WWE Smackdown
December 31, 2010
Rochester, NY
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 hypes up the New Year’s Eve edition of Smackdown by promoting our main event, which is Edge and Rey Mysterio taking on Alberto Del Rio and Kane. The Smackdown video plays and we’re brought into the arena with a big fireworks display. Josh Mathews, Matt Striker, and Michael Cole welcome us to the show. They promote the main event once again.
Tony Chimel asks the crowd to welcome the Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler to the ring. Ziggler comes to the ring with his girlfriend Vickie Guerrero. There’s a Botchamania sign in the crowd. “More disgusting than Vickie Guerrero’s wrestling attire, it’s Botchamania!” That fan also brought with him a uMo (United Maffew Order) sign. Vickie doesn’t look happy as she gets in the ring. Ziggler hands her a microphone.
EXCUSE ME! She excuses herself a few times to the crowd as they boo her. She says as the Official Consultant of Smackdown, she is here to file a complaint against John Cena. Vickie reminds the crowd that she was in a handicap match with Dolph Ziggler against John Cena last week. After the match, unprovoked, Cena went to give her an Attitude Adjustment. Vickie says she doesn’t have an attitude, nor does it need to be adjusted. They then show a replay of what happened last week but left out the part with CM Punk making the save. Vickie says she now suffers from a serious case of vertigo. Under doctor’s orders, she is not allowed to be two and a half feet off the ground.
Ziggler takes the microphone and reminds the crowd that vertigo is a sensation of dizziness or spinning. Ziggler pulls out a paper and reads off the rest of the symptoms, all while looking sad. Vickie says she suffers from nauseousness and when she stands up the room spins. Vickie says she’s done research and 1,000 people suffer from it a year. She knows a few people don’t like her but she expects everyone to show her compassion.
Kofi Kingston’s music hits and he comes out to the ring. Kingston says Vickie should show some compassion and be quiet because everyone is getting nauseous listening to her nonsense. Vickie says she has a serious condition. Kingston says it didn’t seem serious at TLC, referring to when she climbed the ladder. Kingston said she must have amnesia, too. Kingston then shows photographic evidence of her on the ladder. Kingston says her medical abnormalities aren’t the only problem. The other problem is how the match ended. Vickie laughs at Kingston losing the match.
Jack Swagger’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring as well. Swagger says for the first time in his life, Kofi Kingston is right about something. The ladder match at TLC was nothing more than an All American-American injustice. Swagger then shows video of the title falling and Ziggler scooping it up. Ziggler says he won fair and square. Swagger says everyone knows he should have won the match. Jack Swagger is a former World Heavyweight Champion, Mr. Money in the Bank, and an All American-American American. Ziggler says they’re just jealous because he’s the Intercontinental Champion and they aren’t. Ziggler says he could have beat them in succession but the most important thing is he’s still champion. Kingston says he doesn’t deserve to be champion. He deserves a rematch. Swagger says he deserves a rematch as well. Ziggler says (rather disingenuously) he’d love to give them a rematch but they’re the special guests of honor at Teddy Long’s New Year’s Eve party so it’s important they be there.
Ziggler tries to get a cheap shot on Kingston but Kingston blocks it and punches him down. Swagger clubs Kingston from behind but soon gets dropkicked out of the ring. Ziggler then gets a back body drop over the top rope. Teddy Long’s music hits and he says he’s seen enough. Long says they aren’t the only ones upset at how the ladder match went down. By they way, they’re all invited to the Holla-Holla Holiday Party. Long says Ziggler will be busy tonight defending his Intercontinental Championship in a Triple Threat rematch against Jack Swagger and Kofi Kingston.
The announcers put over that match as well as Edge and Rey Mysterio taking on Kane and Alberto Del Rio.
-Commercial Break-
Big Show vs. “Dashing” Cody Rhodes
Big Show immediately pushes Rhodes to the corner and punches him. Big Show chops his chest and throws him across the ring. Big Show picks him up and chops him in the corner again. Rhodes’s chest is bleeding from those shots! Big Show gives him a stink face! Rhodes gets out of the ring and checks himself in the mirror. Big Show picks him up by the head and brings him back into the ring. Rhodes quickly punches and gets a headlock on but Big Show shoves him off and clotheslines him down. Big Show sends him into the ropes and hits a ridiculous back body drop. Big Show misses a splash in the corner and takes a Beautiful Disaster. Rhodes kicks and punches Big Show down to his knee before going into the ropes. Big Show counters with a shoulder block and signals for the Knockout Punch. Rhodes immediately gets out of the ring and quickly marches to the back. The referee counts him out.
Winner by Count-Out: Big Show
Match Rating: 3/4 *
Backstage at the Holla-Holla Holiday Party, Rosa Mendes is feeing Hornswoggle and talking about what a great year it’s been for them. Conor O’Brien walks up acting like a rat and Alberto Del Rio tells him to go away. Teddy Long comes up and asks who wants to give their New Year’s Resolution. Drew McIntyre says he has some resolutions. In 2011, Drew McIntyre becomes champion. Secondly, as he looks at Kelly Kelly, he plans to be a better person. Chavo Guerrero walks up acting drunk with a bottle in his hand saying he has resolutions. All of the so-called superstars are just ignorant, self-centered jerks. Long tells him that he’s drinking non-alcoholic champagne. Chavo is embarrassed and looks to see all the superstars looking angrily at him.
-Commercial Break-
Drew McIntyre vs. Trent Barreta
As McIntyre makes his way to the ring, the announcers talk about him decimating Kaval last week. Michael Cole says that’s why Kaval left the company.
McIntyre smiles as the bell rings. He’s obviously not taking Mr. Barreta seriously. They lock up and Barreta shoves him into the corner. They lock up and McIntyre goes for a headlock but Barreta shoves him off again. McIntyre smiles as Barreta eggs him on. They lock hands and McIntyre kicks him in the midsection. McIntyre hits a headlock takeover. Barreta turns it and kips up. Barreta then takes McIntyre down with a headlock takeover of his own. McIntyre fights up and punches away at Barreta.
McIntyre sends Barreta to the corner but runs into a boot. Barreta jumps to his shoulders and hits an arm drag. Barreta goes for a hurricanrana but McIntyre counters with a powerbomb into the corner. McIntyre slaps him in the face and clubs his chest a few times. McIntyre stomps Barreta’s face before shoving him to the corner. McIntyre kills him with some clubs and a short-arm clothesline. These are some stiff shots and they get McIntyre a near fall. McIntyre goes to the arm bar and he talks a little trash. Barreta fights up and punches out. Barreta goes into the ropes and runs right into a back elbow.
Barreta rests on the apron so McIntyre goes to back suplex him back in but he flips through and hits an enzuigiri for a near fall. Barreta hits a nice springboard missile dropkick that sends McIntyre out of the ring. Barreta then charges and goes for a summersault plancha to the outside but McIntyre moves!! Barreta took a nasty bump and the referee ends the match!!
Winner by Referee’s Decision: Drew McIntyre
Match Rating: *
Drew McIntyre looks satisfied with his win and we see replays of the vicious beating he delivered, as well Barreta’s NASTY bump. We then see McIntyre hoist Barreta up and hit the Future Shock on the outside! McIntyre says he did a good job and wishes him a Happy New Year. McIntyre says that’s a wrap for this year!
The announcers hype the tag team main event as well as Dolph Ziggler defending his Intercontinental Championship against Jack Swagger and Kofi Kingston.
-Commercial Break-
Chavo Guerrero is crying to someone about people not respecting him and the camera zooms out to reveal it’s the Soaring Eagle. Chavo embraces it and says it feels right. Long says he’s going to give his New Year’s Resolution but Lay-Cool interrupts him. Lay-Cool says they have no resolutions because they’re flawless. McCool says they’re not happy about being declared the losers at TLC because they didn’t break the table – Natalya did. Layla says pigs flew. McCool makes some weight jokes about both of them when Beth Phoenix and Natalya walk up. They all argue until Long quiets them down. Long sets up a tag match between Lay-Cool and Beth Phoenix and Natalya. Time to pipe in the fake cheers! Teddy Long talks to the Eagle afterwards.
The announcers put over the Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match for tonight. Edge’s music hits and the World Heavyweight Champion Edge makes his way to the ring for the tag match.
-Commercial Break-
Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio & Kane
Rey Mysterio starts out against his nemesis Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio kicks him in the corner. Del Rio sends him to the corner but runs into a boot. Mysterio goes into the ropes and hits a head-scissors takeover. Mysterio tags in Edge and he punches Del Rio before putting him in the corner. Edge punches and kicks him down. Del Rio reverses a whip into the ropes but lowers his head and eats a kick. Edge then clotheslines him over the top rope. Edge ducks a Kane clothesline and he and Mysterio double dropkick him out of the ring. Mysterio goes into the ropes, rolls up on Edge, and moonsaults to the outside on top of them!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kane punch Edge down in the corner. Edge fights back and bounces Kane in the corner. Edge goes for the 10 punches but the referee gets distracted and Del Rio pulls him off. Kane tags Del Rio in and he kicks Edge. Del Rio hits a snapmare and a dropkick to the back of the head for a one count. Del Rio stomps him and goes for another pin but only gets two. Del Rio chokes him on the rope. The referee admonishes him as Kane kicks Edge in the head. That gets Del Rio a near fall. Kane is tagged back in and he kicks away at Edge. Kane stomps him and chokes him on the bottom rope. That gets Kane a near fall.
Kane sends him to the corner and runs into a boot. Edge charges but Kane catches him in a near powerslam but Edge slides off and hits the Edge-O-Matic. Mysterio is tagged in and he hits a seated senton on Kane. Mysterio slides under his legs and dropkicks him in the knee. Mysterio kicks him in the head and knocks Del Rio off the apron. Kane punches and sends him to the ropes but lowers his head and eats a kick. Mysterio goes for a springboard cross-body but Kane uppercuts him out of mid-air! Kane throws him out of the ring and he lands with a nasty thud!
Del Rio gets a cheap kick in as Kane goes outside and throws Mysterio into the barricade hard! Kane clubs him as he puts him in the ring and gets a near fall. Del Rio is tagged in and he kicks Mysterio in the ribs for a near fall. Del Rio hits a nice gut-buster for a near fall. Del Rio applies the body scissors and pulls at Mysterio’s mask. Mysterio punches out and kicks away at Del Rio. Mysterio goes into the ropes and takes a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall. Kane is tagged in and he kicks Mysterio. Kane hits a sidewalk slam and stretches Mysterio over his knee. Edge gets the crowd into it as Mysterio punches out. Mysterio boots Kane in the corner and counters a sidewalk slam into a reverse DDT!
Edge and Del Rio are tagged in. Edge ducks a clothesline and hits a pair of his own. Edge hits a flapjack but has an Edge-O-Matic countered. Edge counters his counter with an Edgecution. Edge backs up for the Spear but Kane cuts him off. Kane goes for a Chokeslam but Edge shoves him. Mysterio pulls the top rope down and Kane falls to the outside. Edge baseball slides him down for good measure. Mysterio springboards off the top rope into a hurricanrana, which puts Del Rio in position! Mysterio hits the 619 and Edge immediately follows up with a Spear to end the match! Great finish!
Winners by Pinfall: Edge & Rey Mysterio
Match Rating: **
Edge and Rey Mysterio celebrate their big win. Backstage at the New Years Party, Chavo talks to Kaitlyn about how lame the party is. Chavo then inhales a balloon but there’s no helium inside. Hornswoggle compares his muscles to Chris Masters’ but there’s no comparison. Elsewhere, Big Show warns Kelly Kelly about Drew McIntyre. “Dashing” Cody Rhodes wonders how he can carry on into the new year with the Big Show trying to break his nose. Long says there will be no fighting this year. Long then announces two big main events for next week. For the first Smackdown of 2011, Alberto Del Rio will take on Rey Mysterio in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match! Then Edge will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Kane in a Last Man Standing Match!
Dolph Ziggler will defend his Intercontinental Championship against Jack Swagger and Kofi Kingston in tonight’s main event.
-Commercial Break-
Lay-Cool are already in the ring when we come back from commercial.
Lay-Cool vs. Natalya & Beth Phoenix
Beth starts out against McCool. They lock up and Beth wrenches her arm before picking her up and slamming her down. Natalya is tagged and they double whip her into the ropes and hit a double shoulder block, giving Natalya a two count. McCool kicks but quickly gets taken down. McCool frantically grabs the ropes. McCool kicks her and goes for the Faith Breaker but Natalya grabs the rope to get out of it. McCool flips her to the apron and kicks her down.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Natalya trapped in Dave Stephens’s favorite move – Layla’s body scissors. Layla slaps her in the face a few times. Natalya powers up and goes for a slam but falls back, giving Layla a near fall. Layla dropkicks her in the face but misses a splash. Beth is tagged in and she back elbows her down. Beth goes into the ropes but McCool pulls the middle rope down. McCool is tagged in and she bounces Beth off the apron before pulling her back in by the hair. McCool drops some knees and Layla gets a cheap shot in for good measure.
McCool chokes her with her boot in the corner. Layla does so as well when the referee is distracted. Layla is tagged back in and she kicks away at Beth. Layla slams her face down and applies a modified crossface submission. Beth fights up and snapmares out. Natalya is tagged in and she clotheslines Layla down a few times. Natalya hits a body slam and dropkicks her in the head for a near fall. Layla has a kick blocked and Natalya goes for the Sharpshooter but Layla blocks it. Natalya goes for a Brazilian Heel Hook and turns that to a Sharpshooter. McCool runs in and kicks her in the face. McCool is tagged in and Natalya back body drops her down. Beth is tagged in and she quickly gets McCool with the Glam Slam for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Natalya & Beth Phoenix
Match Rating: * 1/4
Teddy Long congratulates the Smackdown roster on a great year. Long puts over for the first time in WWE history they had a party that didn’t break out into a fight. Chavo says this is the lamest party he’s ever been to. Big Show says he’ll get Chavo a drink and pours punch all over him. Hornswoggle laughs so Chavo shoves his face into a cake. A big food fight breaks out. Chavo says, “Now that’s what I call a party” before being silenced by more cake from Hornswoggle.
-Commercial Break-
The Raw Rebound airs.
All three men make their way to the ring for the Intercontinental Championship match. It’s next!
-Commercial Break-
WWE Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match
Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger vs. Dolph Ziggler (c) w/ Vickie Guerrero
They circle the ring and Kingston quickly attacks Ziggler. Swagger and Ziggler double-team Kingston. Kingston tries to fight them off but to no avail. Swagger rubs his face on the mat. Kingston fights them off briefly with punches but Ziggler knocks him down. Swagger clubs him down and works on the knee. Ziggler chokes him and Swagger drops a knee. The heels gloat and the crowd boos them. Ziggler drops a big elbow and Swagger drops a leg. They both approach Kingston and punch away at him. They double suplex Kingston and gloat some more.
They send him to the ropes but lower their heads. Kingston kicks Swagger in the face and forearms Ziggler down. Kingston hits a monkey flip on Swagger before leaping up to Ziggler’s shoulders and punching away. Kingston then uppercuts him out of the ring. Swagger charges but Kingston pulls the top rope down. Kingston then takes them down with a big suicide dive!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kingston controlling Swagger with an overhead wristlock. Swagger fights up but Kingston powers him down. During the break, Kingston beat the snot out of Swagger with punches. Kingston drops him with a superman punch and goes for the Boom Drop but Ziggler pulls him out of the ring. Ziggler clotheslines him down and Swagger pulls him to the apron by the hair but Ziggler snapshots him off the top rope. Ziggler hits a leg drop bulldog for a near fall on Swagger. Swagger rolls out of the ring to recover. Kingston struggles to get in so Ziggler brings him in and hits a nice neckbreaker for a near fall. Vickie argues the count from the outside.
Ziggler punches away at Kingston and drops an elbow for another near fall. Ziggler applies a chin lock but Kingston fights up. Ziggler takes him right back down and gets a near fall. Swagger gets on the apron and Ziggler knocks him right back off. Ziggler applies the chin lock to Kingston, really cinching it in. Kingston fights up and punches out. Ziggler kicks him down and sends him into the corner hard. Kingston avoids a splash and hits Ziggler with some chops. Kingston takes him down with a dropkick and a superman punch. Kingston hits the Boom Drop and sets up for his finisher. Swagger quickly cuts him off with a German Suplex that takes Ziggler out as well! Swagger covers Ziggler for a near fall. Swagger then covers Kingston for a near fall.
Swagger puts Kingston on the top rope but Kingston punches him off. Ziggler runs up the ropes and goes for a superplex but Kingston blocks it. Swagger comes from behind and powerbombs Ziggler before turning into a BIG cross-body from Kingston for a near fall! Kingston goes for the ranhei but Swagger gets out with a chop block. Swagger goes for the Ankle Lock but Kingston rolls out. Swagger avoids Trouble in Paradise and applies the Ankle Lock! Ziggler hits Swagger with the Zig-Zag out of nowhere but Kingston breaks up the pin at two and seven-eighths!
All three men are down and recovering. Kingston is the first to his feet and he punches at Swagger. Swagger shoves him to the corner but runs into a boot. Kingston dives off the second rope with a DDT! Kingston covers and Vickie puts Swagger’s foot on the bottom rope! Swagger goes for a Gutwrench Powerbomb but Kingston lands on his feet and hits Trouble in Paradise! Ziggler then scrambles into the ring and rolls Kingston up with a handful of tights for the win!
Winner & still Intercontinental Champion: Dolph Ziggler
Match Rating: ** 1/2
The announcers hype up next week’s HUGE Smackdown. Rey Mysterio takes on Alberto Del Rio in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. Then we’ll see Edge defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Kane!
Quick Match Results
Big Show def. “Dashing” Cody Rhodes via CO
Drew McIntyre def. Trent Barreta via Referee’s Decision
Edge* & Rey Mysterio def. Alberto Del Rio* & Kane
Natalya & Beth Phoenix def. Lay-Cool (Beth p. McCool)
Dolph Ziggler def. Kofi Kingston & Jack Swagger to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Bump of the Night: Trent Barreta’s NASTY summersault plancha MISS!
Match of the Night: IC Title Triple Threat Match ** 1/2
Mike’s Thoughts
This was a very fun episode to end 2010. I like the way the show opened up with three guys who could definitely use some mic time. They put on a pretty entertaining opening segment and impressed me in the process. They then proceeded to put on a very entertaining main event. All three of these guys have the talent and, if booked properly, they can be major players in 2011. Kofi Kingston, in my mind, is ready to break out into the main event picture. I think he’s being wasted right now chasing the IC title. He’s been ready since 2009 so hopefully 2011 is his year.
I enjoyed the co-main event tag match tonight. All four men really brought it tonight (even Kane). I’m really excited about the two big main events announced for next week. Hopefully in both cases this will be the end of the feuds and we can look forward towards the Royal Rumble. That should be a fun episode to open 2011 for Smackdown.
You know our talent roster is thin if they’re attempting to build up Trent Barreta. While I hate his gimmick and it desperately needs to be changed from whatever it is, he did impress me in his match with McIntyre tonight. Barreta took some big bumps and tough shots, impressing me along the way. As for McIntyre, there is not much to say. It’s the same old, same old from him. The lack of heat is still embarrassing. On a side note, I think the jabs the announcers were taking at the recently released Kaval were distasteful.
I’m not big on WWE’s brand of comedy and their overall fetish for trying to insert it into every segment but I have to say I didn’t hate the Holla-Holla Holiday Party. I got a few chuckles out of Chavo Guerrero acting drunk off non-alcoholic champagne. They ended with the usual food fight but I thought even that was fun, even the blatant way they went about introducing it.
All right, that’s all I’ve got for this show. It’s time for me to watch Back to the Future!
Final Rating: *** 1/4
E-Mail – MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Did you miss last week’s Smackdown? Check it out here! Also check out my Smackdown Year in Review here!
Be sure to check out the Win-Loss Record of your favorite WWE Superstar on the main page! How did your favorite superstar do in 2010?
Thanks for reading! Have a happy and safe 2011!