3/16 Friday Night Smackdown Recap
by Michael Riba
-We see the Smackdown opening video, and Josh Mathews welcomes us to the show from Columbus, Ohio.
-Lilian Garcia introduces Christian, who makes his return to Smackdown after a four-month absence, as he will host an edition of The Peep Show. Christian talks about the 12-Man Tag Team Match at WrestleMania XVIII, and then introduces John Laurinaitis, who welcomes Christian back. Christian then introduces Teddy Long. Christian gives both men the opportunity to recruit him for their respective teams. Christian insults the crowd, and then tells Teddy that he deserves one more match for the World Heavyweight Championship. A small “one more match” chant briefly breaks out. Teddy says when he runs both shows, anybody who wants a Championship will have to earn it, but will not get a shot if they annoy or disrespect him. Johnny says that he gives Christian his word that he will get a Championship match, and Christian officially joins Team Johnny. Otunga and Johnny clap, and pull out Christian’s t-shirt for a celebration, but Teddy interrupts and says Christian is in a match. Johnny says Christian isn’t medically cleared to wrestle. Teddy places Otunga in the match instead, against the newest member of Team Teddy, Kofi Kingston.
-Match #1: David Otunga vs. Kofi Kingston (w/Santino Marella)
Otunga lays kicks on Kofi in the corner, and Kofi returns the favor. A brief tie-up leads to Otunga gaining the upper hand for a bit. Teddy Long and John Laurinaitis are on commentary, and Christian is still at ringside. Otunga punches Kofi on the mat and the referee breaks it up. Otunga keeps the momentum and places his shoe in Kofi’s throat. Johnny claims Christian has an in-grown toenail, which is why he can’t compete. Otunga goes for a pin fall, but Kofi kicks out at 2. Kofi gets a little offense in with a kick, but Otunga overpowers him again and hits a Scoop Slam for a 2 count. Otunga hits a clothesline in the corner, and slingshots Kofi into the opposite corner. Kofi reverses and hits a cross body off the top rope for a 2 count. Kofi keeps the momentum and goes for the Boom Drop, but Christian trips him up. Teddy tells the referee that Christian tripped Kofi, and the referee ejects Christian from ringside. Johnny and Teddy argue on the outside of the ring as Otunga takes off his belt. Santino grabs the belt from Otunga, and Otunga lays Santino out with a right hand. Otunga turns around and Kofi hits him with the Trouble in Paradise for the pin fall. Winner: Kofi Kingston.
-We go backstage where Daniel Bryan is standing outside of the Divas’ locker room. A.J. walks out in a dress and says it doesn’t fit right. Bryan has her spin around, and then says “the dress looked better on the mannequin.” Bryan says he and A.J. will be the new Power Couple of the WWE, comparing them to Savage and Elizabeth and Triple H and Stephanie. He says A.J. has a match tonight and says he will be in her corner. They share a kiss and Bryan tells her to go get ready for her match.
-Match #2: A.J. (w/Daniel Bryan) vs. Nikki Bella (w/Brie Bella)
Nikki drops to her knees and mimics A.J., and A.J. nails her with a beautiful jumping drop kick. Nikki tosses A.J. head first into the turnbuckle and then goes for a cover, but A.J. kicks out. Nikki stands on A.J.’s hair and pulls her up, and then places her in a submission. A.J. reverses it with some forearms to Nikki’s stomach, and hits a cross body off the top rope. The Bellas attempt Twin Magic, but Bryan stops them, and A.J. capitalizes with a roll-up on Nikki for the win. Winner: A.J.
-We see that Sheamus will take on Chris Jericho later tonight.
-The Raw Rebound shows The Rock’s concert and John Cena’s rap. We are then reminded that John Cena and Mark Henry will go one-on-one on the March 16th edition of Raw.
-We go backstage and Matt Striker is interviewing Cody Rhodes. Striker asks how Rhodes expects to defeat The Big Show at WrestleMania XXVIII. Rhodes says Show has never won a one-on-one match at Mania, and Rhodes calls Show a choke artist and says, “Just watch.” Striker says Rhodes goes one-on-one with The Great Khali next.
-We see the WrestleMania XXVIII video package that says “Coming Soon.”
-Match #3: Cody Rhodes vs. The Great Khali
Rhodes begins the match with a kick to Khali’s leg, to little effect. Rhodes attempts it again, but Khali catches his leg and shoves him to the mat. Cody slaps Khali’s chest, again to no effect on the big man. Khali delivers a big right fist to Rhodes’ head and Rhodes goes to the mat. Khali takes Cody to the corner and slaps him on the chest. Cody attempts to run at Khali but is chopped down. Khali slaps Cody’s chest in the corner again, but doesn’t capitalize. Rhodes hits a dropkick to Khali’s stomach and begins stomping him while he is down. Rhodes follows up with punches to the head and then goes for a submission. Cody drops an elbow on Khali’s knee and applies a side knee bar submission hold. Khali kicks Rhodes into the corner, but Rhodes jumps off the top rope and gets caught with a slap from Khali. Khali sets up Rhodes for the chop, but Rhodes reverses and drapes Khali over the top rope. Rhodes hits a kick to Khali’s head and then a dropkick to the knee which sends Khali down to the mat. Rhodes then hits the Beautiful Disaster kick on Khali for the pin fall. Winner: Cody Rhodes.
-We see Randy Orton walking to the ring before the commercial break.
-We see a short video package with Sheamus, Natalya, and Justin Gabriel promoting the WWE’s trip to Central America.
-Randy Orton makes his way to the ring. Orton starts off by saying his name is Randy Orton, and says when he has a problem with somebody he hunts them down. He says he’s been hunted for the past few weeks by Kane. He says they are heading down a path that leads to both of them destroying each other, and he is fine with that, but wants to know why Kane chose him. Orton says he is not John Cena, and he does embrace the hate, and hate embraces him. He calls it “morbid curiosity.” He calls Kane out and says he wants him to explain himself. Kane comes out and stands on the stage. He asked Randy if he is uncomfortable living in the unknown. They show a clip of Randy Orton and Kane in a Street Fight from last year when Kane shook hands with Orton. Kane says he watches that footage every single day to remind himself what he had become. “A mangled mess of humanity” is what he calls himself. He says that is gone, and is replaced by the monster that he always should have been. Kane says the journey is not yet complete, and says the WWE isn’t big enough for both Kane and Orton. Kane says he needs closure. Orton thanks Kane for his explanation and tells Kane to come to the ring for a fight. Kane walks a little ways down the ramp and then stops. Kane says he will end Randy Orton at WrestleMania XXVIII. Orton shook his head yes, and it appears we have our eighth match at Mania.
-We are reminded again that Sheamus will take on Chris Jericho later tonight.
-Drew McIntyre makes his way to the ring. Teddy Long comes on the Titan Tron and welcomes Drew back to Smackdown. Teddy says Drew signed a one-year, no-cut contract with Laurinaitis, and then introduces Drew’s opponent.
-Match #4: Drew McIntyre vs. The Big Show
Show immediately charges at McIntyre and backs him into the corner and punches him in the stomach. Show takes McIntyre and slams his head into the other corner’s turnbuckle and punches him in the stomach again. Show drapes McIntyre over the top rope and chops him on the chest and then slams him to the mat. Show follows it up with another slam and put a forearm in Drew’s throat in the corner. Show charges again, but McIntyre gets a boot up and chops Big Show’s knee. McIntyre connects with four kicks to keep Show down, and then goes for his DDT. Show pushes McIntyre off and then catches him with a huge Spear. Show picks McIntyre up and delivers a choke slam. Show nails McIntyre with the WMD Punch and the referee calls for the bell. Winner via Knockout: The Big Show. We see Cody Rhodes watching backstage.
-Match #5: Mark Henry vs. Yoshi Tatsu
Yoshi starts off with a few kicks to Henry that have little effect. Yoshi gets one chop in before Henry hits him with a headbutt. Henry stretches Yoshi under the bottom rope and picks him up and backs him into the corner. Henry hits a clubbing blow on Yoshi and then hits him with a running power slam. Henry slaps Yoshi across the face and hits the World’s Strongest Slam for the pin fall. Winner: Mark Henry.
-Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring. Jericho cuts a promo before the match, addressing the comments he made about CM Punk and Punk’s father on Raw. He says he received thousands of hateful Tweets, but he is not going to apologize because he told the truth. He calls Punk a fraud and the typical product of a broken home and an alcoholic father. He says the X’s on Punk’s hands hides who he is. Jericho says he knows Punk better than he knows himself. He says Punk stayed up at night crying when he was a child, when he releases a pipe bomb he wishes he was saying it to his family, every time he comes into the ring and hears the crowd chanting “CM Punk” he wishes the demons in his head would go away. He says Punk wishes he was the best in the world, but he’s not. Jericho says he is the best in the world. Jericho says Punk is a Chris Jericho wannabe, just like everyone in the crowd. He calls them all “Jeri-clones.” Jericho says he will prove he is right when he leaves WrestleMania XXVIII as the WWE Champion and will fix himself a nice, stiff cocktail at the Mania after party, and will make a nice toast to CM Punk and his father.
-We are reminded that Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and The Undertaker will be in the ring at the same time on Monday Night Raw.
-Match #6: Chris Jericho vs. Sheamus
The match begins with a lock-up, which Sheamus wins when he shoves Jericho to the mat. Sheamus tosses Jericho off the ropes and attempts a clothesline, but Jericho ducks under and holds on to the ropes on the opposite side of the ring. Sheamus chases Jericho around the ring, and Jericho gets back in but Sheamus launches himself over the top rope and hits Jericho with a shoulder tackle and gets a 2 count. Sheamus takes Jericho to the corner and wraps his arm around the ropes and stretches it out. Jericho reverses and hits Sheamus with a chop and charges at him in the corner, but Sheamus moves and Jericho go over the top rope to the outside. Sheamus grabs Jericho and gives him the vintage clubbing blows to the chest. Sheamus brings Jericho back into the ring and a vertical suplex and goes for the cover, which gets a 2 count. Sheamus goes for a clothesline, but Jericho drops down and pulls the rope with him, and Sheamus goes to the outside. Jericho hits a baseball slide dropkick and sends Sheamus into the barrier on the outside. Daniel Bryan and A.J. make their way to ringside. Jericho slingshots Sheamus into the bottom rope and then chokes Sheamus on the middle rope. Jericho pounds on Sheamus in the corner, and gets him in a headlock. Sheamus powers out, but Jericho keeps the momentum and kicks Sheamus in the back. Jericho hits a backdrop and goes for the pin, but only gets a 1 count. Jericho goes back to the headlock Sheamus powers out again and backs Jericho into the corner. Jericho went for a running bulldog, but Sheamus moved out of the way and both men are down. Sheamus naisl Jericho with a double axe handle and then a backbreaker but only gets a 2 count. Jericho gets a poke to the eye and attempts the Code Breaker, but Sheamus powers out. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick, but gets caught up in the top rope. Jericho hits the Lionsault, but Sheamus kicks out at 2. Both men go on the ropes, and Sheamus shoves Jericho down to the mat, and hits a flying shoulder tackle. He goes for the pin, and Jericho kicks out at 2. Sheamus goes for the Celtic Cross, but Jericho reverses it. Jericho goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Sheamus gets to the ropes. Sheamus clotheslines Jericho over the tope rope. Sheamus tosses Jericho into the barricade by Bryan and then back into the ring. Jericho sends Sheamus into the announce table and Daniel Bryan hits Sheamus with a kick to the head behind the referees back. The referee continues his count and counts Sheamus out. Winner via Countout: Chris Jericho. After the match, Sheamus chases Bryan, but then gets back in the ring and hits Jericho with a Brogue Kick. Smackdown comes to a close with Sheamus and Bryan staring each other down.
Quick match results:
1. Kofi Kingston def. David Otunga
2. A.J. def. Nikki Bella
3. Cody Rhodes def. The Great Khali
4. The Big Show def. Drew McIntyre (via Knockout)
5. Mark Henry def. Yoshi Tatsu
6. Chris Jericho def. Sheamus (via Countout)
