By Chris Shore

Smackdown on MyNetwork TV
Taped on 8/10/10 in San Jose, Calif.

[Q1] The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Todd Grisham and Matt Striker welcomed us to Smackdown. Vickie Guerrero was already in the ring and did her, “Excuse me,” bit. She announced the new Intercontinental Champion, Dolph Ziggler, and he made his ring entrance. Both he and Vickie are in Hawaiian garb. A video recapped Ziggler’s dirty win last week. Vickie said he was more electrifying than the Rock, had more heart than Bret, and sexier than HBK. She said he was all hers.

Ziggler said he wanted to thank one person who had made it possible for him to be the total package. He named Vickie as the person he wanted to thank. Vickie got all giggly, and I threw up in my mouth. She said she couldn’t wait until they were celebrating in Tahiti. She said she was going to make the trip romantic, and Kofi Kingston charged the ring. Vickie cut bait and Kofi beat the crap out of Ziggler until the refs pulled him off.

Teddy Long came to the ramp and said they had to cancel their vacation plans. He announced that Ziggler would defend the title at SummerSlam against Kofi. He said that Ziggler would face Rey Mysterio tonight. Vickie said Kofi had to face Kane. Teddy reminded her he was the one with the power and said Kofi wouldn’t. Kofi went up to Long and trook the mic. He said he wasn’t a coward like Ziggler. He said he would face Kane, and he would do it right now. He went to the ring and Ziggler and Vickie left…

A video recapped Kane’s current storyline…Kane was shown walking backstage as Kofi was waiting for him in the ring…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Solid opening that set the stage for a hot show. I’m digging the new aggressive Kofi, as long as they keep him face. This lineup is almost PPV quality by itself. It’s like the WWE version of the Whole F’n Show.

[Q2] 1. Kane defeated Kofi Kingston at 4:54. Kofi went right at Kane, and got punched in the mouth. Kofi fought back and drove Kane into the corner. He hit his jump into corner punches and rolled down, but Kane hit a knee lift. Kane hit a sidewalk slam for two and went to the top. Kofi hit a drop kick to the top that spilled Kane to the floor. Kofi hit a diving planch, and setup for Trouble in Paradise. Kane ducked, and Kofi kicked the ring post.

Kane worked the ankle on the ropes and the apron. He rolled Kofi back in the ring and slammed him so the ankle hit the rope. He whipped Kofi to the corner and charged. Kofi hit a pendulum kick and hobbled to the top. Kane grabbed him and hit a super chokeslam, flowed by a tombstone piledriver for the win…

Post-match, Kane took a mic and cut a promo on Rey Mysterio. He said Rey attacked his brother and his guilt was causing him to lie. He said that Undertaker fought out of the darkness to say two words, Rey Mysterio. Kane promised vengeance at SummerSlam by the “Devil’s favorite demon.” He started to pop his pyro, but Rey cut him off.

Rey came out and said he was a “Humble servant of God.” He ran down all the circumstantial evidence against Kane and said Kane had always lived in his brother’s shadow. He said if Taker was around, the title would be his. Rey said at SummerSlam, it would be Rey’s instead. His music popped to close the segment…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Now that’s how you have a five minute match. Even though Kane had most of the offense, it didn’t feel like a squash, and Kofi loses on a mistake. It also gives some story going into SummerSlam for the IC match. And bravo to Rey Mysterio for not being terrible on the mic this week. Is Taker coming back this Sunday? It sure feels like it.

[Q3] Christian made his ring entrance as a video recapped Drew McIntyre’s attack on his shoulder from two weeks ago. Backstage, McIntyre and Cody Rhodes were shown walking towards the ring. McIntyre said they were both superstars, and he had already softened up Christian. Cody cut him off and said there was nothing to worry about, he was “Dashing” after all. McIntyre said if he lost, he would be “Disappointing.” Cody made his ring entrance…

2. “Dashing” Cody Rhodes defeated Christian at 8:36.. Cody went right for the arm, and Christian tossed him to the floor. He hit a suicide plancha and Cody recovered into the break…[C] Back at 3:44, Cody worked the arm. A video showed Cody pulling Christian off the top by his arm during the break. Cody hit a hammer lock slam, and then clubbed Christian into hitting his arm on the bottom rope for two.

Cody worked the arm in the corner and set Christian on the top. Christian fought Cody off and hit a high cross body for two. Christian worked his offense and hit the second rope uppercut. He choked Rhodes on the ropes, but Cody escaped the punch to the face. Christian hit a Sunsert Flip for two, and Cody came right back and hit an Alabama Slam for two.

Christian hit a slap to the face, and Cody went all girly. Christian hit his reverse DDT, but Cody came right back and tossed Christian into the post. He hit Cross Rhodes for the win…The announce team hyped McIntyre vs. Matt Hardy and Mysterio vs. Ziggler…[C]

Shore’s Slant: A very good match that Cody looks really good coming out of. Christian didn’t need the loss, but he is almost Jericho-esque in his ability to wipe off a loss. They told a good story, and I am completely sold on Cody Rhodes. His gimmick is silly at best, but he can go in the ring buddy. This may be the best generation of in-ring performers in history.

[Q4] A video package recapped the Straight Edge Society beatdown on Big Show…Show made his ring entrance with the right hand taped as the announce team hyped Show vs. The SES at SummerSlam. His three local jobber victims were already in the ring…

3. Big Show squashed three local jobbers at 1:13. The SES walked out to the ramp at the bell. Show tossed all three guys around. He choke slammed the first guy, and then saw Punk. He choked slammed the second guy, and then punched out the third guy for the win.

Post-match, Gallows called for Show to look at them. He started to talk when Punk cut him off. He snatched the mic away and said, “Speak when spoken to.” He cut a promo on the SES beating Show at SummerSlam and said they would create a symphony with the sounds of his shattering bones. Joey Mercury knelt down to Punk and they posed while Show looked pissed…Matt Hardy was shown walking towards the ring. Kelly Kelly wished him luck…[C]

Shore’s Slant: One of the few times when a squash match is called for. Nice work here by Punk (as always) and to creative for writing a credible story. This doesn’t feel like a normal Big Show goofy ass kicking about to happen. I really think Show might lose. And that shows you how bad things have gotten between Tiffany and Drew. Her BFF is wishing his opponent good luck! (See the main page if you don’t get the joke.)

[Q5] Matt Hardy made his ring entrance, followed by Drew McIntyre’s long ass entrance…

4. Drew McIntyre defeated Matt Hardy at 5:45. Hardy clotheslined Drew over the top, and they battled on the floor. Hardy back flipped McIntyre over the railing onto the timekeeper, and then hit a side effect that seemed to legit hurt Matt Hardy. He rolled Drew back in the ring and covered for two. Hardy went to the second rope. McIntyre ran up and pulled Matt off into a powerbomb for two.

McIntyre locked in an armbar. Hardy hip-tossed out, and then hit a spear that sent them both to the floor. McIntyre drove Hardy back into the steps, and then placed Hardy’s foot between the two pieces of stairs. He stomped on the top part, and Hardy sold the injury.

McIntyre climbed back in the ring, but broke the count at nine. The ref admonished him, and he left Hardy alone. Matt pulled off the boot, and his foot was already bleeding. Are you kidding me? Hardy would not die and rolled in the ring. He couldn’t even stand, but McIntyre hit the Future Shock DDT for the win…

A video recapped the Nexus angle…The announce team hyped the main event…[C]

Shore’s Slant: That was a pretty good match until the ending. I don’t even mind the foot attack (though we just did this with the head), but the bloody sock? Who the hell does he think he is, Curt Shilling? Terrible use of McIntyre unless he’s putting Hardy out again. And the Nexus video was good, but they should have used the live audio from Monday when the brawl broke out. I thought that crowd might commit mass suicide.

[Q6] A video recapped Rey Mysterio dumping Jack Swagger into the Gulf of Mexico from two weeks ago…Swagger made his ring entrance. Swagger cut a promo and trashed the crowd. He said he wasn’t a loser like them, he had an excuse for his problems. He ran through all the bad things that had happened to him. He said he up until four a.m. dealing with chronic diarrhea. Not his, his fathers. He said he SummerSlam had lost its swagger. Before he could say more, MVP cut him off.

MVP said he understood. He said he understood nobody cared about his problems. He said the WWE Universe didn’t care, the people in the arena didn’t care, and he fore sure didn’t care. Swagger asked if they didn’t have this same conversation last year. MVP said they did, right before he beat Swagger at SummerSalm, convincingly. Swagger hit him with the mic and tossed him to the floor. He tossed MVP into the retaining wall and stalked him as the show went to break…[C]

5. MVP defeated Jack Swagger at 4:06. The bell rang as soon as the show started and Swagger went on the attack. He worked MVP in the corner with strikes and kicks, and then hit a big clothesline for two. MVP tried several times to come back only to have Swagger stop it.

[Q7] Swagger hit a big boot and went for the ankle lock, but MVP reversed into a roll up for the win…Cody’s grooming tips were to clean your ear wax. He told people to use a cotton swab, but that will piss off the ear doctors. Nothing bigger than your elbow you know…

Shore’s Slant: I want to love this match, but all I can think is, “This is how bad it’s gotten for MVP. He’s the new Santino that Swagger lost to again.” Terrible, for both men.

An Alberto del Rio composite vignette aired. Will the f-ing guy premier already? Jesus. Oh, he’ll premier next week. My bad…The announce team ran down the SummerSlam card…Rey Mysterio made his ring entrance…

[Q8] 6. Rey Mysterio defeated Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero) at 12:18. Ziggler went on the attack early, but Rey reversed a corner whip into a roll up for two. Rey attacked and hit a flying head scissor and drop kick for two. Ziggler drove Rey into the corner and took control. He hit a neckbreaker for two. Ziggler lifted Rey, but Rey slipped out and hit a low dropkick that setup Ziggler for 619. As he hit the rope, Kane’s pyro and music popped and he came to the ring with a casket…[C]

Back at 6:50, Ziggler had Rey in a rest hold. A video showed Ziggler hitting a clothesline on Rey in the air during the break. Ziggler worked the back and arm of Rey, but Rey drove him into the ring post. Rey went to work and hit a cross body for two. They botched some sort of move, and Rey locked on the sleeper. Ziggler drove him back into the corner, and then locked in his own sleeper.

Rey dropped down and setup Ziggler for 619. He hit the ropes, but Ziggler stood and tried to reverse into a powerbomb. Rey held on, and he reversed into a hurricanranna roll up for the win. Post-match, Kane tried to attack. Mysterio hit a dropkick, a reverse 619, and then another drop kick to spill Kane into the coffin at ringside. Kane spilled out of the coffin and backed up the match while Rey celebrated…

Shore’s Slant: That ten minute match wasn’t as good as the five minute Kane vs. Kofi match, and I know these two can do better. Hell, we’ve seen it. Still, it didn’t put me to sleep, and I like that Mysterio went over here because both he and Kane look good heading into the PPV. Booking 101 says Kane goes over at SummerSlam, which is no real surprise. I’ll have more to say tomorrow in the hitlist. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you then.

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

RECOMMEND THIS ARTICLE: