The WWE has been plowing through their storylines since the summer… and not much will change tonight. As opposed to marketing one of the biggest gimmick matches in the traditions of Mexico’s wrestling scene, the WWE forgot to mention on RAW that they are having a mask vs mask match on Smackdown. At least they had the common sense to announce it on their website for us so-called 10%’s, the same people who knew about it before they even posted it… Let’s get to it, shall we?

Oh yeah, in case you forgot (you probably did), there’s actually a PPV on Sunday. So this is the go-home show. They couldn’t wait 3 days for the mask vs mask match… with no build… gawd…

I watch, write, suffer, and succumb to this show, yet have to remind myself of what happened only minutes after each episode. That is how G’s Smackdown reviews work. This is not a play-by-play recap, there’s enough of those online. This is a highly-opinionated take of the show in question.

NEW FEATURE!
G’s podcast recommendation! This past week Wonderpod Online’s own, Jonkind, got his question on Aftermath’s “Ask a Ref” with former WWE referee, Jimmy Korderas. It appears at approximately the 7:28 mark, smarks. Click here.

– Alberto Del Rio w/ Rico Rodriguez kick off the show and receive a massive pop from the Mexico crowd. Very hot crowd here, but you already knew that. He tell us while he is scheduled to face Big Show tonight, it won’t happen due to the steel steps he ate from Cena on RAW… he wants to perform, it’s his dream… but has to recover to face Cena in a Last Man Standing Match this Sunday.

– Theodore Long enters, and notes the WWE doctors (very respected professional drug dealers) say he’s good to go. They poll the crowd, and it turns out the hometown came here to see the bad guy… Speaking of the bad guy, Legend Killer brought us an article about the ESPN story about Scott Hall over at the BWF. Check that out here.

Happier times… 🙁

– * Non-Title Match: Mark Henry {C} vs. John Morrison. We’re reminded of Morrison being squashed recently on RAW. What might happen here? Right off the top, Henry throws Morrison with such intensity towards the ropes, he flips over to the outside. Great sell by Morrison here. After being dominated, John gets a brief surge of parkour power and reminds me of what he can do as an acrobat. But not even Starship Pain can stop Mark Henry. Henry wins.

This cat reminds me of JoMo. Both are led/booked into a corner, then left there with nothing. Man, I hate Melina for this.

– Vickie and Christian blah blah backstage, until Teddy comes in. Christian still wants his “One More Match” which Long grants him this Sunday… against Sheamus. Christian is pissed, and walks out. Then Teddy informs Vickie that Dolph will face Zack Ryder this Sunday for Dolph’s belt…

– * Daniel Bryan vs. Wade Barrett. My inner mark just wants a good 20 minute match out of this… then commercials hit as Wade makes his way down the ramp… Before the match starts, we’re told that Barrett holds a degree in Advanced Biology. Bryan is growing his beard out a bit lately, not quite to the Eric Young level, but the announcers state he is not shaving his beard until WrestleMania. I dig that, partly a result of being a massive NHL fan, and the traditions of NHL Playoff beard growth. Speaking of hockey, more shameless plugs! PUCK YOU! started it’s year up again featuring many writers among the WPO and BWF websites!

I love these LEGO recreations of video games. Bricks of War!

– Things start off looking great for both wrestlers. They trade spots and build slowly… methodically… and play to each other’s strengths by mixing up Bryan’s high flying and Barrett’s power based move sets. Bryan manages to hit a drop kick from almost every part of the ring possible, but Barrett seems to have an answer. Barrett manages to land his Wasteland finisher, for the win. I’m really getting sick of Bryan losing every fucking match he has been in since he won the MiTB! But they did deliver a very watchable bout. Barrett needs the win just as much.

* Sheamus/Ryder vs. Christian/Ziggler (w/ Vickie Guerrero). This was clearly put together to advance both of the PPV singles matches for Vengeance. This feels very run-of-the-mill here. You get the expected isolation spots, and they attempt to keep the respective PPV opponents apart as much as possible. Sheamus plays the hot-tag face spot, and lands a ridiculous looking modified chokeslam into a back breaker spot on Dolph, and Dolph just bounces up into the air!! SICK! Sheamus turns this into a win.

This guy decided to not forever keep his peace.

– Next up is Cody Rhodes addressing the WWE Universe. I don’t know what it is, but Rhodes just gets better and better on the microphone. I don’t care if it is scripted and he is memorizing multi-syllabic vernacular or can pull the dialogue out of his lexicon… his delivery is excellent and sadistic. He understands dramatic pauses as well as what words to emphasize. Brilliant promo here. “I’m the one who has everything going for him. And Randy, you sir, are an embarassed megalomaniac… with no new tricks.” Orton needs to study with Rhodes (or whoever is teaching him how to talk) and stop boring the living hell out me week in, and week out. He calls out the Viper and the crowd goes wild! Orton says stuff. Generic stuff. Orton is going to torture Rhodes at Vengeance, basically. Rhodes’ “bagmen” or “baggers” allow for some slight interference and then the two have a little squabble. A bagman eats an suspended elevated DDT, allowing for more Rhodes survival, then the other bagger is bagged out, placed in a bag, bag-style. Yeah, I don’t know either. Basically Rhodes is able to escape Orton. Orton’s promo’s should be called the “Go To Sleep,” but that would just be a disgrace to CM Punk.

Charles Barkley @G: “Don’t look away G for even a minute. You’ll miss 56 storylines in that time span!”

G @Charles Barkley: “Ha ha! It seems like the WWE has taken a page out of booking 101, TNA style lately…”

* Mask vs. Mask Match: Sin Cara vs. Sin Cara. Considering how this ends, I’m not bother with the Negra and Jibba-Jabba names. I will just go with Blue/Mystico and Black/Hunico. Being a spotfest and lucha libre showcase type of match, you will get few moves called. THE CROWD IS AWESOME TO START! The announcers reinforce tonight’s outcome, in that traditionally once you lose your mask in Mexico, you will NEVER… EVER… AND I MEAN EVER!!!! WEAR IT AGAIN… EVER! Our first segment is fast and crazy. The best spot features Black hitting a standing drop kick on an top rope attack from Blue! Great… off to commercials we go (and I’m sure the live crowd gets non-WWE-style during it, not that rest-hold crap us North Americans normally get, full of restspots and whatnot).

WWE Creative Brand Ketchup.

– We return to what SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST MATCH ON SMACKDOWN THIS YEAR. Fucking “WWE Style” booking. We immediately return to a reversal by Black on Blue from a Hurricarana into a backbreaker. The referee whispers something in Black’s ear (likely, “We’re back live. You need to suck now”). And we immediately go into rest-holds. Black starts to work Blue’s back with breakers and submissions. The crowd is eating this up (me too). Black has a grasp on Blue’s mask, BUT NO!! Tons of the flippy-flop moves burst out, as both men tease us with real Lucha action! G smiles. Blue gets his face-power maxed out and lands a 180 splash, pin attempt, NO!! Blue then gets a fucking armbar on Black, Black taps!! BLUE (Mystico) WINS! All sarcasm aside, I enjoyed the fuck out of that match…

– Black is pretty unwilling to unmask, so he attacks! Blue will have none of it, and beats him down, and takes off Hunico’s mask! Then beats him some more, for further humiliation… holds the black mask up high in the ring, and Hunico is revealed.

Super close to Halloween!

– Beth Phoenix and Natalya are in the ring, and they discuss their recent torment of Kelly Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox. “For every tear drop that hit’s the ground, that’s a message to the Divas…” We’re cut off by Eve Torres… she says they are ugly on the inside. Also, Eve points out “I am not a Barbi Doll, and there is nothing you can do to break me.” Beth and Nattie disagree and play the bully card (WWE for the win?), Torres pushes them, or something, bullying… bullying… meh.

* Non-Title Match: Alberto Del Rio {C} vs. The Big Show. Del Rio is dubbed “The Pride of Mexico” by Cole as the entrances begin. I’m not very interested in the match (sorry). It looks like they are getting fifteen minutes or so. I suppose a Mark Henry run-in is inevitable.

Zoidberg would go on to enjoy a lucrative career touring the metal scene after his space missions became tiresome.

– Big Man versus Little Man premise. YAWN! YAWN! Whatever, the two put on a decent opening segment. It actually involves wrestling, after all. Cough, RAW IMPACT COUGH. The second segment is very much based on the Big Man submission power angle. Slow and plodding. Recommendation? FFW on 2/5 speed. Rodriguez interferes and the ref calls the bell. This match is SUPER OVER but it’s not something to write home about. Mark Henry runs in shortly after, only to eat a punch to the face from Show. This telegraphs a title retention to this smark at the PPV.

– Final Thoughts: Why is a mask versus mask match NOT the main event in Mexico? I realize Del Rio is the champ, and quite over in the country. Nonetheless, it was a non-title match. FUCK. The mask is WAY more important here. Please forgive my negativity, I really do love professional wrestling! I criticize because I care. I did enjoy the show. I wouldn’t watch if I didn’t love this shit.

The WWE logo comes up, and I’m out.

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This Smackdown Review Appears on Three Sites!

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A break down of various professional wrestling programs and events from the eyes of the smarky fan! I highly recommend checking out the BWF!

The official home of Wonderpod, and an assortment of content ranging from all things wide and far… depending on what the author’s feel like writing about. A home for reviews, commentary, pop culture, and fiction just to start. Always worth a look.

BTW, Actually
These reviews started off in a place called Project Wonderboy, a site that shares the name with it’s original founder, “whatever.” But this incarnation was under the Morphine Nation banner. That site is now evolved with all it’s original members at BTW, Actually. This place is all about challenging censorship and political correctness in an intelligent way.

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Shameless Plugs!

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The Cultural Revolution (TCR Comix)
Al Creed’s comics dominate tongue and cheek humour here.

Wonderpod
A weekly podcast about the world of video games, from player experiences to current events in the industry, Bruce McGee, Pat Man, Glasenator, Jonkind and/or Gun Sage provide insight into the medium for any gamer (whether casual or “pro”). Clicking the jump will take you to the iTunes page!

LarG Productions
An online music production project, free tunes spanning many genres… check it out!

Thinksobrain
ThinkSoJoE’s band, who is also the boss over at Bored Wrestling Fan. For those digging some sweet metal influenced, intriguing tunes… you really need to grab yourself an earfull.