10 Thoughts: WWE Smackdown 7.5.13 (CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, Paul Heyman)

Reviews, Top Story, TV Shows

1. Raw is so hit or miss each week it’s not that hard to forget great matches, segments or promos have even been cut during
the last three hours. Putting CM Punk on SmackDown could do something for the show it hasn’t seen since maybe its incarnation. Punk being on Smackdown and in its main event has caused more buzz for Smackdown or than The Shield’s first loss in a long time; just an idea.

2. Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow putting over The Uso’s isn’t good for business. The Usos may be getting a slight push right
now, but what happens once they lose at Money in the Bank? Rhodes and Sandow didn’t get a proper push as a tag team, or as
singles stars yet; so why push the guys that paint their faces and can’t talk?

3. Even though it always hasn’t been must see TV, the WWE giving the Divas Division substance is starting to really pay off.
AJ Lee is the star of this soon to be reality TV wrestling division, and now it’s up to the WWE to really see how bright these ladies can shine.

4. A post Money in the Bank feud seems to be brewing between Randy Orton and Christian as these two Superstars put on one
hell of a match right in the middle of the card. Orton has been more and more on his ‘A’ game lately, and Christian’s return
is still fresh, but I really think these two will be continue to feud, unlike my colleagues at HTCWrestling.com that think
Randy Orton is going to win Raw’s MITB Match.

5. After Dolph Ziggler lost the World Heavyweight Title and the WWE executed a very good double turn between him and Alberto
Del Rio, I thought the road was beginning to be laid for Ziggler’s big push. While we still might be on that road, it has
become very bumpy this past week. AJ Lee and Big E Langston again didn’t accompany Ziggler to the ring, and AGAIN Dolph
faced a member of the 3MB. Someone has some explaining to do.

6. Fandango suffering a concussion is going to do a lot more damage than it did to Dolph Ziggler, at leas in the short term.
If Fandango was never injured he would be the Intercontinental Champion, instead he must prove himself all over again;
starting with a win over the very talented Justin Gabriel.

7. The WWE did a much better job selling the Money in the Bank pay per view than Raw did. Smackdown continues to really
push the mid card matches, while Raw only seems to care about John Cena and Mark Henry. Yes, I am in favor of these two
fighting at Money in the Bank, but I am not in favor of Raw completely forgetting to mention the other matches on the card.

8. Alberto Del Rio, while he did cut the most cliché heel promo a professional wrestler can, would really benefit from a long term feud with CM Punk. Del Rio plays the snobby jerk very well, and Punk’s persona responds perfectly to characters like that.

9. Paul Heyman, as great as he is, may be doing his best work right now. Once this is all said and done Heyman and Punk will have been booked together for almost two years, and there is still so much story left to be told. Punk, the babyface, sympathizing with Heyman, the heel, after Del Rio attacked him is a stroke of wrestling genius, bravo.

10. Once again, another solid show from Smackdown, if this show comes to your town go out and watch. It’s a cheaper alternative to Raw, but lately the Blue Brand has been bringing it’s ‘A’ game. Until next week guys, leave a comment, tell a friend and follow me on Twitter @CamDougharty and let’s talk rasslin!