Jonathan Dehn
WWE Smackdown
06/14/2013
Greensboro, North Carolina
-Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring to start the show. Bryan takes to the microphone and recaps his career thus far, before claiming Team Hell No to be one of the best tag teams in WWE history. He asks Kane to come out to the ring, and plugs his ears. Kane comes out and Daniel breaks it to him that after he wins the tag team championship, they won’t be a tag team anymore, Team RKNo will be. Kane has a problem with being broken up with. Bryan does the math, and Kane asks if he is the weak link. Bryan yells YES! He is. Kane throws his hand around Bryan’s throat. Orton comes out to stop him, as he needs a fresh partner. The three get into a heated argument before The Shield pop up on the tron. Ambrose says that it is proven that The Shield is unbeatable. He asks if they believe in The Shield. Reigns chirps in that they’ll prove that The Shield run this yard.
Sheamus vs. Antonio Cesaro
Before the match begins, Sandow interrupts from the ramp. Damien reminds him of their match on Sunday. There’s a long lockup to start. Cesaro angers Sheamus with a slap and Sheamus batters him around the ring for a bit. Sheamus hits a powerslam after an Irish whip. These two are working quite stiff. Cesaro hits the gut wrench slam and clotheslines Sheamus from the ring. Cesaro dives with a crossbody, but Sheamus catches him, and delivers a fall away slam into the barricade. That was cool.
Back from break, the two are slugging it out like manly men. Sheamus hits a backbreaker. Back outside again, Cesaro rushes on Sheamus and drives him into the steel steps. Back inside, Cesaro locks on a chinlock and we discover that Sheamus is bleeding from his shoulder. Cesaro twirls Sheamus around in the chinlock and gets two off of that.
Sheamus fights out with a backbody drop. Sheamus hits his series of clothesline but Cesaro answers back with one of his own for two. He follows with a double stomp for another two count. They trade kneelifts before Sheamus clubbers him in the ropes. Sheamus then pulls Cesaro back into the ring with an Irish Curse Backbreaker for two. Awesome.
Cesaro hits something like a DVD for two. Cena is going to be pissed. Sheamus hits a flash Brogue Kick for the win. Good fun here. Sandow attacks Sheamus on the ramp after the match is concluded.
Final Thoughts: This was good, stiff brawl that featured some inventive spots between two of the strongest and best in-ring performers the company has on the roster. Sheamus must have been cut from Cesaro’s tackle into the steel steps and was the most blood seen in the company since Cena and Lesnar. This match needs more time, as they really went out there and kicked ass.
-We are welcomed back with a showing of a Wyatt Family vignette.
-WWE finally gets around to developing a video package for the returning CM Punk.
-Backstage, Teddy is plugging CM Punk, Payback, and of course, a Hardee’s burger. Ziggler interrupts and is not happy to be competing in a tag team match so close to his title defense. Langston’s steals a few bites of Teddy’s burger after Dolph and AJ leave. Long nearly cries.
The Great Khali vs. Heath Slater
The usual cohorts are with both of them. Slater is overpowered to start. Heath takes a couple of chops in the corner. Heath hits some shots in the corner, but then gets a boot raised on him. A couple of clotheslines later and Slater is on the ropes. However, Drew shoves Hornswoggle to the floor on the outside, distracting Khali. Slater hits a quick DDT for the win.
Final Thoughts: We’ll just forget about this one.
Alberto Del Rio and Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston
During Jericho’s entrance, Cole mentions Chris’ WWE debut in Chicago. It’s crazy to think about that being almost fourteen years ago. Del Rio and Ziggler start. Dolph gets cold feet and tags in Langston. Langston hits some shoulder thrusts in the corner, but Del Rio turns the tables and hits the enzuigiri. Jericho is in, and follows with an enzuigiri of his own. He hits a running dropkick and gets two.
Big E fights back and tags in Ziggler. Dolph stomps away and hits an elbow for two. Big E is back and misses a charge. Jericho hits a dropkick and brings ADR back in. Langston runs over Del Rio with a shoulderblock. Del Rio comes back, floating over with a Backstabber. Langston tags Dolph back in and Ziggler…runs away from Del Rio as we go to break.
We return with Langston and Jericho in the ring. Big E misses a charge and gets tossed outside. Chris hits the baseball slide and slams Langston’s head into the apron before tossing him back inside. AJ distracts with a slap, and Langton bounces Chris from the apron. He runs him into the barricade.
Back inside, Langston covers Jericho for two. Langston gets a head of steam and runs Jericho over for two. Ziggler returns and hits a neckbreaker on Jericho for two. Dolph misses a corner splash and eats a bulldog. ADR gets the tag and hits some clotheslines and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Del Rio hits the Si Kick on Ziggler.
Langston gets mad and runs in to take down Del Rio. Jericho dumps him but eats a dropkick from Ziggler. Dolph celebrates prematurely and gets rolled up for the three count by Del Rio.
Final Thoughts: That was not a great way for Ziggler to return. He showed plenty of cowardice and there wasn’t even speculation of ring rust playing a role in the victory for Del Rio. The problem with losses like these is that the flash pinfall needs to look convincing. Del Rio’s small package was decidedly sloppy, with one of Dolph’s legs not even being hooked. The match itself was good, but the booking here just made Dolph look like a chump.
-Chris Jericho is backstage with Renee Young. Chris it looking forward to his match on Sunday. Heyman arrives, looking for a handshake. He doesn’t get one. Heyman begins to get a bit loud with his adoration for CM Punk, and Jericho bumps the microphone into his throat. “Pipebomb,” he lightly says before walking off.
Aksana vs. Kaitlyn
They show a video of AJ’s evil ruse coming full circle. Aksana laughs at Kaitlyn’s pain, and Kaitlyn goes ballistic. Aksana runs away after the referee pulls Kaitlyn from her. Kaitlyn actually decks the referee with the most powerful slap in Divas history.
Final Thoughts: Well, I wouldn’t be surprised with Kaitlyn losing it again and getting disqualified at Payback. Let’s wait for a new stipulation to be crammed into that match.
Curtis Axel vs. Wade Barrett
How is this a good idea? Barrett takes the microphone and requests a chat with Paul Heyman. He says that this match is a bad idea since it hurts the match on Sunday. Paul considers it, but as he does, The Miz comes out. He wants to see them fight. FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT. Be a Star!
The match begins and they lockup. Wade hits a short armed clothesline. After a whip, Axel hits a nice dropkick. Wade hits the kick to the gut, and Axel spills outside in front of Miz. Wade follows outside and gets his face smashed into the stairs. Miz goes down on the outside. Back in ring, Axel pins Wade following his neckbreaker that has yet to be named after a month. Miz jumps into the ring and hits the Skull-Crushing Finale on Axel after the match.
Final Thoughts: I can see The Miz going over on Sunday, not that it matters, or anything. Wade Barrett hasn’t won a match in quite a while. But, that’s normal for the Intercontinental Champion.
The Shield vs. Team Hell No and Randy Orton
We come back from break with everyone in the ring. Rollins and Bryan start. Bryan flips out of the corner and hits the clothesline. He brings in Kane. The running dropkick gets only one. A follow up suplex gets one, as well. Rollins tags in Ambrose. Dean takes a boot to the chest and in comes Orton.
Randy shows some fire, battering Ambrose with headbutts and uppercuts. He follows with a suplex and tags in Bryan. Ambrose takes Bryan into the corner and tags in Reigns. A slam gets two and in comes Rollins. Ambrose returns, the two Shield members hitting punches and kicks. Mutoh elbow gets two for Ambrose.
Dean moves into a stretch, switching to a dragon sleeper that Bryan knees his way out of. The two trade knees and in comes Orton. Randy hits two powerslams, but Ambrose and Reigns get out of the rope hang DDT. Rollins hits a kick from the apron and Ambrose covers for two as we go to break.
Ambrose is in control of Orton as we return. Dean hits a short armed clothesline for two. Reigns reenters. Randy fights back, getting behind Reigns to hit his backbreaker. Reigns misses a charge into the corner and Orton brings in Kane, as Reigns brings in Ambrose. Kane hits a powerslam and hits his corner clotheslines. The sideslam gets two.
Kane goes up, but misses the clothesline. Ambrose dropkicks Kane back into the corner. Bryan tags himself in, and dropkicks everyone. He flies outside with the dive. Bryan hits the corner dropkicks on Rollins for two. He buzzsaws a crawling Reigns and finishes up his kick flurry on Rollins with the buzzsaw, as well. He gets two. Bryan goes up to the top.
Ambrose delays Bryan and causes him to miss the headbutt. Rollins only gets two on Bryan. Ambrose and Kane get dumped. Orton eats a spear from Reigns. On the outside, Reigns misses a second spear and goes over the barricade. Dean Ambrose gets chokeslammed by Kane over the barricade onto Reigns.
Rollins comes off the top, but is tripped up by Kane and lands into an RKO from Orton. Bryan quickly latches on the No Lock and, with no support, Rollins taps out quickly. Lillian’s announces that this is the first time The Shield has been beaten as one, putting over Team Hell No and Randy Orton as conquering heroes. Naturally, the crowd is going wild as the show fades to black. Kane celebrates in the ring like a hockey player scoring an overtime goal.
Final Thoughts: The long commercial break in the middle of the match takes some steam out of it, but this was still a great match. I like being able to see the turning point in the match, where Reigns missed a spear on the outside. Also, Orton was in there with renewed fire. I don’t have a problem with The Shield losing to these guys, at all. I would have much rather it happened live and they had a half an hour to work with for the segment. The match was fifteen minutes long, with us only seeing what felt like ten minutes. The crowd was almost in shock that The Shield lost cleanly in a straight up match. I’d like to see how The Shield behaves with one another now that they are beatable.
–This was a very watchable show, despite Khali wrestling. Sheamus and Cesaro had a good time stiffing each other and showing off their abilities. The sudden Brogue Kick finish made both men look good, and I certainly wouldn’t mind if Cesaro cost Sheamus his pre-show match against Sandow this Sunday. The handling of Dolph’s return to the show was botched and he did look terrible. Cowardice and incompetence are not good traits to build a champion with. Of course, the main event was a lot of fun and a great moment that should have been seen live. But still, a great moment that WWE should be poised to give a great deal of attention to and make a watershed moment out of.
DVR MARKERS
0:00 – Daniel Bryan, Kane, and Randy Orton – Slightly Recommended
0:16 – Sheamus vs. Antonio Cesaro – Recommended
0:54 – ADR/Y2J vs. Dolph and Big E – Slightly Recommended
1:44 – The Shield vs. Team Hell No and Randy Orton – Highly Recommended
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