WWE Superstars Results
December 8, 2011
Report by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hello everyone, and welcome to this week’s edition of the Superstars recap. If you all are ready to go, then since Adelitas Way is playing the intro, let’s get on with the show!
We kick things off this week with the Smackdown half of the show, with announcers Jack Korpela & Matt Striker.
Justin Gabriel vs. Tyson Kidd
Gabriel with a go-behind into a side headlock to start things off. Kidd Irish whips out of the hold, but is knocked down by a Gabriel shoulder tackle. Gabriel goes off the ropes, Kidd leapfrogs, and then tries to hiptoss Gabriel, but Gabriel blocks it. Kidd backflips out of the hold, and goes for the hiptoss again, but Gabriel lands on his feet and sweeps out Kidd’s leg from under him. Gabriel scores with a dropkick, as Kidd retreats to the corner. Gabriel charges at him and connects with a crossbody splash, sending himself out to the apron. Gabriel prepares to springboard, but as he does so, Kidd nails Gabriel and sends him crashing to the mat below.
Kidd now with the advantage nails Gabriel with a kick and right hand, followed by a stomp. Kidd then drives his elbow across the nose of Gabriel and Irish whips him. Kidd connects with a knee to the ribs of Gabriel as he was coming in for a nearfall. Kidd locks in a seated version of an abdominal stretch with a facelock as Gabriel screams in pain. Gabriel gets back to his feet, but as he does so, Kidd nails him with a gut shot. Kidd connects with a spinning kick to the ribs, doubling Gabriel over, then snapmares him over and drills him with a stiff kick to the shoulder blades for another nearfall. Kidd nails Gabriel with a couple more gut shots before re-applying the seated abdominal stretch. Gabriel gets back to his feet, and hits Kidd with a couple of left-handed forearms, and then monkey flips Kidd to break the hold.
Kidd charges and misses a clothesline, and this allows Gabriel to connect with a series of kicks to Kidd to knock him down. Gabriel hits a forearm shot, then Irish whips Kidd. However, Kidd reverses the whip, but as he bends down for a back body drop attempt, Gabriel tiger flips over Kidd’s back and connects with a spinning kick to the head. Gabriel then connects with a discus clothesline and an STO. Gabriel sees where Kidd is positioned and goes to head up top. Kidd, however, gets back up to his feet and charges at Gabriel. But Gabriel cartwheels off the ropes and Kidd goes facefirst into the turnbuckles. Gabriel goes off the ropes, but Kidd sidesteps him and tries to send over the top rope to the outside, but Gabriel holds on and lands on the apron. Kidd tries to go after him, but Gabriel slides back in under Kidd’s legs and clotheslines Kidd over the ropes to the outside. Gabriel charges at Kidd, looking for a baseball slide, but Kidd ducks and then spin kicks Gabriel in the ribs. Kidd then goes up on the apron, and drills Gabriel with a running kick to the chest.
Kidd brings Gabriel back in, then scores with a springboard elbow drop for a close nearfall. Gabriel goes to the far corner to collect himself as Kidd charges. However, Gabriel gets the boots up and goes up to the middle ropes. But Kidd then charges and connects with a running front dropkick to Gabriel’s legs. Kidd goes to the apron and springboards, looking to go for a version of a Dragonsteiner, and hits it, but Gabriel rolls through and jackknife pins Kidd for a close nearfall.
Kidd charges at Gabriel again, but Gabriel sees him coming and connects with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Gabriel goes back up top and hits the 450 for the victory.
Winner: Justin Gabriel by pinfall (450 Splash)
Gabriel celebrates his victory as we go to commercial.
-Commercial-
“The All American American” Jack Swagger w/Vickie Guerrero vs. Trent Barreta
Lock-up and Swagger with a waistlock, then drives Barreta sternum first into the turnbuckles. Swagger rains in forearms to the kidneys and the back of Barreta, but Barreta fights back with a chop. Barreta with a forearm and another chop, then Irish whips Swagger. Swagger reverses the whip, but as Barreta comes off the ropes, he slides under Swagger’s legs and connects with a dropkick to Swagger’s knee. Barreta goes off the ropes again, but this time Swagger catches him and sends Barreta high into the lights with a big back body drop.
Swagger unloads on Barreta with clubs to the back, then to the chest. Swagger lifts up Barreta and connects with an amateur style slam for a nearfall. Swagger locks in a seated double chickenwing as Vickie cheers him on. Barreta tries to get back to his feet, but Swagger prevents that with a couple knees to the gut. Swagger throws Barreta over the ropes, but Barreta holds on as Swagger taunts the crowd. Swagger charges, but Barreta evades him and drills Swagger with a kick to the chest.
Barreta gets back in the ring as Swagger charges at him again. However, Swagger misses a clothesline and Barreta drills him with an enziguri. Swagger is dazed as Barreta charges at him, connecting with a flying knee for a nearfall. Barreta goes up top for the corkscrew moonsault, but Swagger charges at him. Barreta sees him coming though, and jumps off the ropes, landing on his feet. Barreta goes off the ropes, but Swagger catches him. Barreta tries to counter with a DDT, but Swagger prevents that and hits the Swagger Bomb, then locks in the Ankle Lock and Barreta has no choice but to tap out.
Winner: “The All American American” Jack Swagger by submission (Ankle Lock)
Swagger keeps the hold on for a few more seconds before finally breaking the hold, as he and Vickie celebrate while Barreta clutches his leg in agony as we go to commercial.
-Commercial-
Mason Ryan vs. “The Great American Nightmare” Drew McIntyre
McIntyre applies a side headlock on the massive Ryan to start things off. Ryan Irish whips out of the hold, McIntyre misses a clothesline coming off the ropes, and Ryan knocks him down with a shoulder tackle. McIntyre retreats to the corner as Ryan as a big smile on his face. Both men go for a knucklelock, but it was just a way for McIntyre to reel Ryan as he kicks him twice in the gut. McIntyre goes to wrench out the arm of Ryan, but Ryan drills him with a clothesline. Headfirst goes McIntyre off the top turnbuckles. then Ryan drives him headfirst into the turnbuckles a few more times after that. Irish whip by Ryan, but McIntyre sidesteps the back body attempt and kicks Ryan in the face. McIntyre goes off the ropes, but Ryan catches him with a knee to the ribs. Ryan lifts up McIntyre and drives him into the corner, then delivers a shoulder to the gut. Ryan goes for another shoulder, but McIntyre knees him in the face.
McIntyre kicks Ryan in the back of the leg, dropping him down to one knee. McIntyre drives Ryan headfirst off the top turnbuckles, then clotheslines him in the back of head, sending him crashing down for a 1 count. McIntyre stomps away at Ryan in the corner, then chokes him with his boot. Ryan fights back with gut shots and Irish whips McIntyre to the corner. Ryan charges, but McIntyre catches him with an elbow. McIntyre then charges and hits a running boot for a nearfall. McIntyre locks in a half nelson facelock as the crowd tries to will on Ryan. McIntyre then locks in a keylock as Ryan gets back to his feet. Ryan tries to break the hold with gut shots, but McIntyre kicks him in the leg to send him back down. McIntyre rears back and charges, connecting with a running dropkick for another nearfall. McIntyre hits a couple of jumping stomps to the face of Ryan, then re-applies the keylock. McIntyre torques the arm back and forth to put more pressure on Ryan’s arm as the crowd gets louder, trying to get Ryan back into the match. Ryan gets back to his feet, but McIntyre knees him in the gut. McIntyre then brings Ryan right back down to the mat with a flurry of clubs to the back. McIntyre talks trash to Ryan, but Ryan shoves McIntyre into the ropes, and catches him coming in with a clothesline.
Ryan throws McIntyre into the corner and connects with a running knee, then goes off the ropes and scores with a running boot for a nearfall. Ryan lifts up McIntyre for a slam, but McIntyre rolls off the back and dropkicks Ryan in the knees, sending him crashing back down to the mat. McIntyre rolls out to the apron and heads up top. McIntyre jumps off, but Ryan catches him and locks him in the full nelson, then slams him hard to the mat for the victory.
Winner: Mason Ryan by pinfall (Full Nelson Slam)
Ryan celebrates his victory while McIntyre broods on the outside as we go to commercial.
-Commercial-
Back from commercial, we see the contract signing for the WWE Title TLC Triple Threat Match at TLC from last Monday’s RAW before our main event. Evan Bourne then heads out to the ring as we go to commercial.
-Commercial-
Main Event: Epico w/Primo & Rosa Mendes vs. WWE Tag Team Champion Evan “Air” Bourne
Lock-up and Bourne with a side headlock, but Epico rolls out of it. Another lock-up and Bourne with a go-behind into another side headlock. Epico tries to roll out of it again, but Bourne keeps the hold applied and brings him down to the mat. Epico tries to lift Bourne for a back suplex. but Bourne counters and takes Epico back down. Epico gets back to his feet and tries for another back suplex, but Bourne lands on his feet. Epico charges, and Bourne with another headlock takedown. Epico gets back to his feet and Irish whips Bourne out of the hold. Epico misses a clothesline and a chop both times Bourne was coming at him, and Bourne nails him with a running kick. Bourne hits a couple of kicks to the leg as Epico shoves him into the ropes. Epico lifts him up, but Bourne catches him with a dropkick for a nearfall. Bourne hits a couple of clubs to the back, but Epico comes back with a gut shot, then an elbow to the back of the head. Epico hits a slam, then locks in a Camel Clutch. Bourne counters by taking Epico’s legs out from under him, and locks in a Camel Clutch of his own, then turns it into a pinning predicament for a nearfall. Bourne with another kick to the leg, then drives Epico headfirst off the top turnbuckle. Bourne goes for it again, but Epico blocks it and gut shots Bourne. Epico then sends Bourne headfirst off the top turnbuckle. Epico with an Irish whip, but Bourne reverses it and kicks Epico in the leg again. Bourne goes off the ropes, and hits a low bulldog for a nearfall. Bourne locks in a front chancery, but Epico rolls through it and locks in a hammerlock. Bourne grabs on to Epico’s head to lift himself back to his feet, then breaks the hammerlock with a snapmare takeover. Bourne then with an armdrag into an armbar. Bourne Irish whips Epico, who reverses it, but Bourne holds on to the ropes. Epico charges, but Bourne back body drops him over the ropes, but Epico holds on and lands on his feet. Epico misses a right hand, and Bourne dropkicks him in the knees, sending him crashing to the outside with Epico’s head smashing against the apron. Primo and Mendes go to check on Epico as Bourne gets ready to springboard. Bourne begins his ascent, but Epico moves out of the way to avoid it. However, Bourne goes up top and nails Epico with a crossbody on the outside. Bourne and Primo have words as we go to commercial.
-Commercial-
Back from commercial, Bourne goes up and over Epico from an Irish whip attempt, and nails Epico with a jumping knee for a nearfall. Epico goes to the corner as Bourne charges. However, Epico catches Bourne coming in and crotches him on the top rope for a 1 count. Epico stomps away at the back of Bourne, then sends him into the ropes, and drills him with a forearm to his kidneys. Epico hits Bourne with another forearm, then delivers a reverse version of the Three Amigos, with 2 back suplexes, and a release German Suplex, folding up Bourne like an accordion on the hat trick for a nearfall. Epico with another stomp, then delivers a backbreaker, and keeps Bourne across his knee to wrench Bourne’s back in a submission hold. Crowd wills on Bourne as Bourne breaks the hold with knees to the head of Epico. Bourne with another kick to the leg as he Irish whips Epico. However, Epico reverses it and sends Bourne to the corner, then underhooks him and scores with a butterfly suplex for another nearfall. Epico says its done as he lifts up Bourne and locks him in the Gory Special. Crowd wills on Bourne as he is able to armdrag out of the hold.
Epico charges, looking for a splash, but Bourne moves out of the way. Bourne hits another couple of kicks to Epico’s leg, then goes off the ropes and connects with a rana. Bourne hits a jumping knee and a roundhouse kick, then a spinning kick to the head for a close nearfall. Bourne misses a kick, but as Epico looks to regain the advantage, Bourne drills him with another jumping knee for another nearfall. Epico retreats to the corner as Bourne charges. Epico catches him with an elbow coming in and goes up to the middle ropes, but Bourne springs from the mat and brings down Epico with another rana for another close nearfall. Bourne places Epico in position and goes up top, but Primo gets up on the apron and distracts Bourne, allowing Epico to charge in. However, Bourne jumps off the ropes, landing on his feet.
Bourne misses a jumping knee, and Epico hits the Back Stabber for the victory.
Winner: Epico by pinfall (Back Stabber)
Epico, Primo & Rosa Mendes celebrate their win as we go to credits.
My Thoughts
I thought this was a good episode of Superstars this week. None of the matches were bad, and 2 matches were really well done. First off, had a squash match in the case of Swagger/Barreta, but it was executed nicely and made Swagger look like a machine. Secondly, McIntyre/Ryan was a showcase mostly for Ryan, but McIntyre got some good offense in and continues to show why he is vastly underutilized on Superstars. Third, Gabriel/Kidd was a nice high-flying affair that showed the continued improvement of Gabriel as a FIP, and showed why Kidd is one of the rare cases IMO of a heel high-flyer that works and isn’t too flashy on his control segments. Finally, the main event was a very good match between Evan Bourne and Epico, who had his first long-form match since his call-up and really impressed me with his offense and his bumping on Bourne’s comebacks. Bourne’s FIP work is one of the best in the company, and it shined here. Good main event, and a good top to bottom show overall.
My Grade: B-
Well, that will do it for me this week, I want to thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoy your weekend. But remember….
If you are a non-VIP, beginning next Thursday December 15th, myself and Nicholas “OneManX” Gray will be debuting our new show, The Wrestleview Independent Roundtable, looking at the world of Indy wrestling, whether it be from Ring of Honor, FCW, SHIMMER, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, CHIKARA, CZW, Dragon Gate USA, EVOLVE, and many more independents from around the world with weekly recaps of the ROH & FCW TV shows and DVD reviews. For more visit vip.wrestleview.com.
See ya next week!