WWE Superstars
March 15, 2012
Report by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hello everyone, and welcome to this week’s WWE Superstars recap. If you all are ready, then since Adelitas Way is playing the intro, let’s get on with the show!
We kick things off with the lone Smackdown this week, with announcers Josh Mathews & Matt Striker.
“The Cape Town Werewolf” Justin Gabriel vs. Hunico w/Camacho
Before the match, Hunico cuts a promo in English & Spanish, saying that he is gonna teach Gabriel a lesson about respect. Lock-up and Hunico with a waistlock into a wristlock. Hunico follows that up with an armdrag and then does a kip-up move to taunt Gabriel. Another lock-up and Hunico with an arm wrench into another wristlock, but Gabriel spins out into an armdrag, but Hunico holds on to Gabriel in the process and applies a hammerlock. Gabriel reverses into a hammerlock of his own, but then Hunico counters that with a side headlock takedown. Gabriel gets to his feet and tries to Irish whip out, but Hunico holds on to the headlock. Gabriel gets back up again and breaks Hunico’s grip, countering back into a hammerlock. Hunico spins out of the hold and then wrenches Gabriel’s arm, followed by another armdrag into an armbar. Gabriel gets to his feet and counters into another hammerlock. Gabriel then does a forward roll with the hammerlock still applied and finally proceeds to hook Hunico in a pinning predicament for a nearfall. Hunico charges, but misses going for a clothesline and Gabriel takes him down in a backslide for another nearfall. Hunico then rolls out to the outside to collect his bearings.
Back in the ring, they lock-up and Hunico with a waistlock, but Gabriel counters into another hammerlock. Gabriel goes to a side headlock, but Hunico Irish whips him to break the hold. Gabriel hits a shoulder tackle and then goes off the ropes. Hunico leapfrogs him and then tries for a monkey flip, but Gabriel does a cartwheel to avoid it. Gabriel misses a clothesline as Hunico then tries for a springboard moonsault, but Gabriel gets out of the way as Hunico lands on his feet. Gabriel then hits his own monkey flip on Hunico. Gabriel charges at Hunico in the corner, looking for another monkey flip, but Hunico spins him around and places Gabriel on the top turnbuckle. Hunico with a chop to Gabriel’s chest and then taunts the crowd. Gabriel then blocks Hunico’s right hand attempt with one of his own, followed by coming off the middle rope and hitting a rana on Hunico that sends him out to the outside. Gabriel then hits a baseball slide dropkick, followed by a sliding kick on the apron that sends Hunico into the barricade. Back in the ring, Gabriel gets a head of steam and prepares to dive out onto Hunico, but Hunico sees him coming and nails Gabriel with a kick as Gabriel was going through the ropes that sends Gabriel crashing to the outside. Hunico taunts the fans as we go to commercial.
-Commercial-
Back from commercial as Hunico has Gabriel in a reverse chinlock. Gabriel gets to his feet and tries to fight out, but Hunico comes back with a club to the back. Hunico with a knee to the side of Gabriel’s head, followed by an Irish whip. Gabriel comes off the ropes and tries for a Sunset flip, but Hunico rolls through it and then drills Gabriel with a kick to the head for a nearfall. Hunico with a series of stomps to the head and then throws Gabriel through the ropes to the outside. Hunico then distracts the referee while Camacho hits another stomp to Gabriel’s head. Hunico comes off the apron with a club to the back of Gabriel’s head and then taunts the crowd some more. Back in the ring, Hunico with another stomp to Gabriel, followed by a kick to the ribs and a club to the back. Gabriel comes back with a right hand and a chop, but Hunico fires back with a right hand of his own. Hunico hits double knees to the back of Gabriel’s head while he was in the ropes, followed by a version of a Michinoku Driver. Hunico tries for a pin attempt, but Gabriel’s shoulder was up so no pin could be made. Hunico talks trash to Gabriel in the corner and then hits an overhand chop, followed by a snapmare takeover and then re-applies the reverse chinlock. Crowd tries to will on Gabriel as he gets up to his feet and Gabriel then tries to break the hold with back elbows, but Hunico drives Gabriel’s head back down to the mat. Hunico with another stomp and then heads up top. Hunico dives off, but Gabriel catches him in mid-air with a dropkick to the ribs and both men are down.
Gabriel hits a sit-out jawbreaker, followed by a series of forearms and a kick to the leg. Gabriel with a kick to the chest, followed by a spinkick that knocks Hunico down. Gabriel with another forearm and then goes for an Irish whip, but Hunico reverses it. However, Gabriel tiger flips over Hunico’s back and then drills him with a dropkick that sends Hunico out to the outside. Camacho tries to help Hunico to his feet when all of a sudden, Gabriel springboards and takes out both of them with a plancha. Back in the ring, Gabriel prepares to springboard from the apron and does, hitting Hunico with a dropkick to the back of his head for a nearfall. Gabriel thought he had the match won and then goes back after Hunico, but Hunico catches Gabriel and hits him with a Saito Suplex for a nearfall.
Hunico waistlocks Gabriel and goes for a German Suplex, but Gabriel flips out and lands on his feet. Hunico charges, but Gabriel catches him coming in with a back elbow. Gabriel goes up to the middle rope and tries for a tornado DDT, but Hunico counters it into a Northern Lights Suplex with a bridge for another nearfall. Hunico hits a series of right hands, followed by an Irish whip. Hunico then catches Gabriel coming in and connects with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for yet another nearfall as Hunico can’t believe it. Hunico wrenches Gabriel’s arm and goes for another Irish whip, but Gabriel counters it into a tilt-a-whirl DDT. Camacho tries to will on Hunico as Gabriel heads out onto the apron. Gabriel takes out Camacho with a kick to the head and then heads up top. Hunico, however, is able to leap to his feet and crotch Gabriel on the ropes. Hunico goes up top with Gabriel and hits a series of forearms.
Hunico then drills Gabriel with a 2nd rope Samoan Drop for the victory.
Winner: Hunico by pinfall (2nd rope Samoan Drop)
-Commercial-
Back from commercial, we go to the RAW portion of this week’s show, with announcers Josh Mathews & Scott Stanford.
Kofi Kingston & R-Truth vs. Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks
Kingston & Hawkins start things off for their respective teams. Hawkins goes for Kingston’s wrist to try and maneuver him to Hawkins’s side of the ring, but Kingston shoves him off and into Reks, who is knocked off the apron. Hawkins charges, but Kingston takes him down with a drop toe hold. Kingston locks in an armbar and then wrenches Hawkins’s arm. Hawkins spins out, though, and counters into a wristlock. Kingston spins out and sweeps out Hawkins’s leg, followed by a leaping splash for a nearfall. Kingston goes back to the arm of Hawkins and then tags in Truth. Kingston & Truth with a double Irish whip, followed by a double hiptoss and finally Kingston goes off the ropes and hits a running boot to Hawkins. Truth with a “What’s Up” and then does a split, followed by going off the ropes, doing a little dance and finally hitting a leaping legdrop on Hawkins for a nearfall. Hawkins then sends Truth to his corner and tags in Reks. Reks unloads with a series of right hands and stomps in the corner on Truth. Reks misses a short-arm clothesline and Truth catches him coming in with a Japanese armdrag. Truth with a right hand, followed by a kick to the gut and an uppercut. Tag into Kingston, who catches Reks with a springboard clothesline as Truth Irish whipped him off the ropes for a 1 count. Tag back into Truth as Kingston Irish whips Reks to the corner. Kingston then whips Truth into the corner and Truth hits Reks with a clothesline in the corner for another 1 count. Truth charges at Reks in the corner, but Reks gets his boot up and then nails Truth with a clothesline.
Tag into Hawkins, who nails Truth with a gut shot as Reks was holding Truth up. Hawkins then hits a suplex on Truth for a 1 count. Hawkins drags Truth to his corner and tags back in Reks. Reks hits a knee to Truth’s kidney, followed by locking in a reverse chinlock. Crowd tries to will on Truth, who gets to his feet and tries to break Reks’s hold with gut shots, but Reks shoves him into the ropes. However, Truth sidesteps Reks’s back body drop attempt with a boot to the face. Reks charges, but Truth does a split and then catches Reks coming in with a back heel kick. Reks rolls out to the outside as Hawkins charges in, but Truth sidesteps him and sends Hawkins out to the outside. Tag into Kingston, who gets a head of steam and uses Truth’s back as a springboard to hit a somersault plancha onto both Reks and Hawkins on the outside while landing on his feet. Kingston is all fired up on the outside as Truth high-fives “Little Jimmy” while we go to commercial.
-Commercial-
Back from commercial as Kingston & Truth have Reks on their side of the ring. Tag into Kingston, who hits a double sledge off the middle ropes while Truth was wrenching Reks’s arm. Kingston with a right hand, but Reks fires back with a kick to the gut, followed by a club to the back. Reks with a right hand, followed by an Irish whip. Reks charges, but Kingston gets out of the way and nails Reks with the Pendulum Kick. Kingston heads up top and connects with the Froggy Crossbody onto Reks for a nearfall. Hawkins tries to come in from behind, but Kingston sees him coming and backs Hawkins off. However, the distraction allows Reks to come in from behind and throw Kingston over the ropes to the outside.
Hawkins get the tag from Reks and then sends Kingston headfirst off the apron. Back in the ring, Hawkins stomps away at Kingston and then tags back in Reks. Reks then stomps away at Kingston, followed by a kick to the ribs. Reks connects with a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall. Reks locks in a front chancery as the crowd tries to will on Kingston. Kingston goes for a slam to counter, but Reks counters that and pulls Kingston by the hair, followed by hitting the Rekking Ball (Eye of the Hurricane) for a nearfall. Reks places Kingston in the Tree of Woe and then tags in Hawkins, who stomps away at Kingston. Hawkins then lifts Kingston up and kicks him repeatedly in the back while Kingston is still in the Tree of Woe. Hawkins gains another nearfall and locks back in the front chancery. Crowd tries to will on Kingston again as he tries to make the tag to Truth, but Hawkins nails him with a knee to the face. Hawkins then hits Truth with a forearm, knocking him down. Truth tries to come in, but the referee stops him and that allows Hawkins & Reks to hit a Hi-Lo double team on Kingston while the referee is with Truth. Hawkins gains another close nearfall as Kingston barely kicks out. Reks can’t believe it as Hawkins tags him back in. Reks with a stomp to the gut, followed by an elbow drop, but he misses on the 2nd attempt. Kingston tries to crawl and make the tag to Truth, but Reks grabs his leg. Reks then pulls Kingston back in and knocks him down with an elbow. Reks taunts the crowd and then goes for a running powerslam, but Kingston counters it into a DDT.
Both men are down as the referee begins his count. Hawkins & Truth get the tags into the match and Truth nails Hawkins with a series of clotheslines. Truth with a chop, followed by an Irish whip, but Hawkins reverses it. However, Truth comes in and nails Hawkins with the Lie Detector. Truth with a kick to the gut and then lifts up Hawkins, hitting a sit-out gourdbuster, but Reks breaks up the pin attempt. That brings in Kingston, but Reks nails him with a kick to the gut. Reks goes to send Kingston over the ropes, but Kingston reverses it and sends Reks out to the outside. Hawkins goes for a slam on Truth, but Truth counters it and pushes Hawkins into the ropes.
Kingston then hits Trouble in Paradise on Hawkins while on the apron, followed by Truth hitting him with the Little Jimmy for the victory.
Winners: Kofi Kingston & R-Truth by pinfall (Little Jimmy)
-Commercial-
Back from commercial, we see highlights from RAW where the Rock & John Cena did some musical numbers, Rock with the Rock Concert & Cena with his battle rap before our main event.
Main Event: WWE Divas Champion “The Glamazon” Beth Phoenix vs. Kelly Kelly
Lock-up and Beth with a knee to the gut, followed by driving the back of Kelly’s head into the mat. Beth stomps away on Kelly and then taunts her. Beth lifts Kelly up for a running slam, but Kelly rolls off the shoulders and sends Beth facefirst into the turnbuckle. Kelly then stomps away at Beth in the corner, followed by hitting the handspring elbow. Kelly then does the Stinkface to Beth, followed by locking in a Figure 4 Necklock. Kelly heads up top and hits a Lou Thesz Press, followed by a series of right hands. Beth comes back with a kick to the head, followed by a kick to the ribs. Kelly fires back with a kick to the ribs and then hits a rana into a pin attempt for a nearfall. Beth goes out onto the apron to collect her bearings, but Kelly goes right out after her. Kelly tries to bring Beth back in, but Beth hotshots Kelly throat first across the top rope.
Beth then hits an elbow drop onto Kelly’s back for a nearfall. Beth then locks in a seated surfboard as she talks trash to Kelly. Beth then locks her hands around the back of Kelly’s arms to put even more pressure on the submission. Crowd tries to will on Kelly as she gets to her feet, but Beth drives the back of her head back down to the mat. Beth then grabs Kelly by the hair and proceeds to slam her back down to the mat for a nearfall. Beth then chokes Kelly in the ropes while raking at her eyes. Beth goes off the ropes and connects with all her body weight across the back of Kelly while she was in the ropes for another nearfall. Beth Irish whips Kelly to the corner and then charges, but Kelly moves out of the way and then rolls up Beth for a nearfall. Beth then gets right up and nails Kelly with a clothesline to knock her back down. Beth goes to a mount and proceeds to rain in right hands before being pulled off by the referee. Beth gets another nearfall, followed by locking in a seated Dragon Sleeper. Crowd tries to will on Kelly again as she get to her feet. Kelly breaks the hold with forearms to the gut, but Beth shoves her into the ropes.
However, Beth misses a clothesline and Kelly goes off the ropes, connecting with the many revolution headscissors that sends Beth headfirst off the top turnbuckle in the corner. Kelly then hits a facecrusher for a nearfall. Kelly goes back after Beth, but Beth sends her into the ropes where Kelly lands throat first across the middle rope. Beth then goes for the Glam Slam, but Kelly counters into a Victory Roll for a close nearfall. Beth then nails Kelly with a clothesline, followed by doing her pose.
Beth this time hits Kelly with the Glam Slam for the victory.
Winner: “The Glamazon” Beth Phoenix by pinfall (Glam Slam)
Beth celebrates her win as we go to credits.
My Thoughts
I thought this a solid, but unspectacular edition of Superstars this week.
The opening match was IMO, the best thing on the show. Hunico I thought, for the first time in a long while, looked really good in his match with Gabriel, putting together some really unique spots while sticking to a more ground based attack. Gabriel did another good job on the FIP work, but has also really stepped up his game on the intensity department on his comebacks, as that was something he was really lacking in. They gave these two a lot of time and it really delivered in my book. Good match and good effort by both.
The tag match I thought was solid, but Hawkins and Reks started to wane a little bit on their control section. Kingston played a good FIP for them, though, so it didn’t hinder the match to me. Truth was decent off the hot tag, and overall the match was solid, but just lacked a little.
The main event Divas match was a better effort from Kelly than what we have seen recently from her, as she was decent on the FIP and showed some nice babyface fire, which is a rarity. Liked that Kelly got that 1 hope spot on Beth towards the end with the Glam Slam counter before Beth ate her for lunch on the 2nd try. Continued Beth’s domination, while also showing she has vulnerability if put in a flash pin situation. Good effort by both girls.
Overall, solid show but didn’t have the “oomph” like last week’s edition did.
My Grade: C+
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, every Thursday, myself and Nicholas “OneManX” Gray bring to you all 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.
Programming Note: Due to Nick being “under the weather”, the Independent Roundtable will be postponed until Friday.
See ya next week for more WWE Superstars!