WWE Smackdown Report
August 24, 2012
Taped 8/21/12 in Bakersfield, Calif.
Aired on Syfy
By Michael Cupach, PWTorch contributor

[Q1]

-WWE open.

-Opening montage of Sheamus beating Alberto Del Rio at Summerslam, they focus on the controversy in the ending of the match.

-Randy Orton kicks off Smackdown by making his way to the ring for a promo. While making his way to the ring, Michael Cole throws to a video of Randy Orton beating Del Rio last Monday on Raw. It should be noted that Cole is by himself on commentary while Josh Mathews sells Kane’s attack from Summerslam. Orton starts off by saying that he has never been a “glass half full” guy and he wants to beat up the guy who coined that phrase. He goes onto say that one thing he does like is confrontation and after Del Rio has been badmouthing him behind his back about last Mondays match, he wants to shut him up. Orton also wants to be the number one contender for the World Title, but he thinks that there might be people who disagree with him, so he wants to confront them right now!

Sheamus’s music plays and he heads to the ring. Sheamus says he isn’t out to disagree with him like “Berty” will. Sheamus says that Orton beat Del Rio fair and square just like he beat Del Rio at Summerslam fair and square, so he thinks Orton should be the first in line for a title shot.

Booker T is out. He says that this match will be huge and a monster. Booker polls the audience to see if they want to see it, they cheer. Unfortunately, Booker says that first they have to talk about Monday night.

Alberto Del Rio with Ricardo is out next. He declares that the title should be his because Sheamus cheated to win. He also calls Orton a greasy animal. Booker tries to get a word in, but Del Rio cuts him off to tell him that he should be champion by now, but he was robbed last Sunday and he was robbed against Orton on Monday. Del Rio tells Orton that he only won because Sheamus had to cheat on his behalf. Del Rio then complains about A.J., Booker says he will talk to her, Del Rio doesn’t think that is good enough and then goes back to complaining about the cheating last weekend. Del Rio thinks that there is a conspiracy afoot and he thinks that everyone in the ring is in cahoots to keep him down (if Hogan and HHH were there I would have no argument). Del Rio wants another title shot, but Orton tells him that he had his shot and it is his turn. Booker stops both men to tell them that Del Rio was the number one contender until he came out to run his mouth, now there is no number one contender. Booker then changes his mind and makes a match of Orton vs. Del Rio and the winner is the new number one contender.

-Michael Cole is at the announce table by himself and he catches the audience up as to the whereabouts of Josh Mathews tonight. A clip of Kane throwing Josh into a wall was shown and Michael read a tweet from Josh saying that he will be back next week. Cole then teases the “whole story” concerning Triple H and Brock Lesnar will be told later tonight.

-Ryback makes his way to the ring. He faces Jinder Mahal, next!

(Commercial)

[Q2]

-Teddy Long has joined Michael Cole on commentary, and Cole lets him know that he will have a different person join him on commentary for each match tonight.

-Ryback cuts a quick promo. He pretty much tells Jinder that he is the bottom of the food chain, Ryback then chants “feed me more” over and over.

1 - RYBACK vs. JINDER MAHAL

Headlock by Jinder to start. Ryback powers out and shoves Mahal across the ring. Ryback moves Mahal into the corner and unloads on him until the ref breaks it up. Mahal cheap shots Ryback, but Ryback no sells and power slams Mahal. Mahal gets a lucky knee to the face as Ryback picks him up, Mahal then takes Ryback down with a running high knee. Jinder puts the boots to Ryback as the crowd chants for him to be fed more. Ryback catches a boot, gets up and slams Jinder high into the air. Jackhammer from Ryback, that should stop the Goldberg comparisons! Musclebuster from Ryback finally puts Jinder away!

WINNER: Ryback by pinfall in 3:00

Mike’s Reax: The crowd was into Rybacks catchphrase and got behind him in the match. This was a good, simple blow off to their mini-feud.

-Still to come tonight – Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio, winner is the new #1 contender for the World Title!

(Commercial)

-WWE Rewind featuring the Divas battle royal from Raw. Kaitlyn won to become the number one contender to the Divas Title.

-Kaitlyn has joined Michael on commentary. He seems excited and she is excited and hugs Cole.

[Q3]

2 - Divas champion LAYLA vs. ALICIA FOX – non-title match

Headlock takeover from fox to start, Layla fights out and then kicks Fox in the stomach. Alicia catches Layla with a dropkick to regain control. Layla tries going to the middle rope for a move, but Alicia trips her up and knocks her down. Fox puts Layla in a half Boston crab and Cole notes her knee issues in the past. Layla counters out and gets a small package on Fox, but she kicks out at two. Chick kick to the head by Layla is enough to pick up the win!

WINNER: Layla by pinfall in 2:00

Mike’s Reax: Kaitlyn went from acceptable to commentary to slow and seeming like she didn’t know what was going on. They tried to build a back-story of Layla and Kaitlyn being best friends and Natalya having problems with her win, but it seemed to come up short.

-Eve heads down to the ring, she raises the arms of Kaitlyn and Layla in a unexpected move.

-Up next, an update on the John Cena and C.M. Punk situation. By update, I’m sure they mean that they are re-showing the end of Raw. Call it a hunch.

(Commercial)

-Raw Rebound recaps C.M. Punk knocking out Lawler with a kick to the head to end Raw and the events that led to that moment.

-Michael Cole read some tweets from other WWE Superstars concerning what Punk did at the end of Raw.

-Backstage, Dolph Ziggler is telling Vickie about how he stole the show on Sunday and Monday. He switches gears to talk about how A.J. made him put up his Money in the Bank briefcase, Vicke says that she will deal with A.J.. Sheamus then walks in and tries to taunt Ziggler into cashing in his briefcase. Teddy then walks by and casually makes a match between Dolph and Sheamus for later tonight. Long notes that if Ziggler is as good as he says he is, he may get a chance to cash in tonight.

[Q4]

-Sin Cara makes his way to the ring, and he is in action next!

(Commercial)

-Cody Rhodes is on commentary for the next match. He has the charicature of Sin Cara with him.

3 - SIN CARA vs. HEATH SLATER

Arm drag from Sin Cara to start, he follows it up with a high dropkick. Sin Cara then tries a spring board, but Slater shoves him to the floor. Back in the ring, Slater tries getting the win, but Cara kicks out as one. Rhodes cuts down slater on commentary by saying that this is the only chance he has of winning all year and pretty much calls him a jobber. Another arm drag by Sin Cara following by a dropkick on Slater, Slater rolls to the outside, Cara follows him out with a corkscrew plancha. Cole points out that Rhodes has always failed to beat Sin Cara, this ignites Rhodes who leaves the announce table and sneaks up behind Sin Cara and he turns the mask backwards! Heath Slater hits him with his finisher and picks up the win!

WINNER: Heath Slater by pin in 3:00.

-Post-match, Cody beats down Sin Cara until the referees hit the ring to break it up.

-Up next, Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus!

(Commercial)

-Jobber entrance for Sheamus this week, as he is in the ring when Smackdown returned. Vickie then gives a grand introduction for Dolph Ziggler.

4 - World Heavyweight champion SHEAMUS vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER – non-title match

Vickie joins Cole on commentary. Ziggler ducks a wild back elbow from Sheamus and he exits the ring. Back in, Sheamus works a headlock takeover, Dolph breaks free, but gets shoulder blocked down. Dolph pops back up and dropkicks Sheamus and then gets a two count on him. Dolph kicks Sheamus in the mouth, that pisses him off and Sheamus tosses Dolph straight up in the air!

[Q5] Sheamus tries White Noise, but Dolph turns it into a sunset flip for a two count. Both men pop up and Sheamus clotheslines him back down. Ziggler rolls to the apron, Sheamus tries to tie him up in the ropes, but Ziggler hangs him up on the top rope. DDT by Ziggler on the apron gets a two count for Ziggler. Rear chinlock on Sheamus slows the pace down, Sheamus sideslams Ziggler and both men are down. Dolph is the first to his feet. He tries a sleeper, but Sheamus snapmares him and then clotheslines him down. On the apron, Sheamus ties Dolph up in the ropes and clubs him across the torso ten times. Sheamus pulls Ziggler into the ring and puts him down with White Noise. Sheamus calls for the Brogue Kick, Dolph sees it coming and he dives for the ropes. The ref pulls Sheamus off Ziggler, Vickie leaves the announce table and gives Dolph the briefcase and he whacks Sheamus to cause the DQ.

WINNER: Sheamus by DQ in 6:00

-Post-match, Ziggler hits Sheamus again with the briefcase and tries to cash in the MITB briefcase, but Sheamus is almost on his feet, so Ziggler bails and cancels the cash-in.

Mike’s Reax: The match was just getting going as it ended. Dolph kept up with Sheamus and looked like he could be his equal. I am getting a little tired of the teased cash-ins. I would like to see it kind of quieted down that he has the briefcase so people maybe forget a little that he has it, that way it is a surprise when he does cash in.

(Commercial)

-Wade Barrett teaser video.

-Santino and his awful mullet/Mohawk are out for a promo. Cole highlights Santino losing his U.S. Title to Cesaro last Sunday at Summerslam. Santino gives the stats of his title run and the crowd pops. He then says that since losing his title he has felt less and less American to the point that he forgot what apple pie tastes like.

[Q6] Santino then answers the question he has been asked all week: Can Santino and The Cobra ever be back on the same page? Santino pulls the Cobra out of his pants…I mean he whips out his Cobra…I mean he puts the sock on his wrist and he reminisces with The Cobra about better times and then says that he can’t stay mad at it. Santino then quotes Robert DeNiro and Rocky Balboa to fire up The Cobra, he then vows to regain his title.

Antonio Cesaro and Aksana make their way out. Aksana sets up Cesaro to sum up what he is in one word in five languages. Got that? He calls himself a winner in five languages then makes out with Aksana on the ramp. Cesaro tells Santino that he personifies being a winner. Santino doesn’t like that and he storms the ramp, he gets the drop on Cesaro, but before he can hit Antonio with The Cobra, The Cobra turned its attention to Aksana and he ends up getting laid out by Cesaro.

Mike’s Reax: I don’t like referring to The Cobra like it is a separate entity. It really bugs me! Otherwise, I thought Santino cut a good promo and Cesaro continues to get his persona over. Unfortunately, I don’t see a long shelf life on the five languages bit.

(Commercial]

-Michael Cole is joined by the Prime Time Players on commentary. Cole joins them on a verse of #millionsofdollas

5 - WWE tag champions KOFI KINGSTON & R-TRUTH vs. EPICO & PRIMO – non-title match

Kofi and Epico start things off, they do a quick pin sequence and then end with a double dropkick into a stalemate. Epico cheapshots Kofi and then backs him into the heel corner and tags in Primo. Cole tries the Seal bark on commentary, but he offends Titus. Kofi with a head scissor takedown to slow down Primo. Both men tag out, and R-Truth front-face suplexes Primo, but Epico breaks up a pin attempt. Kofi takes Epico out, both men go to the floor. Backstabber from Primo gets blocked, then Truth puts him away with a Lie Detector.

WINNERS: Truth & Kofi by pinfall in 2:00.

-Trailer for “The Day.”

[Q7]

-Backstage, Matt Striker is with Kofi and Truth, and he asks who the new number one contenders are. Kofi says that they want to take on all-comers. Little Jimmy says that there are tons of great talents who deserve title shots. The Prime Time Players interrupt to say that they can’t see or hear Little Jimmy. The Uso’s join the fun and argue about a title shot, then Tyson Kid and Justin Gabriel enter the shot, it turns into a brawl between all four teams. The backstage officials try to break things up as Cole segues this into Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar from Summerslam!

(Commercial)

-Backstage, Booker T is on the phone with someone, and he says that he has things under control. Teddy enters to tell Booker that the brawl is broken up. Booker asks Teddy who he thinks should be the number one contender, but Teddy doesn’t have an answer. Eve then barges in and she has the win-loss records of all tag teams from the last six months for him. She then asks Booker if she can start planning next week's Smackdown, Booker gives his blessing and tells Long to up his game and handle his business.

Mike’s Reax: Win-loss records?! Planning next weeks show?! What show am I watching??? This can’t possibly be a WWE product!

-Michael Cole informs the audience that after last Monday's Raw, A.J. has ordered Daniel Bryan to enter anger management classes. Cole then throws to a video package of highlights from last Mondays Raw concerning Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, and Triple H. This Monday on Raw, Triple H will address whether or not he is retiring.

-Randy Orton makes his way to the ring. He faces Alberto Del Rio, next!

(Commercial)

-Sheamus joins Michael Cole for commentary, and he promise Cole that he will behave tonight!

-Ricardo Rodriguez introduces Alberto Del Rio.

[Q8] 6 – RANDY ORTON vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO - #1 Contender's match

Del Rio knocks Orton down with a shoulder block to start things off. Orton blocks a shot to the turnbuckle and then tries to roll Del Rio up, but only gets a two count. Orton starts to stomp away on Del Rio, but Del Rio rolls to the apron and the ref calls Orton off. Orton ignores the ref and catapaults Del Rio throat first into the bottom rope. Neckbreak by Orton, Alberto rolls out of the ring, Sheamus gets up, but Cole yells at him, and Smackdown takes a break!

(Commercial)

Del Rio has Orton in a chinlock when Smackdown returns. During the break, Alberto Del Rio wrapped Orton’s arm around the steel post. Orton fights out of the hold, but runs into a knee to the midsection from Del Rio. Del Rio kicks Randy in the bad shoulder and tries a pin, but comes up short. Del Rio continues to work over the shoulder and he keeps Orton at bay. Running enziguri from Del Rio misses, then Orton builds momentum with a series of clotheslines and a powerslam.

Orton tries his second rope DDT, but Del Rio hangs up his arm on the middle rope instead. Del Rio charges back into the ring, but runs into a backbreaker by Orton. Del Rio goes back to Orton's arm. He nails him with a jumping armbreaker, and it gets a two count. Del Rio tries the Cross Arm-breaker, but Orton shoves him off. Del Rio goes to the second rope, but Orton meets him in mid-air with a dropkick! Second rope DDT from Orton on Alberto and Randy calls for the RKO. Orton tries the RKO, but Del Rio hooks the top rope. Del Rio hooks on the Cross Armbreaker and Orton fights for a second or two, but ultimately taps out!

WINNER: Alberto Del Rio by submission in 12:00.

-Post-match, Sheamus gets into the ring and Del Rio nails him with Ricardo's shoe and leaves with both faces laying in the middle of the ring. Dolph Ziggler's music hits. He calls for a cash-in, but Orton RKO’s Ziggler before the referee takes the briefcase. Smackdown fades out with everyone looking worse for the wear!

Mike’s Reax: Del Rio vs. Sheamus again... I’m getting tired of the match-up and I’m tired of Del Rio chasing the title. In my perfect world, this would be wrapped up before Night of Champions and Sheamus would have a fresh opponent for the PPV. But, WWE seems to be obsessed with having Del Rio in the title picture and on the top of the card.

Overall, this was a pretty good episode of Smackdown. It set the table for Night of Champions and had very good storyline development and good TV matches. I really enjoyed this episode and I hope that they can keep this pace and quality for weeks to come!

Thank you for reading, please follow me on Twitter @MJCupach. I tweet live during Raw and all WWE PPV’s! Also check me out of the FTWPodcast as a semi-regular guest and for preview shows for all WWE PPVs. Go to ftwpodcast.com for more details!

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