Coverage and thoughts on the April 27, 2012 episode of Smackdown
They start off the show showing Michael Cole and Booker T on commentary. Josh Mathews is out selling the Lesnar attack from Monday. They reshow Lesnar throwing Josh.
Then they talk the Cena-Lesnar “Extreme Confrontation” from Raw and will talk about that later.
Daniel Bryan comes to the ring and he says that he got rid of AJ. Then he says that there is still something that is bothering him and he came out to set the record straight. He says that him losing the World Title in 18 seconds to Sheamus at WrestleMania does not count. He says that loss should go on AJ’s record and not his because she lost that match. Then Daniel says that Sheamus has been walking around with his Title as if he actually won something. He says that he plans to rectify that at Extreme Rules and says that Sheamus can’t beat him in a 2 out of 3 falls match. Then he says that when Johnny Ace had him be the referee for the Shamus-Mark Henry match Monday on Raw he promised himself that he would call it right down the middle. Then he says that there are some people who have accused him of fast counting Sheamus. Then he says that the footage speaks for itself. Then they reshow the match from Monday and they show Daniel making the 3 count in slow motion. Then Daniel says that there was absolutely nothing wrong with that count. Then he says that Sheamus lost his cool and that he had to defend himself. They show Daniel getting the “Yes” lock on Sheamus. Daniel has the clip paused. He says that is a beautiful picture. Then he says that it is question and answer time with Daniel Bryan. He asks if Mark Henry beat Sheamus Monday. He answers yes. Then he asks if he made Sheamus tap out in front the fans. He answers yes to that too. Then he asks if Sheamus’ World Title run is a fluke because he took advantage of a confused and not too intelligent woman. He gives that a yes also. Then Daniel asks if he will regain his title at Extreme Rules. Then he does his “Yes” chant. Then Alberto Del Rio comes out and he asks that if Daniel has been making excuses since he lost the World Title. Ricardo answers, “Si.” Then he asks if the winner of the Sheamus-Daniel match will eventually lose to him. Ricardo again answers, “Si.” Then Alberto gets in the ring and asks will Daniel Bryan be forgotten when Alberto becomes the next World Champion. Ricardo then does a, “Si” chant. Then Alberto asks if we’re watching the next World Champion. Then Big Show’s music plays and he comes out and asks if it’s yes or si. Then Big Show does a back and forth of both. Then he goes after them but they bail out of the ring. Then Ricardo goes to bail too but Big Show gets him. He tells Ricardo to calm down. He holds Ricardo by the collar and asks him if it’s yes or si. Then Ricardo says no in a terrified tone of voice. Then Big Show says si and he choke slams Ricardo. Big Show vs. Alberto will be next. This was a good opening segment. Daniel & Alberto both cut good promos. Big Show’s bit was kinda funny too. Of course Ricardo was going to get flattened by Big Show.
Intercontinental Champion Big Show vs. Alberto Del Rio Del Rio
The show Johnny Ace & Eve backstage and Ace tells her that she needs to look at things on a different level. He says that he & David Otunga are very happy that she’s on board as their executive. He says that he knows she will do great things. He wants her to feel comfortable on Smackdown and she can make any changes that she thinks need to be made. Then Eve says that she always sees the crew people but doesn’t know their names. She says that they should all have name tags. Johnny likes the idea. Then Johnny sees Teddy Long. Long says he overheard their conversation. He says that if Eve is his executive administrator where does that leave him. Johnny says that Long is his employee. Then Johnny says that going forward Long will report directly to Eve. Then Eve tells Long to get himself a name tag. Long walks off and Johnny praises Eve. This was terrible! I’m really tired of the Johnny Ace character!
They reshow Nikki Bella winning the Divas title from Monday. They also talk about how Beth injured her ankle (which was part of the storyline but Beth did a great job in making it look legit).
They show the Bellas backstage as they head to the ring for Nikki’s match with Alicia Fox.
They have another Damien Sandow vignette. He talks about enlightenment and says that the age of enlightenment was an intellectual and social movement in the 19th century whose soul purpose was to reform society by advancement of knowledge. He talks about how Voltaire and Newton
Alicia Fox vs. Divas Champion Nikki Bella. While the referee isn’t watching Brie comes in and gets the pin. Twin magic strikes again. This wasn’t much of a match.
They show Yoshi Tatsu backstage doing some squats and then Daren Young & Titus O’Neil come by. Titus tells Yoshi that he & Daren 2 of the fastest rising stars in WWE. Then they both do the Japanese bow. Then Titus asks Yoshi who his partner will be tonight. Then they both ask him very slowly with Japanese accents. Daren asks Yoshi if he knows what Titus is saying. Then Ezekiel Jackson shows up and says that he will be Yoshi’s partner. Then they taunt Zeke and walk off. Then Zeke tells Yoshi that after the match Daren & Titus won’t be joking. This was kinda odd.
They show Teddy Long in Johnny Ace’s office. He has on a name tag and a cleaning apron and is cleaning the office with a feather duster. Then Aksana’s music plays and her lights come on. Then she comes in and Long that it’s good to see her. He then says that working for Johnny the past few weeks have been unbearable. He talks about his grandsons’ college funds being safe and her being by his side has pulled him through. Then Aksana says that when he was GM she didn’t know that he was old enough to have grandchildren. Then Johnny Ace & Eve come in and tells Aksana that they will do the favor that she asked for. Then Ace tells Long that they’re giving Aksana’s friend Antonio Cesaro a try out match tonight. Then he says that if he likes what he sees he will hire him. Then Johnny mentions that Antonio was a rugby player from Askana’s past. Then he says that Eve has another idea. Aksana will be the guest ring announcer for Antonio’s match. Aksana acts all thrilled and then she walks out. Eve asks if she can tell Long something. Johnny says to tell him. Eve tells Long that tonight he will have his own ringside commentary table. Then she says that since Josh Mathews was taken out they could the extra voice on commentary. Then she says that he will be calling all of the action and will start next. Johnny then says that he doesn’t want Teddy to be nervous because Johnny will be talking to him inside the headset. Then he says that Long won’t say anything unless he instructs it. Then he gives Long a “People Power” t-shirt. Long walks off. Then Johnny tells Eve what a great idea that was. He then says that Long will do a good job. This was painful! I’m really tired of Johnny Ace & Eve. They both bore me. They’ve also made Teddy Long look like a bigger idiot than before. I’m also tired of Aksana and that idiotic music and lighting!
Teddy Long is sitting at his announce table and Michael Cole gives him crap.
Yoshi Tatsu & Ezekiel Jackson vs. Daren Young & Titus O’Neil. Daren & Titus win when Titus pins Yoshi. This was a short match. The commentary took from what little there was of this. Having Teddy Long out there saying whatever Johnny wanted him to say was idiotic.
Michael Cole is in the ring and mentions that Johnny has granted him an exclusive interview with Randy Orton. Cole mentions that Orton’s rivalry with Kane has become personal over the past few weeks. Then he says that it will be settled at Extreme Rules in a Falls Count Anywhere match. Then Michael Cole introduces Randy Orton. Orton comes to the ring. Cole says that despite what happened with Brock & Josh on Monday they can handle this as 2 civil people. Then Cole mentions that Johnny has a new rule in place. That being if a wrestler touches an announcer they will be immediately suspended. Orton asks Cole if that was a question. Then Randy says that he knows about that. Then he says that when he is pushed just right he doesn’t act rationally. Then they show a video package recapping the Kane-Orton feud. Then Cole says that Kane mentioned that since he beat Randy at WrestleMania Kane became the monster he used to be. Cole asks Orton how he feels knowing that he is going into this match Sunday against a monster that was reborn because of Randy losing to him at WrestleMania. Randy says that people say what happens at WrestleMania goes down in history. He says when the fans think about their rivalry they think about that match (I’m not too sure about that). He says that at Extreme Rules he plans on doing more than pinning Kane. He says that Extreme Rules is just the beginning. He says that Sunday there are no rules and no stopping him from making Kane suffer like he can never imagine. Then Jinder Mahal comes out for some reason. He says that he believes that Kane & Randy Orton will take each other down and when they do a new bread of superstars will emerge. He tells Randy that his time at the top is over. Then Jinder says that he is younger than Randy, and is also smarter, richer & hungrier. Then Jinder says that he will be waiting for Randy on the other side. Then Randy asks Jinder if he is an announcer. Jinder says he is the fastest rising athlete. Then Orton cuts him off. Then Randy mentions that announcers are off limits. Then Randy gives Jinder the RKO. I wasn’t really into this. I haven’t been a big fan of the Kane-Orton feud. I’m not sure why they had Jinder come out during this.
Aksana is in the ring and is the ring announcer for the next match.
Tyson Kidd vs. Antonio Cesaro. Antonio gets the pin. This was a decent but short match. Tyson Kidd is the guy who has the good short matches and loses. He’s the designated job guy. Afterwards Johnny tells Long to do something that he doesn’t want to but then he takes his headset off and gets in the ring. Then he raises Antonio’s hand. Then Antonio & Aksana kiss and long almost cries. Then Long walks up the ramp. This was terrible! I’m not sure what they’ll do with Antonio going forward. I still think having him be with Aksana is a crappy move.
They show Cody backstage headed to the ring for his match with Khali next.
Great Khali vs. Cody Rhodes. Khali gets the pin. This was mostly a squash. Cody got in some offense before getting pinned. I’m not sure why they had Cody lose to Khali.
They show Abraham Washington backstage with Primo, Epico & Rosa. A.W. is complaining that the tag champs weren’t on WrestleMania and says that they aren’t booked for Extreme Rules. Then he says that need him to be their manager. He then says that they’re talented and they need to be utilized. Then he says that he likes what Rosa does too but she needs to speak more. Then she speaks in Spanish. A.W. then says that he wants a decision by Monday. Then Ryback walks by and stares down the champions. A.W. tries to talk to him but he walks off. Then A.W. follows him.
Time for the “Ryback squashes a guy while the jobbers watch backstage” bit. The Usos are watching this time.
Jacob Kaye gets the mic and says that he’s been watching Smackdown each week and that every week a no name guy has been given a chance for superstardom and they flop. He says that tonight that is all going to change. He says that all his life he has been looking to escape Grand Rapids, MI. Then he says that he will be the first guy to get a win over Ryback. Then Ryback comes out.
Ryback vs. Jacob Kaye. Ryback gets the pin. This was a Ryback squash. I’m getting tired of them doing this bit with him every week.
They reshow Daniel Bryan dumping AJ from last week, followed by AJ flipping out on Natalya.
Matt Striker interviews AJ backstage and asks for an update on her bizarre relationship with Daniel Bryan. AJ doesn’t respond. Then Striker asks for a prediction on his match with Sheamus at Extreme Rules. AJ again doesn’t say anything. Then Striker says that she had a nervous breakdown last week. Then Kaitlyn walks by and says that AJ is in a bad place and doesn’t need to be answering these questions right now. Striker walks off. Then Kaitlyn tells AJ that she knows what she’s going through is hard but this is a good thing. Then she says that Daniel is a jerk. Kaitlyn then says that Daniel never respected AJ or even love her. Then she says that Daniel did nothing for AJ. Then AJ slaps Kaitlyn. Then she has the “What’ve I done” look. Kaitlyn looks at her for a bit and then walks off while AJ has this really upset look on her face. I think the flipping out bit could be good for AJ. It would certainly be a different side of her character.
World Champion Sheamus vs. Mark Henry. Sheamus gets the pin. This was a good match. Afterwards Daniel Bryan comes out on the stage and sarcastically applauds Sheamus. Then Sheamus gets the mic and invites Daniel to come to the ring. Then Sheamus asks if he’s afraid now that he can’t hide behind a referee shirt. Then Sheamus asks if Daniel is afraid that Sheamus can kick his head off in 18 seconds. Then Sheamus says that Daniel got off easy at WrestleMania but come Sunday in their 2/3 falls match Daniel won’t get away that easily. Then he says that it won’t be a fluke and that Daniel can’t blame AJ. Then Sheamus says that the question is will he kick Daniel’s “arse” to remain World Champion. Sheamus says that the answer is yes. Then Sheamus does Daniel’s “Yes” chant to end the show. This was good too. I thought they did a good job here. This should be good match if they book it right.
I thought that this was a mixed bag show overall. I liked the Sheamus-Mark Henry match and the post match promo from Sheamus. The end was the best part of the show. AJ continuing to flip out is good too. I think she’s been doing a good job at playing this new role. I wasn’t into most of the rest of the show. The Teddy Long-Johnny Ace stuff is idiotic. Having Long do commentary was stupid. I also think that having Antonio Cesaro as part of this is a waste of his talent. He & Tyson Kidd had a decent match but there wasn’t much to that. I wasn’t really into Randy Orton’s promo either. This feud with him & Kane hasn’t worked for me. Hopefully they’ll end that Sunday. I’m not sure why they had Jinder come out and Randy RKO him either. Zeke & Yoshi vs. Daren & Titus was decent but short. I liked Damien Sandow's promo too and hopefully he will have a good match next week. Daniel Bryan’s promo at the start was good and I liked Alberto Del Rio’s promo too. I found the “Yes/Si” chant kinda funny. Big Show was funny with that too. Big Show & Alberto wasn’t much of a match. This was more of continuing the Big Show-Cody Rhodes storyline. Khali squashing Cody made no sense to me. Why have Cody lose? I’m also tired of the Ryback squash fest. That whole bit where he squashes a guy while a few low level talent watch backstage to be really idiotic. On the whole I thought this was a mediocre show.
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