By Chris Shore

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 1/17 in Las Vegas, Nevada

[Q1] A video recapping last week's match between Big Show and Daniel Bryan...The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Daniel Bryan made his entrance as Michael Cole, Josh Matthews, and Booker T checked in on commentary. Bryan cut a promo similar to the one from Raw. He said this episode was called Sin City not because they were in Vegas, but because that describes what Big Show did to AJ last week.

He ran down their weights again and accused Show of having crocodile tears. He said Show did it because he was bitter about having the shortest title reign in history. He said now his girlfriend's career might be over because she insisted on being with him at ringside. He said she did it because she loved him. He said he had an "admiration" for her as well, that's why dedicated his match on Raw, and his title match tonight, to AJ.

Bryan trashed Big Show and said Show wasn't there tonight, which was a good thing. He said he didn't know if he could control himself if he saw Show again. He said Show should ensure that nobody, including Show got hurt again, and that Show should just quit...

Backstage, Teddy long and Aksana were standing in front of the wheel. Teddy explained the wheel to Aksana and Cody Rhodes walked up. He said he was the last hope for the Rhodes family after talking about Goldust being in the Vegas Show Girl Match. He spun the wheel and it landed on "player's choice." Teddy said Cody could pick his opponent. Cody pointed and Ezekiel Jackson turned around. Cody said, "Not you, him," and pointed again. The camera zoomed in on Santino who pointed down. Hornswoggle looked shocked and then put his face in his hand...[C]

Shore's Slant: Great promo from Brian. I love "logical" heels. Everything he said could be 100 percent true, and yet it makes him the heel. Good stuff. I'm interested where the "great admiration" line leads. And god I hate the wheel.

[Q2] A shot of the Vegas strip was shown. Cody Rhodes made his entrance, followed by Hornswoggle. Before Hornswoggle could get in the ring, Cody slid out of the ring and shoved Horny to the ground. He kicked him a few times and Justin Gabriel ran out. Gabriel attacked Cody and Cody slid into the ring. Gabriel took a mic and called Cody out for picking Horny. He told Cody to pick on someone his own size unless Cody wanted to be in a Vegas Show Girl Match. Cody said non-title and Gabriel slid into the ring...

1. Cody Rhodes defeated Justin Gabriel at 3:41. Both men got in some early licks and drop kicks. Gabriel hit a big kick and went for the 450 but Cody crawled away. Gabriel ended up hitting a springboard cross body for a great nearfall. Cody came right back and hit CrossRhodes for the win...

Backstage, Mark Henry was with Teddy at the wheel. Henry said this was the stupidest idea Teddy ever had. He said Teddy put AJ in harms way last week, and this week he was putting Daniel Bryan in danger. Teddy told him to spin the wheel and Henry yelled for Teddy to do it. Teddy spun the wheel and it landed on "lumberjack match." Henry said that was fine with him, and that the "egotistical, little shrimp" champion was going into the Hall of Pain...[C]

Shore's Slant: Good match between Cody and Gabriel I don't think this was just an enhancement job for Gabriel, but I'm not sure how much push he's going to get. I can't believe they would jump him straight to the top of the mid-card, but I guess anything is possible. And do I love Mark Henry? Great promo.

A video replayed the tag title win by Epico and Primo...

[Q3] The new tag champs made their entrance with Rosa. The got decent heat, but you could tell the underlying man cheer for Rosa. The Usos did their full entrance next...

2. Primo and Epico (w/Rosa) defeated The Usos in a tornado tag match at 2:36. The match was a setup for the new Tornado Takedown WWE toy. Nothing like a match being a commercial. The Usos hit simultaneous corner splashes and stink faces. One Uso went tot he floor with Primo. Rosa screamed at him to distract him and Primo drove him into the ring. The other Uso hit the top rope splash, but Primo hit the backcracker on him for the win...[C]

Shore's Slant: An OK match. Those two teams could do a lot more, but you get two and a half minutes you can only do so much.

A video hyped the Royal Rumble and then recapped last year's Rumble. Aksana and Teddy were backstage again and I stopped listening. Sheamus finally walked up and stopped the idiocy. Teddy had Aksana wpin the wheel and it landed on "tables." Sheamus said that was fine with him because what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Teddy told Aksana he hoped that was right...

Lillian announced a dance off and then introduced Brodus Clay who came out to a great response from the crowd...[C]

Shore's Slant: I read the spoilers, but I swear I don't remember who wins. I'm going to guess Barrett so they can give him a win and protect Sheamus. And I hate myself for saying this, but god I love Brodus Clay.

[Q4] Vickie Guerrero made her entrance. She said she was Brodus's opponent and then tried to talk like Snoop Dog. For shizzle. She called for her music and did something approaching mocking a seziure. I have no other words to describe it. Brodus had each of the girls dance and then did a strip tease/jiggly thing that had me crying I was laughing so hard. The crowd picked Brodus as the winner and Vickie flipped out and called for her music again. She started to dance again and William Regal's music hit. He came to the ring and said he wouldn't let the lady embarrass herself again. Brodus dared him to dance. Regal stared at him and then called for his music. He danced, hilariously of course, for a moment and then Brodus hit his crossbody. He did the, "My bad," line and then danced into commercial...[C]

Shore's Slant: Oh, my side hurts from laughing. As a wrestling segment, that's a negative three. As a pure entertainment moment, it's must see TV. Very conflicted about that, but miy side is still killing me.

[Q5] 3. Wade Barrett defeated Sheamus in a tables match at 6:42 Sheamus clubbed Barrett to the floor. Sheamus setup a table by the announce team and tried to put Barrett through it, but Barrett shoved him into the post. Barrett rolled Sheamus in the ring and did his kick in the rope gimmick near the table. Sheamus escaped and tried to drive Barrett through the table from the apron, but Barrett jumped over and crashed into the announce table.

Sheamus rolled Barrett in the ring and tried to put a table in, but Barrett kicked it. Barrett setup the table, but Sheamus knocked Barrett out on the table. He went to the top and they did several false finishes from the top rope. Sheamus jumped over the table finally and hit the Irish Curse. He set the table in the corner, and lifted for the Irish Cross. Jinder Mahal ran out and Sheamus dropped Barrett to knock Jinder down. Barrett hit a kick to the gut and then ran Sheamus through the table for the win. Post-match, Jinder stood over Sheamus and yelled, but Sheamus recovered and hit the Brogue kick. He put Jinder through a table and posed in the ring...[C]

Shore's Slant: I honestly didn't remember the finish from the spoilers, it's just that WWE is that predictable on table matches. They did an OK job with the stipulation, but the Jinder interference is lame. That guy is worthless right now.

[Q6] Ted DiBiase made his entrance, followed by Hunico and Camacho. A video showed Teddy Long spin the wheel and it landed on "flag match." A crew ran out and setup two poles, one with a Mexican flag, and one with the American. While they setup, a cut-in promo from DiBiase had him saying that apparently Hunico and Camacho were upset about getting left out of his parties.

4. Ted DiBiase defeated Hunico (w/Camacho) in a flag match at 2:23. Is Vince Russo back? Both guys took quick shots for their flags. DiBiase won after shoving Hunico onto Camacho on the floor and captured his own flag...[C]

Shore's Slant: Bleh. I hate pole matches with a pink and purple passion. That was wholly unnecessary and helped neither man.

Backstage, Teddy fired Drew McIntyre. Santino walked up and asked Teddy to wait. He said people were calling his win over Drew a lucky win and he wanted to prove it wasn't. Teddy gave Drew another chance and spun the wheel for a blindfold match. Drew left and Santino walked out with his eyes closed. There was audio of a crash or something...

[Q7] Mark Henry was shown getting ready backstage...[C]

The Raw Rebound video recapped the end of Raw with Punk and Johnny Ace...

5. Drew McIntyre vs. Santino Marella in a blindfold match. The ref put a bag on McIntyre's head. Santino put a bag on the cobra's head, and then the ref put a bag on Santino's. They did a couple of spots using the stipulation and Santino used the crowd to direct him to a Cobra strike for the win...The lumberjacks made their entrances for the main event...[C]

Shore's Slant: Double fail here. First, the McIntyre story is doing nothing for this viewer. Second, that's two comedy bits in the same show. One is fine, but two is too many.

[Q8] Ring introductions occurred for the main event, with the crowd booing both men...

6. Mark Henry fought Daniel Bryan to an apparent no contest for the World Heavyweight Championship in a lumber jack match in about 9:00. Henry shoved Bryan and Bryan rolled to the apron. He jawed with a few lumberjacks and rolled back in the ring. Henry beat the hell out of Bryan and Bryan tried to escape. The lumberjacks rolled him back into the ring. He yelled at them into the break...[C]

Back from the commercial, Henry stayed on the attack. Bryan managed to knock Henry down at one point, but Henry came right back and hit a sick clothesline for two. Henry lifted for the WSS, but Bryan raked the eyes. Henry tossed him tot he floor and Bryan fought with the lumberjacks until Henry snatched him back into the ring. Bryan knocked Henry to the floor and Henry battled with the lumberjacks.

Bryan kicked Henry and several of the guys, so the guys climbed in the ring. A melee broke out with about four guys and then spread to everyone in the ring except Bryan. Bryan slipped out and made his way up the ramp and to the back. He ran into Teddy Long who asked him what he was doing. Bryan screamed about having to face Big Show in a no DQ, no countout match and then Henry in a lumberjack match where thirty guys were trying to beat him up. He asked what was next and Teddy booked a triple threat title match with Bryan, Big Show, and Mark Henry in a cage at the Royal Rumble...

Shore's Slant: An OK match to end. Lumberjack matches can be fun or terrible, rarely do they fall in between. This was more terrible than fun, though I have seen much worse. It felt like a let down after the past few weeks with the Big Show and both men's promos tonight, but they wanted to get the big shmoz in before the Rumble so there you go. A better than average edition of Smackdown, but only barely. I'll have more tomorrow on the hitlist and All Access audio review with Jake Barnett. Thanks for watching along tonight.

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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