4/19 Barnett's WWE Smackdown Live Coverage Review: Randy Orton, Sheamus, Big Show, Mark Henry, Fandango and more in action on this week's Smackdown

By Jake Barnett

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped 4/16 in Knoxville, Tennessee

[Q1] The narrator introduced a video that showed Jack Swagger injuring Alberto Del Rio and defeating Dolph Ziggler. It then showed Orton and Sheamus defeating Big Show, and Mark Henry's attack later in the show on Sheamus. He then said the main event would be Sheamus and Orton vs. Big Show and Mark Henry.

In the arena, Fandango made his entrance and got some applause. Cole mentioned Fandangoing and the camera panned to members of the crowd dancing. Fandango told Lilian that she looked fantastic. He then asked her if she had ever been dipped before, or if she had ever “made moves” with someone before. He then asked if she had ever Fandangoed before. Fandango then spun her around and did some dance moves with her, before telling her it was terrible and dropping her in the ring. He told her she was a beautiful woman, but there was nothing beautiful about the way she danced.

Fandango then claimed she was just like all those people who butcher her name and mock her dance. He then asked her if she could at least pronounce his name correctly. Before he could say his name, Santino's music hit and he walked towards the ring. He called him Fandingle, and told him he had a very insulting way about him and was a mean person. Santino said it pained him to admit it, but he had some good moves. He told him his dance looked like fun and mentioned the cheerleaders doing it on Youtube. He asked the crowd if they minded if he did his own rendition of the “Fandingle”. He then grabbed the cobra and Fandangoed.

Lilian laughed hysterically and Fandango recoiled in horrow. Eventually Fandango ran at Santino, but got low bridged over the ropes. The announcers said their match was next....[c]

Barnett's Brief: A cute segment, and a better use of Fandango than what we saw on Monday. Santino was Santino as always, but this was ok for what I hope is a one off comedy bit.

1. Fandango vs. Santino: Both men traded offense and dance taunts early. Fandango took control with some kicks and some mounted punches. Santino tried to kip up but fell down. Fandango continued the offense with more strikes and dance taunts. Santino tried to kip up a second time and it worked, and then he hit his signature spots. He shook the ropes and grabbed the cobra, but Fandango reversed into a corkscrew neckbreaker for the win.

Fandango defeated Santino at 3:11.

[Q2] Fandango instructed the crowd on his name after the match. Backstage, Teddy Long and Booker were bickering, when Big Show walked up. Show yelled at Booker for not giving him a tag partner on Monday, and bumped fists with Teddy Long and thanked him for giving him Mark Henry as a partner later. Teddy walked off with Show as Booker T looked on bemused...[c]

Barnett's Brief: A commercial aired for The Shield vs. Undertaker and Team Hell no for Monday. I'm glad they did something to advertise it. The match was nothing to write about. The backstage stuff with Booker and Teddy is doing nothing for me. Seems Teddy is going to become a heel influence of some kind, but I don't know why I should care.

Kofi Kingston made his ring entrance. Wade Barrett followed.

2. Wade Barrett vs. Kofi Kingston: Barrett and Kofi traded offense early. Kofi hit a head scissors, but Barrett came right back with a clothesline. Kofi caught Barrett with a wheel kick for a two count. Barrett hit some punches, but Kofi was right back with a kick to the face and a splash for another two count. Kofi then hit a wheelbarrow kick and climbed the ropes again, but Barrett hit a big boot that sent Kofi to ringside. Barrett followed Kofi to the outside and tossed him into the announce table.

[Q3] Barrett tossed Kofi back in at a six count and pinned Kofi for two. He then placed Kofi on the ropes in the corner and hit a big kick to his ribs. He covered again and got a near fall. After a while in a chin lock, Kofi got wrapped up by Barrett around his back and dropped. Barrett covered lazily, but Kofi reversed and got the surprise win.

Kofi Kingston defeated Wade Barrett at 5:28.

A video recap was shown of Mark Henry's assaults on Sheamus from the past week. Henry was then shown backstage when he was interviewed by Renee Young. She asked why he attacked Sheamus, and he said it was because he can and that's what he does. Sheamus then speared him through a nearby table, and told him that's what he does...[c]

Barnett's Brief: The weird slam at the end of the match and the reversal seemed a bit obvious, but it was well done. I don't know why Sheamus and Mark Henry is a thing. I guess it's something for them to do.

They recapped the Sheamus spear, because why not. A video package aired that showed Dolph Ziggler's title win and the happenings in the World Heavyweight Championship scene on Monday. Lilian introduced Ricardo Rodriguez, who in turn introduced Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio made his ring entrance...[c]

[Q4] Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter made their ring entrance.

3. Jack Swagger vs. Alberto Del Rio: Del Rio started by working the shoulder of Swagger. He went for an arm bar early, but couldn't fully apply it. Swagger hit a shoulder lock. Del Rio avoided a clothesline, but his left knee buckled. Swagger kicked his leg multiple times, and tried to wrap it around the post. Del Rio fought him off and slammed his forearm into the steps outside. Swagger recovered and hit some strikes and a clothesline in the ring...[c]

Del Rio worked out of an Ankle Lock attempt and hit some kicks. Del Rio tried to climb the ropes but Swagger caught him in the bad leg coming down. Del Rio rolled up Swagger for a two count, but he kicked out and immediately hit a clothesline. They traded more strikes and Swagger hit another clothesline for a two count. Swagger went for an Enziguri in the corner, but missed. Swagger hit a spine buster and covered for a near fall.

Del Rio wrapped Swagger's shoulder up in the ropes for a cross arm breaker, and broke it up at 5. Swagger hit some strikes and set up for a big boot while talking trash. Del Rio ducked and hit a tilt a whirl back breaker. He followed up with a back cracker for a near fall. Del Rio slapped his forearm and called for a the cross arm breaker, but Swagger reversed. Del Rio reversed again and got a rollup for a two count.

[Q5] Del Rio went for the arm breaker, but Swagger turned him over and locked in the Ankle Lock. He struggled for the ropes and eventually reached. Swagger followed up with a Swagger Bomb for a near fall. Swagger went for another Swagger Bomb, and he anticipated the boot coming up and grabbed it for an ankle lock. Del Rio escaped went for the cross arm breaker again, but Swagger sent him to the outside.

The got back in the ring and Del Rio hit a huge kick to the chin for a very convincing near fall. Swagger tripped him up and went for the ankle lock. Del Rio reversed into the armbreaker, but Swagger quickly rolled him up into the pin. Del Rio slipped out of the pin and rolled up Swagger for the win.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger at 17:12.

Barnett's Brief: That was a great TV match, and one you should go see if you only have time to watch parts of the show. This was actually better down the stretch than their WrestleMania match, and the finish was well executed. The lack of interference from the outside made it quite enjoyable, and Swagger looked very tough throughout and didn't lose much taking the loss.

Michael Cole introduced a video package that recapped Ryback's airing of grievances from Monday, also his confrontation with Cena and subsequent Shield beating. The Shield interrupted Cole talking at ring side. They said Ryback now knows how justice feels, when he left Cena in the ring alone on Monday. Ambrose said the look on Ryback's face on Monday was the same look they saw on the face of The Undertaker weeks earlier. They claimed the Undertaker was afraid and terrified. Ambrose then said The Undertaker is not immortal, and he may be undefeated at WrestleMania, but they were undefeated period. Rollins said The Undertaker's era of dominance was over. Reigns said the Dogs of War would take down the Big Dog Of course, we should believe in the Shield.

[Q6] The Great Khali made his ring entrance with Natalya and Hornswoggle. Lilian said they were a team...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Good promo from The Shield. The Ryback video package was basically the gist of what happened Monday. It was much better without the lengthy Cena promo.

Rosa Mendes and Primo and Epico were shown in the ring. They showed a clip from earlier today, when Mendes and company stole Khali and companies parking spot. Seriously.

4. Rosa Mendes, Primo and Epico vs. Natalya, Khali and Hornswoggle: Natalya and Rosa got into it early. Natalya hit a nice Suplex, and tried for a Sharpshooter but Rosa escaped. Rosa hit some strikes and a snap mare. She went for a Suplex herself, but Nattie rolled her up for a two count. Natty clotheslines Rosa and made a tag to Khali. He hit clotheslines and slaps to the chest on Epico. Primo tried to interfere, but he got slapped too.

Khali hit a big chop on Primo, but Rosa attempted to interfere. Hornswoggle pulled her off the apron, and she gave chase. Natalya hit her with a discus clothesline and Khali hit the Punjabi Plunge on Epico for the win.

Khali, Natalya and Hornswoggle defeated Rosa, Primo and Epico at 2:49.

After the match, they showed most of Punk's promo from Monday, along with his exit from the arena. The announcers said it was obvious he was conflicted. They plugged a Raw Rebound for Lesnar as next...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Eh. More of the same. I don't know who that is for.

[Q7] They aired a clip of Lesnar taking apart 3MB and issuing a challenge to Triple H. Mark Henry then made his ring entrance. They showed a clip from earlier with Henry getting attacked by Sheamus. Henry was followed by Big Show...[c]

Randy Orton made his ring entrance after the break. Sheamus then made his.

5. Mark Henry and Big Show vs. Randy Orton and Sheamus: Henry and Sheamus jawed back and forth to start the match. Henry got upset and tagged in Big Show. Show and Sheamus traded punches, and Show got the better of it. Show mocked Sheamus' clubs to the chest and did his own version with slaps. Sheamus recovered and hit 10 clubs of his own. Show missed an elbow drop and that gave Sheamus an opening to tag Orton.

[Q8] Show hit a slide slam on Orton and tagged in Henry. He choked Orton on the ropes and locked on a bear hug mid ring. Orton punched his way free, but Henry quickly recovered and ran Orton into the turnbuckle. He then tagged Big Show, who saw a choke slam reversed into a DDT from Orton. Orron tagged Sheamus, who hit a few flying forearms and a knee lift. Sheamus hit White Noise, after which Henry jawed with him. Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick but had to adjust and shoved Henry off the apron instead of kicking Big Show. Show surprised him with a spear...[c]

Big Show hit knees to the chest of Sheamus, and then mean mugged Randy Orton. Sheamus struggled to tag Orton, but Show grabbed him and hit Final Cut for a two count. Sheamus tried to reach his corner again, but Show hit a body slam and tagged Henry. He applied a nerve hold, and Sheamus powered out only to eat a big boot. Big Show tagged in, and Henry held Sheamus while Show punched him in the ribs.

Show then applied a nerve hold of his own. Sheamus started to fight out, but Show hit a head butt to the back of his head. Show continued the offense with a club and went back to the nerve hold. Sheamus eventually fought out and caught Show with a running shoulder to the knee. Orton and Henry both tagged in and Orton opened up on Henry. Orton hit two clotheslines in order to knock Henry down, and then hit a DDT for a near fall.

Big Show interfered and punched Orton in the kidneys to stop another DDT. Orton recovered and hit one on Big Show. He then fired up for an RKO, but Henry knocked him down. Sheamus tackled Henry out of the ring. Show then hit a Chokeslam on Orton for the victory.

Big Show and Mark Henry defeated Sheamus and Big Show at 15:10.

Barnett's Brief: A passable TV main event. It wasn't extremely exciting, but it told a decent story in the ring, and the heels really needed the win here. I don't know what to expect out of these four at Extreme Rules quite yet, but I think we'll get a least one good match out of it. I still think the babyface characters are woefully bland, but Show and Henry can be great on the mic and effective in the ring when used properly.

Do you have questions, comments or concerns? Contact me at barnett.jake@gmail.com or on twitter @barnettjake.