WWE SmackDown: Sami Zayn survives chaotic Lumberjack Match
By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports WWE Analyst
Sami Zayn lived up to his "master strategist" persona this week on SmackDown by slipping out of a Lumberjack Match.
The April 22 edition of SmackDown featured Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre with multiple lumberjacks surrounding the ring, Ronda Rousey signing a contract for an "I Quit" match, another appearance from RK-Bro, and more.
Here’s a quick recap of the match results:
- Xavier Woods defeated Butch via pinfall with an inside cradle
- Gunther defeated a local enhancement talent (who ALLEGEDLY earned the match after winning a local 100-man Royal Rumble)
- Riddle defeated Jey Uso via pinfall in roughly 12 minutes
- Madcap Moss defeated Angel via pinfall
- Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn wrestled to an apparent no-contest in a Lumberjack Match after Zayn managed to sneak past everyone guarding the ring and run away through the crowd again.
Moment of the night: Lumberjack Match
Sami Zayn can do no wrong in my eyes these days, so this was another string of Ws for the former Intercontinental champ.
To start, watching him suck up to Roman Reigns as a way of asking for help from The Usos later in the night was hilarious.
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Zayn wasn't shy in recruiting Roman Reigns and The Usos for a little protection.
Then, the reaction that came across his face once they walked out for the main event (and he realized it worked) was even better.
This match also did a good job of interweaving multiple stories such as RK-Bro and The Usos, Jinder’s quest to re-elevate himself and, of course, Zayn vs. McIntyre (who will now face-off in a steel cage next week).
This was a win for all involved parties, including the viewer.
Best match: Riddle vs. Jey Uso
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Riddle went two-for-two vs. The Bloodline on Friday Night Smackdown, as RK-Bro’s Winner-Take-All Championship Unification Match for WrestleMania Backlash rapidly approaches.
Both Riddle and Jey Uso can have great matches with just about anyone, so together, they had no problem stealing the show.
I especially enjoyed Jey taking a page from Orton’s playbook at one point.
The build to RK-Bro vs. The Usos to unify the tag team titles has been enjoyable. These two teams are at the top of their respective games right now and the match at WrestleMania Backlash should be a good one.
Additional highlights:
Lacey Evans continues to humanize her character via deeply personal vignettes and I’m a fan of what they’re doing. I think these are incredibly effective in making her a babyface going forward.
Gunther also continues to be a force in the way he’s presented. I have a feeling it won’t be long before he’s challenging Ricochet for the IC title.
Lingering question: Roman Reigns and Nakamura
What happened with these two?!
The SmackDown after 'Mania ended with Shinsuke confronting "The Head of the Table," yet nothing has happened between them since.
Instead, Nakamura was ringside for the Lumberjack Match like he’s seemingly moved on.
My guess is that Roman could be dealing with some sort of injury, which would explain why it was suddenly dropped, but Shinsuke should at least appear to be focused on making that match happen in the meantime.
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