Friday Night Smackdown!
Albany, New York
April 15, 2011
results thanks to wrestleview.com
They play a video highlighting some
of Edge's great moments. They play up his career and promote that he'll be
giving up the World Heavyweight Championship tonight. They call the title, "That
which defines his life."
Ricardo Rodriguez is in the ring. Alberto Del Rio makes his way to the ring in a
beautiful vintage Rolls Royce. Josh Mathews, Booker T, and Michael Cole, in the
Cole Mine, welcome us to the show. Del Rio reminds us of what his name is... but
tonight is not about him. Last Monday on Raw, when Edge announced his
retirement, the entire locker room and the WWE Universe lost a hero. When he
thinks about Edge he thinks about respect. In his 13 year WWE career he held
more championships than everybody, and now he's giving up on everything in this
incredible business. To be honest, he can't imagine how Edge feels right now.
This business was his life, his passion, his love.
Even if it was his destiny to be World Heavyweight Champion, he didn't want it
to be like this. Since Edge is here to surrender the title, and since he earned
the right to be the number one contender, he thinks it's fair and just that this
great athlete comes out right now to present him with the World Heavyweight
Championship.
The crowd chants for Edge but instead Teddy Long's music hits. The General
Manager makes his way to the ring and Del Rio doesn't look happy about this. Del
Rio shakes Long's hand. Long says it won't be going down like Del Rio wants
tonight. No one will be presenting him anything tonight. Del Rio reminds him
that he's the number one contender. Long says that's correct but he earned the
right to compete for the title at Extreme Rules in a Ladder Match. That's
exactly what Del Rio is going to do. As to who he'll be facing in the match, it
will be the man who wins in the main event, which will be a 20-man Battle Royal!
Del Rio says he should be the champion right here and right now. Del Rio talks
in Spanish and says this is a conspiracy. Del Rio says he never liked Teddy Long
and Long says that's how we roll here on Smackdown. Del Rio laughs and says he's
glad that he hurt Edge. Long looks at him with disgust. Del Rio says he's glad
he's the man who forced him to retire. It was his destiny to end up like a
crippled coward! It's his destiny to be the World Heavyweight Champion. Long
says right now it's Del Rio's destiny to shut up and he leaves the ring.
-Commercial Break-
Ezekiel Jackson is already in the ring. I'd normally call this a JOBBER ALERT
but I have a feeling that's not going to be the case. The rest of The Corre is
on commentary.
Ezekiel Jackson vs. Kofi Kingston
They lock up and Jackson powers him back. Jackson shows off his guns so Kingston
kicks and punches him to the corner. Kingston backs up and goes for a running
splash but Jackson pushes him off. Jackson picks him up and clubs him right back
down. Jackson hits a nasty body slam. Jackson sends him to the corner but
Kingston hits a springboard axe handle. The Corre is arguing on commentary about
who will win the battle royal. Kingston punches, ducks a clothesline, and
dropkicks Jackson out of the ring. Kingston hits a baseball slide, taking
Jackson down. Kingston goes outside and Jackson pushes him into the apron.
Jackson gets Kingston in a military press and throws him into The Corre!
Kingston kicks Jackson getting into the ring. All of a sudden Wade Barrett tries
to get into the ring, distracting Kingston. Jackson uses the distraction to knee
Kingston and hit the Book of Ezekiel for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Ezekiel Jackson
Match Rating: *
Wade Barrett doesn't look happy about inadvertently helping Jackson get the win.
Jackson says after tonight's Battle Royal, the three of The Corre, and everyone
in the WWE Universe will know why he is the personification of domination. He
will be the NEW number one contender. Jackson then leaves the ring by himself.
Tonight Edge will surrender the World Heavyweight Championship.
-Commercial Break-
They show a video from earlier in the week of Lay-Cool in couple's therapy.
Michelle McCool isn't happy about being there. Layla tries to make things work
but McCool won't have any of it. McCool says she's been carrying Layla for
years. McCool tells Layla to stop stealing her spotlight and trying to be her.
The therapist tried to speak but they cut him off. McCool leaves and Layla asks
the therapist if they can have the same time next week.
Cody Rhodes is in the ring. I love his music. Rhodes says after he defeated Rey
Mysterio at WrestleMania in what he thought would be the biggest moment of his
life he expected to feel vindicated. Instead he feels nothing. It's not enough
and tonight he will compete in the Battle Royal for a chance to compete for the
World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules. Will that be enough? If he wins
the title, is there a victory or a moment that will erase from his memory the
disfigurement? The monster that stared back in the mirror at him after Rey
Mysterio purposely crushed his face.
Everyone knows Mysterio is a father and he's sure countless nights he's tucked
his children into bed. Rhodes says he's sure he's assured his kids that there's
no monster in the closet or under the bed. Rhodes says he's not going to stop
until Mysterio looks like the monster. Rhodes says he will stop at nothing until
Mysterio's face looks like his, and that is vindication! Rhodes reveals his face
from under the hood.
Rey Mysterio's music hits and he runs down to the ring. Rhodes cuts him off but
Mysterio quickly hits a head-scissors, putting him in position. Rhodes stops him
before he hits the 619 so Mysterio kicks him in the face. Mysterio then hits a
619 to Rhodes's midsection. Rhodes falls out of the ring and backs up the ramp.
Rhodes puts the hood back over his face.
-Commercial Break-
The Awesome Kong segment airs again where she knocks the head off a Barbie doll.
I love that laugh. It's so creepy.
Rey Mysterio vs. Drew McIntyre
They have a stare down and Mysterio slaps McIntyre's hand out of his face.
Mysterio kicks and punches away at McIntyre. McIntyre cuts him off, sends him to
the corner but misses a splash. Mysterio goes into the ropes and runs into a
powerslam, giving McIntyre a two count. McIntyre punches away at Mysterio's
face. McIntyre hits a nice backbreaker for a near fall. McIntyre hits a jumping
stomp onto the face before dragging him to the apron and stomping his face
again. McIntyre hits a snap suplex for another near fall. McIntyre sends him to
the corner hard and goes for another backbreaker but Mysterio counters with a
head-scissor takeover. McIntyre avoids the 619 with a kick. Mysterio is sent
into the ropes and kicks McIntyre in the face. Mysterio then hits a nice
dropkick, sending McIntyre out of the ring.
Mysterio baseball slides him into the barricade. Mysterio goes to give him a
hurricanrana on the outside but McIntyre reverses the momentum. McIntyre then
slams Mysterio into the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Mysterio trapped in an arm bar. Mysterio
fights up and tries to fight out but McIntyre stops him. Mysterio flips out of a
back suplex and sends McIntyre out of the ring. Booker T incorrectly calls
McIntyre Wade Barrett. Mysterio kicks McIntyre coming in the ring and leg drops
him back into the ring for a near fall. Mysterio goes into the ropes, ducks a
clothesline, and gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall.
McIntyre stomps away and hits some clubs to the chest. McIntyre grinds his face
into the mat and stomps the face again. McIntyre goes to work on the arm but
Mysterio gets out. McIntyre sends him to the corner and hits a running shoulder
thrust. McIntyre goes for another but Mysterio leapfrogs him and he goes
shoulder first into the ring post.
Mysterio goes to the top rope and hits a seated senton. Mysterio ducks a
clothesline and hits a head-scissors takeover. Mysterio kicks him hits a
springboard cross-body for a near fall. McIntyre kicks goes for a sunset flip
but Mysterio rolls through. Mysterio goes into the ropes and eats a big boot for
a near fall. McIntyre goes for the Future Shock DDT but Mysterio gets out.
McIntyre goes for a powerbomb but Mysterio punches and gets on the second rope.
Mysterio then springboards into a tornado DDT for a near fall. Mysterio kicks
him in the face and McIntyre takes him out with a clothesline from his knees!
McIntyre hits a stiff clothesline in the corner and goes for a short-arm but
Mysterio flies through and gets him in position. Mysterio hits the 619 and a
splash off the top rope for the win!
LWinner by Pinfall: Rey Mysterio
Match Rating: ** 1/2
Booker T talks about how he fought Edge at WrestleMania X-8 and says he'll miss
him a whole lot. They then play an awesome career retrospective on Edge. There's
so much great stuff from him over the years and this was an amazing video. If
you haven't seen it then I suggest you find it somewhere.
Edge is walking backstage with the World Heavyweight Title. The locker room is
clapping for him. Edge hugs Deal Malenko, Matt Striker, and Chavo Guerrero. Edge
then walks into Kane and they shake hands. Edge will relinquish the World
Heavyweight Championship next.
-Commercial Break-
Edge's music hits and the World Heavyweight Champion makes his way to the ring
for the last time with the title. The crowd gives him a standing ovation. This
is already a strong moment. The crowd is chanting, "Thank You Edge". Like I did
on Raw, I'll provide a transcription of what is said because it's important.
"I will never get tired of that. For those of you that may have missed it, it's
true. I am being forced to retire. What it's made me do is open my eyes to
everything again, you know, and really soak all of these experiences up. It's
almost like I'm seeing this all again for the very first time, like my entrance.
I've been involved in some of the most insane matches in the history of the WWE.
Some of the most insane moments, whether it was helping to create the TLC match
– Tables, Ladders, and Chairs – whether it was 20-foot Super-Spears, diving into
flaming tables with thumbtacks in my back, whether it was Elimination Chamber
matches, or Hell in a Cell matches with the Undertaker. No matter what, every
time that I was going into a match like that, or taking red eye flights and been
up all night or for two days because of our travel schedule. No matter what, as
soon as I came down that ramp with my music playing, which I may be biased
because it is the coolest music in WWE, and I have to thank the guys from
Alterbridge for giving me that song. No matter what, and hearing you guys, all
of you, feeding me that energy..."
The crowd chants, "Thank You Edge" again.
"Every time I came out here you guys gave me goose bumps. I have to do that one
more time. If you guys will bear with me, I'm going back there and doing that
one last time."
Edge puts the championship on the turnbuckle and runs to the back. His music
hits and he makes his entrance one last time. What an awesome moment this is. I
love it.
"Man I got out of shape already! That tired me out! Listen; since I announced my
retirement, the outpouring of everyone from the WWE Universe has been insane and
awesome. A lot of people are sad and disappointed that my career was forced to
come to an end but I think everyone is actually happy and positive that WWE and
our team of doctors caught this before I was in a ladder match and I landed and
couldn't get up. So that's good – that's a positive. I'm happy about that. I'm
happy about looking at the rest of my life from here. I'm happy about the fact
that me and my girl are going to take the dogs and go hiking in the mountains,
go surfing down in Nicaragua. I can't wait.
"I'm happy about the fact that I get to wear one of my two suits. I'm not much
of a suit guy as you can tell. I figured if I was going out I might as well go
out in style. By the way, I bought it for $100 at JCPenney. I'm happy that I got
to come to Albany. I really am. I'm not just blowing smoke because Albany holds
a special place for me. This is where I won my very first WWE Championship. It's
a little known fact but I was sitting in Albany in a rental car when I came up
with the name Edge.
"What makes me most happy, and this is going to be the tough part, is that my
mom could be here tonight. There she is right there. She's going to be all shy
and timid and everything but that is the strongest woman that I have ever met.
That woman right there..."
The crowd cheers wildly for Edge's mom. They chant, "Thank You Mom!"
"She instilled the strength in me to make it this far – to come through the
broken necks and the torn Achilles tendons. If it wasn't for her then I wouldn't
be standing here right now. Without her support over the years then I wouldn't
be able to do it. Maybe everyone here give their moms a call tonight. And, I'm
happy to be here in front of you.
"I don't want it to get all sappy and corny, though it already has, to me, this
World Heavyweight Championship has meant absolutely everything to me. I worked
my entire career to hold this. But, it's not just mine – it never has been. It's
not anyone else's in that locker room. To me, each and every one of you holds a
piece of this – it's symbolic. But now it's time for me to come out here and do
what I have to do, and that is relinquish the World Heavyweight Championship.
It's cool – I got to do it man. In closing, I really, really just want to thank
all of you because this has been one hell of a career and it's been one hell of
a ride. Thank you. Thank you very much."
Edge poses with the title one last time before laying it in the center of the
ring. Edge stands over it and slowly leaves the ring. Edge hugs his mother and
leaves to the back. Another tremendous and real moment. Thank you, Edge.
The 20-man Battle Royal is still to come tonight to determine who will face
Alberto Del Rio at Extreme Rules for the now vacant World Heavyweight
Championship.
The trailer for "That's What I Am" plays. No thanks.
-Commercial Break-
Edge is backstage with Rosa Mendes. She talks in Spanish and he says he has no
idea she just said but she had him at... some word in Spanish. Rosa says she'll
miss him so much when Alberto Del Rio walks up behind him. They have a stare
down and Del Rio offers his hand. Edge declines to shake it so Del Rio winks at
him. Edge walks off and Del Rio smiles.
Kelly Kelly vs. Layla w/ Michelle McCool
Layla kicks Kelly down and slams her down. Layla bounces her off the mat a few
times. Kelly kicks and hits a Thesz Press with some punches. Kelly slaps her on
the butt and Layla kicks her down. Layla sends her to the ropes but runs into a
boot. Kelly then applies an illegal head-scissor. Kelly sweeps the feet and rips
her out of the ring. Kelly bounces her face off the mats outside. Layla sends
her into the ring apron and kicks Kelly down. Kelly sends her into the Cole Mine
and Layla has a stare down with Layla. Kelly then hits an X-Factor on the
outside. Kelly gets in the ring for a count-out but McCool throws Layla into the
ring. Kelly rolls her up for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Kelly Kelly
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Michelle McCool gets in the ring and talks a little trash to Layla. Layla says
she's sorry but McCool walks off on her. Layla grabs her arm so McCool pushes
her off. McCool walks to the back still talking trash to Layla.
Tonight we'll see the 20-man Battle Royal.
-Commercial Break-
The Smack of the Night was Jerry "The King" Lawler beating Jack Swagger on Raw
to get another shot at Michael Cole at Extreme Rules. It will be a tag team
match with King and JR taking on Cole and Swagger. That's trouble for Cole
because he slapped Swagger in the face moments before the match was made.
Booker T is laughing at Michael Cole and asks how he could be so stupid. Cole
says he let his emotions get the best of him and he apologizes to him. Cole says
he'll somehow make this right between them.
They play a video of the WWE Superstars and Legends talking about Triple H vs.
Undertaker at WrestleMania.
It's Battle Royal Time! Big Show makes his way to the ring. 19 other men will
make their way to the ring during the break.
-Commercial Break-
Alberto Del Rio makes his way to ringside to watch the match take place.
20-Man Battle Royal
Big Show vs. Brodus Clay vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Wade Barrett vs. Heath Slater vs.
Justin Gabriel vs. Ezekiel Jackson vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Tyler Reks vs. Trent
Barreta vs. Jack Swagger vs. Yoshi Tatsu vs. Curt Hawkins vs. Kofi Kingston vs.
Rey Mysterio vs. JTG vs. Chavo Guerrero vs. Chris Masters vs. Christian vs. Kane
The winner of this match will face Alberto Del Rio in a ladder match at Extreme
Rules for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship.
The bell rings and everyone starts fighting. It's a big cluster you-know-what to
start out. Big Show quickly eliminates JTG and Trent Barreta. Cody Rhodes and
Rey Mysterio are fighting it out, trying to eliminate one another. Big Show
throws Heath Slater to the apron. Big Show knocks Slater off with the WMD. Big
Show then clotheslines Ezekiel Jackson over the top rope but his momentum takes
him out as well!
Kane goes to work on Cody Rhodes. Swagger and McIntyre are working on getting
Kingston out of the ring. We'll take a commercial break here.
-Commercial Break-
Mysterio elbows Rhodes away but Rhodes hangs him in the tree of woe. Chris
Masters stops him from eliminating Mysterio. Kane works on Wade Barrett but he
escapes. Clay takes Hawkins's head off in the corner. Chavo goes around the ring
taking little shots on everyone. Mysterio knocks Rhodes to the apron and hits a
springboard dropkick, eliminating him! Hawkins then gets Mysterio on his
shoulders and Mysterio hits a hurricanrana, taking him over the top rope as
well! Mysterio gets back in the ring as Kane clotheslines Tyler Reks in the
corner. Masters goes for a Masterlock on the apron on McIntyre. McIntyre escapes
but Brodus Clay eliminates him. Chavo jumps on Clay's back and he rips Chavo
off, sending him to the outside!
Kane and Brodus Clay face off. They duke it out and Kane goes for a Chokeslam
but Clay gets out. Clay knocks him down and goes for a powerslam. Kane slides
off and eliminates Clay!
-Commercial Break-
Kingston skins the cat and goes to eliminate Barrett but he gets eliminated!
Masters and Reks duke it out in the ring. Kane goes nuts, wildly punching at
Gabriel. Gabriel tries to eliminate Kane but he's too big. Christian drops Reks
on the apron but he can't get him off. Christian then snaps Reks off the top
rope, eliminating him. Jack Swagger works over Yoshi Tatsu, who isn't on the
Smackdown roster. Swagger makes him pay by eliminating Tatsu.
Gabriel jumps into a Chokeslam attempt and Barrett gets caught as well. Barrett
and Gabriel get out of it and clothesline Kane over the top rope! Masters chops
Barrett in the corner but he gets dropped to the apron. Masters goes for a
Masterlock but Barrett gets out and big boots him off! Justin Gabriel then comes
from behind and eliminates Barrett!
Christian, Jack Swagger, Rey Mysterio, and Justin Gabriel remain. Christian
works on Swagger and Mysterio works on Gabriel. Christian nearly has Swagger out
of the ring. Gabriel takes Mysterio out with a roundhouse kick. Swagger starts
working over Christian as Mysterio puts Gabriel into position. Gabriel ducks the
619. Gabriel goes for a powerbomb but Mysterio hits a hurricanrana that takes
him over the top rope!
Mysterio and Christian fight it out. Del Rio is standing and looking stressed.
Mysterio ducks a clothesline and hits a springboard cross-body. Swagger nearly
eliminates Mysterio but he holds on. Mysterio shoulder blocks Swagger and hits a
top rope diving hurricanrana! Michael Cole runs up and hugs Swagger. Mysterio
hits a 619 and Cole takes the full brunt of it! Mysterio goes for another
hurricanrana to get Swagger over but Swagger holds on and Mysterio falls to the
floor!
It's down to Christian and Jack Swagger. One of these men will face Alberto Del
Rio in a ladder match at Extreme Rules for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Swagger stomps away at Christian and goes for the Vader Bomb but Christian pops
up and tries to eliminate him! Swagger fights him off and kicks him in the face.
Swagger stomps away at him. They tussle to the apron and Christian goes to
pendulum kick him off but Swagger catches the ankle! Swagger drags him back into
the ring with the Ankle Lock. Christian rolls out of it but Swagger quickly gets
back on top. Swagger picks him up but Christian slides off and tries to
eliminate him. Swagger fights out and kicks Christian away. Swagger throws
Christian and walks away, thinking Christian went over but he stays on the
apron.
Del Rio tries to pull Christian off the apron but Christian fights him off.
Swagger charges but Christian pulls the top rope down and eliminates him!!
Winner of the Battle Royal: Christian
Match Rating: ** 1/2
Alberto Del Rio looks none too happy about what just happened. He'll now have to
face Christian at Extreme Rules in a Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight
Championship!
Edge comes down to the ring and hugs his best friend of 27 years. What a
tremendous moment this was. Del Rio points at the World Heavyweight Championship
as Edge raises Christian's hand.