By Chris Shore

Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 4/12/11 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

[Q1] A video recapped the Mark Henry vs. Big Show match at Survivor Series and asked what's next for both men and the title. In the arena, Mark Henry's music hit and he came to the ring limping and with a crutch. Josh Matthews, Michael Cole and Booker T welcomed us to Smackdown and put over the leg injury to Henry big.

Henry drew great heat as he started his promo. The fans cheered when Henry asked if they were happy that he was in pain. The camera zoomed in and showed Henry was in a walking boot. Henry said this was not the type of treatment or respect a champion deserves.

Henry said he was hurt, but he wasn't broken. He said all the fans wished it could have been them that hurt him. He said he kicked Show in the privates because Show wanted to make Henry look like a bad guy. He said he was there for all the children, as a model for how to fight through pain, but Teddy Long and the doctors wouldn't let him compete. He said he was the world's toughest man, and the world champ.

Big Show's music hit and he came to the ring smiling and playing to the fans. Show said Henry knew the only way the title changes hands is on a pinfall or submission, and that's why Henry kicked Show where he did. Show said as far as the ankle goes, he just did to Henry what Henry did to him. He said, "Next time--"

Henry cut him off and said their wouldn't be a next time because Show was the world's biggest loser. He continued to mouth off off-mic, and Show knocked him out. Show calmly left the ring and walked to the back. Daniel Bryan's music hit and he and a ref ran to the ring with the briefcase…

1. Daniel Bryan defeated Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship at 0:13. The bell rang, Bryan fought to roll Henry over, but he finally did and scored the pinfall victory. Bryan celebrated on the ropes and even on top of the announce table as Cole flipped out.

Teddy Long ran out with a mic telling everyone to wait a minute. He hit the ring and said that Henry had told the truth earlier and he was not medically cleared to wrestle. He said there was no official match and therefore, Bryan was not the world champ. He asked for the belt back and Bryan reluctantly gave it to him. Long handed Henry the belt and Henry went to the back.

[Q2] Teddy asked for the MitB briefcase and gave it back to Bryan. He said since there was never an official match, he never officially cashed it in. He said he was going to give Bryan another chance at the world title by competing in a four-way main event, with the winner facing Mark Henry next week on a live Tuesday Smackdown…[C]

Shore's Slant: OK, so much to talk about here. First, the opening promo from Henry was great, again, and Pennsylvania helped with some very good heat for him. Show played his part well and got serious when he had to. The Daniel Bryan thing has me intrigued. My gut reaction is that this was a mistake, and hurts Bryan the most for a number of reason. And yet I want to see what the do with the main event now too. Let's see how this plays out before an official analysis.

Josh Matthews announced that whoever wins the world title cage match next Tuesday (who knew it was a cage match?) would face Big Show at TLC…

2. Hunico defeated Justin Gabriel at 4:28. Booker tried to put over the match and Cole took over to shit on Bryan for a solid minute. Hunico hit a very cool looking Samoan slam after ducking a clothesline. Gabriel hit a corkscrew plancha on Hunico on the floor, but the match was almost all Hunico. Hunico hit his top rope senton for the win…[C]

Shore's Slant: Good enhancement match for Hunico. It's a shame he had to debut with that stupid Sin Cara story they did. He has great skills and draws good heat as a heel.

[Q3] A video put over the latest European tour…Alicia Fox joined the commentary team for the next match…

3. Beth Phoenix and Natalya defeated AJ and Kaitlyn in 1:00. Kaitlyn and Natty started. Cole said the tiff AJ and Kaitlyn had last week was from Kaitlyn believing AJ was distracted by her crush on Daniel Bryan. AJ tagged in quickly and scored a roll-up, but Natty kicked out and hooked on the Sharpshooter for an immediate submission victory. Post-match, Kaitlyn left angry, and Natty hooked the Sharpshooter back in, going all the way to the ground again, while Beth took the mic and told AJ to cry. Alicia calmly climbed into the ring and the heels just left…[C]

Shore's Slant: The match was what it was. AJ is the Dolph Ziggler of the Divas division in that she can bump around and make anyone look good. I also thought Alicia did well on the headset. She didn't set the world on fire, but considering some of the Divas on the mic, she was near the top of the class. So in all, not a terrible segment.

Backstage, Teddy was on the phone with someone and told them Mick Foley will be the special host. Aksana walked up and Teddy got off the phone. She asked if there would be mistletoe next week and he said yes. There was a slam and Aksana took off as Henry stormed in. Henry got in Teddy's face and complained about having to defend the title next week. Teddy acted scared and then said he forgot to mention that it would be a cage match. Henry got pissed and said Teddy would get his.

Zack Ryder was playing WWE 12 and Sheamus walked up. He asked if Ryder was winning and Ryder said it would be just like that when he got enough signatures for his US title match. Sheamus said he had already signed the petition. Ryder said they were broskis and that they would go clubbing together after he won. He fist pumped to some song about getting naked under the sheets, which was supposedly Sheamus's entrance theme.

Sheamus looked pissed and Ryder sold scared until Sheamus broke into a smile and said nobody wanted to see him naked. He said they should concentrate on kicking Swagger's and Ziggler's collective arses and then they could go party. Ryder said, "Woo woo woo…" and then stopped when Sheamus looked pissed again. Sheamus finally smiled and finished the phrase for a relieved Ryder…

[Q4] Ziggler and Swagger made their ring entrance…[C]

Shore's Slant: Henry was less than awesome in his promo, but still good. The stuff with Ryder and Sheamus was pretty funny too.

Back from commercial, Swagger and Ziggler were introduced and then Vickie did her "Excuse me" bit for her gobs and gobs of heat. She demanded that everyone stand up and applaud for Ziggler's double win at Survivor Series. Ziggler took over and said the crowd had double chins, not double wins. He said his double win wasn't him just showing off, it was him making history…

4. Zack Ryder and Sheamus defeated Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger (w/Vickie Guerrero) in 17:30. Ziggler and Sheamus started. Ziggler hit an arm drag and played to the crowd. Sheamus tossed him around like a rag doll and Swagger tagged in. Sheamus hit his clubbing forearms in the ropes and then clotheslined Swagger over the top. Ziggler ran in and Sheamus tossed him to the floor. Ryder ran in and hit a flip dive onto the guys on the floor before fist pumping with the crowd…[C]

[Q5] Back from commercial, Ryder worked Swagger in the corner. He tagged Sheamus, who hit a slingshot shoulder tackle on Swagger. Swagger fought back and hit a clothesline and tagged Ziggler. The heels worked in and out on Sheamus until he got the knees up on a Swagger bomb.

Ryder got the hot tag and whipped Swagger around. There was an awkward moment where Vickie was supposed to be a distraction, but Ryder seemed confused. He ended up on the floor and took a clothesline from Swagger. Swagger rolled him back in the ring and tagged in Ziggler, who hit a neck breaker and kipped up to show off.

The heels hit their wheelbarrow fameassor and Ziggler covered. This time, the ref looked confused. Sheamus broke the count, and the heels continued to work in and out on Ryder. Ryder hit a tornado DDT and both Sheamus and Ziggler got hot tags. Sheamus destroyed Ziggler and went for the Celtic Cross. Swagger broke it up, but ate a Brogue kick. Ryder hit a blind tag in the process. Ziggler went for a Zig Zag, but Sheamus shrugged him off in a great looking spot. Ryder hit the Rough Ryder for the win…

Shore's Slant: Wow. Great match. There were those two awkward moments, but they didn't take much away. Go out of your way to see this match. Great stuff.

Backstage, Daniel Bryan was telling AJ, who was still selling her back, about how it felt to win the title. AJ said he still had the briefcase and another shot in the fatal fourway match. Wade Barrett walked up and said Bryan would have many more chances, but not tonight.

AJ told him to shut up and Barrett cracked that Bryan had 14 year old girls fighting his battles. Bryan said nobody was fighting his battles but him. He said he wasn't intimidated by Henry or Barrett. Barrett smirked and walked off. AJ wished Bryan luck, kissed him on the cheek, and left Bryan smiling…

Shore's Slant: Everybody did fine here, but I don't understand the need to give Bryan a love interest again. He already did this with Gail Kim, so what's up with AJ and him? It just seems recycled.

[Q6][C] 5. Ted DiBiase defeated Heath Slater at 4:50. Looks like Slater's suspension is over. The bell rang, and then Jinder Mahal's voice filled the arena. He said DiBiase betrayed his upbringing to hang with commoners. He said something else in Punjabi and Slater attacked DiBiase from behind. Cole and Booker bickered almost the entire match. DiBiase hit Dream Street for the win. He "Tebowed" in the middle of the ring after the match.

Shore's Slant: Meh. Looks like Ted's first real feud is with Mahal. I gotta say though, I take umbrage with DiBiase's Tebow moment. I grow very weary of people's faith being the butt of jokes. If that's not your thing, that's cool. But shut up about everybody else who does it.

[Q7] A video recapped Cody Rhodes throwing water in Booker T's face. Backstage, Matt Striker asked Cody about it. Cody said he didn't throw water into a legends face, he threw water into the face of a lowly commentator. He said he did it because it was his match and he could see Booker's disapproving face. He said now that he didn't have the mask, he was free to do what he wanted. He said he could dig that, sucka, and walked off…

Daniel Bryan made his ring entrance and a video recapped his title win from earlier. Randy Orton was out next…[C]

6. Daniel Bryan defeated Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Wade Barrett in a Fatal Fourway Number One Contender's match in 18:00. Orton and Barrett faced off in the ring as Rhodes and Bryan went to the floor. Orton cleared Barrett to the floor and Cody tried to attack Orton from behind. Bryan came in and he and Orton cleared Rhodes to the floor. The two babyfaces stared off…and it went to commercial…[C]

Shore's Slant: What the hell?

[Q8] Back from commercial, the heels were working on the babyfaces. Bryan rolled to the floor and Orton took out both heels for a moment, but the numbers game caught up to him. Bryan came in with a missile dropkick and then was a house of fire on Rhodes. Barrett hit a big slam and covered, but Orton broke the count and drove Barrett into the post…[C]

Orton was in control, but Barrett attacked him from behind and drove Orton to the floor. Rhodes attacked Barrett from behind and drove him to the floor. Bryan tossed Cody to the floor and hit the suicide dive. All four guys ran in and were tossed out of the ring in wild action. Orton and Cody ended up in the ring. Cody went to the top and Orton caught him there and hit a superplex. Barrett ran in and shoved Orton to the floor and covered. Bryan broke it up with a head-butt from the top.

Orton ran back in and cleared the heels from the ring. He hit the rope DDT on Bryan and setup for the RKO. Barrett dragged him to the floor and hit a DDT on the floor that knocked them both out. Cody covered Bryan, but Bryan kicked out and grabbed the arm to hook the LeBell Lock for an immediate submission victory.

Post-match, Cody Rhodes attacked Bryan. He stomped on Bryan until Orton slid in the ring and hit an RKO on Cody. Orton nodded at Bryan and left the ring. Bryan's music played to end the show…

Shore's Slant: Another good match, but I three commercial breaks? And the one with Orton and Bryan was both sudden and in a poor spot. Strange choices there, but an interesting choice with Bryan. I'm still not sure where I come down on this. I'll explain more in the All Access podcast later today and the Smackdown hitlist tomorrow. Thanks for reading along today and a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com or tweet me @TheShoreSlant with whatever is on your mind.

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