3/2 WWE Smackdown in Kalamazoo: Alberto Del Rio vs. Big Show in a Last Man Standing match, NXT Diva debuts, Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow vs. Ted DiBiase

WWE Smackdown live event
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Report by Dot Net reader Darren Persicke

The advanced ticket sales as of Friday night when we went to the Kalamazoo Wings hockey game was 3,000. We were in the last row of the $15 seats at the top. Pretty close to a sellout. Only a few empty seats at the top on the sides. A good crowd for Kalamazoo. Having the sections closed off behind the stage makes a big difference.

They showed various videos and commercials on the two screens on stage before the show started. Matt Striker came on the PA and pushed using social media during the show. Striker was our host and he ran down the card. What, no Tony Chimel?

1. Ted DiBiase beat Damien Sandow. A good back and forth match. Ted won with a rollup after he ducked a close line after he spun out of Sandow's attemp of his neck breaker. Sandow worked the crowd before the match with a promo about how we need him.

2. The Uso's beat Primo and Epico (w/Rosa). Standard tag match with Primo and Epico dominating most of the match. The end came when Primo got super kicked to the floor off the apron by one Uso and Epico got top rope splashed by the other Uso for the win.

3. Paige beat A.J. Lee with Hornswoggle as special referee. At one point AJ had Paige rolled up but Hornswoggle was on the floor and couldn't reach the bottom rope to pull himself in to make the count. Paige won with a rollup after AJ was holding onto the rope and Hornswoggle tried to kiss her. Lot of comedy from Hornswoggle as expected. Paige looked good in the ring. Maybe they'll call her up soon.

4. Jack Swagger (w/Zeb Colter) beat Sin Cara. Swagger and Colter cut a promo about Swagger's America and being a Real American. Then Zeb put Del Rio down as usual about not being a Real American. A squash match for Swagger. Sin Cara tapped to the Patriot Lock. He limped out of the area selling his ankle being injured.

5. Randy Orton defeated Cody Rhodes. Huge pop for Orton. Randy played the crowd throughout the match. He dominated 3/4 of the match. The end came when Cody reversed a RKO attempt into Cross Rhodes. Randy kicked out then Cody threw a fit at the Ref. Cody then went for a Disaster Kick off the turnbuckles and Randy hit a RKO for the pin. Orton went around ringside and signed autographs and posed for pictures.

Intermission.

6. Wade Barrett beat Bo Dallas to retain the Intercontinental Title. Barrett cut a promo about him in Dead Man Down and wanting a match with Bo Dallas. He said stars like him usually don't show up in hell holes like Kalamazoo. Bo got jumped by Barrett while trying to cut a promo on the floor. There was more cheers for Barrett during the match then Dallas. The finish came when Barrett hit the Bull Hammer when Dallas went for a move off the ropes.

7. Kane and Daniel Bryan beat Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston (w/AJ Lee) to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship. A fan at ringside was doing the no with Bryan. Daniel gave him his t-shirt. Fans voted and AJ got to stay at ringside during the match. Bryan took the beating for most of the match while Dolph and Big E tagged in and out. Langston used mostly all power moves. AJ got tossed by the ref for arguing and coming into the ring. The end came when Bryan made the hot tag and AJ came back out to distract the ref. Langston slid the MITB briefcase into Ziggler. Bryan caught Langston with a flying knee off the apron. Dolph missed Kane with the briefcase and got choked slammed. Kane made the pin for the win. Kane wouldn't give Bryan his belt. They did their Yes/No thing and hugged it out after the match.

8. Alberto Del Rio (w/Ricardo Rodriquez) defeated Big Show in a Last Man Standing Match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. Big Show got a bigger pop then Del Rio. Show cut a heel promo to get the fans to turn against him. The usual Last Man Standing Match. They used tables, chairs, the stairs, the guard rail and kendo stick. They went back and forth using the weapons on each other. The move of the match came when Del Rio used a huracanrana to put Show through a table in the corner. Show slid outside the ring to break the count. The finish came when Show was standing on the apron and went to choke slam on Del Rio and Ricardo jumped up on the apron and distracted him and Show tossed Ricardo to the floor. Del Rio jumped up in the ropes and kicked Show in the head. He fell to the floor and was counted out. Show got up and walked to the back while Del Rio and Ricardo celebrated with the fans at ringside. They headed to the back and Striker thanked us for coming to the show.