home | wrestling | flashback_reviews | wwe | smackdown

WWE Friday Night Smackdown- March 25, 2011

by SamoaRowe

-This review is late, but I was busy and WWE was slow to upload it to Youtube. So there.

-World Champion Edge is yelling at Theodore Long, accusing him of showing favoritism to Alberto Del Rio. Edge’s arm is bandaged up after taking a con-chair-to from Del Rio last week. Long as ruled that if Edge and Del Rio touch each other, they will be banned from Wrestlemania. Oh Noes!

Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk

This is a Wrestlemania Rewind match, as these two squared off at Wrestlemania 26. Punk is aggressive but Rey goes for 619 early. Punk counters, but eats a stiff kick to the head. Rey misses a springboard, allowing Punk to take control for a stretch. Punk drops Rey off his shoulders onto the barricade as we head to commercial. Post-break, Punk is wearing down Mysterio. Since Rey seems determined to wrestle the same formula every week, I’m finding that the quality of his matches depends on the creativity of his opponents. Having said that, CM Punk is smart and vicious, so it makes for an enjoyable contest. Punk’s flying cross body is countered with a drop-kick. Asai Moonsault by Mysterio! Unfortunately, Cody Rhodes runs in for the DQ finish at 5:30 (shown). Good match, though.
Winner via DQ: Rey Mysterio

-Cody Rhodes continues to dish out punishment to Mysterio. Cody exposes a knee brace on his own leg and drives it into Rey’s face. This feud continues to be excellent, and I should note how pleased I was when Rhodes went over at Wrestlemania 27.

-Edge and Christian are hanging out backstage. Christian questions the risks Edge is planning on taking tonight. Edge feels the need to prove that he is 100%.

World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Drew McIntyre

Edge has something to prove and stomps a mudhole on Drew. It doesn’t take long for Drew to start going after Edge’s injured arm. Edge yanks Drew off the top rope and uses his good arm for a pair of clotheslines. The injured arm prevents a DDT, giving Drew an opening. Edge managed to maneuver Drew into the Edgecator for the win at 2:27. Great way to put Edge over heading into Wrestlemania.
Winner: Edge

-Edge hits the spear on McIntyre for good measure. Talk about a sore winner.

-WWE Superstars talk about just what a big deal Triple H vs. Undertaker at Wrestlemania is going to be.

Kelly Kelly and Rosa Mendes vs. Michelle McCool and Layla

I want to see more of Rosa Mendes. Take that how you will. LayCool are mocking Snooki during their entrance, complete with slippers. Kelly and Rosa interrupt LayCool’s rodeo (must be some sort of Jersey Shore reference that I don’t understand). Layla squares off with Rosa and gets knocked off her feet. Snap suplex by Rosa! Michelle distracts and Layla delivers a neck breaker for the win at 1:08. Short and inoffensive, this match served it’s purpose of putting over LayCool.
Winners: Layla and Michelle McCool

-LayCool stick around in the ring to talk some trash about their Wrestlemania opponents, Trash Stratus, John Snorisson, and Snooki. Snooki might be famous, but she isn’t flawless. Sheesh, who would have predicted how great LayCool would become?

-Hype video for Big Show and Kane vs. The Corre. I loved how the weeks of often tedious build for this feud resulted in a 90 second match at Wrestlemania.

Intercontinental Championship:
Kofi Kingston © vs. Wade Barrett (with The Corre)

Nice back and forth action in the early going. Kofi looks for a high risk move but Barrett kicks him off the turnbuckles. This gives Barrett the opening he needs to wear down his more energetic opponent. Kofi shows signs of life but runs into a side slam. Barrett misses a flying elbow drop! Kofi dodges a big boot and fights back with a series of quick offense. Flying cross body by Kofi! The Corre get involved after a Boom Drop. Kofi kicks Heath Slater off the apron but Barrett catches him with Wasteland. Barrett pins Kofi for the title at 5:18. This title change made sense seeing as Kingston had barely been seen on Smackdown at the time. This was a solid contest as well, Barrett and Kingston have great chemistry.
Winner and new Intercontinental Champion: Wade Barrett

-Justin Gabriel delivers a 450 splash on Kofi Kingston for good measure. The Corre hoist Barrett up on their shoulders in celebration. There appears to be no sign of conflict within the group.

-Alberto Del Rio argues with Theodore Long over his ruling from earlier. Del Rio accuses Long of not having the guts to ban him from Wrestlemania. Long reminds him that there have been 26 Wrestlemanias without Del Rio, so why not make it 27.

-We are graced by the arrival of The Undertaker! The Dead Man talks about how Triple H exposed his own uncertainty about ending the streak. Undertaker looks forward to telling this again to Triple H, on Raw, face to face. Whoopty doo!

Jack Swagger vs. R-Truth

Is it sad that I can’t even remember which brand these two belong to anymore? Swagger goes right to work on dishing out punishment on Truth. I’m pretty sure Truth is a Raw superstar, but right now he’s the Smackdown jobber of the week. Truth returns some punches but eats a hard Irish whip. Swagger is a bit overzealous and gets dumped to ringside. Truth dives onto Swagger but lands awkwardly on his shoulder. Swagger knocks Truth off the top again and goes to work on the leg. The ankle lock finishes it at 2:52. Jack Swagger’s credibility continues to rise.
Winner: Jack Swagger

-Michael Cole storms the ring and mocks R-Truth, who is still being held in Swagger’s ankle lock. Cole and Swagger share another entertaining victory lap.

Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez and Brodus Clay) vs. Christian (with Edge)

The bout kicks off with a main event shoving contest. They trade headlocks. Christian sends Del Rio crashing to ringside and follows up with a dive! Cue the commercial! Back from the break, Christian is still in control. Sadly, Del Rio counters by driving Christian into the barricade. Christian fights out of an armbar, but Del Rio retains control. Del Rio drives an elbow into Christian’s previously injured chest, and works over the arm. Christian counters with a head scissors off the top! Christian misses a flying cross body but Del Rio misses his leaping enziguri. Brodus Clay wipes Edge out at ringside. Meanwhile, Christian blocks the arm breaker. Del Rio blocks the Killswitch and nails an enziguri. Christian escapes the arm breaker! They wipe each other out with stereo clotheslines. Edge is back up and spears Clay! Edge loses his temper and destroys Clay with a chair. The distraction allows Christian to put Del Rio away with the Killswitch at 8:48 (shown). Highly entertaining main event this week! Christian + Del Rio = greatness. ***.
Winner: Christian

-Edge isn’t finished and slides into the ring with a chair. Christian pulls the chair away from Edge, reminding him of what Theodore Long said about not touching Del Rio. However, Long didn’t say anything about Christian not touching him, so Christian delivers a hard chair shot to Del Rio!

Final Thoughts: Fantastic show this week. There was a lot of solid ring work, angle advancement, and some key superstars got put over in the process. This was the last real Smackdown before Wrestlemania, as the following week consisted of Axxess footage and hype videos, and possibly a match or two. Big thumbs up!

back to WWE Smackdown reviews Index