WWE Smackdown is in San Diego, California this week. Smackdown starts with Rey Mysterio which is not surprising because San Diego is Rey’s hometown. Josh Matthews says this is the first time in 15 months that Rey has been on Smackdown. Rey talks about returning to the WWE and Alberto Del Rio. Rey’s promo gets interrupted by Alberto Del Rio.

Del Rio says Rey should never pick a fight against him. Del Rio says the fans might not remember that it was Del Rio who injured Rey a year ago and almost ended his career. He’s right…I didn’t remember that. Del Rio tells Rey to leave his ring, but Rey says he is not going anywhere. Del Rio says Rey’s return to the WWE is going to be short (pun intended). Del Rio says Rey’s life, dreams, and career will be destroyed by the next World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio. Dolph Ziggler’s music plays and Ziggler says that if Rey’s career will be ruined by the next World Heavyweight Champion, it will be ruined by Dolph Ziggler. Mr. Money in the Bank says that he is not out here for Rey…Ziggler is out here for Del Rio. Ziggler says Del Rio is the reason why Ziggler isn’t the World Heavyweight Champion right now. Del Rio says that he doesn’t work for Ziggler and says he could have Dolph and Vickie Guerrero work for Del Rio. He calls Vickie a “burra”. I did some research and it looks like burra is the female version of jackass. One website said a burra is “a dirty, ignorant, and unteachable woman”. Ziggler and Vickie know what burra means and they get mad at Del Rio. Rey suggests that they should shut up and start fighting. Ziggler agrees that they should start fighting and they get ready to attack Rey, but Sheamus comes out. I smell a tag team match coming. Where is Teddy Long? Sheamus enters the ring and tells Del Rio and Ziggler to stay away from Rey. Del Rio leaves the ring and Ziggler gets attacked by Sheamus. Rey goes for the 619, but Ziggler gets out of the ring.

After a commercial break, Sheamus and Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio is announced. That looks like a very good match-up.

The Prime Time Players and Hunico and Camacho vs. Primo and Epico and R-Truth and Kofi Kingston

Darren Young won this match for his team after he hit the gutbuster on Primo. The finish of this match was awesome. I liked this match. There were several good spots and it was a fast-paced match.

Winners: The Prime Time Players and Hunico and Camacho

Rating: ***

After the match, Big Show comes out and attacks everyone in the ring.

A great RAW moment is shown. Jeremy Piven talks about when he hosted RAW on August 3, 2009.

Highlights from this week’s RAW are shown. The highlight video focuses on John Cena and WWE Championship Money in the Bank briefcase.

Damien Sandow vs. Zack Ryder

Sandow defeated Ryder with his neck breaker finishing move. This match was less than two minutes long. I’m getting tired of these Sandow squash matches.

Winner: Damien Sandow

Rating: *1/4

The Peep Show is next. Christian’s guests are Daniel Bryan and AJ. Christian shows video of Daniel Bryan proposing to AJ on RAW. Christian introduces Daniel Bryan and AJ. Christian asks how the wedding planning is going and AJ shows a video montage of them looking at flowers and cakes for the wedding. I think the song playing in the background during the video was “Canon in D Major”. Christian asks Daniel Bryan if he is sure he is doing the right thing. Daniel Bryan says yes. Christian asks AJ if she has forgiven Daniel Bryan for everything he has done to her in the past. AJ says yes. Christian asks if this is true love. Daniel Bryan and AJ start chanting yes. Christian asks the WWE Universe, “Do you think Daniel and AJ should get married?” No! “Do you think Daniel Bryan really loves AJ?” No! “Do you think that AJ has any idea what she’s really doing?” No! I thought Daniel Bryan had turned into a face, but these crowd reactions make me think that Daniel Bryan is still a heel. Christian asks AJ if she knows what she is doing and AJ slaps Christian’s face. Daniel Bryan and AJ start to leave the ring, but Christian asks them to wait. Christian calls AJ a “bridezilla” and Christian says Daniel Bryan is scheduled to face AJ’s psychotic ex-boyfriend. Daniel Bryan’s opponent is Kane.

Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

Kane won by disqualification after AJ jumped on his back. Kane was able to chokeslam Daniel Bryan with AJ on his back. Not a bad match, but Daniel Bryan has had much better matches on Smackdown.

Winner: Kane via disqualification

Rating: **1/4

Zack Ryder is featured during the next Monday Night’s Most Memorable Moments video and Ryder talks about GTV. I remember GTV. If GTV happened today, it definitely would have been a WWE YouTube show. They should bring it back.

Heath Slater is in the ring and Smackdown shows a video of Slater talking about his matches and segments with the WWE legends. The internet buzz for Slater is good right now, but I still don’t like Slater. I wouldn’t miss him if he was future endeavored tomorrow. Slater is a little bit entertaining just like how Carlito was a little bit entertaining. Carlito was interesting, but I don’t miss him too much. Slater is okay for these legends segments, but I hope the WWE doesn’t do anything stupid like give him a push. After the video, Slater says his luck is going to change. Slater’s mystery opponent tonight is Road Warrior Animal.

Heath Slater vs. Road Warrior Animal

There was a “LOD” chant when the match started. That’s a reference to the Legion of Doom and Animal was one-half of that team. Animal easily defeated Slater. The Legion of Doom (also known as the Road Warriors) was one of the greatest tag teams of all-time. Unfortunately, they were a little bit before my time so I didn’t enjoy this match as much as I did this Monday when Rikishi returned on RAW.

Winner: Road Warrior Animal

Rating: No Rating (NR)

Backstage, Vickie yells at Ricardo Rodriguez. And then she screams at Ricardo.

Sheamus and Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio

This match ended in a disqualification after Ricardo Rodriguez interfered in the match. The match wasn’t as great as I was expecting, but it was an okay match.

Winner: Sheamus and Rey Mysterio via disqualification

Rating: **1/2

After the match, Alberto Del Rio puts the cross armbreaker on Sheamus. Ziggler tries to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, but Rey stops him and hits Ziggler with the 619. Then, Sheamus hits Ziggler with the Brogue Kick.

Matches to Watch: The Prime Time Players and Hunico and Camacho vs. Primo and Epico and R-Truth and Kofi Kingston, Daniel Bryan vs. Kane, Sheamus and Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio

Matches to Skip: Damien Sandow vs. Zack Ryder, Heath Slater vs. Road Warrior Animal

Best Superstar of Smackdown: Rey Mysterio

Rey did a great job on Smackdown this week and it didn’t look like he has been away from the WWE for a year. I’m not a big Rey Mysterio fan, but he is fun to watch in the ring and I’m glad he’s back.

Best Moment of Smackdown: The Daniel Bryan-AJ wedding planning video

It was fun to watch Daniel Bryan and AJ do their wedding planning. AJ continues to be one of the most interesting WWE Superstars right now.

I didn’t like this week’s Smackdown. The two in-ring segments were okay, but they could have been better. The only backstage segment on Smackdown this week was brief and unnecessary. Only five matches this week. Two of them were squash matches and another two ended in disqualification. That’s not good. I was surprised that Ryback wasn’t on the show, but I don’t think he would have made much of a difference. I think the lack of a general manager this week hurt the show. Smackdown has been very inconsistent lately. It seems that whenever they have a good show, it is followed by a bad show.

————————–