WWE Smackdown Review (13.09.13)

Welcome to this weeks WWE Smackdown review and overview.

The show opens this week with Big Show making his way to the ring as the announcers sell how much he’s been through in the last few weeks. Big show reads from a piece of paper about how he did a bad job on RAW and apologises to Triple H and the other wrestlers. It’s obviously done to put Show over as a conflicted babyface who’s being forced to do things against his will by his tyrannical bosses. Triple H makes his way to the ring to a loud heel reaction. Hunter thanks Big Show for his apology and tells him that he isn’t picking on him, he’s just being a business man. Triple H is excellent in this role, I must say. Show sells frustration and anger in the ring as Triple H suspends him without pay for the night, we are also supposed to believe that Big Show, a man that has been paid around a million dollars a year since he signed with WWE in 1999, is broke and can’t handle being suspended for a night without pay. Okay, nice try WWE, but come on, that’s a little too ridiculous.

The Shield make their way to the ring and attack Big Show, who fights back and clears the ring of the three young, talented up-and-comers. Big Show brawls on the announce table with The Shield before nailing Reigns with a “spear” off the table. Another Big Show squash which does nothing for anyone except for Big Show. Poor, frustrating and needless segment. The Shield finally fights back and nails Show with a chair. Three guys who hold championships needed furniture to defeat a 40 year old giant with back problems. The segment ends with the signature triple powerbomb from the hounds of justice.

We have a divas match next with Brie, Nattie and Naomi versus Layla, Aksana and Alicia Fox, a rematch from RAW, with AJ Lee on commentary again. It’s a silly mess that has a few decent spots. I seriously think Aksana has improved SO much lately. The camera shows AJ on commentary more often than the actual match which is stupid. The match ends via disqualification when AJ hits the ring. AJ then gets laid out by her opponents for Night of Champions before the heel divas make the save. End of segment, thank gawd.

Vickie Guerrero now welcomes us to a dancing with the superstars segment, which I am cringing at before it begins. R Truth, Fandango and Summer Rae and The Miz, who is wearing a fake afro wig and makes me wish he never left the Real World. Embarrassing stuff. The Miz is less popular than a fart in church. “Miz-co Inferno” tries to do some comedy shtick but it fails more than the debut of The Shockmaster. The Great Khali interrupts the segment to a slight pop and asks to dance. Michael Cole does his pretend laugh on commentary in an attempt to make the segment appear humorous, which it isn’t. The wrestlers “dance” to little reaction from the fans. The Miz is booed loudly. Khali looks bored. The segment is terrible. No one is surprised.

Ryback is now conducting an interview backstage. He puts himself over before conducting an interview with Robert Evans, who is a local nobody for Ryback to “bully”. Nothing more to say about this part of the show.

Ricardo Rodriguez gets put into a match against Alberto Del Rio by Vickie Guerrero.

The Money in the Bank briefcase holder, Damien Sandow is in the ring next to face a newly-returned Santino Marella. The match is really fast, with Santino winning via pinfall after slapping Sandow with his cobra. *cough*

Michael Cole is in the ring when we return from break, and he welcomes his interviewees for the evening, Paul “E” Heyman and Curtis Axel. Heyman looks like he hasn’t slept, but maybe he’s just been “catching up” with RVD. They promote the match between them and CM Punk at Night of Champions, talking about the history of the guys involved. Heyman sells the fear of having to face CM Punk.

Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez are out next, with RVD in the corner of Ricardo. Del Rio is in control for the majority of the match, though Ricardo manages to hit a dropkick and a rollup for a two count. Del Rio wins the match after hitting a reverse-suplex from the top rope. RVD and Del   Rio brawl after the match, with RVD getting the upper hand.

Dolph Ziggler is up next for a singles match against the US Champion, Dean Ambrose. A match that is on pay-per view on Sunday, given away for free two days before on television. They do this a lot lately and it makes no sense. They have a good match with both getting to show their regular offence. They have chemistry in the ring and could perhaps “steal the show” on Sunday. There’s a good looking reversal sequence towards the end of the match, which ends when The Shield runs in, allowing Ziggler to pick up a victory and get his match with Ambrose at Night of Champions for the US Title. The Uso’s run in to help Ziggler. Vickie Guerrero comes out and makes the match a six-man tag team match with The Shield facing Ziggler and The Uso’s. The Shield isolates Dolph for most of the match, tagging frequently and keeping Ziggler away from his team-mates. He eventually tags Jimmy Uso who hits an impressive flurry of offence on Seth Rollins. The Uso’s get a great reaction from the fans. A fun match comes to an end when Seth Rollins gets the pinfall victory.

The final segment of Smackdown is up next, with “The Rated R Superstar” (or is that Rated PG?) Edge, for a Cutting Edge interview spot with Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. Edge cuts a promo about Triple H which gets a good reaction, as he talks about backstage politics and Christian being “attacked” on RAW. He introduces “the supposed face of WWE” Randy Orton. Edge then introduces Bryan, who gets a big pop and lots of “yes” chants, as usual. Randy calls Edge “a washed up talk show host who can’t wrestle anymore”. Orton talks himself up. Bryan says he doesn’t care what is “best for business” and tells Orton to “shut up”. He talks about dreaming of holding the WWE title and how he doesn’t want to be the face of a corporation. He then says he will defeat Orton at Night of Champions. Orton then attacks Bryan as Edge looks on, unable to get physical. Bryan then grabs Orton in the “Yes Lock” as Orton taps out on the mat. Four referees split up the altercation as Bryan gets the fans chanting “yes” along with him, ending Smackdown. We now head towards Night of Champions on Sunday. Should be a fun show.

SD: Best of the Night: Dolph Ziggler

SD: Dud of the Night: Layla

SD: Best Match: Ziggler & Uso’s/The Shield

SD: Best Crowd Sign: “Randy…RKO My Wife!”