WWE Smackdown review
February 28, 2014
Taped 2/25/14 in Milwaukee, Wisc.
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @gregmparks)


- “In Memory of Nelson Frazier Jr. ‘Big Daddy V’ 1971-2014,” complete with headshot.

- Smackdown Open.

- After the camera panned the crowd to open the show, a graphic aired for a six-man tag match set for tonight: The Usos & Daniel Bryan take on The New Age Outlaws & Kane.

- Also, A.J. Lee faces Cameron in an Elimination Chamber re-match.

- But first, Batista came out. He wore sunglasses, a white sleeveless t-shirt, a tam upon his noggin, and of course, really tight jeans. As posed in the ring, they showed him losing to Alberto Del Rio on Raw thanks to Randy Orton’s music. The promo exchange between Orton and Batista was shown as well. Batista began by stating his love for the business and this company. What a bad-ass. He also said he didn’t come back to be liked; rather, he came back to be WWE World Heavyweight Champion. He said he is the best representative of WWE, which includes Hulk Hogan and The Rock. His entire cadence and attitude is heelish.

Batista asked what happened to the real men in the business, what happened to the attitude? He said the fans chant the name of 195-pound wannabes. Batista said they will never be him. Batista asked if they really thought their heroes were as good as him. Then he slowly took his shirt off and showed off his abs and pecs. He said everything about him screams WWE World Champion. Batista said the fans are living in a fantasy world in which the wrestlers they cheer for are just like them. He told them to go back to work at Hot Topic, because he’ll destroy their heroes on his way to the main event of Wrestlemania. Batista’s best promo since he returned, but that’s faint praise. That seemed to be a full-on heel turn.

As Batsita posed, Dolph Ziggler came out. He got into the ring with a mic. Ziggler told Batista that he doesn’t tell the fans who to cheer for – they cheer for who they want. Ziggler called Batista “a dinosaur,” and said sooner or later, they become extinct. Ziggler said he’s one of the real men in this business that Batista is looking for. He requested a match with Batista for tonight, a proposal which Batista found hilarious. He granted Dolph the match. Dolph backed away, but hit a standing dropkick before exiting.

- In a split screen, Mark Henry and Big E. were walking, as were The Real Americans and Zeb Colter. Tag-team action is next.

[Commercial Break]

- In news broken on the WWE App during the break, Vickie Guerrero announced Dolph Ziggler vs. Batista for tonight.

1 – THE REAL AMERICANS vs. BIG E. & MARK HENRY

No entrance for the Real Americans. As Henry and E. came to the ring, dissension amongst the Americans from Raw was shown. Henry got the better of Jack Swagger early on, but Cesaro took over on Big E. Cesaro, from the second rope, suplexed Big E. in from the apron. Swagger made a blind tag that Cesaro was not happy about. The Real Americans seemed to get back on the same page soon after. Big E. created some separation and tagged in Henry. “Running” powerslam by Henry. Went for the World’s Strongest Slam, but Cesaro gave Henry a kick to the face. Big E. blasted Cesaro, but was thrown into the ring post outside the ring. Swagger took out Henry’s knee and applied the Patriot Lock. Cesaro reached over to tag himself in as payback. He gave Henry the Neutralizer for the win.

WINNERS: The Real Americans, at 5:33. Cesaro is going to be huge when he breaks away from Swagger and Colter. His star has already eclipsed that of his former World Champion partner.

- Vickie Guerrero was backstage when she was approached by Alberto Del Rio. He was angling for a “congratulations” for beating Batista on Raw. Vickie said she hasn’t yet congratulated Batista for beating ADR at the Chamber, either. He suggested a rubber match, but with Batista in action tonight, instead decided to take the night off. Sheamus walked in and offered to fight Del Rio, which he equated to a night off for him. Vickie made the match, and it’s next.

[Commercial Break]

2 – SHEAMUS vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO

We saw the end of Sheamus vs. Christian last week, and Christian’s post-match attack as Sheamus came to the ring. Early on in the match, Cole cheerfully reminisced about the time Sheamus committed grand theft auto in taking one of Del Rio’s cars for a joyride. Sheamus had his side wrapped with black tape. They went back-and-forth until Sheamus was kicked to ringside and Christian’s music played. Captain Charisma walked out looking quite dapper, dressed all in black. The show went to break at 2:04 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

The show returned at about 5:30 of the match with Christian on commentary. Sheamus gave Del Rio an electric chair, and both men were down. Sheamus missed a Brogue Kick, and ADR gave him a back-stabber for two at 7:10. Sheamus was sent rib-first into the turnbuckle, and Del Rio superkicked him. A cover got two. Sheamus dodged an enziguiri attempt and locked in a clover-leaf submission. Christian interfered for the disqualification.

WINNER: Sheamus, via DQ, at 9:04. Basic, first-to-second-gear match between these two.

After the match, Sheamus fought off Christian and gave Del Rio a Brogue Kick. Christian then gave Sheamus the Killswitch. Sheamus struggled to his feet as Christian looked on from the aisleway.

- The announcers talked on-camera about Daniel Bryan being screwed in the Elimination Chamber match, then they showed Daniel Bryan challenging Triple H for Mania on Raw. The end of Kane vs. Bryan was shown, too, plus his post-match mic work.

- Bryan and Kane are on opposite sides of a six-man tag match tonight.

- Up next, Hulk Hogan’s WWE return on Raw.

[Commercial Break]

- Graphics aired filled with the media coverage received because of WWE and Hulk Hogan reuniting. They also aired a clip of his promo from Raw. Also shown was Hulk Hogan’s surprise appearance on the Today Show.

- The exterior of the Bradley Center in Milwaukee was shown.

- Lana came out and asked fans to stand for Alexander Ruseve. Rusev walked out and stood on a three-step podium that was set up atop the ramp. Lana was made to stand in an awkward way that no one would ever stand naturally. Ruseve spoke in his foreign tongue except for saying his name at the end of the promo. And I guess that’s it.

- Back to the announcers, who discussed the Wyatts vs. Shield feud. They showed, from Raw, The Shield questioning Dean Ambrose about his whereabouts during their PPV match after he was taken out. They also showed both groups getting involved in the Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns singles match.

- Backstage, Reigns advised Ambrose to relax, but Ambrose didn’t want to hear it. Reigns said they had two losses in a year-and-a-half, and now they’ve got two losses in a week. Seth Rollins tried to be the voice of reason (he is the architect of The Shield, after all). Rollins said they need to show Wyatt there are no lone wolves in The Shield and that they’re still strong as a team. That seemed to calm everyone down.

- Dolph Ziggler came out to face Batista. It’s next.

[Commercial Break]

3 – DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. BATISTA

During Batista’s entrance, Ziggler confronting Batista from earlier was shown. A few Ziggler offensive blows sent Batista to the outside to regroup. Outside the ring, Batista took over on offense until he was sent into the post. He did manage to kick at Ziggler’s knee, though, causing significant pain to Ziggler. Batista slammed Ziggler’s knee into the post and worked him over in the ring. Ziggler turned things around and went after the knee/leg of Batista. Fameasser connected for two at 4:35. Big spinebuster from Batista. Another followed. Ziggler was picked up like a sack of potatoes and slammed for a third spinebuster. Batista Bomb for the finish.

WINNER: Batista, at 6:29. This probably should’ve been Batista’s character immediately upon his return.

- The announcers talked on-camera about John Cena and The Wyatt Family’s latest interaction, which led to Cena’s injury. They showed the clip from Raw.

- The Wyatts have a message for Cena. And it’s next.

[Commercial Break]

- The Wyatt Family entered the arena. More videos: As they came to the ring, stills of the Chamber match and the Wyatts’ interference was shown. Bray took the mic, in the ring, in the dark. He talked about the problems normal men and women face on a daily basis, and how their lives are run by society. He said John Cena is the man who tells everyone what they want to hear. Wyatt says he does everything people like Cena are afraid to do. He vowed to slay the dragon that is Cena. “Follow the buzzards” was followed immediately by The Shield’s theme. When they had their usual standoff, Triple H’s music hit and he walked out.

Hunter made it clear this wasn’t going to happen tonight, as he has too much invested in them. A match of this magnitude needs promotion…so the six-man match between the two teams will take place on Raw. Triple H told The Shield to stand down. The Wyatts left the ring first as Bray told The Shield, “c’mon boys, you heard your daddy,” then laughed. The Shield entered the ring to those words and Bray re-entered as well. Ambrose and Rollins dove through the ropes onto Erick Rowan and Luke Harper outside the ring, then came back in to stand at the side of Roman Reigns. That caused Bray to step off. The Shield stood tall in the ring as Bray smiled on the outside.

- The six-man tag main event is still to come.

- Next, an Elimination Chamber rematch: A.J. Lee vs. Cameron for the Divas Title.

[Commercial Break]

4 – A.J. LEE vs. CAMERON – DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

When Cameron came to the ring, we saw somewhat of a profile of Cameron via clips from Total Divas. No entrance for A.J. and Tamina. Formal ring introductions took place before the match. A.J. quickly went on the attack and clotheslined Cameron down. Cameron made a comeback early in the match, but screamed loudly when she couldn’t get the pin. Tamina “pushed” A.J. out of the way in the corner when Cameron made a charge. Referee Marc Harris summarily dismissed Tamina from ringside. Second-rope cross-body by Cameron for two. A.J. turned it around and locked in the Black Widow for the victory.

WINNER: A.J., at 2:03. Hard to get into an obvious place-holder feud. We’ll see what happens when Naomi comes back.

- The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania match was revealed on Raw. We’ll see it next.

[Commercial Break]

- The Raw Rebound aired.

- This Monday night on Raw, Brock Lesnar responds to the Undertaker.

- Josh Mathews was standing by with Booker T., Big Show, and Alex Riley, aka the expert panel. They talked the Lesnar-Undertaker situation. Smackdown Backstage Pass, on WWE Network after Smackdown, was also plugged.

- The Usos made their entrance for the main event, as did Daniel Bryan. The main event is up next.

[Commercial Break]

5 – THE USOS & DANIEL BRYAN vs. KANE & THE NEW AGE OUTLAWS

Michael Cole has been calling Kane, “Corporate Kane” as if that’s the name he’s known as now. Frequent tags by both teams early on in this one. Jimmy Uso got a two-count on Road Dogg after he and Jey elbowed him down. The heels regrouped outside the ring as they went to break at 2:37 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:05 of the match, with Billy Gunn on the receiving end of an Uso hip-toss. A tag to Kane led to him taking the fight to Jimmy Uso. A jaw-breaker by Jimmy allowed him to create some separation, but Kane booted Bryan in the face just because. A minute later, Bryan, shoulder still taped, made the hot tag and Gunn was on the receiving end of his offense. Bryan went for a suicide dive, but Kane clotheslined him down. Double superkick to Kane from the Usos. Dives over the top rope took out Road Dogg and Kane. Fameasser by Gunn on Bryan for two at 11:00. Bryan countered a suplex and gave Gunn the running knee to end it.

WINNERS: The Usos and Bryan, at 11:27.

The babyfaces celebrated the victory with chants of “yes!” to end the show.


Did you watch Friday's Smackdown episode? Send your 0-10 score & Reax to pwtorch@gmail.com for our TV Reax feature.

Greg Parks has been covering WWE Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. He is the host of “Moonlighting with Greg Parks,” a PWTorch VIP-exclusive audio show posted each weekend. Follow him on Twitter @gregmparks for live Tweeting during Raw, Impact, and PPVs, as well as other bits of wisdom. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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