WWE Smackdown review
Nov. 25, 2011
Taped 11/22/11 in Wilkes Barre, PA.
Aired on SYFY
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist


- WWE Open.

- A video package aired featuring clips from the Big Show vs. Mark Henry match from Survivor Series.

- In the arena, Mark Henry came out, using a crutch on his right side. His left foot was in a boot half-way up to his knee. He did have the World Title over his shoulders, then he entered the ring. He got a mic and seemed amazed that fans were happy that Big Show injured him. “Who does this kind of stuff?” he asked, ironically. He said it’s not the kind of treatment or respect a heavyweight champion deserves. He said he’s hurt, but not broken. He accused the fans of reveling in the fact that he’s injured, wishing they were the ones who did it to him. “You suck” chants from the audience. He addressed kicking Big Show in his “private spot,” saying Show wanted to make him look like the bad guy. He said he is in the arena to show young fans that champions fight through injuries. Since when has he cared about being a role model? Henry said he wanted to fight tonight, but he wasn’t medically cleared. As he talked about still being World Champion, Big Show came out.

Show walked to the ring and grabbed a mic for himself. Show said the only way a World Title can change hands is through pinfall or submission. Show told Henry to stop lying about kicking him in the knee – he knows where he kicked him. As for his ankle, Show said he just did to Henry what Henry did to him. Show addressed the next time, but Henry interrupted and said there’d be no next time. He called Show “the World’s Largest loser.” Don’t be a bully – Be a Star. Show decided he’d heard enough and knocked Henry out with one punch. Cole lamented the fact that Show beat up a defenseless person.

As Henry was laid out in the ring, Daniel Bryan ran out with referee Charles Robinson. The bell rang, confirming it was an official cash-in.

1 – MARK HENRY vs. DANIEL BRYAN –WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Bryan struggled to turn over the dead weight of Henry, but finally did so and got the pinfall win.

WINNER: Bryan, at :14. Certainly much more anti-climactic than cashing in at Wrestlemania has he had promised.

As Bryan celebrated, Teddy Long ran to the ring with a mic. He was out of breath and Long told Bryan that Henry was not medically cleared to compete. Therefore, there was no official match, and Bryan is not World Champion. Well I’ll be damned. Nice tease though, especially after all they’ve done with Henry and Bryan lately. This should add drama to the build for when they do eventually square off. Bryan was understandably pissed and Long said he didn’t want to do this, but it’s the rules. Long took the title, and gave it to Henry, who had recovered at ringside. Long gave Bryan the briefcase back and said since there was no match, technically Bryan never cashed it in. He even gave Bryan another shot for the title – A Fatal Four-Way main event for a shot at Mark Henry on next Tuesday’s live Smackdown: Bryan vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton. Cole applauded the decision of Long in this instance. Booker T., however, called it a miscarriage of justice.

- Tonight, Zack Ryder & Sheamus face Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler.

[Commercial Break]

1 – JUSTIN GABRIEL vs. HUNICO

Wrist-lock take-over by Gabriel, but Hunico came back with a short clothesline as Cole gloated about Bryan getting this World Title taken away from him. Hunico suplexed Gabriel from the apron back into the ring for a two-count. Tilt-a-whirl back-breaker for another two-count. Hunico blocked a clothesline and hit an Olympic slam. Another chin-lock. Hard whip into the buckle, then Hunico propelled himself into the ring and landed a dropkick on the seated Gabriel. Headscissors by Gabriel, and Hunico rolled to ringside. Gabriel with a twisting cross-body onto Hunico at ringside. Kick to the back of the head by Gabriel back in the ring. Springboard moonsault found the mark for a near fall. Gabriel placed Hunico on the top turnbuckle and attempted a back suplex, but Hunico gave Gabriel a thumb to the eye to send him to the mat. Swanton by Hunico for the win.

WINNER: Hunico, at 4:23. I thought maybe Hunico would ended up being treated like Tyler Reks after last year’s Survivor Series, but this would seem to indicate differently.

- A plug aired for the Fatal Four-Way main event.

[Commercial Break]

- The announcers were joined at the commentary table by Alicia Fox.

2 – BETH PHOENIX & NATALYA vs. AJ & KAITLYN

Nattie with a knee to the gut in the corner. Kaitlyn took Nattie to the babyface corner and tagged in AJ. AJ flipped Natalya into the ropes, and rolled Natalya up for two. Hair pull took her down, however. Nattie then locked in the Sharpshooter for the win.

WINNERS: Natalya and Phoenix, at 1:05. Just a way to further the AJ/Kaitlyn storyline and set up Fox as a possible title contender in the next few weeks.

After the match, a frustrated Kaitlyn walked out on AJ as Natalya reapplied the Sharpshooter and Phoenix got a microphone, imploring AJ to cry. Fox got up from the announce table and entered the ring, backing down the heel Divas.

- Another graphic aired for Ryder & Sheamus vs. Swagger & Ziggler.

[Commercial Break]

- The same Kane vignette from Monday aired, with the burning mask.

- Teddy Long was on the phone backstage, talking about how Mick Foley would be hosting the live Smackdown Holiday special on Tuesday. Aksana walked in and asked if there’d be mistletoe at the party. Mark Henry barged in, and her special music and lighting disappeared (as did Aksana). Henry wasn’t happy about having to defend his title next week. Long said he talked to his doctors and he’ll be ready to go. Henry said Long thinks it’s his opportunity to pick on him because he’s hurt. Henry was about to leave, but Long added that next week’s main event will be inside a steel cage. “Keep surprising me…keep throwing stuff in my face!” said Henry. He promised to “get” Long.

- Elsewhere backstage, Zack Ryder was playing as himself in the WWE ’12 video game. Sheamus walked up and said he signed Ryder’s petition to face Ziggler in a US Title match. Ryder did a fist pump and sang a techno version of Sheamus’ theme. The Irishman was not amused, but then said he was just joking. He said Ryder got the lyrics wrong, but wanted to focus on knocking Swagger and Ziggler around. Sheamus even finished Ryder’s catchphrase after another hesitation.

- Ziggler, Swagger, and Vickie Guerrero came to the ring for the tag match. It’s next.

[Commercial Break]

- Cole plugged WWE.com for complete coverage of Survivor Series.

- Tony Chimel introduced Swagger and Ziggler, then Vickie Guerrero asked for the crowd’s attention as only she can. She wanted the crowd to acknowledge that Ziggler won two matches at Survivor Series. Ziggler got the mic and insulted the fans, saying he made history, “hash-tag heel.”

3 – JACK SWAGGER & DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. ZACK RYDER & SHEAMUS

Ziggler took Sheamus down in the first minute, and did some showing off. Sheamus responded with a hip-lock take-over. Ziggler telegraphed a dropkick, then Sheamus gave him a fall-away slam. Swagger tagged in at the two-minute mark. Swagger tried to do some amateur wrestling, but Sheamus elbowed out of a rear waist-lock and added a few headbutts for good measure. Swagger was sent to ringside, as was Ziggler. Ryder hit the ropes and somersaulted over the top and onto the heels. The babyfaces celebrated as momentum was on their side. The show went to break at 3:17 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:23 of the match with Ryder ducking a few clotheslines by Swagger and nailing him with a forearm. Sheamus tagged in and gave Swagger a diving shoulder tackle over the top rope. Swagger took control with a shot to the knee. Ziggler tagged in and aggressively went after Sheamus. Swagger came back in and did some more damage, but Sheamus got his knees up on a Vader bomb attempt. Sheamus made the tag to Ryder, who white-washed Swagger with a boot in the corner. Vickie got on the apron to distract the ref (and Ryder), allowing Swagger to escape the ring. Ryder went out after him and Ziggler sacrificed himself so Swagger could recover and retaliate on Ryder. Roll-up out of nowhere for two by Ryder, but Ziggler followed with a high elbowdrop. Neck-breaker then a kip up by Ziggler. Ryder was able to fight out of the heel corner, at least, for a few seconds, but the numbers game became too much. Sheamus broke up a pin after Swagger held Ryder for Ziggler’s fameasser. Vader bomb by Swagger and still only a two-count. Ryder and Ziggler traded near-falls, but Ryder desperately needed a tag. The long heat segment on Ryder continued with Sheamus attempting to interfere, drawing the ire of the ref. Tornado DDT at 15:20 by Ryder and both he and Swagger were down. Sheamus and Ziggler both tagged in so Ziggler could bump around for Sheamus. Celtic Cross, but Swagger interrupted it. Ryder tagged himself in as Sheamus nailed Swagger with the Brogue Kick. Zig Zag was shrugged off by Sheamus (after it looked like Ziggler overshot it a bit), then Ryder hit the Rough-Ryder leg-lariat for the win.

WINNERS: Ryder and Sheamus, at 16:27. The heat segment on Ryder was long, but in the end, Ryder gained more credibility with his pinfall over the United States Champion.

- Backstage, Daniel Bryan and AJ were talking, with Bryan telling her what it felt like to hold the World Title ever so briefly. She gave him some words of encouragement about his match tonight. Wade Barrett came up to him and knocked all that encouragement out. AJ said she didn’t care about the Barrett Barrage and Barrett said Bryan has a 14 year-old girl fighting his battles for him now. Bryan said neither he nor Barrett have ever been World Champ – he’s not intimidated by Barrett or Henry. Barrett walked away and AJ gave Bryan a kiss for good luck.

- Tonight, we’ll find out the #1 Contender in a Fatal Four-Way match.

[Commercial Break]

4 – TED DIBIASE vs. HEATH SLATER

Right after the bell rang to begin the match, Jinder Mahal spoke on the Titan-Tron. He chastised DiBiase for foregoing his family lineage to hang out in parking lots with commoners. Slater then attacked DiBiase from behind when Mahal was finished. Dropkick by DiBiase turned the tide. Suplex out of the corner for two. After Booker compared DiBiase to Tim Tebow, Cole got on Booker for not explaining who Tebow was. That sounds like it came from Vince McMahon, as Cole covered himself by saying he thought Booker said T. Boone Pickens. Sounds like Cole knew how absurd it was to ask who Tebow was, but I’m sure Vince has no idea. Slater worked the arm of DiBiase, giving him a greater challenge than DiBiase has had in recent weeks. Submission maneuver applied by Slater and DiBiase worked back to his feet. Back body-drop by DiBiase as the announcing at this point continued to devolve. DiBiase made his comeback and after the boomerang clothesline, sent Slater to Dream Street.

WINNER: DiBiase, at 4:51. Slater lasted longer than I expected, especially coming off a Wellness suspension.

DiBiase contritubed to the “Tebowing” sensation after the match.

- Another plug aired for the Fatal Four-Way main event.

[Commercial Break]

- The exterior of the Mohegan Sun Arena was shown.

- They showed the clip of Cody Rhodes throwing water in Booker T’s face on Raw.

- Matt Striker was backstage with Rhodes. Cody said he didn’t throw water in the face of a five-time former WCW Champion or a former King of the Ring winner, but rather, a lowly announcer. Rhodes said during the match, he saw Booker making disparaging remarks about him. Without the mask, Rhodes said he could do whatever he wants, including winning the World Title. He imitated Booker by saying he can dig that, sucker.

- Daniel Bryan came to the ring. As he did, they showed Big Show knocking Mark Henry out and Bryan attempting to capitalize earlier in the show. Randy Orton was next out. They went to break as he posed on the turnbuckle.

[Commercial Break]

5 – DANIEL BRYAN vs. RANDY ORTON vs. CODY RHODES vs. WADE BARRETT – FATAL FOUR-WAY TO DETERMINE #1 CONTENDER FOR THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Orton and Barrett paired off and stayed in the ring, while Bryan and Rhodes fought on the outside. Rhodes tried to surprise Orton from behind, but Orton met him with a dropkick. Whip into the buckle by Orton, then Bryan followed with a running dropkick. Dueling chants for Orton and Bryan as they faced off. No physicality between the two before they went to break at 1:42.

[Commercial Break]

The show returned at 5:06 of the match and all four men were back in the ring. It was only for a brief time, however, as Orton was thrown out by Barrett, who went after him and tossed him into the steel steps. Rhodes and Barrett then double-teamed Bryan in the ring. Orton snuck back in not long after and went to work on both heels. Pump-handle slam attempt, but Orton got out of it and Rhodes snuck up from behind and gave Orton a Russian leg-sweep. Bryan came back in and went after Rhodes with kicks. Barrett put Bryan on his shoulders and Rhodes came off the top with a clothesline, the old Doomsday Device. Barrett wanted a pin, but Rhodes broke it up and tossed Barrett out. They went to break at 8:59 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the final break at 12:24 of the match. Orton was back in the thick of things, working against Rhodes and Barrett. Barrett laid in the knees with Orton stuck between the ropes. Running boot to the skull and Orton fell to ringside. Rhodes attacked Barrett after Barrett had gotten the best of Bryan. Beautiful Disaster kick on Bryan for a two-count at 13:50. Bryan back-dropped a charging Rhodes to ringside. Barrett reappeared and he whipped Bryan into the ropes, but Bryan dove through them and onto Rhodes at ringside. Orton hit his signature moves on Barrett, but Bryan broke up a pin. Kick to the head of Orton for two. Rhodes dropped Bryan across the top rope and he fell to the mats outside. Rhodes for a cover on Orton, only getting two. Face-first suplex by Rhodes on Orton. Crowd chanted “Randy” as Rhodes slowly climbed the top rope. Orton tripped him up and connected on a superplex. Barrett tried to steal the pin, but Bryan dove off the top with a headbutt to cancel the fall. All three men were down in the ring and Orton re-entered. Barrett was thrown over the top, as was Rhodes. Cole said Orton was turning his attention to the weaker man. Rope-assisted DDT to Bryan. Before he could hit the RKO, Barrett pulled Orton out of the ring and gave him a DDT. Rhodes tried to pin Bryan, but Bryan grabbed the arm and locked in his finisher for the win.

WINNER: Bryan, at 18:34.

They replayed the finish after the match, but then Rhodes attacked Bryan from behind. He turned around into an RKO. They played Orton’s music until Bryan got back to his feet, then they played his. Josh Mathews gave a hard-sell for Tuesday’s live Smackdown as the show went off the air with Bryan holding up his Money-in-the-Bank briefcase.


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. Follow him on Twitter @gregmparks for live Tweeting during Raw, Impact, and PPVs, as well as other bits of wisdom. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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