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
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
AIRED ON SYFY
[HOUR ONE]
-The show opened with the camera panning various tag teams backstage. Kane, with Big Show, addressed them. Kane said tonight they’d have Tag Team Turmoil, a concept pioneered by Pat Patterson. He said they would make history together. He said the first team to wrestle would be Daniel Bryan & Roman Reigns. He said the rest of the match-ups would be chosen at random. Show said tonight is their chance to seize greatness and “grab the bull by the horns.” El Matador tried to charge at Show, but Los Matadores grabbed him by his horns. Get it? Kane addressed Miz & Mizdow, Health Slater & Titus, The Ascension, Los Matadores, and the Usos. He said the Usos have a chance to prove they are the tag team champions. Kane and Show seemed to be very satisfied with themselves as the teams left the area to get ready.
-The Smackdown opening aired.
-They went inside the arena where pyro blasted and the Smackdown logo flashed on the megatron as Michael Cole introduced the show.
-Bray Wyatt’s music promptly played and the lights went out. Jerry Lawler and Byron Saxton talked with Cole about the Wyatt messages he’s sending, without mentioning or speculating he’s talking about or to Undertaker. Lawler said he has a scary cult following and he’s sick. Cole said it’s always an unsettling atmosphere when he walks to the ring. Saxton said that’s just the way Wyatt likes it.
(1) BRAY WYATT vs. R-TRUTH
Truth sang his way to the ring. Bray took over the match early, ramming Truth’s arm against the ring apron and then punching his head when it was flush with the ringpost. Lawler said he’d rather be a centipede with ingrown toenails than be in the ring with Bray Wyatt. Truth came back with a sunset flip attempt. Bray tried to sit out, but Truth moved and Bray landed hard on his tailbone. Bray went into the crab walk a minute later, and then nailed Truth with Sister Abigail for the win. Cole said whoever Bray has been talking to, he hopes he was watching tonight.
WINNER: Bray in 5:00.
(WK Reax: R-Truth has become the modern day S.D. Jones – the wrestler who you think might have a slight chance to win, but is basically a jobber to the bigger stars on TV. It’s good to have Bray establish his signature moves and persona in a match like this where he can be the primary focus as the announcers reenforce what he’s all about.)
-They cut backstage to Paige who was messing with a production assistant backstage, scaring him and then smiling and hugging him. [c]
(2) SUMMER RAE vs. PAIGE
They aired a clip of the Bellas spray tanning Paige on Raw two weeks ago mid-match, and then this week Paige throwing Brie into Nikki and then pinning Brie after her Rampaige DDT. The Bellas joined the announcers on commentary at ringside. The whole match the Bellas verbally trashed Paige. Nikki said she’s class and Paige is trash, which people can see Sunday nights on Total Divas. Paige won with the Paige Tapout (PTO). Paige and the Bellas argued afterward. Lawler said he loves it when the Divas get testy.
WINNER: Paige in 3:00.
-Extended clips aired of the Rusev-John Cena angle on Raw on Monday.
-The announcers hyped that Reigns and Bryan would have their allegiance tested as a tag team during the Turmoil tonight. c]
-The Sheamus is Returning vignette aired.
-They went to ringside where the announcers celebrated that Sheamus is on his way back and Rikishi being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.
(3) FANDANGO (w/Rosa Mendez) vs. ADAM ROSE
Back and forth match for a few minutes. Fandango landed a powerslam and then his top rope legdrop, “The Last Dance.” Lawler said, “I don’t dance, but I’d love to hold Rosa as she does.” Rose shoved some of his party animal friends afterward in frustration with the loss, then he stormed to the back.
WINNER: Fandango in 3:00.
-The announcers hyped the Reigns-Bryan situation coming up in Tag Team Turmoil. [c]
-The announcers thanked Kid Ink for the song “Faster,” the official theme for Fastlane. Then they threw to a video package on Triple H calling out Sting.
(WK Reax: The amount of time in this first hour dedicated to recapping what aired on Raw is going to hurt Smackdown’s rating and the general impression they’ve been trying to build that Smackdown is more of a must-see show and less of an afterthought each week.)
-Daniel Bryan’s ring entrance took place. During his walk to the ring, they cut to clips from Raw of the Reigns-Bryan interaction. [c]
-During Reigns’s ring entrance, more clips or Reigns-Bryan interaction from Raw including Reigns spearing Bryan with Stephanie McMahon and Triple H laughing backstage while watching on a monitor. [c]
(4) MIZ & MIZDOW vs. DANIEL BRYAN & ROMAN REIGNS
Cole said first up for Bryan & Roman were Miz & Mizdow, unintentionally but seemingly giving away that Reigns & Bryan would win and advance to another team next. Miz was at maximum obnoxiousness at the start of the match with his little warm-up stretch/dance thing. After some chat between Bryan and Reigns in the opening seconds after Bryan took Miz down with a snap mare, Bryan slapped Reigns’s arm to tag him in. It wasn’t a friendly tag. Reigns punched Miz in the corner and then yelled at Bryan aggressively. He tagged Bryan back in and held the ropes open for him. Miz tagged in Mizdow right away; fans cheered. Mizdow gave Bryan a neck breaker, then kipped up and played to the crowd. Miz tagged himself back in, unhappy with the cheers Mizdow was getting. The crowd booed. A minute later Reigns tagged himself in as Bryan was about to charge at Miz. Reigns then gave Miz a Superman punch. Bryan tagged himself back in before Reigns went for the pin as Reigns was showboating like a fool, then hit the running knee for the win.
WINNERS: Bryan & Reigns in 3:00.
(WK Reax: The dissension between Reigns and Bryan is almost cartoonishly over the top. Nothing subtle here. They both are coming across like petulant babies.)
-The Usos made their ring entrance. [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)
[HOUR TWO]
(5) THE USOS vs. DANIEL BRYAN & ROMAN REIGNS
A minute into the match after Jimmy Uso got in some offense, Reigns looked at Bryan and indicated he could do better. He said he knows what to do. Bryan reluctantly tagged in Reigns. Lawler said this is a family reunion that may go south quickly. Jey Uso tagged in after some offense by Reigns.
Cole talked about the prestige of headlining WrestleMania and how at Fastlane that spot is at stake. The Usos double-teamed Reigns and send him over the top rope to the floor. When Reigns regained his senses, he reluctantly tagged Bryan back in. The Usos again got the better of Bryan. Lawler said when teams work together, this is what happens. Bryan bailed out like Reigns did. Reigns looked down at Bryan like he was an idiot. They cut to a break. [c]
Reigns was in the ring after the break. Bryan blind-tagged himself in. Saxton said it has to be irritating that they keep getting tagged out by their partner. One solution would be to not stand near their corner when in the match. At 15:00 Bryan finally willingly tagged in Reigns. The announcers exclaimed, “Finally!” Reigns went to work on Uso. When Bryan tagged back in, he slide kicked Uso to the floor and threw an aggressive barrage of kicks at him at ringside. Reigns came out and pulled him away. He yelled, “He’s hurt!” Bryan said, “We gotta win!” Reigns said, “You can’t win out here. Get him in the ring and do it the right way!” Bryan pointed at Reigns and told him to never get in his face again. They cut to a break. [c]
They cut to a stressed and conflicted looking Reigns on the ring apron as Bryan rallied against an Uso. Actually, Reigns looked like he was ordered by mom to do the dishes and he was pouting about it. Cole said Reigns’s conscience may be weighing on him because the Usos are his cousins. Bryan rallied in the ring and got the crowd chanting “Yes!” Reigns looked disengaged on the ring apron and refused to tag in. Lawler said he read Reigns’s lips and he thinks he said, “Come on, man, that’s my cousin.” They replayed the Reigns-Bryan argument. Lawler said he sees both sides because he understands Bryan being aggressive, but he understands Reigns’s point of view because you can’t win outside the ring.
At 25:00 Jimmy hot-tagged in and got a near fall on Bryan. Reigns broke it up. Jey entered the ring and angrily asked Reigns what he was doing. Reigns said he was trying to win and it is what it is. Jey slapped him. Reigns and Jey went at it. Jey nailed Reigns with an enzuigiri, but then Reigns ducked a charge in the corner. Bryan hit a running knee and Reigns hit his boot on the ring apron. Uso dove onto Reigns at ringside. Bryan dove through the ropes and hit Jey. With Bryan, Reigns, and Jey out at ringside, Jimmy stood up in the ring and was going to charge at them, but Reigns hit him with a Superman punch. Jey knocked Reigns out of the ring a second later with a superkick. Bryan entered the ring and walked right into a kick. When Uso went for a top rope dive, Bryan lifted his knees and then applied the Yes Lock to get the tapout win. When he didn’t break right away, Reigns yanked him off. Reigns yelled, “He tapped!” Reigns said if he has aggression built up, take it out on him, not the Usos. As they argued, they cut to a break.
WINNERS: Reigns & Bryan in 27:00. [c]
-The Sheamus Returns vignette aired.
-Bryan and Reigns continued to have a heated discussion as the ring entrance music for Los Matadores started.
(6) LOS MATADORES (DIEGO & FERNANDO) vs. ROMAN REIGNS & DANIEL BRYAN
Cole said nerves are frayed with Reigns and Bryan. Lawler said they better get serious quickly. Lawler said, “If Bryan walked on water, I think Roman Reigns would say, ‘Look, he can’t swim.'” Matadores worked over Bryan for the first few minutes. Bryan came back with a top rope turning underhook suplex and then a Yes Lock for a tapout. Reigns looked annoyed, not happy.
WINNERS: Reigns & Bryan in 3:00.
(7) TITUS O’NEIL & HEATH SLATER vs. ROMAN REIGNS & DANIEL BRYAN
Reigns tagged himself in and threw a few words Bryan’s way. Bryan told him to be sure he’s aggressive. Reigns was with a punch and a flying clothesline. He punched Titus and then clotheslined Slater in the corner. He dropped Slater on his face, fended off a Titus attempt at a save, and then hit the spear for the win. Reigns shot Bryan a look. Cole said Reigns is saying, “Look what I can do!”
WINNER: Reigns & Bryan in 2:00.
(8) THE ASCENSION vs. ROMAN REIGNS & DANIEL BRYAN
After discussing the grueling series of one match after another for Bryan & Reigns, Lawler, “My tongue would be hanging out like a red necktie if I was out there that long.” When the Ascension went after Bryan at ringside, Reigns ran out and made the save. The Ascension tossed Bryan over the ringside barrier and then double-teamed Reigns. They threw him behind the announce table. They threw Bryan back into the ring and gave him their high/low finisher. The referee disqualified them both for being in the ring together too long and not listening to him.
WINNERS: Reigns & Bryan in 3:00 via DQ.
-The Ascension brought Reigns back into the ring and they began to beat him up, too. Several referees came out to try to separate them. The Big Show’s music then played and he walked out. Then Kane. Lawler wondered how low The Authority will stoop. Saxton said you have to believe in miracles. [c]
(9) BIG SHOW & KANE vs. ROMAN REIGNS & DANIEL BRYAN
Kane and Show easily dominated early. It was a slow, methodical beatdown of Bryan as Reigns stood on the ring apron looking exhausted and hurt. As Bryan began a comeback with kicks, Kane shoved him away right into Show. Show yelled at him for it. Kane tagged in Show. Show and Reigns yapped back and forth. Show taunted Reigns, saying his partner Bryan couldn’t get up and tag him. Show set up a chokeslam, but took too long. Bryan kicked his way free and then DDT’d Show. Bryan crawled through the desert toward Reigns, but Show recovered and splashed Bryan and scored a near fall. Show told Kane he’s “got negativity right now” and asked what his problem is. Show lifted Bryan by his head and shoved him to the mat. Then he glared at Show. Kane said, “Finish him, Show.” Show said, “I’m having fun.” Kane said he should take care of his job. Show said he is taking care of his job.
The crowd chanted “You sold out!” at Show. He yelled back that he didn’t sell out. Kane tagged himself in and told Show to get out. He yelled at Show, “Don’t take risks and don’t cost me this match!” Bryan surprised Kane with a Yes Lock as he turned away from Show. Show interfered to break it up. Reigns entered in protest and complained wen the ref tried to back him away, which was ridiculously hypocritical since he did the same thing in the tag match with the Usos and then defended himself for saving the match for himself and Bryan. The ref ordered Reigns out of the ring. Show also left. Show tagged himself in and told Kane that he screwed up. He headbutted Bryan, then knocked Reigns off the ring apron with a running elbow. Show then signaled for a chokeslam. Bryan countered again into a Yes Lock. Kane broke it up with a stomp. Kane asked Show what he was doing. Show said he got lucky and told Kane to get out of his face. “It’s not all about you!” Show said. Kane yanked Show around. Show gave him a KO punch. Reigns then speared Show and rolled to the floor before the ref noticed. Bryan then started a “Yes!” chant and hit Show with a running knee to the chin for the win.
WINNERS: Bryan & Reigns in 10:00.
-After the match Cole said ironically in the end, it was The Authority who couldn’t get on the same page and that cost them rather than Reigns & Bryan. Bryan and Reigns leaned on the top rope and soaked up what happened. Reigns nodded a little and Bryan broke into a smile. Cole said it was a sign of mutual respect between them, but he wondered if it would be there a week from Sunday at Fastlane. Reigns patted Bryan on the back and walked away.
(WK Reax: The story of Bryan and Reigns persevering through difficult challenges and coming out on top is a nice story. The price they paid, though, was 55 minutes of the two seeming petulant and anything but admirable or mature. It made both seem utterly unlikeable and, in the case of Reigns, having a huge double-standard as far as a partner interfering to break up a near finish of the match. I understand the challenge of finding “creative ways” to fill two hours of Smackdown each week when most of the big angles and stars are reserved for Raw, and this served that purpose with the Tag Team Turmoil theme. I just wish the Bryan-Reigns dynamic was booked in a way that made it seem like an unfortunate series of misunderstandings between two likable guys rather than making Bryan and Reigns seem immature and short-tempered and selfish.)
RECOMMENDED NEXT: 30 YRS AGO – Keller’s WWE Raw Report (2/6/1995): McMahon’s sitdown interview with Diesel, Bigelow-L.T. feud hype, McMahon references Porky Pig, Ramon, Tatanka
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Michael Cole on signing a new WWE deal, how working with Pat McAfee caused him to change the way he approaches his WWE play-by-play work
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