David Otunga comes out and introduces the new GM of both Raw and Smackdown, John Laurinaitis. They walk to the ring together to JL’s new theme music. JL brags about being GM and talks more about people power. He calls out Teddy Long. Long comes to the ring and tells him off. He tries to quit. JL threatens some apparent college fund that WWE made for Teddy’s grandchildren. Teddy is forced to work for JL now after JL makes him say that Teddy is better than him. He sends Teddy to the back before announcing Kane vs Orton in a no dq match and Otunga taking on R-Truth. Otunga whispers in JL’s ear and JL makes it a handicap match with Mark Henry as Otunga’s partner.
^JL is now on both shows. I’m guessing something will give sooner or later and Teddy will be back in charge. For now, we just get to see that much more of David Otunga every week. The guy just doesn’t do anything for me. He’s bland. I know it’s beating a dead horse, but watching Michael McGillicutty work really good matches on NXT really bothers me when his former tag team partner is all muscle, mouth, and zero in ring talent, but featured on the main programming. I also still think JL could turn face in the future.
Otunga and Mark Henry face R-Truth. Truth holds his own against Otunga. Mark Henry hits the WSS on Truth and Otunga insists on taking the pinfall win.
^Not much to say here. Otunga being put over as a guy that can’t wrestle might be the most brilliant storyline I’ve ever seen, and this is because he really can’t wrestle(well). Henry looked annoyed after the match. Storyline face turn in the future? I can see him acquiring the services of Abraham Washington as his manager and then turning face by attacking him down the road. Just speculating, though.
Kane takes on Randy Orton next in a no DQ match. They wrestle for ten solid minutes and Orton is able to hit the RKO after Kane hits the exposed turnbuckle. Orton gets the three count.
^Now THIS is what I was hoping we would see at Mania. Their match at Mania was without a doubt solid, but I wanted these two to utilize the ringside area and really give each other all they’ve got. I just wonder if the rivalry will continue on to Extreme Rules now or if they go their seperates ways. Either way, this match was good.
Barry Stevens takes on Ryback. Stevens is a jobber who cuts a lame heel promo before the match. Ryback destroys him and gets the win.
^Barry Stevens = next Barry Horowitz? More speculating on my part. The guy is small and can be tossed around easily. Ryback is jacked. Vince must love this guy. I can see him being pushed to the top of the card pretty quickly as long as he works decent matches. This is where I shake my head at WWE and just ponder all the talent on the roster that stuck in stale situations with no end in sight. It’s frustrating as a fan to want to see certain talent get better storylines and rivalries.
Daniel Bryan cuts a promo in the ring with AJ. He tells her she has the kiss of death and then breaks up with her in front of everybody. She doesn’t want to leave the ring but he turns his back on her until she does.
^The eighteen second loss does more good for Bryan’s character than harm, in my opinion. Yes, we were screwed out of a potentially great Mania match, but instead we have a very angry Daniel Bryan that the fans want to cheer for. What does WWE do with this? Bryan portrays a great heel, but the fans appreciate what he does in the ring. I almost question if the planned rivalry with CM Punk will work out how WWE wants it to when the crowd is split on who they like more. AJ will bounce back. She’s a diva, which means she’ll lose about a dozen squash matches this year and win about four or five.
Big Show takes on Heath Slater with Cody Rhodes on commentary. Show works Slater all over the ring and finishes him off with a chokeslam after a short match. Cody stares down Show and tries to run in the ring to attack him after he hits the WMD on Slater, but Show turns around quickly and Rhodes jumps back out of the ring as quick as he came in.
^This rivalry is obviously more than just one and done. Rhodes and Show will probably be yet another Mania rematch at Extreme Rules. Anyone else think it’s weird to see Big Show holding the Intercontinental Title? I mean, I doubt it’s going to boost him into the World Title scene again, so what exactly is the point of this reign? Heath Slater continues to job. He should join Reks and Hawkins in some sort of stable if they ever get put on the main roster.
Backstage segment with John Laurinaitis. He puts Nikki in a match with Beth Phoenix because she cheered for Team Teddy at WrestleMania. Sheamus talks to Laurinaitis next. JL tells him that he will have a face off with Del Rio before the match so he can’t surprise him with a brogue kick. Sheamus talks about people getting what’s coming to them.
^It’s fun watching Sheamus interact with anyone that he doesn’t like. He’s a funny guy, but he’s also a guy that you just don’t want to mess with. I can see JL and Sheamus having a lot more encounters similar to this one in the future.
Nikki Bella goes one on one with Beth Phoenix. Kelly Kelly comes out to the bottom of the ramp to watch this match. Kelly distracts Beth just long enough to throw her off. This one is over quick when Nikki hits the x factor on Beth as she comes out of the corner after charging Nikki and missing due to Kelly’s distraction. Nikki gets the three count.
^Typical divas match here. It was kept very short. It’s interesting to see the champ lose like that. Looks like it’s back to Kelly and Beth having a feud after all these months. I’m just wondering why Tamina disappeared so quick from the main shows after her rivalry with Beth.
A video package tribute is shown for the recent passing of Chief Jay Strongbow. One of the more popular names of older wrestling fans, Chief Jay Strongbow was a legend in this business. RIP
Damien Sandow(FCW) has a taped promo shown. He talks about the problems with society with an intense tone.
^Anytime you bring up and FCW(or OVW in the past) guy, it can go one of two ways. For a lot of them, it’s worked out well and led to some big stars. Sandow cut a promo that half reminded me of the CM Punk savior gimmick and the other half of an early Hunter Hearst Helmsley. If Sandow can wrestle as well as he did in the match that I watched against Richie Steamboat on FCW, then I expect him to have a solid future in WWE.
Sheamus goes one on one with Alberto Del Rio in a non title match. This is a well worked match that ends with Del Rio laying on the ground acting hurt while Sheamus holds the steel chair that Del Rio originally brought into the ring. The ref assumes Sheamus hit Del Rio and disqualifies him. Del Rio wins and now earns a shot at the World Heavyweight Title. Sheamus brogue kicks the ref after the match
^Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio will probably go one on one at Extreme Rules. I like this only because I get to see Sheamus beat on Del Rio some more. Del Rio looked pretty good in the ring tonight for the first time in ages. His all around pacing of the match and planning looked to be a bit different than before. Maybe the guy has been studying film of well worked matches? It’s all speculation of course, and it may have just been good chemistry between these two. I like Sheamus brogue kicking everybody when he feels like it, but I’m guessing JL will have something to say about it next week.
This was a really solid Smackdown following WrestleMania. A solid Raw and Smackdown makes for a good week in WWE, and that makes me excited for what’s to come. I’ll have ROH up sometime tomorrow. Until next time, you’ve been ThunderStruck!
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