KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
NOVEMBER 13, 2010
TAPED TUESDAY IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
AIRED ON SYFY

[Q1]

-The show opened with clips of David Otunga leading the rest of Nexus sans Wade Barrett to Smackdown last week, only to end up losing to Edge. A clip also aired of John Cena making him tapout on Raw.

-Todd Grisham and Matt Striker introduced the show.

-Edge walked out to the best ovation he's received on TV all year. He got a true superstar ovation. Edge said he's a busy guy. He said his agenda is packed. He said he hopes everyone gets tickets to WrestleMania in Atlanta because he's going to enter as champion. He said he's headlined WM before and he plans to again. He said he will go through Kane, even though that's a tough task. He said he has a plan. He said first, though, he has to face David Otunga. "Otunga, I hope you keep depending on your wife," he said. Nexus music began and out walked all of Nexus sans Wade Barrett. They stood on the ring apron surrounding Edge.

Vickie Guerrero walked out and said she had a huge announcement. She said G.M. Teddy Long was detained in customs and thus she was in charge. Vickie told Otunga if any other Nexus members enter the ring during his match, he'll lose and thus be excommunicated from Nexus. Vickie announced Big Show vs. Kane as the TV main event and Otunga vs. Edge. She said she didn't want a repeat from last week and she won't be like Long and lose control of her show. She said she will allow Nexus to surround the ring, but she told Edge not worry because so will the rest of the Smackdown roster. Vickie said since they're in Manchester, he and Otunga should shake hands "like fine Englishmen."

Otunga stepped into the ring. Vickie said their match will now be a lumberjack match, so they should make peace so they can move on with the show. Edge refused Otunga's hand. He turned to leave. Vickie said if he didn't shake his hand, she's pull him from his match at Survivor Series. Edge walked back and shook Otunga's hand. Otunga smiled widely. As Otunga was about to step off the ring apron. Edge speared him off the ledge and into the arms of the rest of Nexus. Edge's music played and he soaked up cheers.

-In the parking garage Alberto Del Rio drove up in his fancy car honking his horn. Grisham said he faces Kofi Kingston next. [c]

[Q2]

1 -- ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. KOFI KINGSTON

Cole said this feels old school, just like Raw will be on Monday, with Vickie Guerrero back in charge and Edge in the main event, not to mention he's back announcing. They went into plugs for Raw including listing some old school wrestlers scheduled. Striker noted this is the first time Del Rio and Kofi have ever wrestled one-on-one. Striker said Del Rio is traveling by charter while the rest of the Raw wrestlers are traveling by bus. Cole gave Grisham a hard time for being a soccer fan. At 3:00 Kofi dove through the ropes at Del Rio and got the better of a ringside brawl, then back in the ring scored a two count. Del Rio backdropped Kofi over the ring apron and then kicked him to the floor. Del Rio has that Lucha Libre pacing to sequences like that which look more choreographed than is typical in WWE. [c]

Del Rio had Kofi in a headlock after the break. When Kofi tried to escape, Del Rio threw him hard to the mat and then punched away at him. As Kofi rallied and went for the Trouble in Paradise, Del Rio ducked. When Kofi pursued him, he yanked Kofi's arm into the ringpost. Del Rio then applied the cross armbreaker for the clean tapout win.

WINNER: Del Rio in 11:00.

STAR RATING: ** -- There seems to be a ceiling on how good a Del Rio match can be given his casual pacing and sense that he's performing instead of fighting, but this was a pretty good slightly above-average ten minute TV match thanks to Kofi's energy and athleticism.

[Q3]

-Rey Mysterio came out afterward. He charged into the ring and kicked Del Rio in the head and then hit a 619, which popped the crowd.

-Health Slater, Justin Gabriel, Michael McGillicutty, and Husky Harris expressed reluctance to help Otunga given the lumberjack stip later. Otunga gave them a pep talk, and said if they don't have his back, imagine who among them might be next. They agreed and unified. Husky seemed the least convinced.

-Grisham hyped the main event of Kane vs. Show. [c]

-WWE Fact: Last Friday Smackdown was the no. 1 TV show on all of cable TV.

2 -- NATALYA vs. LAYLA

Natalya gave a delayed vertical suplex to Layla in the opening minute, even doing a few squats in the process. Cole said it was like the Anvil, but it was more like Davey Boy Smith. At 1:00 Layla kicked Natalya to the ring apron. A minute later Natalya hit a spinning clothesline and underhook suplex for a two count. She then applied a sharpshooter for the win.

WINNER: Natalya in 4:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Really short, but good throughout. It's so nice to see Natalya remind WWE viewers of what solid women's wrestling looks like rather than models who were rushed through training.

[Q4]

-A backstage promo aired with Kane with Paul Bearer. He said Edge cannot defeat him at Survivor Series, and the fans' hope is just desperation. He said fans believe in Edge just as they did the Undertaker. He asked viewers if they remember that he buried Undertaker, just like their hopes and dreams to succeed at anything in their meaningless lives. He said they hope Show can exorcise evil from the Devil's favorite demon, but he won't and nothing can stop him. He said when he's done with Edge, Edge will be begging for the darkest corners of hell.

-Striker plugged Otunga vs. Edge. [c]

3 -- EDGE vs. DAVID OTUNGA

After Otunga and Edge came out, four Nexus members walked to ringside. Then a huge group of Smackdown wrestlers walked out and intimidated Nexus into backing up to the stage. The group, as Striker noted, included Finlay. Otunga looked disheartened by his Nexus members not holding their ground. Edge went on the early attack. The mix of heel and babyface Smackdown wrestlers threw Otunga back into the ring at 1:00. They cut to an early break. [c] After the break, Del Rio asserted his heel status by yanking Edge off the ring apron just when it appeared he was going to let Edge reenter the ring untouched. Otunga went on offense for a while.

[Q5]

Grisham reset the stips at the top of the hour as new viewers joined the show in progress. Otunga didn't exactly hide his calling of spots to Edge during a mid-ring headlock. If you can't be subtle, at least make it look like you're talking trash and not trying to whisper sweet nothings to him. Edge made a comeback at 8:00 and then slidekicked Del Rio from inside the ring. The lumberjacks broke into a big brawl as Edge DDT'd Otunga mid-ring. Edge then signaled for the spear. McGillicutty ran into the ring only to end up speared. Kane then snuck up behind Edge and chokeslammed him. The ref didn't see it, and Otunga draped his arm over Edge for the pin.

WINNER: Otunga in 10:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Not a memorable match, but okay. The finish made sense as they managed to escape Edge losing before his title shot while also avoiding Otunga being being forced out of Nexus prematurely in the storyline, and as a bonus had Kane cost Edge the match to add tension to their match.

-Grisham plugged Show vs. Kane and MVP vs. Dolph Ziggler for the IC Title. [c]

4 -- DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. MVP -- IC Title match

They cut to a break less than a minute into the match.

[Q6] [c] After the break, Ziggler was on offense. MVP made a comeback at 7:00 and went into his finishing routine. When he made the cover, Ziggler put his foot on the bottom rope to stop the count. MVP scored another near fall seconds later. He showed frustration with the kickout and the ref had to restrain him from stomping away at Ziggler. That gave Ziggler an opening for the Zig Zag and the win.

WINNER: Ziggler in 8:00 to retain the IC Title.

STAR RATING: ** -- Solid average match. I wish they made a bigger deal out of presenting title matches on TV instead of announcing them without fanfare mid-show and then moving on right afterward. I know it's not the culture to do that anymore, but televised title matches should and could mean more than they do rather than just being largely forgettable mid-card TV matches.

-A video feature on the WWE Divas talking about how great their jobs are, especially kids reacting to them. It's part of the continued "Stand Up for WWE" campaign.

-A clip aired of Kane backstage in red light in a back area of the arena bending over and holding the urn. [c]

-A commercial aired hyping the "John Cena Experience" DVD with an inside look at his life golfing, mainstream appearances, overseas trips, backstage at WrestleMania, and 16 key matches from his career. "Come along for the ride," said Cena. The narrator hyped it as the biggest WWE release of the year.

[Q7]

-Cody Rhodes walked out to boos. He complained about the boos, saying "our countries are allies... You, me, all of us, we're friends." He said he's sick of every stereotype and cheap knockoff that implied English people have bad hygiene. He said it's overplayed, tired, and lame. He added, "It's true, your teeth are gawd-awful." He said when looks around he sees "summer teeth... some are yellow, some are green, some are missing." He said the collective breath of everybody "literally singes my perfect hair-free nostrils." They kept cutting to crowd responses to Cody's insults. Mostly they were laughing along. He approached a fan with mouthwash. He presented a young fan with a toothbrush. Then he threw to a video package.

-Rhodes advised people on flossing their teeth. He said use 18 inches of mint satin floss. He said used it on each tooth, then practice your smile. Back to the arena, Cody said, "God save the Queen and God save your teeth!"

-They went backstage to Kane yelling out and searching for Paul Bearer.

-A Tale of the Tape on Kane and Show was presented on the screen as Striker plugged the TV main event. [c]

-A video package aired with Big Show on the set of "Knucklehead."

5 -- KANE vs. THE BIG SHOW

They ambitiously began this match with 15 minutes left in the show. Kane and Show exchanged punches at the start of the match. Grisham said this is a rare instance of Kane being the smaller wrestlers in the ring. Show shoulder tackled Kane early and scored a two count. Kane came back with a low dropkick to Show's leg at 2:00. Kane charged at Show in the corner, but Show caught him with an elbow. Show then hit a corner swing splash which didn't look like it came close to touching Kane, but the announcers sold it. Kane kicked out at two. Show set up a chokeslam, but Kane elbowed free and then clotheslined Show. Both tumbled over the top top rope to the floor. "What a contest!" said Grisham, unconvincingly. They cut to a video of Paul Bearer gagged and tied to a wheelchair. He was set in front of a TV showing the match. They cut to a break at 4:00 [c]

Back from the break Show had Kane in an armbar. Kane hit a DDT at 8:00 to stop Show's momentum. He made a cover and scored a two count. Show went for a superplex, but Kane blocked him and knocked him to the mat. Kane followed with a flying clothesline for a two count. Kane settled into a chinlock. Show powered out. Both were slow to get up. Show got up first and hit two clotheslines. Kane caught a charging Show with a big boot. Kane came right back with a flying clothesline and then signaled for a chokeslam. Edge called out Kane's name from the stage. Bearer was tied up in a wheelchair. Edge told Kane his father is "a little tied up." Edge said he can resolve his daddy issues. He said wheelchairs have a mind of their own. He said once they go one direction, it's hard to stop them. He shoved the wheel chair and then stopped and held onto it as Kane panicked. Show then surprised Kane with a chokeslam for the win.

WINNER: Show in 15:00.

STAR RATING: neg. * -- That was pretty awful. There's a reason a match between these two should be left to our imagination or saved for a big-money match on PPV with a lot of interest and bells & whistles to distract us. Giving them 15 minutes to fill was cruel to them and us.

We suggest these recent related articles...

PARKS'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 10/1: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Thursday show, including Kevin Owens vs. Ryback in an Intercontinental Title Match

PARKS'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 9/24: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Thursday show, including Kevin Owens & Rusev vs. Dolph Ziggler & Ryback

PARKS'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 9/17: Ongoing coverage of the Thursday night show, including Seth Rollins & Sheamus vs. Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns