8-3-12 Smackdown results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the August 3, 2012 episode of Smackdown

 The show starts with Vince McMahon coming to the ring. He says that picking someone for Smackdown GM has been a hard task. He says that he had to find someone that the fans respect. Someone with integrity, character and charisma and someone with experience. Also someone who is authoritative enough to make decisions and back it up. “Here he is your General Manager for Smackdown, Booker T.” Booker comes to the ring. He thanks Vince and the Board of Directors for giving him this opportunity. He then says that Friday Night Smackdown is about to blow up. SO he says lets kick this off right now. He says that the first thing that he’s going to do…then Alberto Del Rio’s music plays and he comes out. He congratulates Booker on being the new Smackdown GM. Del Rio says Booker must be happy because he will be working with him. Because at SummerSlam he will be the…Booker cuts him off and asks him if he’s gonna suck up to the new GM. He tells Del Rio that he will have to it a whole smoother than that “dawg.” He tells Del Rio to make sound like it’s not a bunch of crap. Then Booker says that he saw on Monday night that Alberto had a few words to say about Sheamus. Then Booker mentions that Del Rio said that Sheamus was beneath him. Del Rio then says that Sheamus is beneath him. He says that Sheamus is nothing but a peasant. He says that Sheamus grew up as a fat red headed hooligan (not sure where he got the fat part from). Then Del Rio says that in his DNA he has the blood of a champion. He says that he was bread for greatness. Del Rio tells Booker that he doesn’t have to kiss his rear. Then Sheamus’ music hits and he comes out. He congratulates Booker on becoming the Smackdown GM and hugs him. Then he says that unlike “Bertie” he actually means it. Sheamus then says that Del Rio can mock him and where he grew all he wants but the fact is he is proud of where he comes from and who he is. He says that never had anyone brush his teeth or clean his arse every time he cried but he promises that he won’t take 3 weeks off just because Del Rio is afraid of getting his manicured hands all dirty. He asks if Del Rio really isn’t gonna compete till SummerSlam. Del Rio then says that’s right. Then Booker says both Sheamus & Del Rio will be in action tonight. Del Rio says that he doesn’t care if this is Booker’s first night on the job or not. He also doesn’t care who Booker is. Del Rio then says that he will not compete till SummerSlam. Booker says that Alberto has all the money in the world but it’s obvious that doesn’t make him hear any better. He tells Del Rio that he is the boss and Del Rio will compete tonight. Then Booker tells Del Rio that tonight he will face Randy Orton. Booker tells Del Rio to get ready. Del Rio walks up the ramp saying that Booker can’t do this to him. Then he tells Sheamus that his match will be next. Sheamus will face this man. Cue Tensai’s music and he comes out. This was a good opening segment.

World Champion Sheamus vs. Tensai. Sheamus gets the pin. This was a good match.

Eve is in the GM office. Booker comes in and Eve congratulates him too. Then she says that she wanted to remind him what a valuable asset she was to Johnny Ace. She says that if Booker need any help or if there are any positions open in the administration that she & Booker would make an excellent team. Booker says that if anything comes up he will let her know. Then Teddy Long comes in. He says that Booker has earned his way to the top. Booker says that he has big shoes to fill since Long was such a great GM. Then he offers Long to be his senior advisor. Long takes it. Then he tells Eve that all the jobs are now filled. He says he will get back to her later. Then he asks Long to shoe Eve out. Long puts his arm out but Eve storms off. This was decent.

Antonio Cesaro & Aksana are in the ring. Then Lillian says that he would say hello to the fans in 5 languages. He does in English, French, Italian, Swiss & German. What was the point of this? Then Santino Marella comes out for the match.

U.S. Champion Santino Marella vs. Antonio Cesaro. Cesaro gets the pin. This was short.

Backstage Matt Striker interviews Daniel Bryan. Striker says that it’s been an interesting few weeks for Daniel. Then they recap the psychiatric evaluation from Raw. Then Striker asks Daniel if he has any comments. Daniel says no. Then he says that we will hear him say no a lot more often. He says that he doesn’t want to hear anybody in the crowd chanting yes anymore. Then of course the fans chant yes. Daniel then says that yes is his catchphrase. “Yes I can be the greatest of all time. Yes I can be World Champion. I’m the one who gets to say yes. Not these people. He says that the fans can’t steel his catchphrase and that he doesn’t need another psychiatric evaluation from some hack doctor. Then he repeatedly screams no while the fans chant yes. Then the lights go out for Chris Jericho’s entrance. This was good. Daniel does a great job playing this unstable guy. I thought it was better here than on Monday.

Kane, Chris Jericho & Christian vs. Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler & Intercontinental Champion The Miz. Daniel, Dolph & Miz win when Daniel pins Jericho. Jericho had Daniel in the Walls but Vickie got on the apron and distracted the referee. Then Dolph came in with the MITB case. Jericho gave him a Code Breaker but it looked like he got hit with the case. Then Daniel rolled up Jericho for the pin. This was a good match. Afterwards Daniel gets in the face of a fan in the front row (I’m guessing that guy was a plant). Daniel screams no while the “fan” chants yes. That was funny.

Backstage in the dressing room, Matt Striker interviews Randy Orton. Striker welcomes Orton back and says that he was sorely missed. Then Striker says that the question on everyone’s mind is how has this long “lay off” from the ring affected Orton. Orton says that the WWE is his life. Every moment he’s away from Raw & Smackdown is like a breath sucked out of his lungs. He’s happy to be back and he doesn’t plan on going anywhere any time soon. Then he says that Alberto Del Rio is the number one contender for the World Title. He says that is only because he hasn’t faced Orton. Then Orton says that tonight he plans on celebrating his return to Smackdown by giving the fans something they’re dieing to see. That of course being hitting Del Rio with a perfectly executed RKO. This was a good promo.

Ryback vs. Jinder Mahal. Ryback wins by DQ when Jinder hits him with a mic outside the ring. Then Mahal runs up the ramp. This wasn’t much of a match.

The Primetime Players & AW are backstage. They come across some guy on his laptop. There are also t-shirts on the table. They ask where the Primetime Player shirts are. Darren Young sees a Little Jimmy t-shirt and is in disbelief. Then Titus throws a shirt at the guy and tells him to get some Primetime Player t-shirts. This was stupid. Titus & Darren have been de pushed just like all the other young talent. Sticking them with AW hasn’t done them any favors.

WWE Tag Team Champion R-Truth vs. Darren Young. Darren gets the pin. This was short too. AW & Titus got involved. Kofi clotheslined Titus. Then AW got in Kofi’s face but Kofi ran him off. After Darren won AW came back to ringside. He and the Players celebrated in the ring. AW sucks. I don’t know why they even bother having him on the shows. I’m also tired of the “Little Jimmy” bit. That’s beyond old.

They recap CM Punk’s promo and the Cena-Big Show match from Raw.

Time to see some TOUTS from the fans about Punk’s heel turn and the WWE Title match.

Booker T is in his office and is talking to someone on his cell about being the new Smackdown GM. Then Layla comes in and she congratulates Booker. Layla says there’s no more People Power and Booker says that gold digger Eve is gone too. Then Cody Rhodes comes in. Layla walks off. Cody also congratulates Booker. Cody says he thinks it’s good that former super star at his age can still find a purpose. Then Cody says that he hopes the fact that he ended Booker’s career doesn’t affect they’re working relationship going forward. Booker says, “Is that so sucka?” Cody tells Booker not to call him sucker. Booker says that he didn’t call him “sucker”. He called him "sucka”. (like there’s a difference). Then he tells Cody that he will face Sin Cara (AKA the guy who flies with the greatest of ease) next week. Then Booker says, “Now can you dig that? Sucka.” Cody storms off. Then Booker tells Layla he likes this job. Then they talk some more. Layla talks about changing things up. Then they go back to ringside. This was a decent backstage segment.

Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio. Orton wins by DQ when Ricardo comes in. Orton was going for an RKO on Del Rio but Ricardo came in the ring. Afterwards Del Rio attacked Orton’s arm. Then he was going to lock him in the cross arm breaker but Orton countered and shoved Alberto into the turnbuckle. Then Alberto elbowed Orton. Then he jumped up on the ropes but Orton dropkicked him out of the ring. Then as Del Rio & Ricardo were about to walk up the ramp Sheamus came out and threw Del Rio back into the ring. Then Orton gave Alberto an RKO. Orton poses on the ropes to end the show. This was a good match.

I thought this was a good show overall. I was fine with the Booker-Alberto-Sheamus segment and I liked the Orton-Del Rio match. Sheamus-Tensai was good too. The backstage bits with Booker were ok too. I was ok the Teddy Long & Eve one and the bit with Layla & Cody was too. Truth-Darren, Santino-Cesaro & Ryback-Jinder were all short and not much. The 6 man tag was good too. Daniel Bryan actually did a good job playing off the fans’ yes chants. Overall I thought this week’s show was good.