LONG ISLAND, NY – Kane’s frustration with Daniel Bryan left The Big Red Monster’s partner in an unlikely alliance with Randy Orton against the dominating “Hounds of Justice,” while the Ryback Rampage continued and Curtis Axel overcame another former World Champion.
Welcoming The Viper and Team Hell No onto “Miz TV,” The Awesome One wasted no time getting to the bottom of the “issues” surrounding the trio’s six-man tag team loss on Raw against The Shield.
Check out photos of Kane walking out on Bryan
With Miz egging things on as usual, the situation quickly became heated due to Bryan’s inability to contain his obsession of being a“weak link.” Finally hearing enough, Kane stormed out of the ring in what Miz – perhaps prematurely – speculated was the “break-up of Team Hell No.”
Senior Advisor to the SmackDown General Manager, Theodore Long, then broke the tension, placing Bryan and Orton together in a showdown against WWE Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns in the SmackDown main event.
Gearing up for his match against CM Punk at WWE Payback, six-time World Champion Chris Jericho took on the newest “Paul Heyman Guy,” Curtis Axel, who holds a recent victory over Triple H as well as back-to-back wins over WWE Champion John Cena.
Photos of the crafty Heyman helping Axel win
As the showdown commenced, Heyman joined the SmackDown announce team. And in the height of the conflict, the crafty "walrus" earned his pay, signaling Punk’s music to blare over the arena speakers and distracting Y2J long enough for Axel to roll up his opponent for the quick three-count.
In retribution, Jericho hit a post-match Codebreaker on the third-generation Superstar as he celebrated.
Though 3MB opted to attack Alberto Del Rio before his match against Heath Slater could begin, the quick thinking of the Mexican Superstar caused Drew McIntyre to kick Jinder Mahal, before the Scottish Superstar was also evacuated from the ring. Del Rio then locked Slater into the Cross Armbreaker.
Photos of Ricardo playing 3MB for fools
And when Jinder and Drew reengaged the three-time World Champion, Ricardo Rodriguez jumped into the fray, allowing his friend to throw their adversaries from the ring yet again. The gutsy ring announcer then took things to a new level, leaping off the top rope and onto 3MB at ringside.
Before the No. 1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship could enjoy the moment, however, reigning titleholder Dolph Ziggler appeared via satellite to crash the party. The Showoff announced that he had been cleared to compete and will be returning to Raw on Monday!
Prior to Kane’s one-on-one match against Ryback, the two monsters came face-to-face backstage. While the “Human Wrecking Ball” reminded Kane that Ryback Rules, The Devil’s Favorite Demon put aside his current frustrations with his insecure partner Daniel Bryan and made it clear that such rules don’t apply to him.
Ryback 'tabling' The Big Red Monster: photos
In the final moments of their absolute clash of the titans, Ryback grabbed the rope at the last second, stopping himself from being pinned by The Big Red Monster. And when Kane attempted to deliver a chokeslam onto a table that Ryback had introduced moments earlier, his intense adversary literally “turned the tables” and powerbombed his masked foe through the hard, wooden surface.
Does the same fate await WWE Champion John Cena on June 16 at WWE Payback?
For the third week in a row, Damien Sandow presented a challenge of wits to the WWE Universe, this time gearing up to play chess against a super computer named “Deep Blue.”
Photos of Sandow schooling Sheamus with a vicious assault
But that game was over before it ever began. Yet again, Sheamus decided to interrupt Sandow – promising The Intellectual Savior of the Masses that he could beat “Deep Blue” in a single move. And he did just that, Brogue Kicking the machine into oblivion. Still, when Sheamus looked to take the fight to Sandow, The Enlightened One delivered a cheap shot and unleashed a brutal attack on the stunned Celtic Warrior.
With The Miz joining the SmackDown announce team, Fandango overcame Zack Ryder, hitting Long Island Iced-Z with a flying leg drop off the top rope.
Dance through the photos of Fandango's latest win
Will the dancing Superstar have the same luck when he battles Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett and The Awesome One in a Triple Threat Match for the coveted title at WWE Payback?
When Natalya asked Kaitlyn if she wanted to team up on Raw, the excited Divas Champion informed the third-generation Diva that her secret admirer wanted to meet this Monday on Raw. And Natalya's response left things a little heated between them.
Photos of the counter-offensive against The Shield and the RKO that followed
In the height of the action, Bryan, who was still desperate to prove to himself that he is not a "weak link," was on absolute fire, single-handedly taking the fight to The Shield for the third time in eight days. However, this time, his fast-paced fury would cost him big time, as he accidently kicked The Viper in the face.
Moments later, the main event contest would come to an abrupt end when United States Champion Dean Ambrose decided to interfere and bring about the disqualification. And though Bryan expelled “The Hounds of Justice,” a recovered Apex Predator took the “goat face” Superstar out with an RKO of retribution.