami Zayn would give Seth Rollins a run for his money throughout the match, Sami would dive out onto Rollins on the outside, but when Zayn comes back into the ring, Rollins was lying in wait as Rollins plants Sami with the Pedigree, pinning Zayn to pick up the win. After the match, Seth Rollins would confront Dean Ambrose on the outside, putting his hands on Ambrose’s WWE World Heavyweight Title belt. Then, when the champion looks away, Rollins blindsides Ambrose and this would spark a brawl between the two rivals. Ambrose then nearly catches Rollins with Dirty Deeds in the ring, but Rollins is quick to slip away, exiting the ring as the champion stands tall in the ring with the title belt held high, making it clear that he is ready for Battleground.

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