Smackdown
Date:
February 21, 2014
Location:
World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Commentators:
Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
It's
the go home show for Elimination Chamber and everything is set for
Sunday. Monday ended with a huge brawl between the twelve people in
the two biggest matches on Sunday which is a good way to end a show.
The main event for tonight is Sheamus vs. Christian after Christian
turned heel on Monday. Let's get to it.
No
In Memory graphic for Nelson Frazier Jr. Even TNA had one of those.
Maybe on Sunday.
Opening
sequence.
Daniel
Bryan vs. Jack Swagger
Bryan
is nursing a bad shoulder after Christian and Kane attacked him on
Raw. Jack goes after the shoulder to start but Bryan takes him to
the mat and grabs a headlock. Two running dropkicks in the corner
send Swagger to the floor but he catches Bryan charging off the apron
and drops him onto the barricade. The bad shoulder goes into the
barricade and post as Jack is being much more aggressive tonight.
Swagger
stays on the arm by wrapping it around the ropes and driving in knees
before slamming him down on the shoulder. Another slam gets two and
Jack takes him to the top for what looks to be a northern lights
superplex onto the arm. It's nice to see someone mixing up their
offense on a limb like that. Bryan slips down before Swagger can
through him though and the running knee connects out of nowhere for
the pin at 4:48. It's as abrupt as it sounds.
Rating:
C. It was nice while it lasted,
but this is the kind of booking that makes me shake my head. We're
supposed to buy Swagger, known as losing more often than he wins, as
a challenger for a title on Sunday so why would you have him lose
clean in less than five minutes? Obviously you can't put him over
Bryan, so WHY PUT THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE???
Have Jack beat up Sin Cara
or Ziggler or Miz or have
Cesaro come in for the DQ before Bryan can cover. Just
don't have Swagger
get pinned this soon before a title shot.
Post
match Vickie Guerrero comes out and makes Bryan vs. Cesaro because
she's a heel now after acting like a face with Colter last week.
Daniel
Bryan vs. Cesaro
Cesaro
goes right after the arm to start by taking Bryan into the corner and
driving knees into the shoulder. Daniel comes back with some kicks
but a single shot to the shoulder puts him right back down. Cesaro
takes him into the middle of the ring and cranks on the arm even more
before slamming it down onto the mat. Again, it's much better to mix
up the offense than to use the same move over and over again. Keep
it fresh.
Bryan
fights up and goes to the middle rope but dives into a shoulder
breaker for two. We hit the armbar as Cole thinks Bryan should just
give up now and save himself for Sunday. Daniel
is able to knock Cesaro to the floor and hit the FLYING GOAT but a
Colter distraction lets Cesaro kick the bad shoulder. Jack gets
caught with a chair and gets ejected for his efforts. Colter
gets the same and we take a break.
Back
with Cesaro pummeling Bryan in the corner with Kane at ringside.
Cesaro loads up a superplex,
making sure to bend Bryan's arm as slowly as possible, but Daniel
headbutts him down and scores with a missile dropkick. The YES Kicks
give Daniel a breather but the big one is countered into the Swing.
Back in and Cesaro throws Bryan into the air for Swiss Death which
might have hit the shoulder. Another
running uppercut in the corner has Bryan reeling but he comes out
with a running knee to knock Cesaro silly, only to draw in Kane for
the DQ at 10:20 shown of 13:20.
Rating:
C+. This ending works much
better as Bryan was in trouble but Cesaro still could have kicked out
due to Bryan not being able to cover immediately. The
arm work here was good and they still have an out to keep the title
off Bryan on Sunday, or a way to have him overcome the odds and shock
the world. I'm still hoping we get Kane vs. Bryan on a big Raw
before Wrestlemania and HHH vs. Bryan at the PPV if he doesn't get in
the title match.
Kane
announces the result like he did on Monday. Cesaro hits the
Neutralizer on Bryan to blow off some steam.
Christian
talks about being more aggressive because he knows his window to be
champion again is closing. The last few weeks haven't been going the
way he'd hoped and he had to figure it out before the Chamber. These
people at home stuffing their faces aren't going to help him so he
had to do it himself.
Bella
Twins video on how to use the Network.
We
look at The Shield and Wyatts nearly colliding on Monday before
brawling to end the show. I'd take Bray vs. Reigns at Wrestlemania
right now.
The
Wyatts come out for their match. Bray says there isn't much left to
say now. The Shield are just three dominoes in a line and then the
rest shall fall. They want people to believe in them but how can
that happen when they're crawling on their hands and knees, looking
up at the eater of worlds? Follow the buzzards.
Wyatt
Family vs. Cody Rhodes/Goldust/Rey Mysterio
Harper
and Rey get things going with the big man tossing Rey around, only to
have Rhodes come in off a blind tag. A running clothesline gets two
on Luke and it's off to Rowan vs. Goldust with the painted one taking
over. Goldust ducks a right hand in the corner and fires off some
punches of his own, only to get caught in a fallaway slam. Bray
himself comes in for a hard clothesline as we take a break.
Back
with Harper Gator Rolling Goldust before putting on a headlock.
Goldust fights up and hits a quick sunset bomb but Luke rolls through
before a count. The hot tag brings in Cody with a springboard
missile dropkick and the moonsault press for two. The fans aren't
getting all that fires up by this match. Rey comes in off another
blind tag as Harper is sent to the floor. Back in and Harper
counters the 619 with a big boot to give Bray a two count.
Rowan
comes back in for a bearhug and a big side slam for two. Luke gets
another tag and hammers on Rey for a few seconds before it's back to
Bray for the running splash in the corner. Rey counters a second one
with a drop toehold and it's off to Goldust to speed things up a bit.
A
spinebuster puts Rowan down and the spinning cross body does the
same. Rey comes in with a 619 to set up a Goldust powerslam for two.
Harper catches Rey diving over the ropes and slams him into the
barricade as Bray makes a blind tag. Goldust loads up Shattered
Dreams to Erick but Wyatt runs him over, setting up Sister Abigail
for the pin at 12:52.
Rating:
B-. This was the usual six man
tag between the Wyatts and any group of three midcard guys, meaning
it was entertaining but nothing we haven't seen before. The Family
is getting better in the ring and there's something awesome about
Bray just throwing his body into people like a battering ram.
We
recap Sheamus accidentally kicking Christian last week.
Sheamus
says he's partially responsible for Christian's new side. Christian
is aggressive now and that's what Sheamus wants. Tonight's Brogue
Kick won't be an accident. Another simple but to the point promo
from Sheamus which is better than his Irish folk tale nonsense.
Time
for a dance off between Summer Rae and Emma. Quick summary of the
next five minutes: Emma wins, the fans still don't care, Summer calls
Fandango her baby boopsie, Santino and Fandango brawl and no one
cares.
Ron
Simmons Black History Month video.
Alexander
Rusev will achieve greatness.
Dolph
Ziggler vs. Titus O'Neil
Darren
Young is on commentary. Dolph scores with an early dropkick but gets
thrown down to the mat with ease. Titus cranks on the arm but gets
caught by a cross body and right hands. Some more punches in the
corner have Titus in trouble but he comes back with a big boot.
Darren gets on the announcers' table and blows the whistle for a
distraction so Dolph can get a rollup pin at 2:40.
Road
Dogg vs. Jimmy Uso
Dog
gets taken into the corner to start but comes back with some kicks to
the rib and one to the side of the head. We hit a quick chinlock on
Jimmy but he comes back with a Samoan drop. A right hand misses and
Dogg fires off his shaky punches but Jimmy escapes the pumphandle and
superkicks Roadie for the pin at 3:03.
Rating:
D+. Just a quick match here to
set up the Tag Title shot on Sunday. There's still no reason to keep
the titles on the Outlaws, which is why I'd almost bet they hold onto
them until at least Extreme Rules, probably getting a win at
Wrestlemania in a multi team tag match. Nothing to see here though
the Usos can wrestle singles matches decently enough.
Video
on the Chamber.
Sheamus
vs. Christian
Sheamus
shoves him around to start and an elbow sends Christian out to the
apron. Back in and Christian punches Sheamus in the face which
brings a smile to the Irishman's face. Christian low bridges a
charging Sheamus to the floor but misses a baseball slide and walks
into the rolling fireman's carry on the floor as we take a break.
Back
with Sheamus holding a chinlock but getting sent into 619 position.
Christian tries his jump over the top rope into a right hand but
Sheamus blocks the punch and shoves him into the barricade. Sheamus
charges at him but gets backdropped to the timekeeper's area to
change control. A middle rope missile dropkick gets two for
Christian and he goes after the surgically repaired shoulder.
The
arm is wrapped around the ropes and Sheamus bites the ropes to get
through the pain. More cranking on the arm ensues but Christian
escapes the Killswitch. Some right hands have Sheamus in trouble but
he's still able to slam Christian off the top. The
running ax handles and a powerslam get two on Christian but he comes
back with a tornado DDT on the arm for two.
Christian
tries to snap Sheamus' neck against the ropes but gets countered into
the ten forearms, only to send Sheamus shoulder first into the post
for two. Sheamus comes back with a pair of Irish Curses but
Christian bails to the floor to avoid the Brogue. Back in and
Christian slams Sheamus off the top to take over. The middle rope
back elbow looks to set up the Killswitch but Sheamus counters into
White Noise for the pin at 12:48 shown of 15:48.
Rating:
B-. This was Sheamus 101: a
nice match where he beats an upper midcarder to set up a match
against main eventers that he has no chance of winning. He's the
main event jobber and there's nothing wrong with that role. The fans
are into his act too, even if there's nothing deep to him. Nice main
event but it showed the problem with Christian as a heel. He barely
ever won a big match as a face and his finisher isn't optimal given
how long it takes to set up
Sheamus
poses but Christian shoves him off the top and to the floor to end
the show.
Overall
Rating: C+. Good way to go into
the Chamber here as Sheamus gets some spotlight of his own instead of
sharing it like he's done since he returned. The
Chamber card looks pretty good but I'm worried about the end results
and how they're going to shape up Wrestlemania. I
could have gone for a Shield promo but it's still a good way to set
up Sunday.
Results
Daniel
Bryan b. Jack Swagger – Running knee
Daniel
Bryan b. Cesaro via DQ when Kane interfered
Wyatt
Family b. Goldust/Cody Rhodes/Rey Mysterio – Sister Abigail to
Goldust
Dolph
Ziggler b. Titus O'Neil – Rollup
Jimmy
Uso b. Road Dogg – Superkick
Sheamus
b. Christian – White Noise
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6