SmackTalk 06.11.12

Birmingham let Britain down on SmackDown. The crowd had been hot all night the previous evening for RAW but at the SmackDown taping they seemed burned out. Reactions were poor, even for guys like William Regal and Wade Barrett. That was disappointing considering that Barrett is local to Birmingham and Regal is supremely popular in Britain.

Speaking of Regal and Barrett, they were on opposing sides of a tag team match. Barrett teamed with World Heavyweight champion Big Show to take on Regal and former World champion Sheamus. The quiet crowd didn’t help this match. Nor did the fact that Regal, who seemed to be more over than ‘The Celtic Warrior’, was required to sell for most of the match before making the hot tag. I can understand the decision but it doesn’t mean I like it.

On the plus side Show helped Barrett look good. He treated him as an equal before, during, and after the match. That sort of unselfish behaviour is normal from Show. Nice that a guy like Barrett got to benefit from it.

I said in last week’s SmackTalk that WWE should be using the programme to give time to guys who don’t  get much exposure. The poor trend continued this week. There was only one other match of note and once again a lack of underutilised stars.

The headline bout (the other match of note) saw Randy Orton defeat Alberto Del Rio in a Falls Count Anywhere match. The story between these two seems to have become that ADR wants the ‘Apex Predator’ moniker for himself. Not only did he say he was ‘The New Apex Predator’ before and during the match but he also stole Orton’s pose (a big deal in the WWE locker room I assume) and attempted to use the draping DDT.

This somehow didn't hurt Orton at all

I really don’t care about their feud. Both men are far too overexposed and as I have written many times this year Del Rio in particularly needs to be given something different to do. Adding Rosa Mendes to his act could help. It would be one step closer to the large entourage I’d like to see him with. As for ‘The Viper’: he needs to go bad.

Intro video

Tweet 1: WWE. Then. Now. Forever. It's SmackDown time!

Tweet 2: Are Orton and Del Rio feuding over the rights to the 'Apex Predator' moniker? If so it's probably WWE's stupidest feud.

Sheamus promo, featuring Michael Cole, Wade Barrett and some shoddy phone footage

Tweet 3: Sheamus and Cole promo? Snore, you say?

Tweet 4: Please don't let Cole join JBL and Mathews on commentary.
Tweet 5: Sheamus and Regal went to a pub to have a good time, eh? Questionable.
Tweet 6: I can pretty much guarantee that if this footage was genuine more people would ask for Regal's autograph than Sheamus's.
Tweet 7: Birmingham is Sheamus turf? I thought he was Irish...
Tweet 8: I'm bored of every WWE main event wrestler except CM Punk and Ryback. That's the state the company is in.
Tweet 9: By the way, Bryan's not a main eventer...
Tweet 10: Barrett should be the face. He's English. The fans seem quite taken with him.
Tweet 11: WWE books all its heels as cowards. Most of its faces are one dimensional catchphrase machines. No wonder the product's in trouble.

Booker T and Wade Barrett backstage

Tweet 12: Is Booker going to make a tag match? He is! It's a SmackDown GM specialty.

WWE Intercontinental championship – Kofi Kingston (c) v The Miz

Tweet 13: Idea for The Miz: wear a flat cap as entrance attire.

Tweet 14: This crowd seems dead. Stop filming in Birmingham.
Tweet 15: Bring back John Morrison and give him a rivalry with Kofi. They could make the mid-card exciting and the IC title mean something.
Tweet 16: Miz worked the leg at Hell in a Cell too. If that had been mentioned during this match I wouldn't mind the repeat.

Miz works the leg. Again

Tweet 17: I thought Kofi would win. I didn't think he'd win with a cross body. I like random finishes like that. Doesn't happen enough in WWE.
Tweet 18: Miz tried to follow the Code of Honor and Kofi dropkicked him. I'm glad the crowd booed that. Poor sport, Kofi.
Tweet 19: It's possible that handshake thing will be the starting point of a double turn for Miz and Kofi. It'd freshen both guys up.
Tweet 20: Not sure about Kofi as a heel though.

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara v The Prime Time Players

Tweet 21: Mysterio and Sin Cara need a team name.

Tweet 22: Remember the days of Sin Cara Negro and his Lost inspired theme music? #goodtimes
Tweet 23: Rey is a whiney gimp who needs to turn heel on Cara. I reckon it'll happen in time for WrestleMania.
Tweet 24: Josh is getting flustered at the mention of Cole mentoring him. Don't mention Jim Ross whatever you do...
Tweet 25: How is that an upset for the Prime Time Players? They've been teaming for longer than Cara and Rey. They're the more experienced team!

Prime Time Players post-match promo

Tweet 26: Titus is a six foot six, bald, black Bill Alfonso.

Tweet 27: Striker's had his microphone hijacked. As bad as Titus is he's still better than idiot Striker.

Titus doesn't looks very impressed with Striker. Can't say I blame him

Tweet 28: Striker appears to have a 'tache coming in. He looks like Joey Ryan.
Tweet 29: That's Joey Ryan the wrestler, obvs...

Booker T and Teddy Long watch a RAW recap backstage

Tweet 30: Booker and Teddy don't think Vickie has the capability to make a tag match. They clearly don't rate her highly at all.

Tweet 31: Is Booker turning heel on Teddy? THASS RIDICULOUS!!

Sheamus and William Regal v Wade Barrett and Big Show

Tweet 32: The fans seem fairly quiet again. You'd think they'd cheer their hometown boy.

Tweet 33: Largest athlete, fattest athlete, what's the difference?
Tweet 34: #Regalpop
Tweet 35: "Blackpool only about two hundred miles from where we sit tonight in Birmingham" - Josh Mathews, not realising that's a long way in Britain
Tweet 36: I have my fingers crossed for run-ins from Robbie Brookside and Drew McDonald.
Tweet 37: Big Show is very good at working crowds during tag matches, I'll give him that.
Tweet 38: Regal is isolated to set up a hot tag to Sheamus. I think the crowd would be more into Regal coming in a clearing house. But that's just me.
Tweet 39: Regal roaring in pain there. Sounded like he was having nails hammered into him.
Tweet 40: JBL has just said that Regal needs to be at the top of any list of wrestling tough guys. Cue Angle's next Twitter rant.
Tweet 41: "This place just erupted" - JBL, who must have super sensitive hearing
Tweet 42: Not a bad match. I wish Regal had managed some more moves but... meh.

Matt Striker interviews Alberto Del Rio

Tweet 43: Another Striker appearance. Aren't we lucky.

Tweet 44: ADR is giving his standard heelish nonsense. Ricardo is carrying this segment.
Tweet 45: Rosa Mendes randomly showing up there. It's a clear hint at her being paired with ADR. I think that'd be a good move (see here).

Matt Striker interviews Randy Orton

Tweet 46: Striker again! He is all OVER SmackDown tonight.

Tweet 47: Orton seems particularly bored tonight. I don't think he likes going overseas.

Randy Orton entrance

Tweet 48: Orton barely gets a reaction. That proves this crowd is useless. Not that I'm a huge 'Viper' fan. It's that he usually gets massive cheers.

Random Fandango(o) video

Tweet 49: Fandango HAS to be Johnny Curtis. Potentially great gimmick.

Alberto Del Rio v Randy Orton

Tweet 50: Albertoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Delllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Riiiiiiiiiiiiiioooooooo!!

Tweet 51: Ricardo Rodriguez needs to get an RKO here. I bet it would be the highlight of the match.
Tweet 52: I think the key problem Del Rio has as a heel is that that the fans don't particularly want to see him lose.
Tweet 53: Orton v Del Rio in a Fight Without Honor (I need to stop the ROH references...).
Tweet 54: JBL is doing a good job of making this match seem dangerous. It's clearly not but he's doing his part. That's what counts.
Tweet 55: When Del Rio does Orton's pose and breathes heavily it looks like he's miming blowing up a giant balloon.
Tweet 56: Does WWE own the cab that's always parked on the stage when they film RAW and SmackDown here? Seems wasteful if they do.
Tweet 57: ADR with the backstabber. I bet Rosa taught him that. It's all making sense!!
Tweet 58: The crowd aren't horrified, John. They're bored.
Tweet 59: Orton wins via RKO onto steel steps. Naturally because he was performing the move rather than receiving it the steps didn't hurt him.
Tweet 60: They are actually feuding over the 'Apex Predator' moniker. Someone stop the insanity.