11/9 Barnett's WWE Smackdown on SyFy Live Review: Special Tuesday show features Alberto Del Rio vs. Randy Orton in a Falls Count Anywhere match, plus Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz for the Intercontinental Title

The following is a live coverage review of the Smackdown special that originally aired on Tuesday. We are moving it to the top of the website so that those of you watching the show on Friday can follow along with the coverage.

By Jake Barnett

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped 11/6 in Birmingham, England

[Q1] The new TNA rip off WWE Narrator replayed the happenings from Raw, as well as plugged the main event falls count anywhere match. In the ring, Michael Cole said it has been a chaotic 24 hours for his guest, and he introduced Sheamus.

The announcers spilled a beans on a bar fight between Big Show and Sheamus, who went out to drink with is friend William Regal. Cole said there was Cell Phone video of the incident, and then played video of what appeared to be a pub WWE must have rented to shoot a brawl. Big Show attacked Sheamus, and knocked out William regal immediately, before breaking a small table over Sheamus.

Sheamus grabbed the mic and told Cole it was not a good idea for him to be in the ring. Sheamus said part of him respects Big Show attacking him on his turf, but he couldn’t excuse him for laying hands on William Regal, who was helpful to his career and countless “lads” in the back. Sheamus invited Show to finish what he started right then and there. Sheamus then said in two weeks it would be about the World Heavyweight Championship, but tonight it was about him kicking his giant arse.

Show appeared on the tron and said that “this was the thanks I get you GINGER”? Show said he would beat him in two weeks, and if he thought fighting him was a good idea, ask William Regal. Sheamus ripped show for being too scared to head down to the ring, but Show said Sheamus had nothing to offer him. Sheamus begged Show to come down to the ring to see how a real Irishmen does it, but Wade Barrett interrupted him. He said he questioned Sheamus’ sanity for wanting a fight with Big Show, even though he already has a fight with him on Main Event.

Barrett claimed there would be nothing left of Sheamus at Survivor Series, courtesy of the Barrett Barrage. Sheamus said if Show refuses to fight him, Barrett should get in the ring and fight right now. Barrett feigned making his way to the ring, but backed off. The announce team plugged the main event, and said Kofi vs. Miz was next…[c]

Barnett’s Brief: They really hit the ginger button hard, with both Barrett and Show referencing it, thinking the UK crowd would react, but they really didn’t. Barrett got a nice reaction, and Sheamus appeared to try a little harder to seem upset about his bar fight than he did when he lost the World Heavyweight Championship. Big Show wasn’t as compelling on the tron as you would like, but I’m sure it has to be hard to conduct a passionate interview from backstage with your opponent in the ring.

[Q2] Booker T told Barrett that he didn’t peg him as a guy who walked away from a fight. Wade said he wasn’t, and then Booker made a tag match between Sheamus and Regal vs. Barrett and Big Show.

The Miz made his ring entrance, followed by Kofi Kingston.

1. The Miz vs. Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental Title: They tied up to start, with Kofi taking control with a monkey flip early. Kofi then clotheslined Miz over the ropes, and both men brawled on the floor. Kofi ran at Miz and got thrown up onto the ring barricade, and he ended up walking it and hitting a nice clothesline. Back in the ring, The Miz hung up Kofi on the ropes and tweaked Kofi’s knee. Kofi grabbed his knee and writhed in pain on the mat…[c]

Miz worked the knee, and the announcers sold the loss of Kofi’s high flying. Miz hit a low drop kick and covered for a two count. Miz went for a dive against Kofi, who was lying on the bottom rope, but he moved and Kofi hit a double leg take down. Kofi fired up with a clothesline and a boom drop. Kofi then fired up for Trouble in Paradise, Miz countered into a Skull Crushing Finale, but Kofi rolled him up and got a two count. Miz transitioned out of a pin into a single leg crab. He held the hold for 30 seconds until Kofi got to the ropes. Miz charged Kofi, who kicked him, and Kofi climbed the ropes. Miz kicked his legs out and tried a superplex, but Kofi fought away.

Miz tried a second attempt at the superplex, and both men brawled on the top rope. Kofi fought him off and hit a very high cross body block for the three.

Kofi Kingston defeated The Miz at 11:35.

[Q3] The Miz looked dejected after the match, as Kofi celebrated. JBL sent the point home that Kofi has his number. Miz circled Kofi and eventually stuck his hand out to shake Kofi’s hand. Instead of a hand shake, Kofi drop kicked Miz out of the ring.

Barnett’s Brief: Another solid match, but their previous efforts had more time and better pacing. They had some good story telling with Miz working the leg all match, but overall this didn’t feel like anything we hadn’t seen before.

The announce crew plugged the Tag match between Sheamus and Regal and Barrett and Big Show, plus said we’d get Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara vs. The Prime Time Players…[c]

Sin Cara made his ring entrance, followed by Rey. The Prime Time Players are already in the ring.

2. Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio vs. The Prime Time Players: Darren Young dropped Sin Cara on the top rope, and hit a back suplex. Darren went for a cover and a two count, and tagged in Titus. Titus hit some strikes and a big boot, and then tagged Young back in. Young worked a chin lock, and then tossed Sin Cara into a corner. Young charged and ate a boot, and hit a DDT. Sin Cara tagged Rey, and Young tagged Titus.

Rey hit a low drop kick and hit a diving senton from the top rope. He went for 619 next, but Young grabbed him from behind. Sin Cara hit a suicide dive in Young, and Rey went for a 619 again, but Titus popped up and hit a sit out spine buster for the win.

The Prime Time Players defeated Sin Cara and Rey at 3:28.

After the match, Striker interviewed the Prime Time Players. Titus grabbed the mic and said he would conduct the interview. He asked Young how it felt to beat Sin Cara and Rey, and he started to mumble and then said “Millions of Dollars”. He asked him what they would get if they won the Tag Team Championship, and he complied. They then said he was qualified to do the Millions of Dollars dance, and then they kicked him out for having no rhythm and a ridiculous mustache. The announce team plugged the Raw AJ and Cena footage for next…[c]

Barnett’s Brief: The match was fine, but that talking segment after the match was terrible.

[Q4] They aired a bunch of footage from Raw of Cena and AJ walking in and out of hotel rooms. It was just as boring as it was last night. Vickie is now claiming to have more evidence for next week’s Raw via twitter. Backstage, Teddy Long and Booker spoke about Raw’s controversies, and they both said they were looking forward to the tag match coming up next. Booker asked Teddy if he thought Vickie could come up with the match, and he said maybe. Booker then tried to give him a hard time about calling him unoriginal, and Teddy look threatened, but Booker laughed it off as a joke. Wade Barrett and Big Show made their ring entrances…[c]

[Q5] They replayed the cell phone footage of the bar brawl from earlier. Regal and Sheamus made their ring entrances. Sheamus charged the ring and all four men brawled before the match could start. They eventually calmed down long enough for the officials to call for the ring bell.

3. William Regal and Sheamus vs. Big Show and Wade Barrett: Sheamus and Barrett started, with Barrett backing Sheamus into a corner. They traded blows, and Sheamus hit a head lock takeover and a shoulder block for a one count. Regal tagged in and hit a kick and a shoulder block of his own, and tagged in Sheamus again.

Barrett hit a thumb to the eye of Sheamus, but Sheamus fired back with a clothesline and a tag to William Regal. Regal fired off some kicks and European uppercuts. Regal tagged Sheamus hit a chop to the chest, and then Sheamus hit a shoulder tackle over the ropes. Regal tagged back in and Barrett moved to the action to his corner, where Big Show could hit a cheap shot and Barrett made a tag. Show hit chest slaps on Regal, and a big elbow. Barrett hit a cheap shot from the outside, and show hit another slap.

Show distracted the ref so Barrett could hit some knee lifts from the apron. Regal recovered briefly and hit some strikes on Big Show, but it made no difference and Show immediately took control back with a nerve hold. The crowd rumbled for Regal as he tried to escape the hold…[c]

Barrett continued to hit punches to Regal’s tenderized chest, and Big Show tagged back in to do some more damage himself. Sheamus attempted to get in the ring, but Show got the ref to stop him and stomped on Regal’s hand. Show hit another slap to Regal’s chest and a boot to the face of a seated Regal. Barrett tagged back in and hit another kick, but Regal fired back with a suplex. He then followed up with a running forearm to the chest. Both men strugged and made tags.

[Q6] Sheamus hit several spears and shoulder blocks and finally took down Big Show. He then hit a flying shoulder block from the top and took him down a second time. The crowd got pumped up for a Brogue Kick, but Barrett got a distraction, and Show hit a spear. Regal tagged in a hit a running knee on Big Show, but he popped right back up and hit a KO punch for the victory.

Wade Barrett and Big Show defeated Sheamus and William Regal at 12:55.

Barnett’s Brief: Great match that really pleased the British Crowd. I like the finish as it protects the feud and Regal had nothing to prove or lose in his home country.

After the match, the announce team aired footage of the backstage brawl last week between Orton and Del Rio from last Friday. Backstage, Del Rio talked about being the new Apex Predator again, and Rosa Mendes wished him luck in his match later…[c]

Brad Maddox’s explanation was shown from Monday’s Raw. Randy Orton was interviewed backstage, and gave his normal Quaalude promo where he never leaves monotone. He said he wasn’t concerned with Del Rio’s mouth, he was concerned about going out to the ring and getting sick and twisted. He said he enjoys crossing the line and showing the world how sick and twisted he can get.

[Q7] Randy Orton walked directly from backstage and made his ring entrance…[c]

A Fandango promo aired briefly. They cut an O off from yesterday. Ricardo entered and introduced Alberto Del Rio, who entered in a Ferrari rental car.

4. Orton vs. Del Rio in a Falls Count Anywhere match: Orton and Del Rio traded punches and kicks to start, and Del Rio got the better of it. Ricardo handed Del Rio a chair, but Orton kicked it away. Del Rio recovered it and set it in the corner. Both men spilled to the outside, and Orton hit a European uppercut and slammed Del Rio into the barricade and announce table. Del Rio returned the favor and sent Orton into the barricade, but he quickly recovered. Orton attempted to hit a hanging DDT off the barricade, but Del Rio scurried away through the crowd.

Orton followed, but Del Rio threw him into some cargo cases in the equipment area. They headed backstage, and ended up near concessions, where a crowd of people were waiting for food…[c]

[Q8] Backstage, Del Rio tried for a cover and got a two count. He went to toss Orton on an equipment case, but Orton turned the tables. Orton stomped on Del Rio and made a cover on the case for a two count. They made their way through the crowd again and Orton tossed Del Rio into a security barrier. Orton attempted another DDT, but Del Rio avoided it and hung Orton on the security barrier. He followed up with a kick to the chest for a two count. Orton and Del Rio punched and kicked their way down a flight of stairs, and Ricardo gave Del Rio a chair gain. Del Rio stuck Orton in the gut, and then hit Orton across the back for a near fall…[c]

Both men brawled around ringside. Del Rio shoved Orton into a ringside barricade and made a cover for another two count. They then punched and kicked up the entrance ramp, and Orton hit a back body drop onto the ramp from the floor. Orton then covered for a two count. Ricardo jumped on Orton’s back, but he quickly got tossed off. Orton then tossed Ricardo into the phone booth on the ramp, and he then beat him up and closed the door. Del Rio recovered at ringside, and Orton tossed him into the ring. Del Rio tried for a running kick, but Orton hit a clothesline. Orton then hit another clothesline, and tossed Del Rio into the chair in the corner. He then hit him across the back with the chair for a near fall.

Orton called for the RKO, but Del Rio countered with a back cracker. A table was setup on the outside, and Orton tried to superplex Del Rio onto it from the apron. Del Rio blocked and hit an Enziguri, which sent Orton through the table at ringside. Del Rio made a cover, but only got a two count. Del Rio grabbed a microphone, and told Orton that he was no longer the Apex Predator, and that he should prepare to tap out. Del Rio locked in the Cross Arm Breaker, but Orton hit him with the microphone to break it up.

Del Rio recovered and sent Orton into the ring post. He then tried to hit Orton’s hanging DDT from the second rope, but Orton slipped out. Del Rio draped Orton on the ring steps in the ring, and went to hit Orton’s shoulder with a chair, but he moved out of the way. Orton then hit an RKO on the steps to pick up the victory.

Randy Orton defeated Alberto Del Rio at 21:51.

Barnett’s Brief: A very slow opening, but things got really good after the second commercial break and the match had a very satisfying finish. I don’t know if this feud is over, but I’m really enjoying the matches these two have had together.

Questions, comments, or concerns? Contact me at barnett.jake@gmail.com or on twitter @barnettjake.