AJ Styles vs. Kofi Kingston
Styles and Kofi Kingston start off the match with a series of leg sweeps, armdrags and side headlock take downs. AJ Styles lands two deep armdrags to Kofi. Styles celebrates with The Club. Kofi applies a waist lock and transitions into a side headlock. Styles whips Kofi to the corner. Kofi ducks a clothesline and lands a hurricanrana. Kofi with the solo Unicorn Stampede. Kofi follows that up with a basement dropkick. We have a stare off in the ring with The Club and The New Day. Kofi leapfrogs over Styles and lands a back elbow.
Kofi applies a armbar. Styles lands a palm strike. Kofi with a drop toe hold to Styles. The Club distracts The New Day. Styles takes advantage of the distraction by driving Kofi face first to the steel ring post. Styles bounces Kofi’s head on the top turnbuckle. Styles chops Kofi. Styles with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. Kofi with a jawbreaker. Styles with a lighting quick offense and drops Kofi with a vicious lariat. Styles goes for a flying corner forearm, but Kofi rolls out of the way. Kofi monkey flips Styles in air. Kofi with a springboard axe handle. Kofi with a flying clothesline. Kofi connects with the Boom Drop.
Kofi goes for the Trouble in Paradise, but Styles counters with the Ushigoroshi. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Kofi gets back on his feet. Kofi with a double knee stomp to the chest of Styles for a two count. Kofi places Styles on the top rope. Kofi launches Styles to the ring apron. Styles is distracted by the tunes from Francesca 2. Kofi with the SOS for a two count. Anderson sends Woods head first to the steel ring steps. Big E sends Gallows back first to the barricade. Big E with a side belly to belly suplex to Anderson on the commentary table. Gallows drops Big E with a boot to the face. Kofi drops Gallows with the Somersault Plancha. Styles with a Pele Kick to Kofi. Styles follows that up with the Styles Clash to pickup the victory.
A really nice spot for Kofi and The New Day to be in, main eventing Smackdown against a guy who is facing John Cena in two weeks and who will most likely face The Club in a tag team championship match in the near future. Kofi and AJ are very similar in the ring, which made this work even better. The outside interference were kept to a minimum early on, but picked up with Big E and Woods getting attacked by the heels. Great psychology from Gallows and Anderson on the outside, with a cool and casual encounter picking up steam QUICKLY.
Tonight was all about seeing if Smackdown could be interesting without Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, John Cena, McMahon’s and other big pieces. I think, for the most part, it was.
@JoshIsenberg4 on Twitter. WWE Smackdown Rating:
