By Chris Shore

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 1/31 in Omaha, Neb.

[Q1] A video recapped the Randy Orton stair spot and his return to get Wade Barrett tonight...The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Josh Matthews, Michael Cole, and Booker T welcomed us to Smackdown. Lillian introduced Teddy Long who was in the ring.

Teddy put over the Royal Rumble, and announced the entrants for the Smackdown Elimination Chamber: Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, Big Show, Cody Rhodes, Mark Henry, and Randy Orton. Teddy flubbed his lines explaining the rules and said we would have eliminations at periodic moments throughout the match. I think.

Mark Heny's music hit and he came to the ring. He told Teddy he didn't like being in the match because he only had a six to one chance to win. He said he didn't deserve it. Teddy said seeing as how Henry lost at the Rumble, he's lucky Teddy put him in the match. Henry asked if he was supposed to be thanking Teddy. He said he was the meal ticket around Smackdown.

He told Teddy to take him out of the match and give him a title match tonight. Teddy told him no while poking Henry on the chest. Henry grabbed Teddy and said he wasn't asking, he was demanding. Teddy said he was going to give him half his wish and took him out of the EC match and then suspended him indefinitely. Henry grabbed Teddy's tie and said if he was going to get suspended, he was going to get his money's worth.

Sheamus's music hit and he came to the ring. He and Henry stared off, and then Sheamus hit the Brogue Kick to kill Henry. Teddy asked Sheamus if he knew what title he was going to challenge for. Sheamus said he would announce after the EC. He started to say more, but Cody Rhodes's music hit and he came to the ring. He said nobody would remember Sheamus won the Rumble because Cody did all the work by eliminating the most people and lasting over 45 minutes. He said he would take that momentum into the EC and become the first dual champion since the Ultimate Warrior. Teddy booked Cody to face Sheamus right then...[C]

Shore's Slant: Not a great opening segment. They needed to get Henry out so he can heal, but did they have to bury him on the way out? Ugh. And then it was just overbooked with too many people involved.

[Q2] 1. Sheamus defeated Cody Rhodes in 5:08 TV time. Sheamus was in control as the match was joined in progress. He clubbed Cody to the floor and followed, but Rhodes hit the Beautiful Disaster kick from the railing. Cody rolled Sheamus back in the ring and hit a moonsault for a near fall. Sheamus stormed back to hit his shoulder tackle from the top. He lifted Cody for the Irish Cross. Cody slipped out and tried the Beautiful Disaster again. Sheamus Ducked. Cody ducked the Brogue kick, but turned around in to Sheamus's new finisher...[C]

Shore's Slant: Good match, but the finish was never in doubt. I have no doubt Sheamus chooses the Smackdown championship, and little doubt that it will be Randy Orton who is champion.

Back from commercial, Cody was still at ringside acting blownup. Justin Gabriel made his ring entrance, followed by Hunico and Camacho. Hunico cut a promo on the way to the ring about not being thugs. Cody attacked Gabriel from behind, and all three men attacked Gabriel. Great Khali's music hit and he stormed to the ring. Khali shoved Camacho and Hunico down and Cody split. Khali took out Camacho with the chop and Hunico with the Punjabi Plunge. He went after Cody who fled to the back...

[Q3] Cole hyped hearing from Daniel Bryan for later...[C]

Shore's Slant: Oh no. Don't tell me we are getting Cody vs. Khali. This must be a test. If he can be entertaining with Khali then he's ready for the main event. Yeah, that's it. Please let that be it.

Drew McIntyre was making excuses to Teddy backstage. Teddy said Drew needed to find a way to impress him. Drew thanked him and left. Santino came in and introduced his new partner, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. Teddy gave them a match with the tag champs. They left, and Aksana came in. She looked down and said she saw a giant piece of wood. Teddy did the spit-take and Aksana picked up Duggan's 2x4. Duggan came back to take the board and end the terrible segment...

The Mike Tyson Hall of Fame video aired...Santino made his ring entrance, followed by Duggan...[C]

[Q5] The tag champs made their entrance with Rosa in less clothing than usual...

2. Primo and Epico (w/Rosa Mendez) defeted Santino Marella and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan at 2:20. Santino and Epico started. Duggan tagged in quickly and Epico took control with kicks in the corner to tag Primo. The crowd chanted "USA" and Duggan fought out. He tagged Santino who did his boom-boom-boom run. Santino put the Cobra on and Rosa distracted him. Primo hit the backstabber for the win, and Duggan chased the champs away with the board...Daniel Bryan was hyped for next...[C]

Shore's Slant: So bored right now. This Smackdown has not been exciting at all. Even Duggan didn't get a rise out of me. Sleepy show.

Michael Cole introduced Daniel Bryan, who joined him in the ring. Cole admitted that he was wrong about Bryan and his win on Sunday proved it. He apologized and offered his hand to Bryan. Bryan took the mic and said he appreciated the sentiment, but this wasn't about Cole, it was about him. He made Cole leave the ring.

Bryan said he proved he was a great champion because he beat two monsters on Sunday. He said he was a role model and so he wanted everyone to be like him and become vegan. He trashed Omaha for eating meat and talked about all the problems of eating meat. He said he was in better health than everybody else there.

[Q5] He said he was tired of being mistreated for his beliefs. He said he shouldn't have to defend his title against six men, especially if one of the men is a guy he has beaten four times in a row in title matches. He said if Teddy didn't remove Big Show from the match, he was taking his case to the WWE Board of Directors and Teddy would join John Laurinaitis in the unemployment line.

Bryan started to leave, but Show's music hit and he came to the ring. Show said he would have been out sooner, but he was in the back finishing a big steak. He said the key to being a role model was bot dictating to people how to live, but by living a life of example. He said Daniel wasn't a role model, he was a pompous arrogant little ass, and he would still be one after EC, but he wouldn't be champion.

Bryan said he knew the odds were against him, and he might lose the title at EC, but it wouldn't be to Show. He said Show would lose, like he always does. He kept berating Show until Show hit him. Show kicked Bryan's ass and AJ ran out. She climbed in the ring, but shrank back from Show. Bryan tried to attack, but Show grabbed him and cocked for the WMD. AJ grabbed his arm and Bryan escaped. AJ backed away and finally left the ring to hug Bryan at ringside. Bryan walked her to the back protecting her...

Natalya and Beth were backstage getting ready. Natty farted and ran away. Beth left. Santino walked into it and threw up...[C]

Shore's Slant: Bryan was not very good there. The whole segment dragged until Show came out, and it really didn't get good until AJ came out. But it was good after that. At least until the Natty fart again. God I hate when they do this.

A video recapped the Aksana, Natalya, Tamina incident last week...The women made ring entrances...

3. Natalya and Beth Phoenix defeated Tamina and Aksana at 0:44. Natty and Tamina started. Natty slammed her and took out Tamina. Aksana kicked her and Natty slammed her again. Beth tagged in and told Natty to get out. Beth hit the Glam Slam on Aksana for the win. Post-match, Natty went after Aksana, but Tamina hit a superkick and the top rope splash...

[Q6] A graphic showed the EC entrants, and then the announce team setup a video that recapped Henry's suspension. They then announced that Khali would be taking Henry's spot...Orton was shown backstage getting ready...[C]

Shore's Slant: Five straight quarters of hot garbage so far this week. Tough. Smackdown has been pretty good recently, but not this show. Tomorrow's article is going to be titled "Miss List" as of right now.

The John Cena Wrestlemania video aired...Backstage, Matt Striker asked Orton if he was going to be more conservative with Barrett tonight considering his stair bump and upcoming EC match. Orton said he never holds back. He said he has no problem with Barrett throwing him down the stairs because he would have done the same. He said he does have a problem with Barrett saying he ended Orton's career. He said he would beat Barrett and go on to win the EC...[C]

Shore's Slant: Standard paint by numbers stuff from Orton. He' been gone long enough that I didn't roll my eyes, but it didn't set me on fire either.

[Q7] Barrett made his entrance while a video recapped the elevator and stair spot again. The scene cut backstage and Teddy Long was watching on a monitor. Bryan and AJ walked up and said they needed to talk about Big Show because AJ was terrified. Teddy invited them to join him for the main event to talk about it...[C]

4. Randy Orton defeated Wade Barrett at 16:56. Orton made his full entrance. They traded blows to start and Orton hit a suplex into the Orton stomp. Orton tossed Barrett over the top and then followed to slam Barrett into and on every surface around the ring. Orton took a table out from under the ring to get a good reaction from the crowd...

[Q8][C] Back from commercial, Orton and Barrett fought on the top turnbuckle with the table setup in the ring. Barrett shoved Orton through the table on the lower back and covered for a near fall. The announce team put over Orton's injury.

Barrett went to work on Orton and hit his big kick in the ropes that spilled Orton tot he floor. Barrett followed and tried to attack, but Orton turned the tables and they brawled into the stands. They brawled back to the ring area, and Barrett finally got the better of Orton. He rolled Orton in the ring and grabbed a chair. He hit Orton several time with the chair, and then setup for Wasteland on the chair.

Orton threw an elbow to escape and started his boom-boom-boom run. After the power slam, Orton hit Barrett several times with the chair. He set the Chair in the corner and whipped Barrett into it. Orton followed with a standing drop kick, and Barrett rolled to the floor.

Orton followed and tossed Barrett over the announce table. They went back to the ring and did the rope DDT spot. Orton went for the RKO, but Barrett shoved him off and hit the Winds of Change for a near fall when Orton put his foot on the rope. Barrett got another chair and hit Orton. He setup for a pump handle slam on the chair, but Orton slipped out and hit a RKO. Orton set the chair where he wanted, and hit another RKO on the chair for the victory...

Post-match, Teddy Long told AJ she wouldn't have to worry about Big Show next week. He told Bryan that since he was a role model, he could face Randy Orton next week. Bryan said he wasn't afraid of giants or snakes. He told AJ to stay there and walked off. Orton was in the ring celebrating. Bryan ran out, did some celebrating of his own, and left...

Shore's Slant: Odd finish, but a good main event. I don't know if it made up for the sloppy Smackdown, but it was very good. Except that Barrett continues to look like a pretender. This Daniel Bryan thing just plays into my belief that Bryan drops the strap at EC. I'll have more to say tomorrow on the hitlist and All access podcast. 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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