Here we are wrestling fans, the SmackDown Live! before Extreme Rules. The main focus on SmackDown has been the feud between Asuka and the Smackdown Women’s Champion, Carmella. James Ellsworth returned last month at the Money in the Bank PPV and he has been a thorn in Asuka’s hip ever since. His blatant misogynistic remarks and annoying wink has not only angered Asuka but the rest of the female locker room as well. He has picked up where he left off, a nuisance to all women. He even took to Twitter to say that after he beats Asuka, he will go on to beat other major women in sports such as Danica Patrick and Serena Williams. The women of the SmackDown roster surrounded the ring in anticipation for the Lumberjack match.
The match itself was similar to last week. Ellsworth didn’t lay a hand on Asuka and tried to run away every chance he got. Before the match started he warned the lumberjacks that his lips are off limits even though he knows he is tempting. Corey Graves mentioned how all the ladies in the audience screamed when Ellsworth took his shirt off.
Ellwsorth falls out on the side with Becky Lynch and Naomi first. Lynch and Naomi quickly got him back in the ring. He then went out Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville‘s side. The rest of the women come over (besides Carmella) and gets him in the ring. After a few hits from Asuka, Ellsworth crawls like a scared cat outside the ring. He attempts to escape over the barricade into the timekeeper area. All the lumberjacks (minus Carmella again) pull him off the barricade.
The lumberjacks then turn on each other. The women all attack each other allowing Ellsworth to crawl away to the ramp. As he is attempting to escape, Lynch and Naomi run after him and pick him up. They throw him back in the ring only for the lumberjacks to go at each other again! Asuka heads to the top rope and leaps off of the top turnbuckle onto all of the lumberjacks (except Carmella, notice a pattern?), which wipes them all out.
Carmella then attempts to interfere by giving him, what only most people would assume was pepper spray, (according to Graves it was Binaca) to use on Asuka. He was unsuccessful in pulling the trigger and Asuka gets him in what I can only describe as the most uncomfortable and awkward Asuka Lock I have ever seen. Ellsworth taps to end the match.
After the match, Asuka backs Carmella into the corner with several blows. As Asuka turns her attention back to Ellsworth he finally pulls the trigger and sprays the pepper spray into Asuka’s eyes. This distraction allows Carmella to get the last laugh by kicking Asuka and knocking her out.
A few moments later in the backstage area, Paige approaches the champion and her lackey. Ellsworth lets Paige know that his lips may have been off-limits to the rest of the women but she is the exception to the rule. He asked her to pucker up. After Paige tells him to stop, she announces that he will be in a shark cage hanging over the top of the ring at Extreme Rules during Carmella’s title defense against Asuka this Sunday.
In a WWE Exclusive, check out what a few of the lumberjacks had to say about their pal Ellsworth:
Thoughts: I will keep my thoughts pretty quick and easy. The match was pretty much the same as last week besides the rest of the women out at ringside. My thoughts on Ellsworth has been the same since he has been back, since he was there before, since ever. I wouldn’t mind him if they actually let him wrestle.
Regardless, it told a story last night and added the Shark Cage stipulation. I wish the stipulation was Extreme Rules like Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss‘ is, but oh well.
My hopes for after Extreme Rules are they have more than one storyline on Smackdown. Leading into SummerSlam I am hoping for at least two matches from each brand represented. I am still waiting for Ravishing Glow to get a chance.
What did you think of thweek’seks Smackdown? Are you happy with the stipulation added to the Extreme Rules match? What stipulation would you have added? Sound of in the comments below!!
