Friday Night Smackdown
November 16, 2012
Cleveland, Ohio
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
A video package plays, and it first features a look at CM Punk’s impending WWE Championship match against Ryback and John Cena at Survivor Series. They then highlight The Miz being chosen as a member of Team Foley this past Monday. We’ll also take a look at Big Show’s dominating run as the World Heavyweight Champion. Can anyone stop him?
Sheamus is seen in the parking garage awaiting the arrival of Big Show.
Tony Chimel asks the crowd to welcome one of their own – The Miz! The Miz makes his way to the ring to a really nice reception. He’ll be a part of Team Foley to take on Team Ziggler at Survivor Series. Now, it’s time to kick of Miz TV. The crowd is chanting, “Miz is awesome!” Miz says it’s good to be home, and he welcomes them to the most must see talk show in WWE history – Miz TV. In two days, the twenty-sixth annual Survivor Series will take place, and he’s now on Team Foley because of the WWE Universe. They selected him in a Raw Active vote, but there wasn’t any doubt. He’s on the poster, and they show the Survivor Series poster. He’s on the poster because he’s a survivor, and he’s accomplished more than any other Survivor Series participant. He won’t fall blindly in line with any team captain, whether it’s Dolph Ziggler or his guest at this time, the Hardcore Legend, Mick Foley!
Mick Foley makes his way to the ring to a great reception. Foley appreciates Miz having him on his show, but he’s not going to mince words. He had some reservations about putting Miz on the ballot, and its not because he portrays the biggest bully in the history of children’s literature in his new book, “A Most Mizerable Christmas,” available in online and in bookstores every, including bookstores “right here in Cleveland, Ohio!” Miz tells him not to go for a cheap pop in his hometown, and Foley gets another cheap pop in.
Foley says that even though his book is called “A Most Mizerable Christmas,” if it were written by Charles Dickens, it would be called “A Tale of Two Miz’.” That’s what he is to him – a tale of two people. He’s wondering who will show up to compete for Team Foley. Will it be the WrestleMania main eventing, John Cena defeating, awesome inducing, self-surviving WWE superstar or will it be the vacation taking, chair sitting, makeup wearing, weak beard growing Miz who shows up on Smackdown and Raw from time to time. Which Miz will it be?
Miz asks if he REALLY needs to ask that question, and he gets the crowd going with the “really” shtick. Miz is the least of his problems. Foley should look at the rest of his team. He has Tag Team Champions who doesn’t like one another, an apex predator who doesn’t get along with others, and a cheap shot artist that stole his Intercontinental Championship. Foley says he’s glad it’s out in the open because he took the liberty of having a team meeting on Miz TV. Foley then introduces the rest of the team he will captain at Survivor Series: Kofi Kingston, Team Hell No, and Randy Orton.
Foley wants to open up the lines of communication, but no one talks initially. Daniel Bryan and Kane take a microphone, and they argue over who will start. Bryan says that Kane is attempting to apologize for his constant insinuation that he is the weak link of their tag team. Kane says he just wanted to thank The Miz for being a great tag team partner on Raw. Kane’s back feels so much better not having to carry somebody, and he looks at Bryan. Bryan says without him, he’d be roaming basements and scaring little children. Kane says he does that regardless. They then argue over who the Tag Team Champion is. Kofi Kingston attempts to broker peace, but The Miz cuts him off. Miz says he attempted to shake his hand last week, and Kingston kicked him in the face. Kingston says if Miz doesn’t take two steps back, he’ll do it again.
Foley wants team unity, and he says the voice of reason may turn out to be Randy Orton. Orton says he’s spat in Foley’s face numerous times, Foley has thrown him into thumbtacks, but even though that happened between them, he still likes Foley more than anyone else in the ring right now. Orton says there isn’t a single member of this team that he does like or trust. Orton knocks over The Miz’ Survivor Series poster.
Dolph Ziggler’s music hits, and he makes his way to the ring with his Survivor Series team consisting of Alberto Del Rio, Wade Barrett, and Damien Sandow. Cody Rhodes is missing. Ziggler says the people in the ring are the definition of dysfunction. Team Ziggler has no egos. They’re elite superstars all united behind a charismatic leader. Del Rio talks with Ricardo Rodriguez, and Ziggler doesn’t take to that too kindly. Del Rio says that Ziggler doesn’t have what it takes to be team leader. There’s only one person who should be the leader. Del Rio says he’s a former WWE Champion, but Ziggler says he’s a FUTURE champion.
Foley says Ziggler is sure showing them how to be united. Ziggler tells him to stay out of this. Foley says he is involved, and he mentions that he used to make pretty good matches back in the day. Booker T has given him permission to make matches in Cleveland, Ohio. Foley says he’s going to make his first match, and it’ll be Ziggler and Del Rio taking on Miz and Orton. Ziggler says he’s glad that Miz quit because he couldn’t cut it anyway. They have someone better – Wade Barrett. Barrett says Team Ziggler has replaced a quitter with a winner. Foley says that’s catchy, but he wants to see how he stacks up against Kane tonight. Bryan yells “NO!” over and over again, and Damien Sandow demands silence. It’s obvious that Team Foley is in complete disarray. They have a goat-faced, one-word wonder running around with an anger problem, and his tag team partner whose brutality has caused Cody Rhodes to not be there. Then you have a braided, neon mute who now claims he has the ability to fly. Kingston cuts him off, and he was expecting something smarter than what Sandow has said. He challenges him, and Foley makes that match official. In fact, it’s the first match tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Kofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow
They lock up, and Sandow gets a side headlock applied before taking him down. Kingston fights up, and he whips Sandow off. Sandow hits a shoulder block, hits the ropes, Kingston leapfrogs him and hits a back elbow. Sandow quickly leaves the ring to gain his bearings. Sandow gets back in. Kingston blocks a kick, spins him, and hits a pair of arm drags. Kingston begins to work on the left arm of Sandow for a one count. Kingston wrenches the arm, but Sandow fights out. Sandow head-butts him before sending him to the ropes. Kingston counters a hip toss into a monkey flip. Sandow again escaped the ring, but Kingston chases him this time. Sandow runs into the ring, and he attacks Kingston as he gets in.
Sandow sends him to the corner, but Kingston slingshots over him and hits a dropkick for a near fall. Kingston kicks him down before connecting with a kick to the face and arm for a near fall. Sandow quickly stuns him, but he fails to sends him over the top rope. Kingston does instead, and he takes Sandow out with a suicide dive.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kingston kicking Sandow down in the corner. Sandow quickly shoulders him in the midsection, but Kingston punches back. Sandow reverses a whip, kicks him, and hits a flipping neckbreaker for a near fall. Sandow knees him in the back and grinds his face into the mat. Sandow bows to the crowd sarcastically before hitting a side leg sweep and the Cubito Aequet for a near fall. Kingston fights back, but Sandow kicks him. Kingston comes back with some slaps to the chest and a dropkick. Kingston hits a leaping clothesline before hitting the Boom Drop. Kingston sets up for his finisher in the corner, but Sandow runs to the corner. Sandow elbows him in the face, misses a clothesline, and Kingston catches him on the rebound with a cross-body block for a near fall. Sandow hits a jawbreaker, hits the ropes, and Kingston hits a back body drop. Sandow quickly kicks him in the knee and rolls him up with a handful of tights for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Damien Sandow
Match Rating: * ¼
Sheamus is shown still waiting for Big Show in the parking garage.
-Commercial Break-
They show the Raw Rebound featuring Vickie Guerrero showing more incriminating evidence of an affair between John Cena and AJ.
Eve Torres, Alicia Fox and Aksana vs. Natalya, Kaitlyn and Layla
Natalya starts off against Aksana. They lock up, and Aksana backs her against the ropes. Aksana knees her in the midsection and wrenches the arm. Natalya twists out and rolls her up for a one count. Layla tags in, and she spanks Aksana before hitting a double clothesline with Natalya. Layla hits a dropkick for a near fall. Alicia Fox gets a blind tag, and they take Layla down for a two count. Alicia hits a northern lights suplex for a two count. Alicia throws her by the hair, and she tags in Eve Torres. Alicia hits a body slam, and Eve follows up with a flipping senton for a two count. Eve chokes Layla on the ropes for a two count. Eve hits a snapmare before kicking her in the face for a one count. Alicia tags back in, and she kicks her in the midsection. Layla fights back, kicks Alicia off, and tags in Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn hits a clothesline and a pair of back elbows. Kaitlyn sends her to the ropes, but Alicia kicks her in the face. Kaitlyn comes back with a flapjack, sends her to the ropes, and hits a shoulder block. Aksana breaks up the pinfall, and Natalya throws her out of the ring. Kaitlyn dropkicks Alicia into Eve, and she follows up with a reverse DDT for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Natalya, Kaitlyn and Layla
Match Rating: ½ *
Randy Orton and The Miz will take on Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler, next.
-Commercial Break-
Booker T approaches Sheamus in the garage. Booker says that he’s been where Sheamus has been, but he’s being put in an awkward position. The word is that Big Show won’t even show up with Sheamus in the garage. Sheamus says he’ll move, but when he sees Big Show, he should tell him to meet him in the ring. Booker T says Survivor Series if forty-eight hours away. He just needs him to keep his cool, but Sheamus can’t promise anything. Booker grabs him by the arm, and he says he’s serious. If something happens in the ring, there will be series repercussions. Sheamus says that’s right, and he walks off.
Randy Orton and The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio
The Miz will start against Dolph Ziggler. They lock up, and Ziggler wrenches the arm. Ziggler applies a side headlock, gets whipped off, and hits a shoulder block. Ziggler goes into the ropes, and Miz catches him with a flapjack for a two count. Ziggler quickly kicks and punches, but Miz answers right back. Ziggler quickly sends him over the top rope. Del Rio then knocks Orton off the apron. Ziggler and Del Rio stand tall in the ring.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Orton trapped in a headlock applied by Ziggler. Orton elbows out and hits a head-butt. Orton hits the ropes, and Ziggler turns him inside out with a knee to the midsection. Ziggler hits a big elbow drop for a two count. Del Rio is tagged in, and he kicks Orton in the arm. Del Rio kicks him down in the corner, backs up, and Orton kicks him. Orton punches him down in the corner, but the referee backs him up. Del Rio quickly kicks him and hits a double knee armbreaker for a near fall. Del Rio kicks him in the back before tagging in Ziggler. Ziggler puts a foot on him for a one count. Orton blocks a punch and sends him to the ropes, but Ziggler kicks him. Orton quickly catches him with a flapjack, and he hits a rough tag to The Miz.
Miz beats Ziggler down in the corner, backs up, and hits his patented corner clothesline. The crowd is going wild for him. Miz hits a double axe handle off the top rope for a near fall. Miz has a whip to the corner reversed, but he catches Ziggler with a boot to the face. The referee’s back is turned, and Del Rio knocks Miz off the top rope. Ziggler goes outside and drops him on the barricade. Ziggler puts him back in the ring for a one count. Del Rio is tagged back in, and he kicks away at him in the corner. Ziggler gets a cheap shot in, and Del Rio hits a step-up enzuigiri for a two count. Del Rio applies pressure to the left arm, but Miz fights out. Del Rio head-butts away at him, backs up, and Miz hits a back body drop over the top rope!
Orton is tagged in, and he hits a pair of clotheslines on Del Rio, knocks Ziggler off the apron, and finishes Del Rio with a powerslam. Orton then catches Ziggler with a powerslam. Orton hits the hanging DDT on Del Rio, and he gets the crowd ready. Miz tags himself in, hits Del Rio with the Skull Crushing Finale, and picks up the win in his hometown!
Winners by Pinfall: Randy Orton and The Miz
Match Rating: **
The Miz taunts Randy Orton before posing for the crowd. Miz goes back to talk a little more trash to Orton, and he drops Miz with an RKO! The crowd isn’t too happy with that as Orton stands over him. Orton then poses for the crowd.
-Commercial Break-
Sheamus calls out the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Big Show
Sheamus says that Big Show has crossed the line. He was happy with their match at Hell in a Cell because they pushed each other and had the fight of their lives. Then Big Show had to attack him and his friend William Regal in a pub like a coward. Sheamus says he’s tired of all this talking and running around. Even though their match is this Sunday at Survivor Series, he doesn’t feel like waiting. The time for talking is over. It’s time to fight!
Big Show’s music hits, and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion comes out to the ramp to a chorus of boos. Big Show says Sheamus just doesn’t get it. He called him out last week, but nothing will happen except to get William Regal knocked out again. Big Show wonders if Sheamus really think he’s scared of him. Big Show says he is scared, just not of Sheamus. He’s scared of what he will do to Sheamus. Instead of getting angry, Sheamus should just do the right thing and thank him. Sheamus says that’s the best idea Big Show has ever had. He’s going to come up there and thank him right now.
Booker T runs out and stops Sheamus from running up the ramp. This isn’t Monday night where everything is totally out of control. This is Smackdown. This is his show. In two days, he has got the Big Show at Survivor Series, but tonight he’s going to ask him to leave. Sheamus says he respects him, but he has to kick Big Show’s arse. Big Show walks off. Booker T says he’s ordering Sheamus as the Smackdown General Manager to leave his building. Booker then escorts Sheamus out.
-Commercial Break-
Big Show is shown walking backstage supremely confidently. He bumps into Big Show, and he talks about how they go way back, over fifteen years. Booker T says he’s glad Big Show appreciates the way he handles his business because he’s in tonight’s main event. Big Show asks who his opponent is, but Booker says he’ll find out in the ring. Big Show sheepishly asks if it’s against Sheamus, but Booker assures him its not. However, he reminds him that no one is bigger than the show.
Kane vs. Wade Barrett
Barrett quickly comes out on the offensive, but Kane punches back. Barrett catches him with the Winds of Change, but he can’t get a count. Kane reverses a whip, and he drops Barrett with a big boot before hitting a clothesline out of the ring. Kane throws him back in, goes to the top rope, and hits a flying clothesline. All of a sudden, Team Ziggler runs down and assaults Kane.
Winner by Disqualification: Kane
Match Rating: N/A
Kane tries to fight them off, but they overwhelm him. Daniel Bryan runs out for the save, and he tries to help out, but Team Ziggler overwhelms him as well. Mick Foley comes out to the stage and waves his team down to help. Kofi Kingston runs down first, and Randy Orton follows him. Orton really even things up, and Team Foley clears the ring of Team Ziggler. Sandow tries to sneak up from behind, but Orton gives him an RKO! Orton then catches Ziggler with an RKO as well! The Miz then walks out to the stage, and he has a stare down with Randy Orton.
Tonight’s main event will see Big Show take on a mystery opponent. We’ll take a look at another Raw Rebound, next.
-Commercial Break-
The Raw Rebound looks at the triple threat WWE Championship match at Survivor Series.
R-Truth makes his way to the announce table. He’ll be on commentary for the next match, which features his opponent at Survivor Series, Antonio Cesaro. Cesaro will face Sin Cara, next.
-Commercial Break-
Antonio Cesaro vs. Sin Cara
Cesaro immediately takes Cara down, and he rubs his face in the mat. Cara hits an arm drag, kicks him, climbs the ropes, and hits a hurricanrana. Cesaro quickly comes back with a backbreaker. R-Truth is distractingly awful on commentary. Cesaro calls out R-Truth, who isn’t even looking at him, and he hits a gutwrench suplex. Cesaro applies a neck vice, but Cara fights back. Cara hits a twisting head-scissor takeover and charges, but Cesaro drops him to the apron. Cara kicks him in the face and hits a hurricanrana into a cradle for a near fall. Cesaro reverses a whip, and he uppercuts Cara out of mid-air. Cesaro hits the Neutralizer for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Antonio Cesaro
Match Rating: ½ *
R-Truth asks for the crowd’s attention. With all due respect to Little Jimmy, he’d like to quote another Jimmy – “Hacksaw” Jimmy Duggan. R-Truth then chants “USA” and the crowd chants along.
-Commercial Break-
Big Show vs. The Great Khali
Big Show looks stunned as The Great Khali makes his way to the ring. He doesn’t look happy about having to fight Khali just forty-eight hours before Survivor Series.
They lock up, and Khali pushes Big Show away. Big Show kicks and head-butts him back. Big Show goes for a chop, but Khali turns him and chops him instead. Khali repeats the move, and Big Show is in pain. Khali clubs at him before kicking him in the corner. Khali hits a back elbow and clubs him down to a knee a few times. Khali head-butts him down and taunts the crowd. Khali chokes him on the ropes and head-butts him. Big Show punches back, but he can’t whip him. Khali whips him into the ropes, and Big Show takes him out with a spear for a near fall. Big Show signals for the Chokeslam, but Khali gets out of it. Khali hits a Brain Chop for a near fall. Khali signals for his Punjabi Plunge, but Big Show fights out. Big Show hits the KO Punch out of nowhere for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Big Show
Match Rating: ¼ *
Sheamus’ music hits, and Big Show looks scared. The music continues to play, but Sheamus never comes out. Big Show is looking for him, and then his own music starts up. Big Show angrily goes to the back.
Big Show is seen walking in the parking garage when Matt Striker comes up for an interview. Big Show scares him away. Big Show goes to his bus, but Sheamus pops out of it. Sheamus viciously beats him in the garage and pushes him into a car window, which explodes. Big Show comes back, and he throws Sheamus into a car windshield. Big Show walks off, but Sheamus leaps from the roof of a car to put Big Show through another car windshield. Sheamus punches and bounces him off the trunk until Big Show is down. Booker T runs out with a bunch of referees to rip Sheamus off him. Sheamus screams that he’ll finish this on Sunday.
Quick Match Results
Damien Sandow def. Kofi Kingston (non-title)
Natalya, Kaitlyn and Layla def. Eve Torres, Alicia Fox and Aksana
Randy Orton and The Miz def. Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio
Kane def. Wade Barrett via DQ
Antonio Cesaro def. Sin Cara (non-title)
Big Show def. The Great Khali (non-title)
Bump of the Night: Sheamus being slammed through a car windshield
Match of the Night: Orton and Miz vs. Ziggler and Del Rio **