The Smackdown Summary - 25th June 2010
25/06/2010
Hello and welcome the this edition of the Smackdown Summary.
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On with the show!
Quick Links
Match 1: The Big Show Vs. Jack Swagger
Match 2: The Gatecrashers & Ziggler Vs. M.V.P, Christian & Kingston
Segment 2: Kane and The Casket
Match 3: Drew McIntyre Vs. Matt Hardy
Match 4: Rosa Mendes Vs. Kelly Kelly
The Smackdown Summary
Segment 1
General Opening
Before the Smackdown music even plays our screens are graced with Teddy Long and Vikki Guerrero.
Teddy talks about how there were three new champions crowned at Fatal 4 Way, how Mysterio picked up the World Title and how he will be defending it in four weeks at Money in the Bank.
Vikki takes over and says that over the next few weeks she and Teddy will be assessing everyone on Smackdown, to decide who will take part in the Smackdown MitB match for the chance to win a contract that will give them a shot at Mysterio’s belt, whenever they should like it.
Interestingly it looks like there will be brand-specific MitB matches, with contracts specifically for the respective brand’s World title. Basically no choosing titles or brands like the WM contract offers.
Vikki talks about the brutal attack Mr. McMahon suffered on Raw and is just about to make an announcement on the matter when Drew McIntyre enters.
He chastises Teddy for not looking concerned about the Chairman of the company but Long explains that the Board of Directors have told him in the absence of Mr. McMahon he can run Smackdown however he feels appropriate.
He re-instates Matt Hardy and immediately books him in a match against Drew, throwing in some Scottish-based insults for good measure.
He tells Drew to get out and even garners some support from Guerrero, who backs him up.
Match 1
Singles Match
The Big Show
Vs.
Jack Swagger
Swagger enters looking lost without his title, and immediately makes his feelings on last night’s match known.
He claims that he is filing a protest with WWE management, stating that it was not fair he had to defend his title in a Fatal 4 Way match, which had no rules in place to protect the champion.
He says that Kane’s interference, amongst other things, led to him being cheated out of the World Championship.
Swagger then tells everyone that he’ll be cashing in his re-match at Money in the Bank, so he can re-claim his title, but until then he’s going to make everyone suffer just like he had to on Sunday.
Oh joy, Jack Swagger Vs. Rey Mysterio at Money in the Bank, I bet the ticketline switchboards are lighting up as we speak.
Swagger applied a brutal Ankle Lock at the end of the match and refused to let it go, despite Show reaching the ropes.
When he finally did relinquish the hold Show seemed to be unable to stand on his left leg.
I didn’t really pay that much attention to this match if I’m honest, but I’m sure The Big Show did enough to impress the G.M’s and earn his place in the Money in the Bank match, that is if he recovers from the ankle damage inflicted by Swagger.
The Big Show wins by Disqualification.
Match 2
6-Man Tag Team Match
The Gatecrashers & Dolph Ziggler
Vs.
M.V.P, Christian & Kofi Kingston
I don’t usually enjoy Six-Man tag team matches, as I don’t think it gives the participants enough time to show off what they are capable of.
That said, there’s a lot of talent in this one and I’m still waiting for Archer and Hawkins to show me something worth caring about, so I actually found myself quite interested here.
M.V.P and Co. did the usual high-flying faces bit, hitting some vaulting cross-bodies from the inside to out to take the show up to commercials.
Shortly after the ads Ziggler and Kingston had some nice interaction in which the heels finally took the match by the scruff of the neck and began to dominate.
The Gatecrashers actually showed some good teamwork during this period, and although I wouldn’t go as far as to say they’ve convinced me yet, there was a definite improvement.
Ziggler, Christian, Kingston and M.V.P looked as good as they always do, but for me Dolph and Kofi were the real stand-outs in this match.
Ziggler came very VERY close to winning the match with one of the biggest (and by that I mean highest) Fameasser’s I’ve ever seen, but he eventually fell victim to the KillSwitch after Christian reversed the ZigZag.
Very strong match for all involved.
M.V.P, Christian & Kofi Kingston win by Pinfall.
Segment 2
Kane and the Casket
Backstage Kane is hanging out with the empty black casket again.
He shouted about getting revenge tonight by decapitating the head of the Straight Edge Society.
Match 3
Singles Match
Drew McIntyre
Vs.
Matt Hardy
I actually expected this to be higher up the card, but with it being pretty much smack bang in the middle of the show, I don’t expect it’ll be a rivalry-ending bout.
Hardy had the bit between his teeth from the opening bell, exacting vicious revenge on the Sadistic Scot until he got rammed into the steel ringpost and the tides turned.
McIntyre hit a huge Backdrop on the outside, then ordered the referee to count Matt out, but the tenacious Hardy beat the count at 9 and the match continued.
McIntyre almost claimed the win with a rarely seen Michinoku Driver variation from the top rope, but in the end it was Hardy who prevailed with a Twist of Fate for the 1..2..3.
This match was littered with great spots both inside and outside the ring, and although I didn’t expect much from it, I would have happily watched it on a PPV card and I hope it’s not the last we see from the pair.
If I had a Match of the Night feature, this would have claimed it.
After the bell Teddy Long appeared on the titan-tron and told McIntyre that his visa had expired, then ordered the security guards to ’send him back to Scotland.’
McIntyre rolled to the outside and demanded Matt Striker tell everyone that Mr. McMahon would not allow him to be deported, before begrudgingly leaving with the security guards.
Hmm, guess this WAS a rivalry-ending bout and we WON’T be seeing the pair meet again in the near future.
Matt Hardy wins by Pinfall.
Segment 3
Dashing? Really?
Upon his entry to the ring Cody Rhodes grabbed a microphone and crowed about how he is naturally sculpted and WWE’s most attractive Superstar (as voted for by the WWE Divas, apparently.)
I wonder where he’d poll on the ‘Mr. Personality’ vote, if they ever did one.
Rhodes then moves on to his Rookie, saying Husky Harris represents the ‘average guy’, picking up on his size, ‘bad’ tattoos and dirty hair.
He says that his looks didn’t come genetically, and people only need to look at his father and his older brother to see that.
Cody then takes to ringside, insulting people in the front row before moving on to Todd Grisham and Tony Chimmell to do the same.
Finally he thanks the WWE Divas for their exquisite taste, then informs everyone of his new nickname; Dashing Cody Rhodes.
Despite how many times he said it after making the announcement, I can’t see it catching on.
Segment 4
Unhappy Dolph
Backstage Vikki is admiring the picture of her and Dolph Ziggler when the man himself enters.
She asks him what’s wrong and he says ‘that’, pointing at the picture hanging on the wall.
He says that their relationship was meant to be a two-way street, but he feels like he’s been doing all the giving to get nothing in return, and now he wants gold.
Specifically an Intercontinental Championship match.
He basically tells her that if she wants the back-scratching to continue she’d better make it happen
Match 4
Divas Match
Rosa Mendes
Vs.
Kelly Kelly (w/Tiffany)
Rosa did some skipping (or jumping-rope for our American fans) before the match, probably in reference to Lay-Cool’s insults last week.
However, it didn’t seem to help as Kelly Kelly dispatched her in about 20 seconds.
She then jumped some rope herself, before hurling it at the Co-Womens Champions who had joined the commentary team for the match and got in all of 5 words between bells.
When the entrances are the longest part of the item, you know you’ve just seen something completely pointless.
Kelly Kelly wins by Pinfall.
Segment 4
New Guy Alert
This segment was for, I assume, someone who will be making his début soon.
Basically, he’s an Italian who claims that everyone apart from him is a liar.
His name is Alberto Del Rio, the only ‘Honest Man’.
I’m always wary about début videos like these. Other than Cryme Tyme I can’t remember that many that have ever lead to greatness.
Nathan Jones had weeks of promo videos then flopped, Kizarny had weeks of promo videos then had like one match, need I go on?
Main Event Match
No Disqualification Match
Kane
Vs.
C.M Punk
After making his entrance alone Punk once again declared his innocence.
Although The S.E.S haven’t shown up with Punk I highly doubt that we won’t have seen them by the end of the night, especially with the match stipulation lending itself to their involvement.
And right on cue, just minutes after the opening bell and with Kane in complete control, Luke Gallows shows up.
With him dispatched the ‘masked member’ of the S.E.S appears, not wearing his usual attire, but rather full wrestling getup.
I’m satisfied that the mystery man isn’t Skip Sheffield anymore, but I’m sure on his first appearance it was.
Anyway, the numbers game caught up with Kane momentarily, but after flipping Punk into the timekeepers area he took control once again, wrapping both Gallows and the mystery man around the ring post.
Kane began targeting Punk’s arms, bouncing them off the steel steps before stretching them out around the ring post.
The Big Red Machine then began to strip down the announce table, taking a moment out to Chokeslam the masked guy when he tried to stop him in his tracks.
However, as Kane looked to dish out the same fate to Punk, only this time through the announce table, Luke Gallows interjected and ended up suffering that fate instead.
This momentary distraction allowed Punk time to flee through the crowd.
Kane chased him into the lobby and threw him through a couple of merchandise stands, before the action spilled to the street outside.
Punk dashed off into the night as the show came to an end, and Todd Grisham announced boldly that The Straight Edge Society had ceased to exist as we know it now.
I like this kind of ending, although it did feel like a bit of an anti-climax, I’d have liked to have seen Kane throw him through a sheet of glass or something.
Match ends in a No-Contest.
