By Chris Shore

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped on 2/28 in Seattle, Wash.

[Q1] A video recapped Daniel Bryan's attack on Randy Orton that knocked him out of the Chamber and hyped Orton's return...The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Josh Matthews, Michael Cole, and Booker T welcomed us to Smackdown. Sheamus's music hit and he came to the ring for a promo.

Sheamus said since winning the Royal Rumble, all he could think about is WrestleMania. He put over the show, but said he also couldn't wait to face Daniel Bryan. Sheamus said Bryan became conceited and arrogant when he won the title, and Bryan reminded him of himself. He said he did the same thing when he won the WWE title himself. He said he should have seen that the WWE Championship was the best thing that ever happened to him.

He said when he won the title, he became what he hated, a bully. He said he needed someone to knock his block off and get his head straight, and Bryan did too. He said he was going to do that when he kicked Bryan's ass at Mania and take his title.

Vickie Guerrero and Dolph Ziggler came out at that point. Vickie said the best part of the story was when he quit talking. Ziggler took over and said if Sheamus wanted to give the people what they wanted, it was Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler said Sheamus's head was on fire. Sheamus shot an insult at Vickie but I missed it. Vickie trashed Teddy Long and said they preferred John Laurinaitis. Teddy's music hit. He came to the ramp and booked Ziggler vs. Sheamus for next...[C]

Shore's Slant: Good promo work from everyone involved, but it went off the rails a little with the hard pivot to Teddy and Johnny Ace. But still, this match should be hot.

1. Sheamus defeated Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Gurrero) at 8:22. The match was joined is progress, but we didn't seem to have missed much. Ziggler hit a drop kick that Sheamus no sold and went on the attack. He hit his clubbing blows on the ropes and Ziggler rolled to the floor.

[Q2] Sheamus rolled Ziggler in the ring, but Ziggler hit a cool looking neckbreaker in the ropes. Sheamus hit a clothesline on a hope spot and Ziggler locked on the sleeper. Sheamus dumped Ziggler over the top. Ziggler jumped off the top rope and Sheamus caught him for the Irish Curse. He covered, but Vickie put Ziggler's foot on the rope.

Sheamus hit another backbreaker for two and Vickie waved tot he back. Swagger ran out in a suit and took a Brogue Kick from the apron. Ziggler hit a Fameassor for a great near fall. He tried for the sleeper again, but Sheamus twisted him down and hit the White Noise (Celtic Cross) for the win...

Backstage, Teddy Long was on the phone with Aksana. He walked into his office and hung up. Johnny Ace and David Otunga were there. Ace said he was there for an apology because Teddy attacked him on Raw. He said he had a lumber strain. Otunga threatened to sue. Teddy said he wasn't apologizing for anything. They both threatened each other with showing the other up next week. Teddy threw them out and Ace said Teddy needed to calm down...[C]

Shore's Slant: The match started slow, but the final three minutes were great and the crowd was hot for it. Good stuff from them. Not so great stuff from Long and Ace. I honestly do not think I could care less about this story.

[Q3] A video recapped the Santino vs. Heath Slater incident from last week...

2. Santino Marella defeated Heath Slater at 1:54. Slater killed Santino and climbed to the top. Santino fell into the ropes, knocking Slater down. Santino hit the Cobra for the win...Cole hyped the main event...[C]

Shore's Slant: So, show of hands. Who thinks we should be seeing more to actually build matches for WrestleMania? Nobody from WWE wants to raise their hand? Really? Nobody? Tragic.

A video recapped Triple H vs. Undertake from WrestleMania 27. The announce team hyped the Hell in a Cell match this year and Shawn Michaels on Raw this Monday...

[Q4] Backstage, Eve was checking herself in a mirror. Natalya walked up and said they had a match later but she wanted to talk about something. She started trashing Eve for using Zack Ryder and Eve cut her off. She said at least she was honest about using Ryder. She said Ryder may have looked sweet, but he stank. Natty turned around and farted and said, "No Eve, that stinks." She left and Eve sold the smell...[C]

Shore's Slant: That was the most Jekyll and Hyde segment I have ever seen. You get the great video package for Hunter and Taker, and then farting Natty. Wow.

3. Eve Torres defeated Natalya at 1:44. They chain wrestled for a moment and then both women kipped up. Natty offered her hand and Eve slapped it and then her. Natty attacked, but Eve kicked her in the knee and hooked a rest hold. Natty fought out and rolled Eve up, but Eve reversed for the roll up victory...[C]

Shore's Slant: The crowd died for this match, and then suddenly started chanting for Zack Ryder at the end. The West Coast is a strange place. A decent match for 1:44, but again, it's the Divas. No story here to create drama.

Cody Rhodes came to the ring for a promo. A video recapped him eliminating Show in the Raw battle royal. Cody recapped his two embarrassing moments for Big Show. Cody said Show owed him a thank you for saving him from embarrassing himself again at Mania.

[Q5] Cody put over Show, but said at the big show (Mania), he was a choke artist. Cody started to setup another moment but Big Show's music hit and he came to the ring, stopping to make a kid's night by giving him his hat. Cody bailed into the crowd and Show asked him to stay. He said he wanted to watch the video segment with Cody because he could be funny sometimes.

He said since Cody wouldn't come back, he was going to go get him. Teddy Long's music hit and he hustled to the ring. He told Show he couldn't have him tossing people around in the crowd like the running of the bulls. He booked Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show for the Intercontinental Championship for WrestleMania. He said Show had other business to settle tonight with Mark Henry. Teddy left as Henry made his entrance...

4. Big Show defeated Mark Henry at 8:49. Henry started strong and clothesline Show to the floor. He followed and slammed Show against the barricade and then took a pad off the top turnbuckle. When Show tried to re-enter the ring, Henry slammed him into the exposed buckle and Show hit the floor...[C]

Back from commercial, Cody Rhodes joined the commentary team. Henry slammed Show into the post and then threw the stairs at him, but Show ducked. Back in the ring, Show hit a spear on Henry. Henry came back and hit the World's Strongest Slam for a near fall. Show hit the WMD, took about 30 minutes to cover, and finally did for the win...

Backstage, Teddy Long walked up to Drew McIntyre and told him this was his last chance, if he lost, he was fired. McIntyre looked like he might cry...

[Q6] A video recapped Daniel Bryan's attack on Orton and then Matt Striker interviewed Orton. Orton cut his same cookie cutter promo and said he would beat Bryan tonight...[C]

Shore's Slant: Good match with a terrible ending. Show kicking out of the WSS was double stupid. Why didn't Cody get involved He was right there. Crazy.

5. Justin Gabriel defeated Drew McIntyre at 1:43. McIntyre started out fast, but Gabriel hit a spinning tornado DDT. He followed with the 450 splash for the win. Teddy Long appeared on the screen and said he had to let McIntyre go. The crowd half gave him the goodbye chant...The Edge movie trailer played...

[Q7] A replay of Rock's return to Raw was hyped for next...[C]

Shore's Slant: Honest to God, I drifted off for a second. I realize I'm tired, but wow. This show is doing almost nothing.

A video recapped the Rock's promo from Monday, and of course, they cleaned up Rock's promo. They also didn't use Cena's line about the notes on Rock's arm...

Striker interviewed Daniel Bryan who was with AJ. Bryan said Sheamus was wrong, and that he hadn't changed. He said he was still the guy who was born in Aberdeen, Washington. He pointed out he moved to Las Vegas as soon as he could. He said he was still a vegan, still the guy who beat two giants in a cage, still the guy who defeated five other men in the Elimination Chamber, and he was still the World's Heavyweight Champion...Randy Orton made his entrance...[C]

Shore's Slant: Very good promo from Bryan. He mixed the right amount of intensity with the right substance. Perhaps Rock should take notes. I kid, but I do find it interesting the line that had everybody up in arms is the one they left out.

[Q8] Daniel Bryan made his entrance with AJ...

6. Randy Orton fought Daniel Bryan (w/AJ) to an apparent no contest at 9:43. Orton attacked and clotheslined Bryan over the top. He followed and destroyed Bryan on the floor. He curb stomped Bryan on the steps and rolled him in the ring. He tried for a superplex, but Bryan knocked him to the mat and Orton acted like his concussion was back. Bryan hit an armbreaker...[C]

Bryan continued to work the arm after the break. Orton tried to toss Bryan over the top rope, but Bryan stopped him and hit a dropkick for two. Orton his a scoop slam followed by his rope DDT. He setup for the RKO, but Bryan blocked it and rolled to the floor. Orton followed and setup for another DDT but from the apron onto the floor.

Kane's pyro hit and at the exact same moment, all my audio cut out from a tornado warning. Kane beat up Orton and left him lying in the ring. He said something to him, but again I couldn't hear it. David Otunga and John Laurinaitis were watching backstage and talked about it, but the damn weather service had me locked out until the end of the show. I copy and paste Jake Barnett's final paragraphs here so you know what was said:

[Kane] then grabbed a microphone and said “Welcome Back, Randy, welcome back!” and then his music hit again.

Backstage, Laurinaitis and Otunga surveyed Kane’s destruction and were impressed. Johnny Ace then said he would make a match next week between Kane and Teddy Long’s girlfriend Aksana to close the show...

Shore's Slant: Irritating way to close the show for me. I really don't want to comment on what I didn't hear, but Aksana vs. Kane? This is what we have three weeks before Mania? Ugh. Good match from Orton and Bryan. I'm tired of the non-finishes, but you know that's what you are going to get on TV. A disappointing Smackdown that wasted another week on the road to WrestleMania. I'll have more tomorrow on the hitlist and All Access audio. 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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