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WWE Friday Night Smackdown- February 18, 2011

by SamoaRowe

-This is the 600th episode of Smackdown! To celebrate, there will be a big 12 man tag team match featuring superstars from Raw and Smackdown. Sounds good to me.

-Also for tonight, the coronation of Dolph Ziggler as the new World Heavyweight Champion!

Edge, Randy Orton, John Morrison, R-Truth, Rey Mysterio, and John Cena vs. CM Punk, King Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Drew McIntyre, Kane, and Dolph Ziggler

Edge is still sporting the World title and Michael Cole is outraged. All the participants are heading into Elimination Chamber matches at the pay-per-view. Drew starts against Edge with some back and forth action. R-Truth tags and fights off Drew and a fresh Ziggler. Orton is in and shows Ziggler who the boss is. Cena is in (to mostly boos) and continues the beating on Ziggler. Finally, Dolph mounts some offense on John Morrison. Ziggler counters Starship Pain to establish control by the heel team. Cue the commercial. After the break, the bad guys are keeping Morrison isolated and making frequent tags. Rey makes a hot tag and hops in on CM Punk. Punk counters 619 with a backbreaker to set Mysterio up as the new isolated baby face. Kane slides Rey off the apron into the knee of CM Punk! Neat! Cue the second commercial of the match. After the break, the prolonged beating on Mysterio continues. Rey delivers a standing moonsault on Barrett! Edge gets the hot tag and cleans house on Dolph Ziggler. Things break down as the participants storm the ring and hit a series of finishers on one another. Finally, Edge nails the spear on Ziggler for the win (about 10:00 shown). Cookie cutter tag match, but it was a real crowd pleaser. Then again, this audience is easy to please.
Winners: Edge, Randy Orton, John Morrison, R-Truth, Rey Mysterio, and John Cena

-Edge is celebrating when Vickie Guerrero storms out. She orders Edge to relinquish his World title. Vickie also accuses Edge of being the one who took out Teddy Long and fires him.

-Todd Grisham interviews Dashing Cody Rhodes. Cody is wearing a protective mask and his face is mostly hidden in shadows. Cody is bitter that his journey to Wrestlemania was stalled before it could get started. He is still furious at Rey Mysterio and he’s cleared to return.

-2.21.11 video. There are brief shots of The Undertaker included this time. So much for Sting, right?

-Recap of the first episode of Smackdown, which featured The Rock vs. Triple H. Shawn Michaels was the referee and he helped Triple H retain. Those were the days.

Eve Torres and Beth Phoenix vs. Maryse and Layla

Michelle McCool is sitting on commentary as she’s injured. Michelle is blaming Layla for her injured foot. Maryse slaps Beth and pays for it. Layla tags but quickly becomes overwhelmed by Phoenix. Eve tags and tosses Layla around. Michelle “hobbles” onto the apron (Booker’s words) but Beth knocks her off. Layla takes advantage and rolls up Eve at 2:24. Nothing to see here.
Winners: Layla and Maryse

-They replay the footage of The Rock’s return on Monday Night Raw. The Rock will be the host of Wrestlemania 27.

-Video recap of the 9/11 Smackdown. Ten years later, they are still congratulating themselves for this.

Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz (with Alex Riley)

Things start evenly. Kofi delivers some quick offense in between some arm work. It’s actually a little alarming how quiet the crowd has been for this match so far. They trade blows and Miz kicks Kingston off the turnbuckles. Cue the commercial. Hey, Smackdown writers, is it be possible for you to pace the show so we don’t miss half the match during the breaks? Post-break, The Miz is in firm control. Kofi reverses into a backslide pin attempt. Kofi builds some momentum with his bag of tricks but The Miz isn’t finished. You’ll never believe it, but just when it looks like Kofi has the victory, Alberto Del Rio shows up! Kofi seems to shake off the distraction until Alberto whips him with a towel. The Miz plants Kofi for the win at 6:46 (shown). This was boring, uninspired, predictable, and too long for what it accomplished.
Winner: The Miz

-Del Rio has a good laugh at Kofi’s misfortune. These two will meet at Elimination Chamber.

-Video recap of Eddie Guerrero’s WWE Championship celebration from 2004. This is such a fond memory, it hurts.

WWE Tag Team Championship:
Vladimir Kozlov and Santino Marella © vs. Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel

Kozlov starts against Gabriel. Gabriel is sent packing from the ring after a fall away slam. Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson storm in at this point. The Corre distracts long enough for a sneak attack to Kozlov’s leg. Kozlov tosses off Slater and tags Marella. Santino nails the Cobra on Gabriel and seems to have the win when the Corre attack for the DQ at 2:00. Big Show runs in for the save and cleans house. Once again, this was more angle than match, but the Corre’s storyline is turning into the weekly highlight of Smackdown.
Winners by DQ: Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov

-Big Show is challenging Ezekiel Jackson to return to the ring for a proper fight but Jackson backs off.

-Video recap of Booker T and Steve Austin brawling in a grocery store. Booker has a good laugh about it on commentary.

-It’s time for Dolph Ziggler’s World Championship coronation ceremony! Vickie officially introduces Dolph as the champion and he poses with the belt. The party is cut short when Teddy Long makes his surprise return. Long makes the OMG SHOCKING! revelation that Vickie was behind his assault. Vickie throws Ziggler under the bus, saying it was all his idea. Now that Long is back in charge he is ordering that Dolph defend the title against (newly rehired) Edge immediately.

World Heavyweight Championship:
Dolph Ziggler © vs. Edge

Ziggler is clearly frazzled as Edge overwhelms him in the early going. Dolph leap frogs over a spear and takes advantage. Edge battles out of a main event chinlock but gets trapped in the sleeper! Ziggler hits the Fame-asser! The Zig Zag is blocked and Edge delivers the spear! Edge wins the title back at 3:02! Well, that fun while it lasted.
Winner and new World Heavyweight Champion: Edge

-Edge celebrates his 11th World title victory. Teddy Long has one more announcement: Dolph Ziggler is fired! Long might has well have handed Ziggler a Raw contract. Edge takes the mic and reminds us he was on the first ever Smackdown so he’s proud to be standing tall as World Champion on the 600th. Edge leads the crowd in a stirring rendition of the goodbye song as confetti falls from the rafters.

-I was pretty bored with the first hour (and hey, The Rock is awesome and all, but I hate it when they replay entire segments from previous shows like that). Things picked up later, as the Edge/Ziggler blow-off ended up being quite a bit of predictable fun. Thumbs in the middle, I guess.

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