8-5-11 Smackdown results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the August 5, 2011 episode of Smackdown

The show starts with recap video of Mark Henry taking out Kane and Big Show, and Sheamus challenging him. They announce Sheamus vs. Mark Henry for SummerSlam.

Sheamus vs. Great Khali. Sheamus gets the pin.

AJ vs. Natalya. Natalya wins by submission. After the match Natalya turns heal and attacks AJ. She then gets the mic and says that Beth Phoenix is right that the days of the cutie Divas are done. The match was short, but Natalya cut a good promo afterwards.

Hopefully this will be the start of a push for both Natalya and Beth. It would be cool if they teamed up to “take out” the other Divas.

They mention that Zack Ryder will debut his new “talk show” tonight.

Matt Striker interviews Randy Orton backstage about his match with Christian at SummerSlam. Orton talks about how he has anger management issues and that Christian will help him get through them. Orton says that Christian is only guy to win the World Title by DQ, but at SummerSlam, Christian will have to pin Orton or make him submit and Orton says Christian can’t do it.

They show another video package of Justin Gabriel from the Cape Town tour. This was really well done too.

Daniel Bryan vs. Tyson Kidd. Wade Barrett does commentary. Bryan wins by submission. This was a really great back and forth match! These guys are real talented and Tyson Kidd should be getting a push.

Zack Ryder comes out for his new segment and starts his promo when Ezekiel Jackson came out and tells him that he didn’t go for being in a handicap match last week. Ryder tries to say why he made the match when Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, Jr. come out. Rhodes got on the mic and he rags on Zeke saying that he doesn’t deserve to be a champion. He says that after he beats Zeke for the IC Title he will resurrect its image just as he has with Ted. I’m not so sure if the IC Title can have the meaning that it used to, since it hasn’t in years. Zeke says that Cody hasn’t resurrected anything and that he is just using Ted. Zeke says that he knows what being used is like and talked how his time in the Corre and says that nothing is better than freedom and he holds up the IC Title. Cody says that Ted has free will and suggests that Ted face Zeke right now if that’s ok with Ryder. Ryder says it’s cool with him and was about to make the match when Teddy Long then came out and told Ryder that he is not the GM and that Long is the guy who makes the matches on Smackdown and he sets up Jackson vs. Ryder next and tells Cody & Ted that they’re banned from ringside.

Intercontinental Champion Ezekiel Jackson vs. Zack Ryder. Zeke wins by submission. This was a squash.

This wasn’t on the show, but during the taping while Ryder is still in the ring Triple H’s music plays and he comes out and says that he is still kind of new at being COO and has only had the job a couple of weeks and mentions how stressful it is. He tells Ryder that when he made him Teddy Long’s assistant last week, he meant for Ryder to get coffee and sharpen pencils. Hunter then he’s going to do something just for fans in the building. They turned out the lights and the Tron and they had on a spot light. Triple H then takes his Jacket off and undoes his collar. He then gives Ryder a Pedigree. Why bury Ryder? He’s been getting over pretty well with fans. First they have him job to David Otunga in the Tag match Monday and then they Have TRIPLE H, the guy who is “in charge” giving him a pedigree! I don’t get this. They should be pushing Ryder not burying him!

Teddy Long was in his office and Aksana came in dressed in black. She wants to talk with Teddy and he gives her his office card to set up an appointment. She asks if she can have his cell number and he writes it on the back of the card. She came on to him the whole segment. This was weak.

Vladimir Kozlov vs. Mark Henry. Henry gets the pin. After the match Henry gets a chair and puts Kozlov’s leg in it and gives him the second rope splash. Sheamus then came out with a chair and Henry bails.

Sheamus cuts a promo backstage saying that he has the luck of the Irish and mentions that Mark Henry has taken other people’s dreams and careers, but that it won’t happen to him.

The Usos & Trent Baretta vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Michael McGuillicutty & David Otunga & JTG. McGuillicutty, Otunga & JTG win.

They mention that Johnny Curtis will make his Smackdown in ring debut next week.

Christian cuts a promo about how he overcame Teddy Long, Triple H, the refs and the fans to become World Champion again. R-Truth then came in says that Christian is saying that it’s a conspiracy. Christian says the didn’t wanna come right out and say it and Truth says that he sounds just like Miz and he says that he will put a hurt on Randy Orton for attacking him last week.

Randy Orton & John Morrison vs. World Champion Christian & R-Truth. Christian & Truth when Christian pins Orton. After the match Christian & Truth run up the ramp celebrating their win.  

I thought this was a good show overall. The Daniel Bryan-Tyson Kidd match was the best part of the show. The main event tag match was good too.