The Undercard
Randy Orton defeated Rob Van Dam to kick off Smackdown. What a match these two guys put on! The speed and adrenaline of the match carried until the very end. I loved the chemistry between the two guys. Orton is more of a striker and physical body, while Van Dam tries to use his speed and legs to win a match. Throughout the match, both guys always had a reversal and answer for the other one. RVD's new rollup is excellent, with a twist to an old school rollup. Orton hit a beautiful dropkick, maybe one of the best in the WWE, to the back of the head of RVD. The end came when Orton hit an RKO after RVD missed the 5 Star Frog Splash. This was a great match. I really wish RVD is added to the World Heavyweight Championship match, I really do. His energy and electricity will do nothing but good things for a rather lackluster feud.
Grade: A-
Daniel Bryan defeated Wade Barrett in a match that lasted about four minutes. I miss the days where both of these guys put on a great match together. Remember SummerSlam 2011? Barrett picked up the win on Bryan, who was holding the briefcase. Since then, one has risen so high while the other has somehow become generic.
Grade: C
Fandango defeated Kofi Kingston in a very simple match. Kofi returns on Raw and beats Fandango, so Fandango has to win tonight. Unless you are a main eventer each week, you will end up winning one and losing one. It really is about everyone being .500 at the end of the year. Fandango continues to be the same gimmick, while Kingston never changes. They are fun to watch, but what else can they give me to draw me in every week? This is their problem.
Grade: C
Kane defeated 3MB. I actually enjoyed this 3MB match because Kane simply dominated them. It was not like Ryback's squash matches where he hits a few moves. Kane hits them with everything, including an outstanding chokeslam on Mahal. After the match, Bray Wyatt cuts a creepy and interesting promo hyping his match against Kane. Why do I think Bray will be successful? Listen to how he talks, his intonation, his ability to sound REAL. Real is good in a fake sport. Bray Wyatt continues to sound like the most real guy in the company. He cannot be duplicated.
Grade: B-
