Smackdown 8/2/2013

[rzombie1988]

I reviewed this week's Smackdown here:
http://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/wwe-friday-night-smackdown-822013.html

Overall thoughts: I thought it was a good show, mostly due to Punk/Fandango and the three way. While the diva's match wasn't great, at least something happened and everything on this show was built up. Definitely check out the main if nothing else!

Some shots from the show:

[Domino_Not_Deuce]

Not seen the show but Orton's rolling thunder reversal spot was the best part of their Stretcher Match at ONS 07 so I'm psyched to see it make a return. Those two often pair up well together.

[MGFanJay]

Punk-Fandango and the three-way were very good. I'm not sure what I liked more - the main event, or the backstage interview with all three guys acting about as poorly as possible.

 

http://jayreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2013/08/sd-8-2-13.html

 

Screens -

 

 

 

http://www.imagebam.com/gallery/bghn140zctbeiw0f79bwwol2ssw93wgf

[Newb82]

I really liked A-Ry on color. I would be fine with him on Smackdown permanently.

The fact that the main could have been a house show I-C title match 10 years ago amuses me for some reason.

That RVD bumb off the RKO made it look like a neck-breaking killer move. Nice to see RVD can sell a move other than his own finisher.

[Curt McGirt]

Yeah I came home from work just in time to see those replays and the RKO bump was great. On second watch it went from devastating to hilarious.

[RudoReels]

Didn't watch Smackdown but now I want to see that main event. My jaw dropped at that gif, so kudos to two guys I'm never impressed by, impressing the hell out of me in one single move sequence. That happened before in a 2007 match you say? Will check that out. Honestly don't remember them even wrestling before. Not a fan of either, but always willing to be proven wrong or won over.

 

That main event was a "match made in hell" for me, actually, as I dislike Christian as well. Probably like RVD the least out of the three yet really wanted him to win considering RVD/ADR 'for the first time ever' at SummerSlam would have been cool. Then again they did that match last week on free TV so it wouldn't have meant shit anyway. Heh

[BrianS81177]

Didn't watch Smackdown but now I want to see that main event. My jaw dropped at that gif, so kudos to two guys I'm never impressed by, impressing the hell out of me in one single move sequence. That happened before in a 2007 match you say? Will check that out. Honestly don't remember them even wrestling before. 

 

 

RVD's last match in his first WWE run was a stretcher match against Orton on one of the PPVs. I want to say it's the first time (or one of the first few times) Orton used the punt kick.

 

*edit* How the hell do I get my response out of the quote window?

[LooseCannon]

Was ADR claiming that RR could beat any one of those three guys a seeming throwaway line that should result in a Ricardo-Christian match in the week before Summerslam (when Ricardo is due to return from his suspension)?

[LooseCannon]

 

Didn't watch Smackdown but now I want to see that main event. My jaw dropped at that gif, so kudos to two guys I'm never impressed by, impressing the hell out of me in one single move sequence. That happened before in a 2007 match you say? Will check that out. Honestly don't remember them even wrestling before. 

 

 

RVD's last match in his first WWE run was a stretcher match against Orton on one of the PPVs. I want to say it's the first time (or one of the first few times) Orton used the punt kick.

 

*edit* How the hell do I get my response out of the quote window?

 

 

Cut text of your response within the quote window.  Paste in the white space below the quote window.

[caley]

-Del Rio challenging Lesnar then Rodriguez was awesome.  I also like when he offered to take on the Brooklyn Brawler.

-Swagger-Rhodes was pretty short, rather pointless.  Swagger's really circling the drain at this point.

-Loved the Sandow attack on Rhodes.  It actually looked pretty vicious.  Rhodes' explanation of why he turned on Sandow made more sense than Michael Cole screeching about Sandow stealing Cody's title shot.  One would think, though, that at this point someone in WWE would have made/announced a ruling on whether or not Sandow's MITB is still valid?!

-Big E.-Cara was okay, mostly on account of Big E.  Somehow Sin Cara comes across as a little high-flyer who doesn't really bump very big.  Langston's offence looked much better against everyone but Sin Cara.

-Fandango-Punk was all right.  I don't wanna sound too contrarian but there's something about Punk's current incarnation that really annoys me and ruins my enjoyment of his matches.  Maybe it's the fact that he lost a bunch of big matches, took off, came back and turned on his manager for no real reason, it's not like Heyman had cost him any matches or money, that was all on Punk.  I dunno...maybe it's just the mutton chops.  Summer Rae is kinda great, though, she does a real good job of reacting to Fandango's moves/pain.  

-That was probably the first RVD promo I've enjoyed since he had Fonzie by his side.  I actually chuckled at when he cut in on Orton's "R...K..." with "Bro! This is my interview!"

-Kaitlyn-AJ was fine.  Kaitlyn might be the dumbest wrestler this side of Sting.  "Hey, Layla, haven't really seen you in a while...what you wanna accompany me to the ring?  Yeah, that's not weird or anything! Sure, let's do it!"

-Three-Way was entertaining.  The power slam out of the Rolling Thunder was pretty swank.  I had no problems with this, really.

 

Best 3 Performances:

3. Christian: Sold his butt off.

2. ADR: As good of a performance as one can have without wrestling a match.

1. Orton: Looked crisp, sold well.  I'm a little worried that his neck injury is more severe than he's letting on as he constantly seemed to be rubbing the back of his head/neck.  Also, he should stop making those weird noses when he pummels a guy in the corner.

 

Worst 3 Performances

3. Vickie: She sucks when she's not a heel.  Her random smattering of Spanish to appease to the Houston crowd was worse than Mick Foley's cheap pops (At least Foley did them knowingly!).  Mainly, I put her here to give ol' Jack Swagger a break and not be in the bottom again.7

2. A-Ri: He wasn't awful, just really generic.  His analogy of Big E. reminding him of Matt Ryan because Big E. was a rookie when Riley was training in developmental and Ryan was a freshman when Riley was a senior at Boston College was the most baffling thing I've heard in a while.

1. Sin Cara: Just bad.  Weak-looking offence, pedestrian bumping.  Stupid lighting.

[Big Rob]

2. A-Ri: He wasn't awful, just really generic.  His analogy of Big E. reminding him of Matt Ryan because Big E. was a rookie when Riley was training in developmental and Ryan was a freshman when Riley was a senior at Boston College was the most baffling thing I've heard in a while.

His point was that when they were both rookies, they weren't anything special. Then, a few years later, they had transformed and become great. Also, the Layla/Kaitlyn friendship isn't out of the blue, it's been referenced a fair bit from what I've seen.

[caley]

 

2. A-Ri: He wasn't awful, just really generic.  His analogy of Big E. reminding him of Matt Ryan because Big E. was a rookie when Riley was training in developmental and Ryan was a freshman when Riley was a senior at Boston College was the most baffling thing I've heard in a while.

His point was that when they were both rookies, they weren't anything special. Then, a few years later, they had transformed and become great. Also, the Layla/Kaitlyn friendship isn't out of the blue, it's been referenced a fair bit from what I've seen.

 

But, that's not really drawing a parallel.  He doesn't really say how they became great/why they became great, aside from saying he power-lifted.  It would be like saying "Big E. is a lot like Seinfeld.  When I started watching it, I didn't really like.  But a few years later it got better and it was good. Like Big E. Langston."  It doesn't tell you anything about Big E.  it was just an excuse for him to brag "Hey, I used to know Matt Ryan."  

 

And in relation to Kaitlyn/Layla, when was the last time Layla accompanied her to the ring?!  Has she ever?!  Why would she suddenly do it now, especially with the ruling that Big E. couldn't accompany AJ to the ring anymore?!  "Hey, Big E's not out there so AJ will be all by herself...I'd better accompany you to the ring!" "Sounds great Layla!"

[LooseCannon]

And in relation to Kaitlyn/Layla, when was the last time Layla accompanied her to the ring?!  Has she ever?!  Why would she suddenly do it now, especially with the ruling that Big E. couldn't accompany AJ to the ring anymore?!  "Hey, Big E's not out there so AJ will be all by herself...I'd better accompany you to the ring!" "Sounds great Layla!"

 

The last time that Layla was at ringside with Kaitlyn that I am sure of is July 14 at the Money in the Bank PPV.

[Victator]

The current Christian push is a pleasant surprise. Like a movie where the girl realizes the nerd next door, was the man of her dreams. Or at least nice and dependable. 

[THEmanWITHnoNAME]

Worst 3 Performances

3. Vickie: She sucks when she's not a heel.  Her random smattering of Spanish to appease to the Houston crowd was worse than Mick Foley's cheap pops (At least Foley did them knowingly!).  Mainly, I put her here to give ol' Jack Swagger a break and not be in the bottom again.

 

Yeah but -- tittays!

[BrianS81177]

 

 

Didn't watch Smackdown but now I want to see that main event. My jaw dropped at that gif, so kudos to two guys I'm never impressed by, impressing the hell out of me in one single move sequence. That happened before in a 2007 match you say? Will check that out. Honestly don't remember them even wrestling before. 

 

 

RVD's last match in his first WWE run was a stretcher match against Orton on one of the PPVs. I want to say it's the first time (or one of the first few times) Orton used the punt kick.

 

*edit* How the hell do I get my response out of the quote window?

 

 

Cut text of your response within the quote window.  Paste in the white space below the quote window.

 

Got it. Thanks.

[Big Rob]

 

 

2. A-Ri: He wasn't awful, just really generic.  His analogy of Big E. reminding him of Matt Ryan because Big E. was a rookie when Riley was training in developmental and Ryan was a freshman when Riley was a senior at Boston College was the most baffling thing I've heard in a while.

His point was that when they were both rookies, they weren't anything special. Then, a few years later, they had transformed and become great. Also, the Layla/Kaitlyn friendship isn't out of the blue, it's been referenced a fair bit from what I've seen.

 

But, that's not really drawing a parallel.  He doesn't really say how they became great/why they became great, aside from saying he power-lifted.  It would be like saying "Big E. is a lot like Seinfeld.  When I started watching it, I didn't really like.  But a few years later it got better and it was good. Like Big E. Langston."  It doesn't tell you anything about Big E.  it was just an excuse for him to brag "Hey, I used to know Matt Ryan." 

 

Not saying it was a great analogy, but it did go further than they were both rookies once.

[JRV]

Nice to see RVD can sell a move other than his own finisher.

You've never seen him take a DDT or piledriver? Cause that dude's selling of those moves is legendary.

 

[Punk] turned on his manager for no real reason, it's not like Heyman had cost him any matches or money, that was all on Punk.

I might have missed something, here, but didn't Heyman fuck Punk over at MITB?

[Sky Blue Sam]

He did, but only after Punk had already binned him off.

[Go2Sleep]

After a bad few months where they lost 3 (nearly 4) big matches in a row together, Punk saw that it wasn't working with him and Heyman anymore and wanted to amicably go separate ways. Heyman had Lesnar attack Punk and lied about it, then cost him MITB by busting him open with a ladder. Then he had Lesnar injure Punk again. Heyman handles breakups worse than AJ.

[caley]

After a bad few months where they lost 3 (nearly 4) big matches in a row together, Punk saw that it wasn't working with him and Heyman anymore and wanted to amicably go separate ways. Heyman had Lesnar attack Punk and lied about it, then cost him MITB by busting him open with a ladder. Then he had Lesnar injure Punk again. Heyman handles breakups worse than AJ.

Still seems like a "good guy" making excuses for losing by blaming it on his manager.  I dunno, just rings hollow to me.  I really felt that in pro wrestling, Heyman should have cost him some matches or done something particularly bad before Punk cut ties with him.  It comes across very un-pro wrestling, like a primadonna baseball player blaming his coming up short on his management.  I'd buy it more if he used it to turn heel, but to turn face by blaming your losses on someone else just feels wrong.

[Rows]

And in relation to Kaitlyn/Layla, when was the last time Layla accompanied her to the ring?!  Has she ever?!  Why would she suddenly do it now, especially with the ruling that Big E. couldn't accompany AJ to the ring anymore?!  "Hey, Big E's not out there so AJ will be all by herself...I'd better accompany you to the ring!" "Sounds great Layla!"

 

She's been following her to the ring since she lost the belt. Its been at least a month.

[THEmanWITHnoNAME]

Based on some posts in this thread it has become obvious that some posters need to actually watch t he p roduct more closely before actually trying to comment on it.

[Dewar]

RVD's bump off the RKO looked nasty. I enjoyed that three-way match a lot more than I should have.

 

A-Ry's football analagy on commentary was Jim Ross Approved. Thought A-Ry did a good job outside of that. Maybe he can get into the rotation of commentators on NXT shows, and let Regal announce on Smackdown with JBL and Cole.

[Ziggy]

I remember when Layla was DVDVRs favorite diva, she was the best worker in the division and probably the best heel in WWE, so I'm glad she turned.

When they let Christian get past the upper mid card I don't know if there's anyone better in inring wise,he been on fire.

There's times where I dont care to see Orton on TV then there's time when he get motivated and he is actually exciting to watch. Since his series with the Bryan, he was been consistently fun to watch since his first feud with Christian.

When I every was begging for Dolph to get a main event push I had my eye on Cody. I people are behind him big time now they dont need to wait to long to put him in that spot because I feel like he is ready for that spot