By Chris Shore

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 10/16 in Memphis, Tennessee.

[Q1] The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Josh Matthews and JBL welcomed us to Smackdown. Miz was introduced for Miz TV. He was already in the ring. Miz said the last 48 hours had been a living hell since he lost the Intercontinental Championship. Which is funny because it had been about 48 minutes at this point. Sorry. Miz said he was invoking his rematch clause for Hell in a Cell, and he would make Kofi's life a living hell.

Miz introduced his guests, Kane and Daniel Bryan. They made separate entrances and Miz pointed it out. He said they weren't a real tag team, they were egomaniacs. Kane said he had this. Bryan asked if Miz wanted him to separate his teeth from his face. Miz said he's sure Bryan's friends at the petting zoo are impressed. Goat face joke.

Miz said Bryan was a joke. He said Bryan couldn't get along with him when he was Bryan's pro on NXT, and he couldn't get along with Kane as a tag team. Miz said Bryan was the reason they would lose the belts at Hell in a Cell. Bryan started to speak, but Kane cut him off. He got in Miz's face and said nobody cared what Miz thought. Kane said if Bryan was the problem, he was the answer.

Bryan said he was the reason they were going to win because he was the world's strongest vegan. Kane said that's like being the world's tallest dwarf. He said Bryan had that one covered too. Bryan said he was a former champion who ended the reign of a giant in 45 seconds. He said he was the tag team champions. Kane said he was. They went back and forth until Big Show's music hit.

Big Show came out and said he had no problems with Kane, they were scheduled for Monday. He said he had a real problem with Bryan. He said Bryan should have learned after the beating he gave Bryan on Raw. He said after he knocked Sheamus out, nobody would remind him of it again. He said he should knock Bryan out now.

Bryan hid behind Kane and Kane told Big Show they didn't have to wait until Monday, they could go early. They faced off until Dolph Ziggler's music hit. He came to the ring and said none of this mattered. He said after Big Show and Sheamus beat the hell out of each other he was going to cash in his contract and steal the show to become champion. He said if Bryan can beat Show, how hard could it be. They all started arguing with Miz screaming at them.

Booker T's music hit and he came to the ramp. He started talking, but Miz cut him off. He mocked Booker making matches and said it would be a handicap match, can you dig that sucka, good bye. Hilarious. Booker said no, he was going to make tw matches. He booked Hell No vs. Big Show and Dolph Ziggler, and Miz vs. "this man." Randy Orton's music hit and he started his entrance…

Shore's Slant: Pretty good opening. Everybody did well on the mic. Miz mocking Booker T was fantastic. I don't like the matches, but I was entertained by the segment.

[Q2][C] 1. Miz vs. Randy Orton. The match was joined in progress. Orton was stomping on Miz, and Ricardo Rodriguez and Alberto Del Rio were shown sitting in a sky box, watching Orton. Miz reversed a whip and hit a knee lift to take control. He dropped Orton on the top rope and hit a running knee to knock Orton to the floor…[C]

During the break, a commercial aired for a Raw taping in my market for December 3. The main event? John Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship. Back from commercial, Miz dropped elbows on Orton as Matt Striker asked Del Rio for comments about Ricardo getting RKOed on the announced table last week. Ricardo punked Striker for getting beat up by Kane last week too. Del Rio said he was the new apex predator in WWE and he would end Orton.

In the ring, Orton hit a top rope superplex for two. Orton hit his scoop suplex and tried to grab Miz for the rope DDT. Miz ran, so Orton a drop kick for two. Miz hit a surprise DDT for two. He tried to kick Orton, but Orton ducked, popped up, and hit the rope DDT. Orton went for the RKO, but Miz tried to reverse into the Skull Crushing Finale. Orton escaped and hit the RKO for the win.

Randy Orton defeated Miz at 11:27.

[Q3] Orton stood on the turnbuckle and beckoned Del Rio to come down. Del Rio pitched a fit in the sky box. He took a mic and said they were going to do this on his terms, not Orton's. The announce tea, hyped their Hell in a Cell match.

Backstage, Sheamus walked up on Teddy Long. Sheamus said he and Wade Barrett have had two matches that ended with Big Show interfering at the end. He asked for one more match. Teddy said he would talk to Booker and get him to book a lumberjack match to make sure there was a winner. They fist bumped and walked off. Eve was shown lurking in the background…

Shore's Slant: Good match with rton and Miz. Miz earned his money this week folks. He got knocked the eff out on Monday, went 20 plus minutes on Tuesday for Main Event, and then turned around about an hour or so later and went another 11 with Orton and took a superplex. Tough week. Eve lurking in the shadows? I keep telling myself, "At least it's a story."

Team Rhodes Scholar made their ring entrance. The announce team hyped the finals of the tag team tournament this coming Monday. Their opponents were already in the ring…

2. Rhodes Scholar vs. Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd. Cody and Kidd started. Kidd started fast and tagged Gabriel in 20 seconds. Gabriel dropped Rhodes and went to the top rope. Sandow pulled Cody from the ring and saved him. Gabriel dove on Cody, but Sandow attacked from behind and rolled Gabriel back in the ring for Cody. Kidd got the hot tag and put Sandow in the Sharpshooter. Rhodes immediately hit the Disaster kick for the win. Cool spot…

Rhodes Scholar defeated Justin Gabriela and Tyson Kidd at 3:15.

Backstage, Teddy walked up to Booker T and Eve. He pitched his idea for the main event and Eve said she had that idea since last week. She said Teddy was trying to take credit for her idea. Teddy said that wasn't like him. Booker said he had to go. Eve said she would walk with him. She made a face at Teddy and left after laying her iPad on a table. Teddy picked it up and started going through it…

Shore's Slant: If Eve doesn't have a passcode on her iPad that's her stupidity. I wonder if she has any pictures of herself she made with the iPad. People look so stupid when they do that.

[Q4][C] Daniel Bryan and Kane finished their entrance…

3. Kane and Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero) and Big Show. Bryan and Ziggler started, but Ziggler tagged out to Show and Bryan tagged out to Kane. Kane and Big Show traded blows. Show hit the spear and took control He punched Kane in the corner, but Kane fought back and dropped Show. He tagged Bryan who ran in and hit about 30 kicks. He backed up and went for another, but Show blocked it and shoved him away. He gorilla pressed Bryan and tossed him to the floor…[C]

Back from commercial, Ziggler hit his jumping elbow on Bryan and tagged Show. Show tossed Bryan around and lifted for the chokeslam. Bryan reversed into a DDT, but Ziggler tagged in and hit a DDT of his own to retain control. Bryan finally got the hot tag to Kane and Kane cleaned house.

[Q5] Kane setup for the chokeslam, but Bryan tagged himself in again. He went to the top rope and jumped off, but Show caught him by the throat. Kane kicked Show, and Bryan slapped on the No Lock on Ziggler for the win…

Daniel Bryan and Kane defeated Dolph Ziggler and Big Show at 13:06.

Post-match, Bryan and Kane stood on the ramp and argued over who was the tag team champions. Rhodes Scholar attacked from behind and drove Kane to the floor. Rhodes Scholar stomped on Bryan for a while before walking away…The announce team played a video that recapped the Sheamus vs. Wade Barrett feud…[C]

Shore's Slant: Dolph Ziggler lost again. Surprise, surprise. That match wasn't even all that entertaining. I can't believe the same company that gave me Kofi vs. Miz on Wednesday is giving me this tonight.

Lilian Garcia did the Susan G. Komen sell…Antonio Cesaro made his ring entrance. A video showed him outside of Sun Studios, a music landmark in Memphis. He said many music greats recorded there. He then ran those greats down as "country bumpkins" and said this was why he needed to be the US Champion. Ted DiBiase was already in the ring…

4. Ted DiBiase vs. Antonio Cesaro. A "USA" chant broke out, but the match was all Cesaro. Matthews said Cesaro believes no American will ever beat him for the title.

[Q6] Cesaro hit the popup uppercut and almost knocked DiBiase out. He followed with the neutralizer for the win…

Antonio Cesaro defeated Ted DiBiase at 2:43.

The announce team hyped the Raw Rebound for next…[C]

Shore's Slant: I hate foreign heels who are heels only because they are foreign. I like Cesaro, just not the gimmick.

Josh Matthews hyped the Rolling Stones concert, and then setup the Raw Rebound that recapped how we got to CM Punk vs. Ryback…A WWE '13 video showed Ryback vs. CM Punk in a Hell in a Cell…

3MB were in the ring. A video showed how they announced themselves on Raw. They cut a promo and Slater said he was going to beat Brodus Clay. Clay and the dancers made their ring entrance…

5. Brodus Clay vs. Heath Slater (w/3MB). Clay started fast, but Slater hit a drop kick for one. Clay powered back, but 3MB distracted him and Slater hit his finisher for the win…

Heath Slater defeated Brodus Clay at 1:53.

[Q7] Matt Striker asked Wade Barrett about his match later. Barrett said people are calling Sheamus the toughest guy, but he thinks he's stupid. He said he didn't mean that mean, but why would Sheamus take a match with him when he has a match with Big Show in less than two weeks. Barrett said he was going to do Show a favor by hurting Sheamus. He said after Show won the title, he wanted the favor repaid…[C]

Shore's Slant: 3MB is terrible. Wade Barrett, however, is not. Good promo from him here. I liked his intensity. Now if they can just follow up.

6. Natalya vs. Layla. Eve joined the announce team and sidestepped questions about the blonde wig. She said Aksana could have planted the wig in her bag. Matthews asked her about stealing Teddy's idea and she said he was stealing hers. Layla got distracted by Eve being at ringside, but she hit one kick for the win…

Layla defeated Natalya at 1:52.

Backstage, Kaitlyn was looking at her phone. Teddy Long walked up and showed her the iPad. He said Layla had to be stopped, and Kaitlyn could do what she wanted with the info. Kaitlyn took pictures of whatever was on the iPad screen and told Teddy to put it back so Eve wouldn't know…The lumberjacks made their entrance…[C]

Shore's Slant: I can't wait to find out what's on the iPad. It could be anything with this writing team!

Wade Barrett and Sheamus made their ring entrances…

[Q8] 7. Wade Barrett vs. Sheamus in a lumberjack match. Sheamus was the first guy thrown to the floor. A group rolled him back in with no attacks. Big Show was shown on the floor as a lumberjack. Barrett scored a near fall right before the break…[C]

Back from commercial, Sheamus hit his forearms on the ropes, and followed with white noise. He backed up for the Brogue Kick. Some of the lumberjacks pulled Barrett out of the way. Sheamus dove on them and rolled Barrett back in the ring. Barrett hit a back elbow and a superkick while Sheamus was on his knees for two.

Barrett lifted Sheamus on his shoulders. Sheamus slid out and went for a Brogue Kick. Barrett ducked and clotheslined Sheamus over the top. The babyface lumberjacks didn't want to touch Sheamus. Barrett attacked the lumberjacks, and a big brawl broke out. Kane's pyro popped and he and Daniel Bryan ran out to get at Rhodes Scholars. Cody tried to run through the ring to escape. The distraction allowed Sheamus to hit the Brogue Kick for the win.

Sheamus defeated Wade Barrett at 10:56.

Post-match, Sheamus celebrated in the ring. Dokph Ziggler ran in from nowhere and hit the Zig Zag. He strtaed to cash in his briefcase, but Show knocked him out. Show walked up the ramp and took a mic. He told Sheamus to look at Ziggler because that was his futre at Hell in a Cell…

Shore's Slant: They went about this all wrong it feels like. There might be a storyline purpose for all this come Sunday, I can see a scenario here, but they should have had Show knock out Sheamus to give Barrett the win off the distraction. That way everybody gets protected. I really hope Ziggler walks out of Hell in a Cell as champion. His stock is starting to slip. I'll have more tomorrow on the Hitlist and All Access audio. Thanks for watching along 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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