Friday Night Smackdown
September 7, 2012
Moline, Illinois
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“WWE: Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
A video airs replaying when Ricardo Rodriguez took a Brogue Kick from Sheamus this past Monday. Rodriguez saved Del Rio from taking it, and he was knocked out for a few minutes. Paramedics helped him out of the arena. David Otunga later threatened legal action.
Alberto Del Rio, David Otunga, and an injured Ricardo Rodriguez are seen leaving Smackdown General Managers Booker T’s office.
The Smackdown video plays, and we’re brought into the arena to hear Alberto Del Rio’s music. Del Rio comes to the ring with David Otunga and Ricardo Rodriguez, who is walking very slowly after the attack from Monday. Del Rio says he’s on the greatest role of his career. Two week ago, he made Randy Orton tap out. Then last week he beat Kane, and this past Monday he beat John Cena. In two weeks, he’ll face Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship at Night Of Champions. However, he’s not happy. If that match were about skill and brains, he would win. However, Sheamus has the advantage right now. Sheamus can use something more dangerous than a steel chair. It’s so dangerous it should be illegal. He’s talking about the Brogue Kick. It’s brutal and barbaric and should be banned. Del Rio says kicking someone in the head is a criminal act. Ricardo is not only his personal ring announcer; he’s his friend. He’s his only friend. Now his friend may have permanent physical and moral damage. There’s hundreds who have suffered the same. The Brogue Kick is not like the Cross Arm Breaker. His move is pure and artistic. The Brogue Kick is a travesty. Ricardo looks like he’s crying.
David Otunga takes the microphone, and he announces that he is the only Harvard educated attorney in the history of WWE. Ricardo hired him because what happened to him was no accident. Sheamus meant to commit bodily harm on innocent people. Otunga then roles footage of some nasty Brogue Kicks. Ricardo was crying while watching it. If WWE continues to turn a blind eye to this and allow Sheamus to use the kick, then it’s a joke. They just met with Booker T, and they demanded justice. He’ll make sure that his client’s pain and suffering were not in vein.
Booker T’s music hits, and he comes out to the stage looking none too pleased. Booker says when they talked before the show that was supposed to be confidential. Now they’re running their mouths and bring the case to the people. Booker asks the crowd if he should ban the Brogue Kick, and they say, “No!” Booker T says the Brogue Kick is still legal. NOW CAN YOU DIG THAT, SUCKA?
-Commercial Break-
Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara vs. Cody Rhodes and The Miz
The Miz and Rey Mysterio start out the match. They lock up and it’s a stalemate. Miz punches and goes for a back suplex, but Mysterio flips through. Mysterio kicks away at him and tags in Sin Cara, who kicks Miz in the face for a near fall.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Sin Cara kicking away at Cody Rhodes. Cara hits a top rope flipping arm drag. He tags in Mysterio, and they hit a combination head-scissor takeover. Miz saves Rhodes from a 619, Mysterio chases, and they take him down. Rhodes throws Mysterio into the ring, hits a snapmare, and a running kick to the face gives him a two count. Rhodes applies an arm bar, but Mysterio fights up. Rhodes pushes him to the corner and runs into a boot. Mysterio hits a drop-toe-hold into the turnbuckle and tags in Cara. Cara hits a springboard cross-body and follows up with a handspring back elbow. Cara hits a hurricanrana and a kick to the head. Rhodes avoids a senton, and Miz is eventually tagged in.
Miz punches away at Cara before hitting his trademark clothesline. Miz hits a double axe handle for a two count. Rhodes is tagged back in, and he punches Cara in the kidneys. Rhodes hits a delayed front suplex for a near fall.
Mysterio is tagged in, and he takes Miz out with a top rope seated senton. Mysterio ducks a clothesline, slides through the leg, and kicks Miz in the head. Mysterio hits another kick to the head for a near fall. Miz reverses a whip, but Mysterio holds on to the ropes. Miz runs into a boot, but counters a head-scissor takeover by putting Mysterio on the apron. Mysterio shoulders him in the midsection and goes for a sunset flip, but Miz rolls through and kicks him in the head for a near fall. Mysterio comes back with a kick to the face and goes for a wheelbarrow bulldog, but Miz counters into a Skull Crushing Finale attempt. Mysterio goes for a rollup, but Miz rolls through it just as Rhodes was going for a kick to the head. Miz takes the kick to the head, and Mysterio picks up the pinfall.
Winners by Pinfall: Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara
Match Rating: * 1/4
Daniel Bryan is walking backstage when he runs into Hornswoggle, who wants to “hug it out.” They instead shake hands. Bryan smiles, and Hornswoggle stomps on his foot. Hornswoggle runs away as Bryan does his best to keep his composure.
-Commercial Break-
David Otunga is talking with Booker T backstage about putting his talent in jeopardy by leaving their health up to the WWE Universe. Otunga shows some photos of some nasty Brogue Kicks. Otunga asks if he’ll ban it, and Booker T says he’ll think about it. Otunga says that’s not good enough, and he asks Booker T to meet him in the trainer’s room.
They show a video highlighting what has been happening with Daniel Bryan and Kane. Daniel Bryan comes to the ring attempting to be cool. He’ll be in action, next.
-Commercial Break-
Daniel Bryan vs. Zack Ryder
They lock up, and Bryan applies a hammerlock. Ryder quickly rolls him up for a one count. Bryan kicks away at him, and Ryder goes down. Bryan sends him into the ropes, and he turns him inside out with a knee to the midsection. Bryan hits some vicious kicks to the chest, hits the ropes, and kicks him in the face for a near fall. Bryan composes himself, wrenches the arm, and sends him into the ropes. Ryder comes back with a face-buster. Bryan reverses a whip to the corner, but he runs into the knees. Ryder hits the Broski Boot and sets up for his finisher, but Bryan begs him off. Bryan wants a hug, and Ryder reluctantly goes for it. Bryan then catches him with the No! Lock for the submission.
Daniel Bryan looks like he’s snapped, and he applies the No! Lock again. The referee tries to get him off, but Bryan won’t let go. The referee then reverses the decision.
Winner by Disqualification: Zack Ryder
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Daniel Bryan runs around the ring screaming “No!” as the crowd chants “Yes!”
-Commercial Break-
Damien Sandow comes out, and he says he has something to get off his chest. Last week, he lost a match via count-out to Sheamus. He sees this as nothing more than comic justice. Booker T put him in a match that he wasn’t prepared for. He needs proper time to assess his opponent, seek out the weakness, and exploit it. That’s why he has yet to be pinned. It may be hard to comprehend, but he wants to make a statement. He was appalled at the social media. He saw tweets and Touts calling him a coward. His actions were intelligent, not craven. The anonymous people who send their failings via social media are the real cowards. None of them have the gumption to call him craven to his face. He cannot comprehend the fascination of WWE with social media. Instead of tweeting, how about reading? When Albert Einstein developed the Theory of Relativity, he assures the crowd that Einstein didn’t Tout it.
Randy Orton’s music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. Sandow wants to know what Orton has to say. Orton says his name, and he says he’s not here to add to the discussion. He’s here to fight. He told Booker T that his original opponent for tonight could wait. He wants to face Sandow. Sandow says that isn’t right, but Orton says Booker T can do whatever he wants.
They get ready to fight, and Dolph Ziggler’s music his. The Money in the Bank winner makes his way to ringside with Vickie Guerrero.
Damien Sandow vs. Randy Orton
They lock up, and Orton applies a side headlock. Orton takes him down, but Sandow gets out. Sandow applies a side headlock, but Orton pulls the hair. Orton applies another side headlock, but Sandow whips him off. Orton hits a shoulder block, and Sandow rolls out of the ring. Sandow takes a moment before getting in. They lock up, and Orton forces him to the corner. Sandow punches back at him, and he hits some shoulder thrusts in the corner. Orton reverses a whip to the opposite corner, but Sandow again bails out of the ring. Sandow gets in the ring again, and Orton takes him down with a back elbow. Orton kicks some limbs, kicks him in the ribs, and hits an uppercut. Sandow avoids Orton’s trademark backbreaker, and he gets out of the ring again.
Orton clotheslines him outside and looks at Ziggler. Orton bounces Sandow off the apron and announcer’s table. Ziggler gets on the table and distracts Orton enough to allow Sandow to drive Orton into the ring post. Sandow bounces the head off the post, rolls him in the ring, and picks up a two count.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Sandow hit a snapmare, knee him in the back, and apply a chin lock. Orton eventually fights up, but Sandow takes him down with a side leg sweep. Sandow hits the Elbow of Disdain for a near fall. Orton avoids a knee drop and a splash. Orton hits a pair of clotheslines and a nasty powerslam. Orton catches him on the apron and hits the draping DDT. Orton drops to the mat, but Sandow bails from the ring and runs to the back. The referee begins to count him out. Orton turns his attention to Ziggler as the referee finishes the count.
Winner by Count-Out: Randy Orton
Match Rating: * 1/2
Dolph Ziggler goes to walk to the back with Vickie, but Orton cuts them off. They exchange words, and Orton blocks a punch. Orton takes him down, throws him into the ring, and Ziggler punches away at him as he gets in the ring. Orton ducks a clothesline and hits a beautiful powerslam. Orton sets up for the RKO, but Sandow runs back to the ring. Orton catches Sandow with an RKO, and Ziggler runs away.
David Otunga shows x-rays of Ricardo Rodriguez’s neck and the neck of a normal person. Otunga says he can subpoena doctors to testify. Otunga tells him to ban the Brogue Kick or face a lawsuit. Booker T says Otunga is in no position to make demands. He runs the show, and he demands Otunga go to the ring to face Sheamus.
-Commercial Break-
Kofi Kingston and R-Truth will be on commentary for this match.
The Prime Time Players vs. Epico and Primo vs. The Uso Brothers
Darren Young, Jey Uso, and Primo start it out. Primo catches Young with a Backstabber, but Jey doesn’t let him pin. Primo kicks him down, and he tags in Epico. Epico kicks away at him, and Primo is tagged back in. Primo tags Epico in, and he dropkicks him down for a two count. Epico hits a trio of back suplexes, and Titus O’Neil is tagged in to big boot him down. O’Neil hits a backbreaker and slams Epico. Young is tagged in, and O’Neil front suplexes him onto Jey’s knees. Epico takes Young down and hits a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Epico puts him in the corner, misses a clothesline, and Epico gives him a tornado DDT. Epico and Jey then give each other a double clothesline. Jimmy Uso is tagged in, and he takes the camera guy out. Jimmy hits a Bully Bomb, and hits a nasty butt bump on Young. He superkicks Primo out of the ring, takes O’Neil out, and back body drops Primo out on top of them. Jimmy hits Young with a Samoan Drop and hits a suicide dive to the outside. Young finds a way to hit his finisher, and Jey hits a top rope splash. Young throws him out of the ring and picks up the win.
Winners by Pinfall: The Prime Time Players
Match Rating: 1/2 *
We’ll take a look at the end of Raw with CM Punk and John Cena, next.
-Commercial Break-
They show a replay of CM Punk beating up John Cena to cost him the match against Del Rio. He then drove off in a car with Paul Heyman.
Teddy Long is talking to Kaitlyn when he’s forced to stop Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero from entering Booker T’s office uninvited. Ziggler is angry at Randy Orton for attacking him unprovoked. Ziggler wants to face him at Night of Champions. Long says he would advise Booker T to make that match.
Wade Barrett returns, next.
-Commercial Break-
JOBBER ALERT: Yoshi Tatsu is in the ring with no TV entrance.
Yoshi Tatsu vs. Wade Barrett
Barrett throws some shadow punches, and Tatsu gets a waistlock applied. Barrett elbows out and chokes him on the ropes. Barrett big boots him to the apron, taunts the crowd, and picks up a two count. Barrett punches him in the ribs a few times and head-butts him down. Tatsu kicks back at him, but he misses a roundhouse kick. Barrett superkicks him, rips at the face, and forearms him in the face for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Wade Barrett
Match Rating: N/A
Wade Barrett wants to make something perfectly clear. After six months away, taking part in meaningless matches like this doesn’t interest him in the slightest. It bores him to tears. If he isn’t going to be thrust into the title picture, than he’s going to do something to make his life more interesting. He declares that he is open for business.
Sheamus is walking backstage. He’ll be in action against David Otunga, next.
-Commercial Break-
David Otunga w/ Alberto Del Rio vs. Sheamus
They circle the ring and lock up. Sheamus powers him to the corner, and he gives a clean break. Otunga punches at him, but Sheamus quickly knees him away. Otunga reverses a whip, but Sheamus comes back with a short-arm clothesline. Otunga avoids a Brogue Kick. Sheamus goes for the clubs to the chest, but Otunga knocks him off the apron. Otunga works over him for a bit, but Sheamus comes back with some hammer thrusts. Sheamus shoulders him in the midsection and hits a million dollar knee lift. Otunga falls to the apron, and Sheamus clubs at the chest. Sheamus hits the White Noise, gets the crowd pumped, and goes for the Brogue Kick, but Booker T comes out.
Booker T says due to evidence that was presented to him and the high stakes involved, he has no choice but to ban the Brogue Kick. Sheamus can’t believe it. Del Rio laughs at Sheamus, and Sheamus jaw jacks with him. Otunga attacks him from behind, but Sheamus comes back with an Irish Curse Backbreaker. Sheamus applies the Texas Cloverleaf for the win.
Winner by Submission: Sheamus
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Sheamus celebrates with the title, and Del Rio talks some trash as the show ends.
Quick Match Results
Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara def. Cody Rhodes and The Miz
Zack Ryder def. Daniel Bryan via DQ
Randy Orton def. Damien Sandow via CO
The Prime Time Players def. The Uso Brothers and Epico and Primo
Wade Barrett def. Yoshi Tatsu
Sheamus def. David Otunga via Submission