SmackDown results: Sheamus’ post-match onslaught helped resurrect the SummerSlam World Title Match

BY Michael Burdick

August 17, 2012

On the heels of a controversial decision, Booker T created a huge SmackDown main event

AUSTIN, Texas –Two days before SummerSlam, SmackDown proved to be a true scorcher, as a main event clash between Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio transformed into injured World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus’ moment of reckoning.

Last Friday in a WWE.com Exclusive, SmackDown General Manager Booker T removed Alberto Del Rio from his World Title Match at SummerSlam — reacting to the No. 1 contender’s calculated attack on World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus. In response to that ruling, Del Rio Touted earlier this week that he would be seeking out the GM on the blue brand.

Del Rio wasted no time demanding that his opportunity be given back to him. When the five-time WCW Champion called last Friday’s onslaught into question, The Mexican Aristocrat appeared ready to lawyer up. This brought out Chris Jericho, who proceeded to throw an insulting “language lesson” in the affluent Superstar’s direction that made Del Rio even more incensed.

Y2J proposed that after he defeated Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam, he should be given Del Rio’s place against Sheamus — to once again become the World Heavyweight Champion.

After reiterating that The Great White would not be facing anyone on Sunday’s pay-per-view — assumingly because of injuries he suffered last week — Booker T made the monumental announcement that Del Rio would take on Jericho in a SmackDown main event showdown.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2012-08-17/results-26045286

SmackDown results: Sheamus’ post-match onslaught helped resurrect the SummerSlam World Title Match

BY Michael Burdick

August 17, 2012

Alberto Del Rio def. Chris Jericho

While making his way to the ring to face Alberto Del Rio for the first time on SmackDown, Chris Jericho was suddenly and viciously attacked from behind by his SummerSlam opponent, Dolph Ziggler.

As a result of the incident, Del Rio — with the help of his personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez — anointed himself the winner by forfeit. That proved premature, though, as the visibly injured Jericho heroically emerged to face his opponent after all.

The extremely hard-fought match that followed was ultimately interrupted when Ziggler dropped the top rope down, just as Jericho was charging into it. This sent the nine-time Intercontinental Champion plummeting to the ringside area. The referee, who was distracted by Rodriguez, did not see the treacherous move, nor Ziggler throwing the fallen Superstar back into the ring to suffer a furious kick to the head by Del Rio to end the match.

After the bell, with Ziggler screaming into Y2J’s ear, Del Rio cinched in the Cross Armbreaker. To the surprise of the elated WWE Universe, the injured Sheamus, with bandaged arm and all, charged to the ring to rescue The Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla — engaging Del Rio after Ziggler headed for the hills.

After The Mexican Aristocrat escaped his back-and-forth brawl with The Great White by running into the crowd, Sheamus asked GM Booker T to reinstitute the World Title Match between him and his adversary for SummerSlam, explaining that the only person who wanted the matchup more than Del Rio was him.

Will the squared circle hold their contempt for each other this Sunday?

http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2012-08-17/results-26045286/page-7