wrestling / TV Reports
411’s WWE Superstars Report 08.25.11
Commentators: SmackDown; Jack Korpela & Matt Striker Raw; Scott Stanford & Josh Matthews
Please follow Marc Elusive on Twitter or fan Marc Elusive on Facebook or check out www.marcelusive.com for reviews and recaps (of current WWE and old WWF PPVs, DVDs and VHS tapes) and a little analysis; more of a play-by-play style, like my reviews here on 411mania.
Championship’s role call: WWE Champion: Alberto Del Rio… World Champion: Randy Orton… Intercontinental Champion: Cody Rhodes… United States Champion: Dolph Ziggler… Tag Team Champions: Kofi Kingston & Evan Bourne… Diva’s Champion: Kelly Kelly… Internet Champion: Zack Ryder
Sheamus vs. Heath Slater: Pre-match, Slater says he should be facing Randy Orton for the WWE title but Sheamus cost him that opportunity with a cheap shot. He quotes CCR’s Bad Moon Rising in his promo because he’s the one-man SOUTHERN rock band. This match is bizarre for a few reasons; first, Sheamus is on Superstars; second, Scott Stanford (who rules) and Josh Matthews are commentating a SmackDown match; and third, Heath Slater. This is the battle of the gingers. Sheamus pushes Slater into the corner drawing the referee between them; Slater SLAPS him in the face in the confusion. Sheamus chases him and eventually tracks him down and pounds on him in the other corner. He gets a European uppercut and knees Slater in the face a few times; Slater avoids a powerslam but Sheamus recovers and shoulderblocks him down. Slater kicks the legs out and tries some offense but Sheamus shrugs him off and levels him with a clothesline. Sheamus heads to the top but Slater crotches him; Slater hits a running dropkick and Sheamus tumbles to the floor. On the floor, Slater stops away on him; back in the ring, he gets a nearfall. Heath applies a reverse chinlock and looks extra pink contrasted to Sheamus. He breaks free and flings him off face first onto the mat and then fires up with some Irish Hammers. Powerslam! Rope-trapped clubbering follows into a huge knee lift. The Brogue Kick misses and Slater catches him on the apron and hits a leaping neckbreaker for two. Slater up top and leaps… right into the BROGUE KICK. High Cross finishes for three. 4.5/10 Pretty much an obvious conclusion in this match; I like the fact they give the lower midcarders (like Slater) the microphone to gain some personalities since a bunch of the NXT guys seem to be lacking it. I love the Sheamus babyface turn as well, the fans were dying to cheer him, no one wants to boo a tough Irish bastard.
Here is your winner… Sheamus @ around 9:45 via High Cross pinfall.
Pete Gibson vs. Brodus Clay: The correct SmackDown team commentates this match; Clay clubbers the kid and slams him. He drops a few elbows and then clotheslines the back of Gibson’s head. Exploder suplex gets a two count because Clay lifted him up. Clay avalanches him and drops him with the Fall of Humanity for three. 1.5/10 Another Clay squash.
Here is your winner… Brodus Clay @ around 1:00 via Fall of Humanity pinfall.
Justin Gabriel vs. JTG inter-promotional match: They lock up and Gabriel winds up with an arm wringer; he drops JTG with a shoulderblock. Gabriel runs the ropes, JTG tries a dropdown but Gabriel cartwheels over the top and arm drags him into an armbar. JTG rolls through and knees Gabriel in the ropes; he punches away on him but Gabriel slides under his legs and dropkicks him. JTG comes back with fisticuffs and slams Gabriel; he charges in the corner but Gabriel bounds over and plants him with an STO; been seeing that move a lot lately. Gabriel heads to the top but JTG tosses him off and grounds and pounds. JTG hits a clutch swinging neckbreaker, for two, so he applies an arm trap neck crank. Gabriel fights free and begins a comeback with kicks. JTG telegraphs a backdrop so Gabriel flips over the back and wipes him out with a roundhouse kick right to the grill. Gabriel splashes him in the corner, floats over onto the apron, and hits a springboard crossbody. He gets a little too fancy trying a springboard (top rope) Lionsault and misses. JTG capitalizes with a back suplex into a neckbreaker. Impressive. Gabriel catches him with a Ghetto Blaster and heads to the top, JTG cuts him off again but Gabriel counters with a sunset flip bomb. He goes up for the third time and it’s the charm as the 450 Splash connects for three. 6.5/10 Good match, there; JTG is a good wrestler who can keep up with Gabriel’s speed and technique so they turned out a good one. I figured Gabriel was going over here so the ride was what I was concerned with and I was pleased.
Here is your winner… Justin Gabriel @ approx. 9:45 via 450 Splash pinfall.
Daniel Bryan vs. Drew McIntyre inter-promotional match: The Raw commentators are back for this match. Bryan continues his transformation from goofy dork to serious “best in the world” wrestler. He wrests Drew into the corner and then drop-toe holds him into a armbar; McIntyre tries to wrestle with Bryan and fares rather well reversing the armbar into an arm-hook suplex and then applying his own armbar. Bryan gets the classic ROH Danielson reversal, rolling into a bridge and slapping the hand away then follows with a dropkick. McIntyre backs him into the corner and does not give a clean break, opting to pound him down into the mat; the referee separates him allowing Bryan some kicks. Drew to the floor but Bryan chases after him; back in the ring, McIntyre runs away again but catches the overaggressive Bryan trying to come after him. He hits a running double chop but Bryan quickly comes back, flipping off the top rope and dropping McIntyre into a leglock via Dragon Screw; Drew makes the ropes. McIntyre whips him again into the corner, he catches Bryan trying to tip-over, and tosses him face first into the bottom turnbuckle. Back from commercial, McIntyre has a head crank armbar applies; he frees himself but runs into a big boot, for two. McIntyre chokes in the ropes and methodically works Bryan over with punches and short-clotheslines; back to another chinlock. Bryan counters a clothesline with a crucifix sunset flip for two; McIntyre puts him back down with a reverse elbow. Drew drags Bryan to the apron and clubs him in the chest; back in the ring Drew garners a nearfall. Scott Stanford (who still rules) says that Bryan will not shave his beard until WrestleMania; he’ll look like Brian Wilson at that rate. Bryan comes back with Euro uppercuts and a running elbow. Bryan connects with some forearms and then tosses Drew with a release German suplex; running dropkick in the corner… for two. Bryan kicks away and tries a running knee but Drew upends him with a clothesline. McIntyre tries a powerbomb but Bryan flips out and tosses him to the floor then follows up with a topé. Bryan tosses McIntyre back into the ring and tries to come off the top but Drew catches him with a dangerous looking rolling superplex for a nearfall. McIntyre tries a short-clothesline but Bryan floats into the guillotine choke for the tap out. 7.5/10 Nice main event this week; the ending was out-of-nowhere but that is one of the ways they are pushing Bryan, able to tap you at any point in the match. McIntyre, who I am usually very hard on, because I find him tremendously boring, held up his end of the match famously; it all leads to a very entertaining main event (despite it being another obvious outcome).
Here is your winner… Daniel Bryan @ about 12:20 (broadcast) via guillotine choke submission.
OVERALL 6.5/10 I liked this show; it felt a little more unpredictable with the odd Raw versus SmackDown matches. The commentator teams were mixed up as well and the matches were pretty good. There was a Brodus Clay squash again; perhaps it is time for a Clay squash on a main show to show people he is still in the company? The main event was a pleasant surprise, I know Bryan is always a shoo in for a good match but his opponent’s offense was what I was worried about but they delivered a good one. Plus, a rare appearance for a main eventer, Sheamus, on Superstars as well.
