By Chris Shore

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 1/3 in Little Rock, Ark

[Q1] A video recapped the Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett match from last week...The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Josh Matthews and Michael Cole welcomed us to Smackdown. They promised an update on his status for later...Entrances occurred for the Intercontinental Title match while a video recapped the altercation between Cody and Dustin last week...

1. Cody Rhodes defeated Booker T to retain the Intercontinental Championship at 11:31. Both guys had a short run of chops and strikes. Booker hit a back kick for two and tossed Cody over the top rope. Cody skinned the cat, but Booker immediately clotheslined him over the top to the floor. Booker followed, but Cody dropped him on the railing and hit a running kick before sliding in the ring...[C]

[Q2] Back from commercial, Booker hooked a backslide for two, and then a super kick for two. Cody came right back and hit a top rope moonsault for two. Cody sold his leg hurting from the move. Booker fought back and went for the scissor kick. Cody ducked and tried for the Beautiful Disaster kick. Booker ducked and went for the Book-end. Cody escaped, but Booker hit the scissor kick for a near fall. They fumbled through some more reversals, and then Cody hit the Beautiful Disaster for the win. Post-match, Booker waved to the fans but sold being dejected...The Orton update was hyped...[C]

Shore's Slant: Decent match. Cody looked good, Booker looked rusty. I think Cody legit hurt his knee on the landing, but not in anyway that will keep him out. Just a nasty bruise probably. Good way to start the first show of the year.

A video recapped Cody's win and the cut backstage to Cody walking with the title. Dustin walked up and congratulated him on beating a legend. Cody ran him down and said he was better than Dustin or Dusty. He said if Dustin wanted to put on the gold paint again for another run, Cody could take him from a joke to laughing stock and then walked off...

Teddy Long was talking to Zack Ryder in Long's office. Ryder said he had to move on from being Teddy's assistant and had a replacement in mind. Drew McIntyre walked in and Teddy asked if Ryder was serious. Ryder said he didn't mean Drew he meant...Santino! Santino walked in with his cobra sock puppet. Ryder left and Santimo pointed out that Drew lost last week and Teddy said he might fire him.

Drew got in Santino's face and Teddy broke it up before a fight. Teddy booked them in a match and said if Santino wins, he gets to be his assistant, and if Drew wins he'll consider not firing him. Drew stormed off and Aksana's music hit. She walked in and Santino left after making a dick joke with his gloved arm. Teddy asked Aksana out for dinner and she accepted...[C]

Shore's Slant: Yep, looks like Dustin and Cody are going to do the dance soon. Get dad involved and that could be a hell of a feud. Santino as assistant to the GM is a good spot for him, but I'm already weary of the Drew McIntyre story.

[Q3] A video recapped the 2008 Royal Rumble with John Cena's return and win...Backstage, AJ and Alicia were talking about Daniel Bryan. Alicia said she hoped his ego could handle a loss. Bryan walked up and said his ego had no worries, he had already beaten Big Show. Alicia walked off and Bryan told AJ he couldn't believe they were friends. AJ said Alicia was just worried about him, like she was. Bryan asked her if she thought he couldn't win. AJ said she didn't say that. Bryan said good, because after he won, they would go celebrate...

Shore's Slant: Heel turn warning!

2. Hornswoggle defeated Heath Slater in an Over the Top Rope Challenge at 1:34. A video recapped what happened with Slater and Sheamus/Hornswoggle last week. Horny made Slater look up and stomped on his foot. Horny got in a few more shots, but Slate clubbed him down. He went to toss Horny over the top, but Horny grabbed his hair and dragged him over the top and to the floor to win. Slater slid back in the ring and attacked Horny. Justin Gabriel ran out and made the save, hitting his 450 from the top to take out Slater...[C]

Shore's Slant: Ugh. I hate Hornswoggle. Looks like we finally get the Slater vs. Gabriel feud. Only eight months late or something like that. But if you get a chance, see that 450. WWE did some great camera work there.

Ted DiBiase made his ring entrance. Hunico and Camacho came out on the bike. Hunico said DiBiase hasn't invited them to any of his posse parties. Camacho spoke with a Mexican accent and asked why they weren't worthy. He not Mexican. Unreal...

[Q4] 3. Hunico (w/Camacho) defeated Ted DiBiase at 3:03. DiBiase worked early strikes at a fast pace on Hunico. Hunico came back and worked the arm, DiBiase went for Dream Street, but Hunico drove him shoulder first into the turnbuckle. Hunico hooked a weird looking submission/pin attempt for the pinfall victory...Backstage, Wade Barrett was shown talking with trainers. The Orton update was promised for next...[C]

Shore's Slant: Not much to say about a three minute match. These two could have a really good match if it was longer, but this is just the beginning of what I assume is a new feud.

Wade Barrett made his entrance. He said he told the doctors to stay in the back because he could handle the medical update. He setup the video that showed them fighting into the elevator and then the stair spot. Barrett said Orton had a herniated disk and that his career was over. He said Orton might come back, but he would never be the same. He said the Royal Rumble was in orton's hometown, and instead of the crowd watching their hometown boy win the Rumble, Orton would sit with his people and watch Barrett win because there was no other superstar who could stop him.

Sheamus's music hit and he came to the ring. Sheamus did his Irish folk story and said Barrett was going to have problems at the Rumble, and he was the biggest. Sheamus asked Barret what his excuse was for acting like a horse's ass. Jinder Mahal's music hit and he came to the ring. He climbed in the ring and slapped the shit out of Sheamus.

[Q5] Sheamus attacked and Barrett attacked Sheamus. Sheamus held off both men and went for the Celtic Cross on Barrett, but Jinder kicked him. Barrett hit the Winds of Change slam and left the ring. Jinder locked in the camel clutch for a moment before playing to the fans and leaving Sheamus laid out...

The announce team narrated a video that showed how Daniel Bryan won the title. A graphic showed the "Tale of the Tape" for Show vs. Bryan...[C]

Shore's Slant: I liked the segment and all, but nobody is buying Mahal this quickly. He jobbed to DiBiase just a couple of weeks ago and now he's the entrance at the top of the second hour? Wow, talk about a rocket up the butt!

4. Santino Marella defeated Drew McIntyre to become assistant to the general manager at 2:30. McIntyre attacked at the bell and hit several power moves. He went for the Future Shock DDT, but Santino rolled him up for two. McIntyre went for a splash in the corner, but Santino moved and hit the Cobra for the win...A video hyped WWE 12 by showing Cole defeat Daniel Bryan...[C]

Shore's Slant: Was there any doubt that Santino would win? And I hate every live crowd on the planet for cheering the Cobra. I will say this, video game Cole hitting a second rope elbow cracked me up.

[Q6] Drew McIntyre was upset backstage and Teddy walked up. Drew said Santino cheated and yelled at him. Teddy said that was strike two, and if next week was strike three, Drew might be fired. Drew stormed off and Santino ran in and said he and Teddy would make beautiful music together...

Primo and Epico were in the ring with a hooker, er, Rosa. Rosa had a cut in video in Spanish where she took credit for making her boys a good tag team. Air Boom was out next...

5. Epico and Primo (w/Rosa Mendez) vs. Air Boom. Epico and Bourne started. The pace started ridiculously fast and never let up. The finish came when Rosa prevented Kofi from hitting a dive on Epico. Epico grabbed Kofi and dragged him to the floor, hard. Bourne hit his knee lift on Primo and went for Air Bourne, but Epico pulled Primo out of the way. Primo covered on the missed move for the win...

Backstage, Matt Striker interviewed Big Show. Show was all jovial and said he was excited about facing Bryan. He called Bryan a good wrestler and Bryan walked up and said he was a good wrestler, and one day he would be great. He said he had to work to get where he was because he wasn't a genetic freak like Show. He said if he had Show's size and his own skill, he wouldn't have had a nine year title drought or the shortest reign in history.

Show put his hand on Bryan's shoulder and said, "Don't make me hurt you out there." Bryan told Show to get his hand off him. Show asked if Bryan was a tough guy now, and Bryan repeated the demand. Show said, "OK," and walked off...[C]

Shore's Slant: Wild tag match that I had no chance to try and list the moves It was mostly strikes and kicks, but still a lot of fun. Rosa looks ridiculous, but ridiculously hot too. Big Show and Bryan were perfect here. Nicely done, gentlemen.

[Q7] Back from commercial, Sheamus vs. Jinder Mahal was announced for next week...Natalya was in the ring and a video showed highlights of her dad, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Tamina made her entrance while a video showed highlights of her dad, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.

6. Tamina defeated Natalya at 1:43. Natty attacked at the bell and went for the Sharpshooter. Tamina kicked away and hit a crossbody on Natty. She scooped her up for a Samoa Slam, and then hit a top rope splash for the win...

The Raw Rebound video recapped the main event with John Cena, Zack Ryder, and Kane...Big Show and Daniel Bryan were shown walking backstage...[C]

Shore's Slant: Natty vs. Tamina could be a good Divas match, but not when it's sub two minutes.

A video recapped the first Royal Rumble and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan's win...

[Q8] Mark Henry made his entrance and joined the commentary team. Show was out next, followed by Bryan, who got a mixed response. Before the bell rang, Henry trashed Cole for asking who would win in a fight between Bryan and Hornswoggle...

7. Daniel Bryan defeated Big Show by disqualification to retain the World Heavyweight Championship at 9:44. Bryan ran at first, but Show grabbed him and lifted him in the air. He hit several head-butts, and then dropped Bryan who rolled to the floor to recover...[C]

Back from commercial, Bryan was on the floor and Henry yelled at him to get up. Show came after him, but Bryan shoved him into the post and stairs, and followed up with the knee from the apron. Show made it back in the ring, but Bryan kept up the attack. He hit several kicks and covered, but Show powered out.

Bryan went tot he floor again and Henry stood up and yelled at him to get back in the ring. Bryan tried for something off the top rope, but Show chopped him out of the air and hit a spear for two. Show went for the chokeslam, but Bryan hooked in the front guillotine, and then dropped it into the LaBell lock. Bryan's mouth was busted open. Show powered out of the hold and then cocked for the WMD. Bryan ran to the floor to escape it.

Henry again yelled for Bryan to get back in the ring. Bryan got in his face and said something, so Henry shoved Bryan tot he floor. The ref looked confused for a moment and then called for the bell. Bryan was announced as the winner by DQ and celebrated like he had just won the title. Bryan continued to celebrate while Show and Henry bikered to end the show...

Shore's Slant: A fair match. Nothing spectacular, but they told a good story and it was entertaining. Bryan's new heel to be character concerns me because we don't need another chickenshit heel, but hopefully there is a plan. Henry was great on commentary and put over both men well. Certainly better than Booker would have. Overall a good show that flew by pretty quickly. The middle dragged some, but much, much better than last week. I'll have more to say in the hitlist tomorrow morning. Thanks for reading and I'll see you then.

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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