WWE Smackdown
May 13, 2011
Nashville, TN
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event…” The WWE video leads us into the show.
They show a video that highlights the events of the past week and a half regarding Christian and the World Heavyweight Championship. They show his win at Extreme Rules over Alberto Del Rio in the Ladder Match. They show him celebrating with Edge at the event. They show Christian at last week’s Smackdown where Teddy Long told him he’d be defending that night against Randy Orton. Long said his job is to make Smackdown as exciting and unpredictable as can be. They then showcase the tremendous match between Christian and Orton. Orton beat him with an RKO out of nowhere to become the new World Heavyweight Champion! The video ends with a shocked and dejected Christian slowly walking to the back.
Josh Mathews, Booker T, and Michael Cole welcome us to the show. Christian’s music hits and the former World Heavyweight Champion makes his way to the ring to a nice reaction. Christian says there’s been a lot of talk about Teddy Long’s decision last week to leave the number one contender for the title up to the WWE Universe. There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding it and his peeps weren’t happy with the decision. Christian says he agreed with and respects the decision to make the title match on Smackdown last week. His duties as General Manager are to put on an exciting and entertaining show week in and week out for every one. Christian says he’s cool with that and if Teddy Long isn’t doing that then he isn’t doing his job.
Christian also wanted to come out and congratulate the brand new World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton. Orton’s name gets a mixed reaction. Christian says Orton didn’t do anything that he wouldn’t have done himself. Christian says he’s looking forward to their rematch in two weeks at Over The Limit. Christian says he has a feeling that this time things will turn out differently. If he took anything away from last week’s Smackdown it’s this: a 100% Christian can, without a doubt, beat Randy Orton.
Sheamus’s music hits and the Celtic Warrior makes his way to the ring. Sheamus says he’s come out to commend Teddy Long as well. Sheamus loved watching the moment Christian waited 17 years for vanish in the blink of an eye. Sheamus also agrees with Teddy Long giving the WWE Universe what they want. Sheamus knows that what they want is a match with him and Christian right now.
Mark Henry’s music hits and he comes out to the ring now. Henry tells Sheamus to park his brakes. Henry says he enjoyed watching Christian get his dreams shattered last week. Henry tells Sheamus that he’s not the one drafted from Raw that the people have come to see face Christian. Sheamus is the redheaded stepchild that talks funny. The people have come to see the World’s Strongest Man Mark Henry. The crowd boos and Sheamus says it sure sounds like it. Henry says maybe they didn’t. Maybe they came to see Mark Henry face Sheamus! The crowd pops for that. Sheamus says maybe they came to see him and Henry team up in a tag team match against Christian.
A brawl breaks out and they quickly overtake Christian. World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton runs out and evens the score. He clears the ring with Christian. They double clothesline Sheamus out of the ring and dump Henry out of the ring. Orton and Christian show mutual respect for one another.
-Commercial Break-
Teddy Long is backstage with Christian and Randy Orton. He makes the main event for tonight: Mark Henry and Sheamus versus Christian and Randy Orton. Long walks off. Christian says he appreciates Orton coming out to the ring. Orton says he had his own reasons for coming out like he did. Christian said that he could beat him at 100% so Orton wanted to make sure he would be. Orton says he wants there to be no question about who the better man is. Orton puts the title on his shoulder and walks off.
Chavo Guerrero is in the ring and introduces the man who is following in his footsteps – Sin Cara. Sin Cara springboards into the ring and Chavo claps for him on the outside. Chavo joins the commentary table.
Sin Cara def. Daniel Bryan
They lock up and Bryan gets him in a headlock. Bryan wrenches the arm so Cara flips out and arm drags him. Bryan quickly takes him down and covers so Cara does the same. They have a stand off and circle the ring before locking up again. Bryan takes him down and gets a two count. Bryan gets him on his shoulders and Cara gets a nice twisting arm drag. Bryan quickly takes him back down and applies an arm bar. Bryan wrenches the arm but Cara fights up, walks up the ropes, and hits a corkscrew arm drag off the top rope. Sin Cara hits a nice handspring back elbow that takes Bryan out of the ring. Cara runs and hits a vaulting senton over the top rope! That was a beautiful move!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Cara drive some shoulders into Bryan’s midsection. Cara sends him to the opposite corner and runs into a boot. Bryan goes to the top rope so Cara climbs up as well but he gets pushed off. Bryan quickly follows up with a nice missile dropkick for a near fall! Bryan bounces him in the corner and kicks away at him. Bryan puts him in the opposite corner and hits a running dropkick for another near fall. Bryan applies a picture-perfect Mexican surfboard before transferring it to a pin for another near fall. Bryan hits a snapmare and applies a surfboard stretch. Bryan then sets him up and viciously kicks him in the chest for another near fall.
Chavo is hilarious on commentary. He keeps talking about how Sin Cara has taken every move from him and making notes on what to teach him. Bryan applies a hammerlock and is looking for the submission. Cara fights up and elbows him before hitting a high angle snapmare. Cara rolls him up for a near fall. Bryan quickly takes him down and sends him to the ropes but Cara is able to hit a hurricanrana. Cara kicks Bryan and punches him in the corner. Cara sends him to the opposite corner and gets back dropped to the apron. Cara kicks him and springboards off the top rope with a cross-body for a near fall. Cara goes for another handspring back elbow but Bryan counters with a LeBell Lock attempt. Cara fights up and throws him out of the ring.
Bryan avoids a baseball slide and kicks him down. Bryan throws him into the ring and gets on the apron. Chavo gets up from commentary and Bryan kicks him away. Cara didn’t notice but he’s able to kick Bryan in the face on the top rope. Cara then hits his flipping exploder suplex off the top rope for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Sin Cara
Match Rating: ***
Chavo Guerrero celebrates big time on the outsider. Sin Cara sees the replay and doesn’t like it at all. Cara points at Chavo and he gets in the ring to explain himself. Chavo tells him not to worry about it and raises his arm. Cara rips his arm away and shakes his head. Chavo points and pokes him. Cara shakes his head vigorously and pushes Chavo down.
They show a replay of Ezekiel Jackson beating Big Show last week on Smackdown. Jackson then walked off on The Corre who wanted to celebrate with him. They then attacked him later in the night backstage. The announcers wonder whether we’ll hear from Ezekiel Jackson tonight.
-Commercial Break-
They show Trace Adkins sitting at ringside with his family.
Layla is in the ring. She says at Extreme Rules her friendship with Michelle McCool came to an end when she beat her in a “Loser Leaves WWE” match. During that match she hurt her knee. As painful of an injury as it is, it was worth it. She finally got that poison out of the ring.
Michael Cole emerges from the Cole Mine and says that’s enough. No one cares about Layla or Michelle McCool. In fact no one cares about her or the Divas. Cole says she’s been inhaling a little too much hayseed. Cole says the people want to hear him talk about Tennessee’s own Jerry Lawler. The crowd pops and chants his name. Cole says Jerry Lawler challenged him to a match and he accepted through Jack Swagger. Cole says when he beats Lawler at Over The Limit Lawler will induct him into the Hall of Fame and he’ll get Lawler’s Hall of Fame ring. Cole says his mother will love the ring. The crowd is giving him massive heat.
Layla tells Cole to shut up. Cole smiles. Layla tells him to do everyone a favor and crawl into his glass house like a puppy. Cole says she’s just like the rest of the Divas – a pretty little crybaby. Cole says the Divas shouldn’t even be in WWE.
Kharma’s music hits and she slowly makes her way to the ring to a big pop. Kharma gets in the ring so Layla tries to run away but Cole trips her! Kharma hits Layla with the Implant Buster and Cole gets in Layla’s face! Kharma looks coldly at Michael Cole. He smiles and quickly runs away. Cold gets in the Cole Mine and locks himself in. Kharma slowly walks up and stares through the glass. Cole fears for his life as Kharma laughs at him and walks off.
Wade Barrett will face Kane next.
-Commercial Break-
Wade Barrett comes out with The Corre. Barrett gets on the microphone and says he’s sure Kane has some reservations about coming out to the ring tonight since Big Show is down in Mexico with the rest of the Raw Superstars. His fears are well placed because after what they did last week, The Corre is much stronger. That is very bad news for him.
Wade Barrett w/ The Corre vs. Kane
Barrett quickly gets a headlock applied. Kane drops down and hip tosses him. Kane hits a headlock takeover and wrenches it in. Barrett fights up and backs him to the corner. Barrett punches him in the ribs and applies a front face lock. Kane twists out, hits a snapmare, and a low dropkick to the face for a near fall. Barrett kicks him in the knee and punches away at him. Kane reverses a whip to the corner and hits some clotheslines. Kane signals for a Chokeslam and Barrett quickly gets out of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Barrett choking Kane with his boot in the corner. Barrett goes for a suplex but Kane blocks it and hits one of his own. Barrett backs up to the corner and punches. Kane trashes him in the corner before being dropped into the turnbuckle. Barrett applies a hammerlock and sends him into the corner again. Barrett hits an arm breaker for a one count. Barrett applies an arm bar but Kane eventually fights up and punches out. Barrett yanks at the arm and sends Kane to the corner. Barrett hits a Boss Man Slam for a near fall. Barrett goes back to the arm bar and wrenches. Kane gets to his feet and hits a Samoan Drop!
Kane gets up and shakes some feeling into his arm. Kane hits a nasty pair of uppercuts before sending him to the corner. Kane clotheslines him a few times in the corner and hits a sidewalk slam. Heath Slater gets on the apron to distract Kane. Barrett goes for The Wasteland but Kane slides off and big boots him. Kane quickly exits the ring and attacks the other two Corre members. Kane avoids a big boot from Barrett and punches him away. Kane hits a flying lariat and goes for a Chokeslam. The Corre runs in and causes the disqualification.
Winner by Disqualification: Kane
Match Rating: * 1/2
The Corre quickly overwhelms Kane and beats him down. Barrett orders them to pick Kane up and he puts him on his shoulders. Barrett hits The Wasteland and they set him up near the corner. Gabriel goes toward the top rope but Ezekiel Jackson’s music hits and he takes them all out. Jackson throws Gabriel and Slater out of the ring and turns into a big boot from Barrett. Jackson quickly drives him into the corner and beats him down.
The rest of The Corre stop him and take him down. They triple team Jackson and Slater hits his snapping reverse DDT. They then set him up by the corner and Gabriel hits a beautiful 450 Splash! They taunt the crowd.
Sheamus and Mark Henry are talking backstage. They’ll face Christian and Randy Orton in the main event.
-Commercial Break-
The Great Khali and Ranjin Singh make their way to the ring wearing cowboy hats. Singh says The Great Khali welcomes everyone to the Music City Edition of the Khali Kiss Cam. For those who don’t know, besides being an international Punjabi playboy, Khali is also a huge fan of country music. Tonight some lucky lady will get to make sweet music with Khali. They pick a rather plump woman from the crowd. Her name is Joy and Cole thought it was JR. Khali kisses her and she looks thrilled.
All of a sudden Jinder Mahal makes his way to the ring looking upset. Mahal gets in the ring and slaps the cowboy hat off Khali’s head. Khali looks intensely at him as Mahal yells at him. Mahal slaps him in the head again and Khali looks really upset. Mahal then leaves the ring as the crowd boos.
Christian walks up to Orton and asks if he’s ready. Orton says he is and Christian says he’ll keep his end up as long as Orton keeps his up.
They air their Be A Star anti-bullying video.
-Commercial Break-
JOBBER ALERT: Ted DiBiase is in the ring with no ring entrance.
Cody Rhodes comes out with his assistants. Rhodes says people think this is the part of the evening where he will entertain them. Rhodes says it’s time for the people to entertain the fact that he’s not the freak – they are. Rhodes tells the crowd to shut up. Rhodes says he’s providing the crowd with paper bags, at great expense to himself. That should save them from the overall lack of attractiveness tonight. Rhodes gives DiBiase a paper bag and he throws it away.
Ted DiBiase vs. Cody Rhodes
They lock up and DiBiase backs him to the corner. Rhodes kicks him and applies a headlock. Rhodes goes into the ropes and eats a dropkick. DiBiase pounds him in the corner but Rhodes reverses a whip and hits a beautiful dropkick. DiBiase surprises him with an inside cradle for a two count. DiBiase blocks a kick and rolls him up for a two count. Rhodes rolls him up as well and gets a two count. Rhodes avoids a shoulder in the corner and DiBiase hits the ring post hard. Rhodes elbows away at him and applies a hammerlock. DiBiase fights up but Rhodes knees him in the kidney. Rhodes head-butts him in the corner with his facemask and DiBiase is dazed.
DiBiase drops him in the corner, hits a clothesline, and an inverted atomic drop. DiBiase hits him with another rebound clothesline and waits for him to get up. DiBiase goes for Dream Street but Rhodes backs him to the corner. Rhodes hits the Beautiful Disaster and the Cross Rhodes for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Cody Rhodes
Match Rating: * 1/4
Randy Orton and Christian will take on Sheamus and Mark Henry later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Matt Striker is backstage with The Corre. Striker asks what kind of an impact they made tonight. Barrett goes over the list of people they’ve destroyed. Barrett challenges him to a match at Over The Limit. Heath Slater says he should make the match for the Intercontinental Championship. Barrett reluctantly says ok.
Christian and Randy Orton make their way to the ring. They’ll face Mark Henry and Sheamus next.
-Commercial Break-
Christian & Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry & Sheamus
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee ever, is the official for this match. Christian and Sheamus will start the match out. They lock up and Sheamus powers him to the corner. Christian turns him so Sheamus knees and clubs him down. Sheamus applies a side headlock. Christian whips him off and gets shoulder blocked down. Sheamus drops a knee. Christian ducks a short-arm clothesline and applies a side headlock. Sheamus whips him off so Christian slides through the legs and punches. Christian leaps off the second rope with a diving back elbow. Christian has a whip reversed and Sheamus back elbows him down.
Mark Henry is tagged in and he kicks Christian in the ribs. Henry military presses Christian but he slides off and tags Orton in. Orton punches away at Henry and dropkicks him down. Orton stares at Sheamus before stomping Henry’s face. Orton hits a big knee drop for a two count. Orton picks him up and Henry head-butts him down. Henry stomps him on the face and slams him into the corner. Henry head-butts him into the corner and punches him down. Henry throws him out of the ring. Christian stops Sheamus from attacking Orton on the outside.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Henry head-butt Orton down. Henry goes for a big splash but Orton moves. Christian is tagged in and he hits Henry with some clotheslines that don’t knock him down. Christian then takes him off his feet with a missile dropkick. Henry reverses a whip to the corner and runs into a boot. Christian goes for a tornado DDT but Henry throws him off. Henry then annihilates him with a clothesline. Sheamus is tagged in and he covers for a near fall. Sheamus hits a short-arm clothesline for a near fall. Sheamus applies an arm-trap chin lock but Christian fights up and punches out. Christian goes into the ropes and runs into a tilt-a-whirl side slam for a near fall.
Henry is tagged back in and he kicks Christian in the back. Henry sends him sternum first into the turnbuckle and stands on his chest. The referee backs him up and Sheamus clubs him on the chest. Henry covers for a near fall. Henry tags Sheamus back in. Sheamus stretches him out over the ropes and clubs the chest. Christian elbows him in the face but can’t avoid a club to the back. Sheamus sends him to the corner hard and runs into the boots. Christian punches and dives off the second rope but Sheamus catches him. Sheamus goes for a powerslam but Christian slides off and hits a reverse DDT.
Christian tags Orton in and he clotheslines Sheamus a few times. Orton knocks Henry off the apron and powerslams Sheamus. Orton hits his patented backbreaker on Sheamus and goes for his draping DDT but Sheamus gets out. Sheamus hits the Irish Curse for a near fall. Sheamus sets him for a Brogue Kick but Orton ducks. Sheamus hits the top rope and falls out of the ring. Orton catches him with a draping DDT and sets up for the RKO. Sheamus pushes him off and Christian blind tags in. Christian hits Sheamus with a Kill Switch as Orton RKOs Mark Henry! Christian pins Sheamus for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Christian & Randy Orton
Match Rating: ** 1/2
Christian and Randy Orton celebrate the win. Orton grabs his championship and shakes Christian’s hand.
Quick Match Results
Sin Cara def. Daniel Bryan
Kane def. Wade Barrett via DQ (non-title)
Cody Rhodes def. Ted DiBiase
Christian & Randy Orton def. Mark Henry & Sheamus
Bump of the Night: Sin Cara’s vaulting plancha!
Match of the Night: Sin Cara vs. Daniel Bryan ***
Mike’s Thoughts
This was a pretty good episode of Smackdown. They provided us with some decent follow-up to last week’s awesome edition of Smackdown. We kicked the show off similarly to how we kicked it off last week – Christian, Mark Henry, Sheamus, and Randy Orton wound up in the ring together. This time instead of making a title match Teddy Long simply made it a tag team match. I wasn’t surprised that they didn’t drop any hints of a Christian heel turn tonight. Right now he just wants to stay competitive and get his rematch for the title at the PPV. Hopefully after he loses that match they’ll go with the “obsessed over the title” heel turn. There are some big things with Christian coming up – I can feel it.
They followed that up with a beautiful PPV-quality match between Daniel Bryan and Sin Cara. They provided us with some excellent action and made me want to pay money to see this again somewhere down the line. The stuff with Chavo Guerrero on commentary was pretty funny. I’m actually looking forward to the match they’ll eventually have against each other. Chavo still has a lot to give and he’ll definitely give Sin Cara a great match.
I really liked the stuff with Michael Cole tonight. You had to know that eventually he was going to get nailed for crapping all over the divas week in and week out and Kharma was the perfect person to do that. Even though she didn’t get her hands on him I’m anxious to see it. Perhaps it’ll happen at Over The Limit to add insult to injury after Jerry Lawler beats him?
The Kane and Wade Barrett match was just OK. I like The Corre and really want them to succeed but can they get a little more creative rather than just do the lame beat down week after week? They’ve been doing the same gimmick since they debuted in the summer as the Nexus. I’m also surprised that they think an Ezekiel Jackson face turn is the right move. The guy doesn’t scream charisma nor has he provided one single entertaining moment in his WWE career. He’s just another muscle head that Vince McMahon just loves. It’s not the 1980s anymore, sir.
I rolled my eyes initially when The Great Khali and Ranjin Singh came out with the cowboy hats on for the Khali Kiss Cam they’ve been abusing since 2008. The segment was terrible until Jinder Mahal came out. I’m not sure why but this guy intrigues me. I’m pretty positive that this will just end with Khali turning heel on Singh and teaming up with Mahal but it’ll be interesting getting there. Like I said last week, a heel Khali probably means a title shot, and I just don’t want to see that. One side note: I found it interesting that Michael Cole made a ton of fat jokes during that segment and then they aired the anti-bullying video right after. Awkward…
I’m hoping that they find something new for Cody Rhodes to do on Smackdown now that Rey Mysterio is gone. I’m fine with him beating enhancement talent like Ted DiBiase but where does he go from here? The guy has a ton of talent and a great character. A feud with Daniel Bryan would be splendid in my opinion.
The main event was pretty average tonight. There’s not really much to make note of. I was surprised that they didn’t hint at a little tension between Orton and Christian since the title rematch is quickly approaching. It was kind of a paint-by-numbers match tonight.
Final Rating: ***
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