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The following was published on PWTorch.com originally five years ago this weekend…
WWE Smackdown house show results
February 24, 2013
College Station, Texas
Report by Doug Brown, PWTorch correspondent
WWE returned to Reed Arena on the Texas A&M University campus for the first time in a long while. The turn-out was excellent. While we didn’t have anyone in the upper deck, the lower level and the extra seats around ringside were mostly full. I’d estimate 4,500 to 5,000 people. We also had a good hot crowd. With the start time being 5:00 p.m., there were lots of families in attendance. I was surprised to see a video wall, kind of a mini-Titantron, at the entrance for the wrestlers along with two big screen monitors that played their respective entrance videos.
After the usual disclaimers, ring announcer Tony Chimel had us rise for the National Anthem. Then it was on to match number one.
(1) The Miz defeated Damien Sandow via submission. Sandow was the first one out to a chorus of boos. He tried to talk about the old saying, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” but after the fans were getting on his case, he finally gave up. The Miz came out to a pretty good pop. It was a good back and forth match between the two. At one point, Sandow turned to the crowd and yelled out, “I do not suck!” Miz tried first for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Sandow avoided that. However, he did not avoid the figure-four leglock, and had to tap out.
Next up was Divas tag action. Layla was out first, and then Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn brought something wrapped in paper for Chimel. I couldn’t tell if it was food or what, but he shot a dirty look back towards the technicians so this may have been some sort of rib. Aksana and Tamina came out together to Aksana’s music. Sign Guy was in attendance in the front row, and he held up a sign that had Aksana and Tamina’s pictures on it with the caption, “Worst Mail Order Brides Ever.” Kaitlyn grabbed it first and paraded around the ring with it. Tamina then grabbed it and tore it up. Tamina and Kaitlyn then went over to Chimel and raised their hands to high-five him, he went for it, and they pulled their hands away at the last second. Layla and Kaitlyn then went over and they each kissed him on the cheek.
(2) Divas champion Kaitlyn & Layla beat Tamina Snuka & Aksana. The match itself turned out not to be bad at all. We had a Maria vs. Maryse match here a couple of years ago that was just dreadful. Layla has improved so much in the ring. We really don’t get to see it, because most Divas TV matches are lucky if they go a minute. Kaitlyn picked up the win after a spear and pinfall on Aksana. On the way out, Layla kissed Sign Guy on the cheek, and stole his cap.
Next were Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter. Swagger introduced Colter, who asked, “Has anyone seen Glenn Beck?” This got no reaction. “If you do, tell him I’m lookin’ for him.” Apparently, no one told WWE that Beck’s radio program only just started airing here in College Station last month. Radio Station WTAW 1620AM picked up Beck’s program after the retirement of Neal Boortz, so a lot of people don’t know who he is yet. Colter went on to talk about illegal immigration, and how he and Swagger are going to find every one of them. He then said, “It may be a little dark in here, but I think I see several of you fall into that category.” This drew a big round of boos. Sin Cara then came out to mild applause
(3) Jack Swagger (w/Zeb Colter) beat Sin Cara via submission. This was mostly a squash, with Sin Cara getting very little offense. Swagger eventually made him tap out to the Patriot Act Anklelock. Sin Cara sold the knee injury really well, and even had the referee help him back to the locker room.
Fandango came out with a lady dancer, and they did a pre-match routine on the entrance area. She went backstage after their dance was over. Ted DiBiase then mocked Fandango by doing some dancing of his own. When Fandango went to dance again, DiBiase leaned out to our side of the arena and said, “This is like a really bad episode of Dancing With the Stars.” The fans cheered DiBiase and were all over Fandango. After Fandango a big move, he dropped his accent, and yelled out, “Who sucks now?” To which, the fans responded, “You!”
(4) Fandango pinned Ted DiBiase. There was a “You Can’t Wrestle” chant and a “Ricky Martin” chant directed at Fandango. They did a funny spot where DiBiase flipped over the ropes to attempt a sunset flip, and Fandango went into the old Ravishing Rick Rude swivel hips routine. I popped for that one. It was actually a good match, and in my opinion DiBiase ought to be much higher on the totem pole than he is. Fandango eventually got the pin with his version of the downward spiral/flatliner. The dancing girl came back out, and they did another routine that ended with him saying his name. I couldn’t tell from my vantage point if he had a mic, or if he just lip-synched to his video.
Next was Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes. Good heel heat for Rhodes, while Orton got the biggest pop for any of the wrestlers on the night. Orton kissed a grandma in the front row on her cheek. She had her own sign, but I couldn’t make it out. It upset Cody, though, because he got out of the ring, grabbed Chimel’s microphone, and said he wouldn’t wrestle until they throw the old lady out. They didn’t, but he got back in anyway. There was a huge “Randy, Randy” chant. When it started to die down, Cody asked, “Are you guys good now? Are you done yet?”
(5) Randy Orton pinned Cody Rhodes. Orton was on offense for probably 70 percent of the match. When Rhodes got on offense, there was a “Cody’s Mustache” chant. Orton went for his dad’s trademark superplex. At first he was going to do it from the second rope, but then he pointed that he was going up to the top. They landed with a big thud, but Rhodes kicked out. The finish came when after Orton kicked out of Cross Rhodes, Cody leaped off the ropes for the Beautiful Disaster kick, and Randy caught him with a picture-perfect RKO for the pin.
Afterwards, Orton circled the ringside area, gave the grandma another kiss, took pictures, and shook hands with the fans for 10-15 minutes. You know for a guy that has made it clear on Twitter that he wants to turn heel, he sure wasn’t acting like it here.
[Intermission]
(6) The Great Khali & Brodus Clay (w/Cameron and Naomi) beat Primo & Epico (w/Rosa Mendes). This was a comedy, squash match. It started with a pre-match catfight between Cameron and Rosa, in which the men had to pull them apart. This was basically Primo and Epico bumping around for the big guys. Sign Guy had a “Spanish for Dummies” book with him, and was trying to talk to Rosa, but she blew him off. Rosa is actually much hotter in person, and she got to do a lot of talking at ringside that you don’t get to see on TV. For the brief period that Clay was playing the World’s Largest Ricky Morton, Rosa was yelling at the audience, “Look at Your Hero Now!” Then when the fans started chanting for Brodus to make his come back, she was telling us, “Silencio!” Clay made the hot-tag to Khali, who cleaned house very slowly. Clay tagged back in, and pinned one of the Colon cousins with a big splash.
Afterwards, they brought three kids from the audience into the ring to dance with Clay, Khali, Cameron, and Naomi.
Next was Sheamus vs. Wade Barrett. Barrett came out to a mild reaction, but he built his heat as the night wore on. Sign Guy had a poster of Barrett that said, “Oscar for Worst Actor Ever.” Of course, that got torn up. Sheamus got the Superstar reaction for his entrance.
(7) Sheamus pinned IC champion Wade Barrett in a non-title match. In my opinion, this was the match of the night. Both guys worked their butts off. Sheamus hit the Irish Curse backbreaker for a two, Barrett went for Wasteland, but Sheamus slipped out. Sheamus went for White Noise, but Barrett slipped out. Sheamus went for it a second time, and connected for the pin and the win.
As Sheamus was leaving, Barrett grabbed the mic and called Sheamus, “Ginger Buttocks.” Barrett then told Sheamus that he’s still standing, so he accomplished nothing tonight. Sheamus ran back in and they brawled some more. Barrett got the upper hand, and was going for the Bull Hammer, but Sheamus caught him with the Brogue Kick instead to a huge pop. After Sheamus left, Barrett got on the mic again, and said, “Still Your Intercontinental Champion, Wade Barrett.”
Next was the main event of Del Rio vs. Big Show for the World Title. Del Rio came out to a mild reaction at first, but it did get bigger as the night went on. Del Rio brought his “friend,” Texas A&M Head Football coach Kevin Sumlin to the biggest pop of the night. He and Ricardo presented Sumlin with a replica of the World Heavyweight Title belt. As Sumlin was addressing the audience, the Big Show came out to interrupt. Sign Guy had a poster that said, “Big Show Ate The 12th Man.” Show said that Del Rio and Sumlin were both holding title belts that neither of them earned, and that he was the only true champion. He then called Texas A&M a second-rate university, which drew massive boos. In what sounded like he may be joining Swagger and Colter, the Big Show said, “Half of you speak English, the other half speaks Spanish. The best thing in the world would be if the INS comes in here, and hauls out 80 percent of this audience.” The fans then chanted, “Beat the Hell out of Big Show.”
This led to the main event, where the fans were allowed to text vote on whether this would be No DQ or 2/3 Falls. No DQ won easily.
(8) Alberto Del Rio (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) beat Big Show in a No Disqualification match to retain the World Title. Del Rio wore out Show with a chair, and then a kendo stick. He and Ricardo also brought a table out from under the ring. They set it up in the corner. Show picked up Del Rio like he was going to powerbomb him, but Del Rio countered with a head scissors take down, and Show went crashing through the table. Show later recovered and brought out a second table. Ricardo tried to take it away, but was unsuccessful. He set Del Rio on it, climbed the ropes, but Ricardo grabbed a bucket that he brought to ringside with him, and clobbered Big Show over the head with it. Del Rio climbed the ropes, and delivered a bulldog, but unfortunately the table somehow didn’t break, and they both bounced off it. Del Rio locked in the cross armbreaker, but Show picked him up with brute force, and slammed him down. He then chokeslammed him, but Del Rio kicked out. Show called for the WMD, but Coach Sumlin slipped Del Rio the World Title belt, which he used to finally KO the Big Show for the pin. Afterwards, Del Rio, Ricardo, and Coach Sumlin celebrated in the ring.
Match of the Night: Sheamus vs. Wade Barrett, followed closely by the Main Event.
Biggest Pops:
(1) Coach Sumlin
(2) Randy Orton
(3) Sheamus
(4) The Miz
(5) Alberto Del Rio
Biggest Heat:
(1) Big Show
(2) Zeb Colter
(3) Damien Sandow
(4) Cody Rhodes
(5) Wade Barrett
NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS AGO FLASHBACK: 5 YRS AGO – Keller’s WWE Raw report (2-18-13): C.M. Punk interrupted Cena, Shield, Miz, Cesaro, Big E, Ziggler, Del Rio, Jericho, Ryback
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