[M-A-G]

SmackDown!: April 5, 2040

We open with Quentin McDaniels joining us in the ring to talk about his current status as the man to beat when it comes to the Beat the Clock challenge. He brings up tonight's matches, Salvatore Scabbia vs. Brandon Reigns, Haven vs. King Kavovit, and the main event, Ryan Pattillo vs. Chris Collins. All six men, tremendous competitors without question but none with the capacity to beat the time set. And if anyone thinks he's whistling Dixie let's not forget Martyn LaSalle and how boastful he was last week. He got his dreams crushed like the loser he is.

Naturally this brings out LaSalle who is course miffed. He won't lie to McDaniels; having his time beat was a heartbreak but he's doesn't share the belief that McDaniels will coast onto the main event of Backlash. McDaniels takes this as a challenge so LaSalle offers a wager. Should no one beat the time set by McDaniels, then McDaniels gets his title shot as promised. But if the time is beat by anyone tonight, McDaniels faces LaSalle in a match of LaSalle's choosing at Backlash. McDaniels accepts and even offers to shake on it. LaSalle is hesitant to accept at first but eventually relents but gets an immediate right hand from McDaniels that knocks him down. McDaniels bails to the back proud of himself.

Backstage, Naomi Bailey runs into Sonya Braddock on the way to the dressing room. Braddock wants to make it clear that there was no fluke at WrestleMania and tells Naomi to think twice about being so eager to step into the ring with her again.

First Match: Alexander Piero vs. Raj
Raj is a jobber that's retiring so he's here to make Piero look good. Flying elbow from Raj Ghosh. Spinning bulldog in the corner, Piero is down. Cover for a two count. Piero ducks a wild right hand. Ghosh receives some punishment. Flying shoulder tackle by Piero sends Ghosh to the mat. Hooks the leg for a two count. Ghosh walks into a face-first flapjack. Hooks the leg for a close fall. Fallaway slam by Alexander Piero. Ghosh blocks a kick from Alexander Piero. Lightning kick by Ghosh on Piero. There's a two count on the pin. Piero walks into a face crusher variation. Pin, but Piero is out just before the three count. Hard back suplex on Piero. Anyone remember when that was Shawn Michaels's finisher? Standing leg lariat by Raj Ghosh on Piero. Alexander Piero reverses a hip toss. Back elbow connects, Ghosh staggers backward. Flying clothesline by Piero. Raj Ghosh can barely stand. Here it comes - Flashpoint. 1....2...3, it's finished. I'll give it a **1\2 rating. 70% overall.

Second Match: WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Demiras vs. Michael Hotbody
Demiras is ready to go but Hotbody is still in his street clothes as he comes out with Zed Jones. Hotbody clears things up by saying that he never meant that he was offering a non-title match to Demiras against himself. Instead, Demiras gets to test his mettle against the mighty Zed Jones. So away we go...

Second Match: WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Demiras vs. Zed Jones
Stiff high kick on Jones by Jordan Demiras who has evidently been watching some old AJPW tapes recently. Kick from Jordan Demiras to the leg. Hard back suplex on Jones. Anyone remember when that was Shawn Michaels's finisher? Demiras uses a basement dropkick to the knee. Jones counters a sleeper hold by turning it into a jaw breaker. Big backdrop on Demiras, executed well. Powerful Spear by Zed Jones. There's a two count on the pin. Jordan Demiras reverses a hip toss. Vicious lightning kick by Demiras on Jones. Cover for a two count. Jones walks into a face crusher variation. Cover, but there's a last second kick-out. Demiras walks into a trip. Zed Jones strikes Demiras. Demiras counters a sleeper hold by turning it into a jaw breaker. Driven DDT by Jordan Demiras. The ring shook violently, instantly making it better at selling than some of the current roster. Zed Jones gets knocked to the ground by Demiras, who is already climbing the turnbuckle. Axe Kick!!! Michael Hotbody quickly comes running down the aisle and into the ring! Jordan Demiras turns around....and gets knocked to the ground. The referee calls for the DQ because of the interference of Hotbody! Jones and Hotbody beat away on Jordan Demiras, leaving him spread-eagled on the canvas. That was good. **** rating. 89% overall.

Backstage, Kyle Jacobs wants to talk about Salvatore Scabbia. Jacobs finds it interesting that Scabbia is taking part of the Beat the Clock and hasn't been in any rush to get his rematch. It can't be that Scabbia is scared, right? It can't be because there's a chance he'll get embarrassed again, right? The prize of potentially getting a chance at the Unified World title is admittingly tempting, no doubt, but Jacobs is eager to get back at Scabbia.

Third Match: The Academy and WWE Unified Tag Team champions The Future Foundation vs. The Play Pals and The Dillingers
Randy Ellis scores with a back heel kick on Rage King. Big dropkick by Randy Ellis, who got good elevation. The Didact tags out to Justin Mitchell. Rage King gets slammed. Tag between Michael Haywood and Joey Dillinger. Double arm suplex by Justin Mitchell, Joey hits hard. Tag to Rick Hilton. Mitchell \ Hilton whip Joey into the ropes and hit a double back elbow. Big piledriver on Joey. Cover for a two count. Tag between Rick Hilton and Julian Merrick. Fallaway slam by Julian Merrick. Powerful Spear by Julian Merrick. Tag to Randy Ellis. Tiger suplex on Joey, right from out of the Misawa playbook. Hooks the leg for a close fall. Joey powers out of a headlock. Tag to Ben Dillinger. Dillinger drives a thrust kick into the chest of The Didact. Ben Dillinger hits a bulldog off the ropes. There's a two count on the pin. Tag between Ben Dillinger and Gavin Jones. Dillinger \ Jones hook up The Didact, then hit a double suplex. Cover for a two count. Springboard dropkick from Gavin Jones. Nicely done. Cover, but there's a last second kick-out. Gavin Jones misses a clothesline. Big dropkick by Justin Mitchell, who got good elevation. Tag to Julian Merrick. Ring-shaking slam on Jones. Julian Merrick misses a big legdrop after stalling too long. Tag to Ben Dillinger. Jones \ Dillinger whip Merrick into the ropes and hit a double clothesline. Shining Wizard on Merrick, Dillinger really laid that one in. Vivian Merrick has climbed up onto the apron! Dillinger turns...and falls for the distraction! Julian Merrick runs at Dillinger from behind...but misses! Julian Merrick collides with Vivian Merrick! Ben Dillinger floors Julian Merrick...and climbs the turnbuckles. Off the top - Frog Splash, forget about it. 1....2...3! Good **** rating. 89% overall.

Fourth Match: Naomi Bailey vs. Sophie Waters
Legsweep out of Nowhere. Where is Nowhere, and why do moves keep coming out of there? Does it have a factory? Flying cross body off the top rope! Even Steamboat would have applauded the execution on that. Cover for a two count. Naomi Bailey pulls a mule kick out of nowhere. Naomi Bailey hits some punches. Flying shoulder tackle by Bailey sends Waters to the mat. There's a two count on the pin. Naomi Bailey scores with a killer spinebuster. Pinfall attempt gets a 2.9999. Big backdrop on Waters, executed well. Waters reverses a Naomi Bailey hammerlock. Flying cross body off the top rope! Even Steamboat would have applauded the execution on that. Hooks the leg for a two count. Back heel kick off the second rope, Bailey goes down. Pinfall attempt gets a 2.9999. Waters hits a dropkick on Naomi Bailey. Waters hits a massive spinning kick to the jaw. Bailey counters a backdrop attempt with a kick to the face. Fallaway slam by Naomi Bailey. Naomi Bailey drills Sophie Waters with a press slam into a Michinoku Driver. Naomi Bailey moves in for the kill. Bail Out! 1....2....3. A ****1\4 rating, great bout. 92% overall.

Video package for the debuting Hugo.

Fifth Match: Beat the Clock challenge: Salvatore Scabbia vs. Brandon Reigns
Flying elbow from Brandon Reigns. Reigns pulls a picture perfect fallaway slam out of the bag, driving Salvatore Scabbia down to the mat. There's a two count on the pin. Reigns only gets knees on a splash. Dropkick connects, Reigns goes down. Big Sal uses a basement dropkick to the knee. Hooks the leg for a two count. Back heel kick off the second rope, Reigns goes flying. Pinfall attempt gets a 2.9999. Flying elbow from Salvatore Scabbia. Brandon Reigns reverses a hip toss. Massive backbreaker, Big Sal got nailed. Cover for a two count. Brandon Reigns drills Salvatore Scabbia with a press slam into a Michinoku Driver. Hooks the leg for a close fall. Back elbow connects, Big Sal staggers backward. Reigns hits a massive spinning kick to the jaw. Brandon Reigns misses a big legdrop after stalling too long. Big Sal hits a dropkick on Brandon Reigns. Tiger suplex on Reigns, right from out of the Misawa playbook. The bell rings. The referee declares that the time limit has expired, and the match is a draw. Kyle Jacobs comes running down the aisle, and gets into the ring! Big Sal turns around...straight into a Spinning Fallaway!! Salvatore Scabbia has been left down on the canvas. A **** rating for a good contest. 88% overall.

Sixth Match: Beat the Clock challenge: Haven vs. King Kavovit
Dropkick connects, Kavovit goes down. Spinning back kick from Haven. Flying elbow from Haven. Fallaway slam by Haven. Haven gets taken down out of nowhere. Big backdrop on Haven, executed well. Spinning bulldog in the corner, Haven is down. Hooks the leg for a two count. Kavovit only gets knees on a splash. Gutwrench into a stomach breaker, Kavovit may be winded. Hooks the leg for a two count. Slingshot senton by Haven, crushing the chest of Kavovit. Cover, but there's a last second kick-out. Haven only gets knees on a splash. Haven gets caught with a belly to belly suplex from Kavovit. Kavovit only gets knees on a splash. Legsweep out of Nowhere. Where is Nowhere, and why do moves keep coming out of there? Does it have a factory? Xavier Cross comes running down the aisle with a chair! Kavovit goes to irish whip Haven into the ropes. Cross prepares to swing the chair...but Haven reverses! Cross accidentally smacks Kavovit with a chair to the back! King Kavovit can barely stand. Here it comes - Sting of Solace. 1....2...3, it's finished. That was good. **** rating. Haven sets a new time to beat! 88% overall.

MAIN EVENT: Beat the Clock challenge: Chris Collins vs. Ryan Pattillo
Pattillo uses a basement dropkick to the knee. Pattillo pulls a picture perfect fallaway slam out of the bag, driving Chris Collins down to the mat. Hooks the leg for a two count. Ryan Pattillo misses a big legdrop after stalling too long. Standing leg lariat by Chris Collins on Pattillo. Collins hits a dropkick on Ryan Pattillo. There's a two count on the pin. Slingshot senton by Collins, crushing the chest of Pattillo. Pin : 1 - 2 - 2.9999999. Driven DDT by Chris Collins. The ring shook violently, instantly making it better at selling than some of the current roster. Chris Collins gets taken down out of nowhere. Beautiful spinning arm drag out of the corner by Pattillo. Cover for a two count. Tiger suplex on Collins, right from out of the Misawa playbook. Cover, but there's a last second kick-out. Hard back suplex on Collins. Anyone remember when that was Shawn Michaels's finisher? Ryan Pattillo scores with a back heel kick on Collins. Chris Collins powers out of a Ryan Pattillo headlock. Stun Gun from Chris Collins! There used to be this blonde guy in WCW in the early 90's who used that...i wonder what happened to him? Back heel kick off the second rope, Pattillo goes flying. The bell rings, and this match has come to a time limit draw. I don't think the fight has finished. Chris Collins and Pattillo have begun brawling again! They wind up brawling all the way down the aisle and out of view. A **** rating for a good contest. 87% overall.

Haven wins the Beat the Clock challenge and is thus the number one contender for the Unified World Title.

Current Backlash card:
WWE Unified World Title: Noah Carmichael (c) vs. Haven

WWE Cruiserweight Title: Jordan Demiras (c) vs. Michael Hotbody

Overall show rating: 83%