By Jake Barnett

WWE Smackdown on SyFy
Taped 2/7 in Tulsa, Oklahoma

[Q1] The announce crew hyped the main event between Randy Orton and World Champion Daniel Bryan to open the show. Lilian Garcia then introduced Sheamus as the winner of the 2012 Royal Rumble. Sheamus then headed out to the ring to a huge reaction.

Sheamus said that as the winner of the 2012 Royal Rumble Match, he has won the right to a WrestleMania Main Event match. He said his choice now is which championship to go after, but we won't know who they are until after the chamber. He said history says at least one Championship will change hands, so he wants to wait to make his decision.

He then said he has been pressured into making a decision, but he doesn't like being told what to do. He told a story about how he was bullied as a kid, and he fought back, and he got so good at fighting that it landed him in WWE. Sheamus said people told him to get a tan, dye his hair and change his accent, but he said he blew them off. He said he was a pasty faced Irishman and he was proud of it.

Wade Barrett interrupted and told Sheamus that he needs to go for the WWE Championship, because if he chose the World Heavyweight Championship he would have to face him. He then reminded Sheamus that he has beaten him in the past, and he would do it at WrestleMania. He said Sheamus would be remembered as a pasty faced ginger Irish loser. Cody Rhodes then interrupted.

Cody said unlike both of them, he knew what it was like to win a big match at WrestleMania, and that he knew what it was like to be a champion here and now. He also said that unlike the audience, he doesn't feel the urge to cry when he's naked in front of a mirror. Rhodes called the chamber a tax on the mind, and it as his match to win. He said he would beat Sheamus and become a dual champion. Big Show then interrupted....

Show said he respects Sheamus, and told Cody if he didn't shut up he was going to slap the taste out of it. He said he wasn't out there to brag, but he told him to think about Sheamus vs. Big Show for the World Championship at WrestleMania. Barrett then interrupted and called Big Show a WrestleMania punchline. He said Snooki has a better record at Mania than he does. Rhodes said apparently Giants can win the SuperBowl, but not at WrestleMania. Rhodes then called him a reverse Undertaker, and all hell broke loose. Show and Sheamus cleaned house, and cleared the heels from the ring.

Cole hyped an exclusive interview with AJ about her recovery. The Great Khali was shown walking towards the ring...[c]

Barnett's Brief: A very busy segment. There were a few pretty good verbal digs by Rhodes and Barrett in there, but I think they tried to cram too much in here. Nobody really had a bad performance, just a little soap opera overload.

[Q2] Mathews plugged a tag match between Sheamus and Big Show vs. Rhodes and Barrett to follow up on the opening segment. Jinder Mahal was shown placing his turban in a plexiglass case in a ceremony before entering the ring. The Great Khali then headed towards the ring.

1. The Great Khali defeated Jinder Mahal at 2:05. Jinder slapped Khali and got chopped down for his trouble. He then threw him into the corner and chopped him again. Mahal surged back with some kicks and knees, and tried to choke Khali on the ropes. Khali hit an elbow, but Mahal continued to beat him down. He then locked a headlock, but Khali powered out and hit a couple of clotheslines. Khali then hit a chop to the forehead followed by the Punjabi Plunge for the win.

Barnett's Brief: WWE is trying very hard to put Khali over on commentary, but he just doesn't have it in the ring. He's an imposing figure, but once he starts moving he loses a lot of mystique.

A video recap was shown of Mark Henry getting suspended last week. Backstage, Aksana was shown flirting with Teddy Long. She leaned in for a kiss, and Daniel Bryan interrupted. Bryan asked Teddy repeatedly if “It was true?” Teddy pretended not to know what he was talking about, but Bryan clarified he was asking like a BBQ. Bryan gave him a preachy vegan speech about defenseless animals, and Long blew him off and told him to worry about himself. The announce team them plugged the tag match...[c]

Barnett's Brief: I can't summon any reason to care about Daniel Bryan being a vegan. It doesn't inspire an emotional response from me at all. I don't care if he doesn't eat animal byproducts, and him preaching about it just makes me want to change the channel rather than hate him.

[Q3] Cole plugged HBK returning to Raw next week. He wondered what HBK would have to say to his best friend HHH.

Beth Phoenix made her way to the ring. Alicia Fox made her way out next.

2. Beth Phoenix defeated Alicia Fox at 1:10. Beth motioned for Alicia to get out of the ring and save herself the trouble of getting beat up. Fox attacked her in the corner with a few kicks. Fox ducked a clothesline from Beth, but ended up getting caught with a second one. Beth then hit the Glam Slam and got the win. Beth went to hit another Glam Slam, but Tamina interrupted it. Tamina stared Beth down, and Beth slowly exited the ring...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Meh. I really don't care about any of that. The match was too short to matter, and Tamina doesn't really light my fire. Bring on Kharma.

A Rock video package aired that went through his childhood and his journey to WWE and beyond. The announce team then hyped Rock vs. Cena at WrestleMania. Backstage, Natalya was talking about her anxiety issues backstage with Tyson Kidd. She then tried to explain that when she gets nervous she talks to much, but Tyson cut her off and before she could get it out and implied she was talking about her gas problems. She then finished her sentence and farted, at which point Tyson walked off. Hornswoggle then walked by and played dead and Natty ran off embarrassed...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Wow. This just keeps getting more ridiculous for Natty. The Rock video package was classy and well done.

[Q4] Big Show was in the ring as we got back. He was followed by Rhodes and Barrett, and then finally Sheamus.

3. Sheamus and Big Show defeated Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett at 12:26. Show and Rhodes started, but Rhodes bailed to the outside and force Barrett to take a chop. Barrett then tagged Rhodes and bailed to the outside himself. Rhodes stomped Show in the corner, but it was no use as he powered out and press slammed Cody. Show lined up for the WMD punch, but Cody ducked away from it into the corner. Sheamus and Barrett then tagged in and locked up, with Sheamus getting the better with a big clothesline. Sheamus telegraphed a back body drop and got kicked, but he caught Barrett with another clothesline right after. Sheamus then tied up Barrett in the ropes and hit his clubbing chest blows, and rolled him up for two.

Barrett surged back with a big boot, and tagged in Rhodes. Sheamus recovered and kicked Rhodes in the gut and tossed him to the outside. Sheamus continued to work over Rhodes with a body slam for a two count. Sheamus then hit a suplex for another two count. Show then tagged in and locked in a body claw in the corner. Rhodes hit a kick to Show out of the corner and tagged in Barrett, who hit a double team clothesline to take Show down. Rhodes tagged back in and hit a missle dropkick from the top for a two count.

[Q5] Show thew off Rhodes and went for a tag, but Barrett tagged in and pulled him away before he could make the tag. Barrett locked in a chinlock, and Show eventually powered out and tossed Barrett off. Barrett quickly tagged in Rhodes, who hit the Beautiful Disaster kick on Show for a near fall. Rhodes locked in a chin lock of his own, and Show turned it into a side slam. Both men struggled and made tags, and Sheamus kicked the crap out of Barrett. Sheamus revved up for the Brogue Kick, and Big Show saved him from Rhodes with a spear, allowing him to hit the kick and pick up the win.

Cole plugged an interview with AJ as next...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Good action there, with all 4 guys spending a good amount of time in the ring. It was interesting to see Big Show doing almost all the selling for his team, but I guess Sheamus is the Chosen One right now. There were quite a few good double team moments, and that spear on Cody by Show looked great.

Cole introduced AJ, who came out to the ring with her neck brace. Cole asked her how she as feeling, and she said she was feeling better with a stiff neck. She went to thank her fans, and Cole went off on her saying nobody knew who she was. He played it off as a joke, but it was stupid. He then asked her if she thought it was The Big Show's fault, and she said she's never said that. She said she was at ringside because Daniel asked her to, and she said Show didn't do an of it on purpose.

She then accused Cole of doing more damage than the Big Show because he insulted her, Daniel Bryan, and the entire divas division. She called him an obnoxious jerk. He went to reply, but she said he wasn't finished. She said the WWE would be a better place if he would just shut his mouth. Cole replied and said he was just doing his job. He said he was paid for his insightful commentary. He said people are saying that Bryan set her up, that she is too blind in love to see it, and that she has no self respect.

[Q6] Bryan ran out and scolded Cole for picking on AJ because he doesn't like him. He then said he was more than a footnote, he was a great wrestler and role model. He said he went on a nature walk during the Super Bowl while WWE fans were eating dead animals and failing to protect the environment. He then said since WWE Fans have treated AJ so poorly, he is taking her home in a environmentally friendly Prius.

Backstage, Bryan told Teddy Long that he was taking a personal day to take AJ away from the horrible WWE Fans. Teddy said he would provide transportation so AJ could go home, but if Bryan left he would forfeit his title.

Barnett's Brief: AJ struggled to get her promo out a bit, but she didn't flub any lines and got more comfortable as she went on. Bryan's delivery was ok, but I still don't care about the granola hippie crap.

A video recap aired of Hunico stomping on Dibiase's soft cast two weeks ago. Ted appeared this week with a hard cast. Hunico then entered with Camacho.

4. Ted Dibiase defeated Hunico at 2:38. Hunico got dumped to the outside early on, and Ted quickly tossed him back in the ring after taking a shot at Camacho. Hunico then stomped on Ted's hand, and tossed him to the outside so Camacho could get his revenge. Hunico then slammed Ted's wrist into the outside ring post. Hunico then tossed him back in the ring and locked in an arm bar. Hunico took to the top rope, but Dibiase caught him with a punch to the gut and a clothesline. Hunico surged back with some attacks to the arm, but Ted rolled him up in a surprise and got the pin...[c]

Barnett's Brief: Another throwaway match. Just a little story maintenance to make sure we didn't forget about these two.

[Q7] A recap video aired of the Undertaker and Triple H video packages from Monday, and also a video regarding the Elimination Chamber PPV. Cole then interviewed Johnny Ace “via phone” from Abu Dhabi, where he buttered up the board of directors and the fans. He called himself Mr. Excitement, and said he would be back at Raw on Monday. He closed by saying that he would do anything for the WWE Universe.

Randy Orton made his way out to the ring for the main event. The announce team said it was Bryan vs. Orton for the first time ever after the break...[c]

Daniel Bryan made his entrance, celebrating down the ramp. Big Show was on commentary.

[Q8] 5. Daniel Bryan defeated Randy Orton by DQ at 13:12. Both men locked up, and the ref broke them up in the corner. Orton knocked Bryan down with a shoulder block. Bryan then locked in a hammerlock. They traded reversals and Randy got him into a arm bar. Bryan broke free and hit the ropes, but got hit with a drop kick for a two count. Bryan surged back with a running knee, and then dropped a knee on Orton on the ground. He then worked some kicks, but Orton recovered and tossed him to the outside. Orton jawed with Show, and that allowed Bryan to recover and hit a kick and a flying knee from the apron...[c]

Bryan worked over Orton's arm and elbow, hitting an armbreaker over his shoulder. He went for a second attempt, but Orton reversed into a back breaker. Bryan went back to the armbar, but Orton punched out and hit a neck breaker. He covered but got a two count. Orton hit some european uppercuts and placed Bryan on the top rope. Bryan fought out and pushed Orton to the mat, and then missed a splash.

Orton fired up and hit a couple of clotheslines, followed by a powerslam. Orton then set up for his hung DDT, but Bryan hit a kick to the head and went up top. Orton crotched him on the top rope, and hit a tough looking superplex for a near fall. Orton stomped Bryan's legs and gut, and went for a flying knee but found air. Bryan then hit a running dropkick on Orton in the corner, followed by some kicks. Bryan went for a Lebell Lock attempt, but got sent to the apron for a DDT by Orton.

Orton then went for an RKO, but Bryan rolled to the apron again. Bryan hung Orton on the ropes and went to grab his belt from ringside. He then got in Big Show's face and put his hands on him, and Show retaliated and threw Bryan back in the ring. The ref saw Big Show's assault and rang the bell as Orton hit an RKO on Bryan. Orton realized what happened and went after Show at ringside. They brawled around the announce table to close the show.

Barnett's Brief: Another sleepy show with a quality main event, sans the non finish that everyone saw coming once Show was on commentary. Bryan and Orton work well together, and I'd like to see a feud between them down the road. I expect Orton to pick up the title at the Chamber, so it will be interesting to see whether or not they revisit this as a possible feud down the road after Sheamus. Since the chamber match eats up most of the major talent on the show, there isn't much left to fill time, which ended up causing the rest of the show to drag pretty badly. I'll have more to say tomorrow when Chris Shore and I record our WWE Smackdown Audio.

Questions, comments, or concerns? Contact me at barnett.jake@gmail.com or on twitter @barnettjake.

RECOMMEND THIS ARTICLE: