Corporate Humiliation.
The 732nd edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown came to you from the Thomas & Mack Center at the UNLV in Las Vegas, NV. With his defense of the WWE Title against Daniel Bryan just a couple weeks away at Night of Champions, the WWE Champion would be in action on SmackDown as the self-proclaimed “face of the WWE” Randy Orton goes one-on-one with “The Awesome One” The Miz in a non-title match. Also, after he was defeated by Rob Van Dam on RAW, Alberto Del Rio will be defending the World Heavyweight Title against “The Whole Damn Show” at Night of Champions, but what will the champion have to say about his new #1 Contender, not to mention the man who now serves as RVD’s personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez?
Match Results
- Non-Title: Randy Orton def. The Miz by pin following the RKO.
- Rob Van Dam def. Damien Sandow by pin following the Five-Star Frog Splash.
- 3-on-1 Handicap Match: The Shield def. Dolph Ziggler by Roman Reigns pinning Dolph Ziggler following the Spear.
- Luke Harper & Erick Rowan def. Tons of Funk by Erick Rowan pinning Tensai following the big splash.
- Daniel Bryan and Ryback fight to a No Contest after Randy Orton enters the ring.
Detailed Results
SmackDown kicks off with Miz TV as The Miz welcomes two of the men who were silenced on RAW over the fear of being fired by WWE COO Triple H, “The Show-Off” Dolph Ziggler and “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show. The Miz tells the two men that all three of them joined the majority of the WWE roster in being forced to stand on the stage and watch the decimation of Daniel Bryan at the hands of Randy Orton and The Shield on RAW, not being allowed to help Bryan or face being fired. The Miz then says that this is a “free country” and he thinks it is about time that they let loose with their opinions on how WWE is being managed. Through a bevy of emotions, including fear, regret, disappointment, and anger, Big Show says that not getting involved on RAW was one of the toughest things that he has had to do, quickly giving Dolph Ziggler the floor to speak, but instead of speaking out, Dolph throws it back to Big Show, fearful of his status. The Miz then says that he is “outspoken”, but before Miz can continue, he is interrupted by the boss himself, WWE COO Triple H. Triple H gives The Miz the chance to finish what he had to say, but Miz thinks twice about it, opting to keep quiet. Triple H then asks The Miz why Miz is in his ring gear and Miz comments that you never know when a “fight” is going to break out. The Miz then asks if he can ask the COO a question, but Triple H does not allow The Miz to question him. Triple H then says that what he has been doing is “just business”, but guys like The Miz, Big Show, & Dolph Ziggler want to make it “personal”. Triple H continues, saying that Randy Orton is the “future of the WWE” before taking shots at the three men with him in the ring, saying that Orton is not a guy who “can run his mouth and not back it up”, nor is he “just some guy who just happens to be big” and Orton is “at least big enough”. Triple H then says that Orton being the “face of the WWE” is what is “best for business” and it makes more money for everybody in the company.
The COO continues, saying that The Miz looks at Orton holding the WWE Title and thinks that he used to hold that belt once, but he hasn’t been “anywhere near it since”, saying that he can understand why that would make Miz mad. Triple H then says that since he is a “good guy” who is looking out for everyone’s “best interests”, he is giving The Miz a match with Randy Orton tonight! Triple H then turns his attention to Dolph Ziggler, saying that the last time that Dolph was in the ring with The Shield, he got the crap kicked out of him, so tonight, he is going to give Dolph his shot at revenge when Ziggler goes “one-on-one” with all three members of The Shield in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match! Triple H then calls attention to the man who seems to be the most frustrated, ordering Big Show to come closer, saying that he could nearly see the “smoke” coming out of Big Show’s ears on RAW, saying that it was “frightening”. The COO then says that he is going to do Big Show a “favor” by giving him the night off, saying that Big Show will simply sit next to the announcer’s table during the show and watch what happens in the ring. Triple H then gets in the face of Big Show and says that Big Show will only watch what happens, he will do absolutely nothing about it. With his fists clenched and his face shaking with anger, Big Show has no choice but to bow to the orders of his boss as Big Show exits the ring and reluctantly sits down at ringside. Triple H then tells Dolph Ziggler that he can go to the back and get ready for his 3-on-1 Handicap Match later on in the evening. The COO then informs The Miz that his match is going to take place right now, introducing the hand-picked WWE Champion and self-proclaimed “face of the WWE” Randy Orton, who makes his way to the ring.
With Big Show forced to sit helplessly at ringside per the orders of WWE COO Triple H, the opening match of the night would see the self-proclaimed “face of the WWE” and WWE Champion Randy Orton going one-on-one with The Miz in a non-title match. During the match, The Miz tosses Randy Orton to the outside and this is when Triple H’s personal security force, The Shield, make their way to the ring as United States Champion Dean Ambrose and WWE Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns stand at ringside, keeping an eye on the entrance way as the match continues. The Miz would nearly beat the WWE Champion on several different occasions, even locking in the Figure-Four Leg Lock on Randy Orton, nearly making the champion tap out, but in the end, it was an RKO that would secure the victory for the WWE Champion. After the match, Randy Orton would instruct The Shield to do more damage to The Miz and, with Big Show forbidden from doing anything to help, the #1 Contender for the WWE Title, Daniel Bryan, rushes to the ring with steel chair in hand! Daniel Bryan then drives the chair into the mid-section of Randy Orton before waylaying the back of Seth Rollins while Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns narrowly escape their taste of the steel!
Backstage, a beaming Daniel Bryan confronts a seething Vickie Guerrero as the SmackDown General Manager calls Daniel Bryan a “bully” and, in her world, a bully deserves to get bullied. The GM then brings Ryback, who calls his opponent for later on a “shrimp”.
With a World Heavyweight Title match against champion Alberto Del Rio in his sights in two weeks at Night of Champions, “The Whole Damn Show” was in action on SmackDown as Rob Van Dam, with Ricardo Rodriguez in his corner, went one-on-one with “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Damien Sandow. In the end, it was Rob Van Dam hitting the Five-Star Frog Splash on Damien Sandow en route to picking up the win. After the match, World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio comes out, saying that the only reason that RVD is the #1 Contender is because of Ricardo Rodriguez, who “betrayed” Del Rio, saying that he is going to make it “rain” all over RVD’s parade come Night of Champions and he will prove that he is the only man worthy of being called the World Heavyweight Champion.
In a rematch from last week’s RAW, “The Show-Off” Dolph Ziggler would be forced to again face all three members of The Shield, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns, in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match. In the end, it was Roman Reigns leveling Dolph Ziggler with the Spear en route to picking up the win for The Shield. After the match, The Shield would take to taunting Big Show, holding Dolph Ziggler against the ropes and daring Big Show to get involved. The Shield then puts Ziggler down with their three-man powerbomb in the center of the ring, which nearly causes the giant to erupt with anger.
For the first time since learning that they will face CM Punk in a 2-on-1 Handicap Elimination Match at Night of Champions, Paul Heyman & Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel would speak on the match, as well as their actions on RAW, where, with a kendo stick in hand and CM Punk handcuffed, Paul Heyman would assault and destroy Punk with the kendo stick. Paul Heyman asks the fans what they want from him, asking if they expect him to feel “guilty” for what he did to his “prodigal son” CM Punk on RAW, saying that he is “not sorry” for what he did. Heyman continues, blaming the fans for voting him into a situation where he had to fight Punk, saying that, for 434 consecutive days, he and Punk were the reigning and defending WWE Champion. Heyman says that, every time that Punk has tried to fight him, Punk was left beaten, looking up at the “god” that Heyman is! Heyman continues, saying that, at Night of Champions, he will have to face his beating like a man and the WWE has, more or less, guaranteed that Heyman will get what is coming to him in the 2-on-1 Handicap Elimination Match. Heyman admits that he is “afraid”, but his fear can be CM Punk’s worst enemy, telling everyone to imagine what will happen when he is put in a corner and forced to fight. Heyman then confidently declares that, at Night of Champions, he and Curtis Axel will “own” CM Punk!
The dark, scary, and destructive “brothers” of Bray Wyatt were in action on SmackDown as Luke Harper & Erick Rowan would face Tons of Funk, Tensai & Brodus Clay. In the end, it was Erick Rowan hitting the big splash on Tensai en route to picking up the win. After the match, Harper & Rowan would hold Tensai for Bray Wyatt, allowing the nefarious “eater of worlds” to put Tensai down with the Sister Abigail.
In a match made by SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero, the #1 Contender for the WWE Title at Night of Champions, Daniel Bryan, would face WWE’s resident bully, Ryback. During the match, WWE Champion Randy Orton would make his way to ringside as Daniel Bryan locks in the Yes Lock on Ryback. Before Daniel Bryan can get Ryback to tap out, Randy Orton rushes into the ring and Daniel Bryan relinquishes the hold and locks the WWE Champion into the Yes Lock! However, The Shield would then rush out and aid Orton in attacking Daniel Bryan, but, after having to witness everything that went down the entire night, Big Show finally reached his breaking point as “The World’s Largest Athlete” gets out of his seat and slides into the ring, causing Randy Orton and The Shield to retreat to the opposite corner. Triple H then storms down to the ring, shouting at Big Show to get out of the ring right now. With tears in his eyes and mass amounts of regret, Big Show slowly and reluctantly exits the ring and, with his immense anger and sadness tearing him to shreds on the inside, Big Show does as he is told as Triple H escorts the giant to the staging area before the COO orders Big Show to the back. With Big Show out of sight, Triple H gives the nod to Randy Orton and The Shield to pick up where they left off as The Shield picks Daniel Bryan up, holding the #1 Contender and allowing the WWE Champion to repeatedly blast Bryan in the skull with vicious right hands. Orton then has The Shield use their three-man powerbomb to drive Daniel Bryan down in the center of the ring. Randy Orton then gets a can of spray paint, taunting the fans before spray-painting the word “no” on the torso of Daniel Bryan.
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