Smackdown – June 17, 2011 – Pretty Weak Go Home Show

Smackdown
Date: June 17, 2011
Location: Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, Rhode Island
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T, Josh Matthews

Final show before Capitol Punishment and the main question here is can Orton actually wrestle on Sunday.  He has a legit concussion and is more or less a game time decision for the PPV.  Other than that it’ll all be the final push towards the PPV, hopefully giving us some more matches as the midcard could use some filling out.  Anyway, let’s get to it.

We open with a video on Christian, talking about his whole title story and ultimately losing the title and his heel turn.  That was a great speech last week as the whole thing worked completely.

Into the arena now and here’s the champ.  After a very long intro, he says he does have a concussion but he doesn’t care.  He’s ready to fight tonight.  And here’s Teddy to say no and that Randy has the night off.  Christian comes out and says he gave Orton the one thing Randy needed: an excuse.  Orton can use that to explain why he loses the title on Sunday, instead of just admitting that Christian is better.

Christian does a quick pole of the audience, which says they want to see Orton win.  Christian goes to leave but here’s Sheamus, saying that he beat Orton last week and deserves the shot.  Christian says Strawberry Shortcake needs to wait his turn.  Christian vs. Sheamus tonight and if the pale one wins, it’s a triple threat on Sunday.

Sin Cara/Ezekiel Jackson/Daniel Bryan vs. Cody Rhodes/Ted DiBiase/Wade Barrett

 

Rematch from Monday here.  DiBiase/Jackston to start us off.  The camera seems to be a bit lower than usual.  DiBiase apparently has set up a Facebook question, asking if Rhodes should help him remake his image.  DiBiase runs from Cara and we take a break.  Back with DiBiase taking over and Cara before bringing in Rhodes.  Cara speeds things up as well as he can but the power of Dusty’s kid takes that down.

Off to Barrett who doesn’t do much before it’s off to DiBiase.  Following clothesline gets two.  Barrett back in now for a bow and arrow to Cara.  Cara tries some kicks but almost gets caught in a pumphandle slam.  Barrett keeps hammering away though and there’s the pumphandle.  Scratch that as it gets countered a second time, this time into a spinning DDT.  Hot tag to Bryan who takes over on DiBiase.  The ending comes out of nowhere and appeared to be botched.  Bryan hit a running dropkick in the corner and DiBiase got his shoulder up but the pin was called at 9:36.  Everyone looked confused.

Rating: C. Eh this was fine.  Just a longer version of what they had on Monday.  No idea why there was almost nothing from Jackson though.  Either way, not bad but just a six man tag.  The ending was kind of weird as Bryan looked at the referee as if to argue but then was told three so he celebrated.  Weird.

Sheamus says he’ll win tonight and on Sunday.

Back and they actually show that the referee messed up.  Interesting.

Vladimir Kozlov vs. Jinder Mahal

 

I love when the brand split is tossed out the window.  Mahal’s legs seem to get longer every week.  Mahal dominates for the most part, hitting a jumping knee and a Russian legsweep for two.  Kozlov gets in some shots and the headbutts, but a charge misses and Koz’s shoulder goes into the post.  Khali adds in a shot and the full nelson slam ends this at 2:49.  More or less just a squash.

Here’s Big Show who is a Raw guy isn’t he?  Josh asks him why he’s a Raw guy on Smackdown.  Show says he heard a rumor that Alberto is going to be here.  Show looks annoyed/preoccupied here.  We get a clip of the video about Show and Alberto with the car and all that jazz.  After seeing it, Show says he feels fine but then walks around a bit kind of shaking his head.  He talks about being hit by the car for a second or two and then walks around even madder.

Before he can say anything else, here’s Teddy to say that Show can’t touch Alberto if Alberto shows up.  Apparently Show is possibly facing civil and criminal charges for Show attacking Ricardo on Monday.  If that happens again tonight, Teddy loses his job (pop for that).  Show has a match tonight though, against Mark Henry.

Big Show vs. Mark Henry

 

Show jumps him before the bell and massacres him, knocking him out cold in maybe 20 seconds.  Not an actual match.  Henry goes out on a stretcher.

Christian says he shouldn’t have to fight tonight and shouldn’t have lost the title in the first place.

Tamina/Rosa Mendes/Alicia Fox vs. Natalya/Kaitlyn/AJ

 

Kaitlyn vs. Alicia to start but it’s off to Natalya and Tamina quickly.  Down goes Tamina and we get the Mr. Perfect/Bret Sharpshooter counter from Summerslam 91.  Everything breaks down quickly and a Samoan Drop from Tamina ends AJ.

Johnny Curtis putts a golf ball and pulls an ace of spades out of the hole.  Yes, it’s an ace in the hole.

Another Capitol Punishment press conference, the same one from last week.

Usos vs. Justin Gabriel/Heath Slater

 

Jimmy vs. Slater to start us off.  The former champions take over rather quickly with basic double teaming.  I’m assuming Slater/Gabriel are heels still but I’m not 100% sure.  Apparently they’re both extremists though.  Interesting to know I suppose.  Slater gets caught in a powerslam coming off the top and it’s enough to bring in Jey and Gabriel.  Spinning forearm gets no cover.  Apparently Jey has a tattoo on his chest which is how you tell them apart.  A double Samoan Drop gets two.  That looked awesome too.  Everything breaks down and Jey hits a top rope splash onto Gabriel for the pin at 3:45.

Rating: C+. Some good stuff from the Usos here and we got a good match out of it.  Maybe they’re the new flavor of the month and if so I can’t really complain.  They’re as good as any other tag team right now, which isn’t saying much but it hasn’t in years so there you go.  Not bad with some good stuff from the Samoans.

Video on Truth vs. Cena and Truth’s insanity.

Alberto is actually here and says there is no truth to him coming back to Smackdown due to being afraid of Show on Raw.  We get a clip of the attack on Ricardo on Monday and how Show has lost his mind.  Apparently Ricardo is very hurt and was Alberto’s best friend.  Ricardo will get his revenge and Alberto is dedicating his victory on Sunday to his best friend.  If Show was here, Alberto would spit in his face.  You know what that means, and as the music hits Alberto runs.  Show destroys ringside instead and I mean REALLY destroys it as Alberto watches from the crowd.

Back with a replay of what we just saw.

Christian vs. Sheamus

 

If Sheamus wins then it’s a three way on Sunday.  Orton of course sits in on this one.  Basic back and forth stuff to start with Sheamus sending him to the floor, right in front of Orton.  After Christian is scared to death by that and Sheamus hits a baseball slide we take a break.  Back with Sheamus hammering away but Christian gets some shots in to take control.

That doesn’t last long though as he walks into the Irish Curse for two and it’s time for some clubberin.  Pretty back and forth stuff here but a slight advantage to Christian at the moment.  Headbutt/splash misses and Sheamus hits a top rope shoulder block for two.  Christian hits the tornado DDT out of the corner for two but a spear fails due to a shot from Sheamus which gets two.

Killswitch doesn’t work and neither does the Brogue Kick.  Killswitch misses again but there’s the pendulum kick.  He goes up which fails and Sheamus chokes him on the top.  Out of absolutely nowhere, Christian snaps Sheamus’ neck down across the top rope which is enough for the pin at 9:04.  Totally random ending.

Rating: C. Didn’t like this for the most part as it didn’t have much time to get anywhere.  The ending hurt it also as there wasn’t anything resembling a build to it either.  It’s like they were told to end it NOW and so they rushed that together.  Also, did anyone really think Christian was losing here?  Really?

Post match Orton chases Christian away and punts Sheamus.

Overall Rating: C+. I wasn’t that huge on this show this week.  There was some ok stuff but for the most part there were too many repeats from Monday and too much stuff that didn’t seem to matter.  They weren’t going to change the PPV main event and there was barely anything between Zeke and Barrett.  There was more good than bad, but this was lackluster for Smackdown.

Results

Daniel Bryan/Ezekiel Jackson/Sin Cara b. Ted DiBiase/Cody Rhodes/Wade Barrett – Dropkick to DiBiase

Jinder Mahal b. Vladimir Kozlov

Tamina/Rosa Mendes/Alicia Fox b. Natalya/Kaitlyn/AJ – Samoan Drop to AJ

Usos b. Heath Slater/Justin Gabriel

Christian b. Sheamus – Clothesline on the top rope