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The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN LIVE REPORT
JANUARY 29, 2015
HARTFORD, CONN.
LIVE ON SYFY
[HOUR ONE]
-The Smackdown opening aired.
-Michael Cole introduced the show saying with winter weather wreaking havoc, it has afforded them to provide a treat tonight with a live Smackdown.
(WK Reax: For most viewers who aren’t thinking about whether a show is live or on two day delay, and they want to see a fresh two hour WWE show, this isn’t a special treat, it’s business as usual.)
Cole, Jerry Lawler, and Byron Saxton hyped the Big Show vs. Roman Reigns match and the Daniel Bryan vs. Kane casket match. Lawler said it’ll end when one wrestler is put in a casket with the lid slammed shut on them. A fan held up the sign of the night (no contest, really): “Sufferin’ Succotash Reigns Won.”
-Triple H made his ring entrance. Cole said they had a “huge crowd in Hartford tonight.” They went to the announcers on camera at ringside for the first time. Cole said they now know the main event of WrestleMania – Brock Lesnar vs. Reigns. Saxton said he can’t wait to see that match.
Hunter looked around at the fans and welcomed them to Monday Night Raw. Then he laughed at his own joke and said it’s been a crazy week. He said they were supposed to be in Hartford on Monday, but then there was this “whacky, epic, historic snow storm and they told us you have to postpone Monday Night Raw.” He said one thing they don’t like in WWE is being told what to do. He said right in the middle of that blizzard, Raw emanated from WWE HQs in Stamford. He said, “Tell us we can’t do it, we’re gonna do it.” He said a lot of people said they couldn’t get a million subscribers to WWE Network.
(WK Reax: Who said that? No one said that. Seriously. Everyone thought they’d get there, some thought sooner, some later.)
He said for those who subscribed, he just has two words for them: “Thank you.” He said then they told him they couldn’t do a show “right here in Hartford. The camera cut to a sign in the crowd that said, “We Made it to Smackdown” with “Raw” crossed out. He welcomed the crowd to Thursday Smackdown Live.
He said it’s been a crazy week and a controversial week coming out of the Royal Rumble on Sunday. He said WWE isn’t the only organization with controversy. He said there is controversy swirling around the Super Bowl.
(WK Reax: Okay, even before he makes his inevitable DX-style zany joke here, it’s a week too late. There’s nothing clever or worth saying anymore related to the most overplayed story. It’s stale, way past its freshness date. But here it comes anyway!)
Hunter: “Apparently the NFL and Roger Goodell have a problem with their balls.” Lawler gave a charitable chuckle. He said some guys apparently like their balls soft and some like them hard and some even like them old, according to Tom Brady. Triple H said they have never had a problem with balls in WWE.
(WK Reax: Okay, they cut to the crowd where some people were laughing a little uproariously, which just encourages Vince McMahon to do this stuff, so please stop.)
He said when there is controversy in WWE, he takes action. He said at Fastlane, he will deal with a current problem. He said he has a problem with a Man Called Sting. He promised that at Fastlane he would go face-to-face with his problem and he will resolve that problem.
He said there is another controversy coming out of the Rumble. The crowd began booing. Hunter said that Triple Threat championship match was one of the best he’s ever seen. He said Seth Rollins proved to the world he is the future of the industry. He said Cena proved to the world that he is the Past. He said Brock Lesnar proved he is the Beast and is still the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
He said that match was not the problem. The problem was the Rumble match itself. More boos. He said when that match was over, the building was rumbling. He said he had never felt anything like that in his life and people were going crazy from the top row to the front row. He said the next day it got worse. He said everybody was talking about it, including ESPN’s Bill Simmons. He said it was on everybody’s mind. He threw to a clip. Cole interjected that fans were upset that Daniel Bryan, Dean Ambrose, and Dolph Ziggler were eliminated.
The announcers added new commentary over the Reigns win including The Rock run-in. Cole referred to Rock as Reigns’s cousin. They hadn’t drawn attention to that much if at all before. The clip did not draw attention to the boos, and the announcers talked over the crowd response.
Back live, Hunter stood in mostly silence. He said on Raw on Monday, he will put an end to the controversy. He said he will make an announcement that “will likely shake the WWE Universe to its core.”
(WK Reax: There’s a hook. Does he mean he’s putting Reigns’s main event slot up in a four way with Ambrose, Bryan, and Ziggler at Fastlane?)
Reigns walked out next, through the crowd. He looked inquisitive, wondering what this “controversy” is that Triple H was talking about and what he planned to announce on Monday related to it. He had a swagger about him that was new and better. Cole said Reigns agreed that fans pay their money and can voice their opinions so no hard feelings, but he took exception to the assertion that he has been “hand-picked to be the next guy here.”
(WK Reax: It’s a backwards premise, since The Authority run WWE in terms of the on-air storyline, and if anything The Authority are against him, not hand-picking him, so it makes no sense in the narrative of the actual WWE TV shows to say he’s been hand-picked.)
Lawler shifted to talking about the intense confrontation between Reigns and Lesnar at the end of Raw. Reigns entered the ring and stared down Hunter. Roman was met with more indifference once he stepped into the ring than intense boos or cheers. He said, “You keep talking about controversy, Hunter. I don’t see any controversy. I won the Royal Rumble match. I am going to WrestleMania.”
(WK Reax: Reigns has a hell of a point. He won the match, he earned a WrestleMania main event, so what is there to solve?)
Hunter replied briefly: “Indeed, you did win that match. Let’s see if you win this one.” Then he left as Big Show’s ring entrance started. Cole said we’ll have to wait until Raw to find out what Hunter was talking about. [c]
-The generic commercial for Raw continues to show Missing In Action Randy Orton.
(1) ROMAN REIGNS vs. THE BIG SHOW
The match began with Reigns, believe it not, throwing punches at Show. Cole acknowledged Reigns was getting a mixed reaction. Saxton talked about his interview with Reigns. Lawler said Reigns has been one of the most popular Superstars in WWE in recent months, so it wasn’t so much about Reigns as it was the Universe wanting to see another Superstar win the Rumble. Cole said when Lesnar told on Raw him he doesn’t respect him, Reigns replied, “But you will.” Show took over offense quickly by reversing a suplex attempt and battered Reigns for a few minutes. Reigns made a comeback with, you won’t believe this, a barrage of punches. He added some kicks next. Show fired back with a punch to the gut. Reigns clotheslined Show over the top rope. So we’ve seen Reigns throw punches, kicks, and a clothesline through the first part of the match. The usual mix. I guess maybe he gets credit for attempting a suplex, too. [c]
Back live, amazingly someone didn’t have someone else in a side headlock on the mat. Instead, Reigns was reeling on the mat from a Big Show spear. Show put Reigns in a leg lock while Reigns was upside down hanging from Show’s arms. Reigns used a head scissors to send Show over the top rope. The most vocal part of the crowd booed. Reigns went after Show at ringside with his running dropkick on the ring apron. Reigns tried to take Show off his feet with two clotheslines. Show didn’t budge. On the third one, Show leaped high in the air and bumped half way before Reigns even made contact. It looked weak. Reigns followed with a Samoan drop. No pop from the crowd. Reigns gave Show a running clothesline off the ring apron. Back in the ring Reigns went for the Superman punch, but Show blocked it and chokeslammed Reigns and scored a near fall. Saxton said Lesnar is in Minnesota watching. When Show climbed to the top rope, Reigns gave Show a running Superman punch. Then another. And then he press slammed him off the top rope followed by his spear for the win.
Reigns came up limping badly on his left leg.
WINNER: Reigns in 12:00.
(WK Reax: This match showed one of the issues with Reigns – doing the same small handful of moves over and over without hints he is capable of more. It’s not the no. 1 issue, but plays into the narrative about him being more sizzle than steak. Reigns didn’t seem to be embracing the crowd reaction. He seemed uncomfortable out there now, less sure footed than before Sunday doing his routine. Not sure what the limping was all about, although I’ve been curious if they would go so far as to work an injury so they could switch main events and save face. I don’t think there’s much of a chance at all they’d do that, but it’s a thought that crossed my mind if Vince McMahon were to lose faith in him.)
-They went to the announcers who threw to Vince McMahon.
-McMahon said they are in the Fastlane on the Road to WrestleMania and for those who aren’t subscribers, they are offering the month of February for free.
-They showed the casket with fog surrounding it. [c]
-WWE Fact: With over 5 million subscribers, WWE is the #1 sports channel on YouTube, beating out ESPN, MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA, and the NFL.
-Back to the announcers, Cole thanked WWE fans for making the WWE YouTube Channel number one. Then they announced that in the 2015 Hall of Fame Class, Randy Savage will be joined by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The video package that aired Monday was re-aired.
-Seth Rollins walked to the ring with Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble. He said, “I told you. I told each and every one of you.” He said he proved once again just how he really is. He said he was one second away from pinning John Cena and becoming the new WWE World Hvt. Champion. He then bragged about breaking Brock Lesnar’s ribs. He said Cena and Undertaker can’t say that. He said even though he didn’t walk out of Philly with the championship, he still has the future firmly within his reach. He held up the MITB briefcase. He said he’s feeling so good, he’s issuing an open challenge to anyone in the entire building who think they’re even half the man he is.
Ryback answered the challenge. He entered the ring and was jumped by J&J Security and Seth. Erick Rowan out for the save. The heels took him down quickly. Then Dolph Ziggler ran out for the save. Seth whipped Ziggler into the announce table. When Ryback went for Shellshock on Seth, J&J yanked him to safety at ringside. Rowan went after J&J. Seth made the save and all three heels scurried away to the stage.
-Backstage Kane rubbed the casket and said he writes the final chapter on Bryan tonight. He said, “Surprise, there is no happy ending.” He asked Bryan if he even knows what a casket match is all about. He said he’ll beat him far beyond the usual capacity for pain, put him in the casket, and shut the lid and secure the latch. He said all he’ll see is beautiful black darkness and all he will feel is the cold, hard casket squeezing the life out of him. And all you’ll hear is the frantic beating of your heart as it threatens to explode out of your chest until you wonder how many beats you have left. He said that’s when you scratch and claw, desperate to escape. He told him not to be alarmed because soon enough he’ll reach his destination toward eternal hellfire. He closed with: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, may God have mercy on your soul because the Devil’s Favorite Demon will not.” He let out a sinister laugh.
(WK Reax: Well, that was cheerful.)
-The Usos ring entrance took place. [c]
Check out the latest episode of “PWTorch ’90s Pastcast” with Patrick Moynahan and Alex McDonald, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
(2) JEY USO (w/Jimmy Uso, Naomi) vs. TYSON KIDD (w/Cesaro, Natalya)
(WK Reax: While it’s far from the be all, end all of drawing in pro wrestling, let’s see if Kidd does more than three or four different moves.)
Kidd went on the attack on Uso’s ankle early, then settled into a leg lock. Uso went for a dive through the ropes, but Kidd intercepted him with a kick. Uso caught Kidd mid-air and gave him a Samoan Drop. Kidd came back thanks to a distraction by Cesaro with a dropkick to Uso’s leg a then a neck breaker for the surprise pin. Saxton and Lawler called it a huge victory for Kidd.
WINNER: Kidd in 4:00.
(WK Reax: Glad to see Kidd get the credibility-boosting win. I’m all for an Usos vs. Cesaro & Kidd tag team feud.)
-They went back to Kane admiring the inside of the casket. The announcers plugged the match. Cole said there have been very few casket matches in WWE history, and one of them is tonight. Saxton then hyped that John Cena would join them live to address Rusev.
(WK Reax: You know, if Cena’s going to be live on Smackdown, maybe mention that at the top of the show instead of saving it until right before the end of the first hour.) [c]
-Clips aired of Reigns eliminated Show and Kane and then Rusev to win the Rumble with Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman watching the monitor backstage.
[HOUR TWO]
-Saxton plugged Cena vs. Rusev at Fastlane.
-Rusev paced in the ring angrily as Lana stood nervously behind him. He said everyone saw what happened at the end of the Royal Rumble match. He ranted under his breath and then said in English he should have been the winner. He said he should be facing Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. He said he is the most dominant Superstar and the only undefeated Superstar. The crowd chanted “USA.” Rusev said he didn’t want to hear it. He was great here because it seemed like he was truly distressed at the chants. He said Cena has no hunger and no desire and isn’t the Superstar that he is. He said Cena is a loser. He gave the camera a great look when he said it, expressing total conviction. Cena’s music played and out walked Cena.
Cena entered the ring and said sometimes he and the WWE Universe don’t see eye-to-eye, but he thinks everyone in the arena will agree with him when he says Rusev better shut his mouth or he’ll shut it for him. He said he needs a cold, hard lesson in the word respect. He said Rusev has crushed everything in his path, but he just made the biggest mistake of his life. He said he is not a loser, he is John Cena, a 15 time World Champion, twice Rumble winner, ten WrestleMania appearances, “and love it or hate it, the face that runs the place.” He said he was holding onto the U.S. Title “before you (Rusev) had pubes and you (Lana) had boobs.” He challenged Rusev to a fight right there and then. Lana told Rusev not to waist his time on that. Cena got ready to fight, tearing off his shirt and assuming the fighting stance. He smiled with satisfaction as Rusev backed away. Cole said that’s disappointing. Cena said Rusev is undefeated, “he’s 69 and ho.” Groan. He said at Fastlane he will win. The closed with a barbaric yell of “The Champ is here!” He threw his arms up, then waved his hand in front of his face.
-They went back to the announcers. Lawler said he wants to hear it again – the Champ is Here. They talked about Nikki Bella defending the Divas Title against Paige at Fastlane.
-Renee Young interviewed Paige. In walked the Bellas. Nikki asked Paige if she feels good because she looks so pale. Brie said it looks like the blizzard brought Smackdown a snow angel. Nikki said she looked like a blood-sucking vampire. Paige mock laughed at all of their jokes. She tried to shove them, but they double-teamed her. Speaking of pubes, Brie’s pants were crazy low, inches below her waistline.
-An ad aired for the Triple H appearance on the Steve Austin Show. [c]
-After an ad ran for February being free for new subscribers. Lawler said if you sign up, you get the Austin podcast and the Fastlane PPV for free. Cole added, “If you’re a new subscriber.” Cole stressed that you have to be a new subscriber.
(3) GOLDUST & STARDUST vs. THE ASCENSION
An inset soundbite aired with Konnor and Victor. Lawler said the Ascension are confident, but they need to stand the test of time.
WINNERS: The Ascension in 6:00. [c]
-They went backstage to Kane closing the lid of the casket and laughing. The announcers plugged the main event. [c]
-WWE Fact: In its opening weekend, WWE Immortals was downloaded an impressive 2.7 million times, making it the no. 1 iPad game on iTunes.
-The announcers plugged Wizard Wars, a magician competition reality show. One of them was there to do tricks for R-Truth, Zack Ryder, Miz, and Mizdow. He took a dig at Miz. Miz explained he is the A-lister, not Mizdow. He did a trick that ended with him shoving an egg in Miz’s face. It was actually all really well done, with Miz and Mizdow playing their parts well. R-Truth said, “The yolk’s on you.”
-A promo aired on the big screen of Bray Wyatt. He said he finds enjoyment in types of things mommies and daddies shield their kids from. He said he fears nothing living or dead. (Hint! hint! Undertaker). He said it’ll be hard for you to ever smile again when he’s done. “Run!” he concluded.
-Kane began to roll the casket to ringside. [c]
(4) DANIEL BRYAN vs. KANE – Casket Match
In stark contrast to Reigns’s reception earlier, the crowd opened with a loud “Let’s go Bryan!” chant. They took turns early trying to roll or kick or shove each other in the open casket at ringside. They cut to a break at 3:00. The most entertaining part of the early match were Lawler’s worried utterances. [c]
Back from the break Kane was in control. Bryan head scissored Kane over the top rope nearly into the casket. Then he dove off the top rope onto Kane at ringside. On a second leap off the ring apron, Kane caught him and rammed him back-first into the ringpost. He threw Bryan into the casket, but Bryan scrambled out the other side. They cut to a second break. [c]
Saxton said the emotions of Bryan may be costing him against Kane. Bryan made his comeback at 17:00 with a series of kicks to Kane’s chest. Kane charged at him, but Bryan moved. Kane tumbled over the top rope, looking every bit his 47 years of age. Bryan then dove at Kane at ringside. He threw more kicks. Bryan charged at Kane, but Kane backdropped him over the security railing in the bell ringer area. He dragged Bryan to the announce table by the hair and tossed him into the laps of the announcers. Kane bashed Bryan across his back with a chair.
Bryan made a comeback and tried to kick Kane into the casket. Kane caught him and chokeslammed him. Kane then shoved Bryan into the casket. They tried to leverage each other. Bryan applied the Yes Lock as Kane was on the verge of rolling into the casket. Bryan knocked Kane nearly out and tried to close the lid. Kane pushed the lid up and fought back again. Bryan kicked him in the chest several times. Kane chopped Bryan in the chest and rolled back into the ring. He flipped Bryan with a clothesline. Bryan ducked a charging Kane and then led the crowd in a “Yes!” chant. He then gave Kane the running double knee, knocking Kane into the casket and closing the lid on him.
WINNER: Bryan in 23:00.
(WK Reax: It was what a casket match should be expected to be, and it’s what you’d expect from Kane and Bryan. Hard work, well laid out, but Kane somewhat limited in what he does and the gimmicky way to win dominating the strategy to the point of feeling too long at 23 minutes. Yet I admire that they gave Bryan and Kane the challenge to go 20+ minutes to make the match feel more epic. It just ended up being 5-8 minutes too long for the repetitive material they used to fill the time. Overall, though, pretty solid main event that felt different from usual.)
-They went back to Triple H teasing the big announcement that will shake WWE to its core. Lawler said he has a bad feeling about it.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Jordynne Grace on letting her TNA contract expire, Scott D’Amore’s exit from the company, whether WWE has always been her goal, which wrestler hits the hardest
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