Smackdown Spoilers For 8/5/2011

[Arch Stanton]

The draft pretty much only happened because Edge had to retire. Had that not happened Edge would have faced Del Rio after Wrestlemania, and in all likelihood would have won the World title. With Del Rio as top heel, Barrett would be even further away from a World title run.

The Draft happens every year, doesn't it?!

[Merzbow]

Where is D-Bryans new music from? Sounds like something i've heard in PRIDE/DREAM or some other similar MMA company.

[Ron Simmons]

The Draft happens every year, doesn't it?!

...yes, but it happened early this year. Because Edge retired. I'm not really sure what you're trying to get at here. I'm not disuputing Barrett has potential. I'm just saying even if Edge hadn't retired he was miles away from even touching World title gold on Smackdown. Del Rio was likely first in line, and seeds were being planted for an Edge/Christian storyline.

[ColinBollocks]

Big Zeke needs to go back to FCW for a few months. Learn how to work like a monster, get some power moves. Then when he returns have him play the 'angry black dude' we all know he was born to play.

 

No smiling and no talking. Just a whole load of angry.

[Arch Stanton]

...yes, but it happened early this year. Because Edge retired. I'm not really sure what you're trying to get at here. I'm not disuputing Barrett has potential. I'm just saying even if Edge hadn't retired he was miles away from even touching World title gold on Smackdown. Del Rio was likely first in line, and seeds were being planted for an Edge/Christian storyline.

The Draft happened the same time as it did the previous two years. It was April 25th. in 2010, it was April 26th and in 2009 it was April 13th (according to Wiki).

 

Anyway, not wanting to argue, all I'm getting at is that if The Corre had been booked to the best of their potential, then Wade could have been involved in a World Championship programme by now. I don't see what Edge retiring has anything to do with it. Del Rio went to Raw and the top heel on SmackDown right now is Christian, who was lower in the pecking order than Barratt not so long ago.

[Smeg_&_The_Heads]

Don't drafts usually happen on a 3 hour Raw this year it was a 2 hour Raw I'm sure it was done early only by 2-3 weeks but it was early.

[andrew "the ref" coyne]

What's the logic there?

 

There was a train of thought, especially during the attitude era, that if a guy won a key match in the run up to the PPV, it was a sign he would lose at the PPV. The idea being that it was a way to portray them having the advantage (making their loss "unpredictable"), and also to keep them strong even when they do lose.

 

It's fairly old school way of thinking, and somewhat redundant in this day and age. WWE have done a good job in the last few years of eliminating some of the more unpredictable elements from their product. From what I gather from the show, it was a way to "prove" that Christian could pin Orton, and then this isn't going to be a one sided slaughter. I don't think it's a indication that Orton is going to win.

 

Personally I think it will be a competitive match, but that Orton is going over... and he should. Christian would benefit from being a bitter "almost there" competitor and he can use this motivation / desperation for another title shot as part of a storyline to challenge Bryan for the MITB title shot.

[Swift89]

Don't drafts usually happen on a 3 hour Raw this year it was a 2 hour Raw I'm sure it was done early only by 2-3 weeks but it was early.

 

Correct, they didn't have a draft planned at all, but when Edge got injured they panicked and just did one straight away.

[Reznor]

I think Orton has to win, for the simple reasons that the feud has run it's course and has to be blown off, and Christian just isn't at Ortons level.

 

They've at least given a bit of effort to elevating Christian since his return though, and he has to come out of it strong too, otherwise the last 4 months have been a waste. Why is why I can see this match being the showstealer.

[The King Of Swing]

There was a train of thought, especially during the attitude era, that if a guy won a key match in the run up to the PPV, it was a sign he would lose at the PPV. The idea being that it was a way to portray them having the advantage (making their loss "unpredictable"), and also to keep them strong even when they do lose.

 

Yeah it's like when Booker T pinned Triple H in a tag team match on Raw just before Wrestlemania, anyone who had been watching the WWF/E for long enough knew from that moment that Booker was going down to The Game on the big night.

 

It was the kiss of death basically.

[Leary of Doom]

I hope Christian wins at SS, it's good to see someone new at the top, it's boring when Cena and Orton have the belts.

 

Besides, if Orton wins, where do they go from there? Orton vs Henry? Noone wants to see Henry in the title picture. Orton vs Barrett? I like Barrett but we had this last year. Whereas Christian gives us matches against Sheamus, D-Bryan and a returning Sin Cara

[PowerButchi]

Noone wants to see Henry in the title picture.

 

I do. He's one of the most interesting things in WWE at the moment, and is currently great value.

[Leary of Doom]

I do. He's one of the most interesting things in WWE at the moment, and is currently great value.

 

Putting him in these short squash matches is covering his negatives at the moment though, which will be exposed again if he has to go through a 20-30 minute PPV match, as we've seen over and over for the last 13 years!

[King Pitcos]

There was a train of thought, especially during the attitude era, that if a guy won a key match in the run up to the PPV, it was a sign he would lose at the PPV. The idea being that it was a way to portray them having the advantage (making their loss "unpredictable"), and also to keep them strong even when they do lose.

I'm aware of the one about whoever wins the match/brawl/promo the show before the pay-per-view is going to lose, but it seems premature if that's what he was going for here. Orton could pin Christian in a tag match next week.

[andrew "the ref" coyne]

I'm aware of the one about whoever wins the match/brawl/promo the show before the pay-per-view is going to lose, but it seems premature if that's what he was going for here. Orton could pin Christian in a tag match next week.

 

Agreed, and oddly enough I forgot there was one more show to go before SS.

 

Personally I felt they missed a small trick which they could use to build this match up. In their first PPV match there was a spot where Orton was going for the punt, but didn't because (presumably) he saw Christian as a "good guy." To build this match up, they should have Orton show that clip and inform Christian he came "this close" to being knocked into a concussion and possibly sidelined and that now... he won't be holding back. I.e. build up the punt of doom and build the match around it.

 

Maybe its just me.

 

Anyway my prediction is still a Orton win. I think Christian has benefited beautifully from this, but he suits being a desperate midcard heel more than a successful champion. Give Orton a decent reign, and build up Bryan leading up to the WM28 match. Keep this booking simple and that should be a awesome match.