My WWE Battleground Predictions

Photo credit: WWE.com

WWE Championship Match - Randy Orton versus Daniel Bryan:

Much like their previous PPV clash I'm not expecting anything but a solid outing, although I feel the build up has been fairly weak compared. Bryan winning the vacant strap seems like the more interesting choice, but I just can't help but see 'The Viper' win via suspicious circumstances, although I admittedly thought the same thing last month so I could be way off.   

Winner: Randy Orton

World Heavyweight Championship Battleground Hardcore Match - Alberto Del Rio (c) versus Rob Van Dam:

I'm relieved that they added the Hardcore stipulation here, this match needed that extra intriguing factor for me. I enjoy both men in the ring and they shouldn't have any excuses not to deliver an exciting bout here, not the least with my predictive victor RVD obtaining the title. But if he does then I wouldn't be shocked to see Mr. Sandow cashing in his MITB contract, it'd be the perfect way to gain him some heat.   

Winner: Rob Van Dam

CM Punk versus Ryback:

Unfortunately even against a superior talent I don't envisage this outing topping the great ones Ryback had with Cena over the WWE Title. This could be fun and should be enjoyable but nothing outstanding, hopefully I'm proven wrong. Will this be the end of Punk's feud with Heyman? I'm starting to hope things wind down now between them so they can move on to fresh foes. Punk to win and finally get some retribution on Heyman but not enough to end the rivalry just yet. 

Winner: CM Punk

WWE Divas Title Match - AJ Lee (c) versus Brie Bella:

Like any Bella-involved bout I don't hold high expectations, and certainly don't expect anything close to AJ's matches with Kaitlyn over the belt. That being said sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised (with Taryn Terrell's entertaining contests with Gail Kim being a prime example), but I doubt it tonight with this one. And I reckon AJ to retain, I don't see any reason for her to drop the strap just yet, recently bringing in Tamina as her new body guard would make it a strange choice too.

Winner: AJ Lee

Cody Rhodes and Goldust versus The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns):

For me this bout has had the best build up out of any on the card tonight, and I'm very interested in the outcome so job well done there. Should be a dramatic one. I'm going with The Shield to somehow come out with a dubious win here, adding another twist to the Rhodes storyline.

Winners: The Shield

Intercontinental Title Match - Curtis Axel (c) versus R-Truth:

Could be a decent match up, and both men should make the most from being on the main card of a PPV tonight. Can't see beyond Axel winning here after Truth's definitive loss to Ryback on SmackDown.

Winner: Curtis Axel

Bray Wyatt versus Kofi Kingston:

Bit of a strange one I thought when this was put together, considering the more interesting possibilities for Wyatt to face off with. Nothing against Kofi but after all his failed pushes I just struggle to invest in them anymore. Should be a fair match up. Wyatt to win considering his current momentum.

Winner: Bray Wyatt

Santino Marella versus The Real Americans (Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger):

How this found it's way onto a PPV card ahead of Ziggler and the Money in the Bank holder I'm still trying to understand, oh well. I'm just hoping for Cesaro to swing around Khali to deliver something memorable, it's up to the stellar Antonio to make this match worth watching at all I reckon. The Real Americans in the long run seem like the more sensible choice to put over here, but I can see Santino and Khali walking away the winners.

Winners: Santino Marella and The Great Khali.

Battleground Kickoff Match - Dolph Ziggler versus Damien Sandow:

At first I wasn't too sure about this thrown together bout, but Ziggler is such a consistent performer that I'm expecting an enjoyable contest against the MITB Contract holder. But despite Sandow holding the briefcase I see Dolph gaining the one-two-three.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

My WWE SmackDown, 9th August 2013 Recap

Randy Orton pinned Rob Van Dam in a great opener to the show. It's hardly a shock considering they're two of the most consistent performers in the company but both men delivered solid displays here as they went back and fourth. The match had gripping sequences and terrific action, with a nice finish too as Orton RKO'd RVD after a Frog Splash attempt for the one-two-three.

The Miz brought out his latest guests for 'Miz TV' AJ Lee and Big E Langston, and quizzed them on their relationship status to which AJ explained Big E was her "best friend." When then asked about her previous relationships in WWE, AJ claimed that all the men involved used and abandoned her, and that her Divas Title was the only thing left that wouldn't leave her.

Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn then joined the show and stated that they were over them and didn't understand AJ's obsession still. To settle things (for a moment at least) Miz then booked all four in a mixed tag match for SummerSlam, apparently being host gives you that power? Inevitably all four then began scrapping with each other, with Ziggler and Kaitlyn finally sending their rivals packing by each hitting their respective finishers. 

Fandango beat Kofi Kingston in a passable encounter. It was pretty unremarkable for the most part, with fair wrestling. For the finish Summer Rae feigned an ankle injury after having to dodge out of the way of an aerial attack from Kofi, so Fandango managed to throw a concerned Kingston into a ring post and apply his signature flying leg drop for the win.

Daniel Bryan forced Wade Barrett to submit in a fine contest. It's a shame it wasn't allocated a bit more time but it was entertaining enough while it lasted, with worthy efforts from both wrestlers.

Kane beat 3MB (Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) in a Handicap Match. This squash match didn't last too long, with Kane dominating bar one kick from McIntyre. Afterwards Bray Wyatt appeared on the big screen and gave one of his cryptic speeches regarding their Inferno Match at SummerSlam (although they've failed to refer to it as an Inferno Match for some reason) claiming that the fire couldn't stop his brothers and that he was "already dead." This guy is always worth watching.

We were shown a VT of an interview with Brock Lesnar, who explained that he had a dislike for CM Punk long before he dropped Paul Heyman as his manager, due to his undeserved arrogant attitude. He also added that at SummerSlam Punk will know what it's like to "truly be victimised by Brock Lesnar."

Christian defeated Alberto Del Rio in an engaging main event. As usual these two terrific in-ring talents provided stellar showings in this enjoyable bout. It's a rare occasion that either of these men don't deliver to be honest. Christian once again caught the World Champion in a quick roll up pin for the victory. A sour Del Rio attempted to take out his frustration on Christian but 'Captain Charisma' managed to strike with a Killswitch first.

This prompted Damien Sandow to race down and almost cash in his Money in the Bank contract (in a fancy new briefcase) until Cody Rhodes intervened and attacked Sandow, finally hitting the Cross Rhodes to end the show.

Overall it was a decent show, with most matches above the average standard (two of which were very good) and some significant advancements for SummerSlam. Unfortunately most of the interviews and promos weren't must see and quite forgettable, bar Wyatt's and Lesnar's which I enjoyed. My highlights were Orton versus RVD, Lesnar's interview VT, Bryan versus Barrett and the main event.

My WWE SmackDown, 2nd August 2013 Recap

RVD wallops Christian with a nice kick. Photo credit: WWE.com

World Champion Alberto Del Rio started things off by thanking the fans, for nothing that is, reminding them that they turned on him when he was trying to be their champion. Which was true, but a lack of character will have that effect. He also sincerely thanked SmackDown GM Vickie Guerrero for allowing him to choose his own opponent for SummerSlam, just like John Cena. So after mentioning a few possible options, Del Rio revealed his personal announcer Ricardo Rodriguez as his hand picked challenger.

An upset Vickie Guerrero then stormed out and expressed her disappointment in Del Rio's choice so instead booked a Triple Threat between Christian, Rob Van Dam and Randy Orton to determine his opponent for the big event. I was most happy with that match line up, and they duly delivered, but I'll get to that later...

Cody Rhodes pinned Jack Swagger in a fair, if unmemorable bout. Both men looked okay in the ring, nothing that significant or remarkable to take away from it though. During an interview afterwards Damien Sandow attacked Rhodes from behind, eventually taking him out by slamming his head into a nearby container. 

Big E Langston beat Sin Cara in a pedestrian outing. Big E understandably dominated for the most part, with Sin Cara managing a few offensive moments in there. Unfortunately the whole thing lacked in excitement or interest.

CM Punk forced Fandango to submit in a decent contest. Both men gave stellar showings and delivered a match that exceeded my expectations. In a nice finish Punk rolled over after applying a superplex on his opponent and latched on an Anaconda Vice for the win. It's always a treat to see his signature submission move make a return.

AJ Lee (c) defeated Kaitlyn to retain the Divas Title in passable encounter. It wasn't a great bout by any means, but it was wisely kept short and at least had a twist (which you could admittedly see coming a bit) when Layla betrayed Kaitlyn by preventing a spear on the outside and revealing how friendly she was with the Divas Champion afterwards.  

Christian bested Randy Orton and Rob Van Dam in a Triple Threat to become number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. And what a tremendous main event this was, with engaging action and superb displays from the opening. Every man put in a great effort here, which is hardly a surprise considering the talent involved. For the finish Orton attempted to hit Christian with an RKO after taking out RVD with one, but failed when 'Captain Charisma' reversed it into a backslide pin for the one-two-three. As a sentimental favourite of mine I was very happy with Christian winning.

The victor shook hands with both of his competitors after, only to then be attacked by Del Rio and finally kicked in the head by the World Champion. 

Overall it was a mixed bag of a show, with a few fairly average match ups that felt more like filler and a couple of enjoyable ones, including the terrific main event. My highlights were CM Punk versus Fandango and (take a wild guess) the Triple Threat.   

My WWE SmackDown, 26th July 2013 Recap

Apparently he can't swim. Photo credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton pinned Damien Sandow in a fair outing. Both Money in the Bank holders gave worthy enough efforts, but I failed to engage in the match and find any excitement. Orton applied the RKO for the one-two-three after Cody Rhodes walked down and walked off with Sandow's MITB briefcase, distracting the 'Intellectual Saviour'. 

CM Punk came out and confirmed for us again that he will indeed face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam in a few weeks. He went on to also claim that Lesnar's biggest weakness was once his own, his trust in Paul Heyman, and Heyman's was and always has been his ego.

He also added that he will take everything away from Heyman when he stands up from Lesnar's attack and continuously kicks him in the head until he's unrecognisable. I'm a big Punk fan but I just struggle to believe it when he states he'll do this kind of thing to someone much larger and muscular in Lesnar. Amusingly Fandango then interrupted Punk and came out for some unknown reason, which prompted him to crack the dancer with his microphone and some punches before hitting him with the GTS. The segment was entertaining and Punk is always a welcome return on the blue brand for me. 

Mark Henry and The Usos bested the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) and Wade Barrett in a passable six-man tag bout. It had decent moments, but was pretty forgettable to be honest. The winning teams upcoming match with The Shield should be far better.

Alberto Del Rio beat Rob Van Dam in a match that was far, far too brief. The World Champion managed to quickly pin RVD after a swift superkick after distracting the referee in the corner. I can only imagine (and sincerely hope) that they're planning to have these two face off for the strap at SummerSlam. That could be a terrific title match.

AJ Lee, accompanied by Big E Langston, explained that despite being dumped by Ziggler and loosing her best friend Kaitlyn she would be fine due to still being the Divas Champion and "saviour" of the division. She then revealed Dolph's keys to his house that he'd given her and claimed that she was ready to move on and get rid of them.

Dolph Ziggler then joined them and told his ex that he'd passed around plenty of sets of keys to girls and changed the locks just to be safe anyway, and also told Lee and Langston that they were both replaceable too, much like all his belongings in his suitcase which AJ began to destroy in the ring. As a furious Divas Champion left the ring Kailyn hit her with a spear, and Dolph took out Langston with a fameasser. Looks like we'll be having a mixed tag match with this lot at SummerSlam. It was an enjoyable segment, mainly due to Ziggler's great work on the mic which was possibly his strongest to date. His face turn has been very successful so far.

Luke Harper and Erick Rowan defeated Tons of Funk (Tensai and Brodus Clay) in a short squash tag contest. After watching the 'Wyatt family' for a while now on NXT their performance was pretty standard for them, they're never the most exciting but they do their job well enough. Afterwards Bray Wyatt said that he was welcoming Kane's return next Monday, seemingly having no fear over the possible ramifications of their beat down on him a few weeks ago.

Christian pinned Jack Swagger in a solid encounter and best one of the night. In one of Swagger's finest match ups since his return earlier in the year we received good displays from both men, with Christian especially on stellar form as usually expected from him. 

Damien Sandow stormed out after the main event and demanded that Rhodes return his MITB briefcase and that Vickie Guerrero fire him immediately. Cody then appeared on the big screen and revealed that he was right by the Gulf of Mexico with the briefcase in hand, telling Damien that all he had to do was come and get it.

So a frantic Sandow raced across the street, begging Cody not to chuck it into the river and complimenting him in almost every department. But that wasn't enough for Rhodes who tossed it in anyway. Sandow attempted to retrieve it but failed as he admitted that he couldn't actually swim. It was a fun end to the show. 

Overall it was a mixed bag of a SmackDown, with most of it being pretty unmemorable but a few entertaining offerings still to be had. My highlights were Punk's promo, the Ziggler and AJ segment, Christian versus Swagger and Sandow and Rhodes visit to the Gulf of Mexico. Outside of those parts it was unremarkable or fairly drab for myself.  

My WWE Money in the Bank 2013 Recap

All six men go tumbling off of the ladders, crazy! Photo credit: WWE.com

The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) (c) defeated Jimmy and Jey Uso to retain the WWE Tag Team Title in a solid pre-show bout. Surpassing my prediction of a decent tag match, this was a really fun watch with innovative action (which I would like to see more of from the WWE tag division) and a fast pace to keep you engaged. All four men deserve credit.

Damien Sandow bested Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Fandango, Dean Ambrose, Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger in the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder Match. In this exciting and highly entertaining opener every man gave us a memorable moment, whether it was Ambrose flipping from under a ladder to on top of it and then being chucked out of the ring by Cesaro and Swagger who were holding it, to Cody muscle busting Cesaro onto a ladder in the corner. I was expecting good things here but it definitely exceeded my expectations.

For the finish Ambrose was thrown from the top of the ladder onto everyone outside the ring by Rhodes (including his Shield teammates who had run down to help him but were soon attacked by the Usos and most of the other participants) but unfortunately for Cody as he climbed the ladder he was thrown off by his tag partner and 'best friend' Sandow, who had been hiding on the outside of the ring awaiting his chance to pounce and indeed did here as he managed to unhook the briefcase.

It was a surprising win which I did envisage happening in this MITB match, and a very nice set up into a Rhodes and Sandow feud. Cody had been a force towards the end of the match and had the fans behind him, acting every bit the face. I still don't think Sandow is quite ready to be World Champion but hopefully by the time he cashes in he will have improved in the ring.

The brand new Raw GM Brad Maddox came to the ring and first thanked Vince McMahon for appointing him as the General Manager and then Vickie Guerrero (who was up with the rest of the MITB panel in a box) for everything she'd done during her time in the WWE and presented a highlight package of her time there, which mainly included her falling over, screaming and generally embarrassing herself. It was a bit of a strange segment, but fortunately Maddoxs' charisma managed to save it.

Curtis Axel (c) pinned The Miz to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a largely stellar encounter. Both men were on good form here as they went back and fourth, providing well executed sequences and effective near falls and submission attempts, namely a Figure Four Leg Lock that was turned over a couple of times towards the end. Miz also managed to get Paul Heyman evicted from ringside early in the bout after falsely accusing him of striking him outside the ring to the referee. The fans in Philly were not amused by that.

AJ Lee (c) forced Kaitlyn to submit to retain the Divas Championship in a passable contest. Much like their title clash last month this was decent at parts but it was still lacking a bit for me. My favourite part was actually the nice selling of a shoulder injury from Kaitlyn, which was logically used  when she failed to reach the champ for a pin attempt after hitting a spear and in order for her to have to tap out once AJ latched on her Black Widow submission hold.

Ryback beat Chris Jericho in a decent enough affair. Both men gave fine displays, and while it will admittedly never go down as one of either's greatest matches it was enjoyable enough. Ryback caught Jericho after a Lionsault attempt with a quick roll up for the one-two-three.  

Alberto Del Rio (c) won via disqualification versus Dolph Ziggler, thereby retaining the World Heavyweight Championship. What a tremendous title match this was, and for me the finest bout these two have ever had. Both men were on top form as they went back and fourth, with smooth wrestling and edge of your seat action as the near falls kept on coming.

The DQ occurred when Ziggler's partner AJ came down to the ring and ignored his cries to go to the back and ended up racing into the ring and cracking Del Rio with her title belt as he was preparing for a Zig Zag. An understandably frustrated Dolph had to leave her after a heated argument.

John Cena (c) defeated Mark Henry to retain the WWE Championship in a match that took a while to get interesting but finished nicely. Henry dominated for the most part, with the majority of fans firmly behind him as he manhandled the champ. Of course Cena made his comeback as any good title holder does and he managed to finally catch Henry in an STF for the submission victory. While the match had satisfying parts, I can't say a rematch would have me all that excited unless it was under the right stipulations.

Randy Orton bested Rob Van Dam, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Christian and CM Punk to obtain the WWE Championship Money in the Bank contract in an enthralling main event Ladder Match. This one had my firm attention from start to finish, with sterling performances from all involved. As with any previous MITB Ladder Match there were more than your fair share of impressive spots, although not as mental as the one earlier in the night.

We also had another betrayal much like the earlier MITB contest when Paul Heyman smashed a ladder into Punk's back multiple times as he was clear to grab the briefcase. This happened after Axel had run down and taken out Bryan as he was close to winning, but an unhappy Punk GTS'd the IC Champion for interfering, with Heyman also acting angry at his client. Many fans (and myself) were hoping that this was going to instigate an appearance from Lesnar, but that wasn't to be. This left things open for Orton to unhook the case and walk away with a guaranteed WWE Title match at any time he pleases. Hopefully this could be the start of the long rumoured heel turn for 'The Viper', we shall see.

Overall it was a solid and very fun event, with some memorable match ups and nice developments to take away from it. Heyman and Sandows' betrayals make things interesting going forward into SummerSlam next month, and a face turn for Rhodes can only be a good thing for him at this point really. Looking at the actual matches on the card I can't say there were any bad ones at all, and we had three high quality bouts in the two MITB Ladder Matches and the World Heavyweight Title contest, so I'd definitely put this PPV down as a big success and one of the best of the year so far. Just a shame there was no Bray Wyatt, but we only have to wait until tonight... 

My WWE SmackDown, 28th June 2013 recap

Christian with the winning spear. Photo credit: WWE.com

Sheamus pinned Damien Sandow in a enjoyable enough Dublin Street Fight. It was a worthy effort from both men, although there was nothing particularly original or outstanding about it. Sheamus grabbed the one-two-three after Brogue Kicking Sandow while he was sitting on a couple of steel chairs. This feud has given Sandow some relevance but I'm still disappointed that he hasn't been granted a significant one on one win against Sheamus, and I think this match would've been ideal for it. 

The Miz quizzed his 'Miz TV' guest Paul Heyman on matters involving CM Punk, but Heyman refused to delve into his personal life and brought out his client Curtis Axel. Miz went on to accuse Heyman of being involved in Lesnar attacking Punk, so after a few more heated exchanges between the three Miz finally challenged Axel to an Intercontinental match right there and then, but Heyman refused on his client's behalf. It was a decent enough segment.

Before AJ Lee's match, Kaitlyn came out dressed as her rival (as AJ did to her on this week's Raw) and accused her of being intimate with various ringside officials, including the physician who had a hilariously stern reaction to that. It wasn't great by any means, and only a bit of an improvement on AJ's lame impersonation segment that we had to endure.   

Natalya beat AJ Lee in a very brief and forgettable affair. Natalya won with a quick roll up after Kaitlyn skipped around the ring in typical AJ fashion. Kaitlyn also hit the Divas Champion with a nice spear afterwards.

Backstage Teddy Long informed Vince McMahon that he was entering Wade Barrett, Antonio Cesaro, Jack Swagger, Fandango, Dean Ambrose, Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow into the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match next month. I imagine Swagger and Ambrose as the most likely to win here, and given the choice I wouldn't mind Ambrose or Cesaro coming away with the briefcase.

Randy Orton defeated Kane in a decent back and fourth contest. Maybe I enjoyed it more since I wasn't really expecting much here, but it had some stellar action for the most part and fine displays from both wrestlers. Orton managed to catch Kane in an RKO for the win after Bryan pushed his former Team Hell No partner into the ring, seemingly encouraging him but also smirking at Kane failing to do what he did on Raw this week against Orton as he went down the ramp.

Ryback beat Justin Gabriel in a short and unremarkable outing where he managed to Shell Shock him for the win after having his leg damaged. Ryback's MITB opponent Chris Jericho then came out and mocked him for almost being brought to tears over the slight injury and called him "Cryback." Y2J went on to then run down and began brawling with Ryback, almost catching him in the Walls of Jericho before he managed to escape the ring.

Christian and Jimmy & Jay Uso defeated The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) in an exciting six-man tag bout. As standard for most of Shield's match ups, this contained solid wrestling throughout and the fast pace made sure you never lost interest. While everyone provided worthy efforts, I'd have to mention Christian as the standout performer for me, who also managed to grab the win with a spear to Ambrose. 

World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio held a fiesta for himself, celebrating his fourth World Title win at Payback. After giving a speech in Spanish, he went on to bash in a pinata with Ziggler's face on it and then dared the man himself to come out. So Dolph Ziggler made his way to the ring where he managed to scare off Del Rio after applying a Zig Zag and threw Ricardo Rodriguez threw a table and smashed a guitar across his face. A much happier Ziggler then ended the show by singing along with the mariachi band.  

Overall it was a decent enough show, with only a couple of the match ups letting it down a bit. My highlights were Orton versus Kane, Sheamus versus Sandow and the entertaining six-man tag contest. The Miz TV and Del Rio Fiesta segments were also decent enough. 

My WWE SmackDown, 31st May 2013 Recap

Orton and Kane celebrate with an explosive Bryan. Photo credit: WWE.com

Kane pinned Seth Rollins in a fine effort by both men. Granted, it won't be a match you'll be looking up a year from now, but it was still enjoyable and the best contest these two have put on together so far. 

Roman Reigns won via disqualification versus Daniel Bryan after Kane was provoked into slapping Reigns in the face, this caused the former tag champs to argue all the way down the ramp. The match itself had been a stellar one, largely thanks to the hard work of the superb Bryan.

Roman also played his part well here, although I worry when he eventually goes on his own his shortcomings will be more visible, but hopefully I'm proven wrong and he's more capable by then. And I do appreciate what he's done so far, but he still has a bit of work to do in the ring.

Damien Sandow reminded us all of Sheamus' brutish actions last week when he attempted to untie the Gordian knot, and then revealed his latest challenge in the form of the shell game. Soon Sheamus came out and decided to try the game so he could hurry and get Sandow out of the ring and shut him up, so the 'Intellectual Saviour' accepted.

Unfortunately for "Damo" (as Sheamus calls him) he was caught cheating the 'Celtic Warrior' as he had removed the ball he had to find under the cup, so Sheamus responded with a Brogue Kick. Much like their segment last week I enjoyed it, it was a bit of simple fun and Sandow is always entertaining on the mic. Hopefully the feud can develop and deliver Damien a much needed win against the Irishman on PPV.

Before his following match Curtis Axel bragged about his wins against Cena and Triple H, claiming that no one had made an impact like him in such a short time in WWE (we're obviously meant to forget his first few years there, right?). Axel was solid on the mic, and is definitely showing more charisma than when he was first introduced by Heyman.   

Curtis Axel beat Sin Cara in a fair encounter. It was a fun enough watch, although nothing outstanding about it. Hopefully Axel moves on to defeat more varied opponents on the blue brand in the near future. I also hope he brings back his running swinging neckbreaker finisher as apposed to the bridging cradle suplex he's adopted from his dad, he's his own man and should have a more unique finisher like the neckbreaker.

Big E Langston pinned Alberto Del Rio in a worthy enough effort from both men. For me this was the best bout in their series so far, and surprisingly enjoyable, maybe that's just because I wasn't expecting much from it. For the finish AJ Lee attacked the eyes of Del Rio, allowing Big E to ram him skull first into a ringpost and apply the Big Ending for the big (no pun intended) win.

Ryback beat Kofi Kingston in an uninspiring and pretty forgettable match up. Kofi as usual was decent enough, but the match just felt flat for me. Afterwards Ryback decided to send a message to Cena and put Kofi through not one, not two, but three tables. Now that was memorable. Maybe WWE could make the most from this for Kofi and actually reinvent him or turn him heel after he makes his return, he really needs something to change.

Chris Jericho defeated Cody Rhodes in a passable contest. Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed here, as a fan of both men and their talents I was expecting a bit more but it never seemed to going, with the sequences feeling too forced and unnatural. Maybe I'm being more critical than normal, but I just didn't really get into to be honest.

Randy Orton won via DQ versus Dean Ambrose in a solid main event and match of the night. Both men gave worthy efforts here and worked well together, with the US Champion more than holding his own against 'The Viper' as they battled back and fourth.

The disqualification occurred when Rollins and Reigns ran down and attacked Orton. This cued Team Hell No to also come out and help take out The Shield trio, with Bryan becoming a one-man tank as he tore through all three men in a ferocious fashion, it was awesome. And the fans loved it too as they almost all chanted along with his signature "Yes!" chants. I'm really liking this new aggressive direction Bryan is taking as of late, and hoping it'll bring him a World strap again at some point. 

Overall it was a pretty unremarkable show for the most part, but fortunately Orton versus Ambrose, the Sandow and Sheamus segment and anything involving the very much in-form Bryan made it worth watching. And to be fair there weren't any terrible matches outside of the ones mentioned, so I'll take that for a SmackDown. 

My WWE SmackDown, 24th May 2013 Recap

Ambrose plants Kofi en route to the win. Photo credit: WWE.com

'Miz TV' kicked things off, with The Miz introducing guests Fandango and Summer Rae, and quizzed them about abandoning Fandango's tag partner Wade Barrett on Monday's Raw. But Fandango simply corrected Miz's pronunciation of his name and claimed that he bored him. Wade Barrett then came out and warned Fandango that if their paths cross again he'll be sorry, and after some heated words with Miz began brawling with his upcoming opponent. It was an average start to the show.    

Wade Barrett (c) versus The Miz for the Intercontinental Title ended in a no contest after Fandango attacked Miz. Previous to that Miz had kicked Fandango due to him inappropriately dancing during their contest. Barrett also received some retribution on Fandango by applying a Bull Hammer to the dancer. The actual match itself was pretty average, with unremarkable wrestling from both men.  

Daniel Bryan defeated Jack Swagger in a decent outing. Both men gave stellar showings, especially Bryan who's on great form at the moment. A crazed Bryan forced Swagger to tap via the No Lock after a few vicious kicks to the head, then applied the hold again after the bell had rung until Kane and the referee forced him off. I'm predicting the first in a series of matches between the Team Hell No members at Payback next month. 

Damien Sandow  berated Mark Henry and Sheamus for their test of strengths in recent weeks, stating that the test of a real man was with his intelligence. He then challenged Matt Stryker to untie a Gordian knot, which he failed to do, so Sheamus then joined them and asked if he could have a go. After the 'Celtic Warrior' also failed, Sandow untied the knot by cutting it open.

Sheamus admitted he'd outsmarted him, and went for a Brogue Kick but the 'Intellectual Saviour' saw it coming and got out of the ring. So as an example of Newton's law of gravity Sheamus threw Stryker at Sandow. It was an enjoyable segment, with Sandow on strong form on the mic as usual. Hopefully he can get into a proper feud with Sheamus and elevate himself a bit.

Chris Jericho won via count out versus Big Show after applying a Codebreaker and sending the giant over the barricade. A seething Big Show then stormed to the ring with a steel chair, but Y2J kicked it out of his hand and smacked him with it, sending Show packing. The bout itself had been a solid one, with worthy efforts and nice back and fourth action.

Paul Heyman, accompanied by his latest client Curtis Axel, came to the ring and listed off his respectful accomplishments as a manager, proving that when he calls Axel the next "A lister" in the company, he knows what he's talking about. Axel then claimed that last Monday he accomplished more than his father and grandfather combined when he defeated Triple H.

Curtis Axel pinned Sin Cara in a fair encounter. I can't complain it was a decent enough showing, but it was also quite forgettable and uninspiring. But Axel is certainly capable in the ring and I have faith in a successful run from him.

Dean Ambrose (c) versus Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship ended in a DQ after Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins ran in and attacked the challenger. But Randy Orton and Sheamus then came to Kofi's aid, so Teddy Long booked a six-man tag between them all. It'd been an entertaining contest before the DQ, I wouldn't mind seeing them face off one on one again in the near future.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) bested Sheamus, Randy Orton and Kofi Kingston in a great six-man main event. Much like their terrific (admittedly superior) tag bout on this week's Raw, the action came fast and each man deserves credit for a stellar display. I'd say that it's like Shield can do no wrong but I'm scared I my jinx it. 

Unfortunately the only issue with the match was Reigns appearing to pick up some kind of knee injury half way through when Superman punching Orton. He had to apparently be helped away before the dark match after the main event. Fortunately he was able to finish the tag match so hopefully it's not too bad, this would be a devastating time for him to be out injured. 

Overall it was an enjoyable show for the most part, and above average for the blue brand. My highlights were Bryan versus Swagger, Damien Sandow's Gordian knot segment, Jericho versus Big Show, Heyman's mic work and the exciting main event. Outside of that it was okay, not terrible, so I'll take that for a 2013 SmackDown. 

My WWE SmackDown, 22nd February 2013 Recap

Del Rio strikes with a nice aerial kick. Photo credit: WWE.com

World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio kicked off the show by responding to his WrestleMania opponent Jack Swagger's claims that immigrants like himself are ruining the USA, and reminded him that it was also immigrants that helped build the country in the first place. He also went on to challenge Swagger to come out and face him man to man.

But instead Randy Orton joined him and accused Swagger of taking away his chance at main eventing 'Mania in the Elimination Chamber match last Sunday, going on to state that he wanted some retribution. So GM Booker T granted 'The Viper' his match with Swagger and also booked Del Rio versus Barrett for that night.

Sheamus pinned Damien Sandow in a decent outing. Both men gave worthy efforts here and provided solid wrestling throughout, nothing spectacular but it made for a fun watch.

Before her following match, Kaitlyn complimented Cody Rhode's moustache backstage, which he graciously accepted. Could a face turn be in Cody's near future?

Kaitlyn and Layla bested Tamina and Aksana in a mediocre tag bout. Layla was the only standout performer here for me, the rest of the match was quite messy and average.

Backstage Zeb Colter, accompanying Swagger, warned Wade Barrett to stay out of their way and do them a favour by going back to England, classing him as another immigrant taking a job from an American.

Jack Swagger defeated Randy Orton in a mostly stellar contest. While not exactly an edge of your seat bout, it still has solid action from both men who looked crisp in the ring.

Swagger gained the win after catching Orton with a thumb to the eye and applying a quick roll up pin for the one-two-three, much like the one he used on 'The Viper' to win the Elimination Chamber. Considering he's going to WrestleMania to contest for the World Title I would've thought Swagger might have beaten Orton cleanly here. 'The Viper' looked frustrated afterwards, here's hoping his rumoured heel turn is coming up soon.

The Miz beat Cody Rhodes in a fair match up. In keeping with the trend of the previous singles bouts of the show, the wrestling was solid enough but not necessarily that exciting. Quite a forgettable one this really. Miz forced Rhodes to tap to the Figure Four Leglock for the win. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Wade Barrett in an enjoyable main event. Definitely the top match of the night, with nice displays from both men and finally something a bit livelier on an otherwise unremarkable show. Swagger viewed the match from the stage and made his way down to face off with Del Rio from the outside of the ring afterwards. They of course did the obligatory pointing and staring at the WrestleMania sign looming over them.

Overall it was a pretty pedestrian show for the majority. Most bouts were fine but not massively engaging, much like the only promo we received at the start. Fortunately the livelier main event redeemed it a bit, but this was still a poor offering for a show in the WrestleMania season. Rather than repeating two ten-minute segments from Raw they could've added in some Mark Henry, Jericho, Team Hell No or Big Show at least, just something to add some interest (that's not a dig at any of those talents either). 

My WWE SmackDown, 28th December 2012 Recap

Sheamus first said he hoped everyone had had a merry Christmas, adding that his was a lot of fun. He then challenged Big Show to a World Title match for that very night after beating him in a Lumberjack match on this weeks Raw. Big Show of course refused, calling his victory over him a "fluke." GM Booker T then soon joined them and informed Show that he'll pick a random name from a tumbler (filled with all the wrestlers from the back and Sheamus) and that wrestler will receive a World Championship match against the giant that night.

After some arguing between Eve and Teddy Long, Booker picked out Santino Marrella's name from the tumbler. Joy from the Italian soon turned to horror as Big Show approached him and he realised what he'll be up against later on.

Brodus Clay bested Primo in an average bout. At least this unmemorable outing was kept short. Afterwards Rosa Mendes had a few choice words for Clay, but was cut short by Naomi and Cameron as they double suplexed her.

Wade Barrett and Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) beat Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) and Kofi Kingston in a fair six-man tag bout. The action was a bit disappointing considering the talent involved but it wasn't bad by any means. Barrett grabbed the one-two-three on Kofi after applying a Bull Hammer.

Booker informed Big Show backstage that after Santino had pulled a hamstring earlier when training with Sheamus a substitute had to be picked, and it turned out to be Ricardo Rodriguez. Show laughed at the nervous number one contender, then knocked him out and called him a joke to his title.  

Antonio Cesaro defeated Zack Ryder in an enjoyable enough encounter. As usual Cesaro was on stellar form, providing faultless maneuvers. Ryder played his part well too, although he was pretty limited offensively anyway. 

Dolph Ziggler beat The Miz in the match of the night. Both men put in worthy efforts as they went back and fourth, with Ziggler as standard working hard. Dolph gained the win after bodyguard Big E Langston distracted Miz. After Miz mocked AJ Lee afterwards, Langston and Dolph decided to further beat him down. 

Sheamus beat Brad Maddox in a rather pedestrian match up. Maddox was allowed a fair bit of offense so at least he wasn't completely destroyed here, the action was just passable for the majority.

Backstage Booker agreed to give Alberto Del Rio the spot in the World Title match after Big Show took out his good friend and personal ring announcer Rodriguez.

Big Show (c) won via disqualification versus Alberto Del Rio, therefore retaining the World Heavyweight Championship. The match itself contained decent enough action, although it wasn't anything that memorable or exciting, a big step down from any of Sheamus and Show's efforts on PPV. The DQ came after Sheamus ran out and attacked Show, along with a large portion of the roster who didn't appreciate Show's harsh words towards them earlier. I'm guessing a possible Triple Threat will occur at the Royal Rumble between Sheamus, Del Rio and the champ.

My WWE Raw, 10th December 2012 Recap

Ryback launches a ladder at The Shield in the spot of the night. Photo credit: WWE.com

Dolph Ziggler kicked off the show on top of a ladder where he rightfully berated Cena for being given title shot after title shot by McMahon even though he lost when he cashed in his MITB contract. He also bragged that it didn't matter since he'll retain his contract at TLC anyway. Sheamus then joined 'The Show Off' and made a lame joke about his height, then claimed that himself and Cena will win their respective bouts on Sunday which will lead to a World Title clash between them. 

World Champion Big Show then called both men "Delusional" for thinking that they could beat him. Sheamus then decided to take his frustration for Show out on Ziggler instead, since he signed a no contact clause contract with him, and pushed Dolph off of the ladder, which seemed like a needless risk to me. It was an okay start to the show, nothing that special. My only issue with Ziggler having to defend his MITB contract against Cena is that surely in that position he would attempt to cash it in beforehand so he didn't have to defend it, right? 

For the second week in a row Vince McMahon convinced Vickie Guerrero to book a few matches for the show, which included Ziggler versus Sheamus and herself versus AJ Lee, which went down very well. The segment was better than last weeks between the two, but still not great.

R-Truth beat Wade Barrett in an average match up. Unfortunately the two weren't allocated enough time to really get going, which seemed odd considering the bookers should be really be trying to hype the US and Intercontinental Championship bouts at TLC all they can. Truth grabbed the one-two-three with a quick roll up. Kingston then applied a top rope cross body to Barrett afterwards for good measure.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow) bested Jimmy & Jey Uso, the Prime Time Players (Titus O'Neil & Darren Young) and Epic & Primo in a four-way elimination tag match. On the whole it was a fun watch, with worthy efforts especially from both Usos and Team Rhodes Scholars. It's good to see that WWE are still getting behind their tag division, I hope it continues. Amusingly the fans began chanting "Cody's moustache" during the bout, Cody's new facial hair does look pretty daft, and hasn't Movember passed? 

Eve defeated Alicia Fox in a passable Divas contest. Alicia looked decent here, and by that I mean she provided something a bit different from most other female performers in the company with her athleticism. Afterwards Eve quite funnily posed in the ring with the beaten Fox as a ringside photographer snapped a few shots. 

WWE Champion CM Punk came out on crutches due to his recent leg surgery and confirmed that it was all very real and in no way a hoax to get out of defending his title. Paul Heyman also grabbed the mic and compared Punk to The Rock, who he accused of just using a stunt double and staying in his trailer on a movie set rather than getting stuck into the real action like Punk. So the trash talking has begun, this feud should be something very special. CM Punk then announced that he will be present at the TLC pay-per-view to watch The Shield take out Ryback. As usual it was great work from both men.

Sheamus won via disqualification versus Dolph Ziggler in an exciting bout. Both men, who have been on terrific form this year, provided a solid back and fourth match up. Oddly for the first half it was as if Sheamus was the heel and Ziggler the face as Dolph had to fight back 'The Great White' as he aimed for his injured leg, but the roles reversed back later on. The DQ came after Ziggler struck Sheamus with a steel chair, but the Irishman then countered 'The Show Off' as he Brogue Kicked the chair out of Ziggler's hands and scared him off.

Alberto Del Rio bested Zack Ryder in a decent enough outing. Neither man was outstanding here, but they gave an enjoyable bout for the most part. The crowd of Ryder's home state of New York also helped provide a good atmosphere by firmly getting behind the Internet Champion.

Vickie Guerrero beat AJ Lee in a worthless match up. As both women waited for a referee, Brad Maddox came on out in a referee attire and aided Vickie in the win by refusing to count AJ's pinfall attempt.

Why on earth would Maddox help out the woman that put him against Randy Orton last week and not the one that gave him a job on Raw in the first place? It makes absolutely no sense, it's like something Vince Russo would've put together. And the match itself was just plain bad, is this WWE's idea of helping to improve their poor ratings as of late?   Afterwards AJ went on a rampage as she tore through some of the set around the ring and backstage until John Cena calmed her down.

Antonio Cesaro defeated Kofi Kingston in a solid and eventful contest. The fist half was decent enough, but it was the second half where it really picked up as both men began putting together some great sequences and got the previously indifferent crowd into the match. Cesaro will be a future big name in the company.

The Miz presented an entertaining 'Miz TV' with guests Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes, where he (along with the fans) mocked Cody's 'tache, claiming that it'd maybe rubbed off of Sandow's beard. He also tried to drive a wedge between the two, but failed as they had enough and left. All three men were on good form, especially Cody who's cheesy expressions and enthusiastic delivery of his lines were tremendous.   

Big Show versus John Cena ended as a no contest after The Shield ran and began attacking Cena. The main event had ranged from pretty drab to fair once it got going and began picking up some pace. To be fair it was better than I'd expected, so I'll take that.

Team Hell No and Sheamus (who was accidentally given the Ryback graphics for his entrance, oops) also raced in afterwards to get some retribution on Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns and Ziggler, but this didn't last too long as Show decided to also make his way back to help take out Cena. Ryback then predictably came out threw a ladder at The Shield trio from the outside of the ring, which looked very effective actually. Everyone was brawling in and around the ring as the show went off the air.

Overall it was an enjoyable Raw for the most part, with the exception of the awful Vickie vs AJ match and Barrett vs Truth bout, which should've had more time. Other than that most of the show was a fun watch, with my main highlights being the 'Miz TV' segment, Cesaro vs Kingston, Punk and Heyman promo and the great Ziggler vs Sheamus contest. 

My WWE SmackDown, 7th December 2012 Recap

SmackDown GM Booker T announced that due to the aggressive nature of Big Show and Sheamus' feud he has placed a no contact rule in their World Championship match contract for TLC. He then brought out both Big Show and Sheamus to sign their contracts for next Sunday's clash. Show warned Sheamus that the Chairs match was going to be the worst thing to ever happen to him, and promised that it will "change you forever."

After some more heated exchanges Big Show threw the table into Sheamus and quickly signed the contract, preventing 'The Great White' from touching him. Amusingly Show then did a little attempt at an Irish jig in delight at his sneaky tactic. Booker T then calmed Sheamus down by booking him in a match with Del Rio later on, and Big Show against Daniel Bryan next. It was an enjoyable segment to start the show. This feud has pleasantly surprised me a great deal, I can't remember the last time Show was this entertaining.  

Big Show defeated Daniel Bryan in a mostly solid match up. As usual these two worked well together and put in fine displays, the bout peaked towards the end as Bryan started to mount a comeback. Unfortunately the comeback was short lived as The Shield made their way down to the ring, distracting Bryan and allowing Show to choke slam him from the top rope for the one-two-three.

Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns then predictably began taking out Bryan after Big Show had left. Kane then made his way out shortly to help out his tag partner, but once again the trio managed to overpower him and eventually powerbombed 'The Big Red Monster' through the announce desk. It made a nice change seeing The Shield on the blue brand too, and I'm personally looking forward to their six-man TLC match against Ryback and Team Hell No next Sunday.

Damien Sandow once again challenged a member of the audience to three questions, and if answered correctly (which they were not on this occasion) then said fan would become his apprentice. As standard Sandow was amusing and charismatic in the challenge, which I look forward to every week now. The Miz then joined Sandow and mocked the 'Intellectual Saviour of the masses', leaving him speechless. Miz is continuing to be a successful face so far.

3MB (Drew McIntyre, Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) beat Jimmy & Jay Uso and Brodus Clay in an unremarkable tag bout. For the most part it was pretty run of the mill really, until the final minute when one of the Usos went flying to the outside. McIntyre then scored the win after applying a Future Shock DDT. 

Randy Orton bested Wade Barrett in a decent encounter. Although they've had better match ups it still contained good action, and I can't fault their efforts here. As I've said before I feel a heel turn for Orton is really needed for his growingly stale persona as of late, and I'm sure many fans out there feel the same.

The Great Khali and Hornswaggle beat Epico and Primo in a poor comedy tag match. For me personally these matches and segments involving Khali and Hornswaggle provide no form of entertainment, and are taking away time from real potential talent. The underutilised talents of Epico and Primo deserve better than this kind of treatment too.

Antonio Cesaro as standard ran down America in the ring, this time mocking an image of Dusty Rhodes back in his prime. Future challenger to his title R-Truth then interrupted him and gave a speech on how he was proud of all the hard working people of the US, his promo wasn't anything special but the patriotic pandering pleased the crowd. In retaliation Cesaro called Truth "delusional" for thinking that he'll defeat him for the US Championship at TLC. This then resulted in Truth beating on Cesaro and chasing him away.

Sheamus defeated Alberto Del Rio in a very enjoyable main event. Both men put in worthy efforts and provided a match that exceeded my expectations and was plenty of fun to watch, which is the main thing right? Del Rio even pulled out a couple of nicely executed moonsaults for good measure, CM Punk should take note. During the bout Big Show made his way out and then afterwards attempted to bait 'The Great White' into striking him, but Sheamus wasn't to be fooled as he instead threw Ricardo Rodriguez into Show's crotch, thereby not breaking the conditions of the no contact clause. Big Show's grimacing face was great.

Overall I found it to be an enjoyable and largely solid show, with the main event, Sandow challenge and Big Show vs Bryan bout being the highlights. Unfortunately the Khali & Hornswaggle versus Epico & Primo match, which was a waste of time, and the 3MB tag match which was pretty forgettable, let the show down a bit. Otherwise I liked it, and am still enjoying the Big Show and Sheamus feud.

My WWE SmackDown, 30th November 2012 Recap

John Cena kicked off the show by explaining that he was make a rare appearance on the blue brand because he wanted to see his current foe Ziggler take on Sheamus up close. Alberto Del Rio then joined him and warned Cena that he was on his show. After some more bragging Del Rio inevitably landed himself in a match with Cena right there and then. It wasn't a great segment to start the show, but could've been worse. 

John Cena defeated Alberto Del Rio in a bout that ranged from average to decent enough. For the most part it was pretty pedestrian, with the usual Cena routine of rising from a state of almost out to suddenly full of life to thwart Del Rio, who fortunately managed to save it a bit with a worthy display. But on the whole it was pretty forgettable. Afterwards Ziggler decided to show up and clobbered Cena with his MITB briefcase from behind. 

The Great Khali beat David Otunga in a nothing squash match. It was honestly a waste of time.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) and Kofi Kingston defeated The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) and Wade Barrett in a decent six-man tag contest. From start to finish the action was solid, and most importantly it was a fun watch. Kane and Bryan seem to also be on the same side now after their attack from The Shield on this Monday's Raw.

Damien Sandow announced that after failing to impart his wisdom onto the WWE fan base, he was now going to instead pick out members of the crowd and teach them individually. So he asked a fan in attendance three questions, and if answered correctly (which they weren't) then the person in question would become Sandow's apprentice. It was an amusing segment, Sandow as usual oozed charisma and humour on the mic. I wouldn't object to this becoming a regular occurrence. 

Damien Sandow bested Tyson Kidd in a brief but enjoyable enough outing. Both men gave solid displays. Nothing to complain about here really, except more time would've been nice.

3MB (Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) beat Jimmy & Jay Uso in a fair tag contest. A watchable match but pretty pedestrian, Mahal edged it as the best performer.

Sheamus won via DQ versus Dolph Ziggler in a solid main event, which is hardly a surprise with both men being on very good form at the moment. While I feel they could work even better together, I feel petty typing it as it was an enjoyable match and a worthy main event. The DQ came when Big Show intervened and began attacking his TLC opponent Sheamus, but this was short lived as Cena came to the Irishman's aid and helped get rid of both Show and Ziggler. This will presumably set up a tag team match involving the four, which should be decent. 

It was an enjoyable enough SmackDown on the whole. There were a few duds here and there (Khali's match was a waste of time, Cena versus Del Rio and the 3MB bouts weren't anything that special). But the six-man tag contest, Sandow versus Kidd encounter and the main event were all a fun watch. Speaking of Sandow, his new segment was also very amusing and I'm always happy to see him on the mic, I hope it sticks around.