Friday Night Smackdown!

Cincinnati, Ohio
September 20, 2013
resul
ts thanks to wrestleview.com

"Then. Now. Forever." The WWE video leads us into the show.

"Then. Now. Forever." The WWE video leads us into the show.

A video highlights the events of the past week. Daniel Bryan won the WWE Championship at Night of Champions after a fast count from referee Scott Armstrong. Armstrong then insinuated on Monday Night RAW that he was in cahoots with Bryan to affect the outcome of the match. Triple H would then strip Bryan of the WWE Championship. Orton and The Shield would try to eliminate Bryan with a steel chair only for some members of the locker room to come out and help him take them out.

Lilian Garcia asks the crowd to welcome the General Manager of Smackdown, Vickie Guerrero. EXCUSE ME! Vickie is standing in the center of the ring. She welcomes the crowd to Friday Night Smackdown. As the General Manager, she has the most astounding, thrilling, and entertaining show ever for Smackdown tonight. First, she is here to introduce to them the laughing stock of the WWE. No, it is not Hornswoggle. He doesn't even come close. This man has gone from hero to zero. Bob Backlund held the WWE Championship for 2,135 days. CM Punk held it for 434 days. This man won the WWE Championship at Summerslam and held it for five minutes and twenty-five seconds. He did a little better at Night of Champions when he stole the championship and held it for twenty-one hours, thirty-four minutes, and thirty-two seconds. She then welcomes the man who got caught red-handed on Monday Night RAW, Daniel Bryan.

Daniel Bryan comes out to a tremendous reception from the Cincinnati crowd. Bryan says he would much rather be champion for only one day than be a shrill, corporate suck-up for his entire life. Vickie reminds him that she is his boss. She is giving one more opportunity to come clean in front of everybody. Bryan says she knows he did nothing wrong. Vickie says we saw the footage at the top of the show. Anyone with a brain would know that he was conspiring with Scott Armstrong against Randy Orton. Vickie tells him to come forward and tell the truth.

Bryan asks if she wants the truth. The truth is he kneed Randy Orton in the face and covered him. The referee counted to three very quickly, but he could have counted to twenty because Orton was knocked out. He doesn't know why Scott Armstrong did what he did, but he knows that he should still be the WWE Champion. Vickie screams that he is a liar.

Vickie says she doesn't agree with her boss, Triple H. She knows that Triple H gave Bryan a match at WWE Battleground, but she would have fired him. She hopes he never becomes the face of WWE. Bryan says everyone here should be grateful that she doesn't have any real power. Vickie says that's interesting. This past Monday on RAW, ten superstars rushed into the ring to try to prevent him from getting the beating he so richly deserves from The Shield.

Instead of Bryan being fired, she thinks its more interesting for him to be eliminated. Bryan and the ten other superstars will be eliminated tonight. She then shows a list of the superstars: Dolph Ziggler, The Usos, R-Truth, Justin Gabriel, Zack Ryder, The Prime Time Players, Kofi Kingston, and Rob Van Dam. All eleven will be eliminated because tonight we'll have an eleven on three handicap gauntlet match. The Shield will be in the ring at all times. One man, and one man only, will face The Shield until he is defeated. The Hounds of Justice will run through each and every one of them. Vickie says she's saving Bryan for last. Vickie then cackles before leaving the ring.

Tonight, we'll see what happened at Night of Champions when Paul Heyman pinned CM Punk with Ryback's help. Ryback will be in action later tonight.

-Commercial Break-

Natalya is at the commentary table to talk about the next match.

Naomi w/ Cameron vs. AJ Lee

A pre-taped promo airs with AJ Lee. She says as the woman who has single-handedly redefined the Divas Division, she is going to single-handedly defeat every E! Network Total Diva, starting with Naomi.

Charles Robinson, my favorite referee of all time, is the official for this match. Naomi goes for a lock-up, but AJ knees her in the midsection. AJ goes to throw her out of the ring, but Naomi flips to the apron. Naomi kicks her away and springboards off the top rope, but AJ hits her with a roundhouse kick in mid-air for a near fall. AJ quickly goes to a neck vice, but Naomi fights up and elbows out. Naomi hits the ropes, but AJ takes her down with a back elbow for a one count. AJ chokes her on the second rope before reapplying the neck vice. Naomi gets to her feet and hits a jawbreaker. AJ comes back and starts talking trash, so Naomi takes her down with a step-up enzuigiri.

Naomi rolls her up for a two count before taking her down with a quick dropkick. Naomi hits a flipping clothesline before having a whip reversed on her. Naomi slides under a roundhouse kick and hits an atomic drop. Naomi then takes her out with the Rear View for a near fall. Naomi goes for a body slam, but AJ slides through and jumps on her back for a sleeper hold. Naomi backs her into the corner to break the hold. Naomi then goes for a sidewalk slam, but AJ counters into the Black Widow! Naomi fights it, but she drops to a knee and has to tap out!

Winner by Submission: AJ Lee
Match Rating: * 3/4

AJ sits on the second rope and taunts Natalya. Natalya slams down her headset before standing in front of AJ with her arms crossed smiling.

-Commercial Break-

Jack Swagger is in the ring with Zeb Colter and Antonio Cesaro. Colter says that Swagger's opponent is a foreigner, an immigrant, and an Italian named Santino Marella. Colter says that he knows that Marella is listening, so he advises him to take the ravioli out of his ears because he's going to give him a "pizza" his mind. Colter asks how Santino got in this country. Did he sneak across? Are his papers legitimate? The last time he looked, it is illegal in this country to own a pet reptile without a proper permit. The Real Americans are the only ones in this building to ask these types of questions. Colter asks the people to get to their feet, put their hands over their hearts, and say, "We The People!"

Jack Swagger w/ Zeb Colter and Antonio Cesaro vs. Santino Marella

They circle the ring before Swagger challenges Santino to take him down. Santino tries, but he fails. Swagger clubs him before powering him to the corner. Swagger knees him before tossing him across the ring. Swagger talks trash to him in the corner before hitting a short-arm clothesline. Swagger says, "We The People!" Swagger under-hooks the arms and screams, "Welcome to America!" Santino fights up, but Swagger puts him in the corner. Swagger clubs him down before punching him in the head. Santino punches, but Swagger quickly knees him back down.

Swagger throws him, but Santino cartwheels to his feet. Santino splits under a clothesline and goes for a hip toss, but Swagger blocks it. Santino then catches him with a backslide pin for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Santino Marella
Match Rating: 1/2 *

Ryback is walking alongside a wheelchair bound Paul Heyman with Curtis Axel pushing him. Heyman is beaming while looking at Ryback. Ryback will be in action, next.

-Commercial Break-

Nick Nardone vs. Ryback w/ Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman

Before the match, Heyman announces his name for the crowd. They boo him. Heyman says the crowd already knows the big news that he is the Best in the World. Admittedly and uncharacteristically, he wants to give credit to his opponent, CM Punk. Punk gave him all that he could handle at Night of Champions. However, when two men engage in combat inside the squared circle, only one man can emerge victorious. On Sunday, that man was not their hero, CM Punk. The winner of that match was Paul Heyman. Heyman grabs Ryback's hand before saying he could not have done it without his hero, Ryback.

Ryback says that Heyman is a gracious and appreciative man. He doesn't deserve to be picked on by a bully like CM Punk. If there's one thing that he can't stand, it’s a bully. Take this guy in the ring for example. Heyman told him that earlier in the day, this guy refused to sign a little kid's autograph. Then he intimidated the kid in the parking lot. If he wants to try to intimidate little kids, then why doesn't he try to intimidate him? What he does to this guy is exactly what he'll do to CM Punk the next time he sees him.

Ryback gets in the ring and locks up with him before powering him down. Ryback apologizes to the guy before offering to help him up. Nardone backs away. Ryback powers him to the corner before yelling that this is too easy. Nardone punches him back before hitting the ropes. Ryback then takes him out with a meat hook clothesline. Ryback then takes him down with the Shell Shocked for the win. As the referee counted three, Ryback yelled, "I hate bullies!"

Winner by Pinfall: Ryback
Match Rating: 1/4 *

Randy Orton is seen walking backstage. He'll be out to address the controversy over the WWE Championship, next.

-Commercial Break-

Randy Orton's music hits, and the former WWE Champion makes his way to the ring to a chorus of boos from the crowd. Orton does not look happy at all. Orton says at Night of Champions, Daniel Bryan and Scott Armstrong conspired to steal the WWE Title from him, and they succeeded. With a lightening fast three count, his reign as the WWE Champion was over like that.

Still, it was his fault. It was 100% his fault. He never should have been in that position in the first place. For the past two years, he has been suppressing who he really is inside because he thought that's what the fans all wanted. He even went to anger management. He locked away the relentless, remorseless, sadistic side of the Viper. He locked away the Viper that was devoid of morality because he thought that's what the fans wanted. Then Monday night on RAW, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came to him, and they allowed him to see who and what he really should be. So he went to the door, ripped it open, and threw away the key. He then made an example of The Miz in Cleveland. He made an example out of The Miz so everyone would know who he really, truly is.

A replay is shown of Orton's vicious assault on The Miz from Monday on RAW. The attack culminated with Orton dropping a knee on Miz' head while it was sandwiched in a chair. Orton says that should be an example to anyone who tries to get in his way. There is no champion right now, but after Battleground, there will be. He's looking to massacre and annihilate. He'll not only win the battle; he'll end the war against Daniel Bryan. Orton then promises - no, swears - to be our - no, his WWE Champion.

The Shield's music hits, and they make their way to the ring. The 11-on-3 handicap gauntlet match will happen, next.

-Commercial Break-

Vickie Guerrero is seen sitting at ringside.

11-on-3 Handicap Gauntlet Match
The Shield vs. Darren Young

Darren Young gets in the ring, and The Shield immediately mauls him. They triple-team him and rip his shirt off. They kick and punch away at him before Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins hold him up to get speared by Roman Reigns. They pick up the easy win from there. Titus O'Neil is out next for the match.

The Shield vs. Titus O'Neil

O'Neil runs down to the ring, and they quickly pounce on him. O'Neil begins to fight them off, but Ambrose jumps on his back, and Rollins grabs the ankle. Reigns then takes O'Neil down with a big shoulder block. They begin to stomp away at him. Rollins puts him in a front face lock as they continue to punch away at him. They then drop him with a Triple Powerbomb for the win. Dolph Ziggler is out next.

The Shield vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler runs down to the ring, and he takes Ambrose down with a Thesz Press. Ziggler punches away at him before concentrating on Rollins. Reigns rips him off and powers him to the corner, but Ziggler sidesteps him as he charges. Ziggler punches away at Reigns from the second rope until Rollins and Ambrose rip him off. Ambrose punches away at him as the other two watch on. Rollins then stomps him and chokes him with his boot. Rollins rips Ziggler's shirt off as they circle him. Rollins holds Ziggler up, and Reigns punches him down. Ambrose holds him up, and Rollins clubs him in the throat. They take turns holding him up and giving him a shot a few more times.

They stand around him and talk some trash. Ziggler quickly bounces up and begins punching away at all three. Ziggler clotheslines Rollins before pulling the top rope down on Reigns as he charges him. Reigns flies over the top rope. Ziggler dropkicks Ambrose before hitting a famouser on Rollins. Ziggler then hits a Mick Foley-style clothesline on Ambrose over the top rope. Ziggler gets on the apron and punches Rollins. Ambrose then grabs Ziggler's ankle, and Rollins dropkicks him off the apron. Reigns then destroys him with a vicious spear at ringside! The Shield gets in the ring, and Ziggler is counted out! Kofi Kingston is out next.

The Shield vs. Kofi Kingston

Reigns leaves the ring to spear Kingston on the entrance ramp, but Kingston leapfrogs him. Kingston charges the ring, and he snaps both Rollins and Ambrose's necks off the top rope. Kingston then takes them down with a springboard cross-body block. Kingston chops Ambrose down and hits Rollins with a back elbow. Kingston then takes them down with a pair of dropkicks. Reigns charges his way back into the ring only to be met with Trouble in Paradise by Kingston! Kingston covers, but the other two break up the pinfall attempt. The double-team commences from here as Reigns is still down. Ambrose holds Kingston up for Rollins to punch away at before hitting a Headlock Driver for the win. Rob Van Dam is out next!

The Shield vs. Rob Van Dam

RVD gets in the ring, and Ambrose and Rollins quickly attack him. They send him into the ropes, but RVD backflips over them. RVD blocks a kick from Ambrose and spins his leg into Rollins' midsection. RVD then clotheslines Ambrose down and kicks Rollins to the corner. RVD then levels Ambrose with a roundhouse kick. RVD clobbers Rollins with a roundhouse in the corner before turning his attention to Ambrose. RVD gives him a monkey flip from the corner. Rollins tries to put him in the corner, but RVD kicks him in the face. Reigns gets on the apron, so RVD takes him right back out with a springboard kick to the throat. RVD blocks a kick and hits a step-over roundhouse to Ambrose. RVD looks around at the crowd before hitting Ambrose with the Rolling Thunder! RVD does his taunt for the crowd.

RVD goes to the top rope in position for a Five Star Frog Splash when Triple H's music hits. The WWE COO comes out yelling, "Shut it down!" Reigns sneaks up behind RVD and pushes him off the top rope to the floor. The bell rings, and this match is over.

No Contest
Match Rating: **

Triple H goes up to Vickie Guerrero, and he tells her to go to his office right now. He asks if she has any idea what she's just done. Vickie quickly gets up and power walks to the back. Triple H gets in front, and he leads her to the back. The commentators wonder what just happened.

-Commercial Break-

Triple H is admonishing Vickie Guerrero in her office. Triple H asks if she knows what she did. Ten guys ran in to help Daniel Bryan on Monday night. When you do what she did tonight, it'll be ten more guys and then ten more on top of that. Then you have a full-scale revolt on your hands. Vickie says she thought she was doing what was best for business. Triple H says she has no idea what is best for business. What is best for business is fair, honest competition for these guys. They need to feel safe and in a competitive environment. Vickie is going to put The Shield in a six-man tag match against the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Titles, The Usos, and Daniel Bryan. Triple H tells her to make the match.

The RAW Rebound shows Dusty Rhodes/Virgil Runnels meeting with Stephanie McMahon in the ring for a business proposition. Stephanie gave him the option of rehiring either Cody Rhodes or Goldust. Runnels told her to go to hell. Stephanie would then force the Big Show to give him the Knockout Punch.

Triple H is still in Vickie's office when Zack Ryder and Justin Gabriel come in. Triple H apologizes for Vickie putting them in that gauntlet match. Gabriel accepts the apology. Ryder says it's too bad because they wanted some competition. Ryder calls Triple H "bro" before slapping him on the back. Triple H tells them to go to the ring, and he'll find them some good, fair competition. They seem happy as they leave. Triple H says, "Go get 'em, tiger!"

-Commercial Break-

Zack Ryder and Justin Gabriel vs. The Wyatt Family

Luke Harper and Erick Rowan will represent the family. Bray Wyatt sits in the rocking chair at ringside. Ryder will start out against Harper. Harper powers him into the ropes and clubs him. Harper sends him into the ropes, and Ryder hits a face-buster. Ryder dropkicks him before giving him a forearm in the corner. Harper reverses a whip to the corner, and Ryder jumps over him. Ryder hits the ropes, and Harper takes him down with a vicious big boot. Gabriel breaks up the pinfall. Rowan comes in the ring to eliminate Gabriel. Gabriel kicks away at him, but Rowan soon blocks one and throws him out of the ring. In the ring, Harper powerbombs Ryder into the corner before hitting a vicious discus clothesline for the win!

Winners by Pinfall: The Wyatt Family
Match Rating: 1/4 *

Bray Wyatt gets in the ring and bends backwards to look at Ryder. Wyatt holds him before signaling to Rowan to take out Gabriel. Gabriel was on the top rope when Rowan big booted him to the floor. Wyatt then drops Ryder with the Sister Abigail. Wyatt grabs a microphone, and he says when he makes a promise, he always keeps it. If they're going to keep lining them up, then he promises that they'll keep on putting them down, all for Abigail. Wyatt kneels in front of Ryder, and he says, "Follow the buzzards!"

Daniel Bryan and The Usos will take on The Shield in the main event.

-Commercial Break-

Rob Van Dam is in the trainer's office getting examined when Triple H walks in. Triple H asks the doctor how RVD is doing. The doctor says he's just sore. Triple H apologizes for Vickie putting him in that gauntlet match. He also came to let him know that he's giving RVD a rematch for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Battleground. RVD looks impressed as Triple H leaves. Alberto Del Rio then comes from out of nowhere and attacks RVD! Del Rio sends him into the wall before kicking him in the skull. The doctor yells for help. Referees come in to get Del Rio away, but he still manages to slam a case off his back.

R-Truth vs. Alberto Del Rio

R-Truth begins to punch away at Del Rio as soon as the bell rings. R-Truth sends him to the corner and hits an avalanche. R-Truth hits a suplex for a one count. Del Rio avoids a scissor kick and hits a backstabber for a near fall. Del Rio punches away at him before choking him on the ropes. Del Rio pulls the hair before hitting a back suplex for a near fall. Del Rio applies a chin lock, but R-Truth fights up. Del Rio quickly punches him down before talking some trash.

Del Rio hits the ropes, and R-Truth hits a heel kick. R-Truth clotheslines him a few times before hitting a front suplex for a two count. Del Rio pushes him to the corner, and he catches him with a step-up enzuigiri for a near fall. Del Rio signals for the Cross Arm Breaker, but R-Truth rolls through it. R-Truth hits him with the Scissor Kick for a near fall! R-Truth goes for a suplex stunner, but Del Rio gets out and kicks him in the hamstring. Del Rio kicks him down one more time before applying the Cross Arm Breaker for the win.

Winner by Submission: Alberto Del Rio
Match Rating: *

Daniel Bryan and The Usos will take on The Shield, next.

-Commercial Break-

The Shield vs. The Usos and Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan will start out against Seth Rollins. They circle the ring before locking up. Bryan powers him to the corner where he begins to kick away at him. Bryan sends him into the ropes and turns him inside out with a knee to the midsection. Bryan drops a knee for a two count. Rollins whips him off, but Bryan hits a shoulder block. Bryan hits the ropes, and Rollins goes to leapfrog him, but Bryan hooks the legs. Bryan then locks him in the Mexican surfboard stretch. Jimmy Uso is tagged in, and he clotheslines Rollins for a two count. Rollins fights back, and Dean Ambrose is tagged in.

Ambrose bounces Jimmy off the corner before punching away at him. Jimmy reverses a whip to the corner and hits a back body drop. Jimmy punches him down, and Jey tags in. Jimmy whips Ambrose into Jey for a clothesline and a two count. Jey applies an arm bar, but Ambrose fights up. Jimmy tags back in, and Jey slaps Ambrose. Jimmy then avalanches him before hitting a snapmare. Jimmy hits a falling head-butt for a one count. Jey tags back in, and they hit a double-team back elbow/elbow drop for a two count. Ambrose powers Jey to the corner, and Roman Reigns tags in. Reigns stomps Jey down before choking him with his boot. Reigns punches him in the mouth before sending him to the ropes. Reigns lowers his head and eats a kick. Jey rolls him up for a one count. Bryan then tags in.

Bryan kicks away at Reigns while he's on his knees. Bryan has a whip reversed, and Reigns hits a back elbow. Ambrose is tagged in, and he kicks and punches Bryan down. Ambrose drops a quick elbow for a two count. Rollins tags back in, and he kicks and punches away at Bryan. Rollins applies a modified chin lock, but Bryan soon fights up. Bryan counters out with a back suplex. Jey is tagged in, and he punches Rollins. Rollins ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick. Ambrose is tagged in, and they hit a wishbone split on Jey. Ambrose picks up a near fall.

-Commercial Break-

We come back from the break to see Jey trapped in a chin lock applied by Rollins. Jey fights out, and he takes Rollins down with an enzuigiri. Jey kicks Rollins away and tags in Jimmy. Jimmy hits a pair of clotheslines before kicking him in the midsection. Jimmy follows up with a Samoan Drop before taunting the crowd. Jimmy clotheslines Ambrose on the ring apron before going for a full nelson bomb on Rollins. Rollins gets out with a big kick to the skull.

Reigns is tagged in, and he covers for a one count. Reigns powers him to the corner and tags in Ambrose. Ambrose slaps him down and clubs away at the chest. Ambrose talks trash to the opposing team before giving Jimmy a snapmare. Ambrose applies a chin lock, but Jimmy fights up and gets out with a jawbreaker. Jimmy hits the ropes, but Ambrose knees him in the midsection. Ambrose then hits a front dropkick for a two count. Rollins tags in, and he hits a slingshot senton for a near fall. Rollins covers again for the same result. Rollins chokes him on the ropes until the referee admonishes him. Ambrose then kicks him in the head while the referee is distracted. Reigns is tagged in, and he punches Jimmy down before dropping an elbow. Reigns applies a chin lock. Jimmy fights out, but Reigns sends him into the ropes for a back elbow. Reigns then hits the ropes and hits a nice clothesline for a near fall. Reigns applies a chin lock before going for a back suplex. Jimmy flips through and punches down all members of The Shield. Rollins is tagged in before Jimmy can make a tag, but Jimmy hits him with a full nelson bomb. Ambrose is tagged in, and he knocks Jey off the apron. He tries to stop Jimmy from tagging, but Jimmy rolls under him.

Daniel Bryan is tagged in, and he dropkicks Rollins and Reigns off the apron. Bryan punches away at Ambrose before having a whip to the corner reversed on him. Bryan backflips over Ambrose before hitting a flying elbow. Bryan pumps up and hits a pair of vicious corner dropkicks. Bryan kicks away at him before putting him on the top rope for a super hurricanrana! Reigns breaks up the pinfall. The Usos team to get him out of the ring. Jey then takes him out with a diving plancha! Rollins then charges and flips out of the ring with a senton! Jimmy then hits a split-legged moonsault to the outside!

Inside the ring, Ambrose clotheslines Bryan down. All of a sudden, Bryan locks him in the Yes! Lock, but Ambrose quickly gets to the ropes. The Usos hit a double superkick from outside the ring on Ambrose! The referee wasn't looking then. Bryan then takes Ambrose out with the running knee to the skull for the win!

Winners by Pinfall: The Usos and Daniel Bryan
Match Rating: ** 1/4

Daniel Bryan and The Usos celebrate in the ring big time. The crowd chants "YES!" as Smackdown comes to an end.