Friday Night Smackdown!
Dayton, Ohio
September 23, 2011
results thanks to pwtorch.com
The Smackdown video plays and we're
brought into the arena to see the Smackdown roster at ringside. In the ring is
WWE's Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis. In Triple
H's absence, he has assembled the Smackdown roster to discuss the accusations
that Triple H, as COO, has lost control of WWE. That chaos engulfed Raw and
culminated in the dismissal of two premiere superstars – R-Truth and The Miz.
Laurinaitis says he has changed his mind and believes that Triple H has control
of the situation. Some superstars and fans may not agree, but on Monday night,
when he looked into Triple H's eyes, he saw resolve and determination. When
Triple H gets here tonight, he hopes we see that in him, too.
Now, without further adieu, he'd like to announce the new World Heavyweight
Champion Mark Henry. Henry makes his way to the ring to a chorus of boos with
his World Heavyweight Championship on his shoulder. The WWE superstars at
ringside clear a path for him. Henry gets in the ring and shakes hands with
Laurinaitis. Henry says it's taken him fifteen years to earn this title, and
it'll take fifteen more before somebody takes it away from him. There is no man
here that's going to take what he has. Henry specifically calls out Ezekiel
Jackson, saying he didn't believe in Henry. Henry says Teddy Long didn't
believe. Now they believe.
Triple H's music hits, and WWE's COO makes his way to the ring. Triple H gets in
the ring and offers his hand to Henry, but Henry won't shake it. Triple H
continues to hold it out. Henry just hands him the microphone.
Before Triple H can get a word out, Christian says, "Hold on," and enters the
ring. Christian says that on behalf of himself, for the roster and the entire
world, he wants to say that Triple H is doing a great job as the COO of WWE.
Christian says that Triple H's treatment of the superstars on Smackdown has been
exemplary, and he appreciates it. Triple H's credo has been to "lead by
example," and as a former two-time World Heavyweight Champion, that's
Christian's credo as well. Christian points to the roster at ringside and says
they all look to him as a leader. Christian says he's kind of a big deal. Even
though "you know who" is the champion, Christian asks if Triple H can see
Henry's face on a billboard. Henry takes exception, but Triple H calms him down.
Christian says that he's the face of Smackdown, and for him to be the leader
that he knows he can be, he kind of needs to be the World Heavyweight Champion.
Christian says he deserves one more match to become the champion. Christian says
after Hell in a Cell, when "you know who" chokes in his match, he'll be the guy
that will pick up the rings and lead Smackdown. He'll embarrass and beat Randy
Orton to become a three-time World Heavyweight Champion.
Triple H thanks the superstars for coming out, and assures them all that he is
in complete control of Raw, Smackdown, and all of WWE. Triple H appreciates
Christian stepping up as a leader. Triple H does lead by example, and he'll give
Christian that opportunity to do so in front of all these WWE superstars. Triple
H means that literally as they'll surround the ring in a lumberjack match. In
that match, their leader will go one-on-one for the World Heavyweight
Championship against "you know who," Mark Henry. The winner of that match will
face Randy Orton at Hell in a Cell. Christian does not look happy and turns
around to go face-to-face with Mark Henry. Christian quickly gets out of the
ring and stares at all the WWE superstars looking at him.
Sheamus is backstage putting his gear on. He'll be in action next.
-Commercial Break-
JOBBER ALERT: Heath Slater is in the ring with no TV entrance.
Heath Slater vs. Sheamus
Michael Cole calls this "Ronald McDonald vs. The Wendy's girl". They lock up and
Sheamus powers him to the corner. Sheamus gives a clean break and Slater circles
him. Slater gets a side headlock applied, but Sheamus whips him off and shoulder
blocks him down. Slater talks a little trash and shoves Sheamus. Sheamus
responds by clotheslining him down. Sheamus clubs him and stretches him out
through the ropes. Sheamus viciously hammers away at the chest, gets on the
apron, and hits a running knee to the face. Sheamus bounces him in the corner
and beats him down. Slater elbows and kicks him before dropping him with a
neckbreaker for a one count. Slater clubs away at him and applies a chin lock.
Slater fights up and punches out. Sheamus goes for a powerslam, but Slater gets
out. Slater hits another neckbreaker for a one count. Slater covers again for
the same result.
Sheamus looks really fired up as he gets to his feet. Sheamus clotheslines him
down twice and whips him to the corner. Sheamus runs into a boot, but is able to
catch Slater charging with a powerslam. Sheamus splashes Slater against the
ropes and hits a running knee to the face. Sheamus goes to the top rope and hits
a diving shoulder block. Sheamus gets the crowd pumped up and kills Slater with
a Brogue Kick for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Sheamus
Match Rating: N/A
The Great Khali is backstage and Christian walks up to him. Christian says he
has a World Heavyweight Title match tonight and says that one day Khali will
have one as well. Christian asks if Khali would want to face someone like Henry
for the title, a guy who has taken out giants like Khali, or would he want to
face someone smaller, but smarter and craftier, of course. Christian asks if
Khali understands anything he's saying. Khali says he understands that Christian
is small. Christian laughs and says he's small like everyone is compared to
Khali. Khali says only Christian is small. Christian walks away saying they have
a deal, but Khali never actually said that.
-Commercial Break-
Wade Barrett vs. Justin Gabriel
They show a replay of the end of last week's tag team match that saw Sheamus and
Justin Gabriel defeat Wade Barrett and Christian. Barrett is apparently upset
that Gabriel pinned him with the 450 Splash last week.
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee ever, is the official. Gabriel gets a side
headlock and Barrett takes him down by the hair. Barrett punches him in the
corner. Gabriel chops back, but Barrett punches him down. Barrett puts him
between the ropes and knees him in the midsection. Barrett the big boots him,
and Gabriel falls to the outside. Barrett quickly puts him back in the ring for
a two count. Barrett sends him to the corner, and Gabriel catches him with a
head-scissor takeover that takes Barrett out of the ring. Gabriel follows up
with a summersault plancha! Gabriel rolls him into the ring and hits a
springboard moonsault for a near fall. Gabriel kicks away at Barrett and goes
for an STO, but Barrett elbows out. Gabriel eventually gets him with it and goes
to the apron. Barrett surprises him with a big boot and hits The Wasteland for
the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Wade Barrett
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Later tonight we'll see Randy Orton take on Cody Rhodes in a non-title match.
-Commercial Break-
Matt Striker is backstage with Randy Orton. Striker says this is Orton's first
match since losing the title. Striker asks if he has a comment on facing Cody
Rhodes. Orton simply says, "No". Orton says his only thought has been going to
hell. Like the song says, "Hell ain't no bad place to be," especially if that's
where you go to become World Heavyweight Champion, again. He'll drag Mark Henry
to the depths with him, or maybe Christian, who already has a permanent
residence. Either way, when he comes back from Hell, he'll be the World
Heavyweight Champion.
The announcers talk about the Hell in a Cell event that, by the way, is only
eight days away. They play a hype video for it.
Christian is backstage with Ezekiel Jackson. Jackson says he understands that
Christian wants him to help beat Mark Henry tonight. Christian says he never
said that. Christian says he's been World Heavyweight Champion before, and
Jackson hasn't. Christian says he knows that Jackson is the Personification of
Domination, and as a former World Champion, he can see talent a mile away.
Christian sees Jackson being a future champion. Christian says they have an
agreement and walks off. Jackson never said they had an agreement.
Tonight's main event will be a Lumberjack Match for the World Heavyweight
Championship. It's Christian taking on Mark Henry.
-Commercial Break-
JOBBER ALERTS: AJ and Kaitlyn are in the ring with no TV entrance.
AJ & Kaitlyn vs. Beth Phoenix & Natalya
Kaitlyn starts out against Natalya. Natalya powers her to the corner and backs
up. Kaitlyn sidesteps Natalya and takes a dropkick. Natalya sends her into the
ropes and chokes her. Beth kicks Kaitlyn in the face for good measure. Natalya
tags in Beth and they hit a double delayed vertical suplex. Beth rubs Kaitlyn's
face in the mat. Kaitlyn fights her off and tags in AJ. AJ forearms Beth and
sidesteps her. AJ clotheslines and dropkicks her in the knee. AJ hits the
shining wizard for a near fall. Kaitlyn takes out Natalya trying to interfere.
Beth counters a head-scissor by kicking her in the midsection. Beth drags her to
the center of the ring and hits the Glam Slam for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Beth Phoenix & Natalya
Match Rating: N/A
Randy Orton will take on Cody Rhodes in a non-title match next.
-Commercial Break-
Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes
They show a replay of Cody Rhodes defeating Randy Orton on Raw last week. Rhodes
hit Orton in the face with his facemask while Mark Henry distracted Orton. They
made it a point to let us know that Booker T is not happy getting a bag.
Orton sidesteps Rhodes and kicks away at him. Orton throws him outside and beats
on him at ringside. Orton throws him into the barricade and rolls him into the
ring. Rhodes chop blocks Orton getting back in the ring and works on the knee.
Orton reverses a whip to the corner and punches away at Rhodes. Rhodes quickly
kicks Orton in the knee and works over it by dropping some elbows. Rhodes slams
the knee into the mat. Orton comes back with some punches and sends him to the
corner. Rhodes kicks him in the knee and smashes it against the ring post a few
times. Rhodes removes the top turnbuckle pad and the referee yells at him. As
the referee fixes the corner, Rhodes removes his facemask and smashes it on
Orton. Rhodes picks up a near fall. Orton looks intense as he gets up. Orton
blocks a kick and rips Rhodes's mask off and hits him in the face with it right
in front of the referee. The referee disqualifies him.
Winner by Disqualification: Cody Rhodes
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Orton looks insane and he hits Rhodes again with it. Orton viciously smashes it
against his face and the crowd gets into it. Orton hits a nasty draping DDT on
Rhodes and another referee runs down to try to calm Orton down. Orton throws
Rhodes out of the ring and takes the ring bell. Orton smashes it against
Rhodes's face. There is a TON of blood at ringside. Orton clears the announcer's
table and puts Rhodes on top of it. Rhodes's blood is everywhere, including on
Orton's body. Orton hits him with an RKO on top of the table and has a crazy
look on his face.
Sheamus is in his locker room and Christian walks in. Sheamus looks
apprehensive, but Christian gives him a potato. Christian says the Irish love
potatoes, so it's a peace offering. Sheamus says the Irish do love potatoes
since it's all they eat. Christian says even though Sheamus kicked him in the
face, he promises he'll give him a title shot when he becomes champion again.
Christian asks if Sheamus will be out there for the Lumberjack match. Sheamus
says he'll be out there for sure. Christian says he appreciates it. Sheamus
thanks him for the potato. Christian walks off. Sheamus bites into the potato
and quickly spits it out. Sheamus says it's not from Ireland; it's from Idaho.
Tonight's main event is a World Heavyweight Championship Lumberjack Match
pitting Mark Henry against Christian.
-Commercial Break-
They play a scene from "Haven" starring Edge.
The Great Khali vs. Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal order Khali to lay down, but Khali shakes his head. Mahal kicks
Khali, but Khali pushes him into the ropes and clotheslines him down. Khali
chops the chest and Mahal gets out of the ring. Mahal blindsides him and hits a
DDT. Mahal drops a knee for a near fall. Mahal applies a front face lock, but
Khali fights up and flapjacks him off. Khali clotheslines him down a pair of
times and forearms him in the face. Khali hits the Punjabi Plunge and pins him
with his foot for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: The Great Khali
Match Rating: N/A
Mark Henry will try to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against
Christian in a Lumberjack Match.
-Commercial Break-
Sin Cara vs. Daniel Bryan
This looks like the original Sin Cara. He has a much more svelte look than the
evil Sin Cara. They shake hands and circle the ring. They lock up and Bryan gets
a side headlock. Cara whips him off, but Bryan takes him down with a headlock.
Cara gets out with a head-scissor. Bryan quickly comes back with a Mexican
surfboard. Bryan turns it to a pin, but Cara is too close to the ropes. Bryan
sends him to the corner and runs into a boot. Cara goes for a victory roll, but
Bryan blocks it. Cara drags him off and hits a springboard cross-body for a near
fall. Cara goes for a wheelbarrow bulldog, but Bryan counters into a German
suplex for a near fall. Cara backflips through a suplex and hits a handspring
back elbow. There seemed to be some miscommunication on that move. Bryan rolls
out of the ring.
Cara goes to the apron and hits a running hurricanrana that sends Bryan into the
steel steps. Cara goes to the top rope and the bad Sin Cara runs down to push
him off the top rope. The referee was checking on Bryan, so he never saw this.
The bad Sin Cara hits a top rope Swanton Bomb for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Sin Cara
Match Rating: *
Christian is outside Randy Orton's locker room and knocks. Zack Ryder comes out
and Christian says he was great on Raw with Hugh Jackman. Christian says he
could be the "Broski of the Week". Ryder says he'd love to help Christian, but
he's the Assistant General Manager of Smackdown, so it'd be a conflict of
interest. Ryder takes a call from Hugh Jackman and walks off.
-Commercial Break-
Air Boom vs. The Usos
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee, is back for a second match. Bourne starts
out against Jey. They lock up and have a clean break. Bourne spin kicks him down
for a one count. Jimmy is tagged in and he hits a spinning sidewalk slam for a
near fall. Jey is tagged back in. The brothers combine for a backbreaker/top
rope elbow double team. Jimmy hits a running butt bump to the face for a near
fall. Jimmy applies a chin lock, but Bourne gets up and kicks out. Bourne elbows
Jey and hits a hurricanrana DDT on Jimmy.
Kingston is tagged in and he hits a springboard clothesline on Jimmy. Kingston
hits some chops and a big dropkick. Jimmy sidesteps him and eats a pendulum
kick. Kingston hits a springboard cross-body for a near fall. Kingston knocks
Jey off the apron and turns into a superkick from Jimmy, which gets him a near
fall. Jey is tagged in and they go for a double team Samoan Drop, but Kingston
counters into a sloppy hurricanrana. Kingston hits the Trouble in Paradise and
tags in Bourne for the Air Bourne. The pinfall is academic.
Winners by Pinfall: Air Boom
Match Rating: * 1/4
The World Heavyweight Championship Lumberjack Match is next.
-Commercial Break-
The Raw Rebound plays.
They show the lumberjacks at ringside. Christian and Mark Henry make their way
to the ring. The match is next.
-Commercial Break-
World Heavyweight Championship Lumberjack Match
Christian vs. Mark Henry (c)
The lumberjacks for this match are Kofi Kingston, Titus O'Neil, Percy Jackson,
Johnny Curtis, Wade Barrett, Heath Slater, Ezekiel Jackson, The Usos, Justin
Gabriel, Darren Young, The Great Khali, Zack Ryder, Ted DiBiase, Yoshi Tatsu,
Trent Barreta, Sin Cara, Evan Bourne, Tyson Kidd, Jinder Mahal, Daniel Bryan,
Derrick Bateman, and JTG.
The bell rings and they circle the ring. Christian goes to leave the ring, but
the lumberjacks gather to stop him. They lock up and Henry powers him down.
Christian avoids a stomp and gets a waist lock. Henry backs him to the corner
and elbows him in the face. Henry sends him into the corner sternum first and
talks a little trash. Henry sends him to the ropes. Christian ducks a
clothesline and hits some punches. Christian goes into the ropes and Henry grabs
him by the neck. Henry tosses him over the top rope. Ezekiel Jackson keeps the
other lumberjacks away, and then attacks Christian. Jackson throws him in and
Henry covers for a near fall. Henry head-butts him down and applies a nerve
hold. Henry sends him to the ropes and hits a flapjack for a near fall. Henry
goes back to the nerve hold. Christian quickly kicks Henry in the head and
punches. Christian jumps off the second rope into a bear hug. Henry powers him
to the corner and charges, but Christian sidesteps him.
Christian punches away at him and goes for a clothesline, but Henry doesn't
fall. Christian tries again, but Henry doesn't fall. Henry sends him to the
corner and runs into some boots. Christian hits a missile dropkick and Henry
stumbles. Christian hits another missile dropkick and Henry goes down. Christian
covers for a near fall. Christian goes for the Kill Switch, but Henry elbows
him. Henry clotheslines him down for a near fall. Christian kicks Henry and goes
for a diving sunset flip, but Henry doesn't go down. Henry tries to flatten him,
but Christian moves. Henry goes outside the ring and pulls Christian out as
well. The entire roster punches away at Henry, but he pushes them all away.
Henry press slams Trent Barreta into the entire roster, and they all go down.
The Great Khali is the only one standing, and he looks stunned.
Christian stays outside the ring and looks terrified. Christian goes to leave,
but Sheamus runs down and throws him into the ring. Henry immediately kills him
with the World's Strongest Slam and wins his first championship defense.
Winner & still World Heavyweight Champion: Mark Henry
Match Rating: * 1/4
Randy Orton's music hits and he runs down to the ring. Orton and Henry stand in
the ring until Orton attacks. Henry pushes an RKO attempt away, but Orton comes
right back with a dropkick that sends Henry out of the ring. Henry does not look
happy as the show ends. Henry holds the title up.