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KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JULY 17, 2018
WILKES-BARRE, PA.
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
Announcers: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Tonight after WWE Smackdown, join me live with guest cohost Jake Barnett from ProWrestling.net to break down the show with live callers, mailbag, and a live on-site correspondent from Buffalo.
•STREAM LIVE HERE 5 MINUTE AFTER RAW
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[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with footage of Shinsuke Nakamura’s shameful path to becoming the U.S. Champion on Sunday including the apparent heel turn of Randy Orton.
-They went to a wide shot of the arena with a graphic that said Wilkes-Barre, Pa., although Phillips didn’t mention the name of the city they were in. Jeff Hardy’s ring entrance theme kicked in and he made his way to the ring. Graves said Hardy seems pretty light-hearted for someone who just lost the U.S. Title. Phillips robotically said he’s getting his rematch tonight against Nakamura. He asked Byron where Orton ranks in things on the mind of Hardy tonight. Byron said Hardy needs to focus on the task at hand.
Hardy stood mid-ring with a mic. Fans chanted “Hardy! Hardy!” He said he may look like Jeff Hardy and make an entrance like Jeff Hardy and wear facepaint like Jeff Hardy, but he doesn’t feel like Jeff Hardy. He said he feels like something is missing and is incomplete. “My heart is broken,” he said. He said that’s because he’s not the U.S. Champion anymore. He said Nakamura proved to the world he lacks ethics and a code of honor. He said he is the embodiment of moral turpitude. “That’s a fancy way of saying he’s a low down, no good jackass,” he said. He said Nakamura could only beat him with a low blow, and he shouldn’t have agreed to fight right away, but he wasn’t thinking clearly and he wanted to get his hands on him. (Good that they had Hardy acknowledge that it was dumb of him to agree to wrestle immediately after the low blow.) He said he is focused on three things – make Nakamura feel pain, make Nakamura fade away and classify himself as obsolete, and take back his U.S. Title. Then he quickly said, “Enjoy the show!” and let out a Stinger “yowww!” and danced around the ring. He slapped hands on his way to the back.
-They cut to Nakamura who watched the segment on a monitor. Renee Young walked up and asked for his thoughts on what Hardy said. Nakamura said Hardy is a sad clown who cries. Nakamura fake-cried. He said now it’s his time, though. “That is a reason to smile!” he said. He told Renee to smile. She did, then looked away uncomfortably. He said tonight he’ll give everyone a reason to smile by making a clown cry again. He closed with, “God Bless America.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Nakamura is delightfully quirky and creepy.)
-Graves plugged that the Miz would have a eulogy for Team Hell No later tonight.
-The ring entrance took place for A.J. Styles. Phillips said Zelina Vega confronted Styles earlier and Styles has agreed to face Andrade Cien Almas for the first time ever next. [c]
(1) A.J. STYLES vs. ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS (w/Zelina Vega)
Andrade came out in a mask with Vega, then yanked off the mask on the stage. Phillips said Almas hasn’t lost since arriving on Smackdown. Phillips said there are rumors that Paige is looking to find out who will be the next wrestler to challenge Styles. (What an outlandish rumor! Breaking news! The G.M. is thinking about the next challenger to the top champion on her brand!) Byron said Styles can’t be at 100 percent after Sunday night, but he rarely defends at 100 percent. The announcers talked about how Almas and Vega feel they are behind on their path to top matches on Smackdown and expected the red carpet to be rolled out and opportunities given to them against top stars right away. They cut to a break when Almas struck the “tranquilo pose” lounging between the top and middle ropes. [c]
On split screen during a break a lot happened. Styles took it to Almas at ringside. Almas made a brief comeback in the ring. Styles worked over Almas’s knee and then took Almas down with a dragon screw leg whip. When Styles went after him at ringside, Zelina yelled at him and distracted him. Then Almas took over. Back live in the ring with full screen, Almas hit a nice high dropkick and continued on offense. The announcers talked up how impressive Almas was. A fan held up a laminated sign that said: “Wanted: Full Time Universal Champion.” Styles set up a Styles Clash, but Almas lifted him out of it and setup a Phenomenal Forearm. Almas spinning elbowed Styles off the top rope to knock Styles hard to the mat. Nice spot.
Almas landed a soft looking double-jump moonsault, chasing Styles down as Styles tried to roll out of the way. That led to a two count. He went for a suplex, but Styles avoided it and landed a quick enzuigiri. Almas caught a charging Styles with a boot to the chin. He set up move off the second rope, but Styles hit a Pelé kick. He set up a superplex, but Almas blocked it and knocked Styles and then hit the double-stomp. The camera avoided showing the awkwardness of Styles having to hang there horizontal to the ground so the move could be hit. Almas then hit the running double knees for a two count. An “A.J. Styles” chant broke out. Almas followed up with a hammerlock DDT attempt, but Styles rolled through and applied the Calf Crusher and Almas almost immediately tapped out. Almas was upset as he left the ring, showing frustration with the loss. Zelina wasn’t pleased, either.
WINNER: Styles in 14:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match, I think in the range of expectations for their first match ever presented as an unannounced TV match early in the show. They could turn it up to another level, but this was a good substantial indication of their chemistry. They set up Almas tapping out by having his knee injured earlier, but unfortunately that set-up was during the commercial and just not a big focus, so it didn’t protect Almas as much as it might have otherwise.)
-The announcers commented on freeze-frames of Styles beating Rusev on Sunday despite Aiden English’s interference. Phillips said English cost Rusev.
-Backstage English was shown nervously approaching someone as fans chanted “Rusev Day!” He said he needed to apologize. He walked up to Lana and said he wishes he could take back his miscue because that was the pinnacle of everything Rusev had worked for his entire career and he took it from him. He pleaded with Lana to talk to Rusev for her. Lana said Rusev is angry and he needs his space. She said the question is whether English is “best for Rusev” at this point. English said it’s a fair question. He said he has always had Rusev’s back and he has always had his interests at heart and owes so much to him. He said he’s asking for a second chance. “We all deserve second chances,” he said. She said she’d take it into consideration.
(Keller’s Analysis: English came across sympathetic here. No surprise as there’s been no core consistency to how fans are supposed to feel about Rusev, Lana, or English. The announcers afterward sounded like they were rooting for him to be forgiven, totally forgetting that the reason he was in trouble in the first place is that he tried to cheat and help Rusev cost Styles the WWE Championship. That’s pretty important to bring up, otherwise the viewers’ feelings about cheating to win titles – a key aspect of feeling bad for Hardy this week – and viewers’ feelings about wanting to see heels shown up – because championships should be won or lost on the merit of the competitors in the ring – is lost.)
-Becky Lynch made her ring entrance. [c]
(2) MANDY ROSE (w/Sonya Deville) vs. BECKY LYNCH
Rose came out to “sexy music” and seemed to be “warming up for later” as she danced her way seductively into the ring. Rose scored a two count after a kneelift to Becky’s face. A minute later Becky landed an exploder suplex and then the Disarmher for the win. Byron said the roll continues for Becky.
WINNER: Lynch in 4:00.
-Afterward, Becky thanked the fans for their support. She said winning “freakin’ great!” She said she’s been waiting patiently and has never stopped working as hard as she could so she could rack up victory after victory. She said she is just getting started. She warned Carmella that “Straight Fire is coming for ya’!” She compared herself to Rocky Balboa. She asked the crowd how they feel and they cheered. Graves called her an egomaniac.
(Keller’s Analysis: No one in WWE is more unabashed about encouraging fan support and feeding off of it than Becky. It’s a bit of a lost art.)
-Carmella walked up to Paige backstage. Paige said Carmella doesn’t know what it’s like to be cheered. Carmella said her British accent gives her a headache. Paige asked about her boyfriend, James Ellsworth. Carmella said he’s not her boyfriend. She bragged about beating Charlotte twice and now she’s defeated Asuka twice. She said she deserves another ‘Mellabration. Paige said she’ll throw her a great party next week as long as she wins her match next week against Lynch. Carmella said she’s not defending her title. Paige said it won’t be for the title, but if Becky wins, she’ll have to defend her title against her at Summerslam.
-R-Truth walked up to Tye Dillinger. Truth was all smiles and asked if he’s all ready for tonight. Tye said after last week, he doesn’t need a speech from him. Tye said tonight he’ll give Samoa Joe what he’s got coming. Truth, the whole time, was actually on a bluetooth call with his mom. [c]
-They showed a clip of Samoa Joe attacking Tye Dillinger last week on the stage in a clip courtesy of WWE.com.
(3) TYE DILLINGER vs. SAMOA JOE
Tye aggressively went after Joe right at the bell. The ref had to back him out of the corner. Joe went to ringside and yanked Tye out, but Tye shoved him into the announce desk. Tye kneed Joe a few times, but Joe shoved him hard into the ringpost to stop the momentum. Joe punched away at Tye in the ring and then hit a leaping roundkick. Then he applied the Coquina Clutch and Tye passed out. Byron said Joe is a mean and intense human being.
WINNER: Joe in 2:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Strong performance by Joe. He ought to go babyface because Smackdown needs it, and this kind of intensity is going to be appreciated by fans, not booed. I liked the little backstory with Tye they set up before the match to give the match a little more meaning.) [c]
-The Miz came out for the eulogy and memorial for Team Hell No on the stage. Funeral organ music played as Miz walked out looking very sad. They had a Kane mask on a Kane-like head on a casket and several men rolled rolled it to ringside. They lifted and handed the Kane head to Miz. Miz placed it on a pedestal in the ring along with photos of Daniel Bryan and Kane on easels.
[HOUR TWO]
Miz said they were gathered not to talk about Team Hell No, but promote that “Miz and Missus” debuts on USA Network next week immediately after Smackdown Live. He then talked about being in the MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game and being awarded MVP honors. Fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” He said tonight isn’t about him. He said he pays his final respects to one of the greatest tag teams of all time “and two of the worst friends ever,” Bryan and Kane. He said after being slaughtered by the Bludgeon Brothers, Team Hell No is now six feet under. He asked fans to rise out of their seats for a moment of silence.
He shifted into an “I told you so” bit where he said Kane was broken down and Bryan was never a world-beating wrestler like he claimed to be. He said Bryan is nothing more than a glory hound obsessed with setting unattainable goals to tug at fans’ heartstrings. He said Bryan’s return from injury has been a bust and no one has the courage to tell him – except for him. He said Bryan’s days headlining WrestleMania are over and his career is dead. Then Bryan’s music played. The camera focused on the stage, but instead Bryan surprised Miz from behind. He went after the pallbearers with forearms and suplexes. Graves called it despicable. “Bryan just ruined his own funeral,” Graves said. Miz escaped as Bryan knocked over the pictures and easels as fans chanted “Yes!” Not sure what the pallbearers did to deserve that.
(Keller’s Analysis: This might have gone a minute or two longer than the material justified, but it provided a feel good moment for fans who enjoyed Bryan attacking Miz.)
-Backstage New Day talked about Sanity. Xavier uproariously laughed when he said, “Sanity, more like unsanitary.” They got themselves psyched up. [c]
(4) KOFI KINGSTON (w/Big E, Xavier Woods) vs. ERIC YOUNG (w/Killian Dane, Alexander Wolfe)
New Day came out with pancakes. Philips noted this is the first time ever these two had wrestled one-on-one. He said they are “two completely different human beings.” (As opposed to…?) Young took it to Kofi early. Kofi made a comeback and clotheslined Young over the top rope to the floor. [c]
On split screen, Kofi teased dives but Young avoided him and eventually worked his way back into the ring. Young took control at ringside when Kofi chased him there. Kofi leapfrogged Young and landed an elbow and scored a two count. Back from the break, Young gave Kofi a cheap shot as the ref was backing him out of the corner due to an eye rake. Byron said twenty years ago Young tried to get a job in WWE, but didn’t get one, and he wondered whether that planted the seeds of the maniacal leader Young has become today. Young lifted Kofi off the ground with a guillotine choke then went into crazy-eye mode. Kofi made a comeback and slammed Young off the top rope and scored a near fall. Young regrouped at ringside with his teammates. Kofi hit a running flip dive onto all three. He climbed to the top rope and aimed for Young, but Wolfe distracted him. Big E stepped up, but the distraction led to Young recovering. Kofi springboarded at Young, who ducked. Young kicked out of a sunset flip and then Killan threw Xavier into Kofi. That collision stunned Kofi and opened him for Young’s wheelbarrow neckbreaker for the win.
WINNER: Young in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good action. Standard type of activity when two teammates are at ringside for each wrestler, and it worked well to set up Young’s win.)
-They showed images of Nakamura and Hardy backstage prepping for their match. Nakamura smiled over the U.S. Title as if he was about to feast on it. [c]
-The announcers said next week Paige will announce who will challenge Styles at Summerslam. They also hyped Lynch vs. Carmella.
(5) SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. JEFF HARDY – U.S. Title rematch
Graves said Hardy initiated his rematch clause as soon as possible. Phillips said Nakamura called his win on Sunday “the toughest and best match of his entire career.” Byron said that’s the condescending attitude of Nakamura. During formal ring introductions, Nakamura bowed to the fans and was booed. Graves said Nakamura has a lot to be proud of because he won in six seconds. Hardy went after Nakamura at the bell just as Tye did with Joe earlier. Nakamura went for an early low blow, but Hardy avoided it and then dropkicked Nakamura. He gave Nakamura a taste of Good Vibrations in the corner. Hardy splashed Nakamura against the barricade at ringside. Back in the ring, he climbed to the top rope, so Nakamura rolled to the floor to regroup. [c]
Nakamura was in control after the break and grounded him. Hardy came back a few minutes later and landed a jaw breaking and a running splash for a two count. Hardy dropped into a jackknife pin position for a near fall. Nakamura countered a Twist of Fate and shoved Hardy into the corner and then dropkicked the back of his neck. Nakamura quickly dragged Hardy to the ring apron and then charged at him with a knee to the chest. They cut to another break. [c]
Hardy rallied after the break and scored a near fall. Both were slow to get up. Graves said Hardy was growing frustrated. Nakamura blocked a Twist of Fate and caught Hardy with a boot. Then he put him on the top turnbuckle and charged with a knee to the mid-section leading to a two count. Nakamura gave Hardy a single-leg backstabber and a running knee to the face for a near fall. Nakamura set up the Kinshasa, but Hardy caught him with a clothesline instead. Nakamura knocked Hardy off the top rope seconds later. Nakamura set up the Kinshasa again, but Hardy avoided it and hit the Twist of Fate. Hardy climbed to the top rope and landed a Swanton off the top rope. As the ref counted the sure pin, Randy Orton yanked Hardy off of Nakamura. The ref called for the DQ.
WINNER: Hardy via DQ so Nakamura retained the U.S. Title.
-Orton shoved Hardy’s head hard into the ringside steps several times. Then he continued to beat on him at ringside. Hardy made a comeback briefly, but Orton again threw him into the ringside steps as Nakamura looked on, seemingly in shock. He then bent down and told Hardy he will have to wait to find out why he’s doing this. He ground his face into the mat and then put his finger through the big earlobe hole Hardy has. People gasped as Orton stretched it and threatened to yank on it. He then threw Hardy over the announce desk. Orton paced and Adam Pearce, Jamie Noble, and Finlay ran out to try to talk some sense into him. Orton put Hardy on the announce desk and pounded on him. He broke through the referees and producers and gave him a DDT off the desk onto the mat at ringside. “This is as sick as I’ve ever seen Randy Orton,” exclaimed Graves. “What in the hell has gotten into Randy Orton?” Fans booed as referees led Orton toward the back.
Tonight after WWE Smackdown, join me live with guest cohost Jake Barnett from ProWrestling.net to break down the show with live callers, mailbag, and a live on-site correspondent from Buffalo.
•STREAM LIVE HERE 5 MINUTE AFTER RAW
•CALL: (347) 215-8558
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com
•SEARCH “WADE KELLER” TO DOWNLOAD THE SHOW A FEW HOURS AFTER RAW
Sooooo… definitely a heel turn, not just Orton being a dick while still being theoretically a face.
Well, good. Face Orton last year was boring.
And lost to Jinder Mahal thrice.
Heel Orton is just as boring.