4/26 Barnett's WWE Smackdown on SyFy Live Coverage Review: The Undertaker, Dean Ambrose, Fandango, Mark Henry, Randy Orton and More on a packed episode of Smackdown

By Jake Barnett

WWE Smackdown on SyFy Live Coverage Review
Taped Tuesday, April 23rd in London, England

[Q1] The narrator showed Alberto Del Rio defeating Jack Swagger from last week, and said the rematch was tonight. Then, the conflict between The Shield and The Undertaker was shown, and the narrator said Taker would be in action on Smackdown for the first time in three years.

In the ring, Lilian Garcia said the following match was a no disqualification match, and Jack Swagger hit the ring. The Triple Threat match for Extreme Rules was plugged, and then Del Rio made his ring entrance, announced by Ricardo Rodriguez. The announce team then paid a lot of attention to Del Rio's injured leg and Swagger's injured arm, both at the hands of one another.

1. Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger: Del Rio clotheslined Swagger to ringside almost immediately, and followed up with a suicide dive through the second rope. He slammed Swagger's arm on the ring steps and grabbed a kendo stick from under the ring. Swagger put the boots to Del Rio as he came in the ring and stole the Kendo stick. He then took a few shots at Del Rio's bad knee, and then a few more to the chest. Swagger taunted the crowd and lined up and measured one more shot, but Del Rio caught it and worked his way to his feet. He then kicked Swagger into the corner and charged at him, but Swagger sent him over the ropes to the floor.

Swagger jawed at Del Rio on the floor, and went under the ring to find a weapon. Del Rio interrupted him and they brawled up the ramp. Del Rio hit a suplex on the ramp and headed back towards the ring. He grabbed a ladder and laid it on the ring apron. Swagger tried to charge at him but ended up getting pancaked on the ladder...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Good match thus far. It has been fast paced and the offense has been varied enough to keep you from zoning out.

Swagger held onto a headlock while the picture in picture showed him as slammed Del Rio with kendo stick shots during the break. Del Rio fought out of the headlock, but Swagger bailed to ringside and grabbed a chair. Del Rio surprised Swagger with an enziguri as he jawed with the crowd from the apron. Del Rio built up steam with punches, but Swagger took out his bad knee. Swagger then hit a single leg tackle on Del Rio's bad knee and set up the chair in between the turnbuckles. Swagger hit an armbreaker and a tilt-a-whirl back breaker, and Swagger rolled to the apron.

[Q2] Del Rio grabbed him from inside the ring and wrapped him up in the ropes and hit him a bunch of times with a kendo stick, followed by a back cracker. He covered and got a two count. Del Rio made his first attempt a cross arm breaker, but couldn't get it on. He then hit a straight right kick to a kneeling swagger for a close near fall. Swagger then went for the ankle lock, but Del Rio versed into a cross armbreaker. Del Rio rolled him up for a two count from the arm breaker. Swagger then tossed Del Rio into the chair set up in the turnbuckles.

Swagger went to the outside to put the ladder in the ring, but Del Rio grabbed the other end and see sawed it into his chin. Del Rio followed to the outside, but Colter distracted Swagger with the kendo stick. That set up Swagger to run a ladder into his skull. Swagger threw him back into the ring and covered for a near fall. Swagger went for a Swagger Bomb, but Del Rio blocked and turned it into a cross arm breaker. Del Rio locked it in but Colter handed Swagger the kendo stick and he broke the hold. Swagger then hit Del Rio with the ladder and hit his gutwrench power bomb for the victory.

Jack Swagger defeated Alberto Del Rio at 14:05.

Post match, Swagger and Colter stood on the apron with their hands on their harts. The announce team plugged Sheamus vs. Big Show later in the show, as well as Randy Orton and Mark Henry...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Another high quality match from these two that I enjoyed a lot. I like the booking with Del Rio winning the singles match and Swagger winning the match when he could use the bag of tricks. It plays well into casting doubt about the match at Extreme Rules.

Aksana was shown in the ring for a divas match. Layla then made her entrance to a nice home town reaction.

2. Aksana vs. Layla: Layla butt bumped Aksana, and then got sent to the floor. Aksana followed to the outside, but taunted the crowd as she got back into the ring and Layla hit a baseball slide. Aksana hit a knee to Layla's face in the ring, and then stomped on her hand. Aksana then taunted the crowd again and kicked Layla into the corner. She then wrapped her arm around the bottom rope and continued to wrench on her wrist. They traded strikes for a bit, and Aksana got a headlock. Layla countered with a unique rollup for the sudden victory.

Layla defeated Aksana at 2:59.

[Q3] Post match, the Total Divas reality show video package was shown. It covered the basics of the show, and seemed to indicate the show had both in and out of character moments. The announce team then plugged a video package for The Undertaker and Team Hell no taking on the shield...[c]

Barnett's Brief: The match was a bit of a bore. The Total Divas reality show seemed to have some contrived conflict, like all reality shows. We'll see how it turns out. I still don't get why we have video packages on Smackdown for matched we saw on Monday.

The outcome of Monday's Raw match between The Shield vs. Team Hell No and The Undertaker was shown. The Shield then cut a promo backstage. Ambrose opened up with the premise that they beat The Undertaker on Monday. Reigns said it was an injustice that Team Hell No still holds the tag belts, and Rollins said it was an injustice that The Undertaker is still walking. Ambrose said he would do what no one has been able to do in 21 WrestleManias, and he would defeat the Undertaker. Rollins then said he would not rest in peace, and Reigns said he would believe in The Shield.

Fandango made his ring entrance with Summer Rae...[c]

Barnett's Brief: A much better promo from The Shield. It appears they will be going after the Tag Team Gold, which would be great for that division if they actually defend them.

[Q4] Justin Gabriel was in the ring for match with Fandango.

3. Fandango vs Justin Gabriel: Fandango hit a knee to the temple of Gabriel to start the match. Gabriel started in on offense, so Fandango bailed to the outside. Gabriel hit an arm drag once he got back in, but Fandango quickly go the advantage with a knee to the chest. He then tied up Gabriel in the ropes an hit knees to the back. Fandango then rolled to the outside and kicked Gabriel in the face.

Gabriel surged back with strikes and hit a wheel kick that the crowd liked. Gabriel tried a springboard move, but Fandango kicked him in the gut.. Fandango quickly hit his corkscrew neck breaker, and followed it up with a top rope leg drop for the win.

Fandango defeated Justin Gabriel at 2:56.

Fandango and Summer Rae danced an Fandango said his name. They then danced up the ramp, while the annouce team plugged Big Show vs. Sheamus for later...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Fandango had a good outing, but they didn't do anything to deter the crowd from cheering for him. I'm not sure it would have worked with the London crowd, but I was surprised they didn't have him give a longer promo.

Sheamus made his ring entrance while they showed video of he and Mark Henry's feud. The Big Show then made his ring entrance.

4. Sheamus vs. Big Show: Both men circled for a bit, and then traded strikes, with Big Show getting the better of it. He hit a bunch of slaps to Big Show's chest, and then grabbed him by the neck and threw him over the top rope. Big Show pursued Sheamus to the outside and tossed him back into the ring. Sheamus rammed show in the gut on the apron and hit his clubs to the chest. Big Show shook it off and hit a head butt, and a side slam. Show then dropped an elbow on Sheamus and covered for a two count.

[Q5] Show continued the assault and choked Sheamus on the middle rope. He then followed up with another head butt and a final cut for another two count. Sheamus hit some punches, and attempted a body slam, but he couldn't hold the weight and Big Show fell onto him. Sheamus crawled over to the ropes, but Big Show rolled to the outside and pulled him out to the apron and slapped his chest. The announcers questions whether Sheamus could survive much longer...[c]

Big Show threw Sheamus through the turnbuckles and into the ring post. Sheamus ended up on the outside, where Big Show threw him into the steps. The ref counted 9 before Sheamus could make it into the ring. Show sent Sheamus into the turnbuckle shoulder first. Show wrenched the arm of Sheamus over his shoulder, and then applied a wrist lock. Sheamus hit some strikes and a DDT to rally back. He hit more strikes, but Big Show started trading back. Sheamus ducked a clothesline and hit some shoulder blocks and a running knee. He went up top and hit a shoulder tackle and send Big Show down.

He went for White Noise, but Big Show reversed into a choke slam which Sheamus reversed into White Noise. The crowd chanted for the Brogue Kick, and fired up for it. Show ducked out of the ring, but Sheamus jumped at him front the ring steps. Big Show shook him and went back into the ring. Sheamus hung Big Show on the top rope and went up top for another tackle. Mark Henry dumped over the ring stop on the outside, distracting Sheamus. Show hit a KO Punch and covered for the victory.

Big Show defeated Sheamus at 12:11.

Post match, Sheamus looked angry in the ring and the announce team plugged Henry vs. Orton and The Undertaker vs. Dean Ambrose...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Another quality match where the right guy one. Sheamus needs some adversity to advance his character, and Henry and Show are a competent duo for that.

[Q6] William Regal made his entrance to irreverence from the English crowd. Wade Barrett then made his entrance to a loud but mixed reaction. Barrett said he'd heard all the stories of London's infamous grave robberies, but he never thought they were real until today. He said Regal had come out of a crypt and he would go back from whence he came at the hands of the Barrett Barrage.

5. William Regal vs. Wade Barrett: Regal got the better of a strike exchange, and hit a suplex for nice pop from the crowd. Barrett then surprised Regal with the Bull Hammer countering a clothesline for a quick victory.

Wade Barrett defeated William Regal at :59.

The announce team then introduced a video package about Paul Heyman and Triple H's segment from Monday's Raw. Randy Orton made his ring entrance after the video aired...[c]

Barnett's Brief: I would have not shown the Triple H package and given Regal and Barrett more time. Seemed a waste to me.

Cole said there was nothing quite like watching Randy Orton pose in front of a huge crowd. I have no idea what that means. Mark Henry then made his ring entrance while they showed his interference in the Sheamus and Big Show from earlier.

6. Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry: Henry went for a World's Strongest Slam early, but Orton slipped out and hit some punches, Henry rolled to the outside and Orton pursued and they traded punches on the outside. Henry picked Orton up to run him into the post, but Orton slipped that too and Henry ran into the post himself.

[Q7] Orton stomped on Henry as he got back in the ring and then stepped on his hands. Orton played to the crowd and Henry charged and collided with him to turn up the tables. Henry forced Orton into the corner and hit some knees. He then taunted the crowd and Orton took advantage. He hit a few kicks and a then two clotheslines to finally get him off his feet. Orton then hit a DDT for a two count. Henry rolled to the apron, and Orton intercepted in and his Rope DDT. Orton revved up for the RKO and Henry rolled to ringside.

Orton followed and Henry picked him up and rammed him into the post. The ref started a count and Henry put Orton back in the ring. Sheamus ran down and slipped into the ring and hit a Brogue Kick on Henry. Sheamus told Orton to do and RKO, and he hit one once Henry got up.

Mark Henry defeated Randy Orton by DQ at 4:49.

Post match, both Sheamus and Orton celebrated. Cole then introduced a trailer for a movie called No One Lives. They then advertised a video package for Ryback and John Cena for next...[c]

Cole and JBL introduced a Raw Rebound focused on Ryback and John Cena's feud.

[Q8] The Undertaker then made his full ring entrance. Cole put the entrance over as the most exhilarating experience in WWE, and it's hard to argue with him...[c]

Dean Ambrose made his ring entrance with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.

6. The Undertaker vs. Dean Ambrose: Ambrose punched Taker into the corner, but Taker reversed and unloaded on Ambrose. He then tossed Ambrose over the top rope and followed to the outside. He tossed Ambrose into the apron and stared down The Shield to drop a leg on Ambrose. Taker charged Ambrose in the corner for a big boot, but Ambrose moved and Taker got hung on the top rope. Ambrose worked over Taker in the corner with elbows and then hit a drop kick for a two count.

Ambrose continued the assault with a neck breaker and covered, but Taker kicked out at two. They traded blows for a bit and then Ambrose hit the ropes. Taker caught him and hit a choke slam. Reigns and Rollins distract Taker and Ambrose hits a low blow and a DDT for a near fall. Taker slipped out of the pin and into a Gogoplata for a submission victory.

The Undertaker defeats Dean Ambrose at 4:55.

After the match, Taker got the best of the Shield in brawl until Reigns speared him through the barricade. Ambrose then hit Taker over the back with a chair. The crowd barked out You Tapped Out at Ambrose, while the Undertaker was laid out. Ambrose and Rollins picked up Taker and they triple power bombed him through the announce table. Rollins and Reigns screamed Dead Man, and told Taker they were the new dog and the hounds of justice...

Barnett's Brief: This makes me wonder if we'll see The Undertaker at Extreme Rules. It was a good match with a very good Post Match Brawl. It was great to see The Undertaker in action and he looked great throughout. The Shield beating was convincing and I hope this is the beginning of a great run for them through The Summer. Stay tuned for more reaction in audio from Chris Shore and I tomorrow.

If you have questions, comments or concerns please contact me at barnett.jake@gmail.com, or on twitter @barnettjake.
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