By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
AUGUST 19, 2012
AIRED ON SYFY

[Q1]

-The show opened with a video package on the Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio feud including Sheamus messing with Del Rio's car and Del Rio telling Sheamus he's not a champion but rather is a peasant along with Booker T calling off Del Rio's title shot.

Keller's Analysis: It's a good sign that Booker T enforced law and order by calling off the World Title match. Based on his commentary, it was tough to know for sure if his character would be written/produced to care about rules since he so often praised heels for “doing what it took to get ahead” when they cheated or attacked people from behind.

-Josh Mathews and Michael Cole introduced the show, then Del Rio and Ricardo Rodrigues walked to the ring. Del Rio said, “I want my World Title match back right now!” Del Rio said he won't leave the ring until he gets his title match at Summerslam reinstated. Booker T then came out.

Keller's Analysis: Ricardo's facial expressions are awesome. His reactions to Del Rio are priceless.

Cole characterized Booker T's decision last week a “knee jerk” reaction, playing it up as an overreacting. Booker told Del Rio that he's been a pain in his side ever since he became G.M. Del Rio said Sheamus messed with is property so he made him pay because that's what real men do. Booker told Del Rio that's not being a real man because real men don't pay five goons to dress up as cops and beat up their rival. Booker said he will not tolerate that because it overstepped his bounds. Del Rio said, “Overstep my bounds? Really? Who do you think you are to take away what is mine?” As Del Rio boasted that he had been in touch with his lawyers, Chris Jericho interrupted.

Cole said this is not Jericho's business. Jericho told Del Rio to “please shut the hell up” as the crowd said it with him.

Quotebook – Chris Jericho to Del Rio: “Nobody cares about your lawyers or your money, your fancy cars, your stupid scarves, your goofy ring announcer, your shiny shoes, your big ears, your tiny little nose, your greasy hair, or your incessant whining and complaining.” Del Rio talked back in Spanish. Jericho fired back in Spanish himself, showing off he could trade insults in Del Rio's native language. Jericho said he just told Del Rio that his breath smells like dog poop. Del Rio asked him what he was doing out there, Jericho suggested that after he beats Dolph Ziggler at Summerslam he take Del Rio's place against Sheamus and win the World Title at Summerslam. Del Rio said that won't be happening. They jawed at each other. Booker stepped between them and said Sheamus will not be defending his title at Summerslam. He proposed a main event tonight of Del Rio vs. Jericho “for the first time ever.”

[c]

-WWE Fact: Undertaker's “The Streak” is the no. 1 selling sports DVD in the United States. (Paul Bearer was my guest on the PWTorch Livecast on Friday, and the first hour and a half is available to everyone and the second hour and a half of the three hour interview is available exclusively to VIP members. Discussion includes The Streak, Undertaker's future, and more related to the Bearer-Undertaker-Kane history.)

1 – REY MYSTERIO & SIN CARA vs. CODY RHODES & THE MIZ

Cody Rhodes walked out with a mic in hand. He told children prone to nightmares or old people with heart conditions to avert their eyes because he is presenting his rendition of Sin Cara unmasked. He showed a caricature of a mouse-like creature with giant yellow teeth. Cara and Mysterio immediately knocked the heels to ringside. Cara scored a quick one count after Rey threw Rhodes back into the ring. Cole said Miz has been much more aggressive and vicious since returning from his hiatus to make a movie. It's good to push the idea that Miz is approaching matches differently now since his return because he had lost so many matches before his hiatus. Rey hot-tagged in at 3:00. I'd say the crowd popped, but the audio-sweetening in post-production distorts any true sense of crowd reactions. Rey rallied to pin Cody after a 619 and top rope splash. Afterward Miz tried to hit Rey with the IC Title belt, but Rey ducked and then hit him with the 619.

WINNERS: Rey & Cara in 5:00.

-A video recap aired of the Brock Lesnar-Shawn Michaels angle on Raw on Monday.

[c]

-Mathews plugged the Santino vs. Antonio Cesaro prelimary match for Summerslam available online.

-Tyler Reks & Curt Hawkins walked out wearing suits. Mathews said lately they've been doing their best to get noticed in WWE. They took off their suit jackets, then music played and they danced and stripped a la a Chippendales act. Cole said, “What int he world?” as they stripped down to wrestling trunks that had markings making them look like briefs. Cole said Booker told them to show him something and step it up. “In some circles, what we just saw would be considered creative,” Cole said.

2 – CURT HAWKIINS & TYLER REKS vs. TWO JOBBERS

Cole asked, “Are they in their underwear? If the object of all this was to get people talking, they may have accomplished it. Looking around the arena, people are either horrified or they're laughing.” Cole said fans have stunned faces. Cole gave Mathews a hard time for using the phrase “stunned faces.” He said people can be stunned, but can't have a stunned face. Mathews disagreed. Cole said maybe it's a mind game and they're trying to throw thier opponents off their games. Mathews said after a week of thought about how to get noticed, this is what they came up with.

WINNERS: Hawkins & Reks in 2:00.

Keller's Analysis: That is a heat-generating angle, but it's also one that can backfire as some fans just will turn off the show or hold it against WWE if they do an overt Chippendale angle like this. That said, it definitely put Reks and Hawkins more on the radar than anytime previously.

[c]

-An extended video package aired on John Cena and C.M. Punk and Big Show.

-Backstage William Regal wished Eve luck in her match. She said she didn't need it. Regal said once he thought he was all-powerful and unstoppable, but power can be fleeting. A woman then walked up to Regal and insisted he take out the trash like he's paid to do.

[Q4] [c]

-A vignette aired on Wade Barrett in the underground fighting world.

-At ringside Teddy Long, the senior advisor to Booker T, joined Cole and Mathews at ringside. Cole took delight in ribbing Long about having a job again.

3 – KAITLYN vs. EVE – Battle to Become Booker T's Assistant

Cole endorsed Eve because she has experience working under John Laurinaitis. Mathews said Kaitlyn's biggest influence was Chuck Norris. Cole said, “That's really current. When he was in his prime, Kaitlyn was only two.”

WINNER: Eve in 2:00.

[c]

-Eve approached Booker backstage with a big smile. She said she knows she is his assistant, but she has so many ideas to bring to the table because she learned so much working under Laurinaitis. Booker said he's concerned about her getting along with Teddy Long. She said the past is the bast. She said she's going to take a quick shower and then she's at his disposal. Booker made a strange face like he was auditioning to be a greeter at a haunted house.

[Q5]

4 – DANIEL BRYAN vs. RANDY ORTON

Cole said Bryan could learn from Orton how to channel his anger in productive ways. Cole continues to be pro-heel except when it comes to Bryan, whom he's always taking digs at even though Bryan's a heel. Bryan got into a memorable shouting contest with a fan in the front row yelling “No! No! No!” as the fan shouted “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Cole hyped the main event if Jericho vs. Del Rio for the first time ever. [c]

Bryan worked over Orton's leg during the break. At 10:00 Orton whipped Bryan into the ringside barrier. When he threw him back into the ring, Bryan rolled out the other side. When Orton went after him, Bryan threw him into the ringside steps. At 12:00 Orton set up an RKO, but Bryan countered with a No Lock attempt. He leveraged Orton to the mat into the No Lock, but then Kane's pyro blasted and his music played. Bryan released his grip and stood up in fright. He bailed out to ringside and looked around, concerned about which direction Kane might be coming from. When the pyro and music suddenly stopped, Orton had recovered and then surprised Bryan with an RKO for the win.

WINNER: Orton in 14:00.

Keller's Analysis: Definitely a good TV match. The fact that Daniel Bryan needs a distraction to justify being booked to lose to Orton really says something about his lofty status in WWE right now. It's only a matter of time, although hopefully a ways off, before he becomes a top level babyface in WWE. He is earning what should eventually be an even more lucrative run as a top babyface selling tons of merchandise.

[Q6]

-Afterward Kane stepped onto the stage and laughed at costing Bryan the match. [c]

5 – ANTONIO CESARO (w/Aksana) vs. ZACK RYDER

Santino joined Cole and Mathews on commentary. Before the Askana proudly said Cesaro would like to speak to the fans in five different languages. He spoke briefly in five languages, ending with saying “Loser!” at Santino at ringside.

WINNER: Cesaro in 1:00.

-Afterward, Cesaro attacked Santino at ringside.

Keller's Analysis: As much as the way Bryan lost says a lot about his lofty status in the eyes of Vince McMahon, Ryder losing like this shows that he's not taken seriously by McMahon as a money act short of being a lower card comedy novelty.

[c]

[Q7]

-WWE Fact: Over the last three years, the 25,000 people who have attended Summerslam Axxess have acquired almost 10,000 Superstars autographs. (Who tracked that? And why did 15,000 people not get autographs!)

-Mathews threw to a video package on the Lesnar-Triple H main event at SummerSlam. Cole said Michaels suffered a broken arm, a fractured radius, a strain, and multiple contusions over his entire body. Mathews noted that Michaels tweeted that he was unlikely to appear at Summerslam. Cole said Michaels will not be able to be at Summerslam so Triple H will have to go at it alone. Mathews showed various Tweet reactions from fans and WWE Superstars.

-Mathews and Cole hyped the entire Summerslam line-up.

-Del Rio drove out in a fancy car as Ricardo introduced him.

-Ziggler attacked a smiling Jericho backstage just as they were about to cut to a break. Vickie Guerrero cackled in the background. Ziggler rolled a huge cart into him, ramming him into a brick wall. Booker T ran up and told him to get out of there. Jericho clutched his ribs in pain.

[c]

-In the ring, Del Rio laughed at what he watched happen before the break on the big screen. He said he wins by forfeit. Jericho's music played, though, and he walked out still clutching at his ribs with labored breathing.

[Q8]

6 – CHRIS JERICHO vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO

Mathews stood up to Cole when Cole began going on a rant. He told Cole, “Hey, Stephen A. Smith, can I get a word in here?” Ziggler came to ringside and interfered on Del Rio's behalf, setting up Jericho for a Del Rio kick to the head leading to the three count.

WINNER: Del Rio in 8:00.

-Afterward, Del Rio put Jericho in the cross armbreaker. Ziggler cheered him on. Sheamus charged out and made the save, attacking Del Rio. Ziggler fled. Del Rio poked Ziggler in the face with his fingers, then kicked him in his sore heavily bandaged arm to take over. When Sheamus fought back, Del Rio fled through the crowd with Ricardo. Booker T then walked out onto the stage and asked Sheamus what he was doing out there. Sheamus told him to reinstate his match with Del Rio at Summerslam. Booker said he appreciates his passion, but he cannot put him in the ring injured. Sheamus said he'd have to rip his arm off his body and even then it wouldn't stop him. He asked again for the match to be reinstated. Booker thought it over, then told him if he does that, the World Title will be on the line. Sheamus said the only person who wants the match more than Del Rio is him. Booker gave in and reinstated the match, saying if that's what he wants, he's got it.

Keller's Analysis: Good logical final angle to push the World Title match at Summerslam. They gave the fans something they thought was taken away, they had the babyface demand the match take place (which is the right way to do it), and had the heel look vicious and underhanded and unwilling to fight fair. Sheamus is playing the role of the strong stand-up babyface well.

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