11-16-12 Smackdown results and thoughts

  Coverage and thoughts on the November 16, 2012 episode of Smackdown

The show starts with Sheamus in the parking garage waiting for Big Show to arrive.

The Miz comes to the ring for Miz TV. Since Miz is now a baby face the fans chant Miz is awesome (that might have been pumped in). Miz says it’s good to be home. He welcomes everyone to the most must see WWE talk show in history, Miz TV. In 2 days the 26^th annual Survivor Series will take place and Miz will now be on Team Foley because of the fans. He mentions that the fans picked him the Raw active vote on Raw. He asks if there was any doubt. There’s a Survivor Series poster in the ring and Miz mentions that he’s on it. He’s on the poster because he is a survivor. Not only is he a survivor, he has accomplished more than any other Survivor Series participant. He will not blindly fall in line under any team captain whether it’s Dolph or his guest the hardcore legend Mick Foley. Foley comes to the ring. Foley appreciates Miz having him on his show but he did have some reservations when he first put Miz on the ballot on Raw active. Then he plugs his new book and does the cheap pop town bit. The fans cheer. Miz tells Foley not to go for a cheap pop in Miz’s home town. Foley says, “You’re from right here in Cleveland, Ohio?” Foley says that even though he called his new book “A Most Mizerable Christmas” with a drawing that resembles Miz, if the book had been written by Dickens it might have been called, “A Tale of Two Mizzes.” Foley says that’s what Miz is to him. He says that Miz is a tale of 2 very different people and as they get closer to Survivor Series Foley wonders which Miz will show up to be on Team Foley. Will it be the WrestleMania main eventing, John Cena defeating, awesome inducing, self surviving WWE super star that Foley know Miz can be? Or will it be the vacation taking, chair sitting, make up wearing, week beard growing Miz who shows up on Smackdown & Raw from time to time? Foley asks which Tale of which Miz will it turn out to be. Miz says, “You need to ask that question, really?” Then Miz says really a few times. Then Miz tells Foley that he is the least of Foley’s problems. Miz doesn’t need Foley to give him a rah rah speech. What Foley needs to do is look at the rest of his team. Foley has tag team champions that don’t like each other. He has an Apex Predator that doesn’t play well with others. And he has a cheap shot artist that stole Miz’s Intercontinental Title. Foley’s glad they’re getting this out in the open because he would like the chance to have a team meeting right here on Miz’s show. Foley then brings out Kofi Kingston. Then out come Kane & Daniel Bryan. Finally Randy Orton comes out. Foley says that he wants to open up the lines of communication. Whoever feels the need to speak first they can begin talking. All the team mates look at each other. Kane & Daniel both say that they’ll start. Then they argue over who will speak first. Then Daniel says that he thinks that Kane is trying to apologize for his constant insinuation that Daniel is the weak link of their tag team. Kane then thanks Miz for being such a great tag team partner Monday night. Kane says that his back feels so strong from not having to carry somebody. He looks at Daniel. Daniel asks if Kane thinks that’s funny. Then Daniel says that without him Kane would be roaming basements and scaring kids. Kane then says that he roams basements and scares kids regardless. Then they each say they’re the tag team champions. Then Kofi jumps in and says they’re all supposed to be a team. Then Miz gives Kofi a really. He asks if Kofi will play peacekeeper. Miz mentions that last week he went to shake Kofi’s hand and Kofi kicked him in the face. Kofi tells Miz that if he doesn’t take 2 steps back he will do it again. Then Foley tells them to show some team unity. He says this isn’t going too well. Then Foley says that it’s hard to believe that the voice of reason on his team might be Orton. Orton asks Foley if he wants him to be the voice of reason. Orton tells Foley that he has spit in his face numerous times. Then Orton mentions that Foley threw him into a pile of thumbtacks long ago. But even though all that happened between them Orton likes Foley more than anyone who is standing in the ring right now. Orton then says that there isn’t a single member of this team that he actually does like or trust. Then Orton knocks over the PPV poster. Then out come Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio, Ricardo Rodriguez, Wade Barrett & Damian Sandow. (Cody Rhodes wan not there because he got legit injured in a match that was taped for Main Event. Him & Sandow against Kane & Daniel). Dolph tells his guys to take a good look in the ring. Team Foley is the definition of dysfunction. Dolph says that pretty sad even for Mick. Dolph says that Team Ziggler doesn’t have any egos. All they are are prime elite super stars that are all united behind 1 charismatic leader. Del Rio & Ricardo are talking and Dolph tells Del Rio this is 1 meeting. Then Dolph says that furthermore the last time…then he turns back to Del Rio and asks him what the problem is. Del Rio says that he doesn’t think that Dolph has what it takes to be the team leader. Dolph says, “That’s something you couldn’t have brought up backstage?” Then Del Rio says that there is only 1 person in this place who deserves to be the leader of this team and it isn’t Dolph. Dolph asks Del Rio if that wasn’t that he could have brought up before they came out. Del Rio tells Dolph not to talk to him like that because he is a former WWE Champion. Dolph says that he is a future champion and would rather be a future anything than former anything (I don’t think he wants to be future endeavored). Foley then sarcastically says that Dolph is showing them how to be united. Dolph tells Foley to shut up and to stay out of this. Foley tells Dolph that he is involved in this. He says that way back when he used to run this place he made some pretty good matches. Then Foley mentions that he asked Booker T if he can have he chance to make some pretty good matches right here in Cleveland, Ohio. Foley then says that Booker told him that he can with Team Ziggler’s blessing. Mick asks Dolph if it’s ok if he makes some matches tonight. Dolph tells him go ahead. Foley then says that it seems to him that Del Rio & Dolph need to learn how to get along before Survivor Series. Foley then says that what better way than to form a tag team here tonight and face 2 members of Team Foley who also need to learn how to get along. Foley says that Del Rio & Dolph will face Miz & Randy Orton. Dolph says that’s great. Dolph is glad that Miz quit Team Ziggler because he couldn’t cut it on that team anyway. Then Dolph says that they got someone who is way better than Miz. Wade Barrett. Barrett thanks Dolph and says that Dolph is making him blush. Then Barrett says that the way he sees it, Team Ziggler has replaced a quitter with a winner. Foley wants to see how Barrett does when he faces Kane. Then Daniel screams no. Then Sandow screams silence. Then he says that it is obvious that Team Foley is in complete disarray. They have a goat faced 1 word wonder running around with an anger problem. Sandow then says that Kane’s brutality is the very reason that Cody Rhodes is not there tonight. Then you have a braided neon mute who know claims he has the ability to fly. Kofi then says that Sandow calls himself a scholar so he expects him to say something smarter. Kofi says if Sandow wants to question his flying abilities then Kofi would be willing to show Sandow first hand. Then Foley tells Kofi that he just made his job real simple because the first match tonight will be Kofi vs. Sandow. That match starts now. This was good but it was also really long! I liked that they had the Team Foley members show friction with each other and not just do the “Hey they’re all baby faces now. Let’s forget about everything” bit. That said I thought everyone who spoke was good but this segment could have easily been way shorter. They didn’t need to take 15 minutes to set up the first match on the show.

Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow. Sandow gets the pin. This was a good match. During this they showed the back drop from Main Event that injured Cody.

They show Sheamus in the parking garage.

Layla, Kaitlyn & Natalya vs. Divas Champion Eve Torres, Aksana & Alicia Fox. Layla, Kaitlyn & Natalya win when Kaitlyn pins Alicia. This was your typical divas match.

They announce Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd vs. Heath Slater & Jinder Mahal for the Survivor Series youtube pre show. What happened to the 8 man tag Gabriel & Kidd were supposed to be in?

Backstage Booker T comes up to Sheamus. Booker says he needs to talk to him. He knows that Sheamus is upset but he put Booker a really awkward position. Booker says that he heard that Big Show might not show up tonight just because Sheamus is standing there waiting for him. Sheamus says that he will move. Then Sheamus tells Booker that if he see Big Show to tell him that if he has any guts, Show will see Sheamus out in the ring. Then Booker says that in 48 hours Sheamus can tear Big Show limb from limb. He asks Sheamus to keep his cool tonight. Sheamus can’t promise anything. Booker’s serious “dawg.” Booker tells Sheamus that if things get out of hand there will be repercussions. Sheamus says Booker’s got that right “fella” and walks off. This was weak.

Randy Orton & The Miz vs. Alberto Del Rio & Dolph Ziggler. Orton & Miz win when Miz pins Del Rio. This was a solid match. Afterwards Miz gets in Orton’s face about getting the pin. Then Miz poses on the turnbuckle for a bit. Then Orton gives him an RKO.

Sheamus comes in the ring. He says that Big Show crossed the line. Sheamus says that he was happy about his match with Big Show at hell in a cell (Why would he be? He lost the belt) because they pushed each other to the limit. They beat lumps out of each other and they had the fight of a life. Then Big Show had to attack him & William Regal from behind in a cowardly act. Big Show showed that he is a bully and nothing but a bleeding big coward. Sheamus is tired of all this talking & the running around. He says that even though they have match at Survivor Series, he doesn’t feel like waiting till then. As far as Sheamus is concerned the time for talking is over. It’s time to fight. Out comes Big Show. Big Show says that Sheamus doesn’t get it. Just like last week, Sheamus is out there running his mouth and calling Big Show out. Big Show then says that just like last week, nothing will happen. Nothing except maybe getting Regal knocked out again. Show then says that he is scared of Sheamus. He’s not scared of what Sheamus might do to him. He is scared of what he might do to Sheamus. Show tells Sheamus that rather than standing in the ring being all angry Sheamus should do the right thing and thank Big Show. Sheamus says that’s the best idea Big Show’s ever had. Sheamus will personally head up the ramp and thank him right now. Sheamus then leaves the ring but then Booker T comes out. He tells Sheamus to hold it right there. Sheamus heads up the ramp to go after Big Show but Booker T holds him back. Booker tells Sheamus that this is not Monday night where everything got totally out of control (Nope this is Friday night where everything gets out of control). Booker says this is Smackdown. This is his show. Booker tells Sheamus that in 2 days Sheamus gets Big Show. But for right now he has to ask Sheamus to leave the arena. Sheamus tells Booker that he respects him but he can’t do that. Sheamus goes after Show but Booker holds him back again. Then Big Show walks to the back as Sheamus screams at him. Then Booker says that Sheamus doesn’t want to this. Booker says that as Smackdown GM he is telling Sheamus to leave the building. Sheamus stands by ringside still and Booker keeps telling Sheamus that he doesn’t want to do this. Sheamus & Booker finally walk out. This was a mixed bag. I thought Sheamus cut a good promo and Big Show was ok here too. Having Booker T come and kick Sheamus out of the building was idiotic however. I also thought Booker saying that this isn’t Monday where everything gets out of control was funny since that’s what happens on both Raw & Smackdown every week.

Backstage Big Show tells Booker T that is the way to get it done. Show & Booker have known each other for 15 years (might actually be 16). Then Booker tells Big Show that he will be in the main event tonight. Then he tells Big Show that he will find out who he is facing when he gets to the ring. Big Show asks Booker if it will be Sheamus. Booker tells him it won’t be Sheamus but there is no one bigger than “The Show.”

Kane vs. Wade Barrett. Kane wins by DQ when Team Ziggler comes in. Then Mick Foley comes out and brings out his troupes. Orton has his own entrance and the brawl takes place. Orton gives an RKO to Sandow & to Dolph. Then Orton shakes Foley’s hand. Then Miz shows up on the stage. He & the other Team Foley guys have a stare down. This was decent. I was ok with the brawl but again Sandow & Dolph got buried.

R-Truth comes out for commentary for the next match.

Sin Cara vs. U.S. Champion Antonio Cesaro. Cesaro gets the pin. This was solid. Afterwards R-Truth gets on the announce table and has a mic. With all due respect to “Little Jimmy” he wants to quote another Jimmy. Hacksaw “Jimmy” Duggan. He says USA. The fans chant USA and he says what. Then he chants USA. R-Truth’s gimmick is really tiring.

Great Khali vs. World Champion Big Show. Big Show gets the pin. This was weak. Afterwards Sheamus’ music plays and Big Show looks up the ramp. Then he looks around the rest of the arena. Then Big Show’s music plays. Then Big Show slides out of the ring and heads up the ramp. Big Show is in the parking garage and as he’s walking Matt Striker comes up to him. Show looks at Striker and then Striker runs off. Then Big Show opens a bus door and out comes Sheamus. He & Big Show brawl in the garage. Big Show throws Sheamus onto a windshield. Then referees come by to check on Sheamus. Then Sheamus jumps off the car roof and goes back after Big Show. Sheamus throws him face first into a car hood and then continues to pound on him. Then Booker T, referees & security come in and pull Sheamus off. Sheamus kicks and screams at Show that he will see him Sunday. Big Show lies on the garage floor, selling the beating to end the show. I thought this was good. They did a solid job building to their match this Sunday.

I thought this was a mixed bag show overall. The opening segment was good but way too long. The guys who had the mic cut decent promos but the teammates not getting along was predictable. They also didn’t need 15 minutes to set up Kofi-Sandow. That match was good however. The Backstage bit with Booker T & Sheamus was weak. Khali-Big Show wasn’t much but I thought the Sheamus-Big Show brawl at the end was good. The Sheamus-Big Show segment earlier in the show was a mixed bag. Sheamus & Big Show were both good but having Booker come out and kick Sheamus out of the building was weak. The 6 diva tag was ok. The Kane-Barrett/brawl was good but I was into Orton giving both Sandow & Dolph an RKO. Cara-Cesaro was a solid match. Orton & Miz vs. Del Rio & Dolph was solid but of course they had the team mates from both teams having tension and that was a bit too predictable. Overall I thought this week’s show was a mixed bag.