SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 10 years ago here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JANUARY 23, 2015
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
AIRED ON SYFY
[HOUR ONE]
-Clips aired of the show-closing angle on Monday Night Raw with John Cena, Triple H, and Sting.
(WK Reax: It’s worth noting Cole’s enthusiastic call of Sting’s return was really good, conveying it was huge deal. Considering Sting has only been on TNA TV or WWE Network archives for nearly 15 years, it’s good to convey to the mainstream audience that he is truly a big deal and a legend.)
-The Smackdown open aired. Then Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and Byron Saxton were shown at ringside as Daniel Bryan made his ring entrance.
-Bryan entered the ring and said the fans seem excited tonight. He understands it because they are just days away from the Royal Rumble where they begin the Road to WrestleMania. He said he’s supposed to say now that he’ll do anything to beat Kane and stay in the Rumble match. He said he could say he has spent every waking moment since he was stripped of the WWE World Hvt. Championship thinking how he could win it back. He said he could talk about Sting’s first-ever appearance on Monday Night Raw. He said he could talk about The Authority, in power, out of power, still flat out suck.
He said he could talk about all of that, but he won’t. He said John Cena did something really important on Monday on Raw. He said he knows a few people who might have something they want to get off their chests. He pointed to the stage and out came Ryback, and then Erick Rowan, and then Dolph Ziggler. Bryan said thanks to Cena, they are all newly rehired. Ryback said there is no worse feeling than watching as the world passed them by. He said he could have felt sorry for himself or given up, but this has been his dream since age 12 and nobody takes that away from him, especially The Authority. He thanked Cena and “the man they call Sting.”
Rowan said being gone was sort of a blessing because he had time to think about who he used to be, somebody’s puppet. He said he sees himself in new light and he and his sheep mask now know who he really is. He then began munching on the ear of the sheep mask or whispering to it. Ziggler said when he was fired he sat around and ate some stuffed crust pizza and watched the Stephanie and Triple H fitness DVDs. “It’s a great full body workout by two people I really like and trust.” Bryan asked, “Really?” Ziggler said, “Hell no!”
He said before getting fired, he was so close to showing the world something he knew his entire life – that he belongs on top. He said he was the Intercontinental Champion and the sole survivor at Survivor Series, but The Authority tried to take it all away from him and all of them. He said The Authority saw them as a threat because they stood up for what they believed in. He said he’d rather face any punishment they dish out to him in the ring rather than sit on a couch complaining on some podcast. He said with enthusiasm that this is what he does and he’s just getting going right now.
Kane’s music played and he walked out with Seth Rollins and J&J Security. Seth said it looks like they have a Survivor Series reunion, but the little itty bitty garden gnome Bryan replaced Cena. Ziggler said he hardly recognizes him without his nose buried up The Authority’s backside. Ziggler told Seth Rollins ever since he arranged sneakily to get the Authority back, he’s wanted to get his hands on him, so let’s fight now. Seth said as much as he’d like to do that, he’s not going to do that. He said while Ziggler was sitting on his couch eating stuffed crust pizza, he ended up with more important matters to deal with. The crowd chanted “You sold out!” at Seth. He told the fans to get over it because in three days he’s going to beat Cena and Brock Lesnar and become the new WWE World Hvt. Champion. He then said Triple H and Steph’s fitness videos are phenomenal so he should try them to hope to be half the man he used to be. Ziggler said they must’ve helped him run away from Brock as quickly as he did on Monday.
Kane told Ziggler he is extremely disrespectful for someone who was just rehired 72 hours ago. I wonder if any fans in the crowd were wondering what happened Saturday that they didn’t know about, since Raw aired just 24 hours earlier. Kane told Bryan he has to go through him if he stands any chance at being in the Rumble match this Sunday. Bryan said he thinks he has a better chance against him than he did against Brock on Monday. He threw to a clip of Lesnar-Seth on Raw, plus Lesnar giving Big Show an F5 in what appeared to be a perhaps temporary babyface turn for Lesnar. Back in the ring, Ziggler, Ryback, Bryan, and Rowan shared a laugh.
Big Show stepped out onto the stage and said he wants to give them all a first-class ticket over the top rope because flying first class would be a step up for those losers. He said he won’t have that chance with Bryan, because he won’t get past Kane tonight. Kane said Bryan seems to have forgotten the deprived levels of sadism he’s capable of. Kane went into a high pitched voice and said, “Dolph, the little showoff who could.” Jamie Noble found that ironically hilarious. Kane said technically as a new employee Ziggler is back at the bottom of the ladder, but he’s going to let him face the man who beat him like a rag doll and ripped his title from him, and that match is right now. Wade Barrett walked down the ramp.
(WK Reax: Good segment. After the reinstatement at the end of Raw, Smackdown is able to be newsworthy and timely by having an opening segment that follows up on the big development at the end of Raw. Everyone played their role well, with Seth again a standout heel here. It set up the rest of Smackdown nicely. I know it doesn’t fit the story they’re telling, but shouldn’t Bryan be contending that he deserves a title shot because he never lost his title in the ring in the first place?) [c]
(1) BAD NEWS BARRETT vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER – Rumble Qualifier for Ziggler
Saxton said that during the break, Kane announced that if Ryback can beat Rusev and if Rowan can beat Luke Harper, they can get into the Rumble match on Sunday. Lawler wondered if there is any depths to which The Authority won’t sink. Saxton said no, but didn’t seem to think that was a bad thing. Cole acknowledged that Barrett has suffered a few losses in recent weeks, so life hasn’t been candy-coated for him. They cut to a break at 5:00. [c]
Cole said sarcastically that it’s rather convenient that if Barrett loses, he still gets to be in the Rumble. Saxton said that’s fair because Barrett, unlike Ziggler, didn’t try to put the Authority out of business. Cole said winning the Rumble is huge because it guarantees you get to “headline the biggest event in all of entertainment.” Ziggler side-stepped a Barrett shoulder-charge in the corner and began a comeback. He splashed Barrett in the corner and landed a neckbreaker, while still selling his left arm. He dropped his right elbow and scored a two count. A minute later Ziggler countered a Barrett attempt at a Bullhammer with a quick dropkick. Then he landed the Zig Zag for the win.
WINNER: Ziggler in 11:00 to earn a spot in the Rumble.
-The announcers hyped the other qualifying matches coming up later. Then they threw to the Raw Reunion segment with The Ascension. Then they showed Roman Reigns chatting with a production assistant backstage. Saxton said they’d hear from the powerhouse next. [c]
-WWE Fact: Last week Smackdown was the no. 1 original show on cable TV, beating every show on TNT, Fox News, Discovery, AMC, and ESPN. (They meant on Thursday night, not all week.)
-Renee Young interviewed Roman. She threw to a clip of the Raw Reunion segment with Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, and Big Show, during which Reigns made the save after Show punched out Flair. Reigns was smiling when they came back from the clip. He said every chance Big Show gets he reminds everyone he’s a giant. He said a guy who didn’t remind people all the time he was a giant was Andre the Giant.
(WK Reax: Hey, to be fair, he added it to his name, which seems pretty forward of Andre, if you think about it. That’s like saying Hulk Hogan didn’t remind people all the time he was a Hulk or Roddy Piper didn’t remind people all the time he was “Rowdy.”)
He said Show is really “a little insecure man trapped in the body of a giant.” He said he doesn’t want Show’s spot, he wants his own sport. He said he wants to carve out his own path, and that starts in the Royal Rumble match. He said it’s going to be crazy, with fists, elbows, and knees coming at him from every direction. He said his feet will be planted, his head on a swivel, and his fist cocked, locked, and ready to run. He said he’ll be just fine, knowing he doesn’t have anybody watching his back, so everything he gets, he’s earned because it’s one versus all. He said he’s The One. Believe that.
(WK Reax: This was better, and it showed the calm cool collected vibe that might be his calling card when he’s a top act. As I talked about with Steve Austin on the PWTorch Livecast hours before this show aired, it’s more a matter of when, not if, Reigns will be a top star. The doubts are whether this year is just too soon for him.)
-Back to the announcers, Lawler said he believes that. Lawler said some people are going to pay $55 to watch the Rumble, but why when you can subscribe to the WWE Network and watch for $9.99? Cole explained you can cancel anytime once you sign up.
-Ryback’s ring entrance took place. [c]
-They went backstage to Fandango spinning a tumbler and pulling out a number for his entrance at the Rumble. He was happy with the number he drew. He began to make out with Rosa Mendez because he was turned on by the way she spun the tumbler. Then mystery hands switched the ping pong balls. The camera panned over and revealed it was Dean Ambrose. Meanwhile, Fandango was still distracted and didn’t see it happen. Lawler said the entrance number is so key to winning the Rumble.
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(2) RYBACK vs. RUSEV (w/Lana) – Rumble Qualifier for Ryback
Ryback knocked Rusev down after an early mid-ring collision. Rusev rolled to ringside to regroup. Back in the ring Ryback drove his shoulder into Ryback in the corner. Ryback came back with a dropkick. Ryback rolled to the ring apron. Rusev snapped Ryback’s leg awkwardly. Ryback rolled to the floor. They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]
Back from the break Rusev was still in control. He methodically beat up Ryback for several minutes. Cole talked about the pressure Ryback must be feeling in this match. Ryback came back with a slingshot back suplex. Ryback went for a pin. Cole said he was going for the first pinfall victory over Rusev. Rusev kicked out.
[HOUR TWO]
They stood and exchanged blows mid-ring. A “USA” chant broke out. Ryback landed a belly-to-belly. Ryback then went to the top rope. Cole wondered if they had ever seen him up there before. Rusev knocked Ryback off balance and then gave him a running boot to the face. Rusev dragged Ryback into the ring and scored a near fall. Ryback rallied a minute later and landed a spine buster. He signaled for the Meat Hook Clothesline as the crowd chanted “Feed Me More.” Rusev ducked and rolled to the floor. Ryback pursued him at ringside and punched away at him, then rolled back into the ring just before the lazy tenth count by the ref.
WINNER: Ryback via countout in 13:00 to earn a spot in the Rumble.
(WK Reax: Solid match between two similar power wrestlers. Well laid out and executed. They went with a countout finish instead the usual DQ loss finish for Rusev these days.)
-After the match, Rusev attacked Ryback in the ring. He went for his running boot, but Ryback blocked it and gave Rusev the Meat Hook and then went for the Shellshock. Rusev slipped free and retreated.
-The announcers plugged Kane vs. Bryan. [c]
-Natalya and Paige were at ringside with the announcers. Cole threw to a clip of the Bella Twins being catty. Nikki said Natalya probably isn’t a good wife “because it seems she’d rather cuddle cats at night than a husband.” Nikki asked what it’d be like to date Paige. Brie said you’d have to date her at night so her skin wouldn’t burn up. Nikki didn’t get it. Brie explained she has pale vampire skin. In response Paige said she’s a glampire, not a vampire.
(WK Reax: It’s a bit awkward that Brie is such an awful person once again, yet Brie is married to Daniel Bryan. It’s not like they’re completely separate worlds, because Cole asked Paige about her friendship that blossomed on Total Divas.)
(3) BRIE BELLA (w/Nikki Bella) vs. NAOMI
Cole asked about Paige and Natalya’s friendship. Nikki said she and Paige share in common the Bella Twins as enemies. Paige told Natalya her husband is an idiot. Natalya said, “Excuse me.” Lawler said all marriages are happy, it’s living together afterwards that’s the problem. Natalya said she and her husband have a great relationship. Paige predicted Total Divas would be called Total Paige soon. Brie finished Naomi with a face plant.
WINNER: Brie in 3:00.
(WK Reax: That might have set a record for the least attention ever paid to the action inside the ring by announcers.)
-A vignette aired with Luke Harper who said on Sunday they can send anyone they want into the ring, but don’t send anyone they want back. “Don’t blink or the monsters will get you. The monsters that live in here now. Are you scared yet? You should be.” Hey, that’s a line from SyFy’s “Scare Tactics” show. [c]
-Stardust and Goldust spun the tumbler backstage. Stardust predicted their stars would align, but Goldust wondered if darkness would consume them once again. Stardust was hard to read when he drew his number. Goldust was also hard to read, but he looked at Stardust and said, “It’s every man for himself.” They hissed at each other.
(4) ERICK ROWAN vs. LUKE HARPER – Rumble Qualifier for Rowan
Lawler said, “Remember, the bigger beard has the right of way.” At 3:00 Rowan climbed to the top rope. He leaped with a splash, but Harper moved. Harper kicked Rowan in the face and then clotheslined him for the win. Cole said it’s heartbreak for Rowan.
WINNER: Harper in 4:00.
-Backstage Seth told Kane he shouldn’t allow Bryan to talk to him like that. “Does he know who I am?” he said. Kane said it’s a big night and he needs every possible advantage. He asked to borrow his security. Seth said he sees his point and he can, because they need to do everything they can to keep Bryan out of that Rumble match. Seth told Big Show that Kane has to win that match.
-A “WrestleMania Reading Challenge” commercial aired showing Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Natalya, and Cody Rhodes at a past event. See how easy that was not to show clips of heels smiling and reading to kids? [c]
-The Royal Rumble history video aired with a bunch of stats.
-Backstage Miz and Mizdow had a discussion about Mizdow embarrassing Miz by pretending to be part of the Kliq. Mizdow said he’s not sure what got over him, but the crowd did seem to like it. Miz laughed and said the crowd is never cheering for him because he is a stunt double and he’s just an extension of The Miz. Mizdow rubbed his face in a way that suggested he’s getting a little tired of Miz. Miz walked away. The Usos walked up to Mizdow and said it’s every man for himself in the Rumble. They talked about almost eliminating each other last year. They asked if he will throw himself over the top rope after Miz gets eliminated. They told him to think about being his own star and showing up Miz. They said he can be a star. Mizdow soaked up the thought of being a star.
(WK Reax: This is one of those subplots that makes the entirety of the Rumble so much fun, not just the final few minutes. I’m sure Miz will get eliminated, and then Mizdow will have that moment of truth that fans will look forward to.)
-Bryan’s ring entrance began. [c]
-Cole plugged the Rumble Kickoff Show with The New Day vs. Adam Rose & Cesaro & Tyson Kidd.
(5) DANIEL BRYAN vs. KANE – No DQ – Rumble Qualifier for Bryan.
Kane’s full ring entrance took place. They replayed Kane beating up Bryan on Raw. A fan held up a sign that said, “Cena Watches The Bachelor.” Does that beat the Smackdown fan sign that said “We Were Promised Jetpacks”? The match began 44 minutes into the second hour. J&J got involved early distracting Bryan, giving Kane a chance to blindside him and knock him to the floor. He gave Bryan a neckbreaker at ringside. Kane hit Bryan several times with a kendo stick at ringside. Cole said Kane has been in 15 Rumbles, which is a record. He said Reigns broke Kane’s record for the most eliminations in one match. Bryan got ahold of the kendo stick in the ring and hit Kane’s left arm repeatedly with it. Kane went down. Kane punched Bryan as he flew off the top rope with the kendo stick. He scored a two count. Then he threw Bryan to the floor. [c]
Back in the ring, Kane had Bryan in the obligatory back-from-commercial-break chinlock. Bryan teased a comeback, but Kane countered with a DDT. A clip aired from during the break of J&J throwing Bryan back-first into the security wall at ringside. Kane bashed Bryan with a chair. Bryan made a comeback with kicks and then ducked a charging Kane, who tumbled to ringside. Bryan then kicked Kane into the announce table and went for dive through the ropes. Kane met him with a right punch to the face. Kane whipped Bryan into the ringside steps. J&J then took the monitors off the announce table. Kane set up a Tombstone on the table. Cole said Bryan might never walk again. Bryan slipped free and shoved Kane to the floor. Kane then caught Bryan and went for a chokeslam, but Bryan slipped free and shoved Kane into the ringpost. Bryan then dove through the ropes and took Kane down at ringside. Bryan gave Kane a running boot to the face next. Bryan had to fight off J&J Security swarming him next. Kane hit Bryan from behind. Cole said it’s obvious the fix is in, Bryan won’t be in the Rumble, and it’ll ruin his dreams.
Kane leaped off the top rope at Bryan. Bryan sidestepped him and slipped on the Yes Lock. Kane was about to tap, but J&J attacked Bryan first. Bryan fought back with a flurry of moves against J&J. Kane chokeslammed Bryan for a believable near fall as Cole spoke of Bryan’s dreams going up in smoke. Kane grabbed a chair from ringside. Bryan kicked Kane’s ankle. Kane’s head bounced off the chair. Bryan charged at Kane with his running knee. Cole declared Bryan the winner as the ref counted, and the ref counted to three. “Bryan’s in the Rumble!” said Cole. Lawler added, “Suck on that, Authority!”
WINNER: Bryan in 12:00 to qualify for the Rumble.
-As Bryan celebrated on the stage, Big Show attacked him. Show carried Bryan to the ring on his shoulder and dumped into the ring. Cole said Bryan might not even make it to the Rumble because of this four-on-one mugging. Ziggler, Ryback, and Rowan ran out for the save. Kidd, Barrett, Harper, Cesaro, and Titus O’Neal joined in. Then Goldust, Stardust, R-Truth, Sin Cara, Jack Swagger, The Ascension, and others entered. Dean Ambrose and Reigns each got their own music played as they joined in. Cole said this is a taste of what’s coming up on Sunday at the Rumble. Lawler said bodies are flying everywhere.
(WK Reax: The annual impromptu Rumble-like chaotic brawl in the ring is always fun. It’s a good tactic to give viewers a taste of the excitement, even though there’s rarely that many in the ring at once in the Rumble.)
A bunch of wrestlers were tossed out, leaving Show, Kane, Ambrose, Reigns, Ziggler, Ryback, and Bryan standing in a circle staring each other down. That’s a pretty good preview of who the final seven could be at the Rumble, with a few X-factors such as Randy Orton perhaps added to the mix.
(WK Reax: Really good final Smackdown leading into the Rumble. A good balance of wrestling, promos, and angles.)
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