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KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JUNE 12, 2020
ORLANDO, FLA. AT PERFORMANCE CENTER
AIRED ON FOX NETWORK
Announcer: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Tonight after WWE Friday Night Smackdown, join me live with guest cohost Mike Chiari from Ring Rust Radio and Bleacher Report to break down the show with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER SMACKDOWN
•CALL: (347) 215-8558
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, SEARCH “WADE KELLER” ON YOUR PODCAST APP TO SUBSCRIBE AND THEN DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW AN HOUR OR SO AFTER RAW
[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with a video recap of the Jeff Hardy-Sheamus hit and run angle with Elias, with Hardy explaining his perspective on what happened last week followed by Sheamus’s interruption of Hardy.
-Renee Young stood mid-ring and said WWE officials have asked the wrestlers to sign a contract tonight. Cole said Hardy has been cleared of any wrongdoing despite people assuming the worst because of his track record. Cole said authorities are investigating whether Sheamus was involved. Cole said just because Sheamus has red hair is no reason to assume it was him. Hardy accused Sheamus of hitting him with a car. Sheamus took immediate exception. Hardy said he tried to take away his livelihood. Sheamus explained he brought a doctor with him because Hardy cannot be trusted to be clean. “Whether it’s the booze or the pills, a leopard can’t change his spots,” he said. He told Hardy he will have to take a urine test before he’ll sign the contract. Sheamus said there is no way he’ll step into the ring with a junkie. Hardy said: “My name is Jeff Hardy and I’m an alcoholic, and if this is what I have to do to get to you, then fine.” He said he’s battled addiction since his early 20s, and he’s tired of fighting. He said he goes to weekly meetings talking about how he left himself and his family and his fans down. He said he’s sick and tired of being sick and tired. He called Sheamus a bastard, but said he’ll go along with his b.s. “That’s the spirit, Jeff!” he said. He said it takes 24 hours to get a result from a test. He said thanks to the doctor he brought to the ring, he can get immediate results. He said so there’s no shenanegans, the doctor is going to supervise.
Hardy got into a black box in the ring. The doctor supervised as Sheamus looked at the camera and gave a public service announcement telling kids not to do drugs. The doctor showed off a huge jar of urine. Sheamus said someone really enjoyed happy hour, apparently. Sheamus asked Hardy if he’d like to apologize to his family while the doctor ran the test results. Hardy said sometimes it’s better to be pissed off than… and he then threw the urine in the faceof Sheamus. Sheamus staggered and gagged and collapsed into the corner. The audience laughed at his expense. [c]
-They went to the bathroom where Sheamus was washing his face frantically and gargling water. The doctor said Hardy’s rest results came back negative. The doctor seemed disappointed. Sheamus threw a fit.
(Keller’s Analysis: I think that entire opening segment was just uncomfortable to watch. The idea of Sheamus trying to humiliate Hardy is clearly the angle here, but watching Hardy stand and pee in the background is a channel-turner for a lot of people.)
-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside who talked about what a mood Sheamus will be in on Sunday. They shifted to hyping the Daniel Bryan vs. A.J. Styles match for the Intercontinental Title.
(1) NEW DAY (Big E & Kofi Kingston) vs. CESARO & SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
They entered the ring and kneeled for Black Lives Matter. Then they violently threw their towels at Cole and Graves, who ducked behind their desk. Cesaro landed an early tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Big E hot-tagged in, but Nakamura knocked Big E to the floor, then Cesaro gave him a European uppercut. They cut to an early break. [c]
Cesaro had Big E in an armbar after the break. Nakamura tagged in and drove a knee into his ribs, then scored a two count. Wen Nakamura went for a superplex, Kofi blocked it. Kofi leaped onto Nakamura, but Nakamura lifted a knee and then cradled him for a quick three count.
WINNER: Cesaro & Nakamura.
(Keller’s Analysis: Another non-title loss for the champions. It’s just too predictable and formulaic. To a ridiculous level now.)
-Backstage Otis was in a blindfold as Tucker refined his other senses. He had him listen to bell, smell burger patties, and then kiss Mandy Rose. At first he thought it was Tucker and thanked him for the motivation. Mandy presented him with his MITB briefcase. She said she’d see him after the match. Tucker asked Otis to concentrate, but he was still preoccupied by Mandy. Tucker told him to cash in the briefcase tonight if the opportunity presented itself. Then off to the side Sheamus and Hardy were brawling. They were separated by officials. [c]
-A video package aired on the history of the Intercontinental Championship with snippets of past champions. There was even a Roman Reigns sighting right after The Rock. Then they talked about Bryan and Styles having taken different paths to the finals, one who took a traditional approach and the other a “calculated approach” by accepting a bye. They aired Styles calling Bryan a fool for not taking the bye.
(2) A.J. STYLES vs. DANIEL BRYAN – Intercontinental Title match
Graves said the IC Title is one of those titles with special meaning in the locker room, and the champion gets extra respect from his peers. They exchanged some armbars and tests of strength. Bryan knocked Styles to the floor, then dove onto him. They cut to an early break at 2:00. [c]
Styles took control after the break. They were pacing themselves in a way that suggested a long match. Bryan came back with a backslide attempt, but Styles slipped free and then leaped toward Bryan on the rebound off the ropes. They collided mid-ring and both went down. They cut to another break at 10:00. [c]
Bryan had control after the break. Styles eventually took control and stomped away at Bryan’s leg. Cole said Styles has to be careful not to be disqualified.
[HOUR TWO]
Bryan came back with Yes kicks. Styles caught Bryan with a clothesline. With both men down again, they cut to another break at 22:00. [c]
Bryan avoided a Phenomenal Forearm and then slipped Styles into an armbar. Styles slipped out and countered into a Calf Crusher. Styles escaped and kicked Styles in the head. Styles went down. Cole said Styles might be out. Bryan scored a two count. Bryan gave Styles a top rope back suplex. Both were slow to get up. They cut to another break! [c]
Back live, Bryan gave Styles a German suplex for a two count. Bryan applied a Yes Lock, but Styles reached his boot to the bottom rope. Graves said Styles has to be in pain. The audience chanted “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Bryan stood, grabbed Styles’s arms, and then stomped away at his head and chest. He played to the audience, then set up a running Yes kick. Styles stood, but Styles caught him and delivered a sudden Styles Clash. Both were slow to get up. They miraculously did not go to a fifth mid-match break here. Cole wondered what they each had left in the tank. Styles hit a Phenomenal Forearm for the three count. Cole called it an absolute instant classic.
WINNER: Styles in 40:00 to capture the Intercontinental Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: A standout TV match. Nice to see these two given this much time. Too bad there were so many commercial breaks that took about 15 minutes out of the match. It was very different style-wise than the match they’d have had ten years ago, I think. It told a good story and it felt like an epic battle between two generational rivals.)
-Renee Young interviewed Styles mid-ring and asked what it means to him to win the IC Title. Styles, still catching his breath, said he is the best champion the WWE Universe has ever seen. “I am Phenomenal,” he said. Cole said Bryan deserved a standing ovation as well. He was still down at ringside grabbing his knee as a referee checked on him.
-A video recap aired of last week’s antics with Miz & Morrison and Braun Strowman including the green slime.
-Backstage, Braun Strowman said there’s a lot going on tonight including in-ring drug testing and a new IC Champion, plus Sheamus is running around raising hell. He said he can fix the windshield on his car, but nothing can fix Miz and Morrison after what he does to them at Backlash. He said he isn’t in the mood for games from Mr. Money in the Bank. He said he likes Otis, but if they try anything funny, he has no problem obliterating Heavy Machinery.
(Keller’s Analysis: Braun reads those scripts like the local athletes doing commercials for a local sporting goods store or furniture store. It’s so stilted.)
-The ring was being decorated. [c]
-Bayley and Sasha came out to ringside. Sasha gae Cole some sunglasses to wear and they took a selfie with him. The announcers hyped the triple threat match for the Women’s Tag Team Titles. When Bayley and Sasha entered the ring, the audience chanted “You suck!” Bayley said obviously she doesn’t suck. She said it’s not lonely at the top, despite what people say. She said she’s got Sasha, her best friend, The Boss, The Standard, The Blue Print by her side. “We are your WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions,” she said. Sasha said, “We told you so!” She said they are unstoppable. Bayley was about to read Sasha a poem of appreciation when Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss interrupted.
Bliss said it’s they can celebrate, but when they start reciting poetry, she has to draw a line. Bayley and Sasha threw a fit. Nikki said they love a good party. As they argued, the IIconics showed up on the big screen. Billie Kaye said enough with the tacky celebration. She predicted the end of their title reign on Sunday. Peyton Royce bragged about their success against them in the past. The two teams in the ring began fighting. Nikki and Bliss cleared the ring. The IIconics smiled and watched. Bayley yelled they’d see those stupid idiots on Sunday.
-Kayla Braxton interviewed Miz & Morrison. They talked about Kayla being slimed last week. They threw to their new music video, “Hey Hey! Hey Hey.” After a few seconds, Braun’s ring entrance interrupted. Just when it was getting good (Morrison was peering off a balcony.) Then Heavy Machinery came out. Cole wondered if Otis would try to cash in his MITB contract. [c]
-A video package aired on Matt Riddle including photos of his MMA career and NXT matches. The graphic said he debuts next week.
(3) BRAUN STROWMAN & HEAVY MACHINERY (Tucker & Otis) vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER & MIZ & MORRISON
Braun tagged in at 2:00. Otis and Tucker whipped him into Ziggler in the corner. Then he bashed Ziggler across his chest with a forearm. Tucker tagged back in. As he set up a suplex on Ziggler, King Corbin appeared on the big screen. He told the camera to follow him. He walked over to Mandy Rose and asked if it was her idea for Otis stealing his crown last week. She said no, she was just having some fun. Otis ran to the back. Corbin said she can admit it because she’s fantasizing about a man with his power and respect. Otis attacked him and punched away at him against the fence. Referees and Adam Pearce ran up to separate them. [c]
Back from the break, Tucker was taking a beating. Cole said Otis hasn’t been seen since the backstage incident. Otis eventually made his way back to the ring. Braun ended up charging into Miz and Morrison. Otis then landed the Caterpillar elbowdrop as Mandy watched from the ramp. Otis scored the pin.
WINNERS: Braun & Heavy Machinery.
-Mandy celebrated with Otis and Tucker in the ring. All four stood in the ring afterward and celebrated together.
Tonight after WWE Friday Night Smackdown, join me live with guest cohost Mike Chiari from Ring Rust Radio and Bleacher Report to break down the show with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER SMACKDOWN
•CALL: (347) 215-8558
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, SEARCH “WADE KELLER” ON YOUR PODCAST APP TO SUBSCRIBE AND THEN DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW AN HOUR OR SO AFTER RAW
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