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1/25 Barnett's WWE Smackdown Live Coverage Review: This is WWE's final chance to sell the Royal Rumble, can WWE convince you to order the Show? The Rock, CM Punk, Randy Orton and Team Hell No will appear!

Posted in: WWE TV Reports, MUST-READ LISTING
By
Jan 25, 2013 - 07:00 PM

By Jake Barnett

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped 1/22 in Sacramento, CA.


[Q1] The WWE Narrator recapped The Shield’s attack on the Rock from Monday, and the fallout between Punk and Vince McMahon and the threat of stripping his title. He also posed the question of who will still be standing at the Royal Rumble after the Big Show and Alberto Del Rio match.

In the Arena, Kane’s music hit and we and Daniel Bryan walked towards the ring. They showed a clip of the hug fest from Monday. Kane said they were out there to address the rumors that they had gone soft, because they had learned to channel their anger. He said nothing could be further from the truth, because after they defeat Team Rhodes Scholars and retain their titles, he would go on to win the Rumble match and onto WrestleMania. Daniel Bryan took exception, and Kane told him about all of his accomplishments in Rumbles past. Bryan reminded him that he had never actually won a Rumble, which is what he would do on Sunday. They argued until Big Show made his ring entrance to interrupt them.

Show told Kane that nobody cares about his plans, as they only had a one in 30 chance of winning the Rumble, and he had a 100% chance of regaining his World Heavyweight Championship. Show said that if either of them win the Rumble and make the choice to face him at WrestleMania, it would be the worst decision they ever made. Bryan then reminded Show that he beat him for the World Title, but Show said he wasn’t taking any of his crap tonight. Show lambasted Del Rio as having stolen his title, and snuck into the World Championship picture like a cockroach sneaking over the border. He said he would squash that cockroach at The Royal Rumble.

Sandow interrupted and said that Daniel Bryan and Kane should be focused on them. He said they were formidable and their destruction of Team Hell No at the PPV would be of biblical proportions. Cody grabbed the mic and said they would take the Tag Team Championships. They the proposed an alliance with The Big Show to destroy Team Hell No post haste. Del Rio’s music hit and he headed towards the ring. He stared down Big Show and the Tag Teams did the same. Booker T’s music then hit and he rambled a bit before he booked a six man elimination tag team main event. Team Rhodes scholars bailed from the ring. Big Show tried to get the drop on Del Rio, but he slid out of the way. Big Show eventually left.

Barnett’s Brief: Well, that was pretty paint by numbers. Good intensity from the Big Show, and Del Rio continues to show good charisma as a babyface.

The announcers put over CM Punk calling out The Shield, and the Rock will comment on the attack as well. Sheamus and Wade Barrett were shown walking towards the ring for a match next…[c]

[Q2] A WWE rewind of Monday’s beat the clock challenge between Wade Barrett and Sheamus was shown from Monday. Sheamus made his ring entrance, followed by Wade Barrett.

1. Wade Barrett vs. Sheamus: Sheamus got the better of the early offense, and hit a clothesline at 30 seconds in for a two count. Barrett hit a rare dropkick and covered for a two count of his own. They traded strikes back and forth until Barrett rolled to the outside. Sheamus went after him, but Barrett rolled back in. Sheamus grabbed him from the apron for his clubs to the chest, but Barrett fought away and knocked Sheamus to the floor…[c]

Sheamus fought out of a Barrett chin lock, only to get clotheslined over the top and out to the floor. Barrett taunted the crowd. Sheamus answered the ten count at eight and ate some knees on the apron for his trouble. The ref separated them, which allowed Sheamus to hit a flying shoulder tackle. Sheamus fired up and hit some axe handles and a spear. Barrett side stepped a knee lift, but Sheamus recovered and sent him over the top onto the apron. He hit clubs to the chest and picked up Barrett to hit a rolling senton slam.

[Q3] Sheamus went for the Irish Curse Backbreaker, but Barrett evaded. Sheamus hit one a moment later anyway, and got a two count. He then went for White Noise, but Barrett slipped out and sent Sheamus to the apron. Sheamus hit a shoulder to the stomach and climbed up top, but Barrett recovered and pulled him back into the ring. Barrett followed up with a side kick for a near fall. Sheamus went for a Cloverleaf a bit later, but Barrett reversed a rolled him up for a near fall. Sheamus hit white noise, and then revved up for the Brogue Kick. Barrett walked right into it and covered for the win.

Sheamus defeated Wade Barrett at 11:50.

Barnett’s Brief: Good effort from both men. You know who didn’t need a win here? Sheamus, that’s who.

The announce team plugged the Main Event for later, as well as CM Punk and The Rock will address the Shield attack from Monday…[c]

I guess the one at the top of the show wasn’t elaborate enough, because a recap of the Rock and CM Punk’s verbal sparring from Monday aired, as well as The Shield attack. Backstage, CM Punk and Paul Heyman were shown backstage. Natalya then made her ring entrance with Hornswoggle and Khali…[c]

[Q4] Rosa Mendes was in the ring gyrating, with Primo, Epico, Hornswoggle and Khali on commentary.

2. Rosa vs. Natalya: Natalya cartwheeled out of a wrist lock, and then the ladies had a punch and kick contest. Natalya applies a leg lock, but Rosa escaped. They traded holds on the ground a bit more, and then Natalya hit a discus clothesline. There was more dancing by Rosa, and then Hornswoggle danced on the announce table to distract her, and Natty rolled her up for the win.

Natalya defeated Rosa at 2:38.

Barnett’s Brief: My daughter decided to dump a full glass of milk on my couch, so I couldn’t pay too close of attention to that match. The match was unremarkable, anyway.

CM Punk and Paul Heyman made their way to the ring. Punk opened and said he was scared. So frightened, in fact, that he can’t sleep at night. He said what he’s afraid of his own potential. He said all that he’s accomplished is just scratching the surface of what he’s capable of. He then said only one thing can end his 432 days of dominance, and that’s The Shield. Because of The Shield and their independent action, he was given a letter for the WWE Chairman himself. Heyman read the letter, and it said that CM Punk will be stripped of the WWE Championship if the Shield gets involved in his match at The Royal Rumble.

Punk then said that the WWE Chairman would do what no wrestler could do in 432 days. He wants to steal his title, and so now the champ has the problem. He said he would do what no one had the stones to do since they debuted. He then demanded they come to the ring to clear the air. Punk grabbed a chair and unfolded it in the ring, and the Shield walked down from the crowd. Punk grabbed the chair and held it as a weapon.

They all climbed up on the apron, and Punk said he could only explain himself in the simplest of ways. He said he never asked them for anything. He said he never asked them to attack The Rock or Ryback. He asked them to stay out of his business, because there would be no worse injustice than getting his Championship stripped.

[Q5] He then said defeating the Rock would be the biggest win of his career, and he wanted to do it himself. He told them he didn’t need their help, because he was the best in the world. He said if justice is what they want, then they never need to cross paths again. The Shield then dropped off the apron and headed back through the crowd. Punk then exclaimed that this is exactly how the champ takes care of business. He doesn’t whine or complain, he just takes on his problems straight on.

He said The Rock was great, even the great one, but he’s the best in the world and the greatest of all time. He exclaimed he was the greatest of all time multiple times, until The Rock’s music hit and he headed towards the ring. He stared Punk down from the turnbuckle and then crossed the ring and posed. Punk held the belt in front of Rock’s face and smiled. The Rock said he was going to put an end to Punk’s garbage right now. Rock called him a liar, and said he was working with The Shield.

The Rock said he doesn’t give a damn, because on Sunday his boot is getting shoved up Punk’s candy ass. They both paused for a moment, and The Rock asked Punk if he felt the walls closing in on him. He then said on Sunday, when Punk panicked and cracked, he would end his reign as WWE Champion. He said he would pick him up for The Rock Bottom, and his last thought wouldn’t be that he was the best in the world, it would be that it’s over. Rock then said he would pin him 1-2-3, and did a very intense “If you smell what The Rock is cookin”. Rock then left to the top of the ramp and pointed to his just bring it shirt.

The announce team them plugged the main event, and Randy Orton was shown walking towards the ring for a match next…[c]

Barnett’s Brief: This was a good promo from Punk, and a great reaction promo from the Rock. These two have played very well off of one another, and that wasn’t any different here. This has been a much more enjoyable feud to watch develop than what we’ve seen from Rock and Cena.

[Q6] 3MB were already in the ring, and Randy Orton then made his ring entrance.

3. Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre: McIntyre got in some early strikes, but Orton quickly fired up with some clotheslines and a power slam. He then was going to hit a hanging DDT, but Jinder interefered and ate an RKO. He then hit the DDT anyway, and hit an RKO on Heath Slater. He then hit one on Drew McIntyre just for kicks.

Randy Orton wins via DQ at 1:07.

Barnett’s Brief: You can fast forward right through that.

The announce team plugged the main event again…[c]

The Prime Time Players were in the ring, and Antonio Cesaro joined on commentary. Cesaro plugged his Youtube Preshow match with The Miz, and said he represents everything wrong with America.

4. The Miz vs. Darren Young: Young hit some strikes early followed by a clothesline for a one count. They had a punch and kick carnival, until Miz hit a diving clothesline in the corner. Miz then knocked Titus O’Neill off the apron, and went for the Skull Crushing finale, but Young evaded. He then applied the figure four, and go the win.

The Miz defeated Darren Young at 2:02.

After the match, Miz jawed with Cesaro, who waved the American Flag at him. They then replayed some of the previous segment between The Rock and Punk…? Not sure why, we just saw that 15 minutes ago.

Barnett’s Brief: That was another match that never got going. The Figure Four little Naitch thing is really lame. It takes him too long to apply the figure four, and nobody has sold it well yet.

[Q7] A Royal Rumble promo video aired that recapped the concept and shoed some of the highlights of previous Rumble PPV’s by the numbers. Lillian then introduced Ricardo Rodriguez, who introduced Alberto Del Rio…[c]

Team Hell No made their ring entrance, followed by Team Rhodes Scholars and Big Show.

5. Big Show and Team Rhodes Scholars vs. Alberto Del Rio and Team Hell No: Rhodes and Del Rio started, and they both traded arm bars. Rhodes charged at Del Rio and ate a knee. Del Rio hit a Monkey Flip and a side kick for a one count. Rhodes tagged in Sandow, and Del Rio tagged in Bryan. Bryan evaded a charging Sandow and hit repeated kicks to his chest. Kane tagged in and hit a seated dropkick on Sandow for a two count.

[Q8] Rhodes distracted Kane, which allowed Sandow to hit a low drop kick. Kane regained momentum a moment later and hit chokeslam to eliminate Sandow at 2:15. Big Show entered and Kane hit him with a DDT for a two count. Kane climbed to the top and hit a clothesline, and then followed with another clothesline that sent both men to the outside. Show hit Kane with a knockout punch on the outside, which caused Kane to get counted out for the second elimination at 3:35…[c]

Rhodes hit a high knee on Bryan and covered for a two count. Both men collided mid ring going for cross body blocks, and Cody recovered first to make a tag to Big Show. Bryan avoided a chokeslam, and hit a low drop kick that sent Big Show tumbling. Bryan climbed to the top, but got swatted out of the air. Big Show then tossed Bryan out, who skinned the cat and got KO punched back out of the ring for his trouble. He got count out as well at 9:19.

Del Rio entered and started punching and kicking Big Show. Show shrugged it off and chokeslammed him. Del Rio rolled to the outside, and barely answered a ten count. He then rolled to the outside to get a breather. Big Show followed, and tossed him back into the ring. Del Rio kicked the top rope as Big Show straddled it, and then hit two kicks to the head to send him to the outside. He couldn’t answer the count, and was eliminated at 11:25. Rhodes immediately tried to roll up Del Rio, but only got two. Rhodes stomped on Del Rio, but missed a Beautiful Disaster Kick. Del Rio hit a tilt a whirl backbreaker and got fired up. Del Rio then hit a kick to the head of Rhodes and got a close near fall at 12:33. The crowd chanted “Si Si Si!” and Del Rio hit an Enziguri for the win at 13:06.

Alberto Del Rio and Team Hell No defeated Team Rhodes Scholars and Big Show at 13:06.

After the match, Big Show re-entered and speared Del Rio. He then dragged Del Rio to the outside and hit a KO punch right next to the announce table, and buried Del Rio with it. Big Show then counted to ten to taunt the crowd, and then did another count in Spanish, and left.

Barnett’s Brief: Good finish to the show. Del Rio and Show has been a much better feud for Big Show than his feud with Sheamus was from a character standpoint. Del Rio has been a much more traditional babyface character, which has allowed Show to shine as the monster heel. This is a good role for both of them thus far, and any other time of the year I would think it would continue past Sunday, but not this time.

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

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