WWE SmackDown results, live blog for April 18, 2014: Batista vs. Sheamus

WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (April 18, 2014) from Nashville, Tennessee, with a taped show on the SyFy channel featuring a main event of Batista vs. Sheamus while Triple H is also scheduled to appear to build to Extreme Rules.

Because SmackDown is a taped show, you can simply go read the spoilers to know everything that happens (find them by clicking here).

You can use this space to discuss all the events as they occur, however, and it's probably going to enhance your viewing experience. In fact, I know it is because we're a lot of fun around here.

Enjoy the show!

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RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG

- Triple H opened the show cutting a promo on The Shield. The gist of it is that this is a war and the soldiers running up against the crown know not the power they will meet. And they will meet it, at the Extreme Rules show on May 4 in New Jersey. That match is official.

- Big E vs. Alberto Del Rio was next. I guess Del Rio losing in the first round of the Intercontinental number one title contender tournament was enough to get him a match against the Intercontinental champion. At least the title isn't on the line. The crowd was hot for Big E by the time he got around to putting the straps down. He had been taking a beating before making his comeback. He never got to the Big Ending, though, because Del Rio countered into a backcracker, which looked great. The finish to this was ... interesting. Del Rio had the Cross Armbreaker locked on, Big E got to the ropes, and then the referee counted to five. When he got to five, Del Rio released the hold but the referee told him he would DQ him if he didn't break before five, so that's what he did. Big E ended up hitting the Big Ending after the match anyway.

- They pushed Undertaker's streak ending in a video package. They've been talking about it so much that it almost seems like there will be some follow up from Undertaker himself.

- Paul Heyman was in the ring already after a commercial break. He called himself an advocate for Cesaro, the fastest rising star in wrestling. "The King of Swing, the Swiss Superman". He also brought up Brock Lesnar, of course, and he was booed loudly. So he encouraged them to boo the following statement: "My client, Brock Lesnar, conquered the streak." He hammered this over and over and over until finally leaving.

- They cut to the announcers introducing a video package of El Torito and Hornswoggle brawling on Main Event. They'll have a match tonight, we were told, and they even broke out a graphic with the tale of the tape. Here it is:

- Paige vs. Aksana was next. They showed a promo from Tamina before the match and it was stiff and terrible. They actually gave Aksana a microphone before the match and she said all the Divas are jealous of Paige for what she's got, the Divas title, but she got lucky and tonight "your luck ran out". She said this before the match started, mind you. Aksana had control for a lot of the match but Paige started finding more and more of a mean streak -- she broke out the scream in a big way here -- and she went over with the Scorpion Cross Lock.

- Sheamus did an interview running down Batista. Your usual Sheamus promo.

- They showed Hornswoggle training with 3MB backstage. El Torito was doing pull ups using Los Matadores arms. That was the lead-in to the match. This went on at the top of the second hour. They typically book two main event level matches for this show, one at the end of each hour. This was what they chose for the first one. They went back-and-forth for a bit while Los Matadores and 3MB coached them up on the outside. The finish was El Torito hitting a "bull-sault" for the pinfall. JBL made really bad jokes all throughout this.

- Bad News Barrett came out asking for decorum for what we just witnessed, "the biggest little match in history". He said the fans applauding that atrocity shows just how small their brains really are.

- Lana again got her own entrance and intro from Lilian Garcia. She cut a promo before bringing out Alexander Rusev. Those who deny his rise will be CRUSHED. These two are the best. R-Truth was the one who got a match with Rusev and he found some success early but it wasn't long before he was CRUSHED. Xavier Woods tried to come in the ring to help his buddy when he was in The Accolade but Rusev broke it himself to meet Woods as he was getting in the ring. Lana ordered him to CRUSH one more time and Woods was obliterated.

- They replayed the opening segment from Raw this week, the tribute to Ultimate Warrior video and all the wrestlers on the stage leading a chant of his name.

- Santino Marella was shown walking through the back and Emma smacked him on the ass for encouragement. He stopped and smiled because Emma just smacked his ass. He was out for a match with Fandango. It was short, played up for comedy, and ended with Santino rolling Fandango up after Emma tackled Layla on the outside to distract Fandango. After, Santino accidentally high-fived Emma with the Cobra and she sold like her arm was totally limp.

- Main event was next. Sheamus and Batista had a main event style match that looked a lot like a hoss fight between two big stars. The crowd was into it or the high spots, especially the finish. Sheamus missed a Brogue Kick and got speared for a ridiculously close two count. Batista, who was gassed, hit a Batista Bomb shortly after to get the pin.

End.