WWE Smackdown: Sheamus puts a new 'face' on Smackdown
Sheamus took a giant step toward becoming Smackdown’s No. 2 babyface on Friday night’s episode.
Sheamus, who has gradually been moving toward a babyface turn, got a huge pop when he came out to confront Mark Henry, who was intimidating Smackdown general manager Teddy Long and preparing to break the ankle of a severely undersized enhancement talent.
Just as Long was telling Henry that no one in the back wanted to face him because of the rampage he has been on, Sheamus’ music hit. When he got to the ring, Sheamus told Henry that he’d be glad to fight him. The crowd loved that Sheamus was standing up to the massive bully and began chanting his name.
A physical confrontation was teased, but there was very minimal contact, which is a smart move to build anticipation for their inevitable match. Henry, Sheamus and Long – as the authority figure who was trying to control the situation but was terrified of Henry – all played their roles very well.
WWE has done a great job of getting Henry over as a monster heel, and Sheamus now has enough credibility to be seen as a guy who poses a threat to him. I’m actually really looking forward to seeing a match between these two, and it wasn’t all that long ago that I certainly wouldn’t have believed that.
As I’ve said several times recently, I think Sheamus will be a solid babyface, and now is the perfect time to pull the trigger on his turn. He is more than capable of filling the void of being the No. 2 babyface behind Randy Orton on Smackdown.
Other thoughts on Friday’s show:
New WWE COO Triple H made an appearance and announced that he re-signed CM Punk late Monday night, which explains why Punk appeared at the end of Raw. …
Having Raw’s R-Truth and John Morrison on the show continued the recent creative direction in WWE of adding a sense of unpredictability to the programs. …
The main event between Orton and R-Truth served its purpose of advancing the Orton-Christian program. With Christian set to defend the world heavyweight title against Orton in a No Holds Barred Match at SummerSlam on Aug. 14, Orton lost by disqualification here and then brutalized R-Truth after the match while a worried Christian looked on from the stage as he realized that Orton can do all of that against him and it will be legal. …
The Christian-Morrison match wasn’t bad, although there were a couple rough spots. It was good to see Christian get another clean win, and I don’t think the loss really hurts Morrison all that much because the story being told was that he may have come back too soon from his injury and his health could be in jeopardy when he eventually faces R-Truth. …
The verbal exchange between Triple H, Christian and R-Truth got the show off to a good start. …
Broskis everywhere can rejoice, as Zack Ryder now has a role on TV – as Long’s assistant. This has the potential to be entertaining, although I was a little underwhelmed with Ryder’s segments this week. …
I like Michael Cole as a heel commentator, but he was really annoying me by constantly talking over Daniel Bryan and Wade Barrett during their verbal exchange. There comes a time when the announcers just need to shut up and let the focus be on the wrestlers, and that was one of those times. …
The funniest moment of the night was when an enraged Henry stormed out of the ring, approached the announce table and yelled “move!” and Cole, Booker T. and Josh Matthews all immediately got up and hurried away. …
Cole got in a funny line when Rosa Mendes took off her t-shirt prior to the six-woman tag match. “Well, she has to do something in this match. I guess that was it,” he said. …
I was glad that Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. defeated Ezekiel Jackson in a handicap match. I feared that DiBiase was going to do the job, which would have buried both him and Rhodes. …
I was disappointed that the Usos didn’t win the WWE tag team title from David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty. The belts are pretty meaningless as long as Otunga and McGillicutty have them, in my opinion. …
The video feature on Justin Gabriel wrestling in his native South Africa was well done and made him look like a star. By the way, Gabriel used the terms “wrestler” and “wrestling” in the piece, so it appears that the ban on the “w” words are over.
Comments
I think I know why you were underwhelmed by the Ryder segments... because he sucks. And I was practically screaming "SHUT UP" at my TV while Cole was talking over Danielson's promo. So unbelievably annoying. And not in that good, heel way.
Posted by: Jay | July 30, 2011 4:18 PM
Sheamus has been doing a pretty decent job in the ring lately, coming up with a few new moves...but it wasn't all that long ago that Daniel Bryan got a clean win over him.
CM Punk being "re-signed" late on Monday still doesn't make sense in the grand scheme of things for the WWE title. It makes all that came before it pointless and boils down to another Cena vs. Punk rematch and we all know Cena will have the belt for Wrestlemania for the Rock match.
The tag titles have been pretty much meaningless for a long time and I don't see the Uso's bringing any charisma to the belts at all. Boring schtick, boring and predictable moves, and like all brother or named tag teams, they will eventually break up.
Who is going over to RAW now that R-Truth is on Smackdown?
Posted by: The Mythical One | July 30, 2011 5:07 PM
I can't say I disagree with you about Ryder being "underwhelming" but expect to get a lot of heat for saying it.
I can't say I'm excited to see Mark Henry in anything nowadays. Especially his World's Fattest Slam.
Urgh, I don't wanna see another Christian/Randy match. 3 is fine, but 4 is annoying.
Posted by: C-CooL | July 30, 2011 6:05 PM
Fun fact: As I am going to comment on how silly it is to ban a "w" word, the captcha-esque blank below asks me to enter the letter w. Conspiracy, I'm calling it!
Posted by: JETZacx | July 30, 2011 6:31 PM
Kev,
How do you feel about the internet championship being the second best looking belt in WWE?
WWWYKI
Posted by: John Basedow | July 30, 2011 6:41 PM
I have always liked Sheamus when he first came in as rookie hopefully the WWE use him right as a number 2 babybace as for R. Truth looks like he being buried i know Booker T. is not great a commentator but he is funny adds a little comedy to already boring Cole and Josh Mathews .
Posted by: ryan | July 30, 2011 7:04 PM
I will never understand the reason behind McGillicutty not being able to use his real name.
They often reference Rikishi as the father of the Uso's, why not the same with him and Mr.Perfect?
Is it solely to "own" his name?
Also, hopefully Sheamus will get a legitimate push.
Always have been a fan of his.
Posted by: killermeatballs | July 30, 2011 7:05 PM
Want to seal the deal on a Sheamus face turn? Hornswoggle.
Posted by: Jack Windham | July 30, 2011 7:21 PM
Do you believe Sheamus putting over Mark Henry hurts Sheamus?
Posted by: Matt Champion | July 30, 2011 11:36 PM
Screw Ryder! Bring back Matt Striker! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have heard of The Shockmaster'.
Posted by: buddhapwnsnoobs | July 31, 2011 2:58 AM
I never thought I'd say this, but I am really interested in the program Sheamus and Mark Henry are building. The way they've built Henry up should work well against Sheamus. Most importantly, it might finally bring up that Sheamus put HHH on the shelf and that could add that final layer that turns this into a truly compelling storyline. I always love it when creative proves their memories go further back than last month.
On your Raw post, I was silently disagreeing with the notion that CM Punk came back too soon; I assumed that he was just being a badass and showing up without a contract to mess with Cena. Now that it's been revealed that he's been re-signed, I have to agree that it's too soon. One of the commenters said that it makes the whole storyline up to this point moot, and I have to agree. I dearly, dearly hope that Punk's title run isn't a one-and-done and that WWE has the guts to keep their poster boy in a non-title (at least not the *real* title) role. I think it would go a long way toward cooling some of the hostility that fans like myself have toward Cena, who at this point in his career doesn't need to be champion to get over. If the signs are pointing toward the unlikely, a Cena heel turn, then all the better. I just hope we get a new title belt out of the bargain.
I wish the writers would be a little less literal with R-Truth's mental instability. Having him talk to himself in asides is okay and somewhat amusing, but having him literally talking to people who aren't there is not. Unless they're building to Truth actually being mentally ill, being so literal takes away from the character. That aside, R-Truth has done a good job of getting over as a heel. It is only through sheer force that he has wormed his way into my head and forced me to, if not root for him, at least enjoy seeing him. I don't know what they're doing with him, and I still don't think he's ready to be champion, but I do enjoy him and hope they keep him in the top 1/4 of the card.
I'm guessing he and Morrison just appeared on SmackDown and haven't officially transferred.
I know cards are subject to change, but SmackDown is coming to Wichita on August 30th, and the advertised main event is Randy Orton defending the championship against Christian in a Street Fight, so I'm guessing Orton is going to win the strap back at SummerSlam. At this point, they've booked Christian to look so weak, I'd rather him not be the champion. I'll never understand Vince's obsession with only putting the title on the people who sell the most merchandise. Christian is a proven talent who has a solid fan base, but he will never be a Randy Orton, which apparently means he can't be champion. A friend of mine is convinced it's because Vince hates anyone he didn't create, and I usually think that's a bit of a conspiracy, but in Christian's case, I'm inclined to believe it's part of it. Obviously Christian started with WWE, but arguably he didn't become a real star until he joined TNA and was pushed.
Oh, Zach Ryder... Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but I don't think having a successful YouTube show and building a character based on the most annoying show in years should be basis for showing up on WWE programming. Hopefully he'll stick to this new assistant role on SmackDown which will serve the dual purposes of keeping the Ryder fans quiet and leaving Raw Ryder free. I do think SmackDown's numbers could benefit, because I do believe that Ryder fans will tune in to see him. For some damn reason.
Cole needs to go. Seriously. He clearly isn't content to just be an announcer. He obviously wants a different role, where he can more directly interact with the talent. Give it to him. He adds nothing to commentary, and often detracts from whatever's going on with his infantile complaining. I'm all for having face and heel announcers. God knows, JR and Lawler did it really effectively for a decade. The key is to be more subtle. Cole lacks subtlety. As happy as I am to have JR back on Raw, I don't look forward to the three man booth. I'd take three Booker T's doing commentary over Michael Cole any day. Keep him on, fine, but give him a different job. It's not cute, it's not entertaining, and it's six months past old.
I continue to not care about the disjointed Divas division. Sure, some of them are nice to look at, but if the writers can't bother scratching out some basic storylines, they don't have a place in professional wrestling.
The tag team titles are pretty much meaningless as long as they are A: ugly as all hell and B: in a company with no notable tag team division. They should just pull the trigger and get rid of the belts if they're only defended every other month.
I noticed the use of the dreaded "wrestling" as well. I hesitate to imagine that with the new kayfabe COO, we're getting a real change in direction. I would love to think that Vince realized that what has kept WWE going for this long is that there are people who love professional WRESTLING and want to watch it. I'm all for branching out to do live event production and whatever else he wants to do to make money, but leave our wrasslin' shows alone and set up a side company. It's not like taking the "wrestling" out of the company is going to de-stigmatize the fact that WWE is a wrestling promotion. I'd love to see HHH's reign as fictionalized head of the company lead Raw back to its rightful TV-14 place. As long as people have to go elsewhere for more edgy programming, there's money WWE is losing to TNA or, soon, ROH. We can't and probably shouldn't go back to what WWE and Raw were in the 90's and early 00's, but bringing a little of the edge and unpredictability back can only be good for business. The influx of kids who were brought in as viewers when the PG era started are at about the right age now where they would appreciate a harder edge. Now seems like the perfect time to do it. HHH is in charge, Punk looks like he could be the new #1 face, and Cena's character desperately need to be revitalized. Turn Cena heel, and slap that TV-14 back on and watch ratings soar. Or stay stagnant and keep forcing people to watch the utter garbage that is TNA just because it isn't WWE. The choice is theirs.
Posted by: Kyle | July 31, 2011 3:27 AM
My thought's on Smackdown
- Finally Sheamus's long awaited face turn.He is gonna be one hell of a face "FELLA"
- Zack Ryder got more Tv time on smackdown than the combined time he got on Raw in 2011
- Christian really needs to get a faster finisher.Killswitch kills a lot of time
- Jinder Mahal Translation - "Everybody listen to something i want to say.Each and everyone of you is like slaves.The one and only Jinder Mahal will rule.So much money,so much power i possess you people will never understand.i will become and show India's biggest Export & Smackdown's Biggest Import.Khali chant my name"
WTF!!! Points
- Why the hell was justin gabriel's music playing for nexus.Did anyone even notice that?.Even kevin didn't mentioned about it.I rem after punk left.Nexus got some new crappy theme.But they used Gabriel's theme before and after the match.
- What was Ryder Thinking when he got that guy out for the beating of his life.
- Did anyone else see shades of the maniac sting in randy orton.Only Sting is so much more awesome.
Posted by: Syed Habib Fawaz | July 31, 2011 4:32 AM
"He is more than capable of filling the void of being the No. 2 babyface behind Randy Orton on Smackdown."
There would not have been a void in the first place if the WWE had not unnecessarily turned Christian heel! Grumble, grumble...
Posted by: Anonymous | July 31, 2011 4:34 AM
@Jay When did Bryan beat Sheamus? As I recall Sheamus was on a losing streak and ended it when he beat Bryan for the U.S title. Then he beat bryan again in a rematch, Bryan has never beat Sheamus cleanly never man never.
Posted by: Pain | July 31, 2011 5:11 AM
@Pain - During the losing streak Daniel Bryan beat Sheamus a couple times leading up to Sheamus winning the US Title. That is what led to him saying he would win the title or quit. Perhaps you should check your information before questioning others.
Posted by: Scott | July 31, 2011 9:58 AM
I don't see much in Zack Ryder myself---but I think that it's positive that at least WWE recognizes that there is a fan base out there that wants to see him, and that they are giving those fans what they want. It isn't like there are only ten of them or something. It also I feel references the overall storyline of change within WWE catalyzed by Punk---as Ryder was part of Punk's comments against HHH at the San Diego Comic-Con viral video.
Again---as with RAW, I'm trying not to be reactionary at all, and to give WWE time to set some things up. I don't think we should worry right now about Punk being a one-shot---or about Orton/Christian becoming stale, etc. It really seems like WWE is making some moves towards some long-term planning and change. Even the "too-soon" Punk thing. I mean, REALLY look at it. Cena grabs the title again, and then Punk shows up and pretty much says---"your title is fake--you are fake---I am the champion, in more ways than just holding this belt." Isn't that what we wanted? EXACTLY what we wanted?
As one of the more grumpy and critical commenters, let me ask my fellow cynics to sit back and give this a few weeks before we lay into anything. Things can't change overnight, or it will just be TNA, non-cohesive and so unpredictable as to be non-sensical. Let's see if WWE takes Smackdown and RAW and starts to intelligently and creatively shift them into another gear.
On Smackdown specifically, although never liking Sheamus before, a clash of the powerhouses between he and Henry is definitely interesting, (as is Henry's new character----this is also positive, a guy who has always had talent is given a direction in which that talent can finally shine). I'm not happy with Christian's direction--but let's give that time also---I can't believe a company changing so many other things to appease fan bases won't realize that in many ways, this change was precipitated by the Christian title uproar, almost like the first rain before the storm that was CM Punk.
Okay, this is long as usual, but blame Kyle--it's his fault, he did it first---(in all seriousness to Kyle, I very much enjoyed his comments.)
Posted by: DumbSmark | July 31, 2011 10:35 AM
2 quick questions for you: Is WWE still planning to fire a bunch of their employees?
Does DH Smith still works for WWE? (not that I really care).
Posted by: El Flaco | July 31, 2011 12:07 PM
I've been a big Sheamus fan since he unexpectedly beat John Cena for the title a few years ago. I think that his in-ring ability is really solid and it's nice that they have an Irish character who isn't dripping in stereotypes. But I think they've been booking the Big Fella oddly over the last couple of years. The King of the Ring run, for example, saw Sheamus get buried so deep I was questioning whether he was staying with the company.
Now that Sheamus appears to be turning face, hopefully this will lead to a less disjointed booking direction. I don't think he necessarily has to change his character that much. Instead, he can be the unstoppable face-kicking machine that takes on all comers. I think I can handle that.
TOO MANY LIMES!
Posted by: Jason R. | July 31, 2011 12:39 PM
@Kyle - so what grade did you get on your thesis?
@Syed Habib Fawaz - I appreciate the translation
@nobody in particular - think Sheamus will finally get to use a tanning bed as a face?
Posted by: Marko50 | July 31, 2011 4:39 PM
I think DumbSmark is Kyle in a mask lol.
Posted by: that guy | August 1, 2011 12:52 PM
@ Marko50
Speaking for nobody in particular, I think if Shaemus used a tanning bed he would crack and peel like cheap naugahyde under a heat lamp. That man makes John Cena look like Abdullah the Butcher.
I have a less rhetorical question----as CM Punk already gave him a huge rub---would Gregory Irons and his story play in the WWE?
Posted by: DumbSmark | August 1, 2011 1:00 PM
The one thing I will say even though Cole showed up on Smackdown indicating that he wants to keep his job, but Triple H will make him walk to a whole different tune and show respect and willingness to work with others in a professional way. The problem with Cole is that he is such a hypocrit, when he confronted Bryan in the ring after Money In The Bank, he gave him that whole song and dance about that he was going to cash it in on a beatin down wrestler and take the easy win, and how that shows that he does not deserve to be a champion, when his boy the Miz took advantage of a man that got beatin down by 7 other guys for the championship, but yet cole went on and on about how the Miz totally deserved that champioship. If you are going to make a statement like he did you better stand by your conviction.
Posted by: Ellario | August 1, 2011 3:13 PM
@kevin
Did you notice Justin Gabriel's theme playing for the New Nexus's Entrance or is it just me?
Posted by: syed habib fawaz | August 1, 2011 4:34 PM
Sheamus is a perfect example of a wrestler who was pushed to the top before he was actually over, and the fans rejected him because of it. Only now have the fans begun to catch on to the push he got a few years ago, and it's finally becoming evident why the WWE pushed him in the first place.
Sheamus has the size and strength of the protypical WWE Superstar that Vince McMahon likes. He also has the kind of freakish power that jumps out at you live in an arena. He's like a gladiator of old, people want to see him make that killer blow. Sort of like the effect Goldberg had, like a Mike Tyson. If they unleash Sheamus, I believe he's the type of performer who can fill the crowd's blood lust. Sometimes you just want to see the lion maul the antelope, and Sheamus is the man for the job.
Posted by: Maurice B. | August 1, 2011 5:42 PM
Best angle:
Randy Orton, gets all hated by the entire Rooster.
Sheamus comes and think thats wrong.
They team up as partners and make all other wrestlers fall from their feets.
They could also bring in Mark Henry.
They all 3, could take all the belts as well for a long period.
A Weird but cool new faction... :D
Posted by: Stevo | August 4, 2011 2:48 PM
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MATCH WITH SHEAMUS AND MARK HENRY IN A CAGE MATCH CAUSE I THANK SHEAMUS CAN DO IT I AM HIS FAN
Posted by: CHARLIE | August 7, 2011 10:46 AM