WWE Smackdown Report
November 23, 2012
Taped Nov. 20, 2012 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Aired on Syfy
By Michael Cupach, PWTorch contributor

-WWE open.

-The “This week on Smackdown” guy recaps the new happenings of the A.J. – John Cena – Vickie Guerrero scandal and how C.M. Punk retained his title against Cena and Ryback at Survivor Series. Plus, Big Show held onto his title after being disqualified last Sunday and Randy Orton will take on Dolph Ziggler.

-MizTV opens Smackdown for the second week in a row. Miz says that his show is must-watch because he gets the biggest stars and asks the toughest questions. Miz has a lot of questions for tonight's guest and he welcomes John Cena!

Josh Mathews welcomes everyone to Smackdown and introduces his broadcast partner, JBL, as Cena comes out. Cena’s knee is heavily wrapped and he opts to sit on the couch instead of stand and talk to Miz. John mentions that he loves what Miz has done with the place. Miz jumps right in and asks Cena if he did what he did because he had enough, but enough of what? Miz throws to a clip of Cena and A.J. making out last Monday on Raw and then A.J. trying to jump Cena’s ignorant bones!

Back live, Miz is sitting next to Cena and he sarcastically asks how good a kisser A.J. is, Cena gets up to leave, so Miz shifts gears and asks about the knee. A clip of Cena tweaking the knee is shown in slow motion. In the ring, Cena asks where Miz has been because he posted his MRI on Twitter and he has a few issues, but he can still compete. Cena asks for tough questions, Miz obliges then asks what his relationship is with A.J. now that she is not GM. Cena responds by saying that he was tired of everyone's accusations, so he gave them what they wanted to shut them up and he admitted that he liked kissing A.J. “Reeeealy?” asked The Miz.

Miz asks if they were truly more than just friends and then A.J.’s music hit and she skipped to the ring and joined MizTV. A.J. tells John that he doesn’t have to answer anything, Miz tells her that this is MizTV and tough questions come with the territory. Miz asks the crowd if they think Cena and A.J. were in looooove, they cheered. Cena thinks Miz is still an idiot, then Dolph Ziggler's music hit and he made his way to the ramp.

Dolph starts off by saying that only an idiot would think that John and A.J. didn’t have feelings for each other. Dolph then claims that he forced their hand and made them kiss and by doing that, it made it easier to jump him in the locker room and injure his knee. Dolph said that if he were A.J., he would love Cena, but if he were Cena, he would hate her guts. A clip is shown of A.J. barging into the men's locker room and confronting Dolph and then the subsequent run-in from Cena leading to his pull apart brawl with Ziggler.

Vickie Guererro is out next. She said that she thinks that his little girlfriend needs to control her impulses. She calls A.J. a pitiful, sad, and a weak woman. Dolph on the other hand is a real man and a great kisser who knows how to love a woman. Cena tells Vickie that it hasn’t been proven that she is a woman. Dolph says that A.J. and Cena deserve each other because they are two weak, losers. Cena says that Dolph and Vickie have more in common because Vickie enjoys eating a lot of nuts, while Dolph is still trying to find his.

-Still to come, Kofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow in a IC Title match!

-Ryback makes his entrance, he is in action next!

(Commercial)

1 - RYBACK vs. DARREN YOUNG

Titus O’Neil is on commentary for this match. Young sticks and moves on Ryback to start, but Ryback grabs a hold of Darren and tosses him across the ring. Faceplant by Ryback, Young rolls to the floor as Titus blows his whistle. Titus thinks that somebody better give Ryback some medication or something! Spinebuster by Ryback followed by a Meathook clolthesline, Shellshock by Ryback puts Young away!

WINNER: Ryback by pinfall in 2:00

-Post-match, Titus asks for the music to be cut and he enters the ring with a microphone. He says that Young is worth millions of dollars and he shouldn’t do that to him. Ryback doesn’t want to listen, so he gives Titus Shellshock instead! JBL claims that Titus getting in the ring to talk some sense into Ryback is one of the worst decisions he has ever seen.

-Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler is still to come, R-Truth vs. Antonio Cesaro is up next in a non-title match!

(Commentary)

-Antonio Cesaro cuts a promo on the way to the ring for his match against Truth - he is disgusted by a holiday that encourages gorgeing your faces and laziness.

2 - U.S. champion ANTONIO CESARO vs. R-TRUTH – non-title match

Cesaro controls the match to start, he double stomps Truth and then puts him in a waistlock. Truth fights to his feet and fights out of the move, he takes Antonio down with a flying forearm. Cesaro counters out of a suplex, he tries the Neutralizer, Truth backbody drops him instead, and then nails him with the Truth Detector for the win!

WINNER: R-Truth by pin in 1:45,

Mike’s Reax: Is it really in WWE's best interest to have Truth beat a heel champion in less than two minutes just to set up a re-match?

-Backstage, Sheamus is moseying around backstage when he is stopped by Booker T. Booker, much like last week, doesn’t want Sheamus in the building or competing, so he asks Sheamus to leave. Booker also thinks that Big Show got himself purposely DQ’ed to hold onto his title, so he booker Sheamus vs. Big Show in a chairs match at TLC next month. Booker tells Sheamus to go up to his owners suite and enjoy the rest of the show and to enjoy Big Show vs. Team Hell No later tonight.

-Sin Cara is in action, next!

(Commercial)

-Still to come tonight, Kofi Kingston defends his IC Title against Damien Sandow.

3 - SIN CARA vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO

JBL is cracking up Josh Mathews this week, as every time he makes fun of Mathews, Josh laughs hysterically. Mood lighting for the match tonight. Del Rio kicks away at Sin Cara to start, Sin Cara then side steps ADR and sends him to the floor. Sin Cara comes over the top rope with a suicide dive. Sin Cara misses a running boot, but Del Rio catches him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Del Rio whips Sin Cara shoulder first into the ring post as Smackdown takes a break.

(Commercial)

Del Rio is trying to rip the mask off Sin Cara when Smackdown returns. Cara tries to roll ADR up, he can’t put Del Rio away and gets kicked stiffly in the mid-section. Del Rio kicks away on the lower back on Sin Cara, he goes to work even more on it with a submission hold. Standing huracanrana by Sin Cara gets another two count, that looked amazing! Alberto answers back with a running boot to the face. Suplex by Del Rio gets a two count, he follows up by missing a splash in the corner. Spinebuster by Del Rio on Sin Cara as Josh gets frustrated by JBL’s commentary and tells him to just do all the work!

ADR goes back to the submission hold, then Cara fights out and armdrags Del Rio across the ring. Springboard crossbody by Sin Cara doesn’t do the job getting the win, so he hits ADR with a handspring back elbow. Up top, Del Rio armdrags Sin Cara to the mat and then locks in the cross Armbreaker for the immediate tap-out!

WINNER: Alberto Del Rio by submission in 10:00.

-Backstage, Kane is looking at his Tag Team Title belt as Daniel Bryan enters and tells Kane to stay out of his way. Kane asks what he means, Bryan said that once upon a time he beat Big show in 0:45. Kane says that he once team with Big Show and he was a baby, just like Bryan is now. Kane tells Bryan to team with Show and call themselves Team No-Show. Bryan asks is Kane is upset because he didn’t get a Thanksgiving invite, Kane says it is, Bryan goes into a bit about serving Vegan Turkey and then agrees to invite Kane to Christmas if they win.

-Big Show makes his way to the ring, he faces Team Hell No, next!

(Commercial)

4 - BIG SHOW vs. DANIEL BRYAN & KANE - handicap match

Big Show and Daniel Bryan start things off. Bryan kicks Big Show in the thigh and then backs off. He tries again, but Big Show catches him and headbutts Bryan to the floor. Show chops away on Bryan and the camera shows Sheamus and William Regal in the owner's suite watching the match. Big Show continues to punish Daniel Bryan and beat him all around the ring. Bryan tries a comeback, but Show quickly cuts him off by shoving him across the ring into the bottom turnbuckle. Show goes to work on the left arm of Bryan, driving the point of the elbow into his shoulder. Big bodyslam by Show, he goes to the middle turnbuckle and misses a elbow smash! Bryan slowly crawls towards Kane, then he yells “No!” and instead No-Kicks Big Show down. Big Show powers out of a pin attempt.

Show tries a Chokeslam, but Bryan counters into a front facelock. Show shoves him off and Bryan climbs right back on with a sleeper hold. Big Show’s face is turning bright red and then Show falls backwards onto Bryan! That’s gotta hurt! Bryan tags out, Kane comes in a house of fire, he clotheslines and dropkicks the Giant down. Missile clothesline from Kane takes Show down again, then Kane calls for the Chokeslam, but Show fights out, but gets DDT’ed by Kane. Kane calls for another Chokeslam, but Bryan tags himself in. Bryan puts on the No-Lock as Kane walks away. Big Show powers out of the hold and Chokeslams Bryan for the win!

WINNER: Big Show by pin in 8:00.

-Post match, Sheamus looks disappointed in the skybox, Kane rolls back in the ring and faces Show, Show tries a Chokeslam, but Bryan gets up and they two on one the World Champion and send him packing. Big Show grabs a microphone and cuts a promo on the ramp that at TLC it will be a Chairs match and he reminds Sheamus that he will have a chair as well. Sheamus yells that he can hit him 50 times, but he will still get up. Sheamus looked intense there.

-Up next, Damien Sandow challenges ofi Kingston for the IC Title.

(Commercial)

-Last Friday on Smackdown, Sandow caught a quick pin on Kingston after pulling his tights.

-Wade Barrett makes his way out to the announce table for this match. Kofi enters the ring and has a staredown with Barrett. Sandow makes his way out and a Tout from Cody Rhodes is shown, his arm is heavily wrapped and he shows a dart board with Kane and Daniel Bryan with darts on their pictures.

5 - Intercontinental champion KOFI KINGSTON vs. DAMIEN SANDOW – IC Title match

Suplex from Sandow to start, Kofi counters by sending Sandow to the floor, Kofi tries a dive onto him, but Damien rolls into the ring, and he knocks Kofi to the floor in front of Wade Barrett.

(Commercial)

Sandow has Kofi in a submission hold when Smackdown returns, Sandow whips Kofi into the corner and runs into Kofi’s right boot. Sandow recovers and knees Kofi multiple times in the face then hits him with a side Russian legsweep and the elbow of disdain. Sandow puts the boots to Kofi all around the ring then puts Kingston in a chinlock.

Both men find themselves outside the ring, where Sandow slams Kofi into the steel post and rolls him back in. Kofi blocks a turnbuckle shot and he goes up top and connects with a crossbody block for a two count. S.O.S. by Kofi comes up short as well. Kofi comes alive with double chops to the chest of Sandow and then puts him down with a dropkick. Boom Drop from Kingston, he calls for Trouble in Paradise, it connects and he gets the win over Damien Sandow!

WINNER: Kofi Kingston by pin in 9:00.

-Wade Barrett vows that the next time Kofi defends the title, it will be his last because he will be a victim to the Barrett Barrage. Kofi challenges Wade to enter the ring, but they end up having another staredown instead.

-Orton vs. Ziggler is still to come.

(Commercial)

-Raw Rewind featuring C.M. Punk’s one year as champion celebration is shown. It ends with Ryback getting jumped by Rollins, Ambrose, and Reigns.

-Josh Mathews and JBL throw to some Touts from a few fans about the end of Raw. JBL then noted that the three men jumped Tyson Kidd and Santino Marella before Main Event earlier this week, you can see the footage on WWE.com. Josh notes that Michael Cole will have a exclusive interview with Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns this Monday on Raw.

-Dolph Ziggler makes his way to the ring, he faces Randy Orton, next!

(Commercial)

6 - RANDY ORTON vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER

Kick to the gut by Orton to start, he backs Ziggler into the corner and tees off on him. Ziggler ties himself up in the ropes and tells the ref to pull Orton off him. Both men reset, Ziggler goes for a single leg takedown, but Orton elbows him in the back of the head. Ziggler backs Orton into the corner, the referee backs Ziggler off, but Dolph doesn’t heed the ref and continues his assault. The referee finals pulls Ziggler off him and Orton dropkicks Ziggler. Slingshot suplex by Orton gets a two count on Ziggler. Swinging neckbreaker out of nowhere by Ziggler, Orton comes back with a few right hands, he then throws Dolph out of the ring and then clotheslines him over the barricade as Smackdown goes to commercial.

(Commercial)

Orton has Ziggler in a headlock when Smackdown comes back. Back suplex by Orton doesn’t put Dolph away as JBL steals Bob Backlunds gimmick of asking about the U.S. presidents. Orton slingshots Ziggler under the bottom rope, Dolph rolls to the floor. Orton follows him out and Dolph rams Ortons head into the announce table, he then dropkicks Orton on the floor. Ziggler rolls into the ring, clutching his ankle, and Orton follows him back in. Ziggler goes back to work on Orton and drops a high elbow drop.

Back to the chinlock by Ziggler, he puts on the body scissors, but Orton still fights out and hits Dolph with his patented backbreaker for another two count. Ziggler pops up out of nowhere and DDT’s Orton! Ziggler goes up top, but Orton makes him lose his balance and then superplexes Ziggler to the mat! Orton gets fired up and he powerslams Ziggler and then connects with his signature rope assisted DDT. RKO time by Orton, but Ziggler rolls Orton up and pulls the tights to get a quick pin on The Viper!

WINNER: Dolph Ziggler by pinfall in 12:00.

-Post-match, Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo run in, but Orton takes out Ricardo and holds Del Rio at bay. On the ramp, Cena jumps Ziggler from behind and locks him into a STF as Smackdown fades out.

Thank you for reading, make sure to check out my reviews of Main Event each and every week, also follow me on Twitter @MJCupach where I tweet live during Raw and WWE PPVs. I am also a frequent guest on the FTWPodcast, go to FTWPodcast.com for more details!

[Torch photo credit David Campbell (c) PWTorch.com]

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