# 1
If anyone tuned into Smackdown last night and expected some sort of re-emergence of WCW's classic PPV idea....i really don't know what to tell you. Go buy yourself some WCW DVDs and hand pick matches that remind you how good this PPV concept used to be. Instead of getting the traditional treatment (you know? Great matches surrounded by hot angles that are clothed in an Americana-like theme?), we got your usual, generally pointless episode of Smackdown that anyone could of missed. I feel like a broken record every week i write my Smackdown review!
To be honest, i am surprised that little to nothing happened on this show, considering it was a live episode of Smackdown. In past live episodes, Smackdown produced AT LEAST a handful of really fun matches that stick with us for a while. I mean, i still remember Orton verses Christain for the World Title in a Cage Match from last year. But last night, we got the usual WWE treatment:
- A series of hokey "Great American BBQ" segments that went nowhere and did nothing. Kane lighting the BBQ with his pyro at the beginning of the show was actually funny. But the rest didn't mean anything. You know, you can still have goofy comedy segments that act as a backdrop to actual storyline development.
- Another "the writers are stuck with a main event match so we will go back to the well" Battle Royal Main event. But this one had a twist! The winner gets to be GM for Smackdown next week! I do remember WWE telling us that a former-GM will run both RAW AND SD until the 1000th episode of RAW, but i guess having this Battle Royal is a better idea than sticking to storyline coherency.
The idea opened up some solid potential storyline potential for the Money in the Bank go-home show (ie Del Rio would win then make Sheamus's life a living hell going into the World Title Match/ Show would win and go after Cena etc). But no, they had ZACK FREAKIN RYDER WIN.............WHAT?! Why? This is a guy who has been buried ever since...forever and has barely been on TV. Its just another example of Ryder getting the smallest of pushes, followed by another career burial somewhere down the road. Having h9im win was a decision that SUCKED and made no sense. What a waste of a stipulation and what a waste of a live Smackdown.
You would think that WWE would try and make their live editions of Smackdown something to truly see. Instead, they produce a show that is just like any other Smackdown *YAWN*. If they are going to continue to do this, they should just save their money and leave the show taped on Fridays.
# 2
AJ's interview was another missed opportunity. Once Bryan and Punk got into the ring and went face-to-face, i was thinking i was going to see the promo i wanted out of Punk. Something that re-focused on the WWE Title. Something like this: "this woman is just a distraction from the real truth. I am going to beat you once again for the WWE Championship and prove to the world that i am the best in the world!"
But no. We got Cole attempt to berate AJ, then hit on her, which was meant to come off as comedy. Then we got Bryan try to suck up to her (which makes no real sense in the context of how he has been for the last few weeks) and worst, we had CM Punk visualy upset over the fact that AJ kissed Bryan! I didn't mind his concerning promo towards AJ, but cmon! Are we meant to think he actually FEELS something for this chick?
The big moment was AJ kissing both men. Again, this is somehting that i could easily see in a video package on RAW. In fact, a video package would be better than this drawn out segment where nothing of interest actually went down. So, the AJ storyline stalled on Smackdown this week. Hopefully we get something interesting on RAW this coming Monday.
# 3
The only shining light to come out of this sub-par episode of Smackdown was the opening segment involving Sheamus and a renewed Alberto Del Rio.
For months now, Alberto Del Rio has been such a faceless heel that we are programed to hate. He comes to the ring in his car, he barely does any promos and wrestles good matches. That has been the extent of his contribution to WWE television since returning after Wrestlemania 28. A few weeks back, i watched him wrestle at Over The Limit, and i thought to myself "Why do we hate De Rio? Because he drives a nice car? The guy hasn't done anything heel-like in months!".
Well, this all changed last night. A video package outlining his destruction of Sin Cara was followed by a passionate promo by Del Rio, talking about how he is richer than anyone else and how this makes him better than everyone. His delivery and his interaction with the live crowd was one of the best of his carrer. It felt as natural as it is going to get from Del Rio on the stick. This was followed by Sheamus the babyface, coming out to defend the honour of the "WWE Universe". THIS is where things got even better. Sheamus was blindsided by the "snake" Ricardo Rodrigues, which gave Del Rio the advantage. Everyone knows i am a sucker for agressive beat downs by heels. I think its a tried and true thematic device that makes the audience want to see the heel get his so bad. This segment was no exception. Del Rio delivered stiff ensiguri kicks to the back of Sheamus's head, which gave the Mexican Aristocrat the opportunity to crush Sheamus's neck beteween the engine and the hood of his Royals Royce. He did this over and over and over again in an overly aggresive manner to my intense liking! The sight of blood gave the segment that added sense of realism, as Del Rio talked trash in Spanish as he stood over the World Heavyweight Championship.
With Michael Cole shouting "I have never seen Del Rio this intense!! " on commentary, the opening segment hit all the right marks: It established the arogance of Alberto Del Rio as a strong heel, it established the "never say die" attitude of Sheamus as a babyface, and it established the fact that audiences everywhere cannot wait to see Del Rio get his come Money in the Bank. Just great GREAT stuff!
Match Results:
Match No. 1:
Divas Champion Layla and The Great Khali
def
Antonio Ceasaro and Aksana
Rating: 1/4*
Comments:
The less said about this match the better.
I have no earthly idea why this match above all was advertised last week on Smackdown when the Battle Royal/ Christain v Rhodes was not. Did WWE actually think this match would sway people to tune in on Tuesdays? Jesus Christ!
Yes, this match was BAD. Khali can't move (as illustrated by a right hand he launched at Ceasaro that almost sent him to the floor) , Aksana cant wrestle but Ceasaro/Layla tried to make things exciting...and failed. To make matters worse, they had KHALI AND LAYLA WIN..........HUH!? Aren't WWE in the process of pushing Ceasaro? Completely ridiculous and a waste of time.
Match No. 2: Money In the Bank Qualifier
Cody Rhodes
def
Intercontinental Champion Christain
* Match of the Night *
Rating: ** 1/2
Comments:
If Rhodes was meant to be in the Money in the Bank all along, i think this was the wrong opponent and the wrong type of finish here. Yes, it was great that Cody got a clean win with his finisher on Christain, but i feel this finish should of been saved for an IC Title match, NOT a Money in the Bank Qualifier. The reason for this is that i doubt Cody will be demanding a IC Title match next week on Smackdown seeing as though he just knocked off the Champ clean. Stuff like this just enforces the unimportance of this championship. I really feel as thought situations like this can be avoided. On the other hand, maybe i shouldn't complain that Rhodes got a clean win over the IC Champ.
The match itself was ok in parts but good over all. I know a lot of people like Rhodes and Christian in the ring. I like them, but i don't LOVE them. Maybe its Cody's basic body of work mid-match . I'm not too sure. However, there is no denying this match picked up at the end. Slick sequences into near falls made this one exciting and i like it how Christian's injured body part lead to his eventual downfall. Logical pro-wrestling with a smooth, clean and entertaining finish. Can't really complain.
Match No. 3: Money in the Bank Qualifier
Dolph Ziggler
def
Alex Riley
Rating: * 3/4
Comments:
Lets get the obvious out of the way first: the right man won here. But i definitely thought that Riley was going to advance at points in this match, which would of resulted in me chucking something at my computer! But, i guess that if i felt this way, both men did their job well.
The match was basic, quick, and generally well executed. I like Riley's near fall at the beginning of the match, which garnered a nice suprised reaction from the live crowd. What suprised me was that Riley actually got a lot of offense in. Considering he is really a nobody (That apparently "has never been in a MITB Match" so says Cole, even though i SWEAR i saw him in LAST YEARS MITB MATCH!), i was very surprised by his plentiful amount of offense. Ziggler looked fine as always and won the match clean with the Zig-Zag, but i will say it is hard to get behind him when he screamed "Its my Damn TIME!" after the match. WWE needs to put you over more Ziggler before i believe it is "Your Time" again!
Match No. 4:
United States Champion Santino Marella, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Sgt. Slaughter
def
Hunico, Camacho and Drey McIntyre
Rating: *
Comments:
Exactly what you would expect when you put two Hall of Famers from the 80s in the ring against 3 talented, yet squashable performers. As a nostalga/patriotic match, it did what it needed to do. "Hacksaw" got a nice reaction from the crowd and knew how to work them from the get-go. Sarg looked REALLY old and it looked as though he was a tad lost out there too.
Not much to talk about when it came to action. Basic tag match where the legends all got their famous spots in. Sloppy in parts, but acceptable. Nothing more to write.
Match No. 5:
Ryback
def
Curt Hawkins (w/ Tyler Rex)
Rating: * 1/2
Comments:
Same Ryback match, different opponent. I didn't mind the banter between Rex and Hawkins at the start of the match. It definately kinda gave the match a more meaninful feel due to the fact that Hawkins and Rex know how to cut a basic promo. However, Cole's attempt to put over Hawkins as a credible threat to Ryback was ridiculous. "He's a fomer WWE Tag Team Champion". SO WHAT!? I appreciate them attempting to add some credibility to Hawkins, but that comment was almost on the verge of insulting the audience. Why should we think that being a Tag Champion means something when the titles are promoted on television to such a shocking degree?
The match was fine. As stated before, it was an identical Ryback Squash with maybe a more devastating clothesline in the middle of it. THAT move definitely looked as though Hawkins got his head taken off. I guess Tyler Rex will be Ryback's next opponent...... i look forward to that....
Match No 6: The Great American Bash Battle Royal
Zack Ryder wins to become Smackdown General Manager next week
Rating: ** 1/4
Comments:
I'm not a big fan of Battle Royals. I can understand the drama involved, but along the way, about 15 guys are going to look like geeks. Brodus Clay knows exactly what i'm talking about, as he was the 2nd man eliminated. So much for his push. Even though i didn't like the concept of this match, there was enough to like. Having WWE's biggest stars in the match (bar Orton, Mysterio and Jericho) definitely added to the main event's excitement. I also liked the touch of Sheamus not being able to compete due to his injuries at the hand of Del Rio. Stuff like this puts over Del Rio as a predator and a threat, so definite thumbs up here.
The match was slow in parts, but the commercial breaks ACTUALLY HELPED speed up these sections of the match ( i never thought i would say that!). Cena's "house on fire" spot where he destroyed multiple fools got the crowd going and, in the context of this match, it was fine. Bryan and Punk eliminated each other, which played into their competitive rivalry, Show eliminated Cena to continue their feud and for some fucked up reason, the match came down.......to Kane and Zack Ryder. Now, granted, I'm sure if i was watching this match live, i would be pretty pumped at seeing Ryder finally overthrow Kane to win this Battle Royal. But i wasn't. All i could think about was how much of a missed opportunity the end result was. Del Rio would of been my pick to win this one as he would head into the final Smackdown before Money in the Bank having the power to screw with the World Champ. Instead, we get a jobber running the show who is not even on the Money in the Bank card yet! A huge missed opportunity to a slightly above average Battle Royal.
Final Thoughts:
For a live edition of Smackdown, this show was generally un-eventful. If you missed it, you won't be out of the loop. The Del Rio segment and his continual push was, by far, the stand-out moment of the show and every Money in the Bank Qualifier made sense. Christian/Rhodes was a good solid wrestling match, while the AJ segment did nothing for me as a "top of the hour" segment. The Battle Royal was, as stated before, a missed opportunity for some good storytelling going forward. I just hope that next time WWE put on a live Smackdown, they hype it better and make it feel more important than this show.
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