KB Reviews WWE SmackDown — page 43

Smackdown
Date: October 1, 2015
Location: Times Union Center, Albany, New York
Commentators: Booker T., Jerry Lawler, Rich Brennan

Oh joy it’s another Smackdown. We’re getting closer to the show moving to USA in January, meaning the show is the same lame duck that it’s been for years now. I’m really hoping this show gets a new life on the new network but for some reason WWE is perfectly happy to have the show just exist on Fridays with nothing important happening. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: September 24, 2015
Location: American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Rich Brennan, Booker T.

We’re getting closer to Kane vs. Rollins, likely inside the Cell, as they blow off their feud from months ago on a show where the other Cell match is the real main event. Then again, given that the World Champion is coming off two losses in two days (though he did beat a 56 year old), maybe it’s better that he isn’t main eventing. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: September 17, 2015
Location: Verizon Arena, Little Rock, Arkansas
Commentators: Booker T., Jerry Lawler, Rich Brennan

It’s the final show before Night of Champions 2015 and that likely means we’ll be focusing on the midcard matches. If the past few Smackdowns before pay per views are any indications, that means it’s likely going to be about Ambrose/Reigns vs. the Wyatts while they tease who the third man might be. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: September 10, 2015
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Rich Brennan, Booker T., Jerry Lawler

We finally got to the point and had Sting destroy the statue on Raw to end the teasing for the last few weeks. Other than that we also have John Cena vs. Seth Rollins II coming up, which should be a better match and might even get us the US Open Challenges back on Raw. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: September 3, 2015
Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Rich Brennan, Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Uso

This seems like it’s going to be another midcard heavy episode as the main event players, save for the champion, who is arguably the lowest of the three people involved in the story, who is known to slum it here on Smackdown. The only major event announced is Lana and Dolph Ziggler appearing on MizTV. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: August 27, 2015
Location: Dunkin’ Donuts Center, Providence, Rhode Island
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Uso, Rich Brennan

It’s hard to say what’s going to happen tonight as the big story coming out of Raw is the return of Sting, who I can’t imagine is going to be here tonight. There’s always a chance of some fresh Wyatt Family stuff, as this show has become the main ground for the Shield vs. Wyatts feud, which isn’t the worst thing in the world. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: August 20, 2015
Location: Resch Center Hall, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Uso

It’s the final show before Summerslam, meaning it’s time to find out how many times they can talk about Brock vs. Undertaker in about an hour and a half. It’s going to be a mixture of matches getting the hype this week as the main event is an eight man tag with three feuds being combined into one match. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: August 13, 2015
Location: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Uso, Tom Phillips

With Summerslam closing in, there’s little more than window dressing to go. John Cena is officially in the main event as confirmed on Tough Enough, meaning we’re going to be getting that title for title match against Seth Rollins. Smackdown is getting harder and harder to predict, but Summerslam could use some more midcard buildup. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: August 5, 2015
Location: Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, California
Commentators: Jimmy Uso, Tom Phillips, Jerry Lawler

Summerslam is mostly set at this point so it’s time for another supplemental show that can help firm up the midcard a little bit. We aren’t likely to see much in the main event scene tonight after everything we saw on Monday, but that’s what Smackdown does these days. The show has been fun lately so hopefully that keeps going. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: July 30, 2015
Location: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Commentators: Jimmy Uso, Jerry Lawler, Tom Phillips

Smackdown has the potential to be interesting this week as we could get some more midcard build for Summerslam, which could be some of the more interesting stuff going on in WWE at the moment. The big story is likely to be Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens, which could be the match of the night at the pay per view. I don’t like that many could’s. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: July 23, 2015
Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Tom Phillips, Jimmy Uso

This is an interesting show as Raw went off the air with a closed story for a change. The big story is of course the announcement of Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar…..we’re probably at V or VI over the years now. There’s no chance either guy is on this show so we should get some new stuff set up for Summerslam instead. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: July 9, 2015
Location: Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Jimmy Uso, Jerry Lawler

We’re back after this Monday’s classic of Cena vs. Cesaro and Lesnar squashing a Cadillac with….maybe Cesaro and Rollins if we’re lucky. My guess is we’ll get more of a focus on Reigns vs. Wyatt, which is a far more interesting story than the World Title situation. Hopefully the wrestling will be good. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown
Date: May 25, 2012
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T, Josh Matthews

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

It’s after Over the Limit and Sheamus is still champion after a
pretty fun fatal fourway. Other than that there isn’t much to talk about
other than a new Intercontinental Champion in the form of Christian. We
begin the build to No Way Out tonight but since Raw was mostly a
throwaway show, I’d expect about the same thing here. Hopefully it’s
better than last week’s. Let’s get to it.

The opening is about Cena vs. Ace from the PPV and the fallout from Raw.

Do you know your enemy? Mine is three and a half minute recaps of a story that I didn’t like when it aired on Raw.

Here’s Eve to open us up in the arena. Ace isn’t here tonight so
she’s in charge. Ace is going to deal with Cena on Monday so tonight,
she’s going to deal with Sheamus. Sheamus is going to issue a public
apology for running over Ace on Monday and also, she’ll name his #1
contender. Cue Alberto who sucks up to Eve for awhile. She says no one
is more deserving than him, but here’s Orton for a rebuttal.

He introduces himself to Eve and asks the fans who they would like to
see. After the obvious response, here’s Kane. Kane says he should get
to face “that pasty white Irish ghost.” If you need more convincing,
tonight is episode #666 of Smackdown. Eve makes a triple threat for the
title shot.

Christian vs. Hunico

Non-title here. Christian takes him down with a forearm but stops to
go after Camacho, allowing Hunico to
get in a shot and a suicide dive. A
springboard dive misses and Christian takes over again. A big right
hand puts Hunico on his knee and a middle rope back elbow puts him on
his back. After a baseball slide takes out Hunico, it’s Killswitch and
Frog Splash for the pin at 3:03.

Rating: C-. Not bad here as Hunico is a guy that is
very slowly growing on me. I like Christian using the frog splash better
than just the Killswitch as it looks more devastating. It’s also more
of a face move which furthers his turn a little more. This made
Christian look good but let Hunico get in some offense at the same time.
Proper jobber usage makes me happy.

Cody comes out with Christian still in the ring. He talks about how
he spent eight months making the title important again after it had been
held by jokes. Cody restored it to greatness that people like Razor
Ramon and Shawn Michaels and Cody Rhodes gave it. It won’t take him
eight months to get it back, but rather 3 seconds.

Darren Young/Titus O’Neil vs. Usos

Jimmy vs. Titus to start. This is due to some argument in the back
earlier today where they made fun of each others’ dances. The Usos take
over quickly and double team O’Neil in the corner. Young kicks Jey in
the back though and the NXT Crew takes over. Titus suplexes Young onto
Jey for two. Young misses a charge and it’s off to Jimmy. He cleans a
few rooms of the house and everything breaks down. Jey looks to set up
the Superfly Splash but Young crotches him and the Demolition
Decapitator gets the pin at 3:12. The Millions of Dollars dance is still
good.

Rating: D+. Just a tag match for the most part here,
but again I have to ask: where was this from Young/O’Neil for a year on
NXT? This was entertaining and I’m liking this team more when they’re
on every week. They have charisma and show off out there, which is what
they never did on the yellow show. Alas, the Usos are the tag team
jobbers now.

Sin Cara returns next week.

Ryback vs. Brian Edwards/Kevin Bendol

The jobbers make fun of the town some more and I think you can figure
this one out. Ryback’s left eye is MESSED UP. It’s all bruised and it
looks like there’s blood in it. The cannon fodder doesn’t have to tag.
Ryback picks one of them up in a powerbomb position and slams him into
the other guy. Powerbomb kills one and the clothesline kills another.
Ryback picks one of them up for the MuscleBuster, then picks the other
one up AT THE SAME TIME. He walks them around and a double MuscleBuster
ends this at 1:26. That ending was awesome.

Santino Marella vs. Ricardo Rodriguez

This should be entertaining. It’s a continuation of Ricardo getting
beaten up on Raw. Ricardo wrestles in his tuxedo and has his own theme
music. He introduces himself as well which is amusing. Santino hooks a
headlock but Ricardo shoves him off and runs the ropes while Santino
watches. We get an airplane spin from Santino but he makes himself dizzy
and falls to the floor. He crawls under the ring and sneaks up on
Ricardo so that the Cobra can end it at 1:50. Comedy matches are fine.

Here’s Sheamus for his apology. Sheamus says it was an accident but
it was accidentally on purpose. He apologizes for Ace being so horrible
and for Eve and Otunga being so far up Johnny that they can tell what he
has for breakfast. Oh and Big Show sucks too. As for No Way Out, he
wants to face Orton. Here’s Vickie for some reason who says Eve has made
a match for Sheamus.

Sheamus vs. Jack Swagger

They lock up and go into the corner with no one getting an advantage.
Some elbows to the face knock Swagger back but Sheamus misses a charge
into the corner. It turns into a fist fight which puts Jack down,
followed by the top rope shoulder for two. Swagger goes to the floor so
Sheamus runs him over out there too. Vickie offers a distraction which
lets Swagger knock Sheamus off the apron and possibly injure the champ’s
ankle.

We take a break and come back with Swagger working on both the ankle
and the shoulder. He DDTs the leg for two. Swagger ties it up in the
ropes in the corner but misses a kick. Sheamus hits a neckbreaker and
both guys are down. The champ comes back with the ax handles and the
forearms in the ropes. Jack kicks him in the ankle again and goes for
the ankle lock but Sheamus kicks him off. Brogue Kick misses and Swagger
takes out the leg for two. Booker: “Two and three quarters. That’s a
victory!” Sheamus escapes the gutwrench powerbomb and the Brogue Kick
finishes at 6:56 shown of 10:26.

Rating: C. This was fine. Swagger is firmly cemented
in his jobber to the stars status and given how dull he’s become
lately, that’s about as much as he can ask for. Sheamus looked decent
here but he still needs some more development. It’s not an emergency
though as the fans are cheering him very strong at the moment. Decent
match.

Big Show will speak later. Cole says these might be the darkest days
in WWE history. I know Cole is known for hyperbole, but are you kidding
me?

Yoshi Tatsu vs. Damien Sandow

Sandow does his usual stuff before the match. I’m digging the
Backlund robe too. Yoshi is an ignoramus and a dunce. The hot pink
trunks work too. Yoshi charges and Sandow hides in the ropes while
shouting at the referee to “please do your job thank you!” Sandow gets a
shot in and the neckbreaker ends this at 45 seconds.

We look at the ending to the Ryback match again.

No Way Out ad, set like a 1920s silent movie. AJ is tied to railroad
tracks, Bryan saves her, and AJ ties him up. She has a mustache now too.
Cool?

We recap Big Show on Raw and at the PPV, because we might have
forgotten it in the last hour and fifteen minutes. And Cole, it still
isn’t the darkest day in WWE history.

Here’s Big Show for an explanation. Show says he was never fired
until a few weeks ago. Everyone here has probably been fired, but they
don’t love what they do. He’s a 7’4 giant and loves to wrestle. No one
offered him any sympathy and he wasn’t too pleased with that. Show is
sitting on a stool for this. After all the years he’s been here, that’s
what he gets? The fans think he sold out which he denies.

After everything he’s done, this is the thanks he gets? It made him
realize he has no friends and that he’s alone in this world. Then he got
a phone call. The fans chant for Cena. Show says he made a deal with
Ace to come back with a new contract and a big fat bonus. He knew
exactly what he would do and he knows he’ll knock Cena out at the PPV.
The fans never cared for him and now he doesn’t care for them. Why
couldn’t we get this explanation on Raw? Didn’t he say he didn’t owe us
one? Still though, it’s better than nothing.

As Show is leaving, here’s Kane. I guess we’re running short on time
because he’s just coming out for the main event early. As Kane gets in,
Bryan appears and beats the tar out of Kane with a chair. He probably
hit him 20 times. I’m not sure if you can call this a face action or
not, but it draws a HUGE YES chant.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Randy Orton vs. Kane

The winner gets Sheamus at No Way Out. Kane is going to give it a go
here. Orton goes after Alberto to start but punches Kane a bit too. Del
Rio gets knocked to the floor and Kane hits the low dropkick on Orton
for two. Orton hits his backbreaker but Del Rio makes the save. Kane
knocks both of them to the floor and follows them to the outside. He
beats up both guys but Orton comes back and rams both of them into the
barricade and adds a few shots to the table for Kane.

Orton loads up the elevated DDT but Alberto hits an enziguri to break
that up. We take a break and come back with Kane hitting Del Rio with
an uppercut. Orton takes one as well which gets two for Kane. An elbow
drop gets the same. Del Rio hits the enziguri to the shoulder and Kane
goes down, giving Team Mexico control. Orton backdrops him to the apron
and dropkicks him to the floor, but he walks into a side slam for two.

Kane goes up for the clothesline but Del Rio comes back in and runs
up the corner for an enziguri that puts Kane on the floor. A big kick
misses and Orton comes back. Kane comes back in and takes the powerslam,
as does Del Rio. Del Rio goes to the corner but Orton hits the elevated
DDT to bring him back down. The RKO is escaped and Kane pulls Randy to
the floor and sends him into the steps.

The top rope clothesline misses but the cross armbreaker is escaped
and Kane hits the chokeslam. Here’s Bryan again with the chair but Kane
sees him coming. Kane chases him off but as he gets back in, here’s
Bryan again. Kane sees him again and stares him down. As Kane turns
around he walks into the RKO. Del Rio kicks Orton away and steals the
pin at 7:51 shown of 11:21.

Rating: C+. This was pretty good, although the chair
attack before the match didn’t wind up amounting to that much. Del Rio
vs. Sheamus doesn’t really blow my skirt up but it’s what they’ve wanted
to do for months. The interesting thing is Kane vs. Bryan as it looks
like that’s what they’re building to. I don’t think Bryan vs. Punk was
officially announced but I could easily see it turning into a triple
threat. Good main event here.

Sheamus kicks Del Rio’s head off to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a much more
entertaining episode than last week. It set up a few matches for the PPV
and we got the explanation from Big Show that we didn’t have time for
on Raw. This show could almost be called a supplement to Monday and in
that regard, it was ok. Ryback continues to be awesome and I’m intrigued
by where this Bryan thing is going. Much better show this week.

Results
Christian b. Hunico – Frog Splash
Darren Young/Titus O’Neil b. Usos – Demolition Decapitator to Jimmy
Ryback b. Brian Edwards/Kevin Bendol – Double MuscleBuster
Santino Marella b. Ricardo Rodriguez – Cobra
Sheamus b. Jack Swagger – Brogue Kick
Damien Sandow b. Yoshi Tatsu – Neckbreaker
Alberto Del Rio b. Randy Orton and Kane – Del Rio pinned Kane after an RKO from Orton

Remember to like this on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @kbreviews

Smackdown
Date: May 18, 2012
Location: Giant Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Michael Cole, Josh Matthews, Booker T

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

Time for another edition of that show on Fridays that doesn’t mean a
thing because everything happens on Raw now. The main event tonight is
Orton vs. Sheamus which is the big PPV match they’re waiting for the
right time to have. This is the go home show for Over the Limit which is
the least interesting PPV I can think of in years. Maybe we’ll actually
have Punk and Bryan talk. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of the end of Raw. Gee there’s a novel idea.
This is edited together really well as it’s Ace talking about what he
can do and Cena reading a line from the letter to say that Ace can’t do
that.

In the arena here’s Ace to really open things up. He disagrees with
the Board’s decision because it puts him in harm’s way. Ace says that
he’s almost 40 but he’s still in shape. Wow I would have put him closer
to fifty.

The Board won’t reconsider their decision so he appeals to the
fans for their support. He asks for our prayers but gets Punk instead.

Punk says that everyone, including him and the rest of the roster has
been praying. Their prayers have been answered by this match on Sunday.
It’s not about if Cena beats him but rather when. It would be more
realistic to say that it’s not if Big Show/Lesnar interferes but when
but you get the idea. Punk says after Ace is fired the party will start
on Raw and it’ll go on through Smackdown next week.

The champ talks about Raw where Ace made Big Show beg for forgiveness
with a smile on his face. Ace constantly insults the intelligence of
the fans and humiliates Teddy, so how does it feel to be on the other
end of the stick? Ace says it’s not over yet so tonight Punk faces Kane.
Punk says that concerns him but he’s going to face Kane like a man.
Next week he’ll still be WWE Champion but Ace will be unemployed. So
let’s see. Punk talked to a guy he’s not facing on Sunday, is facing a
guy that is on the pre-show on Sunday, and didn’t mention his opponent
by name at all. Nice way to show what the real match is guys.

Punk leaves but Ace stops to yell at the fans. He says that since
he’s the GM, he’s been tough but fair. Ace says that he works hard for
the fans and they still boo them. He’s not going to blame Punk and Cena,
because it’s the fans’ fault. If this is his last night, he could care
less about all of them, and with that he leaves.

Cena Make-A-Wish video which is good to mention because it makes you
think of the good stuff WWE guys do. Make sure to remember that if
you’re a Connecticut registered voter.

Kofi Kingston/R-Truth vs. Darren Young/Titus O’Neil

Young and Truth start things off. They fight into the corner and
Truth punches him a bit. Off to Kofi with the springboard cross body for
two. Kofi takes down both opponents but Titus’ distraction lets Young
hit his belly to back suplex onto the apron to take over. Off to Titus
who slams Kofi and hits a splash in the corner. Another attempt hits
boots and it’s off to Young and Truth again. Truth speeds things up and
hits the spinning forearm. DDT gets two as Titus saves. Kofi knocks
O’Neil to the floor and hits a dive as the Little Jimmy pins Young at
2:59.

Just a quick aside here: we have Young and O’Neil brought up as a new
team who look impressive, so in I think their fourth match they job
clean to the champions in less than three minutes. That’s a great way to
make these guys look good. This is where JOBBERS should be used. Throw
Slater and someone else out there for this match and save Young/O’Neil
for later. Unfortunately there are only five teams (Colons, champions,
O’Neil/Young, Usos (are they still alive?) and Swagger/Ziggler) They’re
saving the Colons for a big match I guess, so this is all they can use
and that’s why there’s no division.

Don’t Be A Bully! How long before it’s time to STAND UP for WWE?

Ryder is filming stuff for his show in the back but Sandow is standing next to him. And that’s that apparently.

Video on Ryback. He’s 1/3 of the “they’re monsters but we have no
idea what to do with him yet so we’ll keep having him squash people
until the fans get bored of him” trio with Tensai and Clay.

Damien Sandow vs. Yoshi Tatsu

Sandow won’t fight for the same reasons he gave two weeks ago. He
leaves but Tatsu calls him a chicken, complete with clucking. Sandow
runs in and takes off the robe to reveal hot pink tights that Rick
Martel would look twice at and destroys Tatsu. He hits a version of the
Regal Cutter with both arms pulled instead of just one and then leaves.
There was no bell and no pin so this wasn’t a match.

We recap the events that set up the fourway other than the actual announcement of the match.

Orton and Sheamus are in the back with Striker. Sheamus says he’s
looking forward to fighting three guys and rubs in that he’s not
champion anymore. Orton says he’s no longer so overconfident that he
overlooks his opponents. He can beat anyone on Sunday but wants to beat
Sheamus. Sheamus says he can kick Orton right now but Orton says
compared to him, Sheamus is too nice a guy.

Zack Ryder vs. Daniel Bryan

Ryder gets in some offense to start but a running knee puts him down.
The running dropkick in the corner gets two. Bryan works on the arm a
bit but gets caught by the knees in the corner. Broski Boot misses and
Bryan kicks him in the head. YES Lock gets the submission at 2:28.
Squash.

Kane vs. CM Punk

Bryan is sitting in on commentary, which is going to multiply the
build for this match by about 10,000%. Kane knocks him down to start so
Punk fires some kicks to the legs. A clothesline puts Kane on the floor
and we take a break. Back with Punk kicking the knee some more and
hitting a DDT for two. Punk hooks a Figure Four AND IT’S ON THE PROPER
LEG!!! Kane breaks it quickly but I’m in too much shock to care.

Punk springboards into the uppercut and takes over with some very
slow kicks. A baseball slide sends Punk’s ribs into the post and Kane
focuses on them for a bit. Off to a bearhug and then a backbreaker for
two. There’s a body vice as Bryan talks about the history with Punk and
how their paths reached this point. See how easy it is? Back up and Punk
escapes the chokeslam and hits a swinging neckbreaker for two.

Punk hits the knee in the corner but the bulldog is countered as you
would expect it to be. Since that didn’t work he goes to the middle rope
for the bulldog which gets two. He tries the GTS but the ribs give out.
Big boot gets two for Kane. Bryan sounds like a kid at Christmas with
the ribs being hurt.

Kane loads up a superplex but Punk shoves him off and hits the Macho
Elbow for two. He tries the Vice but Kane blocks it. Top rope
clothesline puts Punk down and it’s chokeslam time. Punk hits the High
Kick to counter and Kane goes to the floor. Suicide dive takes Kane out
but Bryan pops up with a chair. He hits Kane which gives Kane the DQ win
at 9:50 shown of 13:20.

Rating: C-. Not a great match but the main thing
that hurt it was the slow pace of it. They were going by the numbers
here but the ending helped it a bit. If a rib injury for Bryan to focus
on is the best angle we can get to set up the match then we’ll have to
go with it. I mean, WWE isn’t going to bother letting them cut promos on
each other or anything so I’ll take what I can get.

Bryan runs and sees Punk with the chair near him, so he destroys Punk
with it. Bryan hit Kane in the back if that clears anything up. A
chokeslam in the ring leaves Punk laying.

Santino Marella vs. Cody Rhodes

This is the result of an epic Twitter War this week over which title
means more. If you don’t know who’s losing here, I can’t help you.
Booker says the IC Title is a little more prestigious. Cody hits some
knees to the ribs to take over but the moonsault press misses. Here’s
the Cobra but Cody dropkicks him down for two. And never mind as the
Cobra hits for the pin at 1:59. Hey Vince, congratulations on crushing a
guy that could be a big star for you because his brother got fired.
Seriously, why else could this be happening?

Since having a match go longer than two minutes is impossible, here’s Ace’s promo from earlier tonight to fill in time.

Now we spend TEN FULL MINUTES reairing the ENTIRE Big Show firing segment from Monday.

Randy Orton vs. Sheamus

There’s a TON of time left for this because nothing else has happened
on this show. Feeling out process to start with Orton getting caught in
a headlock. Randy speeds things up and hits a dropkick to take over.
They go into the corner and it turns into a shoving match followed by a
fight. A clothesline puts the champion down and Orton does his stomping,
focusing on the ankle for a bit.

A knee drop misses and Sheamus comes back with right hands in the
corner. Orton punches back but Sheamus’ are better and he takes over.
Randy comes back with a clothesline to send Sheamus to the floor but he
sends Orton into the steps. Brogue Kick misses and Orton rams Sheamus’
shoulder into the post. No one has had a distinct advantage at all so
far. That’s Sheamus’ bad shoulder so there’s some psychology thrown in
there.

Orton stomps on the arm to drive it into the steps as we take a
break. Back with Orton bending the arm around the ropes. Some elbows to
the arm keep Sheamus down as does a DDT on the arm. Off to a chinlock
with an arm trap. Sheamus starts a comeback but gets sent into the
corner shoulder first. The champ manages to send him to the floor and
hits a high knee followed by the ten forearms in the ropes.

Sheamus knocks Orton off the apron and into the barricade as we take
another break. Back with Sheamus dropping knees on Orton which
eventually get two. Regal Roll puts Orton down and Sheamus loads up the
High Cross. Orton counters that too, this time into the backbreaker.
Sheamus charges at him but Orton hooks a belly to belly of all things.
He tries the elevated DDT but Sheamus guillotines him on the top to
escape.

Slingshot shoulder puts Orton down and there are the running ax
handles. Powerslam gets two. Another Irish Curse attempt is broken up
but another attempt connects for two. Sheamus goes up but Orton stops
him with punches followed by a top rope superplex. That only gets two
and they slug it out. Brogue Kick misses and Sheamus gets caught in the
rope and the elevated DDT. Orton loads up the RKO but Sheamus ducks.
Brogue Kick misses and Orton tries the RKO again, but Sheamus drops down
into a rollup for the pin at 16:35 shown of 23:35.

Rating: B. I was really getting into this at the end
and the finishing sequence was very nicely done. They were setting up
this as the match with both guys hitting everything they could other
than their big move and then they threw a nicely timed curve ball with
Sheamus winning with a rollup. The ending is also good as neither guy
looks weak here at all and it keeps the main event on Sunday wide open.

Post match they shake hands and Orton RKOs him. That’s a pretty heelish move.

Overall Rating: D+. Until the good main event, this
was on pace to be one of the worst Smackdowns that I can remember in
years. The last quarter of it being good prevented that, but there are
still major holes in this show. First of all, where were Jericho and Del
Rio? They’re in this show’s main event and they’re not even on the
broadcast for a promo? Second, Punk and Bryan is the most thrown out
there main event in a LONG time. Even Bryan vs. Sheamus had a better
build than this. Disappointing show, but a good main event helps it a
lot.

Results
Kofi Kingston/R-Truth b. Titus O’Neil/Darren Young – Little Jimmy to Young
Daniel Bryan b. Zack Ryder – YES Lock
Kane b. CM Punk via DQ when Daniel Bryan interfered
Santino Marella b. Cody Rhodes – Cobra
Sheamus b. Randy Orton – Rollup

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Smackdown
Date: May 11, 2012
Location: Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke, Virginia
Commentators: Michael Cole, Josh Matthews, Booker T

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

We’ve got two shows before Over the Limit and after Raw we have a
fatal fourway main event instead of just Sheamus vs. Del Rio which
should be a big upgrade over the singles match. Other than that we have
very little set up for the PPV on the blue side. The show is going to be
a filler show so it doesn’t really need to be that set up. I’m sure
we’ll get Show vs. Rhodes again too. Let’s get to it.

We open with a clip from the Raw tag match and the post match brawl/announcement in the back.

Sheamus/Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio/Chris Jericho

No car for Del Rio this time. Orton and Jericho get things going.
Randy takes him down with a shoulder block and slaps Sheamus on the
shoulder to tag him in. Sheamus clotheslines Jericho down and brings
Randy back in with a hearty slap on the arm. Off to Del Rio who gets
taken down but the knee drop misses. Alberto goes for the arm and drops
some knees on it.

Randy gets in a boot as the announcers say there’s no point in trying
to predict the fourway. Tag to Sheamus who hits the Regal Roll for two.
Jericho low bridges Sheamus to send him to the floor and gets in a shot
to the injured shoulder. Jericho comes in legally and puts on a
modified Fujiwara armbar.

To give you an idea of the commentary I have to listen to here, this
exchange happens: Josh: “I know you can’t predict a winner in the fatal
fourway but will Sheamus retain?” Michael: “I don’t think so because
it’s almost mathematically impossible. He only has a 25% chance.” After
that butchering of both logic and math, Sheamus hits Jericho with the ax
handle and tags in Orton. RKO is countered but a dropkick gets two for
Orton. Everything breaks down and the referee calls for the bell after
about four seconds for the double DQ at 5:19.

Rating: D+. This wasn’t really a match but rather
just a backdrop for the double DQ ending. That’s probably a good thing
too as there’s no need to have anyone look better or weaker before the
PPV. It was just a basic main event style tag match until then and at
least we didn’t have to wait long before it got thrown out.

Post break we’re told that it’s Del Rio vs. Orton and Sheamus vs. Jericho later.

AJ vs. Kaitlyn

AJ takes her down immediately and then does it again. She dropkicks
the knee and hits a running knee to the head for the pin at 35 seconds.

Post match AJ goes after Kaitlyn again but here’s Daniel Bryan. He
says he’s impressed by her ruthlessness and AJ looks like a little lost
puppy. Bryan sees her in a new light and is willing to move past all the
angst they’ve had. After he becomes WWE Champion at Over the Limit he’s
looking forward to moving on. AJ looks at him and Bryan nods, but Bryan
says he’s looking forward to moving on to Kaitlyn. AJ looks completely
psychotic and leaves.

Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show

Show corners him and chops the chest. Bryan goes for the knee but it
doesn’t do much good. Show chops him again but Bryan manages to take him
down with a middle rope dropkick. He hooks the YES Lock….and there’s
the bell at 1:28. Ace pops up at the timekeeper’s table and says Bryan
wins by submission.

Ace makes Show apologize again and Show is humiliated again. Ace says
that on Monday Show better give him a real apology. Way to emasculate
the good guys WWE! As Ace is leaving he says that at Extreme Rules,
Lesnar destroyed Cena and revolutionized the WWE. In nine nights, he’s
going to beat Cena and shake the WWE to its foundation.

Heath Slater is in the ring and says that his opponent looks like a
caveman with a pea sized brain. The guy he’s facing tonight hasn’t
beaten anyone like the One Man Southern Rock Band. Again, WHAT DOES THAT
NAME MEAN???

Ryback vs. Heath Slater

Slater actually gets in some offense but before I can make an NXT
joke, it’s powerslam, clothesline and MuscleBuster at 1:15 for Ryback’s
latest win.

Teddy Long is guest ring announcer for the next match.

Antonio Cesaro vs. Alex Riley

Teddy has to run off a long list of names for Cesaro such as the
Swiss Sensation, His Opponent’s Plight and Aksana’s Delight. Cesaro hits
a big boot in the corner and a gutwrench suplex. Riley gets in some
jobber offense but the spinebuster is broken up. The European Uppercut
sets up that Gotch whatever move for the pin at 2:23.

Post match Aksana reminds Teddy they were just friends but Cesaro is her lover. They kiss and Teddy wants to cry.

Video on Cena’s work with Make-A-Wish, which he wrote an article for
USA Today about. Love him or hate him, that’s awesome stuff.

Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio

The entrances are cut for some reason. Del Rio controls to start but
Orton comes back and hits the slingshot into the bottom rope for two.
Alberto drapes the arm over the top rope to take over. Hammerlock slam
gets two and it’s off to an armbar. Orton gets up and powerslams Alberto
but the elevated DDT is countered. He sends Orton to the apron and hits
an enziguri for two.

Orton comes back again with the backbreaker but Del Rio kicks him in
the arm. Codebreaker to the arm puts Orton down and he loads up the
armbreaker, but Orton kicks him off. Elevated DDT from the top rope hits
but Ricardo is on the top rope. He jumps right into an RKO which is
good for the DQ at 5:22.

Rating: C. I liked this. The story of Orton using
his usual stuff to counteract all of the arm work was working for me and
even though there was no way Orton would ever tap to the hold, it was
interesting watching him counter all that stuff. Then again I’m an Orton
fan so that probably has a lot to do with it. Also anyone jumping into
an RKO is cool to see.

Del Rio puts Orton’s shoulder into the post and hooks the armbreaker post match.

R-Truth vs. Jack Swagger

This is due to the tag title match that was set up for the PPV. Truth
quickly takes over and hits a dancing legdrop for one. AW and company
are watching in the back. Mason Ryan is with them now. Swagger comes
back with a wheelbarrow suplex for two. He hits Truth’s back a few times
but Truth comes back with a DDT to put both guys down. Swagger tries
another wheelbarrow suplex but Truth rolls him up for two. Dolph trips
up Truth and gets punched and kicked by the champions. Swagger jumps
Truth on the floor but Kofi hits Trouble in Paradise. That lets the
Little Jimmy get the pin at 3:20.

Rating: D+. Another short match in an annoying
series of them tonight. This is your usual formula to set up a tag team
title match and I still have yet to find anyone that cares about this
match and feud at all. This match was just ok at best but again, with
only three and a half minutes to work with, there’s only so much they
could do.

We get a piece of the Cena sitdown interview from Monday.

Santino Marella/Zack Ryder vs. Titus O’Neil/Darren Young

Ryder doesn’t even get an entrance anymore. Titus runs Santino over
to start and slams him down. Off to Young who hits a neckbreaker and
belly to back suplex. Titus suplexes Young onto Santino and it’s off to a
Darren chinlock. Santino escapes and tags in Ryder who speeds things
up. He hits his usual stuff and the Broski Boot gets two on Darren.
Rough Ryder is broken up by Titus and Santino gets clotheslined down
while he loads up the Cobra. Young knocks Ryder off the ropes and the
Demolition Decapitator (called the Ghetto Blaster) gets the pin at 2:59.

Titus makes Lillian announce the winners again. They say they’ll be the new champions and make millions.

Damien Sandow says he knows his message is going over everyone’s
heads but they have no one to look up to. He’ll be the sword of taste
and decency, which concludes the interview. You’re welcome.

Brodus Clay vs. Hunico

Hunico and Camacho jump Brodus before the bell. Camacho is thrown out
and Brodus starts smiling. There’s the bell and the beating begins.
Suplex and splash end this at 54 seconds.

Post match it’s time to dance.

Video on HHH being attacked by Lesnar and Heyman returning to announce Brock quitting on Monday.

Chris Jericho vs. Sheamus

Sheamus takes him into the corner to start and uses the power to
control. Jericho misses a charge into the corner and Sheamus knocks him
off the apron into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Sheamus
hitting the slingshot shoulder block for two. Out to the apron and
Sheamus tries to suplex him to the floor, but Jericho drapes the arm
over the top rope to take over.

Sheamus’ arm goes into the post and Jericho puts on an armbar back in
the ring. The champ fights up but Jericho dropkicks him down. That gets
him nowhere as Sheamus makes his comeback. That gets countered also but
the Walls are countered. Irish Curse is broken up as is the Regal Roll.
The Walls go on but Sheamus is too close to the ropes. He sends Jericho
to the floor where Del Rio pops in and sends Jericho into the steps for
the DQ at 5:45 shown of 9:15.

Rating: C. Just like last time this was a pretty
decent match for the most part as the two of them had chemistry, but I’d
like to talk for a minute about psychology. Sheamus has a bad arm,
Jericho worked on the arm all match, and then he tried a back hold. I
get that it’s his finisher, but sometimes you need to go with the move
that makes sense instead of the finisher.

Post match Del Rio puts Sheamus in the armbreaker but Orton comes out
for the save. Del Rio takes all three finishers and Orton stares at
Sheamus to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show did a great job at
playing up the fourway with only Del Rio looking weak, which more or
less guarantees that he’ll be walking out with the title. The short
matches were annoying, but they got TEN matches on one show which has to
be way up there on the lists of two hour shows. Not a terrible show but
it was more for building up later shows than this one, which is
annoying but understandable.

Results

Sheamus/Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho/Alberto Del Rio went to a double DQ
AJ b. Kaitlyn – Running Knee
Daniel Bryan b. Big Show – YES Lock
Ryback b. Heath Slater – MuscleBuster
Antonio Cesaro b. Alex Riley – Gotch Style Neutralizer
Randy Orton b. Alberto Del Rio via DQ when Ricardo Rodriguez interfered
R-Truth b. Jack Swagger – Little Jimmy
Darren Young/Titus O’Neil b. Zack Ryder/Santino Marella – Demolition Decapitator to Ryder
Brodus Clay b. Hunico – Splash
Chris Jericho b. Sheamus via DQ when Alberto Del Rio interfered

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Smackdown
Date: May 4, 2012
Location: Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T, Josh Matthews

This is the first show after Extreme Rules and Sheamus has retained
the title against Daniel Bryan. Other than that there isn’t much other
than Orton beating Kane in the falls count anywhere match. Sheamus needs
a new challenger now and all signs point to it being Del Rio which is
nothing that I’m interested in but this is WWE so who cares? Let’s get
to it.

Do You Know Your Enemy? Mine is whatever lunkhead turned on the lights in the middle of the Avengers.

Here’s Sheamus to open things up. He says he’s doing what he loves to
do: fight. He doesn’t care where he is, because he just loves fighting.
Bryan almost tore his shoulder off at Extreme Rules so tonight, Bryan
can try to finish it. He was asked if he wanted to fight Bryan, and his
answer was YES. Sheamus starts a YES chant and here comes Bryan for a
gimmick infringement complaint. Sheamus says YES probably 40 times here,
which is probably a record.

Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan

This is non-title I think. Sheamus tries for a headlock as Bryan goes
for the arm. Bryan takes it to the mat but Sheamus fires off a punch to
break that up. A single arm DDT takes Sheamus down as Booker breaks his
vow from a few weeks back and calls him D. Bry. Off to an armbar but
Sheamus gets up pretty quickly. He comes with the power and starts
pounding Bryan down in the corner. A running knee lift sends Bryan to
the floor but Ricardo Rodriguez jumps off the top onto Sheamus for the
DQ at 2:48. This was an angle rather than a match.

Del Rio comes in with the cross armbreaker and Bryan throws on the
YES Lock to leave Sheamus laying.
Bryan yells at Del Rio as referees
hold back Sheamus.

After a break Sheamus is getting his arm looked at.

Kofi Kingston/R-Truth vs. Hunico/Camacho

Epico, Primo, AW and Rosa watch from the ramp. AW has officially
signed the former champs. Truth and Hunico start things off with Hunico
slapping Little Jimmy. Is that child abuse? Off to Kofi who comes in off
a springboard clothesline for two. Kofi gets sent to the apron and
Hunico gets in a shot to send him outside. Camacho gets in a clothesline
on the floor and Hunico adds the hilo for two.

Camacho comes in and gets two off a legdrop. Back to Hunico who comes
in with a slingshot dropkick to Kofi who is seated in the corner. A
monkey flip by Kofi sets up the hot tag and Truth comes in with the
pelvic thrusts. Lie Detector gets two on Camacho and everything breaks
down. A rana sends Hunico and Kofi to the floor so the Little Jimmy can
get the pin at 4:09.

Rating: D+. Nothing tag match but I guess it set up
the idea of Primo/Epico continuing the feud with Kofi/Truth. Wait did I
just call that a feud? It means that sometime there’s going to be
another tag title match and a probably house show program. Can we just
look at Rosa some more instead?

Brodus Clay vs. Jack Swagger

Brodus hits a quick belly to belly suplex for two and runs Swagger
over with ease. Ziggler offers a distraction and Jack hits something
like a spear to take over. Ziggler tries something off the steps but
runs into the headbutt. Back in the ring the suplex looks to set up the
splash but Jack rolls to the floor and takes the countout at 1:43.

More annoying kids get to dance with Brodus post match.

Video on the Cena vs. Lesnar match on Sunday. This transitions into
the end of Raw where Ace revealed himself as Cena’s next opponent.

Del Rio and Bryan are arguing in the back and Eve has to break it up.
Ace is taking a day off for some reason so she and those great glasses
of hers are in charge. Bryan wants to continue his match with Sheamus
and she says maybe. Eve throws both of them out.

Damien Sandow vs. Derrick Bateman

Sandow comes out to the Hallelujah Chorus and in a Bob Backlund robe
and towel. He’s introduced as the Intellectual Savior of the Masses.
Sandow says that he won’t do anything here tonight because it won’t
teach the masses anything, so he’s out of here.

Bateman wants the match he earned the right to on NXT. We have a replacement for him.

Ryback vs. Derrick Bateman

Ryback has some pyro now. Booker thinks of Devastation Inc. when he
looks at Ryback. There’s a stable I never want to think of again. Big
boot, Over the Shoulder Boulder Holder, clothesline, MuscleBuster, 1:11.

Kane/Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton/Big Show

Cody and Randy get us going. Cody goes into the buckle quickly and
cowers away from Show. The big bald comes in to crush Cody in the corner
and brings back Randy. A knee drop gets two as does a dropkick. Off to
Kane for a slugout with Orton and the Viper is in trouble. Kane sends
him into the corner and it’s off to Big Show. He comes in with a spear
to Kane and takes down Cody as well.

Kane gets a DDT to Big Show and we take a break. Back with Cody
stomping on the former champion and then tagging Kane back in. The low
dropkick gets two and it’s time for the chinlock. Show comes back with a
belly to back suplex and it’s the hot (I guess?) tag to Orton. He
powerslams Cody but Kane breaks up the elevated DDT.

Instead it’s the Big Fried Freak taking the DDT and Randy sets up the
RKO. Kane shoves him off and Cody low bridges Orton to the floor. Kane
follows him out and hits a big boot which gets two. Back to Rhodes for
some knee drops and a dropkick for two. Kane comes in again and walks
into the backbreaker.

A clothesline breaks up the hot tag and the champ is in again. Cody
hooks a quick chinlock and tries Cross Rhodes but Orton shoves him off.
There’s the tag to Big Show who cleans house. Kane breaks up the
chokeslam with the top rope clothesline but Orton hits an RKO on the
masked one. WMD gets the pin on Rhodes at 10:47 shown of 14:17.

Rating: C. Just a run of the mill tag match here
which didn’t really change anything. The champion gets pinned by the
same guy that has beaten him on multiple occasions already so Rhodes
looks even weaker. Orton and Kane would seem to be through but they keep
at it here again. There might be a match at Over the Limit but Orton
has already won two matches against him so I don’t know if I’d get the
point.

Post match we’re told that Big Show will get his rematches at live events this weekend. There’s a rarity.

Sheamus is taped up and says he’s fighting tonight.

Layla vs. Natalya

They go to the mat and it’s a standoff. Natalya works on the arm and
hits a discus lariat for two. Abdominal stretch goes on but Layla gets a
sweet rolling counter for two. Layout ends this quickly at 1:58. Layla
is more interesting than most of the other girls but giving her two
minutes a night isn’t going to get anyone anywhere.

Antonio Cesaro and Aksana are taking publicity photos in the back
under Eve’s supervision. She thinks Antonio needs oil and makes Teddy
put it on. Teddy says no but does it eventually.

Alicia and Kaitlyn are standing around doing nothing when AJ comes
up. Alicia leaves and AJ asks for Kaitlyn’s forgiveness. Kaitlyn says
she felt betrayed and was just trying to be her friend. She tells AJ to
stop feeling sorry for herself and earns another slap.

Raw ReBound is about HHH vs. Lesnar.

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus

Del Rio is on commentary. Sheamus’ shoulder is taped up. There sure
are a lot of arm injuries floating around this company lately. Sheamus
basically has to fight from his right side here. He shoves Bryan down
and fires off some elbows in the corner. Bryan comes back with a kick to
the shoulder to take control. Sheamus keeps trying to play defense so
Bryan keeps going for the arm.

Sheamus manages a tilt-a-whirl slam but the Brogue Kick is ducked and
he falls to the floor. We take a break and come back with Bryan hitting
the running knee off the apron. Back inside Bryan ties the arm up in
the ropes and kicks Sheamus down to the floor. The shoulder goes into
the post and back inside a Swan Dive to the shoulder gets two. The tape
is ripped off now and Sheamus is in trouble.

Bryan drives knees into the shoulder and hooks both arms on the mat.
The champ tries to fire off some elbows to the head but can’t break
through. Bryan goes to send him into the post but Sheamus reverses to
send Bryan’s shoulder in and give himself a breather. Here are the
forearms to the chest and a suplex back in gets two. Bryan charges into
the Irish Curse with the left (the bad) arm for two.

Sheamus goes after Daniel but gets his arm draped over the rope. A
missile dropkick gets two and Bryan is frustrated. Sheamus hits the
double ax out of nowhere and loads up the Cross but here’s Del Rio for a
distraction. He doesn’t interfere though so it isn’t a DQ. Bryan tries
to sneak in the YES Lock but Sheamus shoves him into Del Rio. Sheamus
sends Alberto to the floor and Bryan goes up. That goes badly though as
he dives into the Brogue Kick (most of one at least) for the pin at 9:25
shown of 12:55.

Rating: B-. This was a different kind of match than
Sunday but it was still good. I don’t get the point in having Bryan get
beaten again when you had Del Rio interfering already. Just go with the
DQ and set up the next title feud that way instead of taking away some
of Bryan’s momentum. Still though, another good match between these two
who have good chemistry.

Overall Rating: C+. This show was all about
transitioning over to Sheamus vs. Del Rio and that worked to a degree.
At the same time though, they did it at the expense of Bryan who is
going to be getting a world title match at the PPV so that wasn’t the
best idea. Other than that though, nothing really happened on this show.
Nothing was bad and the tag match was ok, but it’s pretty much a
forgettable show other than the main event stuff, which is ok.

Results
Sheamus b. Daniel Bryan via DQ when Ricardo Rodriguez interfered
Kofi Kingston/R-Truth b. Hunico/Camacho – Little Jimmy to Camacho
Brodus Clay b. Jack Swagger via countout
Ryback b. Derrick Bateman – MuscleBuster
Randy Orton/Big Show b. Cody Rhodes/Kane – WMD to Rhodes
Layla b. Natalya – Layout
Sheamus b. Daniel Bryan – Brogue Kick

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Smackdown
Date: April 20, 2012
Location: O2 Arena, London, England
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T, Josh Matthews

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

We’re still in England this week for the last TV show of the tour. I don’t remember anything being announced for tonight’s show so I’m really not sure what to expect from it. We’ll probably get more build to Bryan vs. Sheamus as well as hopefully a few more matches added to the thin card. Let’s get to it.

Do you know your enemy? Mine is an annoying piece of malware at the moment.

There’s a six man tag main event: Cody/Bryan/Henry vs. Orton/Sheamus/Khali.

Here’s Bryan to open the show. He talks about how Sheamus didn’t do anything better than him at Wrestlemania. Instead of facing him like a man, Sheamus took the coward’s way out and jumped Bryan from behind like he’s done to everyone. At Extreme Rules he won’t get jumped or be distracted. So now it’s back to Chicago where he shocked the world by winning the MITB case. He’ll beat Sheamus twice in the two out of three falls match and get back his rightful title. Did Sheamus cheat at Wrestlemania? YES! Will Bryan win the title back at Extreme Rules? YES!

Cue AJ to a lot of booing. How can you boo someone that looks like that? Bryan tells her to turn around and go away but she says this is the only way she can talk to him. AJ asks if she can just talk to him about their problems but Bryan says he has no problems. He had one, but he got rid of her. Bryan regrets ever going out with her in the first place and he wishes that she was never even born. That finally gets the people to boo Bryan. He asks if there’s any chance he’d ever take AJ back and answers with an emphatic NO before leaving.

AJ vs. Natalya

AJ starts off all stoic but suddenly explodes on Natalya, beating her into the corner. The referee pulls her off twice but AJ won’t let up, drawing a DQ at 48 seconds.

Damien Sandow talks about something Benjamin Franklin said and runs down Dancing With The Stars and Hoarders. At least with Dancing it’s about something that involves work and talent. Most of the other shows he criticizes I completely agree with him on.

Brodus Clay vs. Hunico

Brodus has something to say. He says cut the music and gets booed, prompting him to say it’s coming, so don’t worry. His little brother is supposed to be here so he sends the Funkadactyls (the girls) to go find him. And it’s Horny. Cole’s reaction is exactly what mind is. At least the Mama and the Bridge Club was something original. Brodus does his shaking and Horny gets in to do it as well. Hunico becomes my new hero by shoving him down. The squash commences and the splash ends it in 1:10, about 25 seconds of which was spent on the Hornswoggle part.

Horny hits the Tadpole Splash post match. I hope this isn’t permanent.

Teddy is looking for Aksana but finds Titus and Young who are new to Smackdown. They laugh at him for not signing them and now being a gopher. Ace pops up and they all make fun of Teddy. Titus/Young leave so Ace puts one of those big black furry Queen’s guard hats on Teddy who isn’t allowed to talk or move for the rest of the night.

Orton is in the back with Striker and we get a video on the attack on Cowboy Bob last week. Orton, with his growing mutton chops, says that his dad will be fine. On the other hand, Kane isn’t going to be fine. They have a match at Extreme Rules and it’s falls count anywhere.

Usos vs. Titus O’Neal/Darren Young

NXT comes to Fridays. I forgot how annoying Titus’ song was. Young starts with Jimmy who hits a spinning forearm for two. Off to Jey who hits some double chops before bringing Jimmy back in. Titus comes in and the fans do not care at all. He uses his power stuff and gets a small reaction off a European Uppercut. Back to Young who hits a neckbreaker for two. The fans are waking up a bit. A tag brings in Jimmy who gets the only solid reaction for the US shout to the crowd. Jey gets sent to the floor and a blind tag allows Young and Titus to hit a Hart Attack out of the corner for the pin.

Rating: D. It might be because I watched these teams fight so many times on NXT but I didn’t care at all about this match. Titus is ok but Young is so uninteresting that it stuns me that he got a main roster spot. I guess having another tag team on the show is good but this match is nothing of note. Another loss for the Usos doesn’t please me either.

The Raw ReBound is about Jericho vs. Punk.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Big Show

Non-title. Del Rio drives an Aston Martin here which is very appropriate. Del Rio has officially been traded to the Smackdown roster with no compensation announced yet. Big Show blocks Del Rio’s offense out of the corner and shoves him down. Show stands on his chest in the corner and chops it for good measure. An elbow follows for two. Show loads up the big punch but Del Rio kicks him in the knee to take him down.

More kicks to the arm by Del Rio follow and he hooks an armbar. Show shrugs it off but the chokeslam is broken up by a kick to the knee. The Codebreaker to the arm sets up the armbreaker but Show lifts him up with the bad arm into kind of an Angle Slam minus the spin. Show spears him down and calls for the chokeslam. Ricardo gets up on the apron and Cody comes in with the Disaster Kick, giving Del Rio the pin.

Rating: C-. Does any champion other than the world champions EVER get to pin someone? Oh right: Santino does. For the life of me I don’t get the point of why they keep having the champs lose. Have Cody come in for a DQ or something when Show has the match won. One of the biggest reasons the titles mean nothing is the champions lose every time and it’s frustrating because there are other ways to do the same story without having them lose like Show did here.

Cody runs away post match.

Drew McIntyre and Heath Slater are watching the following squash.

Danny Lerman vs. Ryback

Same deal as always but this time it’s a British guy. Lerman hits him and is promptly mangled. Clothesline and MuscleBuster variation win in 1:11.

We get the Brock interview from Raw.

Teddy is still standing in the same place although he’s now in a full uniform. Regal pops up for some jokes and leaves. Aksana’s music hits and HOKEY SMOKE THAT’S CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI! He’s playing the Antonio Cesaro character here, a European rugby player. Ace pops out of his office and invites them in. I’m not British so maybe I don’t get it, but what’s the point of guards that aren’t allowed to move? Couldn’t that create some security risks?

Daniel Bryan/Cody Rhodes/Mark Henry vs. Sheamus/Great Khali/Randy Orton

Main event time. Cody jumps Khali and hits him in the knee as Khali is getting in. Trainers come out and say Khali can’t go. Big Show comes out to replace him.

Daniel Bryan/Cody Rhodes/Mark Henry vs. Sheamus/Big Show/Randy Orton

The match is joined in progress after a break with Randy pounding on Bryan in the corner. Tag to Sheamus so Bryan bails to the corner to tag in Cody. The champ knocks Cody around and hits the rolling fireman’s carry slam for two. Cody’s neckbreaker is countered and Sheamus throws him into position for the ten forearms. Cody reverses a suplex and sends Sheamus to the floor. A baseball slide by Cody sets up the knee off the apron from Bryan, which I think is the same thing that’s happened to him for three or four weeks in a row.

Bryan comes in to stomp on Sheamus now with a YES for each connecting boot. Henry comes in for some choking and it’s back to Rhodes. He works on the arm of the champ and then into a chinlock. Sheamus fights out of that as well and knocks Cody out of the air on the Disaster Kick attempt. Hot tag to Orton and it’s powerslams for all normal sized heels. Cody gets in a shot though and it’s time for a break.

Back with Henry holding Orton in a neck crank and it’s back to Bryan. A running dropkick in the corner gets two. A top rope splash misses and Orton makes the tag to Big Show who faces Henry. Cody manages a knee to the back and Mark clotheslines Show down. The heels beat on him and Cody hooks a figure four that his daddy would be ashamed of. While the hold is still on, Cody makes a tag to Henry who splashes Show for two.

Bryan drops an elbow for two. Hot tag to Sheamus to meet Bryan and the beating is on. Irish Curse gets two with Cody making the save. Rhodes rolls to the floor and lands right in front of Show who knocks him out cold with the WMD. YES Lock is blocked by Sheamus but the Brogue Kick misses as well. Tag to Henry and Sheamus kicks his head off. Show adds the right hand and the RKO gets the pin at 13:20 shown of at least 16:50.

Rating: B. That’s probably high but I was getting into this match at the end. First of all, the right guy got pinned. There would have been no reason to have Bryan or Cody lose before the PPV so Henry was the right choice. Second, they changed up the formula by having each good guy be in trouble which made the match more fleshed out and told a better story. Also the total destruction of Henry at the end was a nice touch.

Show was limping post match.

Overall Rating: B. This was a solid episode as everything moved pretty smoothly and a lot of people got on TV. We had a debut and a solid main event, plus a new match added to the PPV with Kane vs. Orton. The one thing I’m concerned about is we seem to only have five matches (Brock/Cena, Kane/Orton, Jericho/Punk, Sheamus/Bryan and presumably Cody/Show) and there’s a week left. They’ll need to add two or three matches in two shows which is possible but a bit rushed. Still though, good show tonight.

Results
Natalya b. AJ via DQ when AJ wouldn’t stop attacking Natalya in the corner
Brodus Clay b. Hunico – Big Splash
Titus O’Neal/Darren Young b. Usos – Hart Attack out of the corner
Alberto Del Rio b. Big Show – Pin after a Disaster Kick from Cody Rhodes
Ryback b. Danny Lerman – MuscleBuster
Big Show/Randy Orton/Sheamus b. Mark Henry/Daniel Bryan/Cody Rhodes – RKO to Henry

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Smackdown
Date: April 10, 2012
Location: Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia
Commentators: Michael Cole, Josh Matthews, Booker T

This is another special live show with a theme of Blast From The Past. That means that we have the legends coming out again for their semi-annual appearances which don’t mean much other than us getting to say “hey, I know you.” It still should be fun though as most of these shows are. Also we might even get some fallout from last week with Sheamus. Let’s get to it.

Do You Know Your Enemy? Mine is the Indians’ bullpen. How can it be this bad?

We get a quick clip of Bryan breaking up with AJ last week. Bryan is in Piper’s Pit tonight.

Here’s Mean Gene for an interview in the ring with Sheamus. Ok so by interview it means introducing him and standing in the corner. Sheamus talks about there being a code of honor as champion and he didn’t follow it last week. There was a Daniel Bryan chant as he started talking but it wasn’t a huge one. He publicly apologizes to all referees including Chad Patton. Everyone makes mistakes and he always learns the hard way from them.

Ace’s new trumpet music cuts him off. He shows us the clip of the ending of last week’s main event and the Brogue Kick after the match. Ace wants to know who Sheamus thinks he is and demands a public apology. Sheamus says he just did that and Ace says he didn’t hear it so do it again. He does it again and Ace wants an apology to all of the other referees and we get the same exchange with the same result. Now Ace wants an apology to the world which brings a smirk to Sheamus’ face.

Ace says apologize now which Sheamus does, almost laughing at the same time. That’s not good enough apparently and Sheamus is on permanent probation, meaning that if he touches a referee by accident or on purpose, he’s fired. Also he’s being fined $500,000. Also tonight it’s Del Rio/Bryan vs. Sheamus/Okerlund. As long as we don’t see him in trunks again I’m ok. This was an attempt at making us care about Sheamus and while it’s nothing new at all, it’s certainly better than nothing.

Bob Orton wishes his son good luck in his upcoming match.

Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry

Henry misses a charge and Orton pounds away with right hands. He tries to climb the corner to punch even harder but gets slammed out for two. Bob is watching in the back as we take a break, 80 seconds into the match. Back with Orton fighting out of a neck crank. We see a clip from the break of Orton avoiding a charging Henry to send him into the stairs. Back to the neck crank and then a slam sets up a splash for two. Orton gets his feet up to stop a charging Henry and hits him clotheslines which don’t work.

A low DDT like Miz uses gets two. RKO is countered with Henry throwing Orton to the floor. Orton comes back and rams him into the post twice and slides in when Kane’s pyro goes off. Kane pops up on the screen and says by beating him at Mania, he became a monster again. Last week Orton proved he can be just as evil as Kane is. Kane says it shouldn’t end now, so we pan back to see Bob Orton laid out in front of him. The match just stops at about 11:00.

Rating: C-. This was watchable but not much more. I have no idea why it was a no contest instead of the logical countout win for Henry. Henry has a world title match on Monday so you need to keep him strong, but at the same time you don’t want Orton to look weak. The perfect solution? Countout loss, but for some reason that’s not what we get because WWE has no idea what they’re doing for the most part with basic things like that anymore.

Randy runs to the back and finds his dad but Kane drills him with a pipe and says he’s a sucker for family reunions.

Back and we recap what we saw four minutes ago.

DiBiase and Atlas are watching from the back. Atlas says this is going to be a squash match.

Ryback vs. Benny Camer

Patterson and Hillbilly Jim are watching in the back as well. Ryback KILLS HIM with a clothesline right after the bell and then puts him in a torture rack position and falls backwards for the pin at 35 seconds. WAY better than both Lord Tensai matches so far as Ryback looked like a killer.

Heath Slater is trying to talk Tyson Kidd into teaming with him tonight. Slater even has a Hall of Fame manager for them that says Slater could be the next Honky Tonk Man. It’s Jimmy Hart, who looks exactly the same as he did 20 years ago. Take that for what you will.

Mick Foley comes out to do commentary.

Heath Slater/Tyson Kidd vs. Usos

Cole actually references Countdown to Lockdown (not by name) when talking about Foley’s commentary history. We get the Megaphone which never goes out of style. Jimmy starts with Tyson in this NXT special. They exchange cradles and Slater tags himself in. Off to a chinlock and Jimmy says that he’s had more tag champions than anyone in the history of the WWE. I think Captain Lou might have something to say about that. The Usos make the hot tag and clean house, hitting their toss into the Samoan Drop. Mick gets tired of Jimmy and chases him off with Socko, allowing the Superfly Splash to end this mess at 2:40.

Jimmy takes Socko post match. These legends bits aren’t working at all for the most part.

Time for the Pit with Bryan as the guest. He looks pretty good. Old but good. He’s not as big as a house if nothing else. Piper says he misses being here and says Bryan is the guest tonight, getting a somewhat mixed reaction. We see the breakup clip for the fourth time tonight and here’s Bryan. There’s a brief but solid YES chant but it dies quickly. Piper says Bryan looks happy for someone that lost the title in 18 seconds. Bryan says he’s been granted his rematch and the fans chant 18 seconds. The match is at Extreme Rules and it’s 2/3 falls. AJ will be nowhere to be found.

Piper isn’t sure about that but he does know that AJ is here tonight. He likes AJ and since this is his show, AJ, COME ON DOWN! AJ comes out and is very excited to be in the Pit. She says hi to Daniel and Piper is surprised. AJ defends Bryan and says that deep down, he’s a good person. Piper says in the Pit you don’t have to be politically correct. AJ insists it was her fault and begs forgiveness. She wants to talk to Bryan and Piper tries to talk her out of it. Bryan cuts them off and says if AJ loves him, she’ll leave right now. Piper says she doesn’t need to listen to Bryan but AJ leaves anyway, getting a reaction out of it too.

Bryan goes to leave but Piper goes into Hot Rod mode and talks about Bryan’s YES YES YES shirt. Piper says he has a lot of children including four girls, four ladies. Piper says you don’t tell a lady to shut up. That’s a No. You don’t yell at a lady. That’s a No. You don’t use a lady as a human shield, because that’s a coward, and that’s Bryan, also a No. Piper says he’s looking forward to seeing Sheamus kick Bryan’s head off twice. Bryan slaps Piper and runs away. Piper was on here and it worked well.

Drew McIntyre/Bella Twins vs. Great Khali/Natalya/Beth Phoenix

Men vs. men and women vs. women. The men start but Drew gets chopped and tags out. He says he doesn’t need this and walks out. Alicia hits a northern lights suples on Brie for the pin at 56 seconds. What was the point in this match existing?

Mae Young comes out and kisses Khali. I guess that’s why the match existed.

Damien Sandow explains how sophisticated he is. He doesn’t like social media because it furthers the moral decay of society. Preach it brother.

Another clip of Kane and the Ortons earlier.

Raw ReBound.

Gene thinks Sheamus has a plan for tonight. Sheamus says they’re probably going to lose tonight but he’s not going to let Ace have the satisfaction of seeing Sheamus sweat. If they survive, the first pint is on Sheamus. They’ll either drink to remember or drink to forget.

Jim Duggan vs. Hunico

Duggan knocks him to the floor where Camacho is waiting. Duggan calls out Sarge and I think we have a tag match on our hands. Well it is Smackdown after all. Or maybe Sarge throws Duggan the 2×4 and it’s a DQ at 1:00. Hunico takes the Cobra Clutch post match.

Here’s Cody to complain about life in general. He’s looking forward to a future where he’s the champion again and where these legends don’t hog the spotlight. This brings out Dusty for what could be interesting. Dusty says that he’d do anything for his son, but he doesn’t quite get what Cody has been doing lately. Cody has been poking a grizzly bear lately in Big Show. Dusty gets cut off as Cody says Dusty is embarrassing him and they can talk in the back.

Cody goes to leave but here’s Big Show. He does the required Dusty impression and says he’ll show the real Cody Rhodes. It’s one of the Dashing Tips videos, this one being him putting on lip gloss. Cody looks stunned and Dusty looks…..uh…….I think the right word is disappointed. Show says that was embarrassing and leaves. Dusty doesn’t say anything but does get to dance to his music. I still stand by my theory that Dusty’s kids are the biggest ribs in the history of pro wrestling.

Alberto Del Rio/Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus/Gene Okerlund

The Fink does Gene/Sheamus’ entrance, making it instantly better. Sheamus starts with Del Rio but the heels double team him down quickly. Gene is in a Sheamus t-shirt and pants thankfully. Del Rio puts on a facelock but gets backdropped quickly. Sheamus throws both of them around but the Brogue Kick misses. Bryan dropkicks him to the floor and Del Rio kicks his head off.

Gene gets in for some reason and is surrounded. Ricardo is in there too. The Legends Army comes out to distract Bryan, allowing Sheamus to kick his head off for the pin at 3:23. I’m not going to rate it as most of that was Gene getting trapped and the Legends coming in, but the match was nothing at all of note anyway.

The legends all beat up Ricardo and celebrate to end the show. We’re not done yet though as Cole gets in the ring and says he knows they have to get back to the retirement home so let’s get a quick photo. They surround him and Patterson gives him a weak right hand to knock him to the floor. Atlas has some GUNS on him.

Overall Rating: C+. This is a hard one to grade. First of all, if you’re looking for the Smackdown version of Old School Raw, you didn’t get it here. This was more like a regular episode of Smackdown with some legends thrown in rather than the other way around. Now that being said it still worked okish, with the Pit being a highlight. The Sheamus vs. Ace stuff is decent as it gives Sheamus what he needs more than anything else: something people can relate to.

Since he turned face back in August, all he’s really done is beat people up and tell the occasional funny Irish story. That’s only going to get him so far and I think we reached that back in January. This is something a little different and while it’s something we’ve seen before, I liked how Sheamus handled it. It’s something I want to see continue and that’s a really good sign. This was a good show overall, but it’s not a great one.

Results
Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry went to a no contest
Ryback b. Benny Camer – Torture Rack Drop
Usos b. Tyson Kidd/Heath Slater – Superfly Splash to Slater
Great Khali/Natalya/Alicia Fox b. Bella Twins/Drew McIntyre – Northern lights suplex to Brie
Hunico b. Jim Duggan via DQ when Duggan hit Hunico with the 2×4
Sheamus/Gene Okerlund b. Alberto Del Rio/Daniel Bryan – Brogue Kick to Bryan

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Smackdown
Date: April 6, 2012
Location: Orlando Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T, Josh Matthews

It’s the first show of the new year on Fridays and we have a new boss. Tonight we have Sheamus vs. Del Rio where if Del Rio wins he gets a title match at some later date. It should be interesting to see where Bryan goes after this as he’ll certainly get a rematch somewhere. It’s always interesting to see where things go immediately after Mania, so let’s get to it.

We open with Otunga introducing Johnny Ace to trumpet fanfare. David is wearing what can only be described as a suit jacket over his shoulders that would be big on Viscera. Ace talks about how he’s going to bring charisma and leadership to this show as it’s never been done before. This is a new era of people power. Ace hopes Teddy will be professional during this transition. He asks Teddy to come out and is almost immediately cut off in his smug speech. Teddy says he can tell Ace what he really thinks of him now that he’s out of a job.

He was told it would be crazy to come to Smackdown tonight but he couldn’t just leave the job without thanking the fans. He’s had a great job being the GM and he’d like a holla holla holla before he leaves. Teddy goes to leave but Ace says hang on a second. He offers Teddy a job in the new administration but Teddy turns it down.

Ace reminds him of his grandchildren who need to go to college. Otunga points out that somehow Ace controls the college fund the company set up for Long’s grandchildren, so Teddy reluctantly takes the job of Ace’s lackey. Oh wait first he also have to say that Ace is better than him or it doesn’t happen. Teddy says it but Ace wants to hear it once more, with feeling. No word on what the job is yet but it likely won’t be good for him. Teddy leaves and Ace announces Kane vs. Orton in a No DQ match, but first we have this.

Mark Henry/David Otunga vs. R-Truth

Apparently Booker has to be in Connecticut for a closed door meeting next week with the WWE bosses. Otunga starts and is quickly taken down by a clothesline for two. Lie Detector gets two. Henry comes in who kicks Truth down with a big boot. Abraham Washington is watching in the back. Truth avoids a charge in the corner and hits a side kick, but the World’s Strongest Slam kills him so that Otunga can get the pin at 2:03.

With all three of them still in the ring, here’s Kane. I guess they’re just cutting down the time between matches because he doesn’t do anything to any of them.

Kane vs. Randy Orton

This is a No DQ match. Kane knocks him to the floor very quickly but Orton rams him into the barricade. Kane sees Orton’s barricade and raises him a table to take over. Orton throws him over the table and then into the steps. This is a total brawl so far. Kane punches him up the ramp and they slug it out on the stage. Orton almost knocks Kane off the stage but Kane grabs him by the throat. Randy fights out of that and tries the RKO but Kane DDTs him as we take a break.

Back with them in the ring and Kane taking off the turnbuckle pad. Clothesline gets two for Kane. Orton breaks up the top rope clothesline and dropkicks Kane down. Powerslam looks to set up the RKO but Kane bails to the floor. He pulls Randy to the floor and they slug it out even more. Kane gets dropped on the barricade and a clothesline knocks him over into the time keeper’s area.

Orton tries the elevated DDT on the floor but Kane fights out of it and big boots Orton down. Kane goes under the ring and throws five chairs into the ring. As he comes back in though Orton kicks him in the face and pops him with the chair a few times. The Elevated DDT onto the chair gets two. Kane picks up the chair and goes off on Randy with it but can only get two. Here comes the chokeslam but Orton shoves him into the exposed buckle and the RKO finishes at 10:20 shown of 13:50.

Rating: B-. I liked the match but I think the one at Mania was better. Orton evening the score here is good as he’s been jobbing a lot lately, but I’m not sure I get the idea of having this rematch five days after Mania. This wasn’t the best No DQ match on Smackdown that I’ve ever seen but it did its job well enough.

We get a package of stills from Bryan vs. Sheamus. You know, to make sure no one sees the full version of it.

We get a clip from Raw with Del Rio and Sheamus.

Jobber Barry Stevens gets to talk while the lower card watches in the back for some reason. He thinks the people in Orlando are rude.

Ryback vs. Barry Stevens

Ryback is more famous as Skip Sheffield and is acknowledged as being on the first season of NXT but his name isn’t given. I’m assuming the roster was watching for Ryback. Total squash with a kind of delayed fisherman’s brainbuster getting the pin at 1:08. It looked kind of like a MuscleBuster but more like a suplex than dropping him on the back of his head.

Here are Bryan and AJ to talk about Sunday. Bryan says he’s had a chance to think since Sunday…and he tails off. AJ takes the mic and says that Bryan is a great wrestler and a great person. She’s not the only one that thinks that, drawing a loud YES chant. She talks about the YES signs and chants at Mania and Raw, even when Bryan wasn’t in the ring, which causes a Daniel Bryan chant. Everyone is here to support him.

Bryan doesn’t think that it’s support, but rather mocking. Fans: “NO! NO! NO!” These people are sheep and they don’t make it any better, because AJ cost him the title. He screams at her about how he beat giants in the cage and how he won the Chamber but AJ just had to have her kiss and cost him the title. It was really the kiss of death.

AJ tries to defend herself but Bryan says she won’t make him the bad guy because it’s her fault. It was her clinginess and selfishness that cost Bryan everything. That’ll never happen again because they’re through. He tells her to go sit in her SUV and eat a cheeseburger. Dang those are some serious words. She begs him to talk about this but he dumps her anyway and throws her out of his ring. The fans give her the Goodbye Song.

Big Show vs. Heath Slater

Cody is on commentary. Before the match Show airs the same video from Raw with Cody getting knocked out. Show chops him a lot and throws him around as Cody says he isn’t sure what went wrong on Sunday. Show tackles him and the chokeslam ends this at 1:14.

Cody almost goes in to fight Big Show but changes his mind. Show knocks out Slater with the WMD.

We get the Punk/Jericho segment from Raw with the alcohol.

The Bellas are in the back with Ace when Sheamus comes in. This is his first appearance as champion: a backstage segment. The referee has been told to bring Alberto and Sheamus face to face tonight so Sheamus can’t kick him in the face. Sheamus says ok and only those that deserve it will get a surprise kick. He talks about his cousin who was a bully and how he was in charge until the people rebelled against him. Subtle.

Beth Phoenix vs. Nikki Bella

Kelly comes out for no apparent reason. Total dominance until Kelly comes to the apron for no apparent reason. She distracts Beth who then charges shoulder first into the post, letting Nikki hit an X Factor for the pin at 59 seconds. This enhanced the show so much for me.

Video on Chief Jay Strongbow who passed away earlier this week.

We get a video on newcomer Damien Sandow, who talks about how real entertainment is a lost art. Instead of listening to Mozart or reading Shakespeare, we now watch Jersey Shore and Real Housewives. He doesn’t blame the people for it, but he will save you from it. Sandow is Idol Stevens from OVW and went by Sandow in FCW.

We get some videos of Cena before Mania, talking about how he has to win. This is followed up by Lesnar’s return and the F5. Once again Cole screws up the return as he sounds like he’s calling a Superstars comeback.

The Three Stooges cast will be guest starring on Raw. I really hope that doesn’t hurt the hot streak WWE has been on.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Sheamus

If Alberto wins, he gets a future title shot. We have about 15 minutes of airtime left and this is the first live appearance of Sheamus. That goes a long way in telling you where he stands in the company’s eyes. There’s a break between the entrances and Tuesday will be a live Blast From The Past Smackdown. That should be fun. Josh talks about a WWE Magazine article about what Del Rio’s trunks signify. Booker: “They mean he has money. Don’t overcomplicate things.”

Del Rio tries to go after the arm but Sheamus comes back with the Finlay fireman’s carry roll which I can’t think of the name of. Josh says this is for the title and that isn’t disputed by either other commentator, but I’m pretty sure it’s not on the line here. Alberto works on the arm but the Armbreaker is broken up and Sheamus tries a Brogue Kick which is ducked. Del Rio heads to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Sheamus getting two off the slingshot shoulder. Sheamus hits the ten forearms to the chest but Del Rio escapes and a running enziguri puts Sheamus on the floor. He rams Sheamus’ shoulder into the steps and hooks an arm hold back inside. Sheamus tries a neckbreaker but Del Rio escapes and goes back to the arm.

Alberto charges into the Irish Curse and both guys are down. Sheamus destroys him with power moves and calls for the Brogue Kick but Ricardo pops up for a distraction. Del Rio brings in a chair but Sheamus takes it away. The referee sees him holding it and calls for a DQ at 7:39 shown of 11:09. Sheamus didn’t use the chair.

Rating: C. I wasn’t into this match at all and it really wasn’t a good way to start off Sheamus’ reign. At the end of the day, Del Rio is boring. There’s NOTHING to his character besides he’s rich, he’s Mexican, and he uses a cross armbreaker. That’s it. He was showing some signs of being very evil and sinister when he injured Christian and stood over him with that evil smile, but now that’s all gone. There’s nothing to him but he stays in the title picture non-stop. I don’t get it.

Sheamus kicks the referee to end the show. Nice guy.

Overall Rating: C-. I really wasn’t into this show. They did a really bad job of showcasing the new champion, as he popped up halfway through the show for a pointless backstage segment, had a weak match which he lost, and was treated like a second act. This show was about Laurinitis who is most well known for being boring. That’s not exactly something that makes me want to watch Smackdown, but hopefully things get better next week.

Results
David Otunga/Mark Henry b. R-Truth – Otunga pinned R-Truth after a World’s Strongest Slam
Randy Orton b. Kane – RKO
Ryback b. Barry Stevens – Delayed Fisherman’s Brainbuster
Big Show b. Heath Slater – Chokeslam
Nikki Bella b. Beth Phoenix – Facejam
Alberto Del Rio b. Sheamus via DQ when Sheamus was seen holding a chair

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Smackdown
Date: March 23, 2012
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T, Josh Matthews

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

We’re closing in on Wrestlemania even more now and the main event tonight is, you guessed it, another tag match. For some reason Miz is in this match instead of Jericho, teaming with Bryan to face Punk/Sheamus. I don’t get that: why not have all four of them in the same match? Either way, having Sheamus and Bryan in the same ring is a good thing as they need all the help they can get at this point. Let’s get to it.

Do You Know Your Enemy? Mine is the Indiana Hoosiers. They need to be eliminated.

Here are AJ and Bryan to open the show. Good heat on the champ here. Bryan celebrates before saying anything else. AJ is asked what’s so great about being Bryan’s girlfriend. He has soft lips, he caresses her and sometimes they spoon. She calls him Danny and gets corrected before going into a list of his better traits. Being a vegan is a good thing. She isn’t as thrilled about this batch of them. Most importantly AJ feels safe. Bryan whispers something to her to say and she says it’s a little personal. He says say it, so AJ says he’s a great lover. Oh and he’ll keep the title at Wrestlemania.

Bryan starts a cheer for himself but here’s Sheamus. They’ve at least been having these two interact a bit which has been a plus. Sheamus says he threw up in his mouth a bit back there listening to this. He makes fun of the soft lips stuff and says he doesn’t want to go there, but he does want to go to Wrestlemania. Sheamus calls him Danny which is corrected and also starts a chant. He calls Bryan Danny Boy which doesn’t sit well with the champ either. “If you don’t like that, you’ll hate being called the former World Heavyweight Champion.” Sheamus says he’ll kick Bryan’s teeth down his throat. I liked this a lot.

R-Truth vs. Mark Henry

Truth hammers away which works about as well as any other attacks by average sized men on monsters. Truth gets knocked down by a headbutt and is sent to the floor. Henry crushes Truth’s head against the steps and they go back inside. Henry misses an elbow drop and Truth hits a seated dropkick and a low DDT for one. Truth goes up and jumps into the World’s Strongest Slam for the pin at 2:59. Total squash. Team Johnny wins again. I know they’re winning at the PPV but at least make it look possible. Please?

Big Show vs. Kane again tonight.

We get what might be a first: the debut of a Hall of Fame announcement on Smackdown. It’s Yokozuna. No issues with that. Mil Mascaras is mentioned as going in with this class, which I believe is the first time that’s been mentioned on WWE TV.

We get a clip from Raw of Ryder’s rally and cut to Team Teddy in Long’s office. Teddy says he needs more convincing so Horny comes in with a Team Teddy flag. He’s the official mascot of the team now. Khali comes in wearing Ryder gear and says Woo Woo Woo You Know It. Ryder and Khali are on the team now. Well it’s better than no appearance at all. His stuff with Kane and Cena is never going to be mentioned again is it?

AJ vs. Brie Bella

AJ is the home state girl being from Jersey. An inset interview from the Bellas has them talking about how Brie doesn’t want Nikki’s advice because Nikki lost last week. Booker apologizes for one of his statements about AJ recently. Which statement that is he doesn’t list but whatever. Brie controls to start and stomps away at AJ. Bryan’s advice: do better. Off to a chinlock which is pretty quickly broken. AJ hooks a Fujiwara Armbar and a decent one. Nikki gets up on the apron to distract AJ but Brie rams into Nikki and is rolled up for the pin at 2:48.

Post match we find out that Brie is Team Teddy and Nikki is Team Johnny. Brie leads a T-E-D-D-Y cheer. That’s just what this feud needed: THE BELLAS!

Jack Swagger vs. Zack Ryder

Apparently Lillian legitimately screwed up the entrance and called Ryder “The Long Island Iced Z, Jack Swagger.” The fans are WAY into Ryder. They better be careful or he’ll get sent down to NXT. He controls to start and hammers on Swagger but Jack moves out of the way in the corner. Swagger uses almost a judo throw to take Ryder down and throws on a top wristlock.

Ryder gets his knees up in the corner and starts his comeback. He slams Swagger’s face into the mat and hits the Broski Boot for two. Rough Ryder is countered into a buckle bomb followed by it’s Vader cousin for two. Horny chases Vickie onto the apron and the distraction allows the Rough Ryder to get the pin at 4:30.

Rating: C-. I’m glad to see Ryder get his win back but it’s negated by the general annoyance factor brought on by Hornswoggle being out there. That guy gets annoying fast. Anyway, decent match and it’s good to see Ryder back and winning matches (mostly) clean. Him getting on Mania will be good too, even though he’ll be on the losing team.

We get a clip from Monday of Cody attacking Big Show.

Earlier today, Cody says he’s been enjoying embarrassing Big Show lately. The biggest embarrassment is going to be at Mania though. Knucklehead 2 perhaps? Cody leaves, saying he has a plane to catch. Then why did you come to the arena?

Big Show vs. Kane

Show starts off fast and runs over Kane. He hammers away and Kane bails to the floor. Kane sends Show into the post and hits the low dropkick back in the ring. Kane hooks a chinlock but Show gets up and they clothesline each other. Show gets up and starts pounding on Kane but the big fried freak comes back with a DDT for two. Kane goes up but jumps into a chokeslam. Cody runs in for the DQ at 3:45.

Rating: D. This continues to be nothing. These two never have clicked at all so keeping it short like this was probably the best idea. Cody running in was pretty obvious as he did the same thing on Monday. I guess they were out of stuff to do in this feud so they’re just having Cody cost Show matches, even though he gave him a win here.

Show chases Rhodes into the crowd. Orton comes in and RKOs Kane.

Same anti-bullying video from Raw.

Brodus Clay vs. Heath Slater

Brodus is in green tonight. Notice that the announcers have stopped seeming to have a blast when he comes out. It’s like they’ve been told to cool it or something. Slater dropkicks the knee out and hits an enziguri, perhaps becoming the first person to ever cover Brodus. Brodus comes back with his usual and the splash ends this in 1:24. This guy needs a feud in the worst way. Throw him on Team Teddy if nothing else.

Ryder runs into Eve in the back and they say they’re both going to Wrestlemania. Zack says she’s beautiful and smart, which Eve takes as an insult because she thinks Ryder sounds like it was a recent development. She storms off, saying their dinner is off. This is going to go on for a long time isn’t it?

Raw ReBound is about the three way talking session that didn’t say anything new from the end of Raw.

Great Khali vs. Dolph Ziggler

Christian is on commentary. Cole again points out how one sided the team situation is and how serious one side is while how goofy the other is. Christian gets a text from Johnny, who is all of 8 feet from him. Khali throws Ziggler around and chops him down. Ziggler gets in a shot and hammers away as Booker argues with Booker. Christian wants Cole to be Team Johnny’s mascot. Khali comes back with his array of clotheslines but the chop misses. Sleeper goes on and Ace rings the bell at 2:42, Montreal style. Yep, that just happened.

Teddy says hang on a minute and restarts it. Ziggler is given to ten to get back in and doesn’t get back in. Santino and Kofi throw him in anyway and Khali chops him down. I’m already sick of this feud because there are SO many people in it and there are still two more to be added.

CM Punk/Sheamus vs. The Miz/Daniel Bryan

Is there any logical reason for Jericho not to be in this? Sheamus and Bryan start but Bryan immediately tags out. Sheamus takes over with a headlock and clothesline and it’s time for Punk. The slingshot shoulder brings Sheamus back in and gets two. Irish Curse gets two. Sheamus pulls Bryan in but the distraction lets Miz knock him to the floor and Bryan adds a knee to the head as we take a break.

Back with Miz kicking Sheamus in the head and putting on a chinlock. A backdrop gets Sheamus out of trouble and he makes the tag to Punk. The champ comes in with a springboard clothesline and the running knee/bulldog combo takes Miz down. He loads up the Macho Elbow but Bryan distracts him down. Miz hits the low DDT for two and it’s time for champion vs. champion.

Bryan chokes Punk out and we get a Danny Boy chant. Booker says Miz has been surpassed by his former pupil. Miz gets in a shot to the back to keep Punk from getting momentum and then adds a kneelift for two. Punk takes Miz down and there’s the tag, resulting in Bryan running for his life. Sheamus cleans house and hits the forearms to the chest of Bryan. The Brogue Kick kills Miz at 6:43 shown of 10:13.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t really into this one because the ending could be seen coming a mile away. Bryan running from Sheamus is kind of interesting I guess because it’s the story of his title reign, but I’m hoping at Mania that he finally gets caught. Other than that, nothing to see here because Punk has no reason to want to fight either of his opponents here.

Overall Rating: C. This was an ok show and that’s about it. They’re in full on Mania push mode at this point and that can become a problem. Much like Raw, there’s not much to see on these shows because the PPV has been set for weeks now. Not a bad show or anything, but other than Ryder and Khali being added to Team Teddy, there’s nothing here that’s new material.

Results
Mark Henry b. R-Truth – World’s Strongest Slam
AJ b. Brie Bella – Rollup
Zack Ryder b. Jack Swagger – Rough Ryder
Big Show b. Kane via DQ when Cody Rhodes interfered
Brodus Clay b. Heath Slater – Big Splash
Great Khali b. Dolph Ziggler via countout
CM Punk/Sheamus b. The Miz/Daniel Bryan – Brogue Kick to Miz

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