1/11/13 Friday Night Smackdown Coverage

Jan 11, 2013 - by Michael Riba

Smackdown opens this week from Miami, Florida, and we see the hype video for The Rock’s return to the blue brand. We then see another video package highlighting the feud between The Big Show and Alberto Del Rio.

We go into the arena and Booker T’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. He says we’re going to kick this year off with a bang. He says anything Raw can do, Smackdown can do better. He says Antonio Cesaro and Randy Orton will go one-on-one later tonight. Booker announces that The Rock will be in the ring tonight and that The Big Show will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Alberto Del Rio in a Last Man Standing Match. The Big Show comes out and calls Booker’s decision “complete crap.” Show says Booker has a personal vendetta against him. He calls Booker jealous that he is still in the game while Booker pushes papers in the back. Show says Del Rio is beneath him. He says there is no Irish hero, no Latino hero, and no viper hero that is going to stop him. He says Booker wants to give the inferior people a hero and says it’s a bad idea. Show advises Booker to change his mind and shoves him into the corner. Del Rio’s music hits and he charges the ring and dropkicks Show into the corner and then out of the ring. Booker pushes Del Rio back as Show yells at him. The crowd chants “Del Rio, Del Rio!” as he exits the ring and backs up the ramp.

We see a career highlight of The Rock from September 13, 2011, where he defeated Shawn Stasiak to retain the WCW Championship. We also see that CM Punk will deliver a message to The Rock and are reminded that Antonio Cesaro and Randy Orton will go one-on-one as we head to a commercial break.

Match #1: Antonio Cesaro vs. Randy Orton
Before the match, we see a pre-recorded interview with Cesaro, where he declares his entrance into the Royal Rumble Match.
They tie up and Cesaro gets Orton into a headlock and then wrenches his arm behind his back. Cesaro shoots Orton off the ropes, but Orton comes back with a shoulder block. Cesaro kicks Orton and then delivers a few forearm shivers. Orton comes back and tosses Cesaro to the floor and then takes him down with a hard clothesline. Orton gets back into the ring as we head to a commercial break.
We’re back and Cesaro has Orton in a headlock. Orton fights out and delivers a headbutt and an uppercut before Cesaro takes him down with a big clothesline. Cesaro tosses Orton back down to the mat and gets a two count on a pin attempt. Cesaro tosses Orton into the corner and delivers a few shots to the midsection and then applies a choke hold in the middle of the ring. Cesaro tosses Orton into the corner and charges, but Orton moves and rolls him up for a two count. Cesaro comes back and slams Orton down to the mat and picks up a two count. Cesaro toys with Orton and tosses him into the corner again, but Orton comes back and delivers two clotheslines and a big powerslam. Cesaro comes back and delivers his uppercut and gets a two count. Cesaro knees Orton in the face and charges, but Orton comes back with a neck-breaker and then connects with his middle rope DDT and sets up for the RKO. The Shield charge the ring and attack Orton, resulting in the referee calling for the bell.
Winner by Disqualification: Randy Orton.
After the match, The Shield continue the attack on Orton and drive him to the mat with their triple-powerbomb. They stand over Orton as we head to a commercial break.

A promo for The Rock presenting “The Rock Concert” on the 20th Anniversary Raw this coming Monday night is shown. We then see a replay of The Shield attacking Randy Orton and are reminded that The Big Show will defend the World Heavyweight Championship in a Last Man Standing Match in tonight’s main event.

We go backstage where Matt Striker is interviewing 3MB. They talk about entering the Royal Rumble Match and Heath Slater says his mom said they have a ten percent chance at winning it. They say Sheamus will pay for what he did to them on Monday night as they walk away.

We see a promo from earlier today, where CM Punk and Paul Heyman are at Sunlife Stadium. Punk says everything The Rock says couldn’t be further from the truth. Punk says he is a huge fan of The Rock, especially his college football career. Punk says the place that The Rock enjoyed his glory days, the Orange Bowl, is gone, which is ironic because the WWE The Rock knew is gone. He says this is CM Punk’s WWE. Punk says The Rock can come back to Miami all he wants, but he can never go home.

Matt Striker interviews Alberto Del Rio backstage. Del Rio said The Big Show had no business downgrading his people like that and he will prove that when he is the last man standing and new World Heavyweight Champion.

Match #2: AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler (w/Big E Langston) vs. Natalya and The Great Khali (w/Hornswoggle)
Ziggler tries to get some offense in, but Khali shoves him off and clotheslines him. Khali chops Ziggler in the corner. Khali takes Ziggler to the other corner and chops Ziggler again and then clotheslines him. Khali goes for the Khali Chop, but Ziggler tags AJ, who comes into the ring and jumps on Khali’s back. Natalya gets into the ring and slams AJ’s head onto the mat. Natalya takes AJ down with a clothesline and tries to lock in the Sharpshooter, but AJ bites her. Natalya charges AJ in the corner and AJ bites her again. AJ takes Natalya down with a flip-over slam for a pin fall.
Winners: AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler.
After the match, Langston and Ziggler attack Khali and Langston drops Hornswoggle with his finisher.

We go back to CM Punk and Paul Heyman. Punk says he thinks The Rock convinced himself that he can beat Punk. Punk says the people don’t deserve to be saved and can rot in Hell. Punk says he is better than the people and better than The Rock. Heyman asks The Rock if that upsets him. Heyman says Punk is the best in the world. Heyman says the people’s vision is that The Rock is a hero. Heyman says Punk has made a career out of killing people’s dreams and his vision is not the same as the people’s. Punk takes off the Dwayne Johnson jersey and tosses it to the field turf as he and Heyman walk away.

We see that The Rock will return to Smackdown after the commercial break. We see various clips of the Rock ‘n Sock Connection as we go to a commercial break.

We’re back and The Rock’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. The Rock says this is a special show and a special night. He gives a shout out to Flo Rida. The Rock says he is excited to be on his show in his hometown, but he is disappointed that CM Punk decided to not show up. The crowd chants “Cookiepuss.” The Rock says it all started at The U. He says everything he every accomplished all started in Miami. He says home for The Rock is the Royal Rumble when he kicks Punk’s “cookiepuss ass” and becomes WWE Champion. The Rock says he is going to have fun on his own, but then Team Rhodes Scholars interrupts. Sandow introduces himself to The Rock and the introduces Rhodes. Sandow says they are out to help and correct The Rock. Rhodes says they will become the Tag Team Champions. He says The Rock doesn’t deserve this time, they do. Rhodes tells The Rock to get out of the ring before he doesn’t have a choice and Sandow holds the ropes for him. The Rock comes back and insults them and asks Rhodes what is on his face, referring to his mustache. Sandow suggests a wager. Sandow asks The Rock is he can answer three questions. Sandow says if The Rock answers three questions, he can stay and if he doesn’t, he has to leave. Sandow asks who was the nineteenth President of the United States, and The Rock answers with “Rutherford B. Hayes, bitch.” Sandow says he’s correct. Rhodes asks what film won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1993. The Rock answers with “Schindler’s List,” and Rhodes says he’s correct. Sandow goes to ask the third question, but The Rock interrupts him and says he wants to ask a question. The Rock asks what happens when you combine a geologic aggregate of a mineral with its lowest form. Sandow says you get rock bottom, and The Rock says, “Exactly,” and Rock Bottoms Sandow. Rhodes charges at The Rock, but he takes him down with a spine buster and delivers the People’s Elbow. The Rock celebrates in the ring to end the segment.

We are reminded again that The Big Show will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Alberto Del Rio in a Last Man Standing Match in tonight’s main event as we go to a commercial break.

Match #3: 3-on-1 Handicap Match: 3MB (Drew McIntyre, Heath Slater, and Jinder Mahal) vs. Sheamus
3MB duck out to the floor and head up the ramp and the referee backs Sheamus up. They charge the ring and Sheamus delivers a Brogue Kick to Slater as McIntyre and Mahal stay on the outside. Sheamus gets the pin fall on Slater.
Winner: Sheamus.

We see that the WWE Tag Team Champions, Team Hell No, are in action after the commercial break.

Match #4: Team Hell No vs. The Prime Time Players
Bryan and Young start the match and Young backs Bryan into the corner. Bryan comes back with an elbow shot and goes to the top, but Young pulls him down and drags him to the corner. O’Neil tags in and slams Bryan down to the mat. O’Neil tosses Bryan to the corner and charges, but Bryan gets his boots up and takes O’Neil down. Bryan tags in Kane and Young tags in O’Neil. Kane knocks O’Neil down to the floor and clotheslines and side-slams Young for a two count. Young drapes Kane over the top rope and goes up top and jumps off, but Kane catches him with an uppercut and then goes for a choke slam, but O’Neil blocks him until Bryan makes the save and Kane choke slams Young for the pin fall.
Winners: Team Hell No.

We see one last preview for the Last Man Standing Match between The Big Show and Alberto Del Rio as we go to a commercial break.

Match #5: World Heavyweight Championship Last Man Standing Match: The Big Show (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio (w/Ricardo Rodriguez)
Show controls the early part of the match and slams Del Rio down to the mat. Del Rio tries to fight back, but Show drops him with a headbutt and goes to the outside and grabs a table. Show grabs Del Rio and brings him to the floor. Show picks up Del Rio and slams him through the table and the referee begins the count. Del Rio gets up at six. Show headbutts Del Rio and then grabs a steel chair. Show tosses Del Rio back into the ring and gets in there himself. He goes to swing the chair, but Del Rio kicks him in the knee and grabs the chair himself. Del Rio nails Show in the back with it a couple of times and then drives it into his midsection. Del Rio goes for the cross arm-breaker, but Show picks him up and tries to dump him to the outside. Del Rio holds on and locks in the cross arm-breaker over the top rope, but Show breaks the hold and Del Rio crumples to the floor and the referee begins to count. Del Rio gets up at seven as we head to a commercial.
We’re back and Del Rio delivers a kick to Show. Del Rio slams Show shoulder-first into the ring post, but Show comes back and knocks Del Rio to the floor and then tosses him back into the ring. Show looks under the ring and grabs another table and tosses it into the ring. Show goes to set the table up in the corner, but Del Rio attacks him from behind and puts Show through the table. Show gets up at three and Del Rio locks in a sleeper hold. Show fights out but Del Rio keeps on the offense. Del Rio comes off the top rope, but Show catches him and delivers a choke slam and the referee begins the count. Del Rio gets up at seven. Show delivers a headbutt and Del Rio crumples to the floor. Show spears Del Rio through the barricade and the referee begins the count again. Del Rio gets up at seven again. Show sets up for the KO Punch and he delivers it and the referee begins the count again. Del Rio gets up at eight after a little assistance from Rodriguez. Rodriguez gets a bottle of water and pours it on Del Rio. Show picks up the steel steps and tries to smash Del Rio between them and the ring post, but Del Rio moves and the steps slams into Show’s head. Del Rio picks up the steps and he slams them into Show’s head three times before Show finally falls. Del Rio turns the announce table onto Show and the referee begins the count on both men. Del Rio gets up at seven and Show doesn’t answer the count.
Winner and NEW World Heavyweight Champion: Alberto Del Rio.

Quick Results:
1. Randy Orton def. Antonio Cesaro by disqualification.
2. AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler def. Natalya and The Great Khali in a Mixed Tag Team Match.
3. Sheamus def. 3MB in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match.
4. Team Hell No def. The Prime Time Players.
5. Alberto Del Rio def. The Big Show in a Last Man Standing Match to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

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