By Jon Mezzera, Torch Specialist

SMACKDOWN HITS

Opening Segment: Smackdown got off to a good start with the opening involving Booker T, Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes. In fact, it got off to a good start before Booker T came out with the video package with high lights of the feud between Wade Barrett and Randy Orton that effectively hyped the main event. The actual in ring segment worked well. There was good mic work from all three involved. Goldust's appearance was a nice surprise and made sense given his tag team history with Booker T. I am curious to see where they go from here with the Rhodes brothers. Was this the seeds being planted for a WrestleMania match? The segment also effectively hyped a big Intercontinental Championship match for next week which gives fans something to look forward to.

Main Event Hype: I already mentioned the video that started off Smackdown, but that was just one of several videos recapping the history between Barrett and Orton shown throughout the show. That was a very effective way of getting the fans excited for their Falls Count Anywhere main event.

Drew McIntyre's Music: Yes, I am giving entrance music a Hit. I love Drew McIntyre's music and it has been a long time since I've heard it. I was glad (and surprised) to see McIntyre in Teddy Long's office. I am happy to see him back on WWE tv as I feel he does still have some untapped potential. They are setting up a storyline for him which is nice. I don't really understand why a babyface cheated to win with Ezekiel Jackson hooking McIntyre's tights during their match and I really don't understand the babyface commentator Booker T commending Jackson for cheating. But, at least I got to hear McIntyre's music and hopefully will hear more of it in the weeks to come.

Hyping Next Week's Show: WWE effectively hyped the first Smackdown of 2012. The IC Title match was announced in the good opening segment as discussed above. Later, Long announced that Daniel Bryan will defend the World Title against The Big Show as well. WWE is doing a nice job of building up this match with Big Show showing more and more frustration with Bryan and Bryan acting cocky while "saving" Big Show from Mark Henry on Raw and then again on Smackdown. I'm not sure I like where they are going with Bryan's character right now as he seems more poised for a heel turn. It might work and time will tell what they have in mind, but it is going to be hard to see Bryan as a heel after all that the ultimate heel, Michael Cole has said about him. At least WWE set up two big matches for next week which is sort of in between TLC and what will likely be the start of the real sell for The Royal Rumble. The end of the show (which I didn't like - more later) at least also effectively set up a reason to tune in to find out Orton's status after being knocked down the stairs by Barrett.

SMACKDOWN MISSES

Fox & Kaitlyn vs. Natalya & Tamina: Did I miss something? What happened to Beth Phoenix? She and Natalya didn't break up did they? Why was Natalya teaming with Tamina? Why is one of the best wrestling Divas losing every match for what seems like three months? Why is Alicia Fox getting so much of a push when she is so sloppy in the ring? Wasn't Kaitlyn turning heel on AJ? What happened to that storyline? Why turn Tamina face? Why have Divas at all if you never give them even 2 minutes for their matches?

Michael Cole: I was glad to hear Booker T actually call out and correct Michael Cole on misidentifying a move (a roll up instead of an inside cradle). Cole has been terrible at actually calling moves and never seems to know the right name of the move. This Miss is for Cole's come back saying "who cares?" Well, I care. I'm sure plenty of fans care. And, I'm sure the wrestlers themselves who actually know the names of the moves care, which is why a former wrestler like Booker T cared enough to correct Cole (unlike the spineless Josh Mathews. Seriously, how does a person operate without a spine? It boggles my mind). Cole then went on to call them "story tellers." They aren't story tellers. They are wrestling announcers and should act like sports announcers would if wrestling were real. A play-by-play baseball announcer should know the difference between a fastball and a curve. If he got it wrong and the former player who is now his color commentator corrects him and he shoots back, "who cares? I'm just a story teller here," he would likely be fired for being bad at his job.

Orton vs. Barrett: WWE effectively hyped this match throughout Smackdown. Unfortunately, the match did not live up to the hype. The first part of the match was actually not bad. As long as they stayed in and around the ringside area, it was fine. There was plenty of good wrestling action with a dose of Falls Count Anywhere to capitalize on the viscousness of the feud as it has proceeded. The problems started when they fought to the back stage area and it started getting cheesy. The fight towards the elevator was bad. The real problem however which is the ultimate reason why this match is a Miss was the security camera footage of Orton and Barrett fighting in the elevator. That was tremendously cheesy and lame. It was groan inducing. The match was over for me at that point. The camera was able to find them on a different floor way too quickly and way too conveniently. The fall down the stairs was nicely choreographed and it did set up an injury angle which will be interesting to see play out. However, the action just became too cartoonish and the show ended in a disappointing manner.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's WWE Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw and Smackdown each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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