By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JUNE 11, 2010
AIRED ON MY NETWORK TV

[Q1]

-The show opened with a three minute video package of the Undertaker-Kane storyline last week and Rey Mysterio winning the battle royal to earn Taker's vacated spot in the Fatal 4-Way title match.

-The Smackdown opening aired, then Todd Grisham and Matt Striker introduced the show. They hyped the Fatal 4-Way main event. They said Rey Mysterio vs. Jack Swagger was up first.

Rey Mysterio came out to the ring and talked about earning a spot in the Fatal 4-Way match. "When I win the World Heavyweight Champion, it's not going to be my World Title, it's going to be our World Title," he said. Striker repeated the ridiculous statement - especially from a school teacher - that Swagger has only a 25 percent chance of retaining the title. Swagger told Rey he is capitalizing on the misfortune of someone else. He talked about how he was perfecting the art of wrestling doing countless drills in his teen years because he knew one day he would be World Champion. The size difference here is crazy. The crowd chanted "Swagger sucks." Rey said all of that higher education went to waste because "everything you just said was stupid." Rey then, unfortunately, made fun of Swagger's lisp. Okay, let's move on from that. Rey said he's proud to represent the 619. He asked if he knows what it's going to take to win the World Championship. Swagger offered, "A miracle?" Rey said no, it'll take just one 619. Rey is so much more confident and commanding on the mic now than just a few years ago. Too bad as he's physically nearing the likely end of his career he finally gets that confidence on the mic. (He's turning 36 this year and has over 20 years in the ring professionally.)

C.M. Punk's music played and he walked out with Serina and Luke Gallows. Punk compared himself to JFK and Malcolm X, saying, "It was only a matter time before they got to me." He said last Monday night he was "the victim of an assassination attempt." He said they were savagely attacked by "36 armed assailants" and anyone else subjected to that beating wouldn't be here today, let alone able to walk. He said I happens to be an extraordinary man. He touted his three title reigns in WWE, but said the only thing more powerful than that is being a four time champion. Punk lisped as he said Swagger's name. Swagger insisted, "I don't have a lisp." Punk said this universe full of normal people will finally have someone to look up to.

Rey said Punk's ears must want to crawl right out of his head because he's quite sure the entire WWE Universe is tired of him running. Rey said he already beat Punk twice and he can't wait to pull off his mask and show the world what he looks like bald. Punk said, I'm not bald. You're bald." Big Show's music played and he walked out.

[Q2]

Show said he has mad respect for Rey and how he represents 619. He said his butt is pretty big and he probably needs two or three area codes to represent. He said Swagger has known issues. He turned to Punk and asked why he's wearing a mask. "Seriously, I pull bald pretty well. I'm sure Rey could pull off bald pretty well. Show offered to pull off Punk's mask right then and there. "How about I pull off your face," Punk said.

Kane awkwardly interrupted on the big screen and said he can't help but wonder who is responsible for Taker's demise. He said when he finds who is responsible, the guilty party will end up in a casket. He said maybe it was two of them or even all four of them because no single person could do this to his brother. He assured them there will be vengeance. He slammed shut the casket and huffed and puffed. [c]

1 -- JACK SWAGGER vs. REY MYSTERIO

This is a pretty big match to give away on TV with no hype ahead of time in the sense that Rey is a Smackdown babyface institution and Swagger is the newly emerged top heel. A match between these two, if promoted right, could be a PPV co-headliner. I'd argue an easier match to sell than a four-way match, where you lose that "one on one" aspect that WWE unvalues as a sales tool for fans. The "next big thing" on PPV in pro wrestling will be selling one-on-one gimmick-free title matches, as it forces the wrestling promotion to get over a protagonist, an antagonist, and the personal issues between them which are easier to grasp when it's just one-on-one with no booking-crutch gimmicks and stips added.

Rey out-quicked Swagger early, but then Swagger got in some sustained offense. At 3:00 Rey made a comeback and hit a 619. Grisham obnoxiously oversold the match being over, but Swagger put his leg on the bottom rope to stop the pin. He then rolled to the floor and they cut to a break. [c]

[Q3]

During the break Swagger side-stepped Rey and threw him head-first out of the ring to the floor. Rey fought back at 9:00, but Swagger tossed Rey off the top rope and then scored a two count. They cut to another break. [c]

Swagger applied a leg scissors on Rey mid-ring. Rey avoided a Swagger charge, and Swagger went shoulder-first into the ringpost at 14:00. Rey leaped at Swagger off the top rope, but when he charged at him off the rebound, Swagger caught him with a boot. A minute later Rey hit a 619 into Swagger's stomach and then he followed with a 619 to the face. He followed with a Drop the Dime for the clean win. "Believe in the impossible!" said Grisham.

WINNER: Rey Mysterio in 16:00.

STAR RATING: **3/4

-Swagger jumped Rey from behind afterward. Kane then walked to the ring for a leisurely save. He entered the ring and chokeslammed Swagger. Next he chokeslammed Rey.

-Grisham promoted that they'd air the shocking footage from Raw later on Smackdown. [c]

[Q4]

-LayCool came out with Kaval. Grisham said it seems so far LayCool just want Kaval to be their errand boy. Layla and Michelle McCool acted totally grossed out by the fans. Mary and Terry McCool, Michelle's parents, were shown in the crowd. She said the fans need a lot of help and they can help them with flossing, waxing, make-up, shaving, and deodorant. They offered to do a "Famous Flawless Makover." They are so ripping off the Beautiful People from TNA.

2 -- TIFFANY (w/Kelly Kelly) vs. LAYLA (w/Michelle McCool, Kaval)

Grisham noted that Tiffany doesn't eat any animal products at all - no meat, no dairy. Layla won seconds later with the LayOut, thankfully interrupting Striker repeating his joke about loving animals, especially how they taste. Afterward LayCool celebrated while ignoring Kaval who shook his head at their antics.

WINNER: Layla in 2:00. [c]

-They showed Striker and Grisham at ringside who had their serious faces on, especially Striker. He said he understands making an impact, but attacking innocents at ringside is inexcusable. He demanded to know what the NXT graduates were looking to prove. They went to a 13 minute replay of the incident, which extended eight minutes into the second hour.

[Q5]

-After the replay ended with Cena being stretchered out with (I mean not with) a mild concussion, they went back to ringside to Striker and Grisham who reacted. Grisham asked Striker what the locker room is saying. Striker said it has put the entire WWE on notice and the intensity is going to go up in the match. "If somebody wants to challenge us, come on," he said. [c]

[Q6]

3 -- CHRISTIAN vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER

A video recap aired of Christian's angles with Vickie Guerrero, Dolph Ziggler, and Chavo Guerrero lately. Vickie Guerrero walked onto the stage and introduced Ziggler. She said he is a man who is "so mesmerizing in so many ways." Ziggler bailed out to ringside as the bell rang. Christian chased him outside and back into the ring. Christian took control and catapulted him over the top rope to the floor. Christian then sling-shot himself onto Ziggler on the floor. Ziggler knocked Christian off the top rope to the floor. They cut to a break at 2:00. [c] At 8:00 Ziggler reversed a Kill Switch attempt and applied a sleeper. Christian escaped the sleeper and sunset flipped Ziggler for a three count.

WINNER: Christian in 8:00.

-Afterward, Curt Hawkins and Vance Archer attacked Christian. NXT's season one Rookie sort of stole their thunder, huh? Striker said Archer and hawkins have made an impact on Smackdown. He said their contracts expire tonight at midnight tonight. Grisham said they have done what they were told to do. This storyline is stupid in the sense that the whole premise is that two wrestlers who were barely worthy of a WWE contract can earn one by attacking wrestlers after the bell. Seriously, does that make any sense that the honorable Teddy Long would see that as a way to "earn a job." And doesn't this now contradict the outrage everyone is being told to feel over the NXT attack? Ziggler snuck back into the ring and put Christian out with a sleeper. Then he and Vickie hugged and practically slow-danced in the ring together.

-Kane spoke to a pile of dead black roses and branches. He said he will never allow the fire to extinguish. He said all of his life he felt Undertaker "in his soul guiding him on the stairway to success and now you're gone and my soul is empty." He said his soul is tortured, but so will be the culprits, the assailants. He said they are damned to hell. [c]

[Q7]

-Grisham announced that the TV main event would feature The Big Show vs. Punk.

-Drew McIntyre walked out and called Long to the ring. As Long began to talk, Drew said, "You'll speak when I tell you you can speak." He told him to just watch the TitanTron. A clip aired of Kofi Kingston vs. Drew last Friday when Matt Hardy distracted Drew from the front row. Then a clip aired from Raw of Hardy fighting Drew, with Hardy taking advantage of a loophole since he was suspended from Smackdown, not Raw. Drew told Long he is the Chosen One and he can't get that through his head, which is where the problem lies. He said once again he had to do his job for him. He said as of right now, per Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon, not only is Hardy suspended from Smackdown, he's suspended from Raw and all WWE programming. When Long tried to talk, Drew yanked the mic out of his hand and threw it violently to the ground. Drew said he warned Long that there would be a price to pay if he turned a blind eye to his misfortunes one more time. He told him to take a good look at his face because he wants to see his expression when he breaks the bad news to him. Kofi interrupted before Drew could reveal this "news."

Kofi said he's sick and tired of listening to him week after week throwing tantrums and crying and whining when he doesn't get his way. He said everyone in the arena is sick of it, too. Drew told him not to pander to the fans. Kofi said the popcorn man is sick of it, too. He said on behalf of the entire WWE Universe, "I am telling you to shut up." He said they are exact opposites. He said when he falls down, he picks himself back up like a man. He said when he wants something like the IC Title, he "earns it like a man." He said when he doesn't like somebody, he does something about it. He popped Drew in the head with the mic, then tackled him.

-They showed Show backstage heading toward the entrance tunnel.

-A commercial aired for Raw on Monday showing clips of the big angle and then asking, "What's next?" [c]

[Q8]

-Drew confronted Long backstage and said he just got off the phone and he has a match booked against him next week. Long gulped with worry. Drew told Long that if he doesn't show up he's fired, per Mr. McMahon. Striker said the deviant side of him wants to see what happens in that match. He said he's been a manager, a referee, and a G.M., but never an in-ring competitor. Another awkward instance where he can't say "wrestler."

4 -- THE BIG SHOW vs. C.M. PUNK (w/Luke Gallows, Serena)

Punk kicked Show in the gut and quickly climbed to the top rope. Show yelled at him to jump toward him. Punk stopped and dropped to the floor and held a conference with Serena and Gallows. With eight minutes left in the show, a minute into the main event, they cut to a break. This is too much. [c] Show tried to yank off Punk's mask after the break. At 5:00 he signaled for the chokeslam. He held on, but rather than slam him, he held him down and reached for his mask. He began to yank it off, so Gallows, Serena, and "the hooded stranger" attacked Show. Grisham said it was clear Punk didn't care if he won the match. As the beat down continued, Kane came out and again. He went after the Straight Edge Society. Striker said in Kane's eyes everyone is guilty until proven innocent. He then chokeslammed Big Show.

WINNER: Show via DQ in 5:00.

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