WWE Smackdown review
March 18, 2011
Taped 3/15/11 in Kansas City, Mo.
Aired on SYFY
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist


- WWE Open.

- Smackdown Open.

- Fireworks opened the show as Josh Mathews noted that there were just 16 days left until Wrestlemania. Tonight, Big Show and Kane face Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater for the tag titles.

- The finishing touches were being put on Michael Cole’s Cole Mine, and then he was announced to the live crowd. He came out from the back to the Raw theme. Cole put the headset on and did some talking, with Booker stepping on his lines. Cole asked Booker how it felt to be out there with the little people.

1 – EDGE vs. BRODUS CLAY

Tony Chimel is back to ring announcing after apparently getting last week off. Clay was accompanied by Alberto Del Rio (sans car) and Ricardo Rodriguez. Booker threw out a bunch of superlatives about Clay, only about half of which actually applied to him. Clay with a version of the T-bone suplex out of the corner. He choked Edge in the ropes, then methodically worked the champ’s left arm. He kept Edge in an arm bar for a while. He ran into an elbow in the corner as Booker was talking more during this match than he has in entire episodes, it seemed like. Clay missed a splash at 2:32 of the match, and both men were down. Edge gave Clay a drop toe-hold in the corner, then went to the top rope. Flying cross-body for two. Clay kicked out, sending Edge to the apron. Sit-down splash by Clay after Edge tried to flip him for a roll-up. That only got two. Clay propped Edge up into the corner, but at 3:55, missed a running rear attack. Bulldog off the middle rope by the Rated R Superstar. As Edge set up for the spear, Ricardo Rodriguez got on the apron. Del Rio grabbed Edge’s foot as a distraction and Clay splashed him. Only a two-count on the pin. Christian ran out and attacked Del Rio, but Clay took care of him. That allowed Edge to line up and nail the big man with the spear.

WINNER: Edge, at 5:08. Clay is just so slow in the ring, making any running attack he does look impotent. Even Big Daddy V and Yokozuna had more speed in there.

Del Rio dropkicked Edge inside the ring, then Christian ran in and got him some more. Del Rio and Christian brawled at ringside, and went spilling over the announce table. As referees separated the two men, Teddy Long came out. Long said he wasn’t going to stand for the four of them constantly getting in each other’s faces. Therefore, tonight, Alberto Del Rio will go one-on-one with Christian. In fact, to make sure no one else interferes, it’ll be a steel cage match. Cole vehemently disagreed with Long’s decision.

- Next, champion vs. champion as Kofi Kingston takes on Sheamus.

[Commercial Break]

2 – SHEAMUS vs. KOFI KINGSTON

Sheamus was aggressive out of the gate but Kingston came back with some clubbing blows. Kofi jumped on Sheamus’ shoulders in the corner and began punching, but Sheamus dropped him over his head, head-first onto the top turnbuckle. Neckbreaker by Sheamus for two. Kingston quickly worked out of a neck vice, but at 1:52 of the contest, put Kingston down with a reverse elbow. He taunted the crowd, then elbowed Kingston in the neck. Kingston caught Sheamus out of position and came off the top with a cross-body. He got good height on it, but Sheamus rolled through. The men countered each other as they went back-and-forth, but Kingston nailed Sheamus with a Russian leg-sweep then, at 3:34, hit the Boom Drop. He lined things up for his finisher, but Sheamus crawled to the apron. Sheamus brought Kingston throat-first over the top rope. SOS by Kingston but Sheamus got his hand on the bottom rope at two. He went to ringside and Kingston propelled himself off the stairs, nailing Sheamus with a clothesline. Kingston got near the stairs, and from the other side, Sheamus kicked them into Kofi’s leg. Back in the ring, Sheamus clobbered Kofi with the Brogue Kick. Sheamus, bleeding a bit from the mouth, picked up the win.

WINNER: Sheamus, at 5:15. Competitive match, as a match between two secondary champions should be. It was good, but the timing seemed off between them a few times.

- Mathews, Booker and Cole discussed the situation between Kane and The Corre. They showed a video from two weeks ago, with Kane using a chair on Big Show, then attacking Corre. Last week, Corre attacked Kane, with Show making the save and using the chair.

- Backstage, Show and Kane were talking and Show talked of taking the tag champs from Corre. He asked Kane if he remembered when they were tag champs previously, and how people reacted. When he asked Kane what he thought, Kane grabbed him by the throat. Show then grabbed Kane. They each broke the other’s hold as Kane laughed and said, “you complete me.” Show called him crazy, then smiled. Who gets into a double-choke situation having a conversation like that? A little too hokey for me.

[Commercial Break]

- John Cena has 5 million Facebook fans. We’re supposed to congratulate him on Facebook for that.

3 – TRENT BARRETA vs. CODY RHODES

No! Cody’s theme song is no longer! It’s like a much slower version of his Dashing song. It actually sounds like someone is playing it through a boom box with a mic held up to it. Rhodes fought in a dress shirt and dress pants. He headbutted Barreta with the clear facemask on. Another shot with the mask, to the top of the head, put Barreta down for good.

WINNER: Rhodes, at :47.

- Clips from last September aired, when Del Rio attacked Christian and put him on the shelf. They fight in a steel cage match later tonight.

[Commercial Break]

- They showed the exterior of the arena, then sent it to the video package from Raw where Shawn Michaels talked about The Undertaker.

- Layla and Michelle McCool came out. Layla is going one-on-one with Kelly Kelly after the break.

[Commercial Break]

4 – LAYLA vs. KELLY KELLY

Kelly shoved Layla a couple times, then choked Layla with her legs in the ropes. She stomped on Layla, then gave her a Thesz Press. Couple hair tosses, then an X-Factor for two. Handspring elbow by Kelly was countered as Layla got her feet up and Kelly sold it well. Kelly didn’t’ stay down for long. She went for the K2, but Layla put Kelly on her shoulders. Another kick to the back by Kelly, then she went to the middle rope. Michelle McCool shouted from the announce table, “don’t hurt my friend!” That distracted Kelly and Layla pulled her off by the foot. After the spill, Layla made the pin for the victory.

WINNER: Layla, at 2:05. Nice to see they capitalized on Kelly’s momentum from the whole Vickie Guerrero firing angle.

- Gabriel and Slater were walking backstage. The tag title match is next.

[Commercial Break]

- Another Sin Cara vignette aired.

5 – HEATH SLATER & JUSTIN GABRIEL vs. THE BIG SHOW & KANE – WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Kane went for the low dropkick early on and connected for a near-fall. Gabriel tagged out to Slater, who ran into a hard right. Kane squashed Slater in the corner, then gave him a sidewalk slam. “Vintage Kane!” declared Cole. Slater fought back by attacking Kane’s knees. The big man missed a big boot in the corner, and while hung up, Slater took out his other knee. Gabriel tagged in and did some mat-work on the leg. Frequent tags by the heels, but Gabriel got an uppercut to the throat as he came off the second rope. Tag to Big Show at 2:20, and he gave Slater a back body-drop. He ran right over Slater, then signaled for the chokeslam. He hit the move, but Gabriel pulled the ref out of the ring at the count of two. That brought on the DQ.

WINNERS: Show and Kane, via DQ, at 3:02. Good to see them keep the straps on Corre for the time being.

Kane attacked Gabriel after the match, but the rest of Corre came out to attack. Wade Barrett got Show on his shoulders for Wasteland and hit the move. That looked impressive just to hold him up there. Kane tried to fight off Ezekiel Jackson on the outside, but the numbers game got to him. They set the steel steps on Kane as they also kept Show at bay. Barrett took the other half of the stairs and slammed it on the half that was on Kane. He did that twice as Booker called it “assault” and said someone needs to get the police out there. Barrett and Jackson then picked up Show and did a two-man flapjack onto the announce table. The table didn’t break and Show cut his arm as it got stuck in one of the holes that the monitor was in. Corre stood tall in the ring as their music played. They needed an attack like this to get the heat on them heading into Wrestlemania. Replays of the attack were shown.

- Alberto Del Rio joined Todd Grisham backstage. Grisham mentioned this was Del Rio’s first cage match in WWE. Del Rio interrupted and said Long and Christian are trying to interfere with his destiny. He said they’re trying to lock him in a cage like an animal. “I’m not an animal,” he said. A little different than the cool and cocky Del Rio that we always get.

[Commercial Break]

6 – JACK SWAGGER vs. CHRIS MASTERS

Match six already? No entrance for Masters. Swagger took out Masters with a clothesline for a two-count. Top hammerlock applied, but Masters turned it into a Samoan drop. Swagger missed a punch and Masters almost locked in the Masterpiece. I think the Booker T “he’s gonna do it!” count is at like five already tonight. Swagger couldn’t cinch in the ankle-lock, so he instead slammed Masters’ leg into the ring post several times. Back in the ring the ankle-lock was successfully put on, and Masters tapped in no time.

WINNER: Swagger, at 1:56. I wasn’t completely sold on Swagger being paired with Cole for Wrestlemania, but he’s getting some nice wins in the process.

After the match, Cole jumped in the ring and applied the ankle-lock to Masters as he screamed, “c’mon Lawler!” at Masters over and over again. Someone needs to teach Cole how to think of different lines to yell out. Cole and Swagger then both pranced around the ring with their arms extended.

- A video package on Chris Jericho aired, plugging his appearance on Dancing With the Stars. They did do an interview with him as well. So this is the “return” he was talking about on Twitter. They even talked to his dance partner, Cheryl Burke, and showed a look at him practicing his dance moves with her. Mathews did mention the show airs this Monday, but didn’t specify the time.

- Rey Mysterio was walking backstage. He’s in action next.

[Commercial Break]

7 – REY MYSTERIO vs. TED DIBIASE

I guess there were no heel JTTS on Smackdown they could use, so of course, DiBiase would be at the top of the list. No mention of why DiBiase is suddenly appearing on Smackdown. Once the bell rang, DiBiase went right after Rey. But Rey came back and went off the top rope. DiBiase dropkicked him in mid-air and got a two-count 45 seconds into the match. Boomerang clothesline by DiBiase for two. Maryse came to the ring with DiBiase and looked on from ringside. Rey fought out of a rest-hold, but fell victim to a back-breaker. Running knee to the back by Ted Jr. DiBIase had Rey on his shoulders, but Rey turned it into a DDT. Headscissors by Rey, but DiBiase felled Rey with a sit-down inverted powerbomb. Nicely done for a two-count. Set up for Dream Street, but Rey got out and dialed up the 619. Splash off the top followed by a three-count.

WINNER: Mysterio, at 3:35. Give DiBiase credit, he looked motivated here.

Maryse walked out on DiBiase after yet another loss.

- They showed the finish of the Smackdown Chamber match from last month, where Christian returned, saving Edge from Alberto Del Rio’s attack. Tonight, Christian vs. Del Rio inside a steel cage.

[Commercial Break]

- Tinie Tempah was thanked for providing the official theme song to Wretlemania.

- They showed Snooki acting as guest host of Raw this past week. We also saw footage of the story being covered by the mainstream media, on shows like Extra, Access Hollywood and TMZ, and on E!. That segment set up a six-person tag match for ‘Mania.

- The announcers previewed the card of Wrestlemania as it stands now. What was that thing Del Rio was wearing in the preview graphic?

- In the arena, the steel cage was being lowered. The main event is next.

[Commercial Break]

8 – ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. CHRISTIAN – STEEL CAGE MATCH

High-energy back-and-forth first minute or so, with Christian attempting the Killswitch 50 seconds in. Whip into the corner by Christian and Del Rio climbed the corner and tried to climb the cage. Del Rio tried to pull Christian off the cage, as they were both fighting on the top rope. Both men spilled to the mat at the two minute mark. They went to break at 2:23, with both men still trying to recover.

[Commercial Break]

Back at about 5:13 of the match. Del Rio was in the midst of wearing Christian down. Counter into a DDT out of nowhere by Christian, registering him a two-count. More offense from Christian, as he sent Del Rio off the cage. Booker said it seemed like Christian wanted to beat Del Rio by pinfall, followed by Christian attempting to leave through the door. Once Del Rio got him by the ankle, Christian decided to try to climb the cage. Del Rio ran up and gave him an enziguiri off the top. Only two, so Del Rio tried to exit through the door. He got about half his body out, and Christian brought him back in. Del Rio tried to flip Christian for the cross arm-breaker. Christian turned it around and into a Killswitch. Only got him a two-count, though. Del Rio had Christian bent over the second rope, so he stepped on Christian’s back to aid him in climbing to the top of the cage. The men both straddled the top of the cage and traded fisticuffs. Del Rio began to climb down, but so did Christian. Christian draped himself on Del Rio, and Del Rio tried to elbow him off. Christian began to dangle…just let go and you’ll win! And there, he did.

WINNER: Christian, at 12:25.

Post-match, Del Rio gave Christian a cheap shot outside the ring and threw him into the timekeeper’s area. He got a mic and said he’s going to destroy Christian like he’ll destroy Edge at Wrestlemania. All of a sudden, a horn honking came over the arena, and it was Edge in Del Rio’s car. He got out and began talking about how nice the car is. “It’d be a shame is something happened to this car,” said Edge. He suggested a couple things that could “accidentally” happen to the car. Edge opened the passenger side door and took out a chair. He hinted that he’d use it on the car, but instead, Brodus Clay attacked Edge from behind. He nailed Edge in the back with the chair, then Del Rio did a conchairto on Edge’s arm. Wouldn’t it have hurt just as much to leave the arm on the concrete floor and not put the chair under it? Referees and a trainer came out to check on Edge as the refs admonished Del Rio. Good job by the writers to hold off on Edge brutalizing Del Rio’s car. They showed surprising restraint with that one.


What do you think? If you saw this show, we invite you to send your thoughts. Send your name, hometown, a 0-10 score rating the quality of the show, your picks for best and worst segments, and then a brief paragraph of thoughts on the show that we can publish in the Reader Reax segment later tonight or tomorrow. Send to pwtorch@gmail.com.

Greg Parks has been covering WWE Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. His new audio show, “Gonzo and The Greg,” debuted last weekend on the Torch VIP Page. A new show will be posted this Sunday. Give it a listen! Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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