WWE Smackdown Blog
May 10, 2013
Report by Michael Cupach, PWTorch contributor

- Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel

So, can we agree that the difference between The Highlight Reel, MizTV, The Cutting Edge, and any other interview format are the props that surround the set? Chris Jericho is seemingly turning into that loveable Mick Foley role, the guy who comes out and tries to show the newly-turned heel the error of his ways. Ryback on the other hand came off as an unreasonable brute. Everything that Jericho said, Ryback turned into a slight on himself. The segment ended in a moment that Ripley’s Believe it or Not could build a museum around – Teddy Long made a one-on-one match between Jericho and Ryback for later. Not a tag match, a singles match! Ryback cheap-shotted Y2J and stormed out of the ring.

1 - KOFI KINGSTON vs. CODY RHODES

If someone has been an “up-and-comer” for four years, can you still consider him an up-and-comer? At what point do the announcers say that this guy was predicted for greatness, but could never win the big one? Short match between these two, but the finish was nice where both guys blocked or countered the others's multiple finishing moves. Then, Kofi caught Cody in mid-air with Trouble in Paradise when Cody was trying Beautiful Disaster Kick.

-A replay of Brock Lesnar destroying Mr. Levesque’s office was shown. I have a larger office, have a worse job, and make a fraction of what Hunter probably makes. That is sad. Does he have a closet for an office because he wants to show the other office workers that he is still a regular guy? I’m surprised that his office wasn’t painted black to intimidate his subordinates a la Dwight Schrute.

-Renee interviewed Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter backstage. Zeb’s gimmick is losing its subtle racism with WWE making it more overt. Although Zeb hasn't gone all the way yet taking a shine to the blonde-hair, blue-eyed backstage interviewer.

2 - JACK SWAGGER vs. BIG E. LANGSTON

Alberto Del Rio is on commentary, and Ricardo Rodriguez is at home recuperating after the beating he took from Jack Swagger. The match never got underway as Del Rio introduced a ladder into the ring and everyone fought over it and used it on each other. By the way, WWE cut away from the kick to Ziggler. It looked like a pretty unsafe, unnecessary move. The kick was a concussion waiting to happen and now Dolph is slowly turning into Rocky Balboa. On replay, they showed the kick and it looked pretty nasty; how Dolph continued the segment is boggling.

3 - DANIEL BRYAN vs. DEAN AMBROSE

Oh no, Michael Cole called Dean Ambrose's style “chaotic frenzy” and I had a Todd Grisham/Kofi Kingston flashback! Stiff match between these two that showed what Dean Ambrose can do in the ring with a great wrestler. Now after a month of Dean wrestling on Smackdown I want to see Rollins and Reigns in singles action.

There was an awkward moment when Kane was shown on-camera standing next to Rollins and Reigns outside the ring. The match got thrown out when Reigns broke up the No Lock and it looked like Ambrose was going to pick up the win, so Kofi ran down and got him some of Dean Ambrose. Team Hell No and Kofi cleared the ring of The Shield.

-Earlier today on WWE.com, Mark Henry pulled a tractor trailer with his teeth ten feet! Pfft…I saw Lou Ferrigno pull heavier stuff further. Sheamus vs. Mark Henry at Extreme Rules has been named a Strap Match. Live in the parking lot, Mark Henry pulled two tractor trailers equaling 110,000 pounds. If Mark Henry pulls it off, it will be a new world record.

Henry tried twice to pull them, but they won’t budge. Josh Mathews wondered if Henry was embarrassed by not doing it, and JBL pointed out that there is no shame in not breaking a world record! After Matt Striker upset Henry with questions, Henry dug in and got the trucks to move and he set the world record! Henry collapsed at the finish line as paramedics tended to him. Henry yelled, “That’s what I do,” as various heels clapped and cheered him on. Lillian then asked for some applause for Henry and he got a small babyface reaction. That was a cool segment, but I question how official it will be in record books.

-Renee Young talked with Randy Orton and she asked him how it felt to be punched out by The Big Show. Okay, she didn’t ask that! Orton said that he will make up for trusting Big Show at WrestleMania when he injects him with Venom at Extreme Rules.

4 - BIG SHOW vs. SWEET T

Tensai looks to be about the same size of Big Show, maybe an inch or two smaller. Tensai maybe looks like Big Show in 1996 when he was thin and had visable muscles. Sweet T took it to Show to start, but Show blocked a shot and KO’ed Tensai a minute into the match to get the victory. After the match, he speared Brodus Clay and was about to give him a WMD when Orton ran in and delivered a RKO out of nowhere.

-Backstage, Kaitlyn ran into A.J., who made fun of her for having a secret admirer. Kaitlyn thinks it might be Dolph sending her gifts and cards. Natalya stepped in to back her girl, then A.J. said, “See you gentleman later,” and that made me laugh a little bit. Khali then stumbled into the picture wearing a Rey Mysterio mask and singing his theme, as apparently he is undercover trying to solve the mystery of the secret admirer. Khali then wore a mustache and pretended to be Cody Rhodes.

5 - CHRIS JERICHO vs. RYBACK

I like Ryback as a heel and I like Ryback when he isn’t a snorting, grunting brute. Using his head and playing the backpeddling heel works for him and adds some depth to his character. He can still use the hard-hitting power moves in the ring and can play unstoppable monster, but he can switch it off and not want to face Jericho when Chris has the momentum going for him. It is also weird to think back a year when Ryback was squashing two local jobbers at a time and everyone was wondering how he would fare in the ring with a real wrestler or a top-name wrestler. Well, we got the answer, as I think he handled himself well and looked like he belonged in the ring with Jericho.

Jericho locked Ryback in the Walls of Jericho as a counter to Shell-Shocked, but Ryback used sheer power to escape the move. Jericho also connected with a Codebreaker, but Ryback rolled to the floor when it hit. Jericho followed and Ryback shoved him into the barricade to create separation. For the finish, Ryback picked up Jericho and rammed him groin-first into the steel post and the referee disqualified Ryback for it.

Ryback then stood over Chris and looked proud of himself for doing that to Jericho. Chris was helped to his feet as Ryback looked on, then Ryback came back and continued the attack on Jericho. He threw Jericho over the announce table and walked away again to end the show.

Thank you for reading, for more from me, please follow me on Twitter @MJCupach. Also check out my Main Event reports every Wednesday right here on PWTorch.com .

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