WWE Smackdown Report
August 3, 2012
Taped 7/31/12 in Indianapolis, Ind,
Aired on Syfy
By Michael Cupach, PWTorch contributor

[Q1]

-WWE open.

-Smackdown music video followed by full pyro. Josh Mathews welcomed everyone to Smackdown.

-Lillian Garcia introduces Mr. McMahon, who struts down to the ring and asks for a microphone. He starts off by saying that finding a new G.M. for Smackdown was an arduous task because he wanted someone who was intelligent, liked by the fans, and could lay down the law. In lieu of all that, Vince announces Booker T as the new General Manager! Michael Cole is ecstatic because now Booker is no longer on commentary. Wow, Cole really is the voice of the WWE!

Booker starts off by thanking Mr. McMahon and the WWE Board of Directors for giving him the opportunity. Booker then declares that Friday Night Smackdown is about to blow up! Cole quips, “At least he won’t be using hyperbole!” Booker then says that he wants to get down to business and Alberto Del Rio’s music hits and he interrupts Booker. ADR mockingly asks the crowd to cheer for Booker T. He congratulates Booker and calls him lucky to be working with him, then calls himself the next World Champion. Booker cuts him off and says that he doesn’t want another suck up. Booker then switches gears and recounts what Del Rio said about Sheamus on Raw and ADR defends himself by saying that Sheamus grew up in poverty while he was raised to be greatness.

Sheamus’s music hits and he comes down to the ring and he congratulates Booker on being the new G.M. Sheamus says unlike ADR, he means what he says and he wants to take Booker out for a pint after the show. He then addresses Del Rio and tells him that he is proud of his backround and how he was raised. He also says that because of his upbringing you won’t see him refusing to compete for three weeks. Booker stops Sheamus and tells both men that it won’t be like that and both men will be in action tonight. Del Rio tells Booker that he won’t compete until Summerslam, he doesn’t care who he thinks he is. Booker tells Del Rio that he is mistaken if he thinks that he can tell him what to do and think he will still have a World Title shot in three weeks and he sets up a match between Alberto Del Rio and Randy Orton for later tonight. Booker then turns his attention to Sheamus and lets him know that he is in action next against Tensai.

(Commercial)

[Q2]

1 - World Heavyweight Champion SHEAMUS vs. TENSAI – non-title match

The bell rings when Smackdown returns and both men fight for control, but go to a stalemate. Both men reset and Tensai chops Sheamus hard in the chest, Sheamus backs off and regroups. Sheamus tries to work a armbar, Tensai chops his way out and backs Sheamus into the corner to break. Another chop from Tensai gets Sheamus mad and he double leg take downs Tensai and unloads some right hands on him. Both men get back to their feet, Tensai takes Sheamus down with a back elbow, but then misses an elbow drop. Sheamus kicks Tensai to the outside and he tries using Sakamoto as a human shield, it backfires, and both men brawl on the outside a little before heading back into the ring.

Tensai headbutts Sheamus in the corner until the referee pulls him off, Sheamus then uses his feet to keep Tensai at bay. Sheamus goes to the top and misses the top rope shoulder block, but he rolls through and ends up clotheslining Tensai to the floor. Sheamus tries a dive off the apron onto Tensai, but he gets caught and rammed into the steel post as Smackdown takes a break!

(Commercial)

Back on Smackdown, Sheamus is fighting out of a rear chinlock, but Tensai squashes Sheamus in the corner, then hits a Vader Bomb for a two count! Tensai works a bearhug on Sheamus, trying to wear him down, Sheamus has a hard time fighting out. Tensai maintains control with a kidney shot. Sheamus tries mounting a comeback, but he fails to bodyslam Tensai and Tensai resumes headbutting Sheamus in the corner again. A second Vader Bomb attempt doesn’t work as Sheamus ends up knocking Tensai off the turnbuckle and to the floor.

On the apron, Sheamus ties up Tensai and clubs him on the chest a good 15 times! Suplex attempt by Sheamus gets blocked, but Sheamus ends up powerslamming Tensai instead for a two count! White noise gets reversed, Tensai sends Sheamus into the steel post shoulder first. Chokeslam powerbomb from Tensai gets a two count, Tensai then misses a senton splash and Sheamus knocks him out with a Brogue Kick for the win!

WINNER: Sheamus by pinfall in 13:00.

Mike’s Reax: I enjoyed this match. I thought Tensai in a big man, power match was watchable. Tensai was made to look like he could be Sheamus’s equal and down the road could be a good contender for the World Title!

[Q3]

-Backstage, Eve lets Booker T know that she was invaluable to John Laurinaitis when he was G.M. and asks Booker if he has an open spot if she can help him out, he tells her he will let her know. Teddy Long then comes in and Booker offers him a job as the Senior Advisor to the G.M. in front of Eve. Booker turns and asks her why she is still there and then lets her know that all positions are filled. She storms off and Booker and Teddy plan and plot Smackdowns future as Smackdown takes a break!

(Commercial)

Antonio Cesaro and Aksana are in the middle of the ring flirting with each other. At the announce table, Josh Mathews notes that Booker T isn’t at the booth tonight because he is the new General Manager of Smackdown. Back in the ring, Cesaro says hello to the crowd in five languages. Alrighty then!

2 - U.S. Champion SANTINO MARELLA vs. ANTONIO CESARO – non-title match

Santino asked for this match because he thinks that Cesaro won on a fluke last time they met. Santino reverses a bodyslam into a victory roll to start. Cesaro kicks out and gutwrench powerbombs Marella. Reverse chinlock from Cesaro early on, Santino fights out and almost beats Cesaro with a backslide. Hip toss and diving headbutt from Santino gets a two count. Santino calls for the Cobra and he almost gets a win, but Cesaro’s feet were under the ropes. Antonio rolls to the outside, Santino follows and gets thrown into the barricade. Back in the ring, Cesaro puts Santino away with a Bodyslam/Piledriver combo!

WINNER: Antonio Cesaro by pinfall in 2:30.

-Still to come: Kane, Christian, and Chris Jericho vs. The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, and Daniel Bryan!

(Commercial)

[Q4]

-Backstage, Matt Striker is with Daniel Bryan. Striker throws to clips of the events of the last few weeks for Bryan. Striker asks if Bryan wishes to comment and Bryan yells “No!” and then tells the audience that he doesn’t want to hear anymore “Yes’s” from the crowd because it is his catchphrase. Only Bryan can say “Yes” from now on and for the foreseeable future, he will only be saying “No!”

-Jericho, Christian, and Kane make their way to the ring, the six-man tag team match is up next!

(Commercial)

-The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, and Daniel Bryan make their way to the ring. Vickie takes shots at Jericho while introducing Ziggler. She says that he can win the big one and isn’t a choker. Daniel Bryan had “No” taped over the “Yes” on his shirt and he chanted “No” while heading to the ring!

3 - KANE & CHRISTIAN & CHRIS JERICHO vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER & THE MIZ & DANIEL BRYAN - six-man tag match

Christian and Bryan start things off, and the crowd is into chanting “Yes” while Bryan is in the ring. Bryan knocks Christian down and stomps away at him aggressively to start. Christian regains control by hanging Bryan up on the top rope.

[Q5] Cole lets the audience know that he talked to Bryan earlier and the Yes! Lock is now the No! Lock. Tag into Kane, who connects with a clothesline off the top rope for a two count. Big boot from Kane gets another two count. Kane misses a charge in the corner and The Miz gets tagged in. Miz misses a top rope clothesline and Kane beats him down in the corner. Tag into Jericho who knocks Miz down with a backelbow. Ziggler distracts Jericho and The Miz capitalizes and tags in Dolph. Dolph misses a elbow drop and Jericho unloads on him in the corner. Jericho shoots Dolph into the ropes, Dolph puts on the brakes and rolls to the outside, Jericho goes for a dive to the outside, but Ziggler hides behind Vickie and Jericho stops at the last second.

(Commercial)

Miz is dominating Christian when Smackdown returns. Christian tries a sunset flip, it gets a two count, then Miz clotheslines Christian back down. Tag to Bryan who “No” kicks Christian five or six times. Tag into Ziggler who does some showing off and then drops a big elbow on Christian for a two count. The crowd is solidly behind Chris Jericho, they want to see him get his hands on Dolph. Tag to Miz who starts trash talking Christian, he nails him with a running boot to the face. Rear chinlock from The Miz, Christian fights to his feet and is able to incapacitate The Miz with a back elbow from the middle rope.

Daniel Bryan and Jericho get tagged in, Jericho cleans house and then cheap shots Ziggler. Lionsault from Jericho gets a two count after Ziggler breaks up the count. Kane comes in and knocks Ziggler out of the ring. The Miz clotheslines Kane to the floor and then Christian takes himself and Miz out of the ring. Jericho puts Bryan into the Wall of Jericho, but Vickie distracts the referee, Dolph tries clocking Jericho with the briefcase, but Jericho turns it into a codebreaker. Bryan sneaks up behind Jericho and rolls him up for a quick three count! Afterward, Bryan yells “No” in the face of a fan, who yells “Yes” back at him.

WINNER: Bryan, Ziggler, and Miz by pinfall in 12:00.

Mike’s Reax: The crowd is really behind Jericho as a babyface. Any time Ziggler was in the ring, the crowd was chanting for Y2J. This face turn has breathed new life into Jericho, who was becoming a stale. As for the match, it was a good effort by all, as expected. The match never got up to top speed, but all in all it was good.

-Backstage, Matt Striker is with Randy Orton, who says that he is back and he doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. He promises to hit Del Rio with a RKO later tonight!

(Commercial)

[Q6] Ryback cut a inset promo before the match where he says that the law of the jungle is eat or be eaten. Ryback is starving and he wants to be fed more.

4 - RYBACK vs. JINDER MAHAL

Ryback backs Jinder into the corner and drives his shoulder into the midsection of Mahal to start. Ryback then slams Jinders head into the mat until the ref pulls him off. Mahal hits Ryback with a running knee, he tries again but Ryback sidesteps him, Ryback calls for his finisher and Mahal rolls out of the ring. Ryback follows him out only to be cracked in the face with a microphone by Mahal. Ryback no-sell and Mahal runs away.

WINNER: Ryback by DQ in 1:00

-Backstage, the Prime Time Players walk past a merchandise stand, where they see that Little Jimmy has a t-shirt, but they don’t. They tell him to get with the program and they walk off chanting, “Millions of dolla’s!”

(Commercial)

-A.W. is out to introduce the Prime Time Players. He shows restraint by not making *any* rape jokes tonight! All streaks start at one!

5 - DARREN YOUNG vs. WWE tag champion R-TRUTH

Truth dominates Young to start, but Young comes back with a powerslam that gets a two count. Truth triesa clolthesline on Young, but he ducks and Truth goes to the outside. Young distracts the referee and Titus gets some cheap shots in, but Kofi breaks it up. Truth tries a suplex, but Titus hooks his ankle and Young falls on top of Truth, who floats over and gets a two count on Young. Kofi tries taking out Titus, but he runs into a big boot. Truth baseball slides Titus to knock him out, but turns around into a gourdbuster by Young and Young picks up the win!

WINNER: Darren Young by pinfall in 2:30.

(Commercial)

-Josh Mathews throws to highlights of Raw and C.M. Punk explaining his actions on Raw 1,000.

-Josh then plays some Touts from fans speaking their minds about C.M. Punk, Cena, Big Show, and The Rock’s situation.

-Clips of Booker becoming Smackdown G.M. a short 100 minutes ago are shown. Backstage, Booker is on the phone telling someone about his promotion. Layla comes in and congratulates him. Cody then interrupts and he wants the past to be the past. Cody tells Booker that even though he ended his career, it shouldn’t affect their professional relationship. Booker T then calls Cody a sucka, Cody doesn’t want to be called a sucker, Booker tells him he is a sucka, not a sucker, and then makes a match for next week between Cody Rhodes and Sin Cara.

[Q8]

-Randy Orton makes his way to the ring, he is in action next!

(Commercial)

6 - RANDY ORTON vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO

Del Rio kicks Orton in the corner, then mounts the turnbuckle and works the shoulder of Orton. Orton fires out of the corner with a clothesline. Orton repeatedly clotheslines Del Rio in the corner and then unloads with a flurry of right hands on Alberto. Ricardo pulls Del Rio to the floor to catch his breath. Del Rio gets back in, but gets back body dropped to the apron. Orton tries the hangman DDT, Del Rio reverses and he drops Orton to the floor.

Alberto follows him out and whips him shoulder first into the barricade, then rolls Orton back into the ring. Submission hold from Del Rio slows the pace down and softens the shoulder of Randy Orton. Orton powers out of the hold and hits Del Rio with his vintage backbreaker. Garvin Stomp from Orton followed by a high knee drop that misses when Del Rio rolls out of the way. Running enziguri from Del Rio, he then mocks Orton’s pounding the mat before a RKO. Alberto then whips Orton into the far turnbuckle with all his strength. Alberto tries a charge, but Orton leapfrogs over him and Del Rio goes shoulder first into the steel post. Orton gets off a series of clotheslines followed by a powerslam and then the hangman DDT for a two count. Orton calls for the RKO, but Ricardo runs in and causes a DQ.

WINNER: Randy Orton by DQ in 7:00.

-Post match, Orton blocks a Cross Arm-breaker and tosses Del Rio out of the ring. Del Rio starts to retreat to the back, but Sheamus cuts him off and rolls Alberto back into the ring, where Orton hits him with a RKO! Sheamus yells, “Welcome back, fella” as Randy Orton stands over Del Rio.

Mike’s Reax: Orton is back and he spent the better part of seven minutes making Del Rio look weak. Maybe Orton should be the number one contender instead of Alberto. Even better, maybe they shouldn’t have done this match at all and let Orton beat someone else up in his return.

Thanks for reading, please follow me on Twitter @MJCupach. I tweet live during Raw and will be tweeting during Summerslam!

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