WWE Smackdown
November 12, 2010
Manchester, England
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event…” The WWE video leads us into the show.
A video package highlights Wade Barrett’s ultimatum to David Otunga from this past Monday’s Raw. Barrett, angry that Otunga embarrassed the Nexus, is putting him in a match against Edge tonight. Otunga must win or he’s out of the Nexus.
The Smackdown video plays and we’re brought into the arena with a big fireworks display. Todd Grisham, Michael Cole, and Matt Striker welcome us to the show. They hype up the Edge vs. David Otunga match. They also mention that Big Show will take on World Heavyweight Champion Kane in a non-title match.
Edge’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring in his street clothes. Edge says that he is a busy guy. He looked at his agenda for the next few months and it’s packed. He’ll start backwards by saying he hopes everyone has their tickets for WrestleMania because he’s going there as the World Heavyweight Champion. Edge has main evented WrestleMania before and he can do it again. Edge says everyone must be worrying about Kane but Edge assures us he has a plan. The end of that plan sees him walking out of Miami as a ten-time World Heavyweight Champion.
That brings him to his agenda tonight: David Otunga. The crowd boos and Edge says those are his feelings. Otunga thinks he’s going to walk through Edge to stay in the Nexus. Edge says he hopes his wife keeps making movies because Otunga is going to be on the unemployment line.
The Nexus’s music hits and they come to the ring minus Wade Barrett and John Cena, who are on the Raw Tour. They surround the ring and get on the apron. All of a sudden Vickie Guerrero comes out to the stage and tells them to stop. She has a huge announcement. Teddy Long has been detained by customs so he can’t be there tonight so she’s in charge. Vickie gets in the ring and says if any Nexus members step in the ring Otunga will lose his match, excommunicating him from the Nexus.
Vickie has a huge show planned for tonight. Tonight we’ll see Big Show vs. Kane as well as David Otunga vs. Edge. Vickie doesn’t want a repeat of last week and since she’s not like Teddy Long she won’t lose control of the show. She’s allowing Nexus to surround the ring tonight and they’ll be joined by the Smackdown roster, making it a lumberjack match. Vickie says since they’re in Manchester they should shake hands like true English gentlemen. Vickie orders Otunga in the ring or he’ll lose his match. Vickie then threatens Edge with forfeiting his match at Survivor Series if he doesn’t shake Otunga’s hand. They reluctantly shake hands and go to leave the ring. All of a sudden Edge Spears Otunga off the apron and right into the rest of the Nexus!
Alberto Del Rio drives into the arena in a beautiful Rolls Royce. He’ll be in action next.
-Commercial Break-
Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston
They circle the ring before locking up. Del Rio powers Kingston into the corner and lightly slaps him. Kingston comes back with some kicks and an uppercut. Kingston hits a nice dropkick for a two count. Kingston whips Del Rio into the corner and runs into a boot. Del Rio quickly clotheslines him down and stomps. Del Rio puts him in the corner and kicks. Del Rio hits a nice body slam and kicks him hard in the back. Del Rio gets an inside cradle for a one count. Kingston comes back with some punches but Del Rio stops him. Del Rio whips him into the corner and hits a shoulder block. Del Rio taunts before going into the ropes, under Kingston, before being taken down by a back elbow. Kingston leaps to his shoulder in the corner and punches. Kingston uppercuts him and he rolls out of the ring.
Del Rio recovers a little before attempting to run into the ring. Kingston simply dropkicks him to the outside. Kingston then charges and hits an impressive suicide dive! Kingston rolls him into the ring for a two count. Kingston whips him into the ropes but Del Rio holds on. Kingston charges but gets put on the apron. Del Rio knocks him off with a nice enzuigiri, sending him crashing to the floor!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kingston trapped in a chin lock. Kingston fights up and punches out. Del Rio quickly takes him down and gets a two count. Del Rio viciously punches him before mocking Kingston’s “Boom-Boom” taunt. Del Rio rips him out of the corner hard and gets a near fall. Del Rio uses the ropes to hurt Kingston’s back more and knees him in the head a few times. Del Rio goes back to the chin lock but Kingston fights out of it. Kingston kicks him to the corner and punches before the referee backs him up. Kingston slaps him down a few times before hitting a nice dropkick. Kingston charges him in the corner but Del Rio sidesteps him. Del Rio then runs into the boots.
Kingston hits a nice springboard cross-body block for a near fall. Del Rio soon comes back with some punches. Del Rio goes into the ropes but misses a clothesline and takes a Superman punch. Kingston hits the Boom Drop and waits for him to get up. Del Rio avoids Trouble in Paradise by getting out of the ring. Kingston follows and Del Rio injures his arm on the ring post. Del Rio rips the arm off the turnbuckle and locks on the Cross Arm Breaker for the easy submission victory.
Winner by Submission: Alberto Del Rio
Match Rating: **
Rey Mysterio’s music hits and he runs down to the ring. Mysterio hits an enzuigiri and follows it up with a nice 619! Del Rio rolls out of the ring and Mysterio points at him, talking a little trash.
The Nexus is backstage without David Otunga. They talk about changing the game plan. They’re worried about having the Smackdown roster at ringside with him. Heath Slater says he’s not willing to go down to ringside when David Otunga walks up. Otunga tells them to put themselves in his shoes. Everything he’s worked his life for is on the line and could go up in smoke. Otunga says it’s about the team – all for one and one for all. If he fails, they fail. If he fails then which of them is next. Otunga says they need to beat Edge and prove they’re the best. Otunga walks away and the Nexus still doesn’t look convinced.
Kane will take on the Big Show in a non-title match tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Natalya vs. Layla
Natalya gets a waist lock and takes her down. Layla comes back with a hammerlock. Natalya gets out of it and hits a beautiful delayed vertical suplex for a near fall. Natalya sends her to the corner and catches her on the slingshot. Layla gets out and dropkicks her to the apron. Layla knocks her down and gets a two count. Layla bounces her face off the canvas and applies a head-scissors. Natalya powers up and counters out with a backbreaker. Layla comes back with a nice clothesline and she talks a little trash. Layla misses a leg drop and misses a corner splash.
Natalya hits a nice body slam and a spinning clothesline. Natalya hits a picture perfect double arm suplex for a near fall. Layla counters back by pulling her into the turnbuckle. Natalya blocks a kick and gets the Sharpshooter for the win!
Winner by Submission: Natalya
Match Rating: * 1/4
Kane is backstage with Paul Bearer. Kane says many around the world hope that Edge can defeat him at Survivor Series and become the World Heavyweight Champion. Hope is the motto of the desperate yet all us sheep cling to the hope that Edge will find a way to beat him. We believe in Edge just like we believe in the Undertaker… and we know what happened to him. Kane buried him, along with our hopes and dreams. Tonight, us insects hope the Big Show can exercise the evil from the Devil’s Favorite Demon. Nothing can stop him – certainly not a phenom or a giant. The places that he intends to leave us will have us begging for the darkest corners of hell. Kane laughs maniacally.
Edge will take on David Otunga in a Lumberjack Match next.
-Commercial Break-
Lumberjack Match
Edge vs. David Otunga
If Otunga loses, he is “excommunicated” from the Nexus
The lumberjacks, in case anyone cares, are Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Michael McGillicutty, and Husky Harris for David Otunga (duh). The Smackdown Superstars surrounding the ring are Rey Mysterio, Kofi Kingston, Jack Swagger, Chavo Guerrero, Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Masters, MVP, Finlay (!), Kaval, Tyler Reks, and Alberto Del Rio. Raw Superstars Goldust, Tyson Kidd, and Primo were nice enough to come down as well. They quickly intimidate the Nexus.
Edge quickly punches and kicks Otunga down in the corner. Edge sends him to the corner and hit a wheel kick before clotheslining him out of the ring. The Smackdown roster throws him back in the ring, as Nexus is too scared to approach. Edge punches him down and Otunga looks for a place to go but can’t find one.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Edge throw Otunga out of the ring again. Some Smackdown superstars stomp him and Finlay even gets a stiff forearm in there. They throw Otunga in the ring and Edge gets a near fall. The rest of the Nexus is standing on the ramp. Edge elbows Otunga but Otunga quickly comes back, throwing Edge out of the ring right in the middle of three villains: Drew McIntyre, Jack Swagger, and Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio pulls Edge off the apron and Swagger throws him in. Otunga punches away before choking him on the bottom rope. Otunga gets a two count for all this.
Otunga applies a chin lock to Edge. Edge fights up and punches. Edge goes into the ropes and takes a back elbow for a near fall. Otunga punches and drops a few elbows for another near fall. Otunga hits a suplex that gets him a two count. Otunga applies a chin lock but Edge soon fights up and counters with a back suplex. Edge punches and hits a clothesline. Edge hits another and hits an Edge-O-Matic for a two count. Edge punches him to the corner and rolls him up for a near fall. Edge sends him to the ropes but lowers his head and eats a kick. Otunga then charges into a flapjack.
Edge quickly dropkicks Alberto Del Rio in the face and the lumberjacks fight outside. Edge hits the Edgecution and he sets up for the Spear. McGillicutty runs in and takes a Spear. Edge sets up again and Kane comes in out of nowhere to Chokeslam him! Otunga crawls over and picks up the win to stay in Nexus.
Winner by Pinfall: David Otunga
Match Rating: * 1/4
The lumberjacks are fighting up the ramp as Nexus escapes. Kane looks satisfied with himself as Edge looks angrily at him.
This isn’t the last we’ll see Kane tonight. He’ll face the Big Show in tonight’s main event. Coming up next we’ll see MVP take on Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship. I thought that was supposed to be at Survivor Series? That’s what they kept hyping last week.
-Commercial Break-
Intercontinental Championship Match
Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. MVP
They lock up and MVP gets a quick roll up for a one count. MVP gets a jackknife pin for another one count and then another roll up for another one. MVP sends him into the ropes and picks him up for a press slam. MVP hits a running kick to the face, which sends Ziggler out of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Ziggler stomping MVP and dropping a big elbow for a two count. Ziggler applies a chin lock with a body scissors to MVP. MVP eventually fights up and elbows out. MVP gets a roll up for a one count. MVP hits a clothesline but runs into a boot in the corner. Ziggler covers with both feet on the ropes for a near fall. Ziggler hits a nice neckbreaker for another near fall. Ziggler covers again just for good measure.
Ziggler begins to expose the turnbuckle but the referee stops him. MVP gets an inside cradle and looks to have it won but the referee was distracted. MVP only gets a near fall at the end of it. Ziggler hits a leg drop bulldog for a near fall. Ziggler goes back to the chin lock. MVP fights up but Ziggler stops him. Ziggler sends him into the ropes but gets kicked in the face. Ziggler misses a splash in the corner, goes into the ropes, and takes some clotheslines. MVP hits a throat thrust and a face buster for a near fall. MVP hits the BALLIN’ Elbow Drop for a near fall.
MVP sets Ziggler up on the top rope and goes for a superplex. Ziggler knocks him off and jumps right into a big boot for a near fall. MVP viciously stomps him before getting backed up by the ref. Ziggler kicks him in the knee and hits the Zig-Zag. MVP’s foot is on the ropes but the referee doesn’t see it and he takes the loss. So if he’s competent enough to get the foot on the ropes he couldn’t just muster a kick out? Whatever…
Winner & Still Intercontinental Champion: Dolph Ziggler
Match Rating: * 1/2
They air another Stand Up for WWE video.
Kane is backstage and he’s looking for Paul Bearer. Kane sees the urn is on the floor. Kane looks angry as he holds it.
-Commercial Break-
“Dashing” Cody Rhodes comes to the stage and he doesn’t get the reception he was hoping for. Rhodes says their countries are allies so they’re friends. Rhodes says he’s tired of every joke about British people having bad teeth. Rhodes says it’s absolutely true – they’re god-awful. Rhodes sees “summer teeth”. Some are missing, some are yellow. Hardy har har. Rhodes says everyone he meets singes his perfectly hair free nostrils. Rhodes gives a guy some mouthwash and a kid a toothbrush. Rhodes then sends us to some footage of him teaching how to floss your teeth. Rhodes says “God Save Your Teeth”.
Kane is backstage looking for Paul Bearer. Kane threatens a stagehand but he doesn’t know where he is. Kane throws him and continues his search.
They do the old Tale of the Tape on Big Show and Kane. That match is next.
-Commercial Break-
We’re shown a little video package hyping up Big Show’s film “Knucklehead”. I’m going to Netflix it.
Kane vs. Big Show
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee, has this epic contest. They waste no time trading punches. Kane punches Big Show to the corner and Big Show comes back with body shots. Big Show sends him to the ropes but Kane ducks the clothesline. Big Show goes into the ropes as well and hits a HUGE shoulder block for a near fall. Big Show picks him up and head-butts him right back down. Big Show punches and sends him to the corner. Big Show hits a splash and some kidney shots. Big Show sends him into the ropes and Kane hits a low dropkick to the knee.
Kane punches and kicks him in the corner. Kane climbs the ropes for the ten punches. Big Show shoves him off but Kane comes right back with a clothesline. Kane goes for the ten punches again but Big Show shoves him off and punches him down. Big Show hits a Vader Bomb for a near fall. Kane comes back with a Chokeslam attempt. Big Show grabs him by the throat and they squeeze it out. Kane kicks and hits a clothesline that sends him over the top rope as well. Backstage we see Paul Bearer watching the TV tied up in a wheelchair and gagged.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Big Show working over Kane’s arm. Big Show punches and head-butts the arm before applying the arm bar. Big Show chokes him on the ropes before hitting some more body shots. Big Show chops his chest in the corner. Big Show sends him into the ropes but lowers his head and takes a DDT for a near fall. Kane punches and stomps away at Big Show before hitting a dropkick to the face for a near fall. Kane applies a chin lock. Big Show fights up and elbows out. Big Show shoves him into the ropes and shoulder blocks him out of the ring.
Big Show catches his breath in the ring. Big Show goes to bring Kane in the ring but he snaps him off the top rope. Kane goes to the top rope but Big Show stops him. Big Show goes for a superplex but Kane punches him off. Kane then hits a flying lariat for a near fall. Kane applies another chin lock. Big Show fights up and counters with a back suplex.
They both answer the referees count and Big Show hits some clotheslines. Big Show splashes him in the corner and goes for another before running into a boot. Kane hits another flying lariat and signals for the Chokeslam.
All of a sudden Edge wheels Paul Bearer out to the stage. Edge says Paul Bearer is a little tied up. Edge knows he has a dysfunctional family and has “daddy issues”. Edge warns Kane not to take another step because wheelchairs have a mind of their own. Edge goes to wheel Bearer off the stage so Kane gets right back in the ring. Kane then turns into a Chokeslam and Big Show gets the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Big Show
Match Rating: * 1/2
Edge and Paul Bearer exchange classic faces to one another. Edge tells Bearer to say goodbye to his son. Edge wheels Paul Bearer backstage as Kane looks on angrily.
Quick Match Results
Alberto Del Rio def. Kofi Kingston via Submission
Natalya def. Layla via Submission (non-title)
David Otunga def. Edge in a Lumberjack Match
Dolph Ziggler def. MVP to retain the IC Title
Big Show def. Kane (non-title)
Bump of the Night: Kingston’s suicide dive!
Match of the Night: Del Rio vs. Kingston **
Mike’s Thoughts
Good gracious – that’s two poor Smackdowns in a row. Let’s not make this a trend!
I thought the main event started off well but it went on a little too long. There shouldn’t have been a commercial break for this one. Big man matches should be kept as short as possible because they’re normally bowling shoe ugly. The whole Edge vs. Kane feud isn’t really clicking for me yet. They haven’t done anything but interfere in one another’s matches. These two are good on the microphone so why not let them have a little sparring session? They’ve got one more Smackdown to sell people on this program? Can they do it? I think so.
In case you haven’t heard there have been some critics of David Otunga’s in-ring capabilities. I’m sorry to report that Otunga has done nothing to silence those critics tonight. He was as stiff and awkward looking as ever tonight. There’s no finesse, no pizazz in anything he does. It’s just boring and not what you would expect of someone at this level in WWE, especially involved in such a high profile angle. Edge tried to carry him to a decent match but he was really exposed, again, tonight. Also, those trunks… could they get any shorter? I’m just saying.
Poor MVP – that guy just can’t catch a break. Last week the announcers were making a big deal that he was going to Miami, his hometown, to fight for the Intercontinental Championship. Then, in vintage WWE fashion, they just forget about that like it never happened and made the match for this week. They even edited in Todd Grisham saying “next week” in the Smack of the Night segment. The finish with his foot on the ropes sets up a rematch but it doesn’t look like that’ll go in his favor either. It’s a shame because the guy is a quality talent. Just look at his work in 2007 against Chris Benoit. I thought he was impressive in those matches.
Speaking of guys that can’t catch a break, how about Kofi Kingston? It’s amazing to see how far he’s fallen in just a few short months. A few months ago he was looking like a main event waiting to happen and now he’s back to the mid-card being fed to Alberto Del Rio. I love Del Rio and Kingston is a quality opponent still but Kingston should be further along. Thus far this has been the story of his career. Kingston got hot last year in that feud with Randy Orton and then he fell off the radar. Now his latest opportunity at the next level has been squandered again. Will he get a third chance?
Final Rating: ** 1/4
E-Mail – MikeyT817@hotmail.com
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