SmackTalk 17.08.12

Any show that includes a match between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan can’t be all bad. This week’s SmackDown was no exception: the two men in question had a belter of a match that was a highlight of the episode. That it was the highlight even though it had an unsatisfactory finish involving Kane’s entrance music should tell you just how good the match was.

Elsewhere on the show Chris Jericho wrestled a good match with Alberto Del Rio. It wasn’t quite as good as it could have been due to ‘Y2J’ having to sell an attack from Dolph Ziggler that had occurred moments before the match started, but it wasn’t bad. ‘The Highlight of the Night’ has had far worse outings in 2012.

The match had come about after an altercation between the two earlier in the evening. ADR had kicked off the show demanding his world title match with Sheamus at SummerSlam be reinstated (the match had been cancelled after the previous week’s SmackDown). Booker T told Del Rio that wouldn’t happen and Jericho came wandering out to suggest he challenge ‘Great White’ after beating Ziggler.

It was a basic segment but it got the job done.

Elsewhere on the show Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins introduced a new gimmick. Walking to the ring in matching suits and without entrance music it seemed a little uninspired at first. That changed when the two men started doing a striptease in the middle of the ring, to a loud chorus of boos.

I thought it was a nice idea. It sets the MidCard Mafia apart (are they even call that anymore?) and gives them something to do on a weekly basis. They’ve been wasting away as glorified enhancement talent for far too long. Anything that prompts a reaction from audiences and gets them on TV is a good thing.

I don't know who looks more deranged, Bryan or the screaming fan

Antonio Cesaro put in a good showing too. His United States title match with Santino is going to be broadcast on YouTube before SummerSlam and I think it’s a positive sign that WWE went out of their way to give the two men some time to create interest in that match on SmackDown.

Slightly less impressive was the absence of Damien Sandow and Ryback. I suppose you can’t have everything though.

Recap video of the ADR v Sheamus feud

Tweet 1: Stand back, I'm about to watch SmackDown.

Tweet 2: Recap of the Sheamus v ADR feud. Well, the recent parts of it at least.
Tweet 3: I'm pleased the car bonnet attack has been covered.
Tweet 4: Booker T has cancelled the match. Something tells me it will be back on within the next ninety minutes.

Alberto Del Rio promo, featuring Booker T and Chris Jericho

Tweet 5: Cole and Mathews are unchaperoned again. This is not going to go well.

Tweet 6: Doesn't Del Rio have dozens of cars? Why is bothered about Sheamus trashing one?
Tweet 7: Booker T's come straight from a Reservoir Dogs convention.
Tweet 8: ADR's right, he did earn the right to be number one contender a long time ago. It was April...
Tweet 9: Here's Chris Jericho, looking like he's stopped in on his way to the convenience store.
Tweet 10: The face Del Rio just pulled made it look as though he could smell a dead cat and was concerned about where it had been hidden.

Cody Rhodes and The Miz v Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio

Tweet 11: Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara v Rhodes and Miz. The potential for botches with Rey and Cara on one team is spectacular.

Tweet 12: Sin Cara's inability to work a crowd is really quite spectacular. It should warrant a permanent spot on Superstars but doesn't.
Tweet 13: Rhodes is continuing his silly quest to unmask Sin Cara. Nobody cares about Cara or his face.
Tweet 14: Miz is a movie star. WWE will help him on this new career path by bringing out the inflatable "AWESOME" from storage at SummerSlam.
Tweet 15: Nice use of the 619. Disappointing that it led to another loss for Cody. Where's his push?
Tweet 16: Sin Cara always keeps a small slice of cheese under his mask in case of emergencies.
Tweet 17: A child has hopped the guardrail and is playing with Miz's IC belt! Oh wait, it's just Rey...

Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins v two unnamed jobbers

Tweet 18: Hawkins and Reks have been given a stripper gimmick. They asked Booker T for an opportunity to get noticed and this is what they got...

Tweet 19: They have new trunks designed to look like black Y-fronts. This is Meat all over again...
Tweet 20: Reks is clearly more comfortable with gyrating in his underwear than Hawkins is.
Tweet 21: That was a pretty decent gimmick overhaul. I'll miss their bright green outfits though. They warranted a push.
Tweet 22: Perhaps the green outfits will come back to feud with Reks and Hawkins. #fingerscrossed

New highlight of SmackDown or utter embarrassment? You decide!

Eve v Kaitlyn

Tweet 23: Teddy Long is at ringside for the thrills and spills of Kaitlyn v Eve.

Tweet 24: I'd like to see Kaitlyn get the win but I think Eve winning is far more likely. They need some tension in the "Booker T administration."
Tweet 25: If Teddy likes Kaitlyn so much why didn't he hire her when he was in charge?
Tweet 26: "Kaitlyn telling me earlier today her biggest influence is Chuck Norris" - Josh Mathews
Tweet 27: I think the Eve character is great. I prefer her to AJ.

Daniel Bryan v Randy Orton

Tweet 28: Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Tweet 29: #AberdeenWashington
Tweet 30: Orton v Bryan should be happening at SummerSlam, not on SmackDown.
Tweet 31: Orton goes to the top for a superplex. Whadda'pro!
Tweet 32: Boo-yay punch exchange is going on after a break. If this was a smart crowd they'd have yessed Orton punches and shouted no to Bryan's.
Tweet 33: Shouldn't Bryan be disqualifieed for throwing Orton into steps made from steel? It doesn't feel like that should be legal.
Tweet 34: RKO countered into the No Lock. Great spot!
Tweet 35: Orton wins via Kane music. Very effective finisher.
Tweet 36: Kane wanders out and laughs as Bryan cowers on the floor. What a pointless finish. Pointless feud too.

Antonio Cesaro v Zack Ryder

Tweet 37: Antonio Cesaro. Heeeey!!

Tweet 38: The fans are chanting "USA" at Cesaro's five languages gimmick. That's reason enough to put the US title on him isn't it?
Tweet 39: Why is Ryder allowed to do the Broski Boot but Orton can't do the Punt anymore?
Tweet 40: For a guy who just got thrown over a table Santino seems surprisingly energetic.

Michael Cole and Josh Mathews discuss Twitter nonsense

Tweet 41: Here's a new segment: Cole and Mathews lookign at tweets that have been sent out regarding the Michaels-Lesnar angle.

Tweet 42: They didn't read them all. They just chatted about some of them and made sweeping generalisations. JR never would have done that.

Alberto Del Rio v Chris Jericho

Tweet 43: Albertooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Dellll Riiiiiiiiiiiiiioooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

Tweet 44: Jericho's in the main event and this is the first we've seen of Ziggler. Why is he even there? He didn't have a match. This makes no sense.
Tweet 45: Jericho will wrestle. He's going to no--sell that beating. It's how he rolls.
Tweet 46: 'Y2J' doesn't look too good. Maybe you should ask him, ref... #askhim
Tweet 47: Ziggler's at ringside. Considering this is a taped show it's pretty poor that he wasn't shown arriving.
Tweet 48: Oh noes! Jericho is trapped in the cross arm breaker with Ziggler shouting at him! What a villainous pair!
Tweet 49: Those jeans aren't very Talent Dress Code are they, Sheamus?
Tweet 50: Sheamus will compete even if he loses a limb. That doesn’t sound the best course of action to me…
Tweet 51: ADR claps Booker's decision. Sheamus grimaces. Great ending, writing team.