WWE Smackdown review
March 23, 2012
Taped 3/20/12 in Newark, N.J.
Aired on Syfy
By Michael Cupach, PWTorch contributor

[Q1]

-WWE Open.

-Smackdown opening music video, followed by a snazzy pyro display. Josh Mathews welcomes everyone to Smackdown, which is nine nights away from WrestleMania 28! Michael Cole announces the main event of C.M. Punk and Sheamus vs. The Miz and Daniel Bryan!

-Lillian Garcia asks everyone to welcome the World Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan, who comes out with his girlfriend, A.J. At the announce booth, Cole sings the praises of Bryan, saying he has it all – the World Title, a good-looking girlfriend, and Veganism.

Bryan starts off by saying “YES!” over and over again. He then puts A.J. on the spot, asking her what it is like to be in love with the champion. She starts off by saying that she is in action tonight and that he will be in her corner, but Daniel interrupts her to get her back on track. She says that being in love with him is heaven because he holds her, has the softest lips, and at night they spoon! She calls him Danny and he corrects her off mic that he will not be called Danny in public. She straightens up and calls him brave and generous and says that his body is a temple. She also says that his mind and spirit are absolutely pure, but most importantly, he makes her feel safe. He whispers in her ear to say something else, but she says it is too personal, but he says that it is true, so it should be said. A.J. reluctantly says that he is a great lover. Does that mean that they are married? Kids are probably confused. That is, unless heels fornicate. A.J. says that at WrestleMania, Bryan will put that redheaded Irishman in his place and walk out with the title. Bryan yells, “YES!” over and over again and that draws out Sheamus.

Sheamus starts off by saying that he was throwing up in the back listening to her. He calls Bryan a sniveling little coward and laughs at A.J. for calling Daniel's lips soft. Sheamus shifts gears to talk about WrestleMania and calls Bryan “Danny.” Bryan corrects him and the crowd starts chanting “Danny!” Sheamus calls him “Danny-boy” and if he doesn’t like being called Danny-boy, then he definitely won’t like being called “former Heavyweight champion” because at WrestleMania, Sheamus will kick his teeth down his throat.

-Still to come, Mark Henry will face a member of Team Teddy.

(Commercial)

[Q2]

1 - R-TRUTH vs. MARK HENRY

Truth starts off with some quick lefts and rights, but Henry cuts him off with a headbutt and stiff shots to the midsection. R-Truth tries coming back, but gets run down again by Henry. Mark Henry tosses R-Truth out of the ring and follows him out to continue the punishment. Henry mashes Truth face against the steel steps as the ref administers a five count. Back in the ring, Henry toys with Truth, lightly kicking him in the head. Henry goes for an early win, but Truth kicks out at two. Mark goes for a big splash, but Truth rolls out of the way and dropkicks Henry, who is in the seated position. Truth then goes to the top rope, but gets caught in mid-air and Henry hits the World Strongest Slam for the pin!

WINNER: Mark Henry in 3:00 by pinfall.

-Cole says that this is yet another win for Team Johnny and that they are gaining tons of momentum heading into WrestleMania.

-Tonight: Big Show vs. Kane.

(Commercial)

-Josh Mathews throws to the video package announcing that Yokozuna is being inducted in the Hall of Fame this year. They also run down the other inductees to this year's 2012 Hall of Fame class.

-Last Monday, Zack Ryder threw a DiBiase Posse Party outside the arena before Raw. He was trying to get a spot on Team Teddy at WrestleMania. Backstage, Zack is with Santino, Kofi, Aksana and Teddy asking about his spot on the team, but Teddy says that the baggage he has with Eve is too much for the team to accept.

[Q3] Zack then brings in Hornswoggle, who has a Team Teddy flag, as apparently he is the mascot. Apparently that isn’t big enough, so Zack brings in Great Khali, who is dressed like Ryder. Somehow, that puts things over the top and Teddy welcomes all three guys to Team Teddy. They all do the “Woo woo woo, you know it” catchphrase as Smackdown takes a break.

(Commercial)

2 - A.J. (w/Daniel Bryan) vs. BRIE BELLA (w/Nikki Bella)

Before the match starts, there is an inset promo from the Bellas. Nikki gives Brie advice, but Brie says that she lost last week and she will show Nikki how to get the job done. Back to the ring, Bryan gives A.J. a kiss good luck before the match starts. Brie powers A.J. down to the mat to start things off and A.J. asks Bryan for advice, so he says to use her speed. A.J. then walks into a headlock, but fights out of it and back-elbows Brie in the mouth. A.J. tries…something, I don’t know what she was going for, but Brie hangs her up on the top rope. Brie goes for a pin, but only gets a two count.

A.J. tries a roll-up pin, but gets a two and then walks into a big clothesline from Brie. Brie puts her in a headlock of sorts as Bryan yells her not to tap out. A.J. fights out again and gets a head scissors and floats into the LeBell Lock. Nikki gets up on the apron and that draws Bryan over to argue with her. A.J goes over to argue with her and sidesteps Brie, who knocks Nikki to the floor. A.J. then rolls up Brie for the win.

WINNER: A.J. by pinfall in 2:30

-Post-Match: Nikki gets on the microphone and says that while her and her sister are alike, where they differ is who they are cheering for at WrestleMania. Nikki says that Brie is cheering Team Johnny, but she is all about Team Teddy. Nikki leads the crowd in a cheer for Team Teddy.

Mike’s Reax: That cheer was terrible.

(Commercial)

[Q4]

-Vickie Guerrero introduces Jack Swagger, who just happens to be a member of Team Johnny. Swagger looks like a pumped-up Zack Morris. Zack Ryder then comes out with Hornswoggle, who is still sporting the Team Teddy flag.

3 - ZACK RYDER vs. JACK SWAGGER

Drop toehold from Ryder to start into a front facelock. Swagger reverses out into a facelock of his own. Who does Ryder think he is trying to out-wrestle Swagger? Ryder reverses and catches Swagger with a dropkick, but he walks into a powerslam. Cole reminds everyone that Swagger beat Ryder for the U.S. Title at the beginning of the year. Swagger pounds away at Ryder in the corner and hip tosses him out and then goes to work on the left arm.

Broski Boot from Zack gets a two count. He calls for the Rough Ryder, but Swagger catches him and powerbombs him in the corner and nails him with a Swagger Bomb for a two count. Meanwhile, Hornswoggle is stalking Vickie around the ring. She asks Jack and the ref for help, which gives Ryder a chance to recover. He then gives Swagger the Rough Ryder for the win.

WINNER: Zack Ryder by pinfall in 5:00.

-Post-Match: Zack Ryder and Hornswoggle celebrate in the ring while Vickie tries consoling Swagger.

Mike’s Reax: So, let me get this straight. A month ago, Zack Ryder was pretty much Stephen Hawking and now he is back to running around with a balding orange hair idiot without so much as a explanation? Also, what was with that ending? Why isn’t Swagger upset that Vickie distracted him and allowed his opponent to get a win? That was a little non-sensical, in my opinion. They could have done something a little more creative or had Swagger lose cleanly, as it's not like he has been a protected prospect lately.

-Last Monday, Cody Rhodes handcuffed Big Show to the ropes and then put on boxing gloves and did a Floyd Mayweather impression on Big Show.

-Earlier today, Matt Striker caught up with Rhodes, who said that he enjoys showing Big Show's most embarrassing moments at WrestleMania, but his worst moment will be on April Fool's Day when he loses to Cody Rhodes. I didn’t know that losing to Rhodes was embarrassing.

(Commercial)

[Q5]

4 - BIG SHOW vs. KANE

Both men trade rights and lefts to start things off. Kane clotheslines Show in the corner, but Show comes out with a shoulder block, sending Kane to the floor. They brawl outside the ring until Big Show runs shoulder-first into the steelpost. Back in the ring, Kane kicks Show in his bad shoulder and then puts Show in a rear chinlock (?). Show fights out and both men do a double clothesline spot and are out cold in the middle of the ring.

Both men get to their knees and trade blows. Big Show is first to his feet and he clotheslines Kane back down and follows it with a shoulder block. Show calls for the chokeslam, but Kane answers back with a DDT for a two count. Kane goes to the top rope and jumps right into a right hand from Show, who chokeslams Kane. Cody Rhodes then runs in from the crowd and causes a DQ, then retreats back into the crowd.

WINNER: Big Show by DQ in 3:00.

- Post-match: Big Show chases Cody into the crowd and Randy Orton sneaks into the ring and RKOs Kane.

-Brodus Clay is in action, next!

(Commercial)

-Booker T and Michael Cole briefly comment on the “End of a Era” match, then throw to a highlight package on Big Show, David Otunga, and Stephanie McMahon at a Be A Star event in Connecticut.

5 - BRODUS CLAY vs. HEATH SLATER

Clay overpowers Slater to start, then jiggles. Ya, you read that right. He jiggled. Slater unloads a hard right on Brodus, then dropkicks him in the knee and is the first man to take Clay off his feet. Clay is quick to get back up and he shoves Slater down. Big Knee from Clay followed by a t-bone suplex and a running crossbody for the win.

WINNER: Brodus Clay by pinfall in 1:00.

[Q6]

-Up next, a recap of last Monday’s confrontation between Triple H, Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels.

(Commercial)

-Backstage, Zack Ryder is on cloud nine after his win earlier. He runs into Eve, who says that they are finally going to WrestleMania. He calls her smart and hot, but she gets upset, asking if he just now thinks she is smart. She cancels her dinner with Zack and walks off smirking.

-Josh Mathews throws to a video package featuring last Monday's promo with Hunter, Shawn, and Undertaker.

-Still to come, C.M. Punk and Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan and The Miz.

(Commercial)

[Q7]

-Lord Tensai is coming.

-Christian makes his way to the announce table for the next match. Christian only shakes Cole’s hand and brushes off Booker and Josh.

6 - GREAT KHALI (w/Teddy Long) vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER (w/David Otunga and John Laurinaitis)

Ziggler runs circles around Khali to start. He tries hitting Khali in the stomach, but Khali tosses Ziggler across the ring, Dolph rolls out of the ring for some words of advice from Team Johnny. Back in the ring, Khali traps Ziggler in the corner and chops away on his chest. Ziggler escapes and dropkicks Great Khali’s knee to take him down while Christian tells Booker that he is better on commentary and asks Cole to write better jokes for Booker. Front facelock by Dolph and Khali powers out of it. Khali goes for a big chop, but Ziggler ducks and applies a sleeper. Suddenly, John Laurinaitis rings the bell and declares Dolph Ziggler the winner for submission.

Team Johnny celebrates their way back to the locker room, until Teddy Long re-starts the match. The ref starts counting Dolph out and makes his way to ten, so Teddy Long declares Khali the winner by countout.

WINNER: Great Khali by countout in 3:00.

-Post-match: Kofi and Santino sneak up behind Dolph and roll him into the ring, where he gets chopped in the head by Khali while Team Teddy celebrates.

-Backstage, The Miz gives Daniel Bryan a pep talk, telling him that they need this win.

(Commercial)

[Q8]

7 - World Hvt. champion DANIEL BRYAN & THE MIZ vs. WWE champion C.M. PUNK & SHEAMUS

Bryan gets a good luck kiss from A.J. to start. Sheamus and Bryan are going to start things off until Bryan realizes he is starting off with Sheamus, so he tags in Miz. Sheamus blocks a hip toss and clotheslines Miz to start. He tags in Punk and they double team Miz, who comes back with a kick squarely in the face. He goes for a clothesline, but takes an Irish Curse backbreaker for his trouble. Sheamus tries cheap-shotting Bryan, but Bryan falls to the floor, which allows Miz to kick Sheamus in the head and knock him out of the ring. On the floor, Daniel Bryan dropkicks Sheamus in the head as Smackdown takes a break!

(Commercial)

Miz is in control of Sheamus when Smackdown returns. Sheamus then tags in Punk, who clotheslines Miz and follows up with a spinning neckbreaker and a running knee in the corner. Punk goes back up top and tries a top-rope elbow smash, but Bryan distracts Punk, allowing Miz to knock him off the top turnbuckle. Tag to Bryan, who mashes his knee into Punk's face as the crowd chants, “Danny-boy,” again.

Bryan tags Miz back in. Neck vice from Miz wears Punk down, then Miz goes for his reverse backbreaker into a neckbreaker, but Punk Muay Thai kicks Miz. Both men tag out and Sheamus unloads on Bryan, much to A.J.'s chagrin. Powerslam from Sheamus and he calls for the Brogue Kick. Bryan tags in The Miz and starts to high-tail it out of the ring, Sheamus chases, but then turns on a dime and Brogue Kicks The Miz for the win!

WINNERS: Sheamus and C.M. Punk in 10:00.

Mike’s Reax: Overall a throwaway episode of Smackdown. The show was kind of uneventful with not much in-ring action this week. What action there was seemed to be centered around the mid-card Team Teddy vs. Team Johnny match. I guess since 12 men are involved, it is inevitable that most of the show would feature wrestlers from that match, but this was too much! The main event was okay. I liked the psychology of Bryan trying to avoid Sheamus and The Miz trying to do what he could to finally get a win. But, all in all, this was a skippable episode that didn’t do much to hype the biggest PPV of the year that is happening next week.

Thanks for reading, please follow me on Twitter @MJCupach. I tweet live every Monday during Raw and WWE PPVs!

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