Smackdown – May 3, 2013
By Scott Keith on May 4, 2013
Smackdown
Date:
May 3, 2013
May 3, 2013
Location:
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators:
John Bradshaw Layfield, Michael Cole, Josh Matthews
John Bradshaw Layfield, Michael Cole, Josh Matthews
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
We’re
back stateside for Smackdown now with a main event of Ambrose vs.
Kane. I’m liking the idea of the Shield having some singles matches
as it’s the next logical step for the group at this point. You can
only have so many three man combinations they can fight before the
idea gets stale. Also we’re likely to get more on the triple threat
title match at Extreme Rules. Let’s get to it.
back stateside for Smackdown now with a main event of Ambrose vs.
Kane. I’m liking the idea of the Shield having some singles matches
as it’s the next logical step for the group at this point. You can
only have so many three man combinations they can fight before the
idea gets stale. Also we’re likely to get more on the triple threat
title match at Extreme Rules. Let’s get to it.
We
open with a recap of the end of Raw with Shield pinning Cena after
Ryback walked out on Cena earlier in the night.
open with a recap of the end of Raw with Shield pinning Cena after
Ryback walked out on Cena earlier in the night.
Here’s
Ryback to open the show. He says he couldn’t tag with Cena on Raw
because he knew Cena was hurt. Ryback isn’t Cena’s keeper and it was
Cena that lost the match against the Shield. After the match, Cena
was hobbling around and in the law of the jungle, the bigger animals
like Ryback always eat the smaller ones.
Ryback to open the show. He says he couldn’t tag with Cena on Raw
because he knew Cena was hurt. Ryback isn’t Cena’s keeper and it was
Cena that lost the match against the Shield. After the match, Cena
was hobbling around and in the law of the jungle, the bigger animals
like Ryback always eat the smaller ones.
Ryback
vs. Daniel Bryan
vs. Daniel Bryan
Bryan
fires off some quick kicks to start but gets caught in the corner.
Daniel goes back to the kicks to the legs but gets caught in the
corner again. A powerslam puts Bryan down but Ryback spends too much
time celebrating and gets kicked in the leg some more. Now Bryan is
sent to the floor but he suckers Ryback down, allowing Daniel to hit
the suicide dive. Back in and Ryback pounds Bryan into the corner
but Daniel fires off even more kicks to the leg.
fires off some quick kicks to start but gets caught in the corner.
Daniel goes back to the kicks to the legs but gets caught in the
corner again. A powerslam puts Bryan down but Ryback spends too much
time celebrating and gets kicked in the leg some more. Now Bryan is
sent to the floor but he suckers Ryback down, allowing Daniel to hit
the suicide dive. Back in and Ryback pounds Bryan into the corner
but Daniel fires off even more kicks to the leg.
Ryback
finally catches a kick coming in and shoves Bryan down. He loads up
a suplex but Bryan drives knees upside down onto Ryback’s head to
escape. Ryback will have none of that and throws Bryan to the floor
as we take a break. Back with Ryback steadily pounding Bryan down,
including blocking a sunset flip and slamming Bryan’s head into the
mat over and over.
finally catches a kick coming in and shoves Bryan down. He loads up
a suplex but Bryan drives knees upside down onto Ryback’s head to
escape. Ryback will have none of that and throws Bryan to the floor
as we take a break. Back with Ryback steadily pounding Bryan down,
including blocking a sunset flip and slamming Bryan’s head into the
mat over and over.
Bryan
fires off about his seventh set of kicks to the leg before countering
a Thesz Press into a half crab on the weakened leg. Ryback kicks
away so Bryan goes with even more kicks to the leg to keep Ryback in
trouble. A pair of running dropkicks in the corner stagger Ryback
and a missile dropkick takes him down for two. The crowd is getting
way into this.
fires off about his seventh set of kicks to the leg before countering
a Thesz Press into a half crab on the weakened leg. Ryback kicks
away so Bryan goes with even more kicks to the leg to keep Ryback in
trouble. A pair of running dropkicks in the corner stagger Ryback
and a missile dropkick takes him down for two. The crowd is getting
way into this.
Bryan
tries another kick but gets caught in a powerbomb position, only to
catch Ryback in a rana out to the floor. Ryback catches Bryan diving
at him through and sends him spine first into the post. Back in and
Ryback plants him down with a slam followed by the Meathook. Bryan
gets Shell Shocked down for the pin at 9:39 shown of 13:09.
tries another kick but gets caught in a powerbomb position, only to
catch Ryback in a rana out to the floor. Ryback catches Bryan diving
at him through and sends him spine first into the post. Back in and
Ryback plants him down with a slam followed by the Meathook. Bryan
gets Shell Shocked down for the pin at 9:39 shown of 13:09.
Rating:
B-. This is what Ryback is
perfect for: marching through people after being in some trouble. It
makes him look like a monster again and was a completely clean pin.
Bryan threw everything he had at him and just couldn’t stop him.
That’s the kind of stuff you need from a monster and Ryback looked
good in the process.
B-. This is what Ryback is
perfect for: marching through people after being in some trouble. It
makes him look like a monster again and was a completely clean pin.
Bryan threw everything he had at him and just couldn’t stop him.
That’s the kind of stuff you need from a monster and Ryback looked
good in the process.
We
look at the triple threat from Monday and Del Rio announcing the
triple threat at the PPV to be a ladder match.
look at the triple threat from Monday and Del Rio announcing the
triple threat at the PPV to be a ladder match.
Ricardo
Rodriguez says a lot of stuff in Spanish very quickly until Del Rio
comes up to say calm down.
Rodriguez says a lot of stuff in Spanish very quickly until Del Rio
comes up to say calm down.
Fandango
vs. Zach Ryder
vs. Zach Ryder
Ryder
takes him down with an armdrag for two but Fandango kicks him in the
head to take over. Fandango ties him up in the ropes and fires off
some hard forearms to the back of Ryder’s head for two. Ryder gets
up a pair of knees in the corner and hits the middle rope missile
dropkick for two. The Broski Boot connects for another near fall but
the Rough Ryder is countered into a hot shot. Fandango’s guillotine
legdrop ends Ryder at 2:20.
takes him down with an armdrag for two but Fandango kicks him in the
head to take over. Fandango ties him up in the ropes and fires off
some hard forearms to the back of Ryder’s head for two. Ryder gets
up a pair of knees in the corner and hits the middle rope missile
dropkick for two. The Broski Boot connects for another near fall but
the Rough Ryder is countered into a hot shot. Fandango’s guillotine
legdrop ends Ryder at 2:20.
Kaitlyn
is in the back with a bouquet of roses and has gotten a love text.
Natalya and Khali tell her to relax like Khali does.
is in the back with a bouquet of roses and has gotten a love text.
Natalya and Khali tell her to relax like Khali does.
We
recap the Make-A-Wish stuff with Cena from Raw.
recap the Make-A-Wish stuff with Cena from Raw.
Zeb
Colter tells “Rhonda” Young that he was sick on Monday when he
lost in the triple threat match. Also, Ricardo Rodriguez stole from
him on Monday so tonight they have a rematch.
Colter tells “Rhonda” Young that he was sick on Monday when he
lost in the triple threat match. Also, Ricardo Rodriguez stole from
him on Monday so tonight they have a rematch.
Ricardo
Rodriguez vs. Zeb Colter
Rodriguez vs. Zeb Colter
Ziggler
and AJ are on commentary with Langston next to them. In other words,
all seven people are here. Colter slaps him to start so Ricardo
grabs his beard. Zeb goes to the mat on all fours so Ricardo rides
him like a horse for a bit. Colter comes back with some right hands
but Ricardo sends him into the corner. Thankfully this boring match
is ended with Swagger running in to take out Ricardo for the DQ at
1:50.
and AJ are on commentary with Langston next to them. In other words,
all seven people are here. Colter slaps him to start so Ricardo
grabs his beard. Zeb goes to the mat on all fours so Ricardo rides
him like a horse for a bit. Colter comes back with some right hands
but Ricardo sends him into the corner. Thankfully this boring match
is ended with Swagger running in to take out Ricardo for the DQ at
1:50.
Del
Rio knocks Swagger to the floor and here’s Teddy to make it a tag
match.
Rio knocks Swagger to the floor and here’s Teddy to make it a tag
match.
Alberto
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez vs. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez vs. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger
This
is joined in progress after the break with Swagger working over
Ricardo. The tag brings in Del Rio for the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker
and Codebreaker onto the arm but Swagger blocks the armbreaker. Not
that it matters as Ziggler and Langston run in for the DQ at 1:50.
is joined in progress after the break with Swagger working over
Ricardo. The tag brings in Del Rio for the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker
and Codebreaker onto the arm but Swagger blocks the armbreaker. Not
that it matters as Ziggler and Langston run in for the DQ at 1:50.
Now
Teddy makes it a triple threat tag match.
Teddy makes it a triple threat tag match.
Alberto
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez vs. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger vs. Big E.
Langston/Dolph Ziggler
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez vs. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger vs. Big E.
Langston/Dolph Ziggler
Del
Rio and Swagger start things off with Alberto dropping him down with
a clothesline and tagging in Ricardo. After Rodriguez does little of
note it’s back to Del Rio who walks into a dropkick from Ziggler.
Off to Langston as our brilliant commentators talk about how Del Rio
and Swagger are favored in the ladder match because they’ve both won
MITB before. As their short term memory failure melts my brain,
Langston runs over Del Rio in the corner and it’s back to the world
champion.
Rio and Swagger start things off with Alberto dropping him down with
a clothesline and tagging in Ricardo. After Rodriguez does little of
note it’s back to Del Rio who walks into a dropkick from Ziggler.
Off to Langston as our brilliant commentators talk about how Del Rio
and Swagger are favored in the ladder match because they’ve both won
MITB before. As their short term memory failure melts my brain,
Langston runs over Del Rio in the corner and it’s back to the world
champion.
Del
Rio launches Ziggler into the air and lets him crash down to the mat.
He’s too spent to follow up though and Dolph takes him down with a
neckbreaker. Back to Langston for more of his power, including
ramming Del Rio into the corner. Ziggy misses a splash though and
Del Rio gets the hot tag. House is cleaned and it’s Colter left all
alone with Alberto. Ziggler makes the save for Colter for no
apparent reason and DDTs Alberto for two. Langston runs over Ricardo
but gets powerslammed down by Swagger. Alberto enziguris Swagger to
the floor and gets rolled up by Swagger for two. The cross
armbreaker makes Dolph tap at 4:50.
Rio launches Ziggler into the air and lets him crash down to the mat.
He’s too spent to follow up though and Dolph takes him down with a
neckbreaker. Back to Langston for more of his power, including
ramming Del Rio into the corner. Ziggy misses a splash though and
Del Rio gets the hot tag. House is cleaned and it’s Colter left all
alone with Alberto. Ziggler makes the save for Colter for no
apparent reason and DDTs Alberto for two. Langston runs over Ricardo
but gets powerslammed down by Swagger. Alberto enziguris Swagger to
the floor and gets rolled up by Swagger for two. The cross
armbreaker makes Dolph tap at 4:50.
Rating:
D+. Well this was worthless,
but at least we got the world champion to lose again! I mean, Heaven
forbid he gets to keep the momentum he gained on Monday or something
stupid like that. This 50/50/50 booking is doing nothing for anyone
as the winner of the triple threat is only going to decide who didn’t
lose last, which doesn’t make for much of a champion.
D+. Well this was worthless,
but at least we got the world champion to lose again! I mean, Heaven
forbid he gets to keep the momentum he gained on Monday or something
stupid like that. This 50/50/50 booking is doing nothing for anyone
as the winner of the triple threat is only going to decide who didn’t
lose last, which doesn’t make for much of a champion.
We
hear someone getting beaten up off camera followed by Shield popping
up. They say they took out Undertaker and after tonight, Kane will
believe in the Shield. The camera pans down to show that it was
Bryan who was attacked.
hear someone getting beaten up off camera followed by Shield popping
up. They say they took out Undertaker and after tonight, Kane will
believe in the Shield. The camera pans down to show that it was
Bryan who was attacked.
Video
on HHH accepting Lesnar’s challenge.
on HHH accepting Lesnar’s challenge.
Bryan
gets looked at in the back.
gets looked at in the back.
Randy
Orton vs. Damien Sandow
Orton vs. Damien Sandow
Orton
hits a quick shot to the jaw and Sandow is frustrated early. A
shoulder block puts Sandow down but he comes back with a knee to the
ribs and a knee drop for two. Randy easily fights out of a chinlock
(is there a bigger expert on that hold than Orton?) and there’s the
powerslam on Damien. The Elevated DDT is broken up with a backdrop
to the apron and Sandow guillotines him onto the top rope.
hits a quick shot to the jaw and Sandow is frustrated early. A
shoulder block puts Sandow down but he comes back with a knee to the
ribs and a knee drop for two. Randy easily fights out of a chinlock
(is there a bigger expert on that hold than Orton?) and there’s the
powerslam on Damien. The Elevated DDT is broken up with a backdrop
to the apron and Sandow guillotines him onto the top rope.
We
take a break and come back with Orton suplexing his way out of a
headlock. A short DDT gets a delayed two count for Sandow as JBL
says Sandow has been in his element these last few months. Is there
another modern Genius running around that I’ve been missing? Wind-Up
elbow gets two but Orton fires off some headbutts to escape. A
dropkick puts Sandow down as does a backdrop, followed by the
Elevated DDT. RKO ends this at 5:05 shown of 8:35.
take a break and come back with Orton suplexing his way out of a
headlock. A short DDT gets a delayed two count for Sandow as JBL
says Sandow has been in his element these last few months. Is there
another modern Genius running around that I’ve been missing? Wind-Up
elbow gets two but Orton fires off some headbutts to escape. A
dropkick puts Sandow down as does a backdrop, followed by the
Elevated DDT. RKO ends this at 5:05 shown of 8:35.
Rating:
C. This is another match that
we’ve seen over and over again with nothing much coming from it.
It’s like everyone has a designated opponent anymore and the winners
and losers never change at all. Nothing of note to see here but it
was a glorified squash for Orton. When is the last time Sandow won a
match anyway?
C. This is another match that
we’ve seen over and over again with nothing much coming from it.
It’s like everyone has a designated opponent anymore and the winners
and losers never change at all. Nothing of note to see here but it
was a glorified squash for Orton. When is the last time Sandow won a
match anyway?
Post
match here’s Big Show to tell Orton that he’s awesome in singles
matches, but he’s terrible in a team. When Orton is in a team it’s
all about him. At Wrestlemania, if Show had gotten the tag, they
might have won and Orton wouldn’t have been knocked out. Sandow uses
the distraction to hit the Terminus. Big Show laughs a lot and says
that’s nothing compared to what he’ll do to Orton at Extreme Rules.
I think that was a challenge.
match here’s Big Show to tell Orton that he’s awesome in singles
matches, but he’s terrible in a team. When Orton is in a team it’s
all about him. At Wrestlemania, if Show had gotten the tag, they
might have won and Orton wouldn’t have been knocked out. Sandow uses
the distraction to hit the Terminus. Big Show laughs a lot and says
that’s nothing compared to what he’ll do to Orton at Extreme Rules.
I think that was a challenge.
Kane
walks out of the trainer’s room and says he’ll make the Shield pay
for what they did to Daniel and Undertaker. He knows he’s going to
get beaten up tonight but he’s taking down as many of them as he can
with him.
walks out of the trainer’s room and says he’ll make the Shield pay
for what they did to Daniel and Undertaker. He knows he’s going to
get beaten up tonight but he’s taking down as many of them as he can
with him.
The
Raw Rebound is the same thing that opened the show: the end of the
six man tag and Ryback reappearing.
Raw Rebound is the same thing that opened the show: the end of the
six man tag and Ryback reappearing.
Now
we get an arm wrestling contest between Sheamus and Mark Henry. On
the way to the ring, Cole and JBL drop the names of famous arm
wrestlers that no one will remember in a few seconds. Henry of
course dominates but Sheamus wants to try it left handed. After a
lot of goading, Henry finally agree. The fans chant for Henry as
they’re getting ready. As he’s about to lose, Sheamus punches him in
the face and lays Henry out with the Brogue Kick. The fans did seem
to like the kick.
we get an arm wrestling contest between Sheamus and Mark Henry. On
the way to the ring, Cole and JBL drop the names of famous arm
wrestlers that no one will remember in a few seconds. Henry of
course dominates but Sheamus wants to try it left handed. After a
lot of goading, Henry finally agree. The fans chant for Henry as
they’re getting ready. As he’s about to lose, Sheamus punches him in
the face and lays Henry out with the Brogue Kick. The fans did seem
to like the kick.
We
get a clip of Shield taking out Undertaker last week.
get a clip of Shield taking out Undertaker last week.
Video
on the European tour.
on the European tour.
Kane
vs. Dean Ambrose
vs. Dean Ambrose
Reigns
has Bryan’s tag title belt. Kane swings his belt to chase the Shield
off and throws Reigns over the announce table and Rollins into the
crowd. Now we head inside for the actual match and Kane pounds
Ambrose down into the corner. They head to the floor where Ambrose
is dropped throat first onto the barricade and kicked in the side of
the head before they head back in. A running elbow puts Dean down
and Kane throws him to the floor again as we take a break.
has Bryan’s tag title belt. Kane swings his belt to chase the Shield
off and throws Reigns over the announce table and Rollins into the
crowd. Now we head inside for the actual match and Kane pounds
Ambrose down into the corner. They head to the floor where Ambrose
is dropped throat first onto the barricade and kicked in the side of
the head before they head back in. A running elbow puts Dean down
and Kane throws him to the floor again as we take a break.
Back
with Ambrose working on Kane’s leg as momentum has shifted. Ambrose
snaps the leg down and bends it around the rope. Dean says this is
justice as he works over the leg. Rollins and Reigns are back up and
talking trash of their own as Ambrose hits a running clothesline in
the corner. The bad leg is wrapped around the post but the referee
makes Dean let him go.
with Ambrose working on Kane’s leg as momentum has shifted. Ambrose
snaps the leg down and bends it around the rope. Dean says this is
justice as he works over the leg. Rollins and Reigns are back up and
talking trash of their own as Ambrose hits a running clothesline in
the corner. The bad leg is wrapped around the post but the referee
makes Dean let him go.
Back
in and Kane fires back before hitting the side slam for two. The top
rope clothesline puts Ambrose down and Kane is smiling evily.
Ambrose escapes the chokeslam but Kane escapes the DDT. A chokeslam
puts Ambrose down but Kane doesn’t cover. Instead we get a throat
slit and it’s time for a Tombstone but Kane has to kick Rollins off
the apron. They head to the floor and Kane sends Reigns into the
steps. Back in and Dean takes the leg out before hitting a falling
forward bulldog for the pin at 7:03 shown of 10:33. I really hope
that isn’t his finishing move.
in and Kane fires back before hitting the side slam for two. The top
rope clothesline puts Ambrose down and Kane is smiling evily.
Ambrose escapes the chokeslam but Kane escapes the DDT. A chokeslam
puts Ambrose down but Kane doesn’t cover. Instead we get a throat
slit and it’s time for a Tombstone but Kane has to kick Rollins off
the apron. They head to the floor and Kane sends Reigns into the
steps. Back in and Dean takes the leg out before hitting a falling
forward bulldog for the pin at 7:03 shown of 10:33. I really hope
that isn’t his finishing move.
Rating:
C. This was fine. Kane knew he
was in over his head but he gave it everything he had which is the
right idea for a match like this. A win over Kane is still worth a
little something and the win for the titles will be worth even more
at Extreme Rules. I’d prefer they went after the world title instead
of the tag titles but I guess any gold is better than none.
C. This was fine. Kane knew he
was in over his head but he gave it everything he had which is the
right idea for a match like this. A win over Kane is still worth a
little something and the win for the titles will be worth even more
at Extreme Rules. I’d prefer they went after the world title instead
of the tag titles but I guess any gold is better than none.
Post
match Kane tells all of the Shield to come get him and it goes
exactly as you would expect it to go. The TripleBomb ends the show
and Shield takes both title belts.
match Kane tells all of the Shield to come get him and it goes
exactly as you would expect it to go. The TripleBomb ends the show
and Shield takes both title belts.
Overall
Rating: D+. Let’s look at this:
similar matches, similar story development, almost nothing new at
all. This was a supplement to Raw and that’s exactly what Smackdown
doesn’t need to be. Last week was FAR better with good matches and
some fun stuf. This was basically there to further what we got on
Raw while adding nothing new. That’s not an interesting show and
could have been accomplished with a series of video packages, making
this show pretty much worthless.
Rating: D+. Let’s look at this:
similar matches, similar story development, almost nothing new at
all. This was a supplement to Raw and that’s exactly what Smackdown
doesn’t need to be. Last week was FAR better with good matches and
some fun stuf. This was basically there to further what we got on
Raw while adding nothing new. That’s not an interesting show and
could have been accomplished with a series of video packages, making
this show pretty much worthless.
Results
Ryback
b. Daniel Bryan – Shell Shock
b. Daniel Bryan – Shell Shock
Fandango
b. Zack Ryder – Guillotine Legdrop
b. Zack Ryder – Guillotine Legdrop
Ricardo
Rodriguez b. Zeb Colter via DQ when Jack Swagger interfered
Rodriguez b. Zeb Colter via DQ when Jack Swagger interfered
Alberto
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez b. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger via DQ when
Dolph Ziggler and Big E. Langston interfered
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez b. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger via DQ when
Dolph Ziggler and Big E. Langston interfered
Alberto
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez b. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger and Dolph
Ziggler/Big E. Langston – Cross armbreaker to Ziggler
Del Rio/Ricardo Rodriguez b. Zeb Colter/Jack Swagger and Dolph
Ziggler/Big E. Langston – Cross armbreaker to Ziggler
Randy
Orton b. Damien Sandow – RKO
Orton b. Damien Sandow – RKO
Dean
Ambrose b. Kane – Falling bulldog
Ambrose b. Kane – Falling bulldog
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