/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/18945911/118553910.0.jpg)
WWE SmackDown returns to SyFy this coming Friday night (Sept. 6, 2013) from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but the show was taped, as usual, on Tuesday night. That means full spoilers are readily available if you're the impatient type who doesn't want to wait a couple days for the payoff.
Unwrap that present early:
- Triple H hosts a Town Hall meeting with the entire roster. No, they don't all walk out on him like before, but he does solicit opinion. Kofi Kingston, Heath Slater, Rob Van Dam, and Ryback speak out but that's it. Kofi and RVD were critical, Slater kissed ass, and Ryback said he's sick of being called a bully. Ryback was booked to take on Dolph Ziggler, Kofi got a shot against Curtis Axel "for being a true leader", Rob Van Dam got a match against Randy Orton, and Slater ended up in a handicap with Big Show later on. During the segment, Triple H tried to say Daniel Bryan wasn't out there because he thinks he's better than the rest of the roster.
- Orton def. Van Dam in a long TV match, essentially getting an entire quarter hour to itself. After, Alberto Del Rio attacked a wounded RVD with the Cross Armbreaker.
- Daniel Bryan interview with Renee Young. He explains he wasn't invited to the Town Hall meeting earlier, just to clear up the lies Triple H was trying to spread. That might be a good addition to the storyline. Have Triple H turn everyone against Bryan. Maybe a little too much like Sting in 1996, though.
- Ryback def. Ziggler after a distraction from Dean Ambrose. So it definitely looks like Ambrose vs. Ziggler for the U.S. title at Night of Champions. How about that for a mid-card feud?
- Kingston def. Axel and no, the Intercontinental title wasn't on the line. Not sure the idea here either, considering Axel is headed for a match alongside Paul Heyman against CM Punk at the pay-per-view (PPV) in a couple weeks. Oh, that's right, he's from Minneapolis, Never mind.
- Brie Bella vs. Natalya never saw a finish because AJ Lee, who had riled up all the other Divas on the roster earlier in the evening, led a charge to the ring for a smoz finish.
- Real Americans def. Usos in a nothing match, though it might be a something match simply by virtue of the fact that the Real Americans picked up an actual victory on TV.
- Big Show def. 3MB in a squash match. Crowd didn't know how to react to him at all, which could be a bad sign for this angle they're running with him. Stephanie McMahon might have killed him dead on Raw this week.
- Daniel Bryan was given a choice earlier in the night to choose an opponent for the main event between the three Shield members. He went with Seth Rollins. The Shield tried to interfere but the flying knee got the pinfall for Bryan. But you know what comes next. Orton took Bryan out and celebrated by holding the belt over him. Not sure how many shows in a row this is going to happen but there you go.
That's the show, Cagesiders. How does it sound to you?