21 WTF Moments From WWE Smackdown (20 August)

Fair play to the WWE; they really pulled out all the stops to make the go-home Smackdown an exciting lead-in to SummerSlam, and we were rewarded with a thoroughly decent show. The climactic eight-man main event was given sufficient time to thrive, and touched on a number of feuds we'll see come to a head this Sunday. However, WWE fans can rest assured that there was no shortage of baffling, unintentional, and downright embarrassing moments to chuckle over. This week saw Jerry Lawler crack a couple of the work jokes in the history of man, a decade-old finishing move, and the usual collection of ridiculous crowd signs.

21. We Begin With An Actual Match!

Against all odds, a WWE TV show actually began with a wrestling match! This week's Smackdown skipped the usual rambling promo, instead kicking off with a short introduction from the announce team, before diving straight into Ryback vs Big Show. Having beaten Miz on Raw, the Intercontinental Champion was looking to defeat his other SummerSlam opponent on Smackdown. WWE fans have long become accustomed to suffering through a 15 minute promo segment at the top of each show, so it was a pleasant surprise to see an actual bout open the show. Sure, Ryback vs Big Show might not get too many pulses racing (apart from their own, after about two minutes), but kudos to Smackdown for mixing things up a little.