By Chris Shore

Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 8/23/11 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

[Q1] A video recapped Mark Henry's win in the battle royal last week…The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Josh Matthews, Michael Cole and Booker T welcomed us to Smackdown. They hyped Sheamus vs. Mark Henry in a SummerSlam rematch…

Bret Hart's music hit and he came out to a giant pop. Cole twirled his finger, not caring, as Matthews and Booker put Hart over. Hart announced that he was special guest GM because Teddy Long couldn't make it. He put over the live Super Smackdown for next week. He announced Mark Henry vs. Randy Orton for the World Title as the main event for that show…

Christian's music hit and he came out to what sounded like mostly piped in boos. Christian said it wasn't his fault he lost at SummerSlam. He said it was Bret's friend Edge. He said what Edge said distracted him and he couldn't concentrate.

Christian said everyone was excited Bret was there, but he was former champion and demanded his rematch and he wanted it on the live show. Bret said Christian should have listened to Edge and said he was an embarrassment to his friends, family, and even Canada. He said Christian should grow a pair and start at the bottom and work his way up like a man.

Christian said Bret was the embarrassment. He said guys like Bret and Edge just couldn't get over the fact that when their career was over, it was over. He mocked Bret for the way he looked and said he anticipated Bret acting this way and pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Bret and said it was a court order that no one would get a title shot before him.

Bret said he couldn't fight the law, so Christian had his match next week. He said he needed to put Christian in a match where he would have no excuses. He booked the title match as a steel cage match. Christian started to complain and Mark Henry's music hit. Christian beat it and Henry climbed in the ring. He demanded the winner of the cage match, or he couldn't be held responsible for what he did to Bret or anyone else.

Bret and Henry started to argue, but Sheamus's music hit. He came to the ring cutting a promo and said his uncle used to own a farm with a big black bull. He said the bull used to chase off all the other animals until his uncle had the bull castrated. He threatened to do the same to Henry and slid in the ring. He ducked a clothesline and then drove Henry to the floor.

[Q2] Henry stared at him for a moment and then waved him off before walking to the back…[C]

Shore's Slant: Ho-hum opening. It wasn't bad, but I wasn't exactly impressed either. Henry and Sheamus were good, but Hart is Hart and Christian is a bitch. Rather, he's booked as a bitch. Sheamus vs. Henry tonight has a chance to be good.

Christian was in the ring and Daniel Bryan made his ring entrance. A big-time hype video put Bryan over…

1. Christian defeated Daniel Bryan in 12:00. Bryan hit the suicide dive early and managed not to hurt himself. Christian came back and hit a punch and tossed Bryan to the floor after a pendulum kick…[C]

Back from commercial, Christian tried to throw Bryan over the top again, but Bryan landed on the apron and hit a missile drop kick.

[Q3] Bryan tried for the LaBell lock, but Christian drove him to the corner and setup for the spear. They ran an awkward series with Bryan getting a near fall off a sitting kick. Christian came back with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Bryan managed to half lock in the LaBell lock, but Christian escaped and hit the Kill Switch for the win…[C]

Shore's Slant: That match should have been more than it was. Technically it was average. But the buzz about Christian vs. Daniel Bryan should have been bigger. Part of it is booking on the fly, but the majority of it is that neither guy is made to feel special.

Wade Barrett made his ring introduction, and was announced to face a local jobber. Before the match could start, Barrett took the mic and said he was not going to face the guy, because it was beneath him as a man and competitor and left the ring…The Raw Rebound video recapped the CM Punk vs. John Cena match and post-match activity…

Shore's Slant: Local jobber guy got a good deal. He got WWE pay and didn't have to take a bump!

[Q4][C] 2. Sin Cara defeated Heath Slater in 1:40. Slater attacked before the bell rang. That lasted 30 seconds before Sin Cara started his offensive run. He hit a flying head-but, the crossbody to the floor, and then the senton/moonsault combo for the win…

A video recapped the interaction between the old Legacy last week…Orton was shown walking backstage…[C]

Shore's Slant: Snooze fest. When Sin Cara gets a push (and I mean title wise) are they going to have those stupid lights then too? It's unbelievable how stupid the ring looks like that.

Randy Orton made his ring entrance. DiBiase and Rhodes were out next. Rhodes cut a promo on the way to the ring. He said he worked miracles. He said he was resurrecting the Intercontinental Championship and DiBiase's career. He said he hoped Orton believed in miracles because he did…

[Q5] 3. Randy Orton defeated Ted DiBiase (w/Cody Rhodes) in 12:30. Orton took quick control at the start. DiBiase managed to hit a clothesline and some punches, but Orton stormed right back. He started for the rope DDT and Rhodes jumped on the apron. Orton knocked him down and tossed Ted down. He rolled to the floor and started to RKO Rhodes, but DiBiase hit a dropkick to the ropes to break it up…[C]

Back from commercial, DiBiase hit a standing drop kick, but Orton no sold it and hit a superplex. DiBiase reversed the backbreaker attempt into a roll up. He hit a spinbuster and grabbed for Dream Street, but Orton escaped and hit a clothesline. He hit the rope DDT, but DiBiase reversed the RKO attempt into a Dream Street attempt. They ran the shortarm clothesline spot DiBiase does, and Orton ducked the clothesline for an RKO and pinfall victory.

Post-match, Cody looked pissed in the ring and then helped Ted to his feet. He shook his hand, and then hit Cross Rhodes to leave DiBiase laid out. He put a bag on his face and left him in the ring…

[Q6] The announce team hyped the main event…[C]

Shore's Slant: Decent match. It might just be the hurricane force winds breaking my attention, but this show is very sleepy. I'm just not enthused by anything yet. Very little has been bad, but it's just been boring. No storylines have moved really. This leaves us wondering if it's the end of Ted and Cody (again) or more of the same next week. And no, we don't really have hurricane force winds here. But it is howling.

Tamina was in the ring and Kelly Kelly made her ring entrance. Natalya did an old-school cut in promo where she said Kelly looked like a doll, but she doesn't play with dolls.

4. Kelly Kelly defeated Tamina at 2:46. All Kelly who won with her finisher. Terrible match…

Backstage, Matt Striker asked Jinder Mahal about not winning the number one contender match. Jinder cut his half English/half Punjabi normal promo and said Khali's ego got in the way last week. He said Khali had been re-educated that his only purpose was to serve Jinder. He said tonight's mission was to destroy Ezekiel Jackson…[C]

Shore's Slant: No, I'm not giving more than that on the Divas match. Goldust must have been sick this week because that was terrible. If Kelly doesn't learn how to run the ropes soon, I might just quit watching the Divas altogether. Terrible. And Khali vs. Zeke? From bad to worse I fear.

[Q7] 5. Ezekiel Jackson defeated Great Khali (w/Jinder Mahal) at 2:52. Khali shoved Jackson and slapped him around. Zeke hit a couple of clotheslines, but Khali hit a back elbow and locked in the vice grips on the head. Zeke powered out, but Khali grabbed again. He made the ropes and Jinder attacked Zeke. Zeke grabbed him and Khali went to chop Zeke but hit Jinder instead. Zeke scooped up Khali for the torture rack and the submission win…[C]

Shore's Slant: Well color me surprised, but that was mildly entertaining. It wasn't a technical masterpiece, obviously. But it told a decent story, proving that storytelling trumps physical ability more times than not.

Backstage, Todd Grisham asked Randy Orton about facing Christian next week. Orton said all Christian had left was his pride, and he would take that in the cage. He said after that, it was on to Mark Henry who had been destroying people. He said he didn't underestimate anyone, just like no one should underestimate him…An off the charts video put over Mark Henry…

Shore's Slant: Cool video. Go out of your way to see this one.

[Q8][C] 6. Sheamus defeated Mark Henry by countout at 7:43. Henry shoved Sheamus out of lockups and power tossed him around the ring. He locked on a bear hug, and Sheamus powered out. Sheamus went to the top. Henry grabbed him and gorilla pressed him. Sheamus slid down and hit a DDT and went on the attack.

Sheamus hit his forearm shots in the ropes, and then three knee lifts. He hit a clothesline from the top and Henry rolled to the floor. Sheamus tried to grab him and Henry tossed him to the floor. Henry cleared the announce table and grabbed Sheamus. Sheamus slid out and hit the Brogue kick that spilled Henry over the table. He covered Henry with the chairs and rolled in the ring for the countout victory.

Post-match, Henry turned the announce table over and tried to attack Sheamus. Sheamus knocked him to the floor and jumped from the apron. Henry caught him and slammed him into the apron. Sheamus shoved Henry into the stairs and took them apart. He tossed the top part at Henry and missed. Henry hit a clothesline and then the world's strongest slam on Sheamus on the bottom part of the stairs….

Shore's Slant: Fair match. I thought it was better than the SummerSlam match, and I didn't mind the countout so much this time as it added a nice evenness to the feud. Usually they leave them there, but Henry's attack at the end says this isn't over yet. A fair show that just didn't keep my interest all that much. Thanks for reading along. I'll have more to say tomorrow on the hitlist and "All Access" Smackdown review with Jake Barnett.

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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