8/3 Shore's WWE Smackdown Live Coverage: Sheamus vs. Tensai, Randy Orton returns to face Alberto Del Rio, and a new General Manager is announced

By Chris Shore

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 7/31 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

[Q1] The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Josh Matthews welcomed us to Smackdown. Lilian Garcia introduced Mr. McMahon as Michael Cole checked in on commentary. They put Vince over and his pick of AJ for Raw General Manager and said he would announce right away who the new GM of Smackdown was.

Vince said finding the GM for Smackdown had been difficult. He ran down the qualities he needed in a GM and then introduced the new GM, Booker T. Booker made his ring entrance as Cole celebrated that Booker would no longer be on commentary.

Shore's Slant: YES! YES! YES!

Booker T thanked Vince and the Board of Directors for giving him the opportunity. He said Smackdown was going to blow up and started to make his first announcement when Alberto Del Rio's music hit. Del Rio came to the ring and congratulated Booker on his new position. Booker told him to at least make it sound like he wasn't full of crap.

Booker and Del Rio bickered about Sheamus and his hooliganism. Sheamus's music hit and he came to the ring. Sheamus congratulated Booker and offered to buy the first pint. He told Del Rio he was proud of where he came from. He asked Del Rio if he was really not going to compete until SummerSlam.

Del Rio said yes and Booker cut him off. He said both men would compete tonight. Del Rio said he didn't care who Booker T was, he wasn't competing tonight. Booker said he was the boss three times and said Del Rio would compete later against Randy Orton. Del Rio stormed off and told Sheamus he was up first against "this man." Tensai's music hit and he made his ring entrance with Sakamoto. A cut in video had Alberto cut a video in Japanese. No idea what he said, but I'm going to guess he wasn't making joke about Sakamoto's eyes...[C]

Shore's Slant: No Booker T on commentary means greatest Smackdown EVER! Fair opening segment that got everything and everybody introduced but didn't set me on fire. Also, IO had some...er, issues earlier so I am a little behind. (I spilled a plate of buffalo wings in my lap. Shut up.)

[Q2] 1. Sheamus vs. Tensai (w/Sakamoto). Tensai started fast and stayed on power offense until Sheamus clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor. Sheamus followed and jumped on Tensai. Tensai caught him and slammed his back into the post...[C]

Back from commercial, Tensai hit a splash on the back from the second rope for a near fall. He tried to climb up for another, but Sheamus shoved him to the floor. Sheamus started his forearms across the chest and Tensai blocked him. Sheamus tried a second time and hit all ten. He tried to lift Tensai, but he sold his back. Sheamus finally hit the slam for a near fall. Tensai came right back, but Sheamus ducked a clothesline in the corner and hit the Brogue kick for the win.

Sheamus defeated Tensai in 13:00.

[Q3] Eve was backstage in Booker T's office when he came in. She said she wanted to be one of the first to congratulate him. She reminded him how she had helped Big Johnny and said she would fit in with his administration. Teddy Long showed up and congratulated him. Booker offered him a job as Senior Advisor. Teddy accepted. Eve looked pissed and Booker told her all his spots were filled. He asked Teddy to escort her out. Eve stormed out and the two men laughed...[C]

Shore's Slant: Better opening match than I thought we were going to get. I had this pegged as the Tensai punishment squash. Good for him that it didn't happen. My only fear with Teddy getting that spot is it somehow frees up Booker T for commentary.

Antonio Cesaro and Aksana were in the ring. Cole compared Booker picking Teddy Long like John McCain picking Sarah Palin. Cesaro said hello to the crowd in five languages, and Santino Marella made his ring entrance...

2. Antonion Cesaro (w/Aksana) vs. Santino Marella. Santino shoved Cesaro and punched him to start, but Cesaro drove him into the corner and beat him up. Santino came right back with his offense and hit the Cobra, but Cesaro put his foot under the rope. Santino argued the rule and went to the floor to get Cesaro. Cesaro shoved him into the wall. He hit his finisher when Santino climbed back in the ring for the win...[C]

Antonio Cesaro defeated Santino Marella at 2:34.

Shore's Slant: I really want to hate on this because I'm so tired of Santino, but if the plan is to get the title off him and onto Cesaro, I'll shut up and take it. For now.

[Q4] Matt Striker was backstage with Daniel Bryan and played a video of his psychiatric thing from Raw. Striker asked Bryan asked Bryan if he had comments. Bryan said "no" and added he would be saying "no" more often. He was wearing his new "No" shirt and said he never wanted to hear the crowd chant "yes" again. He cut a crazy promo and screamed "No," over and over...

Chris Jericho made his ring entrance, followed by Christian and Kane...[C]

Shore's Slant: Wait, Kane is a babyface? When the hell did that happen? I mean, I know he's been beating up Bryan and doing whatever with AJ, but that was a baby turn? To quote Charles Barkley, "turrible."

The Miz made his ring entrance. Vickie Guerrero was out next and did her "Excuse me," bit, which didn't get its normal reaction. She ran down Jericho and introduced Ziggler. Bryan was out next, screaming "No," at the fans...

[Q5] 3. Chris Jericho, Christian, and Kane vs. The Miz, Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero), and Daniel Bryan. Bryan and Christian started. The babyfaces took quick control and Jericho ended up in the ring. He got distracted by Ziggler and took a kick from Miz. Ziggler tagged in and Jericho attacked him. He knocked Ziggler to the floor and ran for a dive, but Ziggler pulled Vickie in front of him so Jericho stopped...[C]

Back from commercial, Christian played the baby in trouble as a video showed Miz shoving him off the top rope during the break. The heels worked in and out until Christian got the feet up on a charge in the corner. Jericho and Bryan made tags and Jericho was a house of fire. He knocked Ziggler to the floor and hit the Lionsault on Bryan. He covered and Ziggler broke the count.

Everybody ended up in the ring and then on the floor. Jericho locked Bryan in the old school Walls of Jericho. Vickie distracted the ref and Ziggler ran in with the briefcase. Jericho broke the hold and hit the Codebreaker on Ziggler, but Bryan rolled him up for the win. Post-match, Bryan yelled in the face of a fan that looked like a smaller version of Sloth from the Goonies...

The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, and Daniel Bryan defeated Chris Jericho, Christian, and Kane in 12:30.

Backstage, Matt Striker introduced Randy Orton as returning from a "two month lay off." Orton put over being back and said he wasn't planning on being gone anytime soon. He said Del Rio was the number one contender because he didn't have to face Orton. He said he was going to give the people what they wanted, a perfectly executed RKO on Del Rio...

Shore's Slant: Standard six man match, but still fun to watch. Ziggler got to sell a CodeBreaker and yet comes out the better ultimately. Effective booking there. Orton has to learn how to cut a promo that sounds different from this same promo we get all the time. Seriously, nobody can help him with that?

[Q6][C] Jinder Mahal put his hat in the case and stepped in the ring. Ryback was out next with a badly bloodshot left eye. A cut in video had him cut his first promo. He said the law of the jungle is eat or be eaten and that was the only law he knew. He said he was in WWE because everywhere he looked he saw food. He said, "Welcome to the food chain, feed me more."...

4. Ryback vs. Jinder Mahal. Mahal got his ass beat and went to the floor. He grabbed a mic and hit Ryback, causing the DQ. Mahal ran when Ryback no sold it. Ryback stood in the ring demanding to be fed more...

Ryback defeated Jinder Mahal by disqualification at 1:06.

Backstage, the Prime Time Playas were dancing around, acting a fool. They walked up on a t-shirt guy and asked where their shirts were. Titus threw one in the man's face and they danced off again...[C]

Shore's Slant: If you want to know my thoughts on that entire time, I got one word for you! Meh. Ryback seems stalled and unimpressive. The PTP are funny, but I don't want any more funny. I want tag team wrestling.

The tag champs made their ring entrance. The PTP were out next with AW acting a fool on the mic...

[Q7] 5. R-Truth (w/Kofi Kingston) vs. Darren Young (w/Titus O'Neal and AW). The match broke down almost immediately. Truth had to help Kofi, which allowed Darren Young to his his finisher for the win...[C]

Darren Young defeated R-Truth at 1:49.

Shore's Slant: I just want to sigh. I hate these sub-two minute matches with a passion.

A video recapped the CM Punk/Big Show/John Cena incidents from Raw, and then we got the Tout videos talking about it...A video recapped the Booker T announcement. Booker was backstage on the phone when Layla walked up. They acted weird and then Cody Rhodes walked up. He said he hoped the fact that he ended Booker's career earlier this year wouldn't hurt their working relationship. Booker put him in a match with Sin Cara next week...

[Q8] Randy Orton made his ring entrance...[C]

Del Rio made his entrance with Ricardo Rodriguez handling into duties...

6. Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio (w/Ricardo Rodriguez). Orton got in some quick offense, but Del Rio drove him to the floor and slammed Orton around the retaining wall. Del Rio rolled Orton in the ring and kicked Orton. He mocked Orton's punching of the mat and then whipped him into the corner. Del Rio charged in and Orton moved, pushing Del Rio into the post.

Orton ran his offense and hit the rope DDT. He set up for the RKO, but Ric Rod ran in and caused the DQ. Del Rio attacked Orton's arm and tried to put on the cross arm breaker, but Orton slipped out and hit a drop kick that spilled Del Rio to the floor. Del Rio and Ric Rod started to leave, but Sheamus ran out and tossed Del Rio in the ring for a RKO to close the show...

Randy Orton defeated Alberto Del Rio by disqualification at 6:14.

Shore's Slant: Wow, with only three Smackdowns left before SummerSlam it doesn't feel like they did much with this show. The main event meant nothing unless Orton ends up in the title match at SummerSlam (something I won't rule out), and it wasn't even that good of a match. Orton seems old and stale immediately upon his return, and Del Rio has been day old bread for weeks now. Such a sleepy way to end the show. Smackdown has all the talent it needs, but they have to deliver better. I'll be back tomorrow with the Hitlist and All Access audio review. Thanks for watching along with me tonight.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com or tweet me @TheShoreSlant with whatever is on your mind.

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