12-7-12 Smackdown results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the December 7, 2012 episode of Smackdown

They start the show with an article from wwe.com and Josh Mathews reading it. It says that because of what happened on Raw, CM Punk injured his knee. It also mentions that the surgery to repair Punk’s partially torn meniscus was successful. They mentioned that Punk won’t be facing Ryback at TLC but Ryback will get another title match in the near future. Then they show a second article saying that because of what took place on Raw, The Shield will now face Kane, Daniel Bryan & Ryback in a TLC match that be won by pinfall or submission. (Punk will not be facing Ryback at TLC because of a legit knee injury. The WWE article is obviously part of the storyline so Punk can heel). Also since they changed the match why is it still a TLC match?

The actual show starts with Booker T in the ring. He has some business tonight. He says that the fans have watched his career for years. You know if Booker T has some business to take care of, he will take care of it in the ring. Or he will take to the back, the street, or even take it to a supermarket (That bit at the supermarket when Austin attacked him back in 01-02 was terrible by the way). He knows what it means to be in a highly contested feud as a superstar. But now he is the Smackdown GM and it is his responsibility to give the fans a great show every week. This brings him to his next point. Big Show & Sheamus. Right now it’s personal with those 2 and when things get personal it can sometimes get physical (This is supposed to be wrestling so why wouldn’t it?). Tonight Booker has to make a drastic decision but before that drastic action he wants the fans to see why he has to make this tough decision. They reshow the Sheamus-Big Show parking lot brawl from last month. Then they replay Sheamus attacking Big Show with a chair at Survivor Series. Then Booker says that in 9 days Big Show & Sheamus will go 1 on 1 in a chairs match for the World Title at TLC. Booker’s afraid that’s not gonna happen. He’s afraid that 1 guy will do something to the other. So tonight he has made a stipulation. Booker has added a no contact clause before TLC effective immediately. Normally he would go in the back & speak with both guys but tonight he wants to bring Sheamus & Big Show out t the ring and sign the contract to make it official. Then out comes Big Show. Then Sheamus. Booker tells Sheamus that if he wants to go ahead and disobey his no contact clause he can go right ahead. But if he does he will lose his title shot at TLC. Big Show has a grin on his face. Booker tells him that he doesn’t know what he’s smiling about. He knows Big Show has his iron clad contract (In the storyline does he still have that since it was Johnny Ace who gave it to him? Wouldn’t he have lost that when Johnny was canned as GM?) Booker then tells Bog Show that if he wants to disobey the clause too then he will be stripped of the World Title. He tells them, “Let’s get down to business.” Then he asks Sheamus to sign the contract. Sheamus looks over the contract. Then he gets the mic & tells Show that having to wait 9 more days to kick Big Show’s “arse” is like having to wait 9 days for Christmas. He used to hate having to wait to open in presents but at the end it was actually worth it. In 9 days Sheamus’ Christmas comes early. The gift of beating Big Show from head to toe with a steel chair. In the end Sheamus guarantees that he will get the ultimate present. The World Title. Sheamus signs the contract. Then Big Show reads over the contract. Booker tells that it’s legal. Big Show says that Christmas for Sheamus has really come early. The purpose of this contract is to make sure that Sheamus makes in to TLC in one piece. Show says that’s a Christmas present for Sheamus, but Sheamus better be careful what he wishes for. Show says that Sheamus hit him with the steel chair at Survivor Series 25-30 times (They keep saying it was 31 times) and Big Show still got up. What will happen when a 7 foot 5oo pound giant swings a steel chair and destroys that Irish skin of Sheamus’? Big Show only has to hit Sheamus once. The worst in the world that Sheamus can do is ask for a chair’s match against Big Show at TLC. Sheamus should ask Booker to get him out of the match. But Sheamus is too stupid to realize what he’s doing to himself. If Big Show hits him with a chair he will change Sheamus forever. Sheamus will never be the same. Big Show will happily end his career at TLC. Show says that the difference between him & Sheamus is that Show thinks things through. He has experience Sheamus is just vinegar and fire. That Irish temper gets to Sheamus and he wants to fight. Show mocks Sheamus by saying, “Let’s go fight fella.” Sheamus asks Show if he realizes how ridiculous he looks right now. Show talks about a fight. All Sheamus has wanted to do since he came to WWE was to fight and the last to pay per views when they faced each other, Big Show has to admit that those have been the greatest fights of his career. Sheamus says that he made Big Shoe relevant again but he doesn’t believe that Big Show has 1 more left in him, and he believes that down in that big belly of Big Show’s he is shaking. Sheamus says that Big Show knows this chairs match could be the end of him. Sheamus says that he will gladly end Big Show’s career at TLC. Then Big Show topples the table over. Then he signs the contract. Sheamus gets up and wants to fight but Booker stops him as Big Show taunts Sheamus. Sheamus wants to get his hands on Big Show. Booker tells him not to do it. Then Booker tells Sheamus that if he wants to take his frustrations out on somebody, Booker has somebody for him to do that with. Tonight Sheamus will face Alberto Del Rio. Booker tells Sheamus to take his frustrations out on Del Rio. He doesn’t know what Big Show is laughing about because he will be in a match too. Big Show will face the guy that beat him in 45 seconds, Daniel Bryan. That match is next. Then out comes Daniel Bryan and Sheamus & Booker head to the back. This was a bit long. I don’t know why they have these contract signings for WWE and World Title matches. They’re always meaningless and this time the contract wasn’t even to make the match official. It was to make sure Sheamus & Show wouldn’t attack each other before TLC. I thought Sheamus & Big Show were good with their promos but the segment was needed.   

WWE Tag Team Champion Daniel Bryan vs. World Champion Big Show. Show gets the pin. This was a solid match. Afterwards The Shield hops over the guard rail. They stand at ringside. Big Show exits the ring as they come in. Then they circle around Daniel and then attack him. Kane makes the save but The Shield get the upper hand. Then they triple powerbomb Kane through the announce table. This was solid. I liked that they had The Shield get their heat back on Kane & Daniel.

Damien Sandow is in the ring. He asks for music to be silenced because he is about to speak. As the intellectual savior he has attempted to raise the cerebral bar in WWE for far too long. This attempt has proven itself to be a fruitless endeavor. However, he is going to give a fan the opportunity to become his apprentice this evening. Who amongst the fans is worthy of such an esteemed position? The fans make noise and Sandow tells them to settle down because they’re acting like ignoramuses. He says this gets worse every week (that was funny). He looks over the crowed and he picks a guy wearing a Santino Marella shirt. As always he urges that the fans pay very close attention and test themselves because next time it might be 1 of them. Sandow tells the “fan” to hurry up. The guy gets in the ring & Sandow tells him that he has the opportunity of becoming his apprentice. He tells the guy not to stand too close to him. Then he tells the guy that all he has to do is answer 3 questions correctly. First question – 5 + 5 =? The guy says 10. Sandow congratulates him for passing math. Second question – Who is the current President of the United States? The guy says Barrack Obama. Then the guy looks for a high 5 from Sandow but Sandow tell the guy that his palms are very sweaty and tells him to put his hands by his side. Third question – What 17^th century’s depicting mortality and transience? The guy has no idea. Sandow is not surprised. He asks the fans if any of them know. The answer is Venetace. Then he tells the guy that he has disgraced himself & everyone in the building. The beard on his face is a disgrace to faces everywhere. He tells the guy that he loses. The fans boo & Sandow tells them to wait. Then he says, “You’re welcome.”  Then out comes The Miz. Sandow asks Miz if he can help him. Miz says how about Sandow answers him a question. What 21^st century WWE super star wears his dad’s bathrobe and buys his pink trunks from Victoria Secret? (That was corny). Sandow scowls & Miz says that the answer is Damien Sandow. Then Miz tells Sandow, “You’re welcome.” This was decent. Sandow was good as usual and the “fan” was kind of funny too. Miz’s part was a bit weak however.

They replay the end of the Cena & Sheamus vs. Dolph & Big Show match, followed by the Vince-Vickie segment where Vince made Vickie book Cena-Dolph in a ladder match for the MITB case at TLC.

Brodus Clay & The Usos vs. 3MB. 3MB win when McIntyre pins Jimmy Uso. This was a decent but short match. McIntyre actually got the win. That hasn’t happened in awhile.

Backstage Matt Striker interviews Wade Barrett. Striker mentions that when Orton was last seen on Monday he was in the ring and The Shield came out. Barrett says that Orton doesn’t need to be concerned about The Shield tonight. Orton needs to be concerned with Barrett. Then he mentions that 1 year ago he threw Orton down the stairs and put him out of action for weeks. Tonight he will put the predator out of his misery. The only thing that Orton needs to be concerned about tonight is Barrett’s bull hammer. Then he points to his elbow. Good promo from Wade Barrett.  

Kofi Kingston is on commentary for the Randy Orton-Wade Barrett match.

Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett. Orton gets the pin after Kofi distracts Barrett. This was a solid match.

Josh Mathews again mentions that Punk is out of the TLC PPV.

Great Khali & Hornswoggle (With Natalya) vs. Primo & Epico (With Rosa Mendes). Khali & Hornswoggle win when Hornswoggle pins Epico. This was a squash. Khali dominated this and then Hornswoggle got the pin. Who’d Primo & Epico piss off to be booked as jobbers for Hornswoggle & Khali? Also how come Khali & Hornswoggle are a team? Because Khali is a giant & Hornswoggle is a midget? Hey Vince, 2 words. NOT FUNNY!

Time for the Raw Rebound. Can they do away with this?

They show the wwe.com article that mentioned Punk will not be at TLC.

They show a video from The Shield. They each say who they are. Ambrose asks what they know about injustice. Rollins says they don’t just know injustice. Reigns says they’ve lived it. Ambrose says that on Monday Punk, who has been champion for more than a year was disrespected with a lie detector test by The Miz. Ambrose welcomes Miz to consequences. Rollins says that Orton took advantage of a young, defenseless Brad Maddox. Rollins welcomes Randy to pay back. Reigns says they shield WWE from injustice. Ambrose brings up Kane & Daniel Bryan & Reigns says that no one says no to The Shield. Ambrose then says that Ryback has been handed success on a silver platter. He’s been handed fame and fortune and has been put on a pedestal and they knocked him off it. They stopped Ryback cold. Then Ambrose welcomes Ryback back to reality. Then Rollins says that they don’t work for anybody. Not Paul Heyman. Not the WWE Champion. They work for each other. Then they each say they’re names again. Then Reigns welcomes everyone to The Shield of justice. Ambrose then says that at the TLC PPV bring tables, bring ladders, and bring chairs. The Shield brings the sword. This was a good video.

Antonio Cesaro is in the ring. He says that as U.S. Champion he has learned so much about America. He will tell us what he has learned about the so called greatest country in the world. He says that America is weak. America used to be a super power and there used to be a thing that was called The American Dream. The belief that anybody can achieve everything. He says that’s a lie. He guarantees that most, actually all of the fans will never amount to anything. People used to pursue the American Dream, now they look like the American Dream. Then a pic of Dusty Rhodes shows up the Tron & they play Dusty’s music. Then he says that the people don’t know the meaning of hard work and sacrifice anymore. When he looks at America today he loses all hope, and the sad thing is the people’s children and grandchildren will be even more pathetic then they are. That is the truth. Cue R-Truth’s music and he comes out. Cesaro says he wasn’t done talking. Truth asks Cesaro if he knows what he needs. The fans chant what. Truth tells them, “Don’t what me. Ok you can what me.” (I have no idea why they’re still doing that bit with him). Then Truth says that Cesaro needs a dose of the truth. Truth realized that Cesaro’s not from around here. Because around here the truth will set you free. When Truth looks across America he sees a lot of good hard working people rising up (back on the streets) in the face of hard times. He sees hard working people busting their butts to the bone trying to make ends meat. He sees hard working people trying to get in where they fit in. He sees hard working people staring trouble right between the eyes. And when the time is right those same good people will kick trouble right in its little Jimmy. Truth says that it sounds like Cesaro is picking a fight with America. Truth tells Cesaro that when you pick a fight with America, America fights back. The fans chant USA. Cesaro tells them to shut up because the U.S. Champion is talking. Then Cesaro tells Truth that he is everything that is wrong with America. He says that Truth talks trash and he can’t back it up. Cesaro then says that Truth is delusional. That has nothing to do with Truth having his imaginary friend. It has everything to do with Truth trying to take his U.S Title and like all Americans, failing miserably. Cesaro says that’s the truth. Truth says that maybe Cesaro doesn’t understand what he is saying. Truth gets in the ring. Then he tells Cesaro that what he’s saying is when you kick his dog, Truth will kick his cat (That made no sense). Then he takes down Cesaro and pounds on him. Cesaro gets up & Truth Irish whips him, but Cesaro grabs the top rope and slides out of the ring. Then Truth puts the U.S. Title in front of himself and dares Cesaro to come in and get it. Cesaro doesn’t bother. This was hokey. R-Truth was usual whacky self and I’m tired of the anti American heel gimmick.

Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio. Sheamus wins by submission. This was a good match. Big Show watched from the stage. Afterwards Big Show gets in the ring and applauds Sheamus. Then he dares Sheamus to hit him in the jaw. They scream at each other for a bit. Then Sheamus pounds his chest. Then he grabs Ricardo and throws him into Big Show. Big Show lies on the mat while Sheamus poses to end the show. This was ok.

I thought this was a solid show overall. The Sheamus-Big Show contract segment was ok for a contract signing. Sheamus-Del Rio was good. I was ok with the post match stuff too. The Shield video was solid. Wade Barrett’s promo was good too. I also liked the Orton-Barrett match also. The Truth-Cesaro segment was pointless. Khali & Hornswoggle vs. Primo & Epico was a pointless squash. Brodus & The Usos vs. 3MB was decent. Damien Sandow was good as usual in the “looking for an apprentice” bit. Daniel Bryan-Big Show was solid too. On the whole I thought this was a solid show this week.