WWE Smackdown
May 6, 2011
Orlando, FL
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 plays up Christian finally winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules. Tonight we’ll kick off Christian’s reign as champion.
Tony Chimel asks us to welcome the new World Heavyweight Champion Christian. Christian makes his way to the ring to a great reaction with the title over his shoulder. Christian looks truly happy. Josh Mathews, Booker T, and Michael Cole welcome us to the show.
Christian gets in the ring and soaks up the great reaction. The fans chant his name. Christian says if we’ll all just bear with him for a second, he’s been waiting seventeen long years to do this: Christian stands in the middle of the ring and raises the title over his head. Christian says he’s dreamed of this his entire life. He dreamed about what he’d do, say, how it would look, sound, where it would take place, and he can honestly say those dreams paled in comparison to how it feels to actually be the brand new World Heavyweight Champion.
There are a lot of people who helped him out along the way. Before he came out he got a text message from Edge. Christian gets emotional as he says Edge told him to enjoy the moment because he earned it. Christian says he is – he’s enjoying every single moment right now. Christian says he knows Edge is watching at home. Everyone knows they’re best friends and without Edge, there is no Christian. Christian says he loves Edge from the bottom of his heart.
Then there’s the WWE Universe. Actually they’re his “peeps”. They always let their voices be heard and they wanted this moment just as much as he did. For that, he thanks us. Before Edge retired he said that the title doesn’t belong to one superstar – it belongs to everyone.
Mark Henry interrupts Christian and comes out clapping for him. Henry gets in the ring and congratulates Christian. Henry says he was cheering for him the whole time, but not because he was a fan. He looks at Christian and he looks at himself, and he wants to be the first one to get his hands on the title. Christian says the title is made out of gold and not chocolate. Henry says while Christian is spewing diarrhea of the mouth, Edge isn’t here to protect him. He’s by himself.
The Great Khali’s music hits and he comes out to the ring with Ranjin Singh. The Great Khali says something and Ranjin Singh translates it. Khali said congratulations, but before he accepts a challenge from the World’s Strongest Man, he should accept the challenge of a former World Heavyweight Champion. Singh makes up a bunch of things that Khali did, like wrestling tigers to submission, and that’s the end. Christian makes fun of Khali for wearing a tutu on Raw. Christian says if another freak comes out they can run off and join the circus.
Randy Orton’s music hits and he slowly makes his way to the ring. Orton’s beard is getting fuller but there are still some bald patches. Orton says he’s no freak but he is Randy Orton. Orton says he’s new to Smackdown so if this is how things are done then he’s not going to let this opportunity pass him by. Orton tells Christian to throw his name into the hat to face him for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Teddy Long’s music hits and the Smackdown General Manager makes his way to the ring. Long says there’s a decision to be made about who will be first in line to face Christian for the World Title. Long says he’s not going to make that decision. He’s going to leave it up to the WWE Universe in Orlando. Long asks the crowd if they want to see Christian vs. Mark Henry and it’s negative. The same goes for The Great Khali. Long gets to Randy Orton and they go nuts. Long makes it official: Christian vs. Randy Orton for the World Heavyweight Championship and makes the match for tonight!
We’ll take a look at The Rock’s birthday celebration on Raw later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
The Great Khali and Ranjin Singh are walking backstage. Singh tells him not to worry because they were close to getting a shot. They run into Jindar Mahal. They talk in Hindi, I believe, and then he says that things will get a lot better now that he’s here. Singh says it’s good to have him on Smackdown but Khali is his brother and he has his career on track. Jindar says it was his idea then to have him in the tutu. Jindar says he’s not condemning him – he just found it interesting.
Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan
They lock up and Sheamus quickly hits a headlock takedown for a one count. Sheamus stomps and puts him in the corner, punching him down. Sheamus sends him to the ropes and hits a back elbow for a one count. Sheamus punches him to the corner and hits some body shots. Bryan ducks a punch and chops away at Sheamus’s chest. Sheamus sends him to the corner but Bryan back flips over him, ducks a club, and dropkicks him out of the ring. Bryan charges and hits a suicide dive! Bryan gets him in the ring but Sheamus sends him to the ring post. Sheamus drags him into the ring and hits the Irish Curse. Sheamus taunts the crowd as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Sheamus applying an arm bar. Bryan fights up but quickly gets sent to the corner. Sheamus charges into a back elbow. Bryan then charges into a big backbreaker. Sheamus hammers the chest and taunts the crowd. Sheamus does it a few more times and gets on the apron, hitting a running knee to the face. Sheamus hits a slingshot shoulder block for a near fall. Sheamus head-butts him and puts him on the top rope. Sheamus goes for a superplex but Bryan blocks it. Bryan head-butts him off and hits a big missile dropkick.
Both men are down but they pull themselves up. Bryan kicks Sheamus down and kicks him in the skull for a near fall. Sheamus puts him in the corner but runs into a boot. Bryan charges and gets turned inside out with a clothesline. Bryan gets out of Pale Justice and sends him over the ropes but Sheamus holds onto the apron. Bryan counters a slingshot shoulder block with the LeBell Lock! Sheamus nearly taps but he gets to the ropes! Sheamus quickly gets out of the ring. He’s bleeding from the mouth.
Bryan goes for a suicide dive but Sheamus levels him with a Brogue Kick in mid-air! Sheamus quickly gets back in the ring and hits a second Brogue Kick and picks up the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Sheamus
Match Rating: ** 1/2
Sheamus taunts the crowd and screams that Smackdown now belongs to him.
Tonight we’ll see Christian take on Randy Orton with his World Heavyweight Championship on the line.
-Commercial Break-
Cody Rhodes’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring with his two assistants. They are carrying paper bag masks. Rhodes says there is a common expression: adding insult to injury. That is what Rey Mysterio did at Extreme Rules, searing his eyes with a mist, and he hates that it will reflect as a loss for him in the records. Rhodes did, however, expose Rey Mysterio, and he forced Rey to expose himself. Mysterio was desperate, gutless, and a coward. Thankfully he won’t have to deal with the malevolence that pervades from each and every pore of his body because little Rey has been drafted to Raw.
Rhodes says his eyes are still burning but even through burning eyes he can see inside and out that all of us are still ugly. As a service to us, and at great expense to himself, he will provide the crowd with paper bags. Rhodes tells his assistants to hand them out. Rhodes tells them to hide their hideousness. Rhodes says while his face may repulse us, our ugliness offends him.
They show highlights of Big Show and Kane defending their Tag Team Titles against Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson. Big Show and Kane won after Barrett selfishly tagged himself into the match. The Corre continues to have problems.
Big Show makes his way to the ring. Ezekiel Jackson comes out afterwards with The Corre. Kane makes his entrance after that. This match happens next.
-Commercial Break-
Big Show w/ Kane vs. Ezekiel Jackson w/ The Corre
They lock up and Jackson pushes Show away. They circle the ring and take time before locking up again. Jackson, again, powers Big Show away. They circle the ring one more time and lock up again. This time Big Show takes Jackson down with a waist lock. Big Show applies a front face lock but Jackson powers up and back body drops him! Jackson stomps and punches away at him and gets a one count. Jackson splashes him hard in the corner and hits a big body slam for a near fall. Jackson applies a chin lock but Big Show fights up and hits a back suplex.
They both get up and trade punches. Big Show comes out on top and clotheslines him a few times. Big Show sends him to the corner and hits a butt bump. Big Show takes him out with a running shoulder block. The Corre quickly gets on the apron so Kane punches away. Barrett takes him out with a big boot and they triple team Kane. Big Show goes out to help and breaks it up. Big Show gets in the ring and Jackson quickly kicks him in the head. Jackson levels him with a clothesline and picks up the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Ezekiel Jackson
Match Rating: * 1/2
The Corre wants to celebrate with Ezekiel Jackson but he walks off on them. They don’t look too happy about that.
The Rock’s Birthday Celebration recap is next.
-Commercial Break-
They play a great video recapping the entire birthday celebration for The Rock. They end it with the hilarious beat down on Michael Cole. That was pretty damn funny. That was a really fun episode.
Christian will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Randy Orton tonight!
-Commercial Break-
The WWE Rewind is Layla beating Michelle McCool at Extreme Rules. That was a Loser Leaves WWE match so McCool is done.
Layla vs. Alicia Fox
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee ever, is the official. They lock up and push each other away. They lock up again and Fox knees her. Fox powers her to the corner and chokes her with her boot. Layla sidesteps a splash and kicks her down. Layla hits a sick looking Lay-Out for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Layla
Match Rating: N/A
Kharma’s music hits and she slowly makes her way to the ring! Layla and Alicia Fox both look scared in the ring as Kharma approaches them. Layla gets out of the ring, leaving Alicia as the only one in there. Layla runs to the back and looks really scared as Kharma looks on. Fox kicks Kharma in the back and she just turns and smiles. Kharma then changes the look and blocks a second kick. Kharma takes her down with a clothesline and Fox lands so badly she clearly pops her shoulder. Kharma hits the Implant Buster after that. That was awesome.
The Corre is walking backstage when they approach Ezekiel Jackson. They ask what his problem is walking out on them. Barrett says this hasn’t been working for a while. Their problem is they can’t let it seem like Jackson is walking away from him. Barrett tells Jackson to look at him because he wants to be sure he sees it coming. Jackson tells him to make it look good and attacks Barrett! The Corre soon beats him down and hits him with a bunch of objects. They tip a giant laundry basket over on him and he’s done. Barrett says he’s been a pleasure working with him.
-Commercial Break-
Chavo Guerrero is at the announcer’s table to watch Sin Cara’s match.
Sin Cara vs. Tyson Kidd
They circle the ring and lock up. Kidd quickly gets a hammerlock and takes him down. Sin Cara gets up and hits a high angle snapmare. Cara has a whip reversed, goes for a rope-aided handspring back elbow but Kidd ducks. Cara flips to his feet and hits an incredible twisting head-scissors takeover that sends Kidd out of the ring! Kidd avoids a baseball slide so Sin Cara gets on the steel steps and hits a flying hurricanrana! Sin Cara rolls him into the ring but Kidd quickly dropkicks him off the apron. Kidd goes outside and hits a snap suplex on the outside!
Kidd puts him back in the ring and gets a one count. Kidd kicks him in the back for another near fall. Kidd chokes him on the bottom rope but avoids a slingshot leg drop. Sin Cara kicks away at Kidd. Kidd sends him to the ropes but Cara hits a handspring back elbow. Sin Cara hits a nice hurricanrana and hits a springboard cross-body for a near fall. Kidd back body drops him to the apron. Kidd gets on the top rope and Sin Cara hits an enzuigiri. Sin Cara goes up and hits that backflip exploder suplex off the top for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Sin Cara
Match Rating: **
Throughout the match, Guerrero was claiming that Sin Cara had watched tapes of the Guerrero’s as a child. Chavo claims that almost all of his moves were stolen from Chavo himself. Chavo gets in the ring after the match and shakes Sin Cara’s hand. Chavo pulls him in close and nods his head in approval.
They show the video of the WWE’s Be A Star anti-bullying campaign.
Todd Grisham is backstage with General Manager Teddy Long. Todd asks if it’s fair that Christian has to defend his World Heavyweight Championship after having a Ladder Match. Long says it’s not always about what’s fair. It’s about giving the WWE Universe what they want. Besides, Randy Orton competed in a Last Man Standing Match at Extreme Rules. Long says Raw had a WWE Title match just one day after Extreme Rules. Long’s job is to make Smackdown as exciting and unpredictable as can be. Long says he has a show to run. HOLLA.
-Commercial Break-
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Randy Orton vs. Christian (c)
They lock up and struggle for position. Orton gets a side headlock applied but Christian whips him off. They go up and over and Christian hits a shoulder block for a two count. Christian punches him but has a whip reversed. Orton hits him with a back body drop and he clubs away at the chest. Christian rolls to the apron so Orton goes for his draping DDT. Christian counters it and back body drops him over the top rope! Christian hits a baseball slide and goes for a plancha but Orton sidesteps it as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Orton stomp away at Christian. Orton is really working the midsection. Orton picks up a near fall and continues working on the midsection. Orton drops a knee for another near fall. Orton powers him to the corner and hits a pair of hard Irish whips. Orton picks him up and sends him to the corner hard again for a near fall. Orton applies a waist lock but Christian breaks his hold and elbows him in the face. Christian slaps him and sends him to the ropes. Orton holds on so Christian charges. Orton ducks and hits a clothesline that sends them both over the top rope.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the second break to see Orton trapped in a chin lock. Orton fights up and punches out. Orton head-butts him and runs into a back elbow for a near fall. Orton sends him into the corner sternum first and hits a nice back suplex. They go back and forth with strikes. Christian goes into the ropes and eats a dropkick. Orton hits a pair for clotheslines and sends him to the corner. Orton charges into a pendulum kick and Christian hits a missile dropkick for a near fall. Christian goes for a reverse DDT but Orton gets out of it. Orton throws him to the apron and walks into a snap shot. Christian goes to the top rope and he hits a nice cross-body block for a near fall.
Christian goes to the second rope and he hits a diving reverse back elbow. Christian signals that it’s time for the Kill Switch. Orton slowly gets up and Christian charges into a powerslam for a near fall. Orton can’t believe it and eyes up the referee. Christian all of a sudden goes for a Kill Switch but Orton pushes him off. Christian drop toe holds him into the ropes and goes for his slingshot uppercut but Orton avoids it. Orton catches him with the draping DDT for a near fall! Orton can’t believe it and angrily looks at the referee.
Orton goes for an Angle Slam but Christian counters into a reverse DDT for another near fall! Christian picks him up and hits an Angle Slam. Orton drops to the ground and begins stalking Christian. Christian pushes him off and goes for a Kill Switch but Orton leap frogs him! Christian kicks and goes for his springboard sunset flip but Orton RKO’s him out of mid-air and pins him for the win!
Winner & NEW World Heavyweight Champion: Randy Orton
Match Rating: *** 1/2
Randy Orton is handed the World Heavyweight Championship and he celebrates around the ring with it. Orton is an 8-time World Champion now.
Christian slowly comes to in the ring and realizes what happened. Christian looks absolutely stunned and dejected about what just happened. Christian gets to his feet and shakes his head in disbelief. Christian leaves the ring slowly and the crowd is in a stunned silence. Christian goes up the ramp and they cheer for him.
Quick Match Results
Sheamus def. Daniel Bryan
Ezekiel Jackson def. Big Show
Layla def. Alicia Fox
Sin Cara def. Tyson Kidd
Randy Orton def. Christian to become the World Heavyweight Champion
Bump of the Night: Sin Cara hitting that hurricanrana on the outside!
Match of the Night: Christian vs. Randy Orton *** 1/2
Mike’s Thoughts
Wow – that was probably the top Smackdown of the year so far. What an unbelievable surprise to have a World Heavyweight Championship match on the show and to actually see a title change hands. My hat is off to Christian and Randy Orton for putting on a PPV quality match on free TV. That was an excellent effort from both men. I’m really excited to see where it goes from here.
I know a lot of people are really upset that Christian dropped the title only days after winning it but it’s not really that big of a deal. Just from the look on his face after the match you know this program is going to continue. I personally believe it is far from being over. With Edge retiring they had to get the title on Christian because he was the only logical person to put it on. However, because of the suddenness of the retirement they never had time to let it build and turn Christian from a mid-carder to a main eventer. To me it felt like a cheap win. Now they give him that rub and let him chase after it. I believe there’s much better story in him actually chasing it and finally getting it rather than just having it handed over to him like it was on Sunday. I’m really excited to see what Christian does next and I’m looking forward to the return match against Randy Orton. Could this be the beginning of a Christian heel turn?
Sheamus and Daniel Bryan showed us the match that could have happened at WrestleMania. What a shame that match didn’t make the card because it was excellent. It was hard hitting, fast paced, and very exciting. Sheamus looked like a monster with those Brogue Kicks and Daniel Bryan looked competitive. This change of scenery was much needed for both men and I think they’re both going to do great things on Smackdown.
Cody Rhodes’s promo tonight was good but we’ve heard this one before. I still absolutely love the character and I think he’s doing a great job with it. I hope WWE.com starts selling the paper bag masks. That’s money in the bank I believe.
I liked the stuff with The Corre tonight. I rolled my eyes when I heard Ezekiel Jackson was taking on Big Show because I’ve personally seen enough of them together. Jackson did impress the hell out of me, though, slamming and powering Big Show around like he did. It’s not every day you see that and he looked like a total animal. The beat down of Ezekiel Jackson later in the night was also well done.
The diva’s “wrestled”, if you can call it that. Who cares about that match? Kharma came out afterwards and saved the entire segment by destroying Alicia Fox. I could have sworn I heard someone screaming with joy in a dorm room at Rutgers University when that happened. Alicia Fox is so bad in the ring that she took a regular clothesline (there wasn’t anything extra vicious about it) and totally messed up her shoulder. Kharma nailing her with the Implant Buster was impressive. I wonder what’s going to go on with Kharma. What Diva can truly give her a challenge and make it look believable. Beth Phoenix or Natalya? I don’t think I’d buy either woman getting to her.
I really enjoyed the Sin Cara match against Tyson Kidd tonight. It was so fast paced I had to keep rewinding my DVR just to keep up. That was some great action from both men. Chavo Guerrero was a surprise hit on commentary for me. I guess we’ll be getting a Sin Cara vs. Chavo Guerrero match somewhere down the line. That should be a good one. Sin Cara’s finisher still bothers me, though, because it isn’t a move that can be hit on everyone. There are only so many little guys in WWE that he can use it on. I think he needs to get a new finisher and quick.
I’m not sure why but I was a little bit intrigued by The Great Khali and Jindar Mahal segment tonight. I’m calling it that Khali is going to turn on Ranjin Singh and go heel with Jindar Mahal. Though thinking about it, a heel Khali probably means a heel Khali in the main event. I’ve been dreading that happening since the draft last Monday. Please don’t let that happen.
Final Rating: ****
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Thanks for reading!