WWE Smackdown Alt. Perspective report
May 20, 2011
Taped in Corpus Christi, Tex.
Report by Mike Cupach, PWTorch contributor

[Q1]

-For the first time since the first Smackdown after the Draft, there is a Smackdown opening music video featuring current Superstars. Sadly, no pyro. Josh Mathews opens the show by hyping tonight's main event of Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry.

-Josh and Booker T go over the very brief history of Christian as champion. Michael Cole cuts them off and says he is pro-Orton, which is kind of odd.

-Sheamus cuts a generic promo backstage about beating Christian.

1 -- CHRISTIAN vs. SHEAMUS

Christian ducks some early shots from Sheamus and puts on a waistlock, but Sheamus back-elbows him to get him off. Sheamus takes control with some stiff shots until Christian ties Sheamus up in the ropes. Christian jumps over the top rope and punches Sheamus in the jaw. Christian tries to get back in the ring and Sheamus catches him and snapmares him over the ropes then kicks him square in the jaw and tries a pinfall that gets a two.

Cole and Josh argue over if Christian won by a fluke at Extreme Rules, but Booker says that it was 17 years of experience that won the title for him. Meanwhile, Sheamus chokes Christian on the middle rope and tries to drop a leg on his neck, but Christian rolls out of the way and Sheamus gets ejected from the ring. Christian attempts a dive, but Sheamus is back on the apron and he shoulders Captain Charisma and tries a suplex out of the ring but Christian blocks it and slides under Sheamus’ legs and pulls him down to the floor. A few shots from Christian and he rolls Sheamus back in the ring and attempts a tornado DDT, but Sheamus pushes him off the turnbuckle to the floor as Smackdown takes its first break!

(Commercial)

Back to action Sheamus has Christian in a rest hold. Christian breaks out of it but walks into a power slam that gets a two count. Sheamus works a methodical pace, clubbing Christian’s chest and dropping knees on his face. It is eleven minutes into Smackdown and I am already sick of Cole as he just jibber jabbers on about god knows what. Sheamus with another rest hold that Christian turns into an inverted DDT that gets a two count. Christian is pounding the mat trying to get the crowd behind him, and sadly it takes them a few seconds to catch on. Christian with a Pele kick in the corner and a crossbody from the top on the Celtic Warrior gets a two count. Christian tries picking Sheamus off the mat but Sheamus knee lifts Christian down. He then whips Christian into the corner and when he charges in after him, Christian mule kicks him in the gut and then springboards off the middle rope into a sunset flip that comes up short, Sheamus is quick to his feet and he runs over Christian with a big axehandle smash!

Sheamus is calling for the Celtic Cross and Christian back body drops Sheamus and goes up to the top rope and back elbows Sheamus from the top. Christian calls for the Killswitch, but Sheamus reverses out of it and nails Christian with an Irish Curse! Booker thinks that Sheamus is too much for Christian and will get in his head if he upsets him tonight. Sheamus takes Christian into the corner and Christian fights him off and hits that tornado DDT that he missed earlier and that only gets a two. Sheamus rolls to the apron and catapults himself into the ring with a shoulder block that gets a two count.

[Q2]

Sheamus calls for the Celtic Cross again and he gets Christian up, but he wriggles out of it and small packages Sheamus for a surprise three count!

WINNER: Christian by pinfall in 12:00.

Mike’s Reax: Good opening match with solid wrestling. Even though Sheamus lost, he looked strong throughout as he dominated Christian throughout. Christian plays the underdog veteran role nicely.

-Sheamus is livid that he lost the match and Mark Henry runs in to start beating down Christian with Sheamus! Randy Orton saunters out and he feigns not helping but changes his mind and runs to the ring and he clears Mark Henry and Sheamus then helps Christian to his feet.

-Still to come: Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry.

(Commercial)

-Video montage of the events leading up to John Cena vs. The Miz at Over The Limit this Sunday. They show clips of Cena in previous I Quit matches. They also show the rise of The Miz. When will they stop playing up that Miz was a nobody and now he is a somebody? They need to drop the nobody aspect.

-The announcers run down the rest of the card for Over The Limit. For Cole vs. Lawler they have gross feet in the background when they show the participants. It was also just announced that Bella #1 will face Kelly Kelly for the Diva’s Title.

-Todd Grisham is backstage with The Bellas and he asks their reaction to coming face to face with Kharma last Monday on Raw. Todd asks Brie why she left her sister to be attacked by Kharma and she argues that her sister would have done the same thing. Dissension is teased but Nikki claims that nothing is wrong and she storms off.

[Q3]

(Commercial)

-Did you know that these did you know segments are made up?

2 -- Divas champion BRIE BELLA vs. NATALYA

Shockingly, they didn’t spoil the ending of this match by showing a reminder that Kharma destroys every Diva after every match. Natalya kisses a little boy in the front row before the match and I wonder where Chris Hansen is. Booker X (not a typo) claims that Natalya is his favorite Diva. Natalya uses her power to start the match, taking Brie down with a side headlock. Natalya seems to be playing with Brie, but Brie is a wiley one as she stuns Natalya on the middle rope to take advantage. Cole goes over his scary experience with Kharma last week and he claims that he thought Kharma wanted to eat him. Brie with an armbar on Natalya gets powered out of quickly. Nattie with a few clotheslines and a vertical suplex, but she doesn’t go for a pin.

Natalya is dominating Brie, having her way with her. Brie goes to the corner to get some air; the ref won’t let Nattie press an attack. Brie kicks Natalya in the knee and hits her with a X-Factor that gets the win.

WINNER: Brie Bella in 3:00 by pinfall.

-Up next: Ezekiel Jackson has some stuff to say.

(Commercial)

-WWE Smack of the Night features Wade Barrett vs. Kane from last Friday and the aftermath of Zeke fighting The Corre and subsequently getting beaten up by them.

-Josh claims that everyone has been waiting all week to hear from Ezekiel Jackson. Who is this everyone? Cole breaks the news that Wade Barrett will indeed face Jackson for the IC title at Over The Limit on Sunday.

[Q3]

-Jackson is in the ring on the microphone where he talks about his goals he set for himself coming to Smackdown. He wanted to write another page in the Book of Ezekiel. He thought that by joining The Corre he could cause the maximum amount of destruction, hell he lifted a 500-pound giant and slammed him. But, eventually he realized The Corre was slowing him down and getting in his way, so he left them. But, that wasn’t good enough for The Corre and they beat him down two weeks in row. So, this Sunday, Wade Barrett will be his first victim and he will show that he is a Prophet of Doom.

-The Corre start to hit the ring, but Teddy Long marches to the ring and puts a stop to it before it starts. He makes a match for tonight featuring Ezekiel Jackson, Big Show, and Kane vs. The Corre in six-man action! Booker notes that all of a sudden The Corre doesn’t look tough. Good job in pointing out that The Corre look like nothings compared to three huge men.

3 -- KANE & BIG SHOW & EZEKIEL JACKSON vs. THE CORRE (JUSTIN GABRIEL & HEATH SLATER & WADE BARRETT)

Big Show starts with Gabriel and he powers Justin into the corner and headbutts him and slaps his chest. Tag to Kane who upper-cuts Gabriel and drops an elbow on him. Justin kicks Kane in the thigh and makes a quick tag to Slater who doesn’t fare any better against The Big Red Monster. Slater tags out to Wade Barrett who apprehensively gets into the ring. Kane tags Jackson in and Wade gets a quick advantage by pounding Ezekiel Jackson down, but that doesn’t last long as Jackson powers Wade over the top rope and The Corre regroup as Smackdown takes a break.

(Commercial)

Jackson mows down Justin Gabriel and tags in the Big Show who turns his attention to The Corre. That gives Gabriel the opening to get some offense on Show, but that doesn’t last long as Big Show clobbers Justin back down and tags Jackson back in. The Corre make some quick tags to keep Jackson off balance, this doesn’t last long either as he mows down Slater and tags in Kane who comes off the top with a big clothesline and a leg drop to get a two count. Kane tries charging off the ropes, but Wade Barrett pulls down the ropes and Kane goes flying to the outside. Wade gets tagged in and he joins Kane on the floor and rams him kidney first into the apron, then rolls him into the ring. Wade tags in Slater who gives Kane some stiff knees to the kidneys and he locks Kane into a chinlock.

[Q5]

-Kane fights out and Heath makes a tag to Barrett, who tries his luck, but Kane fights him off and both men hit each other with big boots in stereo! Wade tags in Slater again who almost gets caught in a chokeslam, but he does get caught with a big upper cut and Kane makes a hot tag to Ezekiel Jackson who slams all members of The Corre! Jackson bodyslams Justin Gabriel four times, looking at Barrett every time he does. A pier six brawl erupts and the ring gets cleared of everyone except Jackson and Gabriel. Jackson locks him into a Torture Rack (long time, no see) and that is good enough for the submission.

WINNERS: Jackson, Kane, and Big Show by submission in 11:30.

-Matt Striker is backstage with Christian who ponders if Randy Orton took his sweet old time saving him. They look at a replay and Christian changes the subject into talking about how Randy took the title from him after five days, but this Sunday he will get his title back.

-Don’t be a bully, be a star. Don’t try this at home. Don’t do drugs. Man, WWE is preachy. What's next? Are they going to tell me that cockfights in my basement are illegal, too? Pfft.

(Commercial)

-WWE Rewind (different from Smack of the Night) features Daniel Bryan vs. Sin Cara from last week and the result with Chavo getting involved on Sin Cara’s behalf.

- Chavo is out and he says that Sin Cara embarrassed him after he brought Sin Cara to WWE. Chavo says that Sin Cara couldn’t beat Bryan without his help and it still took 15 minutes to beat Bryan. Chavo claims he will beat Daniel Bryan in five minutes.

4 -- DANIEL BRYAN vs. CHAVO GUERRERO

There is a clock in the bottom of the corner, counting down from five minutes. Both men feel each other out, and the ref breaks up a tie up in the corner. Guerrero tries a grabbing a leg, but Bryan turns it into a hammerlock that Chavo fights out of only to walk into a dropkick and he gets locked into an arm bar. Chavo gets whipped into the corner and Bryan runs into Chavo’s boot and Chavo gets a two count. Chavo puts Bryan in a camel clutch, but Bryan doesn’t submit and he reverses out of it and both men go into a pinning sequence and there is only two minutes left on the clock. Bryan with a big clothesline on Chavo and he delivers some stiff kicks to Chavo’s chest.

[Q6] Chavo notices the clock and he ducks a clothesline by Bryan and tries a powerbomb that Bryan slips out of and he puts Chavo into the LeBell Lock and Chavo manages to make the ropes. Chavo rolls out of the ring and Bryan follows him out with a suicide dive. He rolls Chavo into the ring and tries a missile dropkick, but Chavo moves out of the way and hits the Three Amigos on Bryan and he goes up top for a Frogsplash that connects, but only for a two count. He tries another pin that gets two and time runs out of Chavo.

WINNER: I guess Daniel Bryan wins because Chavo didn’t win in five minutes...

-Chavo is furious in his loss and he starts pounding on Bryan as Sin Cara’s music hits and instead of showing any haste, he does his usual springboard over the top rope entrance and he clears the ring of Chavo.

(Commercial)

-Help is on the Way by Rise Against is the official theme of Over The Limit.

-Ted DiBiase comes to the ring, now joined by Cody Rhodes (?!). Cody has a microphone and he demands that everyone hides his or her ugliness from him and the television audience. Cody is in the ring with Ted and he asks for one bag that he hands to Ted and asks him to put it over his face. Ted looks puzzled, but he does what he asks, and Ted puts it on. Cody asks Ted his name and Ted says his name is Corpus Christi. It should be noted that DiBiase is doing a horrid Mexican accent. Cody asks him where he wears his bag, and Corpus says that he wears it to school and at home because his teachers and parents are hideous. Cody says that he is just trying to offer some levity to the evening. He goes on to say that the only reason the man in the ring would wear a paper bag is because what was once a blooming flower is now a wilted shrub. He asks Ted for parting words, and he asks for his opponent for tonight.

5 -- TRENT BARRETA vs. TED DIBIASE

Ted with an aggressive start on Trent, clotheslining him down and punching him out. Trent surprises Ted with a knee to the face and he goes up top and hits DiBiase with a corkscrew dive off that is better than Sin Cara’s. Enziguiri by Barreta and Trent tries a huracanrana, but Ted turns it into a modified powerbomb and then takes him out with Dream Street for the win.

WINNER: Ted DiBiase in under 2:00.

-Cody joins him in the ring and hands Ted a paper bag. DiBiase places the bag over Trent Barreta's face.

Mike’s Reax: That was weird. Last week, they had a nice little match, and this week they are coming out doing a pseudo comedy skit together. Maybe this will lead to Ted doing something other than being a Jobber to the Stars.

[Q7]

-Sneak Peak of That’s What I Am.

-Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry is coming up

(Commercial)

-Matt Striker teases an interview with Randy Orton after the next match.

6 -- THE GREAT KHALI vs. JEY USO

No Ranjin Singh with Khali tonight. Jey tries using his quickness to get an advantage. He is floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee, but then Khali gets a hold of him and chops him down to size. After about 45 seconds of “action,” Jinder Mahal interrupts speaking a foreign tongue to Great Khali. Khali gets out of the ring and goes face to face with Jinder who slaps him. Khali gets back into the ring before getting counted out. He Punjabi Slams Jey with no problem and pins him for the victory.

WINNER: Great Khali in 2:00.

-After the match, Khali pulls Jimmy Uso into the ring and lays him out too. Jinder smiles at Khali as he walks off.

-Matt Striker is backstage with Orton as promised and he asks Orton about his hesitation earlier tonight and Orton changes the subject to Henry and how Henry can break him in half. Striker tries to get him back on track, bringing up how Randy said he wants Christian at 100 percent but Orton says that he changed his mind, 99 percent is good enough!

(Commercial)

[Q8]

-The Rock will be Tough Enough this Monday on…you guessed it: Tough Enough. It looks like Austin makes Big Andy cry too. That could be fun!

7 -- World Hvt. champion RANDY ORTON vs. MARK HENRY

Collar and elbow tie up to start and with no surprise Mark Henry powers Orton into the corner and the ref calls for a break. Orton doesn’t make it a clean break and he pays for it by getting mowed down by Henry who then proceeds to stand on him. The ref breaks the standing after a four count. Henry tosses Orton out of the ring with ease and then joins him on the outside. Mark puts him in a front facelock and pounds on the back of the Viper, then rolls him into the ring. Orton dropkicks Henry out of the ring when he tries to get back in and Smackdown takes a break after three minutes of the match.

(Commercial)

The match comes back form the commercial the way it went to commercial – with Randy Orton dropkicking Henry to the floor! Randy pushes him back into the ring and Henry shoulder blocks Orton in the gut to take over. Henry power slams Orton with ease and only gets a two count after stalling. Orton tries to fight back, but his punches are weak and Mark headbutts Orton down. This is a random thought, but I wish Mark Henry’s singlet wasn’t so tight.

Henry puts a armbar on Orton and torques the shoulder to keep Orton down as Booker goes on and on about a banana peel or something as Orton makes his comeback with a dropkick and a knee drop. Garvin Stomp on Henry as Orton favors his right arm. He measures a boot to Henry’s face and now calls for the RKO as Mark rolls out of the ring, obviously seeing it coming. With that, Sheamus runs in to cause a DQ.

WINNER: Randy Orton via DQ in 9:00.

Sheamus and Mark Henry put the boots to Orton and Christian comes out to the stage and he just watches on as Orton gets beat up. Booker T says that this is none of Christian's business and Christian plays up that he won’t help Orton, but charges the ring after about 20 seconds and he and Orton clear the ring of the heels and have a fierce stare down. Sheamus and Henry are back and they put the beating on both men, but it doesn’t take long for Christian to dump Sheamus and for Orton to hit a RKO on Mark Henry. Both men shake hands as Smackdown goes off the air.

Mike’s Reax: Wrestling-heavy show and every match served a purpose. Christian and Orton were shown to be friends and almost equals before their big match on Sunday. Brie Bella got a big win over Natalya. Jackson and the tag team champions were shown to be dominant. There was a storyline advancement with Great Khali and Jinder Mahal and lastly Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase got back together. While this wasn’t a great hard sell for Over the Limit, it was a good episode of Friday Night Smackdown.

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