WWE Smackdown TV report - Still promoting Zeb & Swagger

By James Shannon: j_pats@hotmail.com

The opening video package highlighted Del Rio submitting Show and hyping Swagger as his opponent for Mania. Boy it's going to be an interested few weeks leading up to Mania given recent controversies. Del Rio came out and addressed Swagger's new mission, friend and attitude. Del Rio said he'd seen all the youtube videos where they blame immigrants for all of America's problems. But America was built on hard working immigrants chasing the American dream. He said Swagger isn't a real American but a real jackarse. He asked Swagger to the ring to get a hand out to Swagger's face.

Orton came out instead of Swagger. The commentary put over how Swagger may have stolen the Chamber win from under Orton in the end. Orton said he would try to stay calm but the chance to win the world title at Mania was taken from him. A part of him respects Swagger because he would do the same, but a bigger part wants to take it out on him tonight. He asked Del Rio to step aside just for tonight and let him at Swagger. He said Alberto wouldn't be happy if he made Orton fight for it.

Booker came out and said that wasn't how he saw tonight going down. He booked a Champion vs Champion match, Del Rio taking on IC Champ Wade Barrett. He then booked Swagger against Orton. But that was what Orton wanted, so he did see it going down the same way as Orton.

Match Number One: Sheamus Vs. Damien Sandow.

Sheamus was in the ring as Sandow made his entrance. Sandow cut a promo about the upcoming destruction of the crowd's false idol. Sheamus' reign of terror was coming to an end.

Sheamus had little problem with Sandow's offence and was mostly in control leading up to an adbreak. It started when Sandow hid behind the commentary table. Sandow had a chin lock when it returned and followed up with his elbow of disdain. Sandow worked another chin lock. He eventually hit knees and looked for his neck breaker, but Sheamus head butted his way out. Sandow avoided White Noise and a Brogue kick, but Sheamus hit both moments later to end a fun but pointless opener. Actually not pointless, Sheamus did the big Mania sign point afterwards. Who's he facing?

Winner: Sheamus, Pinfall.

They plugged Mania's 2014 announcement. They played a video on The Shield's history.

They showed a video from Active of Kaitlyn telling Cody she didn't care what people said, she liked the moustache. He said some ladies are calling it a lovestache. It wasn't shot cheesily, the way you'd expect. It was meant to be cute/awkward hallway flirting, with it initiating with them getting in each others' way to start, then both moving the same direction to let the other through.

Match Number Two: Kaitlyn (C) & Layla Vs. Tamina & Aksana.

Layla and Aksana danced off a bit to start before Layla used the butt bump she's been using lately. Tamina tried to interfere from the beginning and pulled Kaitlyn out of the ring behind the ref's back to let Aksana gain the heat. Aksana and Kaitlyn did not click. Kaitlyn got a hot tag to Layla and Tamina tagged in. It was Tamina's first time in but she had to bump for Layla's entire comeback. She enetually caught Layla in a cross body and threw her up for the Samoan Drop, but while in the fireman's carry Layla tagged Kaitlyn. Layla slipped off Tamina's back and Kaitlyn hit a spear for the pinfall.

Winners: Kaitlyn & Layla, Pinfall.

It wasn't awful, though there were bad parts. It's just hard to tell what they're doing. They really haven't pushed Tamina as the unstoppable monster that Khama and Phoenix both were previously, so I don't know if they're still going that direction for Mania. It's possible they could have Layla turn before Mania, but they'd need to do it soon, and she's gone back and forth enough in the last two years that I'd like her to stay put for at least a while. She did give the title a little glance, but nothing foreboding.

Swagger met Barrett in the back. Wade said it was about time someone spoke the truth about the country and he was glad to see a big offender getting his later tonight. Zeb spoke up and said he believed there had been a misunderstanding, if he's from England he's the same as Del Rio, he's stealing someone's job. He said Barrett and Del Rio can take each other out. Barrett got fired up but Swagger cut him off with a “We the people.”

Match Number Three: Randy Orton Vs. Jack Swagger w/ Zeb Colter.

It was back and forth until Swagger started targeting Orton's leg for a moment. He wrapped it around the ring post and tried for the ankle lock/Patriot Act but was sent outside. Orton followed and took over outside to lead to an adbreak. Lots more fighting outside after the adbreak, a way of bringing Zeb into the picture without him interfering. Swagger reversed an Irish whip into the steel steps, a missed chance for Orton to hit his leg as he went shoulder first.

Orton reversed things when they were again outside, dropping Swagger on the barricade. But Swagger took out the leg as they got back into the ring and hit the Vader Bomb. The crowd had a bit of an RKO chant going, but as they had been most of the night were pretty quiet, baring the younger voices.

Orton made his comeback after Swagger charged into the corner and hit the post wwith his shoulder. Orton hit the draping DDT in front of Zeb who then pulled Swagger to the ropes when Orton wanted him up for the RKO. Swagger then hit a finger poke and stacked Orton up, with a foot on the ropes for the pinfall. It was a good fleshed out match, but not much of an ending for it. Defintely felt weird with knowing how up in the air everything currently is.

Winner: Jack Swagger, Pinfall.

They cut off the announcers talking about Vince and Paul's upcoming fight to go to Wade Barrett in the back with Striker. Striker introduced him as the star of Dead Man Down. Before Wade could say anything Sheamus came in to bully him about his role in the film. I heard Punk's first appearance on the Nerdist podcast the other day. He justified the clash between WWE's product and their Be a Star campaign because in the end, he as the bad guy gets what's coming to him. Sheamus is the face here, openly bullying Barrett for both his role and performance. Wade asked if Sheamus was having that much fun as he lost to the Shield because from where he was standing, it was bloody hilarious.

Match Number Four: The Miz Vs. Cody Rhodes.

Miz was still taped up. Rhodes had an inset where he asked how pathetic people's lives must be if they're obsessing over something on his lip. He finished it with his lovestache line from earlier.

Rhodes focused on the shoulder after dropping it over the top rope. Lots of discussion about the lowblow from the PPV. Neither JBL or Josh thought it was on purpose, but Cesaro was claiming it had been. It was a fine little SmackDown match, but no crowd heat and Miz is still the Miz at the end of the day. He slid down Rhodes' back during an Alabama Slam attempt and put on the Figure Four for the submission.

Winner: The Miz, Submission.

They showed another youtube promo from Zeb and Swagger. They then had the second Fandango video of the night.

Match Number Five: Wade Barrett (c) Vs. Alberto Del Rio (C) w/ Ricardo. Non-title Champion Vs. Champion Match.

Swagger and Zeb made their entrance to stand and watch from the stage before the bell rang. Del Rio started on top. Barrett and Ricardo played a little cat and mouse which let Del Rio take Barrett out ringside, but it was played up in a cheeky fashion.

Another heel got the heat during an break. Barrett pushed Alberto off the top rope to the outside during the break, then sent him into the steps when we returned. Ricardo started a “Si!” chant that somewhat took for a brief comeback.

Barrett got a nearfall with a pump handle but again the crowd gave them nothing. After Del Rio hit a crisp superkick Barrett got his best nearfall by catching Alberto for the Boss Man Slam as he ran for the enziguri in the corner. They again really tried to get the Si chant to catch and Alberto had the armbreaker about to be set up when Swagger started walking the ramp saying “We the people.”

Del Rio didn't try the move as he turned his attention to Swagger. Barrett rolled him up with the tights but only got two. Barrett hit a kick to the head and called for his elbow. Del Rio ducked under and got the armbreaker on for the tap out.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio, Submission.

Ricardo and Del Rio celebrated with the title in the ring as Swagger and Zeb stayed outside.

Not a memorable show. But that's to come. There was a lot of sameness throughout, like fighting outside the ring, that really should be avoidable in a two hour show.