SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JUNE 28, 2014
PITTSBURGH, PA.
AIRED ON SYFY
-A video package aired on the progression of Daniel Bryan announcing his neck injury, The Authority stripping him, and the set-up for the Money in the Bank ladder match including soundbites from each of the participants.
-Michael Cole and JBL introduced the show at ringside as Triple H, Randy Orton, and Seth Rollins stood in the ring. A ladder sat at ringside. Triple H said people refer to “eras” in wrestling such as the Golden Era, the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Era, the Attitude Era, and the Ruthless Aggression Era. “Today, I’ve heard it called the Reality Era, but it more accurately will be called The Authority Era.”
(WK Reax: Do I need to rant again about how “Reality Era” is the most backwards name for this era? It’s an era where promoters, announcers, and wrestlers – to their detriment – stopped pretending it was real and instead drew attention to it being a performance for “the entertainment of the audience,” and an effort to “draw ratings.” That’s hardly portraying things as real, but rather it’s the opposite. The Reality Era was the Golden Era. This should be called the Sports Entertainer Era or Best for Business Era, because I hope that soon those terms goes away and everyone can look back on those horrible terms being used on TV as a short-term lapse in thinking that wisely everyone moved away from because it’s so counter-productive to suspending disbelief and really buying into what’s happening on TV.)
He said The Authority is constantly making history. He hyped the MITB ladder match. He promised to crown a brand new WWE World Hvt. Champion (singular) “and that man will be the new Face of the WWE.” He said there will also be a MITB Contract ladder match.
Orton took the mic and said he’ll once again become the Face of WWE. Rollins said that’s right, and he’ll also win his match and “forge my own destiny.” He said it’ll guarantee he can get a title shot anytime, anywhere. Orton gave him a suspicious look. Rollins said if things don’t work out as planned, they’ve got a Plan B. Orton asked him to tell him what he thinks is going to go wrong. Rollins told him he doesn’t expect things to go wrong, “but it’s not unthinkable you might not get the job done again.” Orton said it’s not unthinkable he won’t whip his ass.
Triple H stepped between them. He said he understands there might be some trust issues between them. Hunter told Orton that he trusts Rollins and he should, too. Triple H said the constant that won’t change is him and Stephanie. He said they can either survive against The Authority or they can thrive with The Authority. He said while trust might be a bitter taste in their mouths now, adapt or perish. He said Orton is the present and Rollins is the future, and he has a plan. He said this is Best for Business.
Triple H then announced that Bad News Barrett would face Dean Ambrose next. Triple H did the “I’ve got some bad news for you” imitation as he said it. [c]
-Cole plugged that Daniel Bryan would speak on the MITB Kickoff Show. He said they are asking the WWE Universe to send in questions for Bryan. JBL said Bryan should be asked if he even wants to come back. Then they reviewed the competitors in the MITB Contract Ladder match.
(1) BAD NEWS BARRETT vs. DEAN AMBROSE
They briefly promoted the Batista DVD with a graphic on the screen. They cut to an early break with Barrett in control. [c]
Ambrose made a comeback after the break with an aggressive brawling style. Ambrose finished Barrett with a Face Plant DDT.
WINNER: Ambrose.
(WK Reax: I get the priority is on Ambrose right now fresh off the break-up with The Shield, but having the IC Champ lose without much fanfare like this doesn’t do a lot for the prestige of the IC Title.)
-Afterward Jack Swagger came out with Zeb Colter and attacked Barrett. When he threw Barrett into the ringside barrier, Barrett reacted like he separated his shoulder. Ambrose then attacked Swagger with a small ladder. They fought into the ring and then back to ringside where Rollins attacked Ambrose. Rollins trash-talked Ambrose a bit.
-Cole hyped Kane vs. Roman Reigns for later in the show.
-They showed Paige backstage. [c]
-Cole plugged that Total Divas season one is now on WWE Network. He called it “the hottest reality show on all of television.”
(2) CAMERON (w/Naomi) vs. PAIGE
Naomi joined JBL and Cole on commentary. Paige won quickly with her Paige Turn finisher.
WINNER: Paige.
-Afterward Naomi joined Cameron in attacking Paige. The ref separate Naomi and Paige.
-A backstage promo aired with Harper and Rowan. Harper said their urges are making them pariahs, shunned and exiled. He said they have never had nice shiny things, so they want the Usos tag team titles. Bray Wyatt entered the picture and said his brothers will trample the Usos and take their ornament of power. He asked viewers to imagine and feel the power in his hands. “It’s happening!” he excitedly said.
-Cole hyped Bray vs. Sheamus up next. [c]
-WWE Fact: Last Friday Smakdown was the most watched show on cable TV.
(3) SHEAMUS vs. BRAY WYATT
A “Breaking News” crawler on the screen announced WWE Network is now available on the Amazon Fire TV streaming media player. They cut to an early break after Bray threw Sheamus into the ringpost. [c]
Bray was in control after the break. The Usos had come to ringside to even the odds during the break. Regarding ordering MITB, JBL said, “You can go someplace else and it’ll cost you a whole lot more, or you can go to the WWE Network for 9.99 and get it all.” Cole asked if there was a favorite on Sunday in the ladder match, but JBL said it’s too tough to call. JBL talked about the number of title reigns Cena has, noting he was only behind Ric Flair. He said Triple H had 13 and Randy Orton had 12. Sheamus rallied at 9:00 and scored a near fall. Bray made a comeback and landed a senton back splash for a near fall. Sheamus came back with an Irish Curse backbreaker and then a diving knee to the head followed by a Cloverleaf submission attempt. Harper entered and kicked Sheamus causing the DQ.
WINNER: Sheamus via DQ in 11:00.
[Hour Two]
-The Usos made the save and dove onto Harper and Rowan at ringside. Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick on Bray, but Bray bailed out to ringside to avoid it.
-Cole hyped the tag match up next. [c]
-Byron Saxton interviewed Goldust backstage. He asked him about Rybaxel challenging him and Stardust to a tag match this Sunday at MITB. Goldust said they have no idea what they’re asking for. Stardust walked into the picture with special effects and he blew little stars. He was bleeped when he repeated what Rybaxel called them. He acted bizarre, then Goldust said awesome and said they accept.
(4) ROB VAN DAM & DOLPH ZIGGER vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO & CESARO
Paul Heyman joined in on commentary. Cole said Heyman has never had a client win a MITB match. Heyman paused and then said he never had a client in a MITB match. Cole asked for his strategy. Heyman mockingly compared that to a reporter asking Hilary Clinton what her strategy was to become president. [c]
Back from the break, Del Rio had Ziggler in a chinlock. It’s amazing how that works out so often. As RVD rallied, he went for a frog splash, but Del Rio lifted his knees and then applied the Cross Armbreaker for the tapout win.
WINNERS: Del Rio & Cesaro.
-Afterward Heyman raised Cesaro’s arm in victory in the ring as Del Rio was playing to the crowd. The ref raised Del Rio’s arm next. Del Rio had a few words for Heyman and Cesaro about Sunday, so Cesaro gave Del Rio his finisher.
-Renee Young interviewed The Usos backstage about their tag title defense.
-Cole hyped Kane vs. Roman Reigns as the TV main event. [c]
-A clip aired of the Big E-Rusev angle from Raw.
-Before the next match Lana and Rusev stood in the ring. Lana rubbed in that Pittsburgh’s steel factories have deteriorated and gone away. She called the fans lazy, greedy, f——ed (that’s what it sounded like), and impotent. She bragged about Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “Your American dream is becoming the Russian reality.” Rusev added, “America, Rusev crush.”
(5) RUSEV (w/Lana) vs. SIN CARA
WINNER: Rusev in 1:00.
-Afterward Big E stepped onto the stage and retorted Rusev and Lana. He said America has been reshaped and transformed by a country full of men and women who have broken their backs to feed their families. He paced in a jerky-jerky motion at ringside as he spoke. He said a real man doesn’t attack from behind, but he looks his foe in the eye. Big E entered the ring and stared down Rusev. Lana talked Rusev into leaving the ring. He then tried to surprise attack Big E, but Big E met him with a forearm. Rusev bailed out to ringside.
-JBL and Cole were shown at ringside reacting. JBL said that was the first time they’ve seen Rusev on his heels since arriving in WWE. Cole then threw to a video package on former Smackdown G.M. Vickie Guerrero being fired by Stephanie McMahon on Raw on Monday. [c]
-Cole said they have breaking news regarding the MITB line-up – Big E vs. Rusev and Layla vs. Summer Rae with Fandango as the special referee were both just added.
(6) ROMAN REIGNS vs. KANE
Reigns entered through the crowd to the Shield music. They cut to a break a minute in with Kane stomping on Reigns. [c]
Reigns hit the Superman punch and then set up another move, but Orton ran out and attacked Reigns, prompting the ref to call for the DQ.
WINNER: Reigns via DQ in 9:00.
(WK Reax: Not a lot to the match. Reigns was okay, but he’s not showing a lot of personality yet in his matches. He seems formulaic, and moves about the ring like he’s trying to avoid making a mistake instead of just feeling the moment. They’re still protecting Kane, not wanting him to do any clean TV jobs at this point – even to Reigns.)
-After the match Kane brought a ladder into the ring. He pointed at the belts hanging above the ring. Orton looked nervous, as if Kane might attack him with the ladder. Instead, Kane set up the ladder, but then stood there and invited Orton to climb the ladder. JBL figured out that Kane was there to help Orton win, not actually win himself, establishing that The Authority had a plan to help Orton win. Orton grabbed the belts and held them in the air.
(WK Reax: They went a lot further on Smackdown to push the idea that Orton is among the favorites to win the MITB match on Sunday night. Orton played it up well, as if he was figuring it out along with everyone else. Orton pulled both belts off of a dual hanger. That dual hanger tends to indicate that there won’t be a splitting of the belts on Sunday because it’ll be easier to pull both belts off via the hanger than unstrap each belt individually.)
-As he celebrated to his music, he asked Kane to back off a bit. He looked down at Reigns and taunted him with the belts, then decided to set up a punt kick. Reigns, though, met him with a spear, and then he speared Kane. He played to the crowd with a big yell. Cole asked if Sunday will be Reigns’s moment and the night he makes history. He closed holding both belts in the air.
(WK Reax: The final sell was Reigns, giving Smackdown viewers a babyface to root for and believe in. It’s the latest indication they’re rushing Reigns into a top babyface champion role or he was pushed that much as part of a longer journey to that spot and, well, because Cena wasn’t at the Smackdown tapings to do it instead.)
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Tony’s Takes: AEW power dynamic, AEW Blood & Guts, Drew McIntyre and CM Punk, Gunther and Damian Priest, Jade Cargill
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