8/26 WWE Smackdown in Rochester: Daniel Bryan vs. Kane in a fans choose the stipulations match, Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler, Ryback vs. Jinder Mahal, Brodus Clay vs. Damien Sandow

WWE live event
Rochester, Minnesota
Report by Dot Net Member HiSpot

The Rochester Civic Center is smallish, but the place was about 75 percent full. I'd estimate the crowd at about 4,000. The gene pool seemed pretty thin in certain sections of the crowd. We had second row seats and the evening's ring announcer and "time keeper" Matt Striker was seated directly in front of us.

1. Brodus Clay won the opener over Damien Sandow. Naomi and Cameron were in tow this evening, but no disco ball.

2. The Uso Brothers defeated Michael McGillicutty and Johnny Curtis.

3. Ryback defeated Jindar Mahal. I received a good pop with my "Nice glitter butt Mahal" shout. Rybeck actually sells for half the match on house shows!

4. Katlyn defeated Natalya. We wisely chose the concession stand over this match, where they were foolishly lacking in child sized products as usual.

5. Kane defeated Daniel Bryan in a Tables Match. This was a fan's choice match where we voted via text message. Bryan was great on the microphone all night and his performance was crisp as ever (I recall a certain internet reporter who thought Daniel Bryan was too bland to make it in the WWE.) Kane continued the streak of babyface victories by chokeslamming Bryan through the table.

Intermission

6. Sin Cara pinned Cody Rhodes. Sin Cara won with a school boy roll up in somewhat controversial fashion, as Cody was wriggling his shoulders on the mat. Some idiots were chanting "USA" (Sin Cara is Mexican.)

7. Randy Orton beat Dolph Ziggler after an RKO. This was probably the best match of the night. (No Vicki in attendance.) Orton is doing a much better job connecting with the fans in the building than when I've seen him previously, and Ziggler was very athletic.

8. Sheamus beat Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez) in a Last Man Standing match. Of course, Sheamus won with a Brogue kick. Another good match had ADR controlling most of the action. Ricardo was very active and took an accidental chair shot from Del Rio just before the finish. Dolph Ziggler rushed the ring and blasted Sheamus after the match with the MITB briefcase and tried to cash in. Remarkably, however, Sheamus recovered with a Brogue kick before the bell could ring. Since I was about 8 feet away, I entertained the idea of grabbing the bell and ringing it myself, but I thought better of it.

A fun evening with babyfaces going over all night.

Shouts from me that I got Matt Striker to react to:

- "Why didn't you sing the national anthem? Lillian would!"
- (While Rybeck is destroying Mahal) "You better go help him out Striker!"
- (After a sling shot suplex) "Shades of Tully Blanchard."
- (After after a steamroller move) "Shades of Otto Wanz"
- "Bring back Colt Cabana!"

Biggest Pops
1. Randy Orton
2. Sheamus
3. Dolph Ziggler
4. Brodus Clay
5. Kane

Most Heat
1. Alberto Del Rio
2. Daniel Bryan
3. Cody Rhodes
4. Dolph Ziggler
5. Jinder Mahal