home | wrestling | flashback_reviews | wwe | smackdownWWE Smackdown- February 4, 2011
by SamoaRowe
-From Long Island, NY. The commentary team is buzzing about Alberto Del Rio’s Royal Rumble victory. There is a Wrestlemania piñata hanging from the rafters. Also announced for tonight, Edge and Kelly vs. Dolph Ziggler and LayCool. Edge’s World title is on the line!
-Booker T comes out to a huge pop from the crowd. He is joining the broadcast team but gives us a spinaroonie first.
-Vickie Guerrero and Dolph Ziggler come out to kill the positive atmosphere. Vickie announces there will be Elimination Chamber qualifying matches tonight. Also, Ziggler will team with LayCool to face Edge and Kelly Kelly. They call out Kelly, who I guess has been feuding with them over Vickie’s general meanness. Kelly accuses Vickie of trying to destroy her “character” by going through her things in the locker room. Huh? Yeah, it doesn’t make sense to me either. Ziggler takes offense to Kelly calling Vickie a “witch” as well as Kelly’s interference in his match at the Royal Rumble. Hey, I was at the Rumble, and I had already forgotten that Kelly was involved in the World title match. Good job, Smackdown writers. Ziggler declares himself the “uncrowned World Champion” and he sort of, kind of, in a way has a point because Edge used his banned spear maneuver. I like it when a heel genuinely thinks he’s right. Kelly slaps Dolph and pushes Vickie over, which brings LayCool out for the save. Edge runs in to protect Kelly and chases the heels out.
-Video package puts over how amazing Dolph Ziggler is at flicking his sweat at people.
Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov (with Tamina) vs. Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater
This is a non-title match. You can tell how shallow the tag team division is when a mid-card odd couple team like Marella and Kozlov can have a two months and counting title reign. Kozlov uses his amateur skills to keep Gabriel on the defense. Slater tags and gets overpowered. Santino tags and Slater makes a comeback. Kozlov gets a luke-warm tag and cleans house. Kozlov is distracted by Gabriel, allowing Slater to attack the back of his knee. Gabriel tags and delivers the 450 splash for the win at 3:04. Short and inoffensive, this felt a lot like a Raw match.
Winners: Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel
Elimination Chamber Qualifying match:
Kofi Kinston vs. Drew McIntyre
McIntyre is outsmarted in the early going by the quicker Kingston. Drew uses his power advantage. Kofi targets the arm but Drew clubs out. Kofi misses a cross body but sends Drew crashing to ringside. Drew counters, dropping Kofi on the ring steps as we head into a commercial. Typically, Drew is in control after the break, using a variety of rest holds. Tirt-a-whirl gut buster by McIntyre! Kofi tries to mount a comeback but Drew counters with another attack to the injured midsection. Kofi nails a desperate DDT. Kofi loses his temper and the ref has to pull him off of McIntyre. Kofi is fired up and goes through his signature spots. Drew swats off Trouble in Paradise and Alberto Del Rio appears on the Tron. He winks at Kofi, which is apparently enough of a distraction for Drew to hit the Future Shock DDT for the win at 9:28 (shown). By-the-numbers match, probably could have been shorter and accomplished the same result.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
-A man in a trench coat climbs some steps in a dark and rainy night. Cue the ominous music. Something big will happen on 2.21.11. The internet is arguing about if this means Undertaker or Sting… or both? (Editor's note: seedy guy in a trench coat?! C'mon, it's obviously the return of Repo Man!)
-Alberto Del Rio video package. He’s a millionaire and your Royal Rumble winner.
-Drew McIntyre gets a video package too. He’s an angry, young man.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying match:
Rey Mysterio vs. Jack Swagger
Michael Cole has “sad news” and it’s that Cody Rhodes is undergoing facial reconstruction after eating a 619 from Rey (who had an exposed leg brace). Rey has Swagger’s number in the early going. Cue the commercial. Afterwards, Rey is still in control, unleashing lots of flying move form his bag of tricks. Swagger escapes a 619. Rey sets up a springboard moonsault but Swagger trips him off the ropes. Swagger goes to work on wearing down Mysterio’s historically injured knee. Swagger delivers his awesome running Vader Bomb. Swagger gets creative but misses a second Vader bomb. Tornado DDT by Mysterio! Swagger counters 619 with the ankle lock! Mysterio escapes and rolls Swagger up for the win at 8:06 (shown). Good little TV match here.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
-Recap of Alberto Del Rio confronting Edge on Raw. Del Rio put Edge down with a guitar shot.
-Edge and Kelly Kelly are talking backstage. Edge seems to think his World title reign is over tonight since Kelly can’t tangle with both members of LayCool. Kelly takes offense to this and storms off.
-Hornswoggle and Rosa Mendes come to the ring to pander to the crowd. They are quickly joined by Alberto Del Rio, who is still walking on sunshine. Del Rio is the most recent in a long line of wrestlers who’s catchphrase is shouting his own name. Thanks a lot, Smackdown writers. Anyhow, Del Rio puts over his Rumble victory and bullies poor Hornswoggle. The Wrestlemania piñata is lowered and he tells Hornswoggle the candy and toys in it are for him. Rosa is suspicious but Hornswoggle is sold. They blindfold Hornswoggle and give him a stick. Hornswoggle unwittingly nails Del Rio with the stick but he thinks he hit the piñata and looks for candy. Del Rio responds by kicking the little guy in the head. Kofi Kingston runs out to save Hornswoggle from a prolonged beating. Del Rio sneaks back in and attacks Kofi with the stick (which is apparently too violent for WWE television as the camera pans to the audience reaction). Del Rio locks on his cross arm breaker for the exclamation point. Surprisingly good segment here, I must say.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying match:
Chavo Guerrero vs. Kane
Chavo outmaneuvers Kane in the early going, but it doesn’t do him much good. Chavo drops Kane’s head into the turnbuckles and delivers the frog splash! Actually, Kane absorbs the splash and delivers a choke slam. Kane picks up the win at 1:01.
About as good as a one minute match can be.
Winner: Kane
-Rey Mysterio video package. He’s Mexican and loves his fans. Yawn.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying match:
Big Show vs. Wade Barrett (with Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, and Ezekiel Jackson)
Barrett hides in the ropes but Big Show is eager to hit him. Barrett drop-kicks the knee but Big Show keeps shoving him off. Show whips Barrett into the referee, which prompts the Corre to interfere. Jackson plows into Big Show, allowing Barrett to gain a near fall. Barrett delivers a DDT for the win at 1:57. More angle than match, which is fine.
Winner: Wade Barrett
-Big Show is up and he tries to clear the ring of the Corre. The numbers game catches with Show as he eats a power slam from Jackson. Jackson takes a mic and declares that the end has come for Big Show.
-The World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber match is set. Edge and Dolph Ziggler are automatically in the match as they are the champion and Vickie’s boyfriend. Joining them are Drew McIntyre, Rey Mysterio, Kane, and Wade Barrett.
-Everyone gets a video package! Kane is violent and hurts people.
World Heavyweight Championship:
Edge © and Kelly Kelly vs. Dolph Ziggler, Michelle McCool, and Layla (with Vickie Guerrero)
I’m assuming that only Dolph Ziggler can win the title, but who knows. Also, the spear is still banned. Ziggler starts against Edge and has something to prove. Edge gains the upper hand, but Ziggler makes a tag to LayCool. Michelle and Layla argue over who gets to enter the match and Edge reluctantly lets Kelly into the contest. After a commercial, Kelly is more than holding her own against McCool. Layla distracts allowing Michelle to swing Kelly into the barricade. LayCool isolates Kelly. Ziggler prevents the referee from seeing Kelly make a tag, so the 2 on 1 diva situation continues. Edge chases Ziggler and throws him into the barricade. Kelly spears Layla and gets the win at 6:48 (shown)! Well, I certainly did not see that finish coming. I kind of liked this as it was different from most main events they put on.
Winners: Edge and Kelly Kelly
-Vickie Guerrero gets into the ring and fires Kelly Kelly. Kelly bursts into tears and backs up the ramp as Vickie shouts at her. Edge looks furious. Vickie informs him that next week he’s defending the title against Ziggler again. This time Vickie will be the referee. Ziggler plants Edge with the Zig Zag as Vickie cackles. And that’s a wrap.
-Good show this week. It nicely built up the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view and provided a great cliffhanger for the next show. Thumbs up!
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