Smackdown – May 27, 2011 – Smackdown Keeps Chugging Along
Smackdown
Date: May 27, 2011
Location: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T, Josh Matthews
We’re past Over the Limit now and it should be interesting to see where this goes. After the rather awesome Christian vs. Orton match it’s possible they could go for a third match there but at the same time Orton has won twice clean so maybe it’ll be time for someone else to step in. Other than that though I’m really not sure what to expect as we gear up for Capitol Punishment. Let’s get to it.
Do You Know Your Enemy? TNA’s seems to be wrestling.
Here’s the champ to open the show. He says he’s Randy Orton and he is still world heavyweight champion. And that’s all he can get out because here’s Christian. He doesn’t want to spoil Orton’s moment but Sunday was a great match so thanks and congratulations. That’s what fruit baskets were invented for Christian. The match could have gone either way but Christian knows he can beat him. He wants to issue a challenge for one more match for the title.
Before we get an answer here’s Sheamus. He wants to know how much Christian needs because he’s acting like an obsessive gambler. Christian is going to have to wait another seventeen years because on Sunday he became a two time loser. Sheamus however is a two time champion and he’s here to face guys like Orton for the title. If anyone is becoming #1 contender, it’s him.
Cue Mark Henry because someone up there hates me. Christian needs to join Edge on the retirement golf course and Sheamus needs to stop butting in. As for Orton, Henry says he (Henry) has just butted his way to the front of the line for that championship. Teddy comes out and asks the fans what they want to see. They cheer the idea of Christian vs. Orton 3 but Teddy makes a triple threat for the #1 contender spot.
Sin Cara vs. Chavo Guerrero
The lights change again and it’s lost its luster I think. Cole talks about Cara being ungrateful to Chavo and the other announcers blast him. Chavo gets sent to the floor so Cara teases a dive. Back in a double knee to the chest of Cara takes him down and a belly to back gets two. Off to a key lock but an attempt at a Gory Special is blocked. Cara sends him to the floor and hits a big old dive to take over again.
Springboard rana back in the ring by Cara and he adds a high angle reverse elbow off the middle rope as we speed things up. Booker talked to Cara apparently and Cara is a big fan. Top rope cross body gets two as Cole gets all sarcastic again. The crowd thinks Chavo sucks as he avoids the Tajiri elbow.
Now we get to see what Cara was trying to get on Sunday as he comes around like a crucifix into a headscissors and then back around to Chavo’s shoulder. Then he slams Chavo down almost into the position for a Crossface but it slams Chavo’s head into the mat for a pin at 4:46. Not liking that one but it’s not bad I guess.
Rating: C. Far better than their match Sunday but they really need to do something with Cara already. We can only watch him come in, do some high spots, get in trouble a bit and come back to win with whatever he finishes with that week so many times. There’s no real story to any of his matches and no real point to what he does. It’s not bad, but it’s gotten repetitive already, which isn’t good. The dives are good enough to make something out of, but not in this format.
Cody Rhodes vs. Daniel Bryan
This is why I love the midcard stuff: there are so many combinations you can throw out there just like this one. No Ted here. Cody says if he didn’t know better he’d be convinced there’s no God because everywhere he goes he prays that he’ll see an attractive face but every time he’s disappointed. He does the bagging thing and gets in a good line of “Shut up and bag yourselves!” Bryan’s music cuts him off.
This is near Bryan’s hometown so he gets the big pop. Bryan speeds things up to start us off and Cody actually tries some technical stuff with him. Bryan is like dude just no and takes out the knees. They trade hip toss attempts and Cody finally takes over, tossing Bryan to the floor as we take a break. Back with Bryan making a comeback but getting caught with a kick between the legs to the stomach ala Hardcore Holly.
Cody throws on a Crossface Chickenwing (what is up with people using that move anymore) and calls a spot to Bryan. He takes the hold to the mat in a full version and rams the mask into the back of Bryan’s head. Bryan escapes and makes his comeback with strikes as Booker says this would be a breakout win for Bryan. Even Cole corrects him so you can tell Booker screwed up there.
Bryan gets a missile dropkick for a long two. Cody sends him into the middle buckle for two. Bryan grabs a rollup for two. This is moving as fast as it sounds. In a SWEET spot, Bryan does his backflip out of the corner but Cody runs underneath him and hits his rope walking spin kick to take Bryan down. Cross Rhodes is countered into the LeBell Lock (which Bryan put on a bit differently it seemed, twisting Cody’s forearm around too) for the tap out at 6:04 shown of 9:34.
Rating: B. I rather liked this. It’s good to see Bryan get a win here as he could certainly be a solid midcard guy if not made to be a jobber. Cody looked like he got caught rather than beaten which is a good way to end it for both guys, especially after a long and competitive match. No complaints here at all as this was a quite good match.
Post match Cody beats up Bryan, hitting Cross Rhodes and giving him a paper bag.
Here’s the Obama press conference thing again. It wasn’t funny the first time and it’s stupid by this point.
Heath Slater vs. Ezekiel Jackson
Booker goes WAY old school by mentioning the One Man Gang and Devastation Inc, saying Jackson is both. He’s Inc? As in I can buy stock in him? Slater tries to use speed and that doesn’t work well in the slightest. Jackson keeps throwing Slater around so Slater keeps charging at him. Well he is from West Virginia. Here come the slams and after only two of them there’s the Rack. And there’s Corre for the DQ at 2:37. I’d assume this will lead to a gimmick match of some kind…..gauntlet maybe? Jackson fights them off this time. Somehow they work bullying into this. I’m so fed up with that I’m out of jokes for it.
Christian says he was the last one picked for kickball but at the end of the game he’d kick more home runs that anyone. Apparently he was a Canadian Kickball Champion four times in a row. He was the last one of his friends to hit puberty but when he hit prom he had the prettiest girlfriend in the school. He was also the last person anyone thought would reach the top of WWE but he did it, and he’s going to do it again. I’d have put that on someone like Shawn Stasiak but ok.
Great Khali vs. Kane
Before the match we get a recap of Jinder Mahal smacking Khali last week and making him all evil again. Singh is here again this week. This is billed as the Monsters’ Brawl. Khali overpowers him to start, taking him into the corner. He chokes away, kind of wrestling heel here. Off to the nerve hold as I guess 1:40 of action was too much for Khali. That’s getting into Dusty territory there. Big chop misses and they both grab for chokeslams. Khali sends him to the floor but Kane guillotines him on the top rope and the flying clothesline ends this at 2:33. No rating but this was pretty bad, even for a battle of the giants.
Mahal comes out again, this time with music that is similar to Khali’s original song. He yells at Khali more and smacks him before going after Singh. Khali defends his brother but then puts the vice grip on Singh. Khali is a bully now. For the love of all things good and holy, FIND SOMETHING NEW TO MAKE PEOPLE HEELS!
We get a clip from Raw of Show being injured. Apparently he’s going to need several weeks of rehab.
Booker is in the ring, complete with some theme music. He wants Cole to get into the ring which Cole begrudgingly does. Booker wants to talk about the Kiss My Foot match and we get a clip of the toe being in his mouth. Booker says he was just playing and puts his arm around an annoyed Cole. He starts a Kiss My Feet chant and that’s it for this segment. Uh yeah…because this warranted TV time.
Sheamus doesn’t want to answer Striker’s questions but says he’s tired of hearing about Christian winning the title and Henry has won a total of nothing since he’s been here. Sheamus won his first world title in a few months, which is very true.
After a clip of Kharma’s breakdown on Raw, it’s time for a tag match.
Alicia Fox/Tamina vs. AJ/Kaitlyn
AJ!!! Seriously, that girl is too cute for words. Natalya is with the NXT chicks. We get an inset clip of them talking as Kaitlyn doesn’t like Tamina/Alicia because there are too many A’s in their names. AJ vs. Alicia to start us off and that doesn’t last long as it’s off to Kaitlyn. She’s downright passable in the ring now which is a miracle by comparison. Kaitlyn gets a side slam for two and everything breaks down. Never mind though as Alicia gets the axe kick to Kaitlyn and we’re done at 1:37. That was the only major move the heels hit the entire time.
Henry says he’ll win and he’s NOT boring or irrelevant.
Macho Man tribute video. That’s the only one that has ever gotten to me.
Sheamus vs. Mark Henry vs. Christian
Winner gets Orton next week apparently and not at Capitol Punishment. Booker picks Sheamus. Everyone goes at it at once to start but the monsters take Christian down quickly. Cole is being a jerk again here and picks Sheamus also. The double teaming continues but Christian slides to the floor. Sheamus goes after him but is sent into the steps. I’ll give him this: Sheamus isn’t a cowardly heel. That’s a big plus for him.
Henry takes over on Christian with his basic variety of move, standing on his chest. The referee can be heard saying he can’t break it because there are no rules and therefore no counting. Sheamus pops back in and rolls up Christian for two as Henry is knocked down to the floor. Sheamus sets for the Brogue Kick but Christian hits the Killswitch out of nowhere, only for Henry to make the save.
Here comes Orton after about three and a half minutes and we take a break. Back with Henry pounding on Christian. Josh makes an interesting comment that this is Henry and Christian against Sheamus. Bear hug to the Canadian but Sheamus comes back in. The monsters go at it until Henry grabs a belly to belly and heaves Sheamus back out to the floor. Cool looking move.
Christian is taken down by Henry just ramming into him which gets two. Christian avoids a drop down and hits a pair of middle rope dropkicks to take the big fat tub of goo down. Sheamus pops up to take Christian down off the top and then hammers on Sheamus. He’s an equal opportunity heel I guess. Christian and Sheamus hammer away at each other on the top and down goes the pale one, but Christian jumps into a World’s Strongest Slam for two.
Booker says we’re like 18 minutes into this. By my math it’s more like 12 but when has wrestling ever had adequate watches? Henry is sent to the floor and the High Cross (name changed again) is countered into a pendulum kick. Tornado DDT gets two. Henry takes out Orton for no apparent reason but gets sent into Sheamus by Christian. Spear takes down Sheamus but Orton comes in for an RKO to Henry. The distraction lets Sheamus kick out and Christian yells at the referee just long enough to let Sheamus kick his head off for the pin at 11:38 shown of 15:08.
Rating: B-. Not too bad here as they kept Sheamus kind of in the middle and gave us a nice surprise at the end. This not being for the PPV title shot is a nice touch as it’ll probably set up Christian running in to set up Christian vs. Orton III at Capitol Punishment. Either way, not bad at all here with a decent triple threat match, even though I’m beyond sick of them.
Overall Rating: B. I liked it here as Smackdown continues their no nonsense road (more often than not) which works rather well. A key thing to Smackdown: their pacing is great. You never go more than about five minutes between matches and even though they’re short, they all have a point and address something else. They had six matches, same as Impact, two of which didn’t last two minutes, and yet they had more wrestling and nothing stupid. It’s the difference in how you run a TV show and the differences are striking. Pretty good show but not great here, as is usual for Smackdown.
Results
Sin Cara b. Chavo Guerrero – Headscissors into a mat slam
Daniel Bryan b. Cody Rhodes – LeBell Lock
Ezekiel Jackson b. Heath Slater via DQ when Corre interfered
Kane b. Great Khali – Top rope clothesline
Alicia Fox/Tamina b. AJ/Kaitlyn – Axe kick to Kaitlyn
Sheamus b. Christian and Mark Henry – Brogue Kick to Christian