WWE Smackdown review
July 25, 2014
Taped 7/22/14 in Orlando, Fla.
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @gregmparks)


- A video package started the show, chronicling how Triple H on Raw named Brock Lesnar as John Cena’s Summerslam opponent.

- Smackdown Open.

1 – THE USOS vs. RYBAXEL

This is a non-title match on the heels of Ryback winning a singles match over Jey Uso on Main Event Tuesday night. Jimmy Uso mounted Ryback in the corner and the crowd count-along punches got to six before Ryback shoved him to the mat. A leap-frog by Jimmy, and he almost came down on Axel’s head. Looked like Axel didn’t clear him quickly enough. Rybaxel took over on offense with Ryback working over Jimmy outside the ring. They cut to break at 2:35 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:26 of the match with Ryback still in control. Ryback shrugged off some offense and sent the legal Uso into the heel corner. Ryback ducked a kick, but Jimmy twirled around and caught him on the second try. Both men made tags at 8:35. Jey cleaned house and went for a pin after a Samoan drop, but Ryback broke it up. He was low-bridged out of the ring and Jey dove onto him. Jimmy feigned injury next to Jey outside the ring and Axel didn’t know which one to bring into the ring. He picked the wrong one – once in the ring, Jimmy small packaged Axel for the win.

WINNERS: The Usos, at 10:02. Not a big fan of the twin switcheroo finish for the tag champions. I’d like to think they’d be above a mid-card comedy bit like that.

- Later tonight we’ll see the shocking arrest of Stephanie McMahon on Raw, and get an update on her status.

- Alberto Del Rio vs. Roman Reigns is tonight.

- The Miz was walking backstage. He hilariously came upon a kid and presumably his dad. Miz forcibly took the magazine out of the kids’ hands to sign it. Anyway, he’s up next.

[Commercial Break]

- The red carpet was laid down on the ramp as The Miz came to the ring for Miz TV. He wanted to give his acceptance speech for winning the Intercontinental Championship at Battleground. He thanked The Authority first, then his Miz Branding Team. He thanked his parents and pointed them out in the crowd. Twitter can get some more mileage out of Miz’s dad jokes now. Miz went an interviewed his parents. His mom’s delivery was quite wooden…except when Miz asked who her favorite WWE Superstar was and she didn’t hesitate when she said, “Roman Reigns.” Miz was offended at first, but then brushed it off saying his mom had a great sense of humor. As Miz continued to thank people (including his wife, Maryse), Bo Dallas’ music interrupted and he came to the ring.

Miz politely clapped while Dallas did his victory lap. Bo said Miz won the battle royal because he Bo-lieved. Miz said he was a huge fan and said Dallas’ people should call his people and they should do lunch sometime. Dolph Ziggler interrupted. He cut a promo on his way to the ring and told Miz to act like he’s been there before. He reminded everyone how Miz went about winning the battle royal. Ziggler said Dallas and Miz both inspire millions. They also have smiles that light up the room…and are both full of crap. Bo said Ziggler can be like them if he just Bo-lieves. Ziggler tried to attack Miz, but Miz escaped and Dallas cheap-shotted Ziggler from behind. It looked like there’d be more to the segment, but that was it.

- Dean Ambrose vs. Cesaro fight in a no-DQ match later on.

[Commercial Break]

2 – BO DALLAS vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER

Oh, there IS more. The Miz was on commentary for this match, joined in progress out of break. Back elbow by Dallas got him a two-count. Cole accused Miz of “scripting” the interview with his mother, which would (theoretically) explain her stiff delivery. Short-arm clothesline by Dallas for two. Hard whip into the buckle by Ziggler and both men were down. Big DDT by Ziggler once both men were back up. The fight went outside the ring in front of the commentators. Ziggler threatened a superkick, to which Miz took cover. Back in the ring, both Dallas and Ziggler registered near-falls. Behind the ref’s back, MIz distracted Ziggler. Dallas rolled him up for the win.

WINNER: Dallas, 3:12 shown. Even though Dallas got the win, this was more about continuing to set up a Ziggler vs. Miz IC Title feud. That’s not a bad use of either guy at this point.

After Bo’s victory lap, Ziggler gave him a superkick. Miz took the opportunity to shove Ziggler face-first into the ring post.

- Renee Young was backstage with Roman Reigns. Reigns talked about stopping The Authority’s Plan A, Randy Orton, on Monday night. Young asked Reigns about facing Del Rio tonight. Reigns said Del Rio better have a plan, because he’s got the punch.

- Cesaro and Ambrose were walking backstage in a split-screen. Their no-DQ match is next.

[Commercial Break]

- The song “Sunshine” by Teddybears is one of the Summerslam themes. It’s available on iTunes.

3 – DEAN AMBROSE vs. CESARO – NO-DISQUALIFICATION MATCH

The match opened with a brawl. Ambrose stood on Cesaro’s throat in the corner and yelled at him, asking “who sent you out here?!” Ambrose began to retrieve some chairs from under the ring, but Cesaro booted him off the apron. Cesaro took a kendo stick, but missed a shot at Ambrose. Ambrose clotheslined Cesaro into the timekeeper’s area. Ambrose then dove over the barricade and onto Cesaro. Ring bell in hand, Ambrose came off the barricade and hit Cesaro in the head, but it didn’t look like the bell came close to hitting Cesaro, almost like it was in his other hand. Cesaro responded with a kendo stick to the gut of Ambrose as they cut to break at 2:42 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:44 with Cesaro including a kendo stick in a rear chin-lock. Ambrose bit the fingers of Cesaro to break the hold. Cesaro set up two chairs and bodyslammed Ambrose on them for a two-count. Cesaro hit Ambrose in the shoulder, forever taped up, with the kendo stick. Ambrose blocked another shot and clotheslined Cesaro down. Numerous kendo shots followed, along with a White Russian leg sweep. No reference to The Sandman, however. Ambrose suplexed Cesaro through a set-up chair. A cover got two at 10:10 of the match. Elbowdrop with the chair off the second rope was next. Another cover, another two-count. Cesaro sent Ambrose shoulder-first into the ring post. Cesaro swung a chair at Ambrose’s shoulder, but missed. Ambrose connected on a suicide dive. Ambrose brought more chairs into the ring. Cesaro was sent in, but then Seth Rollins ran out to interfere. Ambrose clotheslined Rollins into the timekeeper’s area. Turning his attention back to Cesaro, the Swiss Superman knocked Ambrose off the top rope. Standing on the second rope, Cesaro suplexed Ambrose in, right on all of the chairs. Ambrose kicked out of a cover, though. Both men to their feet, an inside cradle by Ambrose won it.

WINNER: Ambrose, at 14:02. Aside from the finish, which was also used in the first match (and a variant of the move used in the second), I enjoyed this match better than their bout on Raw.

Rollins attacked Ambrose after the match and curb stomped him.

- As referees and WWE’s doctor checked on Ambrose, the announcers talked about what had just happened. They switched gears when Michael Cole threw it to a video package chronicling the Paige vs. A.J. Lee issue.

- Paige was skipping backstage, mocking her former frienemy, as she’s in action next.

[Commercial Break]

4 – NAOMI vs. PAIGE

As Naomi’s music played while she was in the ring, they showed a clip from Raw three weeks ago when Cameron and Naomi officially broke up. Paige tried to set the record straight prior to the match. Paige said she and A.J. are still friends. She even likes Naomi. As the bell rang to start the match, Cameron’s music played and she came onto the stage. Paige attacked Naomi from behind with the Ram-Paige, and locked in the Paige Tap Out (PTO) for the win.

WINNER: Paige, via submission, at :34. Another heel distraction leading to the finish. It’s like the night of the worst finishing sequences possible.

Paige left the ring and Cameron continued the attack on Naomi. Naomi tried to fight back, but Cameron knocked her off the apron and to ringside. Cameron applied some lipstick then stepped on and over Naomi. At least WWE has the right women playing the heel and face in this instance.

- Another Goldust-Stardust backstage vignette aired. Goldust said that soon, the cosmic key would be coming home to him. Stardust appeared with his head sticking up through a table where an electrostatic generator had been. He told Goldust to look toward the stardust.

- Bray Wyatt is in action next.

[Commercial Break]

5 – R-TRUTH vs. BRAY WYATT

During Wyatt’s entrance, they showed the Wyatts attacking Chris Jericho Monday night, an attack that was shown on the WWE App. Simple shoulder knock-down by Wyatt to Truth. Truth hit the Lie Detector on Wyatt, but as he was going to follow up, Wyatt did his creepy spider sit-up. He launched himself at Truth, then yelled for Truth to get up. Corner splash and Sister Abigail finished Truth.

WINNER: Wyatt, at 2:06. Clean, decisive, and dominating victory for Wyatt. I liked it.

After the match, Wyatt got the mic. He said Truth was there for Jericho when Jericho needed him. But where is Jericho when Truth needs him? He said Jericho is no savior, but he is.

- Tonight’s main event: Roman Reigns vs. Alberto Del Rio.

- Up next, we’ll see what happened when Stephanie McMahon was arrested on Raw, and we’ll also get an update on the situation.

[Commercial Break]

- After the announcers briefly talked about the issue on-camera, they showed the clip of Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella’s interaction Monday night, followed by the arrest of Stephanie later in the evening.

- Back to the announcers who, after a graphic was shown of a Bellas Tweet about the incident, said that Triple H bailed Steph out at around 4am Tuesday morning. Stephanie had no comment to the media about the arrest. She was charged with battery and resisting arrest.

- On Raw Monday night, Stephanie McMahon returns. The announcers speculated as to how Stephanie will address the incident.

[Commercial Break]

- Cole and JBL talked about Summerslam being in Los Angeles for the sixth straight year. Cole sent it to video of Triple H, Paul Heyman, and Brock Lesnar from Raw, in which Lesnar was named Cena’s opponent for the show.

- Monday on Raw, John Cena reacts to the Brock Lesnar announcement.

6 – ROMAN REIGNS vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO

Del Rio worked over the arm of Reigns early on, trying to soften the limb for the cross arm-breaker. Reigns tried to get the advantage, but Del Rio fled the ring to create some separation. They cut to break at 1:16 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:43, with Reigns punching away at Del Rio in the corner. Samoan drop by Reigns. He then sent Del Rio back outside with a clothesline. However, Del Rio went back on offense outside the ring, and was aggressive in doing so. In the ring, Del Rio stomped on the chest of Reigns with Reigns’ legs caught up in the corner. Reigns rolled out of the ring. Del Rio sent the arm of Reigns into the steel steps a number of times. He continued to wear down Reigns inside the ring. Again to the outside, where Reigns sent Del Rio into the apron and then the barricade. Next was the announce table. Del Rio flew through the ropes feet-first to take out Reigns. Reigns was hung up in the Tree of Woe while Del Rio kicked away. Reigns powered up on a Del Rio charge, though. Running kick from outside the ring. Bonus points for the believable set-up. Superman punch landed and the spear finished off Del Rio.

WINNER: Reigns, at 12:27.

A few replays were shown. Reigns celebrated his win to close things out.


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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