WWE Smackdown 4th May taping *Spoilers*

CMpunked

Good crowd. Pretty much sold out tonight. Much better than the abysmal 1,000 or so who attended the post-Labor Day Smackdown taping. 1/2 of the arena was tarped off for that one.

Michael Cole, Booker T and Josh Matthews on commentary. Lilian Garcia is the ring announcer.

Lilian introduced World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, who cut a brief promo to start the show. Sheamus said he loves to fight (a promo straight out of Finlay's playbook) so when Daniel Bryan asked for a rematch he simply answered "YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!" [Cue loud "YES!" chants from the Toledo crowd.] Out came Daniel Bryan. Sheamus continued "YESing" through Bryan's entrance. Doesn't look like we're getting the main event that was advertised last night.

1. Sheamus and Daniel Bryan fought to an apparent no-contest. Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez interfered to cause the finish. Ricardo hit a (from my vantage-point) picture-perfect cross body on Sheamus followed by a kick from ADR. Bryan then locked Sheamus in the Yes! Lock before being pulled off by Scott Armstrong and Chad Patton. Daniel Bryan then argued with ADR and Rich Rod, almost coming to blows.

Backstage, the WWE medical staff evaluated Sheamus.

2. WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth defeated Hunico and Canacho.
Primo, Epico and Rosa (accompanied by AW) were out before the bell to watch the match. They "scouted" from chairs that were set up on the ramp.

3. Brodus Clay defeated Jack Swagger (w/Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero) via DQ when Ziggler interfered. Ziggler took what looked like a hellacious bump from Brodus's running headbutt on the outside apron by the announce table. Dolph, again, sells like a champ. I'm interested to see how that looks on TV. Clay cleared the ring of Ziggler/Swagger following the interference and danced w/five kids in the ring (JYD-style) after the match. Nice touch.

The advertised main event for the night was now Randy Orton and Big Show vs. Kane and Cody Rhodes.

The same Extreme Rules video package from last night was shown, modified slightly to include the final segment from last night's Raw with John Cena and John Laurinaitis.

Eve was involved in a backstage segment with Daniel Bryan and Alberto Del Rio. Nothing notable here.

Damien Sandow was shown walking down the hallway while piano music played in the background. He debuts next. [EDIT: Maybe not.]

Derrick Bateman got a jobber entrance.

Sandow entered to Hanel's classical music piece "Hallelujah." Funny stuff. He responded to a "WHAT?" crowd chant with "Thank you for your irrelevant contribution." He said he wouldn't indulge the WWE Universe or Bateman (whom he called a "miscreant") with a match. Sandow left. "You're welcome." Bateman demanded an opponent nonetheless. He got one...it was Ryback.

4. Ryback defeated Derrick Bateman in a total squash.

5. Randy Orton and Big Show defeated Kane and U.S. Champion Cody Rhodes.

Backstage, Matt Striker caught up with Sheamus, who sported a heavily-taped shoulder and said he "came here to fight." Striker concluded that it looks like they'll have their match after all.

Vickie Guerrero re-emerged with Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler. Swagger demanded a rematch from Clay, saying nobody could beat him twice in one night. Looks like they're re-taping this one.

6. Brodus Clay defeated Jack Swagger via countout. Much shorter match than the first. Ziggler's bump in this match was less impactful, taking a forearm from big Brodus. No kids into the ring to dance post-match this time. Expect a lot of post-production if this version of the match is used. The crowd was understandably bored seeing this the second time around.

Natalya came out for the jobber entrance.

7. WWE Divas Champion Layla defeated Natalya. Layla won in less than a couple of minutes.

Backstage, Eve directed the publicity photo shoot for Antonio Cesaro and Aksana and said something was missing. She said Cesaro looked too "dry" and asked for him to be oiled up. She told a staffer lady not to do it, instead demanding that Teddy apply the oil. He resisted at first, but after being told by Eve that he hadn't done anything all day, he gave in and rubbed down Cesaro. I'm disappointed I didn't get to see the former Claudio Castagnoli in action.

After the break, Kaitlyn told AJ she needed to stop having a pity party for herself. AJ delivered a hard slap to Kaitlyn that floored her.

Ricardo Rodriguez introduced Alberto Del Rio from the stage; ADR drove out in a fancy car. He is sitting in on commentary for the main event.

8. Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan to retain the World Hvt. Championship. Sheamus threw Bryan into ADR, knocking him through the ropes. While Sheamus was distracted by ADR and Rich Rod trying to regain their composure, Bryan snuck up to the top rope. He leapt into a Brogue kick and Sheamus covered him for the victory.

This concluded the Smackdown taping.

grames_bond

Sounds like a great SD! they may actually be giving the tag team division a kick - cause this is a genuine storyline we are seeing unfold!

JP Liz V1

Ziggler deserves better

rovert

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Ziggler deserves better

Wrestling Mason Ryan on Superstars?

JP Liz V1

rovert wrote: »

Wrestling Mason Ryan on Superstars?

Him and Swagger could challenge for the tag titles or he could turn face and feud with Swagger or even better Jericho, Christian or Bryan

Lesnar's return has hurt a few of the heels on Raw imo

CMpunked

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Lesnar's return, Tensai's return and ryberg's debut has hurt a few of the heels on Raw imo

FYP.

GTR63

Brock ain't going to be around anytime soon & Ziggler still won't be near the main event scene. I think taking a flying headscissors from stumpy Hornswoggle will do that to you. Couldn't imagine a HHH, Lesnar or any heel doing that 10 years ago.
Looks like another smackdown that'll require the sky+ & FFWRD button. Btw Where the hell is Christian?

CMpunked

GTR63 wrote: »

Btw Where the hell is Christian?

Still injured afaik.

GTR63

CMpunked wrote: »

Still injured afaik.

Didn't he wrestled on some of the later dates of the european tour though.

JP Liz V1

GTR63 wrote: »

Didn't he wrestled on some of the later dates of the european tour though.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1153150-wwe-news-christians-return-would-provide-much-needed-boost-to-smackdown

Christian worked tonight’s WWE Smackdown live event in Sheffield, England, teaming with Mark Henry against Brodus Clay and Booker T. The babyfaces went over and Christian didn’t do much.
Christian is in the process of returning from a severe high ankle sprain that he suffered last November. He was originally in the Wrestlemania XXVIII plans on Team Johnny but was pulled due to the injury.

They could still have him on screen hosting the peep show

Garseys

Oooh Sandow debuts

Love that guy, proper old school heel feel to him, also his vignettes have been superb so far.

Seems overall like a really decent smackdown.

Angron

Damn it all, I like Bateman and I hate that they'd feed him to Ryback like that.

Hashtag_HEEL

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Ziggler deserves better

I agree 100% jobbing to Brodus is just not enough

Machismo Fan

That's a fantastic response to the 'What?' chants.

GTR63

Machismo Fan wrote: »

That's a fantastic response to the 'What?' chants.

I'd rather takers "say What? again if you sleep with your sister". Damn it i'd love if he broke the deadman character & said that again.

Charisteas

GTR63 wrote: »

I'd rather takers "say What? again if you sleep with your sister". Damn it i'd love if he broke the deadman character & said that again.

You can't write that without posting the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hiqlu7oAVxE

Ridley

CMpunked wrote: »

4. Ryback defeated Derrick Bateman in a total squash.

But good for Sandow, I guess. Give us Clay vs Ryback.

paddyismaddy

they should put ryback, tensai and brodus in a triple threat match - losers are fired

CMpunked

Anyone watching?

They seem to be re-using a lot of familiar moments from the last month.
Sheamus getting checked over with his arm and him looking hurt was very similar to HHH on monday.
And another was R truth using an mma style takedown with punches at the beginning of the tag match which we have seen brock using practically every time he has gotten physical the last while.

GTR63

Missed the start of the show but did Josh sell what Brock did to him any bit. Oh Teddy oiling Castognoli he is mere weeks from working Laurinaitis' yard. Some week AJ is going to give Kaitlyn a kiss rather than a slap....a man can dream can't he.

Show Time

Ricardo with the cross body was mental.

rovert

Is it wrong to think Cesaro is the more attractive?

DM_7

Agree with the DeJa Vu moments re Sheamus arm getting worked on and then going to the training room.

Like Eve in her new role, bossing people around backstage works well.

I enjoyed the opening and the closing of this weeks show. Bryan, Del Rio, Sheamus all performed really well. I think moving Bryan into the WWE title is well deserved. Del Rio going after the hurt Sheamus is set up to be a good feud.

In between, the backstage segments work well and I enjoyed the Kofi/Truth v Hunico/Camacho match. Nice to see the NXT coach chairs make an appearance.

The other tag match did not excite and Brodus/Ryback winning squash matches are really boring me.

Ridley

Sandow holds the mic like a wine glass. Awesome.

ricero

i ****ing love ryback

grames_bond

rovert wrote: »

Is it wrong to think Cesaro is the more attractive?

Yes - yes it is!!

DM_7

Watching Brodus go over Ziggler and Swagger again had me thinking, what a waste.

I don't mind them building up clay. Just they are wasting Vickie, Ziggler and Swagger.

Ziggler should be getting pushed as a heel in his own right, challenging the top guys in feuds, He doesn't need Vickie anymore.

Vickie is only getting used to introduce her guys and get made a show of during the match. They need to get her to do devious things back stage like she used.

I don't know how they can save Swagger apart from getting him to become very agressive and use his size a lot more to look like a threat. He comes across like Hornswoggle could beat him most weeks.