Video: WWE Smackdown from Jan. 6, 2012, featuring Daniel Bryan vs Big Show and Cody Rhodes vs Booker T
by Geno Mrosko on Jan 7, 2012 1:01 PM EST
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This show was built on one big angle and two big matches. The angle, of course, was Randy Orton and his back injury, which they're still playing up to get Wade Barrett over, even though it's not working.
The two big matches were the opener, Cody Rhodes vs. Booker T for the Intercontinental championship, and the main event closer, Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show for the world heavyweight championship.
As to the first one, it was a damn good match until the finishing sequence, which looked far too choreographed and Booker T, at times, looked like he was moving in slow motion. The crowd wasn't conditioned properly for the match so the finish fell flat. It's clear they are building towards Rhodes vs. Goldust, maybe at WrestleMania. Did Cody get the rub they were hoping for by matching him up with Booker T? That's a conversation for another time.
The main event featured very little action but did see Mark Henry come out for commentary, which was as amazing as it sounds. Instead of having him work lame matches while he's hurt, just make commentary his full time gig. He was phenomenal. Especially considering the way he put Bryan over while maintaining his dislike for him. Michael Cole would have done well to take some notes.
The match was booked for Bryan to keep his title only after he gets in Henry's face, causing "The World's Strongest Man" to shove him down for the disqualification. Bryan then kept his heel turn coming along nicely by celebrating the win like it was hard earned. Particularly great was the way backed his way up the ramp and shouted "YES!" like he's Diego Sanchez while hoisting the heavyweight belt.
Babyface Bryan was floundering as the underdog but heel Bryan who wins via whatever means necessary and acts like he's king ding-a-ling is a character worth getting invested in.
Overall, another solid effort from Smackdown. Agree?
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I like Bryan as a heel
And Henry was great shutting Cole up
When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 7, 2012 1:12 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Maybe its me..
I like Epico & Primo, but the best thing.. is Rosa Mendez.. she’s found life on tv again.
And I’m glad the Hunico separated himself a bit from them.. I think he’s going places.. and his low rider bike intro is pretty cool. He’s less botchy now that he doesn’t have to do Sin Cara’s move set. He can be more himself & I hope he moves into a good feud soon. I also like that Jinder Mahal is getting some props.. I didn’t like how Sheamus went superman.. I had to make sure that wasn’t Cena with a Beaker wig on.
Suum Cuique
i dislike Rosa with a passion
probably because of her weird sounding spanish and her crappy dancing.
i meant, she's terrible at both.
im still hungover.
For all I know, she could be an “it”.. seriously.. I only look at her huge chest.. and it was meant to be more of a put down than a build up for the tag team. I like some of the teams work, but they all of a sudden got generic wardrobes & all that. But I do like Rosa’s big ol chesties.
Suum Cuique
by Rawuncutnxrated on Jan 7, 2012 2:13 PM EST up reply actions
Watching SD still...
Man Bryan was hilarious in the pre-match interview. I didn’t come out the womb this way.. haha… great stuff.
On a side note, I wish Cole would bring back the Cole Mine
Suum Cuique
HOLY SHIT…. HENRY IS KING ON THE MIC. He just owned Cole. Good Lord he needs to be out there every week or something. I cannot put words to how wonderful this is.
Suum Cuique
by Rawuncutnxrated on Jan 7, 2012 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
They needed to make Show tap in the lock.. he would have gotten super over. Especially with the bleeding mouth. I do like that how he goaded Henry into shoving him for the win.. but he had a great sequence w/ the Lebel Lock.. It could have done wonders to make Show tap.. but maybe not in story lines.. oh well.
Suum Cuique
by Rawuncutnxrated on Jan 7, 2012 2:15 PM EST up reply actions
i was thinking the same.
But while it would’ve gotten him over, i think it would’ve carried more of a mixed reaction than the clear Heel heat he got with the finish they rolled with.
Also true.
Bryan is getting really good at trolling the crowd, and that makes for a much more interesting character than the underdog babyface role he’s been playing.
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by McKinley B. Noble on Jan 7, 2012 5:24 PM EST up reply actions
The best thing about Smackdown
The AJ screen time.
Some other thoughts on Smackdown. There was a pretty good diva’s match, outstanding actually by current standards where it seemed like they were actually given some time to work a match. Henry on commentary was great, definitely makes me want to see him more of him in that spot even when he’s healthy.
I also love the emerging midcard on Smackdown. Jinder Mahal is mixed into a little feud with Sheamus. You’ve got Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel going working opposite each other. DiBiase and Hunico are still kind of just there, but they’re at least working regular matches on Smackdown and not just as forgettable jobbers. And Drew McIntyre might finally have paid his dues backstage to the point that he’s not just relegated to Superstars. Of course, Drew might still be screwed if he doesn’t win next week but I think that they have him pick up the W.
this was a very good top to bottom booked show
When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jan 7, 2012 3:37 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Is it me or was Daniel Bryan acting very early 2000's Kurt Angle-esque
He doesn’t have the natural charisma Kurt has on the mic, but his antics and the way he goaded Henry into shoving him to get a DQ, and also the celebration. The whole thing reminded me of early Kurt Angle.
I'm on board with this assessment.
I think that Angle was one of the best heels ever. I fucking hated him so much. But it wasn’t Michael Cole heat, it was “oh my god please destroy him Jericho/Austin/Rock/whomever”.
by Kyle Rancourt on Jan 7, 2012 5:46 PM EST up reply actions
Also
I love love loved Cody Rhodes backstage segment with Goldust. Pretty much love everything about Cody Rhodes at this point.
They need to have Bryan lose his temper and slap AJ in a backstage segment right before a match
He would get nuclear heat from every crowd until the end of time
My porn name is HogOfHawkness
When I look at AJ it's very hard to see a heel
My porn name is HogOfHawkness
by HeartOfHawkness on Jan 8, 2012 2:09 AM EST up reply actions
I don't know
I would love to see AJ in heels
So go forth, my brethren, and proceed to mark the f*ck out
by C. J. Bradford on Jan 8, 2012 2:49 AM EST up reply actions
I think we can all agree on that
My porn name is HogOfHawkness
by HeartOfHawkness on Jan 8, 2012 8:17 PM EST up reply actions
I think the kind of heat that comes with domestic abuse is the wrong kind of heat.
by Kyle Rancourt on Jan 7, 2012 9:55 PM EST up reply actions
She's a trained fighter so one slap wouldn't be full out domestic abuse.
Although I admit it’s highly un-PG
My porn name is HogOfHawkness
by HeartOfHawkness on Jan 8, 2012 2:08 AM EST up reply actions
I always thought there was something different about the completely over-the-top stuff like the Dudleyz putting women through tables and things of that nature, and striking them. Savage got HUGE heat when he slapped Torrie Wilson in WCW.
by The so-called Beautiful on Jan 9, 2012 3:50 PM EST up reply actions
I would have liked to see Bryan be a giant-killer as a babyface, but if the heel stuff will help him get over better, then I’m cool with it. Though it’ll be really weird if Cole continues to bury him when he’s a heel. Maybe they can use it to turn Cole back to babyface so he can be a normal play-by-play guy again. That would make me very happy.
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