Smackdown 8/1/14 results

[The GOAT]

@Lockard23

I just remembered. HHH challenged Batista to a Hell in a Cell match out of desperation in June 2005. He'd lost twice in a row and lost that third time before taking time off. He returned to a hero's welcome in Oct. 05 only to turn on Ric Flair.

I wanted to own it. As HHH challenged Batista, he was nearing the end of his heel run, which kind of supports my theory.

Nonetheless, a heel HHH did challenge a face Batista in June 05

I believe the thing that could benefit Randy Orton more than just the normal respect/veteran pops is an injury.

I hate to wish that kind of thing on someone, but if Orton happened to suffer one that put him on the shelf say anywhere from six to eight months and he had to train and fight back hard to recuperate from it and make a comeback, the audience would cheer him out of respect and admiration just like they did with Hunter over a decade before. Triple H was the most hated heel on the show period in 2000/2001 when he tore his quad, yet when he returned in January the following year, he was showered with one of the biggest pops in history. And much of his training and rehab was well-documented upon his return, which no doubt humanized him and made the audience respect him.

 

[Prince Bálor]

Just wanted to hop in on the convo here... Yes, it's kinda obvious Orton is going to become a babyface once again... The way you guys've been saying, he's going to be taken out by The Authority, so if either Lesnar, Batista or Rollins take him out, or all of three of them together, he'll become a face right away. Let's give it 3-4 months time.
TBH, I'd love to see a face Orton back, as a heel, he's bland.

 

[Red Rain]

I see where Lock is driving at. Orton needs all the help he can get to fully get himself over.
He needs effort to be written into his angles because he's dull otherwise.
I remember the 8 month period Triple H was gone. It was handled brilliantly from the time he was injured till the day he returned.
It was almost contrived, from finishing the match to Steph being under his arm on the way up the ramp.
HHH was a much bigger deal than Orton is now, but the sympy card never fails. Orton has it in him to make this type of angle work and may even have a better payoff than HHH's did.

 

[The GOAT]

I figure it has little chance of happening this early, but if The Authority did turn on him, it would be very ironic if it happened the night after Summerslam. This year's post-Summerslam Raw will mark the exact ten-year anniversary of Orton getting booted from Evolution the night after the 2004 Summerslam:



Obviously the circumstances surrounding the betrayal would be different this time around, but still. WWE always loves it when significant things happen that you can put an exact decade on (whether it's ten years, twenty years, etc.)

 

[Red Rain]

With Bryan and Barrett out they definitely need Orton on the show.
If they simply booted him for a non-injury angle it would be early, given he's an important cog in putting Reigns over properly.
I could see (eventually) the Authority turning on Orton (for failing to win the Reigns feud) only for Reigns to come to his aid.
If the turn happened sooner rather than later, Reigns and Orton should have developed a respect for another through the bitter feud.
It's hypothetical and I'm not ready for Reigns and Orton to be buddy up anytime soon.
The Authority will crumble. Orton will leave before Rollins does and that much is certain.

HHH will drag this angle for as long as he can, it's just clear as day (kayfabe wise) that he's grown tired of Randy Orton.

 

[Brad.]

Don't know why people are complaining about Cesaro losing. Swagger is much more over than him cos dumbass Americans lap up the "USA!! USA!!" shit.

Rollins and Ambrose can step in the ring on SmackDown but not on a PPV like Battleground? Bullshit

Ziggler tapping to ADR? Why

Pull the plug on Jericho v Wyatt feud please. Send Bray back to NXT, his character is in crisis. Lol if you actually still listen to his promos

 

[The GOAT]

With Bryan and Barrett out they definitely need Orton on the show.
If they simply booted him for a non-injury angle it would be early, given he's an important cog in putting Reigns over properly.
I could see (eventually) the Authority turning on Orton (for failing to win the Reigns feud) only for Reigns to come to his aid.
If the turn happened sooner rather than later, Reigns and Orton should have developed a respect for another through the bitter feud.
It's hypothetical and I'm not ready for Reigns and Orton to be buddy up anytime soon.
The Authority will crumble. Orton will leave before Rollins does and that much is certain.

HHH will drag this angle for as long as he can, it's just clear as day (kayfabe wise) that he's grown tired of Randy Orton.

Hunter vs Reigns is currently scheduled to go on at Night Of Champions, so I don't see the Orton and Reigns rivalry going past Summerslam. Their original plan was to do Reigns vs Orton at Battleground and then Reigns vs HHH at Summerslam, but they postponed the latter because saving the first Hunter/Reigns match for Night Of Champions is a way to entice people to resubscribe to the Network since September is the month that subscription renewals take place. Orton will put over Reigns at Summerslam and other than maybe a rematch on Raw or something, I figure that'll be the end of that. (In fact, I could see that maybe being the catalyst for The Authority taking Orton out. Hunter tells him the night after Summerslam that he failed last night and tonight is his final chance - take Reigns out or else The Authority will wash its hands of Orton. When Orton fails, Hunter's way of "washing their hands" of him is a Grade-A ass whopping... Although I agree that it's too early perhaps to be putting Orton on the shelf.)

 

[Red Rain]

I overlooked the Network renewal, that's my fault.
In terms of Reigns/Orton: This a feud built to go three, a way to build a bond between Reigns and Orton and to re-build the bond between Orton and his fanbase. One match isn't quite enough to get that done.

WWE will turn Orton babyface and, like it or not, isn't the question mark that Daniel Bryan is. If HHH/Reigns must happen at Night of Champions, so be it. In a perfect world Orton/Reigns would have at least two great bouts (including the RAW where Authority boots Orton) Orton hasn't been pinned in sometime and I cringe at WWE simply letting that go by in such immediate fashion.

 

[Prince Bálor]

It was a decent show.

Swagger vs Cesajob was decent, totally knew Cesaro was gonna job. Lol at the new sirens for Cesaro's music. Just change that shit, give him something better.

Rollins & Kane vs Ambrose was damn good. Too bad it ended in a DQ. Ambrose vs Rollins at SS is bound to happen and be awesome!

Really loving the Paige/AJ feud right now

DZ vs ADR was good. DZ was finally getting the push... Aaaand it's gone. Hopefully we get to see Miz vs Ziggler for the IC title at SS!

Whatever happened to Bray's great promos...
- Rowan vs Jericho was damn good, highlight of the night. Really grown to like Rowan. Pumped for Bray vs Y2J at SummerSlam!

 

[Aids Johnson]

If you had asked literally anyone a month ago who was getting the push, it was unanimously Cesaro, and yet here we are. This is refuckingdiculous.

 

[Red Rain]

If you had asked literally anyone a month ago who was getting the push, it was unanimously Cesaro, and yet here we are. This is refuckingdiculous.

Yeah, Cesaro's swing was f'ing ace. In fact, his moveset is the most un-generic I've seen in years.