A big thanks to ProWrestling.net for the following 9/8 WWE Smackdown house show results, from Hamilton, Ontario.
1. Antonio Cesaro (w/Aksana) beat Cody Rhodes and Sin Cara in Triple Threat for U.S Championship. A pretty fun opener. The crowd was split three ways in whether to cheer Sin Cara or Cody Rhodes or even Aksana. A standard Triple Threat with the heels teaming up on the face, heels breaking down and fighting, champion stealing a win after another wrestler hits their finisher.
2. Roman Reigns beat Heath Slater. Nobody knew or cared who Roman Reigns was so Heath Slater became a face by virtue of that. Scott Armstrong had more heat than anyone in this match. If I had to describe Reigns as a wrestler it would be "competent but bland." The match dragged on way to long.
3. Natalya beat Alicia Fox by submission. Alicia tried to be a heel by starting a USA chant. She did get booed but it was the cheapest of the cheap heat. Natalya was way over on the simple fact she was Canadian.
4. Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel beat Michael McGullicuty and Johnny Curtis. Tyson Kidd was also very over on the basis he was Canadian. Johnny Curtis did very well but Perfect's son is the epitome of uselessness. There was a moment where he and Curtis got into an argument and they hugged it out as the crowd chanted for them to do so.
5. Randy Orton beat Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler shined well without Vickie Guerrero but at the same time it felt like there was something missing without him having someone accompany him. Orton got the pin, and Ziggler sold like a champ while Orton pandered to the crowd.
Intermission: Tony Chimel plugged some merchandise and two drunk guys ran into the ring. Fun to see but why would you waste the fine and not even running in during a match (or at a houseshow for that matter).
6. Ryback defeated Jinder Mahal. Ryback may be over, but good lord this man cannot hold a match together if it isn’t a squash. Part of that may be Jinder Mahal, but this match dragged on way to long.
7. Wade Barrett defeated Ted DiBiase. Nothing really to report here. Barrett was impressive here but his finisher lacks any impact live.
8. Sheamus pinned Alberto Del Rio in a Street Fight to retain World Heavyweight Championship. Ricardo Rodriguez came out to do the announcing. Alberto came out and hugged Ric Rod and told him to take the day off. Sheamus came out to a massive pop; I could not believe how over he is.
Del Rio ripped up a little kid’s poster and Sheamus gave him his shirt. It was a fun match with chair spots and a Singapore cane. Del Rio almost impaled himself on the cane when he was thrown out of the ring. Sheamus won with his old finisher The Irish Curse. Afterward, he went around the ring and interacted with fans. I got a very sweaty bro hug and grabbed the title for a moment.
Biggest Pop
Sheamus
Randy Orton
Dolph Ziggler/Cody Rhodes
Natalya
Most Heat
Alberto Del Rio
Wade Barrett
Scott Armstrong
