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GOALS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE 8/10 SMACKDOWN

By Revin Samuel on 8/11/2012 1:33 PM

SMACKDOWN - 10/08/2012 E: revinsamuel@rogers.com
What this show needs to accomplish?
•Summerslam promotion. I have been underwhelmed by the promotion for the “biggest party of the summer”. We need some money promos, a card run down and some emphasis placed on the importance of the matches and the ramifications of the outcomes of these matches
•Jericho-Ziggler. We are going to have a highlight with Chris Jericho and Vickie Guerrero. I think this is a fine place to announce Jericho and Dolph for Summerslam
•Antonio Cesaro has beat Santino twice now. Can we finally move the US title off Santino? Or can we at least setup a match for the title?
•Cody-Sin Cara. They gave a one week plug for this match so hopefully it’s leading to something
Show Breakdown
 

  1. Josh starts Smackdown by noting that we are closing in on the 25th anniversary of Summerslam and while it’s nice to point that out (even if it isn’t true), it sure doesn’t feel like an anniversary show.


 

  1. Booker out to start the show in his hometown and that’s fine by me, but the GM of Raw also started that show and my hope is t hat WWE doesn’t lean on the General Manager device too much going forward.


 

  1. Why does WWE always do apology angles? Another crutch this creative team leans on.


 

  1. I like the fire Alberto is showing as he interrupts the opening segment. Usually Del Rio is kind of bland to me.


 

  1. As I see Sin Cara come out for the first time in a couple weeks and with his match being plugged one week in advance, I question if it actually wouldn’t be a bad idea to make him a special attraction character where we don’t get to see him every week on television.


 

  1. Sin Cara beats Cody because Cody gets more concerned with taking off Sin Cara’s mask. I’ll assume this is leading to something else and not just WWE misusing Cody yet again.


 

  1. We once again see the awesome vignette for Wade Barrett. Barrett’s got a ton of presence and excellent microphone skills in my view. If he could get a little better in the ring, I think we’d definitely be looking at the total package.


 

  1. Daniel Bryan continues to do outstanding work on with the material he’s being given. I think it’s getting a bit too comedy now, but I’m sure The Bubble is laughing backstage so I guess that’s a good thing.


 

  1. AJ doesn’t need to explain why she’s on Smackdown, WWE has killed the brand split, it’s just transparent and phoney to tell us she’s Booker T’s special guest.


 

  1. As I see AJ out here being the center piece of this Bryan-Kane segment and trying to carry the promo part of this, I am taking note that this is not playing to her strengths. Having AJ talk for extended periods of time is not smart if she is going to sustain as a babyface. There’s a fine line between playing the confident, strong female babyface and the bitch to a male dominated audience and the more she talks down to Bryan, the more I think it will rub people the wrong way. Also I figured WWE would realize the AJ power suit experiment was a failure by now, but this is also the same company that needed a few months before changing babyface Layla’s heel theme music so perhaps I need to hold out hope that they will eventually realize they need to get her out of the power suits.


 

  1. I guess this Kane-Bryan-AJ segment was fine, but it didn’t do anything to wet the appetite for Summerslam. The only way Bryan is sustaining any heel momentum is by attacking the audience, but they are genuinely entertained by him so it’s not true anger or hate they have for him. I really don’t think AJ comes off as a babyface at all and Kane is just there.


 

  1. Booker lets us know we won’t be seeing Hawkins and Ryder on Smackdown anytime soon so I expect will see them in action next week...


 

  1. Clever way to advance the Mahal-Ryback storyline with Mahal competing in a handicap match.


 

  1. I don’t know if Ryback beating up two already beaten jobbers is the smartest babyface move, but again 2012 WWE doesn’t think about that type of stuff.


 

  1. Alex Riley getting a win was used as a way to bury him even further down the card if we go by the commentary from Raw and Jericho’s words tonight on Smackdown.


 

  1. Finally Jericho and Ziggler is made official. Jericho doing great mic work to create intrigue for the match.


 

  1. Nice little angle at the end of the segment with Vickie slapping Jericho and then Ziggler taking out Jericho with the zigzag. WWE of course needs to be careful to keep this a Jericho-Dolph program as oppose to Jericho-Vickie with Dolph in the picking up Stephanie’s dog’s poop position that Jericho was in circa 2002.


 

  1. AW and I for one am glad I don’t need to see this guy again. The Primetime Players were much better off before AW came on board.


 

  1. This tag title dance continues and I’ve been writing this off as filler and it is filler, but I will leave the door open that this is actually some type of extended storyline that will pay off in an announced in advanced pay per view match.


 

  1. Antonio Cesaro out and Josh notes that Cesaro has beaten Santino twice and that many are saying he should be United States champion...yet instead he’s matched up with Christian.


 

  1. Christian comes out and Josh notes that Christian “desperately” needs a win. Please tell me we aren’t starting a Christian losing streak.


 

  1. Great stuff here with Cesaro and Christian. As per usual Christian brings out the best in people and Cesaro showed us a ton of fresh moves that we don’t see normally on WWE television. I don’t think the finish hurt Cesaro all that much, although I’m unsure why he wasn’t fighting for the US title. Josh was indeed correct as well as a much deserved win for Christian when it seemed he had been on the losing end alot lately.


 

  1. Cesaro beats down Christian after the match so I assume this feud will continue, but what about beating Santino twice? I hope WWE has Cesaro take the US title before or at Summerslam and then program him with Christian heading into Night of Champions in September. Although I am also thinking that perhaps he beat down Christian so when he faces Santino again, Santino can win thanks to Christian and continue to bring down any value the United States Championship has left.


 

  1. We see a recap of the angle with Big Show-Punk and Cena from Raw. Punk and Show advertised to kick off Raw next week and you know I like when they advertise matches in advance! Have we seen any recap or hype for Lesnar-Triple H on Smackdown, because that’s the match that should be getting emphasized?


 

  1. Eve for the second week in a row asking for a job with Book’s “administration.


 

  1. Oh my...Eve vs Kaitlyn advertised for next week. It starts with the random Sin Cara-Cody Rhodes match, now Eve vs Kaitlyn, I’m afraid to ask what’s next. All that being said I like when the advertise matches in advance with lower tier and mid card talent. It makes them feel somewhat important and spotlights matches, storylines and people that don’t usually get that type of attention.


 

  1. Miz loses clean to Kane on Raw and clean to Rey on Smackdown. I don’t expect Rey to get a title shot if Antonio Cesaro and Santino is the standard.


 

  1. Great old school beat down to end the show. Del Rio was the star of Smackdown tonight showcasing a ton of fire!


What this show accomplished?

The Good

•Summerslam hype. The hype wasn’t good by any means, but it was much improved from what WWE has delivered so far on the road to Summerslam. Three matches got extensive focus and so that’s at least a plus
•Alberto Del Rio. I thought Del Rio was great tonight. I was a huge fan when he first burst on the scene, but I stopped caring about him once he lost to Edge at Wrestlemania last year. Tonight I thought he showed a ton of fire and intensity and finally WWE let someone be a bad ass heel in that closing segment with Sheamus. The only change I might have considered was having Del Rio handcuff Sheamus and then give him a violent beat down

•Jericho-Ziggler. Great stuff here and this continues to be the best story being told by WWE as we head down the road to Summerslam. Jericho had some awesome verbiage at the end to really sell the match. As I mentioned above though WWE needs to be cautious to keep this focused on Dolph as opposed to Vickie

•Antonio Cesaro-Christian. This was great from a wrestling aspect

•Eve-Kaitlyn announced for next week and Punk-Show announced for Raw. No I am not looking forward to either of these matches, but I like that WWE is advertising both matches in advance. Punk and Show is your hook to start Raw and when was the last time WWE ever promoted a divas match in advance? I like when they give the spotlight to non main event talent and make their matches feel important. They did it this week with Cody and Cara, next week with Eve and Kaitlyn and hopefully this trend continues

•Jinder Mahal pulls a page out of Ryback’s book. I thought this was a clever idea

The Bad

•Bryan-AJ-Kane. I’m not sure what this was, but this was worse than the Lesnar-HHH-HBK segment on Raw for helping to sell the upcoming match. Bryan is boarding on becoming too comedic and I don’t think AJ in this current role can sustain any babyface momentum

•Miz loses clean twice this week. You know what the issue is when the same people have been in charge for so long? They have the same formulaic approach to setting up every title match. Why does Miz have to lose a non title match with Rey to setup a title match and I’ll assume that’s where they are going, but you never know when it comes to Vince and company

•Antonio Cesaro beats Santino twice….and then moves on to Christian. Weird logic, I guess will see where they go with it

Overall Thoughts

•This was a good show with a few irritating setbacks. Summerslam hype still isn’t where it needs to be as we hit the go home week

What needs to happen on next week’s show?

• Full out Summerslam blitz. WWE needs to treat next week’s show like an infomercial for Summerslam

•Lesnar-Triple H. I’m wondering why the hype for this has been so underwhelming. I have a couple theories, but I’ll save them for next week based on what they do with Hunter and Brock on Raw. This match on Raw and Smackdown needs to be pushed heavily though, because right now it is floundering

Feedback: revinsamuel@rogers.com