WWE Smackdown
January 28, 2011
Cincinnati, OH
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 recaps the Corre segment from last week. The Corre introduced themselves and said they have no leader. Teddy Long came out and said that they will follow his orders or they can leave Smackdown. About fifteen minutes later Teddy Long was discovered knocked out backstage with severe trauma to the back of the head. Later on The Corre explained to Vickie Guerrero that they had nothing to do with Long’s attack. Vickie said they could help take care of Edge. Edge faced Justin Gabriel later on in the show and The Corre put a vicious beating on Edge. Dolph Ziggler ended it by standing over Edge defiantly.
EXCUSE ME! Vickie Guerrero is in the center of the ring. After severe injuries due to the brutal attack from last week, Vickie regrets to inform the crowd that Teddy Long isn’t there tonight. Therefore, she is the acting General Manager of Smackdown. She’ll first take the opportunity to wish Teddy Long the very best and a speedy recovery. As far as the Royal Rumble…
Randy Orton’s music hits and the number one contender for the WWE Championship makes his way out to the ring. Vickie says she doesn’t understand why he’s out here since his match isn’t until later tonight. The crowd chants for an RKO. Orton says he’s only here to show his appreciation for being invited to Smackdown. Orton says he doesn’t know Vickie all that well so she’ll have to excuse him. She’ll have to excuse him for what he’s going to do to her boyfriend later tonight, just like The Miz will have to excuse him this Sunday when he takes the WWE Championship away from him. Orton puts his arm around Vickie and says as for her, nice hair. As for Vickie, there is no excuse. Vickie acts grossed out and backs away from him.
Dolph Ziggler’s music hits and the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship makes his way to the ring. Ziggler says no one talks to the acting General Manager that way. Ziggler asks if Orton has any idea who he or Vickie are. Orton says he’s the guy that beat him two weeks ago on Raw. Ziggler says he’s the guy who will be World Champion on Sunday so he will show him respect, just like he’ll show Vickie Guerrero respect. Never again will he disrespect him, his girlfriend, and everyone who stands behind them. Ziggler tells him to remember that the next time he comes on his show and runs his mouth. After tonight, he will have no choice but to show him respect.
Orton says he’s sorry because around here, you have to earn your respect. Orton then drops Ziggler with an RKO! Vickie does not look happy about that as Orton poses on the turnbuckle for the crowd.
Our main event will be Edge and Randy Orton taking on Dolph Ziggler and The Miz. It’s being billed as a “Champions and Challengers” main event.
-Commercial Break-
Lay-Cool vs. Kelly Kelly & Kaitlyn
As Lay-Cool make their entrance, Kelly Kelly and Kaitlyn attack them from behind. This is Kaitlyn’s first match on Smackdown since winning NXT. They knock Lay-Cool around at ringside before throwing them in the ring and clotheslining them down. Kaitlyn double clotheslines them down and McCool begs her off. The referee rings the bell. McCool forearms Kaitlyn but misses a roundhouse kick. Kaitlyn body slams her for a one count. Kaitlyn goes into the ropes and Layla grabs her leg. Kaitlyn fights Layla on the apron and turns into a vicious big boot from McCool. That looked nasty. McCool then picks up the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Lay-Cool
Match Rating: 3/4 *
-Commercial Break-
Drew McIntyre vs. JTG
Kelly Kelly is shown sitting at ringside to watch this match. Michael Cole makes a decent point, saying that Kelly was mad at Drew the week before for attacking Trent Barreta from behind yet she attacked Lay-Cool from behind this week.
McIntyre takes his time coming out of the corner and nonchalantly approaches JTG. JTG doesn’t appreciate his cavalier attitude and punches away at him. JTG dropkicks him out of the ring. McIntyre is quickly up and he pulls JTG out of the ring, viciously clotheslining him down! McIntyre bounces him off the steps and throws him into the ring. McIntyre hits a neckbreaker and then picks him up for a second. McIntyre picks him up again and hits a third neckbreaker for a one count. McIntyre kicks him in the corner but JTG blocks a clothesline. JTG punches but McIntyre quickly stops his momentum. McIntyre stiffly clubs him in the corner and hits a short-arm clothesline. McIntyre sizes him up and hits a dropkick for a one count.
McIntyre applies an arm bar but JTG fights up and punches out. JTG goes into the ropes and gets a crucifix pin for a near fall. McIntyre gets up and explodes with a clothesline. McIntyre stomps him a few times. McIntyre slams him down and gets another two count. JTG obviously doesn’t like a count to go to two, despite everyone else on the roster having no problem with that to make a guy’s moves look better.
McIntyre locks another arm bar on but JTG fights up and counters a neckbreaker attempt into a backslide for a near fall. McIntyre runs into a big boot and gets clotheslined down. JTG gets another backslide but McIntyre rolls through into the Future Shock DDT. That was nice. McIntyre picks up the win from there.
Winner by Pinfall: Drew McIntyre
Match Rating: * 1/4
As soon as the bell sounds Drew McIntyre quickly leaves the ring, not looking back. Kelly Kelly gets into the ring but McIntyre keeps walking.
Our Champions vs. Challengers main event is still to come.
-Commercial Break-
The announcers talk about the Rey Mysterio vs. “Dashing” Cody Rhodes match from last week. Rhodes exposed the knee brace and Mysterio hit a 619 to his nose. Rhodes’s nose was fractured as a result.
Todd Grisham is backstage with “Dashing” Cody Rhodes. Rhodes has his back to the camera and he won’t turn around so we can see. Rhodes says after what Rey Mysterio did to his face last week, he may never show his face in public again. Rhodes has it on good authority that Mysterio didn’t even want to win the match – he just wanted to bash his face in. He succeeded because not only does he have a deviated septum and a broken nose, but also he’ll require extensive reconstructive surgery. Doctors advised him not to compete in the Royal Rumble match so not only did Mysterio shatter his face he shattered his WrestleMania dreams. Rhodes doesn’t get why anyone would want to hurt his face. He was the most handsome man in the world. He made his living off his looks but now he can’t stand the sight of himself. Rhodes says it’s not who we are on the inside, it’s what we do on the outside that matters. Rhodes says Rey Mysterio doesn’t decide his life – he does. Coming to the arena today, a little kid yelled that he wasn’t dashing anymore because of his face. The worst part is that the kid was right. Rhodes puts his head down and looks to be crying.
Jack Korpela is with the World Heavyweight Champion Edge. Korpela asks for his thoughts heading into the main event tonight, two days before Royal Rumble. Edge says he wants to talk about what The Corre did to him. Edge pretends to not know their names. Edge says he isn’t called the master manipulator for no reason. Edge will let them sleep with one eye open. Tonight he’s teaming up with his old tag team partner from Rated RKO, Randy Orton. Their opponents are the WWE Champion The Miz and his opponent at the Royal Rumble, Dolph Ziggler. Edge has been really frustrated these past few weeks and he’ll take out his frustrations on Ziggler with a big Spear.
Alberto Del Rio is walking backstage and introduces himself to Michael Tarver. Del Rio gets in the car as the announcers say he’ll have a Royal Rumble exhibition next.
-Commercial Break-
Ricardo Rodriguez is in the ring and he introduces Alberto Del Rio to the ring. Del Rio drives into the arena in a beautiful Mercedes 550 SL convertible. Del Rio gets in the ring and says his name, but we already know that. Del Rio won’t tell us tonight that his destiny is to win the Royal Rumble. Tonight he’ll prove it. Del Rio has 39 fighters from all over the world, ready to fight him. Del Rio will start with one and every thirty seconds another will come until he throws everybody out of the ring.
Alberto Del Rio’s Royal Rumble Exhibition
Some jobber named Seth Allen runs out of the ring and Del Rio quickly takes him down. Del Rio clotheslines him, hits a snapmare, and kicks him in the back. Del Rio then tosses him out of the ring. Mike Stevens is out next and he walks right into a dropkick. Del Rio sends him to the corner and clotheslines him. Del Rio hits a snapmare and dropkicks him in the back of the head. Del Rio tosses him out of the ring and…
KANE’S MUSIC HITS! Del Rio is shocked as Kane makes his way to the ring. This is Kane’s first appearance in three weeks. Kane stands in the center of the ring and Del Rio looks really nervous. Kane uppercuts him and bounces him off the turnbuckle. Kane punches him in the corner and whips him to the opposite corner. Kane misses a splash and Del Rio hits an enzuigiri. Del Rio punches away and goes into the ropes, running right into a goozle. Kofi Kingston’s music hits and he runs into the ring, quickly eliminating Kane and Del Rio.
Kane and Del Rio aren’t happy about that and they corner Kingston in the ring. Rey Mysterio’s music hits and he runs down to even the odds. EXCUSE ME! Vickie Guerrero says she will not have her show out of control. Since the four of them are already in the ring she’s making this a tag team match. Kane and Alberto Del Rio will take on Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio and that match will begin right now.
-Commercial Break-
Alberto Del Rio & Kane vs. Kofi Kingston & Rey Mysterio
The match begins as we come back. It’s Kingston starting out against Kane. Kane quickly no sells some kicks and uppercuts him down. Kane sends him to the ropes but Kingston ducks a big boot and dropkicks him in the knee. Kingston kicks him in the face and gets a one count. Kingston gets a front face lock on but Kane powers him to the corner. Del Rio is tagged in and he hits a snapmare/dropkick to the back of the head combo for a near fall. Del Rio hits a body slam and goes into the ropes but Kingston leap frogs him and dropkicks him down. Kingston gets a front face lock and tags in Mysterio.
The sends Del Rio into the ropes and they hit a drop-toe-hold/leg drop combo for a two count. Mysterio kicks him in the chest and puts him in the corner, shouldering him there. Mysterio backs up and Del Rio avoids another shoulder block. Kane tags in and he punches Mysterio in the midsection. Kane sends him into the ropes but Mysterio slides through his legs and kicks him. Mysterio dropkicks Kane into position but Kane moves before he hits a 619. Kane gets on the apron and gets dropkicked off. Del Rio checks on Kane at ringside. Kingston is tagged in and they hit a double baseball slide on Del Rio, knocking him into Kane. Kingston then hits a suicide dive on Del Rio and Mysterio takes Kane out with a seated senton off the apron!
Kingston gets on the top rope as Kane rolls into the ring. Del Rio knocks Kingston off the top rope and Kane stomps away at him. Kane sends him to the corner and clotheslines him. Del Rio is tagged in and he puts Kingston in the corner. Del Rio clotheslines him and hits a bulldog for a near fall. Del Rio stomps his head and Kane tags in. Kane knees and punches away at Kingston. Kane hits a nice body slam and a leg drop for a near fall. Kane applies a chin lock but Kingston soon fights up and elbows. Kingston goes into the ropes and gets dropped with a sidewalk slam, giving Kane a near fall. Del Rio is tagged in and he chokes Kingston in the corner. Kane gets a cheap shot in for good measure. Del Rio hits a back suplex for a near fall. Kane is tagged back in and he hits some back elbows in the corner.
Kingston fights Kane and Del Rio off and struggles but eventually tags Mysterio in. Mysterio comes off the top rope with a seated senton on Kane. Mysterio hits a tilt-a-whirl reverse DDT on Kane and knocks Del Rio off the apron. Mysterio then dropkicks Kane in the face for a near fall. Kane knees Mysterio and sends him into the ropes. Kane lowers his head and eats a kick. Mysterio goes for a springboard maneuver but Kane big boots him off the top ropes. Mysterio falls to the outside as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Del Rio back elbow Mysterio down for a near fall. Del Rio applies a chin lock but Mysterio eventually fights up and punches out. Del Rio quickly controls him with a kick. Del Rio goes for a sunset flip but Mysterio rolls through and dropkicks him in the face. Del Rio is up first and he keeps Mysterio from tagging Kingston. Del Rio hits a gordbuster and tags Kane in. Kane stands on Mysterio’s midsection. Kane clubs Mysterio’s back and punches him in the corner. Kane sends Mysterio into the corner so Mysterio attempts a slingshot but Kane catches him. Mysterio then counters the counter into a DDT.
Kingston and Del Rio are tagged in. Kingston springboards off the top rope with a clothesline! Kingston chops him down and hits a nice dropkick. Kingston then dropkicks Kane off the apron. Kingston runs into a Del Rio tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall. Del Rio goes to tag Kane in but he’s still down on the ground. Del Rio trash talks Kane and runs into a pendulum kick from Kingston. Kingston hits a nice cross-body block for a near fall. Kane breaks up the pin. Del Rio shoves Kane and talks some trash so Kane big boots him down! Kane walks off on him and Del Rio can’t believe it. Mysterio then dropkicks Del Rio into position. Mysterio hits a 619 and Kingston hits the Trouble in Paradise for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Kofi Kingston & Rey Mysterio
Match Rating: ** 1/2
A recap is shown of the Edge vs. Miz match on Raw. Dolph Ziggler caused the DQ by attacking Edge and hitting the Zig-Zag. Orton then ran down and cleared the ring, dropping Miz and Ziggler with RKOs. Our Champions vs. Challengers main event is still to come.
-Commercial Break-
Big Show’s music hits and the World’s Largest Athlete makes his way to the ring. Big Show says when you’re 7 feet tall and 440 pounds, you’re not only the largest athlete in the world, you’re the guy who can’t fit into airplane bathrooms and break furniture. You’re a former World Champion and admired by your peers. Then, sometimes, you’re a target, and people try to make an impact at your expense.
Big Show shows the video from two weeks ago when he took on Wade Barrett. Big Show had the match in control until Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater ran in. Big Show had them handled until Ezekiel Jackson came down and they then destroyed him from there. Big Show says The Corre accomplished two things – they made him angry and they don’t want any part of him when he’s angry. The second thing they did was The Corre reminded him what it’s like to be in the Royal Rumble match, attacking and trying to throw him over the top rope. He’s never won a Royal Rumble match…
The Corre’s music hits and they make their way to the ring with some bad t-shirts and music. The Corre surrounds the ring and Big Show asks if this is how it’ll be. Big Show wonders if it’s because none of them have the guts to try him one on one. Big Show says Wade Barrett has no guts and he’s no leader. Big Show talks to Ezekiel Jackson and tells him to take him on right now. Big Show says the outcome will be different if he really tried. Heath Slater then sneaks in and kicks Big Show in the knee but it does nothing.
Big Show vs. Heath Slater w/ The Corre
I guess it was a real challenge. Big Show throws Slater and kicks him down. Big Show chops him in the corner and goes for a body slam but Slater slides off and chop blocks him. Slater goes into the ropes and gets clotheslined down. Big Show clotheslines him and hits a MASSIVE back body drop. Slater struggles to get up and takes a butt bump. Big Show hits a shoulder block and Chokeslams Slater down. Big Show picks up the easy win.
Winner by Pinfall: Big Show
Match Rating: N/A
The rest of The Corre gets on the apron. Big Show takes Justin Gabriel and Wade Barrett down but Ezekiel Jackson clotheslines him down. The Corre team up on Big Show until the Smackdown locker room empties out with a bunch of Raw wrestlers as well, evening the odds. The Corre backs off and goes up the ramp.
Our Champions vs. Challengers main event is still to come tonight.
-Commercial Break-
The Royal Rumble numbers video plays. They then run down the Royal Rumble card.
The Miz and Alex Riley make their way to the ring for our main event. Michael Cole is going nuts. The Miz brings up the 1947 Truman Doctrine, which sent $400 million of aid to Turkey and Greece. This has absolutely nothing to do with the Royal Rumble, just like Orton coming down here, bullying Vickie Guerrero and giving Ziggler an RKO. It means nothing. Orton can RKO everyone in the arena but it still means absolutely nothing. He is the WWE Champion now and he’ll be the WWE Champion after this Sunday. Randy Orton’s song says he hears voices in his head. The only voice he’ll hear after their match at the Rumble is his – The Miz, still WWE Champion, and still AWESOME!
Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero are next out. Our main event is next.
-Commercial Break-
The Miz & Dolph Ziggler w/ Alex Riley & Vickie Guerrero vs. Rated RKO
Randy Orton will start out against Dolph Ziggler. Orton wants The Miz but Ziggler stays in. They lock up and Ziggler gets him in the corner. Ziggler punches Orton down in the corner until the referee backs him up. Orton kicks Ziggler and clotheslines him down. Orton hits him in the corner a few times and catches The Miz trying to sneak up on him. Orton chases him around the ring and runs back into the ring into a Ziggler boot. Ziggler has a whip reversed, he ducks a clothesline, and runs into a Lou Thesz Press from Randy Orton. Edge is tagged in and he comes off the top rope with a clothesline for a near fall. Edge bounces him off the turnbuckle and sends him into the ropes, but lowers his head and takes an X-Factor for a near fall.
The Miz is tagged in and he stomps away at Edge. The Miz chokes him on the ropes and Alex Riley gets a cheap shot in. The Miz applies a chin lock but Edge gets to his feet. The Miz knees him and goes into the ropes but eats a big boot. Edge kicks The Miz away and tags in Orton. Orton clotheslines The Miz three times and hits a powerslam. Orton sets up for an RKO… and we go to a commercial out of nowhere.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Ziggler stomping away at Orton. They apologize for the abrupt commercial break. The Miz is tagged in and he punches away at Orton. During the commercial Ziggler pulled Orton out of the ring before he could do the RKO. The Miz has Orton in a chin lock. Orton punches him off but gets taken right back down for a near fall. The Miz punches away at Orton and applies the chin lock again. The Miz rakes the eyes before he can tag Edge and keeps him away from his corner. Orton is slipping away until he gets fired up and head-butts out. The Miz hits a backbreaker/neckbreaker combo for a near fall.
Orton struggles up in the corner so The Miz goes for his clothesline but Orton explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. Both Edge and Ziggler are tagged in. Edge ducks a clothesline and hits some of his own. Edge hits a flapjack and knocks Miz off the apron. Edge sets up for a Spear on Ziggler but Riley interrupts him. Ziggler tries to attack but Edge gets the Edge-O-Matic but The Miz breaks it up. Orton clotheslines The Miz over the top rope and clotheslines Riley down on the outside! Edge blocks a Zig-Zag and Spears Ziggler for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Rated RKO
Match Rating: ** 1/4
EXCUSE ME! Vickie says as General Manager she’s acting in the best interest of Smackdown. So, until further notice, the Spear is illegal. If Edge hits the Spear at the Royal Rumble, not only will he be disqualified, he’ll lose the title as well. Edge can’t believe it. Ziggler fights up on the apron and Edge defiantly Spears him off! Edge then goes outside and hits a NASTY Spear on Ziggler! Edge looks around and sees Vickie Guerrero. Edge goes to Spear her but she sidesteps him and he Spears Ziggler again! Edge taunts Vickie as the show ends.
Quick Match Results
Lay-Cool def. Kelly Kelly & Kaitlyn*
Drew McIntyre def. JTG
Kofi Kingston* & Rey Mysterio def. Alberto Del Rio* & Kane
Big Show def. Heath Slater
Rated RKO def. The Miz & Dolph Ziggler*
Bump of the Night: Edge’s two Spears on Ziggler on the outside!
Match of the Night: Kingston & Mysterio vs. Del Rio & Kane ** 1/2
Mike’s Thoughts
This was an excellent edition of Smackdown. We had two excellent matches and some really good hype for the Royal Rumble. I don’t think there are many on the fence about ordering the show on Sunday since the Royal Rumble sells itself but if there were, I’d like to imagine this show sold them on it.
I really enjoyed the opening segment with Randy Orton and Vickie Guerrero. It was a good way to set up the main event and get a little more hype for the Rumble match. It also made me wish Orton was on Smackdown every Friday night. I love that guy.
The opening Diva match didn’t do anything for me but the next segment did. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I really like the Drew McIntyre/Kelly Kelly love saga. I’m really interested to see where they go here. Is Drew McIntyre becoming a face or are they turning Kelly Kelly? Some may say, “Who cares?” but I’m interested.
I really enjoyed the impromptu tag match that followed the Alberto Del Rio Royal Rumble Exhibition. It was a lot of fun and was well wrestled. Kingston is so super over so I’m not quite sure he’s still stuck with the Intercontinental Title and Dolph Ziggler is going for the World Title. My friend Nick thinks a heel turn would do wonders for him but I think there are too many heels on Smackdown as it is. Kingston will hopefully have his time sometime this year.
I was left scratching my head following the Big Show/Corre segment. What was the point of making The Corre look so weak? If they’re going to use that as a way to fade Heath Slater out (hopefully) then that’s fine. Other than that I can’t figure it out. By the way, the t-shirts and the music for The Corre need a serious overhaul. The name “Corre” itself could have used a little more time on the think tank, too. I like the group but the look and name just need work.
The main event was really well done. The Miz’s promo before the match was good because he wasn’t given good material but he still made it work. The match that followed was excellent, minus that abrupt commercial break. The show is taped and edited so I can’t really figure out how they allowed that to happen. I wasn’t really pumped about the decision to ban the Spear but I’m sure they’ll make it work somehow. It looks like Ziggler is going to get the title on Sunday but anything can happen, as they say.
Final Rating: ***
E-Mail – MikeyT817@hotmail.com
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Thanks for reading! Enjoy the 2011 Royal Rumble!