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The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
WWE Smackdown review
November 7, 2014
Taped 11/4/14 in Albany, NY
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist
– WWE Open.
– We immediately got a peek inside the arena in the capital of New York, where the steel cage lowered around the ring. Starting things off with a bang this week, I see.
1 – THE USOS vs. GOLDUST & STARDUST – STEEL CAGE MATCH FOR THE WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Eden Stiles handled formal ring introductions after Michael Cole, Tom Phillips, and the returning JBL were shown at the announce desk. Stardust was about to be sent head-first into the cage, but escaped the grip of one of the Usos. Both teams did a stand-off in the middle of the ring, and surprisingly, they didn’t cut to break. A hard knife-edge chop sent Goldust to the mat. Goldust hit an uppercut when one Jimmy ducked down, but Jimmy responded by sending Goldust face-first into the cage. Goldust got the better of Jimmy on an exchange and they went to break at 2:48 of the match with the champions in control.
[Commercial Break]
Back at 5:39. The first serious climb out of the cage came when Jimmy made an attempt. Goldust still had enough life left in him to stop Jimmy and give him an electric chair. Goldust seated Jimmy on the top rope and prepared to give him a back suplex down. Jimmy fought away and he dove onto Goldust, whom he knocked down, with some sort of ugly corkscrew maneuver. Jey and Stardust both managed to tag in, and Jey cleaned house. Goldust tried to interfere, but it didn’t work. Jey gave Goldust a butt splash, but Stardust dodged one of his own. Stardust was sent into the steel then superkicked for two, as Goldust broke up the pin. Jey superkicked Goldust, but Stardust delivered Cross Rhodes for only two. Good near-fall there. Stardust climbed to the top of the cage and had one leg over, but Jey pulled him back in. Jimmy superplexed Goldust off the top rope and Jey splashed him. However, Stardust dove over and rolled Jey up for the win.
WINNERS: Stardust and Goldust, at 11:04. I’m not sure why this match was booked to be in a steel cage. It felt like a random stipulation when announced on Raw. The cage didn’t really come into play much, but I liked the finishing sequence.
– Tonight, Christian’s Peep Show will have Dean Ambrose as a guest.
– Next, we’ll see The Authority’s turmoil that spilled over on Raw.
[Commercial Break]
– Cole plugged the WWE Network’s 90% satisfaction rate. Philips talked about the free month of November, including the Survivor Series PPV, on the WWE Network.
– The Raw Rebound aired.
– Kane was in the ring with a mic. He said no one can question Randy Orton’s ability, but the question was about where his loyalty lies. Kane said if we (The Authority) would do that to one of their own, what would they do to an opponent? He said the battle lines have been drawn, and advised talent to choose wisely. Kane said Dolph Ziggler was offered the world, but he instead chose adulation from the fans. Kane said Ziggler thinks he can survive with Team Cena, but wondered aloud if he could survive against him. And since there was already a cage hanging above, he made his match against Ziggler tonight a cage match. That’s how the greatest cage matches in history have developed, after all. Kane said The Authority now has an open position and wanted to call out a potential recruit. Before Kane could finish his spiel, Cesaro’s music played.
The Swiss Superman walked out, mic in hand. Cesaro walked to the ring saying that he has proved himself time and again. He offered to join Team Authority to swing John Cena like a rag doll. Kane said Cesaro was not the superstar he expected to come out. He said Cesaro can face the wrestler he was going to call out-Ryback. The Big Guy walked out to face Cesaro next.
[Commercial Break]
2 – CESARO vs. RYBACK
The match was joined in progress out of break, with the fans chanting “Feed Me More.” Kane was looking on from a seat at ringside. Cesaro kept Ryback grounded with a rear chin-lock, but he wrenched on it and made it seem like more than just a rest-hold. Suplex out of the corner by Cesaro for two. Back into the chin-lock he went. Spinebuster by Ryback. Meat-hook clothesline connected. Cesasro broke out of the Shell-Shock and side-stepped a Ryback charge in the corner. Cesaro booted Ryback down and went to the top. Elbowdrop found the mark for two. Ryback lifted Cesaro for a suplex but Cesaro kneed him in the head. It didn’t have much effect, as Ryback hit the Shell-Shock for the win.
WINNER: Ryback, at 3:55. It’s nice to see that, at a time when the company desperately needs new stars at the top and wrestlers the fans feel organically connected to, WWE feels they can still afford to be petty and vindictive.
Kane entered the ring but Ryback left before he could talk to the man.
– Dolph Ziggler vs. Kane in a steel cage match is still to come.
[Commercial Break]
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3 – R-TRUTH vs. ADAM ROSE
Truth was rapping in the ring out of break. This match developed because Truth had the gall to suggest last week on the show that the Bunny is more popular than Rose. Truth with a shoulder knockdown, then he hopped around like a bunny. The Bunny responded at ringside. Truth then did a split and danced, but the bunny didn’t do the split. Rose jumped into Truth’s arms, and Truth tossed him aside. Truth thrusted in Rose’s general direction, so the Bunny got on the apron and did the same. Rose walked toward the Bunny, opening himself up for a roll-up by Truth for the pinfall.
WINNER: Truth, at 1:21. This situation with Rose and the Bunny escalated quickly.
After the match, an upset Rose shoved the Bunny down. Rose’s Rosebuds continued to party. The Bunny cowered when Rose approached him, and Rose went back to partying with his Rosebuds.
– Up next on the Peep Show, Dean Ambrose. This week, the graphics have been featured on the lower third of the screen while they’ve stayed with what was going on in the arena, as opposed to a full-screen graphic.
[Commercial Break]
– Christian made his full entrance. Christian said when you least expect it, he makes his return for one more-episode of the Peep Show. He plugged his appearance alongside Edge on the SyFy original series, Haven. He polled the crowd regarding who would win at Survivor Series, Team Authority or Team Cena. The crowd was vociferously behind Team Cena. Christian talked about how chaotic that scene could be, much like his scenes in Haven. He took the time to plug his second appearance on the show, airing sometime in 2015. Dean Ambrose came out at that point.
As he did, they showed slow-mo clips and stills of Ambrose vs. Rollins from Hell in a Cell. Christian said the last time he saw Ambrose, Ambrose was running with The Shield. He asked Dean what it was like to be Dean Ambrose right now. He said he has no friends, only enemies, but wouldn’t have it any other way. Christian asked Ambrose why Bray Wyatt cost Ambrose his match against Rollins. He said he’s not sure as he has nothing to take away. He assumed Wyatt was just playing mind games. But he said he could play mind games too. He said he’s not afraid to go down any dark alley with Bray Wyatt. The Wyatt’s logo and music interrupted Ambrose’s rant.
Bray walked out from backstage, carrying the smoking lantern. He sat in the rocking chair atop the stage. Wyatt reminded Ambrose that he has nothing: He no longer has the safety and security of The Shield. Wyatt said he healed Erick Rowan and Luke Harper, and he can heal Ambrose too. “All you have to do-” said Bray, and for a second, I almost thought he was going to say “-is Bo-Lieve.” Wyatt said he offered help to Daniel Bryan, but Bryan didn’t want the help and he’s nowhere to be seen. Wyatt asked Ambrose what he had to lose. He said Ambrose’s own father turned his back on him. That got Ambrose’s attention. He asked if his dad still sends Ambrose postcards from prison. Ambrose exited the ring and headed up the ramp but the lights went out. When they came on again, Wyatt’s chair was empty. He was right behind Ambrose though and yelled “Run!” Ambrose turned around and the lights went out again. They came on again and Wyatt was gone. There’s the explanation for Wyatt’s interference, and we got some background to the Ambrose character. I’d really like to see that explored a little more.
[Commercial Break]
– An Xavier Woods/A New Day vignette aired.
– The announcers were shown on-camera reacting to the vignette. Tom Phillips then sent it to the closing minutes of Sheamus vs. Rusev from the WWE Network on Monday night. They also showed a clip of Rusev and Lana’s post-match interview backstage. The announcers wondered if Rusev would join Team Authority at Survivor Series.
– Another clip from Monday night: The post-match surrounding The Bellas and A.J. Lee after Nikki defeated Emma.
– Renee Young was backstage with A.J. Lee. Lee acknowledged that Nikki was the one who forced Brie to do what she did on Monday night. She said Nikki was trying to prove a point. Brie walked in and apologized to A.J. A.J. accepted, but Nikki attacked her from behind. Nikki told Brie to be more sincere next time, signaling that Brie was sent to interrupt the interview as a set-up for Nikki’s attack.
[Commercial Break]
– The camera focused on the steel cage as the announcers plugged Ziggler vs. Kane for the main event inside the structure.
4 – NATALYA vs. SUMMER RAE
AS Natalya and Kidd came to the ring, they showed, from the WWE App earlier tonight, Tyson Kidd was bragging to summer Rae and Layla that he beat Sheamus on Raw. Nattie walked up and was none too happy to see this. Kidd joined the announcers on commentary. Summer applied a bodyscissors right off the bat. Kidd took an assist for Rusev winning the U.S. Title on Monday night. Cole told Kidd to support his wife and stopping talking about himself, so Kidd left commentary to cheer on Nattie. Instead, as Nattie tried to apply the Sharpshooter and Kidd yelled for her to do so at ringside, Nattie got distracted and Summer rolled her up for the win.
WINNER: Summer Rae, at 1:28. This was barely a match, with the clear focus being on Kidd on commentary, then costing her the match.
Kidd and Natalya tried to talk things out after the match.
– Some graphics and footage of WWE2K15 was shown.
– A full-screen graphic was shown for Ziggler vs. Kane in a steel cage.
[Commercial Break]
– This Monday on Raw: John Cena vs. Ryback. So much for that slow reheating of Ryback.
– The exterior of the Times Union Arena in Albany was shown.
– Ziggler was backstage with Renee Young. Ziggler said he wants The Authority out. He said he’s stand up for himself. Triple H walked in and said Ziggler was lucky Randy Orton was there to save him Monday night. But Orton wasn’t there on Smackdown to save him, and neither was John Cena. Hunter said Ziggler needs to ask if it’s time to save himself. He said Ziggler can still change his mind. He said if what happened to Orton could happen to him, imagine what could happen to Ziggler.
– Michael Cole was on the stage inside the arena. He welcomed the founder of Soldier Socks, Chris Meek. Next was a physical therapist, Lisa Hughes. He sounds like Johnny introducing contestants on Jeopardy. Cole then introduced Army Sergeant Dan Rose, who was injured in Afghanistan. As Meek talked about helping paralyzed veterans, Rose, who was in a wheelchair, was being fitted into an Ekso Bionics walker, which allows those whose lower body is paralyzed, to walk again. After a video package of various media discussing the project, Rose gave his story and walked using the assistive device. The crowd chanted “USA” as he stood up and took steps. A “Thank you Dan” chant erupted as he walked across the stage. Cole asked him how he felt walking across the stage. He talked about the effect the device has had on his life. Cole asked for one more round of applause for Rose.
[Commercial Break]
– After Dolph Ziggler came to the ring, the eye vignette from raw was shown. Ziggler seemed confused by it.
5 – DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. KANE – STEEL CAGE MATCH
Ziggler jumped on Kane early, but Kane looked to powerbomb Ziggler. Ziggler turned it into a face-buster (sold terribly by Kane) for two. Kane tried to throw Ziggler into the cage, but Ziggler grabbed on and started to climb. He didn’t get very far. He was finally thrown face-first into the cage. At 1:13 of the match, they went to break.
[Commercial Break]
Back at the five-minute mark, with Kane having his way with Ziggler. A big boot sent Ziggler back to the mat for a two-count. A corner charged from Kane missed and Ziggler attempted to fell Kane with clotheslines. It didn’t work, but a jumping DDT did. Ziggler began to climb, but Kane met him on the top rope. Ziggler kicked Kane’s leg, crotching Kane. Kane pulled Ziggler down into the same precarious position with him. Kane readied for a chokeslam, but Ziggler countered and tried again to climb. Kane forcefully pulled him off by the foot, which sent Ziggler face-first into the mat. Chokeslam followed. Kane signaled for a Tombstone. Ziggler fought out of it and hit a Zig Zag for two at 9:06 of the match. Ziggler and Kane continued their physical assault of each other as the cage door opened. Ziggler again crawled to the cage door. Kane missed a charge and went into the exposed turnbuckle, a turnbuckle that was earlier exposed by Kane himself. Ziggler climbed over Kane and then onto the top of the cage. Kane tried to stop him but couldn’t. Kane opened the door and Ziggler was stuck on the top of it. As Kane tried to exit, Ziggler rode the door into Kane’s head. Ziggler climbed down to win.
WINNER: Ziggler, at 11:54.
A graphic aired for Team Cena vs. Team Authority. Ziggler celebrated on the ramp as they made a final plug for Ryback vs. Cena on Monday night.
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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