Friday Night Smackdown!

Biloxi, Mississippi
October 7, 2011
results thanks to pwtorch.com

[Q1]

-They opened with clips from the show-closing angle on WWE Raw on Monday focused on the "No Confidence" vote wrestlers and personnel made regarding Triple H as COO. They played sad music as the last of everyone walked off including, finally, Jim Ross followed by a glare by John Laurinaitis.

-They went to Smackdown G.M. Teddy Long telling Triple H on his cell phone he won't let him down. Zach Ryder walked in and said he was just doing what everyone else was doing when he walked out. He said he's leaving SD in his hands to avoid a walkout like happened on Raw. Ryder asked if he was going to fire everyone or step down. Long said he didn't ask and it's none of his business. Long said Raw's loss is Smackdown's gain, "so let's get to it."

-The Smackdown opening aired. Then pyro blasted in the arena as Josh Mathews and Michael Cole introduced the show. Cole hyped Big Show's return.

-Vickie Guerrero welcomed everyone to the one year anniversary of Smackdown on SyFy. Standing in the ring were the wrestlers who aligned with a legal grievance. Christian stepped up and said welcome to what historians will refer to as "The Walkout." Christian said he had the guts to stand up to Triple H regarding how he was running Raw. He said his actions inspired the entire walkout. Dolph Ziggler said they all banded together to call attention to Triple H's lack of leadership skills. He said every WWE Superstar followed their lead when they walked out on Raw.

David Otunga stepped up and said they had no choice but to walk out since Triple H fostered an unsafe working environment. He said they're prepared to walkout of not just Raw, but also Smackdown and PPVs if Triple H doesn't step down. Wade Barrett said it doesn't need to come to that. He said Triple H needs a good long hard look at himself and he'll see the chaos that followed his being appointed COO. Cody Rhodes told everyone to shut up while he was talking. He ripped on Triple H's leadership and said his head grew so large there wasn't a paper bag that could cover it.

Jack Swagger asked the fans to show some respect. He told them they're pathetic. He said WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio deserves their respect. The champion of Raw then walked out with the title belt around his waist. Cole said he's sure to become the de facto leader of this group since he is the WWE Champion. As he walked out, Mathews said as the show progresses, he wants to find out why Booker and Cole walked out on Raw.

Del Rio said when the WWE Champion talks, they shut up and listen. He said he survived Triple H's tricks at Hell in the Cell. He said because of his presence he inspired every competitor on Raw to follow him. He said they will not return to Raw until Triple H steps down. He said the reason the WWE Champion from Raw is on Smackdown is to compete and show the entire world what they'll be missing next Monday on Raw. Long's music interrupted and he strutted onto the stage.

Long said if they're going to blab on and on, the next people to walk out will be the audience. Long told Cody and Christian to get to the back and prepare themselves for the main event against Sheamus and Randy Orton. Long said he appreciates Del Rio gracing them with his presence, and his match is next. He said he specifically requested this opponent, and for once he's on the same page as him. Del Rio will face Sin Cara next. Del Rio said there is only one Mexican sensation better than any Mexican or American, and his name is Alberto Del Rio. Cole said he agrees with that. Mathews said it's the first match ever between those two.

[Q2] [c]

1 -- ALBERTO DEL RIO (w/Ricardo Rodrigues) vs. SIN CARA AZUL

Ricardo introduced Del Rio as both stood center ring. Del Rio attacked Sin Cara at the bell. Booker said Del Rio is on fire (cliche alert). Cole said he will not be at ringside on Monday unless Triple H steps down. Del Rio release back suplexed Cara onto the back of his head. They showed it in slo-mo. Cole said all of the champions in WWE are here, adding, "This is an absolute boom time here on Friday Night Smackdown." Del Rio settled into a chinlock. Booker interrupted Cole and Mathews to call the chinlock strategy "spectacular." Cole said he thinks Jerry Lawler was actually responsible for the walkout. Del Rio fended off brief offense by Cara and then won via tapout with the cross armbreaker.

WINNER: Del Rio in 3:00.

(WK Reax: Granted, Del Rio is the WWE Champion, but what does that say about WWE's confidence in Cara's future when he's losing an opening TV match in three minutes.)

-Sin Cara Del Negro came out next and attacked Sin Cara Azul. Booker said he thought this feud was over.

-They went to the announcers at ringside. Cole called Booker a follower. Booker said he had to go to the bathroom and thought the show was over and he meant nothing by walking out when he did.

-Matt Striker interviewed Air Boom, the WWE Tag Team Champions, regarding facing Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger. Bourne said what they did was a culmination of so much happening on Raw. Kofi Kingston said he feels bad about the way things went down, and it's probably not Triple H's fault, but until he steps down, they'll stay on SD and not appear on Raw. [c]

[Q3]

-During Air Boom's ring entrance, Swagger & Ziggler jumped them in the aisle and attacked them at ringside. Vickie Guerrero walked out and applauded as Ziggler gave Bourne a Zig Zag on the floor. [c]

2 -- KOFI KINGSTON & EVAN BOURNE ("Air Boom") vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER & JACK SWAGGER

The heels isolated Kofi as Bourne was still KO'd at ringside. Kofi hadn't even had a chance to take off his t-shirt. The crowd chanted "Vickie sucks!" Medics checked on Bourne at ringside. At 4:00 Kingston made a comeback with a flying clothesline, but Bourne was still unable to get up and help. Bourne finally charged to his corner and tagged himself in and seemed 100 percent fine suddenly, throwing dropkicks to both Ziggler and Swagger. After the second dropkick, though, he grabbed his head. Booker said he should be in back getting help, not running on adrenaline like this. Ziggler hit the Zig Zag on Bourne, then Swagger finished him with a gut-wrenched powerbomb for the win. Mathews praised Bourne for a great show of courage. Cole said Triple H's head has to be spinning back at in Stamford, Connecticut. He wondered how he will stop the bleeding.

WINNERS: Ziggler & Swagger in 5:00.

-Booker plugged the main event tag match. [c]

[Q4]

3 -- BETH PHOENIX (w/Natalya) vs. ALICIA FOX

Before Fox's ring entrance, they showed Kelly Kelly attacked Phoenix on Raw and screaming the whole time. Cole gave Booker a hard time about not standing by his convictions regarding the walkout on Monday.

WINNER: Phoenix in 1:00.

-Afterward Phoenix held Fox upside down and in a surfboard type of submission. Natalya put a mic up to her and asked her to scream for mercy. Fox did.

-The announcers threw to a video package on Mark Henry and what he did to The Big Show, who returns later in the show. [c]

-The Big Show made his return to the show. He wore a W.M.D. t-shirt and ran the ropes. That's very trusting of him to hit those ropes that hard. He did the trick of acting like the crowd was giving him the biggest response ever. He told the fans it feels good to be back and the fans are just awesome. He said the last four months were brutal walking around with a broken ankle. He said he studied that footage of Henry's attack over and over. Show broke down and cried after watching the replay. He said there were things he couldn't do anymore that he used to take for granted such as putting on his pants or shoes or playing with his dog.

[Q5]

Show then got angry as he vowed to make Henry pay tens times over for the pain he caused him and make him unrecognizable. He said he will take from him what validates his entire career - that being the World Hvt. Championship. He said he held that title at 23 years old, his first title, and that's the one Henry now holds. He said he will settle for nothing less than facing him one on one. He called him to the ring to do the right thing and give him an opportunity for a one-on-one World Title match.

Henry walked onto the stage and asked Show what he has done or whom has he defeated to earn a shot. "You've been sitting at home doing nothing for four months, a vacation that I afforded you," he said. Great line. Show just glared at him. Henry said he'd let him know about when and if he ever gets a shot at his title. "You know when that's gonna come? It's gonna come on Mark Henry time." Show said if he doesn't hear the answer he wants by the end of the night, he'll put him through the announcer table, put his leg in a chair, and break his ankle. He said he wants an answer tonight or else.

-Backstage Matt Striker interviewed Randy Orton, who said the last thing he wants to do is sound like Christian and beg for one last match. He said he figures Henry doesn't want to face him against after what he did on Monday. He said if he has to tear apart the entire Smackdown roster in order to earn another match, he will be happy to do that. Striker asked Orton why he wasn't part of the walkout on Monday. Orton said it's best he stay out the group mentality because he doesn't play well with others. He said if he has a problem with Triple H, he'll tell Triple H himself. [c]

-A vignette aired on Brodus Clay.

4 -- EZEKIEL JACKSON vs. JINDER MAHAL

Mahal got in Jacksons face and talked in his native language. Zeke just punched him. Booker again told Cole he was not involving himself in the politics of the walkout because that's for the Superstars. Cole said Triple H's lack of control affects everyone including referees and cameramen and anyone else part of the show.

WINNER: Jackson in 2:00 with the torture rack.

[Q6] [c]

-WWE Fact: WWE has more Facebook fans than ESPN, Oprah, Pepsi, AT&T, and Gatorade. Odd choice of bragging points.

-John Laurinaitis walked up to Long and said what happened on Raw put WWE into unchartered waters. He said nobody knows how this will turn out. Long asked what this has to do with him. Laurinaitis said he knows Long is a company man, and so is he. He said Smackdown's success is vital because if he loses control of SD like Triple H lost control of Raw, WWE is in jeopardy. He put his arm around Long and said he can count on him.

-Back to Cole, Mathews, and Booker at ringside, they talked about everyone being on egg shells. They were interrupted by Hornswoggle, who popped out from under the ring. He grabbed Booker and excitedly dragged him to the ring where they did the Spinarooni together. Christian's music interrupted them and began his ring entrance. [c]

-They finished ring entrances after the break with Sheamus and Orton.

[Q7]

5 -- CHRISTIAN & CODY RHODES vs. SHEAMUS & RANDY ORTON

At 3:00 Orton DDT'd Christian off the middle rope, then pounded the mat and signaled for an RKO. Cody distracted Orton, so Christian bailed out to ringside. Orton chased Christian. Cody grabbed Orton's feet. Christian slidekicked Orton. They cut to a break. [c]

Sheamus beat up Cody after the break. Cody missed a Sheamus dive off the top rope, but Sheamus came right bak with a backbreaker for a two count at 9:00. Sheamus pounded his chest, then fended off interference from Christian. Orton tagged in and gave Cody an RKO for a sudden win.

WINNERS: Orton & Sheamus in 10:00.

-Mathews threw to a video package on the Raw walkout. Then the announcers talked about the threat the wrestlers have made that Triple H must step down or they won't return.

[Q8]

-Henry walked out to issue a response to Big Show's demand for a title match. [c]

-As the fans chanted "Big Show! Big Show!" Henry said no to Show's demand for a shot at his World Title. The crowd booed. Show charged out and attacked Henry with a barrage of punches which Mathews called "pent up frustration" unleashed. Officials came out and tried to hold Show back, but Show broke free and speared Henry. Officials pushed Show away, but he broke free and began punching them. After a chokeslam, some were still crazy enough not to leave. He threw them around and kicked another. Henry, meanwhile, slipped to the floor and walked away as Show punched the final security guard and then gave one of the downed ones in the ring his KO punch. Henry looked on and continued to shout "No!" title shot. He held the belt in the air.

Show chased after Henry as he tried to leave and beat him up at ringside. Henry reversed Show into the ringside barrier. Henry then cleared the announce table of the monitors. Henry tried to pick up Show, but Show countered by chokeslamming Henry through the table. With five minutes left in the show, you wondered what could come next. Show put Henry's ankle in a chair. Show yelled, "I'll told him!" Show stood on the ringside steps and put on his hat and looked down at the fallen Henry. Long walked out and frantically said, "You got your World Championship match, but not if you do that," trying to get him to not leap off the steps onto the chair wrapped around Henry's ankle. Show thought about it, then pulled the chair off of Henry's ankle. He wound up and smashed the chair across Henry's back instead. Show stood over Henry and said he'd finish him after he defeats him for the World Championship. Show's music played as he walked past the carnage in the ring of fallen security guards.

FINAL THOUGHTS; Good Smackdown tonight. They made the walkout on Raw out to be a huge deal and promoted Raw as a must-see event, explained reasonably well why the wrestlers showed up on Smackdown, and in the end shot a big memorable angle to promote the new Big Show vs. Mark Henry feud. Check out my report and Greg Parks's report on the Main Listing for his point of view, also.