WWE Smackdown results: The Authority has all the odds in their favour as Seth Rollins assaults Dean Ambrose ahead of Battleground

The former partners are at each others necks once again ahead of Sunday's pay-per-view

Seth Rollins attacks Dean Ambrose on Smackdown (Getty Images)

Dean Ambrose started the show with a few harsh words for Seth Rollins who attacked him with Kane & Randy Orton on Raw. Ambrose asked Rollins “Is that all you’ve got?” and said that it was not a rhetorical question because he wanted the Authority member to make his way to the ring right there and then for a fight.

Rollins appeared on the big screen and said he would love to come out there to face Ambrose but claimed that he wasn’t medically cleared for a match so excused himself out.Ambrose responded by saying that Rollins should make his “Daddy” Triple H proud by being a fighting man but the former Shield member was not giving in to the request. Rollins concluded the exchange by saying that Ambrose has a chance to show how tough he is as Kane’s pyro went off to hint a match between the two later in the show.

The in-ring action got underway with Sheamus & Dolph Ziggler taking on The Miz & Fandango in the tag-team match. All four men will be involved in Intercontinental Championship Battle Royal at Battleground and looked to get an advantage in this matchup. Ziggler and Fandango went back and forth with the “Showoff” having the upper hand by stealing Fandango’s dancers on Raw following his victory.

Sheamus attacked Miz to the outside, which allowed Ziggler to sneak up behind Fandango and hit the Zigzag for the cover to win the match. Both Fandango and Ziggler are strong contenders in this matchup following a lengthy period with no gold for the duo, whereas Sheamus already has the US Title and another Intercontinental title run for the Miz won’t do much for The Miz who had a dismal run last time round.

Eva Marie faced Alicia Fox in a singles match with Nikki Bella assigned as special referee by the Authority. The match was cut short in less two minutes as the two competitors attacked Nikki before any action actually took place. The whole segment looked to be set up by Stephanie McMahon who’s been in the midst of a long-term rivalry with the Bellas following the firing of Brie and discrimination of her husband Daniel Bryan.

The Wyatt’s Fail To Break The Code

Chris Jericho entered the ring for a match with Luke Harper, who made his way down the ramp with Bray Wyatt. Wyatt said that Jericho shouldn’t be so worried about “Saving us” as he should be more focused on “Saving yourself”. Harper managed to counter Jericho’s Codebreaker and went for a powerbomb but Jericho then countered and locked in the Walls of Jericho. Harper managed to reach the ropes where Erick Rowan sought to distract Y2J but was knocked down to the floor. Harper failed to pounce on the distraction and missed his discus lariat for Jericho to roll up a pin for the win. Following the match the Wyatt family attacked Jericho till the Usos ran down the even the score and send a frustrated Bray up the ramp.

Kofi Kingston took on Alberto Del Rio in a practice before the two will also compete in the Intercontinental Battle Royal. Kofi landed the SOS on Del Rio but the “Mexican Aristocrat” managed to grab the ropes to cancel the cover. Del Rio went for a high risk manoeuvre on the top rope but Kofi knocked him down to sit on the turnbuckle. The pair hit back and forth punches on the top turnbuckle but Kofi fell and got caught in the ropes. This predicament allowed Del Rio to jump off the top and hit a double stomp for the win.

The newly formed partnership of Summer Rae and Layla took on the quirky pairing of AJ Lee and Paige before the latter team face each other at Battleground on Sunday. Paige dominated most of the match with her aggressive kicks and head butts and was set to grab the win but AJ tagged herself in unexpectedly.

AJ span around Summer to lock in the Black Widow to win the match via submission as a discouraged Paige looked on. AJ gloated in the ring while Paige looked angered but the Divas Champion looked innocently into the eyes of her future opponent for Paige to give in for a hug. The intensity of the Divas Championship rivalry is put on hold at least until the showdown at Battleground where a Paige heel turn is teased.

The Rule Of Authority

Kane entered the ring for the main event of the night against Ambrose as the “Big Red Machine” looked to weaken Rollins’ rival before Battleground. The two competitors brawled all over the vicinity, which culminated in a tombstone piledriver attempt by Kane onto the steel steps. Ambrose broke out of the tombstone hold and pushed Kane into the ring post as the referee was half way through his ringside count.

As Ambrose made his way to his feet to re-enter the ring, Rollins ran down to the ring and hit his former partner with the Money in the Bank briefcase to end the match in a disqualification. Rollins rolled Ambrose into the ring as Kane threw the steel steps onto the canvas. Rollins then thumped Ambrose’s face onto the steel steps with the curb stomp and showed no signs of the previously claimed injury that the briefcase holder talked about earlier. The two Authority henchmen stood proud above their victim as the lights faded.

The Authority have all the cards in their favour ahead of Battleground as Kane & Orton seek to steal the WWE Championship away from John Cena and Rollins looks to put an end to Ambrose’s rampage. Jericho finally showed some sort of dominance of Wyatt who had been duping Y2J since his return. The Wyatt Family could earn their first piece of gold this Sunday where they face the Usos in a two out of three falls match for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Battleground has shaped up to be an intense show and will no doubt set up many talking points on the road to Summerslam.

Results:

Alberto Del Rio defeated Kofi Kingston

Alicia Fox vs. Eva Marie (no contest)

Chris Jericho defeated Luke Harper

Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus defeated Fandango and The Miz

AJ Lee and Paige defeated Layla and Summer Rae

Dean Ambrose defeated Kane via disqualification