411’s WWE Smackdown Report 01.14.11

Welcome to the WWE Smackdown Report!

I will be tracking the win/loss record of every Smackdown superstar throughout the year. Here are the guidelines:

– These records only reflect matches that have taken place on Smackdown or Pay-Per-View.
– Matches that end or have ended in a No Contest are not counted.
– In the case of Tag Team matches, each member of the losing team gets a Loss and each member of the winning team gets a Win.
– In the case of multi-man matches, every participant besides the winner gets a Loss.
– Some wrestlers will have a third number in their record. This number represents matches that have ended in a Draw.

Green Day kicks us off with the usual pyro. Later tonight, Edge hosts the Cutting Edge with Special Guest, Dolph Ziggler!

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Alberto Del Rio is here, and he has something to say. Michael Cole claims people will remember Del Rio for taking the Sweet Chin Music from Shawn Michaels on Monday. Del Rio knows that people in the south are little bit slow. However, even they know that there is no one like him in the WWE. In three weeks, he is going to destroy our dreams, and our hero’s dreams. After he wins the Royal Rumble, he will be known as the new Mr. Wrestlemania…

What’s up? Why doesn’t the crowd ever respond? Chant “Not Much!” or something. Anyway, R-Truth is here to interrupt. Truth be told, Del Rio has already lost his mind. Del Rio can’t win the Rumble because he has a bunch of fancy cars, a very creepy looking ring announcer or even because of destiny. A championship match on the world’s biggest stage is one thing he can’t buy or inherit. He has to earn that on his own by stepping up like a man. A man he can’t be…

Cody Rhodes is out next. It really is his pleasure to inform us that this year, Dashing is in at the Rumble while everybody else is out. If you don’t look like Rhodes, you are going over the top. With beauty comes experience. Rhodes is 25 years old and he’s already been in three Rumble matches, so take a look at the face that will main event Wrestlemania…

Not to be outdone, Rey Mysterio is here. Winning the Rumble isn’t about looking like a Diva, Cody. It also isn’t about destiny, Alberto. It’s about what you’re made of on the inside. It’s about beating the odds and surviving. That is what Mysterio has been doing his whole entire life. Del Rio says no one wants to hear Mysterio’s inspirational stories. Mysterio reminds him that he, unlike Del Rio, has won a Rumble. Rhodes says Mysterio’s Rumble win was so 2006- it is out of style. That’s what’s up. Truth doesn’t take kindly to having his catch phrase stolen so he smacks Rhodes and they all start brawling. Teddy Long comes out and sets up a tag match between the four, and it is…next!

Match One: Rey Mysterio (0-1)/R-Truth (0-0) vs. Alberto Del Rio (1-0)/Cody Rhodes (0-1)
Rhodes starts with Mysterio. They lock-up and Rhodes takes Mysterio into the corner. He backs away and knocks Mysterio down with a shoulderblock. Back in the corner, Rhodes tries for a right but Mysterio blocks and comes back with kicks. He rams Rhodes into the turnbuckle and gives him down shoulders. He retreats and hits a basement dropkick. Mysterio wants Del Rio, and he tags in. They tease a lock-up but Del Rio goes low with a kick. He gets in another to the back and covers for two. In the corner, Del Rio gets in some knee lifts but eats a boot on a charge. Mysterio slides underneath but is met with a kick to the midsection. Del Rio continues by throwing Mysterio to the outside. He follows and rams him into the barricade. Back inside, Del Rio covers for two and tags in Rhodes. Rhodes unloads to his taped right hand but a knee drop misses. Mysterio heads to the top but Rhodes cuts him off and tries for a superplex. Mysterio knocks him away and comes down with a crossbody. Both men make tags and Truth attacks Del Rio with some clotheslines. He hits a hiptoss and a front sitout slam for two. He tosses Del Rio and Rhodes to the outside allowing Mysterio to take them out with a springboard moonsault as we go to commercial.

Back from break, Truth has Del Rio in a chinlock. Del Rio escapes and beats him down in the corner. Rhodes tags in and connects with a front mat slam. He charges but Truth counters with a drop toe hold and some open hands rights. Truth takes out Del Rio but is put back down with a Rhodes shoulderblock. Rhodes continues with a bunch of angry stomps. Del Rio tags in and connects with a dropkick for two. a back suplex gets him two more and he slows things down with a rear chinlock. Truth elbows out but Del Rio brings him right back down with a mat slam. Rhodes tags in and stops a Mysterio tag-in attempt. He puts some knees to Truth and drops him with a side Russian legsweep for two before applying an armbar with a body scissors. Truth is able to stand up underneath it and drops Rhodes with an electric chair. Both men are down but Truth is able to make the hot tag to Mysterio who comes in with a seated senton off the top onto Rhodes. He knocks Del Rio off the apron and hits a springboard crossbody on Rhodes for two. Rhodes tosses Mysterio into the corner but eats a boot on a charge. Mysterio gets a sunset flip off the middle rope but Rhodes rolls through. Mysterio turns the cover on him with one of his own but Del Rio interrupts it just in time. Truth steps in and kicks Del Rio out of the ring. Rhodes takes out Truth and tries for an Alabama Slam on Mysterio but Mysterio counters into a rana. Rhodes lands in position for a 619. It connects and so does the splash afterward to end it.
Winner: Rey Mysterio/R-Truth in 15:00
Rating: **3/4 (The pre-match promos were well done, letting all four characters shine. The result was a crowd that was buying into what they were doing all throughout the match. Basic formula stuff, but they did it well.)

Later tonight, Wade Barrett makes his official Smackdown debut against Big Show. Also, the return of the Cutting Edge.

JTG is back with Str8 Outta Brooklyn! He talks about Husky Harris getting whipped and Dolph Ziggler being pussy whipped. You killin’ me son.

Last Friday, Wade Barrett attacked Big Show and almost, but not really, indirectly cost him the Number One Contender’s match.

In the back, Todd Grisham is with Wade Barrett. When he was on Raw, he was like Julius Caesar: an all-conquering hero who became so powerful that everyone around him had to conspire against him. Now he is here on Smackdown, to own it. The fact he attacked Big Show last week shows that he respects him. As he did with John Cena, he attacks the biggest superstars. The rest aren’t worth it. Tonight, he will take out Show, and we will all hail Caesar.

We get a video package on Ezekiel Jackson who is “coming soon.” This has been going on for months now. WWE has a very different definition of the word “soon” than I do.

Match Two: Drew McIntyre (0-1) vs. Trent Barreta (0-0)
Two weeks ago, Barreta put up a good fight against McIntyre. This week, he attacks before McIntyre can even enter the ring. McIntyre comes in and demands the ref ring the bell. He charges but Barreta ducks and unloads in the corner. McIntyre runs out of the corner and connects with a big boot. He stomps away in the corner and leaves the ring. He grabs Barreta by the hair and pulls him out onto the floor. McIntyre rams him into the announce table and hits with a nasty back hand slap. Back inside, McIntyre grins before connecting with a few clotheslines. He measures Barreta and hits with a dropkick for two before applying an armbar. He clubs the back and tries for a release German suplex but Barreta lands on his feet and drops McIntyre with a running boot. Cover gets two. He moves to the apron and tries for a springboard but McIntyre ducks it and connects with a German into the turnbuckle. Nice. McIntyre gives the crowd a thumbs down and lifts Barreta up for a press slam. Barreta slips out and rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Trent Barreta in 3:00
Rating: *3/4 (Normally, I would like how this whole thing has played out, but I have absolutely no faith the WWE will actually get behind a guy like Barreta.)

In the back, Big Show makes his way to the ring.

Somewhere else in the back, Trent Barreta happily walks down a corridor. Drew McIntyre charges into him and attacks. What a coincidence, Kelly Kelly is there and she saw the whole thing. McIntyre apologizes to her- he is just a man that gets things done. Kelly doesn’t want to be around a person that takes pleasure in beating on other people. Seems like she picked the right line of work.

Match Three: Big Show (0-1) vs. Wade Barrett
Barrett has a brand new song and entrance video. It starts off with “I’ll be your end of days”(?) and goes into generic rock music. Ehh, I don’t know that I like it very much. Show attacks at the bell with clubs and a headbutt. He gets a chop in the corner then a gut punch. Barrett comes back with a kick to the knee that takes the big man off his feet. He stomps away and gets in some mounted punches. He works over the knee with more stomps and covers for one. Barrett goes back to working the knee with a leg vice. Show escapes and catches a boot. Barrett charges again and runs into a chop. Show rams him into the turnbuckle and drops him with a clothesline. He calls for a chokeslam but Barrett escapes it and ducks a clothesline. Show goozles him again but Barrett rakes the eyes and goes low with a kick to the knee. Show regroups quickly and goozles him a third time but Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel storm the ring for the disqualification.
Winner: Big Show in 3:00
Rating: ½* (Pretty much all you can expect out of a Show match. This was only here for the post-match angle.)

Post-match, Big Show tries to chokeslam Justin Gabriel but Wade Barrett stops it with a chop block. Ezekiel Jackson then appears on the apron, so I guess “soon” finally did mean soon. He stares at Show with a frown. This distracts Show enough to allow Slater, Gabriel and Barrett to attack him from behind. Show has his way with them easily but Jackson comes in and takes him out with a clothesline. All four attack Show with their finishers, including an impressive body slam by Jackson. The Next Nexus is born.

At ringside, Michael Cole, Josh Matthews and Matt Striker discuss what they just witnessed.

Match Four: Beth Phoenix (0-0) vs. Michelle McCool (1-0)
Lock-up to start and Phoenix powers McCool into the corner and attacks with forearms. In the middle of the ring, Phoenix drops her with a double axe-handle but misses a charge in the corner. McCool charges but runs into a back elbow. Phoenix climbs the rope but McCool kicks her legs out from under her and stomps away. McCool drops some elbows on the injured knee, but Phoenix fights back. McCool puts a quick stop to it and goes back to working the knee. Cover gets two for McCool and she begins to celebrate. Phoenix rolls her up from behind for two. McCool covers again for two. Phoenix gets in some shots but McCool goes back to the knee. She hangs it over the bottom rope and sits on it. Phoenix is able to push her out of the ring. Back in, Phoenix attacks and connects with a slingshot suplex for two. She calls for the Glam Slam but McCool escapes it. McCool charges but Phoenix catches her and tries for the Glam Slam a second time. McCool rolls through for the cover but Phoenix flips it on her for the win.
Winner: Beth Phoenix in 4:00
Rating: * (I appreciate the effort to focus on the leg, but it didn’t come into play at the finish and Phoenix wasn’t really willing to sell it.)

We get the same video package from Raw on Shawn Michaels being selected for the Hall of Fame.

In the back, Teddy Long is with Vickie Guerrero and Dolph Ziggler. Apparently, Long is upset over some decisions Vickie made last week. Long leaves. Ziggler lets Vickie know that their relationship is strong enough for anything Edge can stir up later tonight. Vickie forgives Ziggler for being a jerk last week and they rub noses for an awkwardly long amount of time.

Kofi Kingston, our new Intercontinental Champion, is here, and he has a mic. After five long hard months of fighting, clawing and scratching, he can say he is the IC champ again. While Dolph Ziggler may have had Vickie Guerrero in his corner, Kingston felt as though he had every member of the WWE Universe in his. He learned a lot of things about himself last week…

Before he can tell us about that, Jack Swagger comes out. Matt Striker tries to get “The Archer” over as Swagger’s nickname. Swagger gets some good heat even before he begins his promo. He is proud that Kingston has learned something, but let him give us a new lesson. 2011 is the year of the American. The All-American. He will be raising the bar and wants Kingston to join him up there. Here is an All-American-American Public Service Announcement for us: The anklelock is a dangerous position to be in. Humiliation sets in as you realize you are about to tap out. Kingston knows that Swagger wants the IC championship. Kingston just wants Swagger to shut up. Why doesn’t Kingston do that by beating him right now? Shit just got real, it’s on!

Match Five: Kofi Kingston (2-0) vs. Jack Swagger (0-0)
Lock-up to start and Swagger powers Kingston into the corner. He swings but Kingston ducks and unloads with strikes. He throws Swagger into the corner and charges with a splash but Swagger gets his boots up. Swagger runs at Kingston and connects with a big boot, sending him out of the ring as we go to commercial.

Back from break, Swagger is stomping on Kingston. He presses his knee against the throat and hits a bodyslam. He slows things down with an armbar but Kingston elbows his way out. Swagger puts a stop to it with a splash in the corner. The Running, Leaping Swagger Bomb connects for two and applies a keylock. Crowd starts a “Kofi” chant but Swagger stops any comeback with a mat slam. Kingston tries to get back into it with some kicks from his back but one Swagger stomp stops his momentum. Swagger hits a biel from the corner and calls for a second Running, Leaping Swagger Bomb but Kingston moves out of the way. Swagger regroups and charges but Kingston side steps him and slugs in the corner. Swagger comes back with a double leg lift but Kingston rolls through with a cover for two. Back up, Kingston tries for SOS but Swagger blocks it and tries for a gutwrench. Kingston flips out of it and attempts Trouble in Paradise but Swagger ducks it and comes down with a belly-to-belly for two. Swagger lifts Kingston onto his shoulder for a powerslam but Kingston slips away. Swagger charges the corner and runs into Kingston’s boots. SOS connects and it’s over!
Winner: Kofi Kingston in 8:00
Rating: **1/2 (Swagger got a shoulder up right after the three count, but it’s pretty cool that Kingston is being built to have more than one way of ending a match. The match itself was good, just too short- especially with the commercial break- to reach a higher rating.)

The Cutting Edge

Edge welcomes us to the Cutting Edge. Many people didn’t think he would come out of the Last Man Standing match in one piece. He barely did, but he is standing here this week as the World Heavyweight Champion. Now, he goes from facing one monster to facing another- Vickie Guerrero. She is with the Number One Contender to the World Heavyweight Championship, Dolph Ziggler…

And with that, the power couple comes out. Edge brings up that there was a little bit of controversy with Ziggler’s victory last week. Vickie says there was no controversy- he is the Number One Contender. Edge sees Vickie’s look in her eyes, but he has to tell her, this ship has sailed. Ziggler steps in. If Edge is going to make fun of his girlfriend all night, they are leaving. Edge tries to defend himself. It’s not like he called Vickie a man-eating beast; or said she snores in her sleep; or that you can go parasailing with a pair of her panties; or that she makes a really weird noise whenever she…hold on, excuse Vickie. She wants to put all the garbage out there. She was married to Edge a long time ago, but only because she was young and naïve. She regrets it every day. Edge reminds her that she is 10 years older than him and wears a Cougar necklace. Ziggler says she has gone from no-class to first-class. How dare Edge not appreciate her for everything she did for him? She resuscitated his entire career. At the Royal Rumble, Ziggler is going to pull the plug and watch his title reign flatline to a finish.

Vickie brought a clip to show Edge what a better man Ziggler is. It’s a video of Edge making out with the “wedding planner” (they don’t mention that it’s Alicia Fox). Vickie is still upset about it. Edge understands; maybe Ziggler is more of a man than he. Cheating is a very serious thing, and he is sure that the clip he brought will attest to that. We get a video from two months ago of Ziggler making out with Kaitlyn. Ziggler attacks Edge with a strong right hand and they brawl for a bit with Edge getting the upper hand. Vickie gets in Edge’s face and slaps him a couple of times. Edge looks enraged and the crowd wants a Spear. He kneels in the corner but Ziggler pulls him out of the ring and Zig Zags him into the steel steps. Good heat on Ziggler. He makes out with Vickie over Edge’s body to end the show.

(Different than usual episode this week, focusing more on angles and promos than in-ring action. The material was good for the most part, so no big deal. I look forward to seeing where the Next Nexus- not terribly original, I know- goes in the coming weeks. My only real complaint is that it seemed as though Dolph Ziggler took a back seat to Vickie Guerrero during the Cutting Edge segment. That’s probably just me nitpicking though.)