12-30-11 Smackdown results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the December 30, 2011 episode of Smackdown

The show starts with Booker T in the ring thanking the fans for a great 2011. Then Cody Rhodes comes out and rags on Booker T again, saying that he is a joke. Then Dustin Rhodes comes out and tells Cody that he is being a Punk to Booker. Then Booker offers Cody another match and wants it to be for the Intercontinental Title. Cody accepts and that will happen next week. Booker left the ring then Cody kicked Dustin and bailed. Then Booker T came back in to check on Dustin. This was a good opening promo. They had some good back and forth stuff here with Cody saying that Booker & Dustin are both finished and Dustin & Booker trying to set Cody straight.

Ted DiBiase, Jr. vs. Jinder Mahal. Jinder wins by submission. This match was ok.

Drew McIntyre walks in on Aksana & Teddy Long and says that he is ready for his return match. Long tells that he needs to start winning his matches and says that if he doesn’t beat Ezekiel Jackson, he might have to let him go. Drew says that he will make Zeke beg just like he made Teddy. This was ok.

Alicia Fox & Kaitlyn vs. Natalya & Tamina. Alicia & Kaitlyn win. After the match Tamina lays out Natalya. This was lousy. Who’d Natalya tick off to be booked so badly?

Daniel Bryan & AJ are backstage and Big Show comes by and says that he didn’t need Daniel’s help Monday, because giants don’t need to be rescued. Bryan says that he saw Show in a spot and came out to help him. Then Teddy Long comes by and says that Daniel Bryan & Big Show vs. David Otunga & Mark Henry will not take place because Mark Henry isn’t cleared to compete. Then he says that Otunga wants a rematch with Big Show tonight and Long says the match is on and that Mark Henry will be at ringside with Otunga. Bryan tells Show that maybe giants need saving after all and wishes him good luck. This was a solid promo.

Justin Gabriel vs. Hunico. Hunico gets the pin. This was a solid match. After wards Hunico and Camacho double team Gabriel.

Big Show vs. David Otunga. Big Show gets the pin. This was a squash. Mark Henry was about get in there but Daniel Bryan came out through the crowd and hit Mark Henry in the back with the World Title and then had Henry chasse him to the back while holding the Title and taunting Henry.

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Drew McIntyre. Zeke gets the pin. After wards McIntyre flips out. This was a decent match. I’m not sure why McIntyre is still being booked like a jobber.

Drew McIntyre is backstage complaining to Teddy Long about the referee being biased against him and Teddy says he can’t stand losers who make excuses.

Sheamus come to the ring and talks about the Royal Rumble. Then Hornswoggle comes out and says that he will win the Rumble. Then Heath Slater comes out and rags on them and then Sheamus rags on Slater and chucks him out of the ring. This leads to the next match. This was idiotic. Why is Sheamus being used as a comedy guy? He’s one of the few top baby faces on Smackdown and should be used better!

Sheamus vs. Heath Slater. Sheamus gets the pin. This match was ok. Sheamus dominated most of it.

Daniel Bryan & Big Show are backstage with Teddy Long and Bryan says that he is Big Show’s good luck charm. Big Show doesn’t go for that and Long sets up Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show for the World Title next week. Then Daniel says that no matter what happens next week, his World Title reign was longer than Big Show’s 45 second reign. This was ok too. One of these guys will be turning heal for sure. I’m interested in seeing Daniel Bryan as a heal.

They show another 1/2/12 video clip saying that it ends this week.

Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett in a Falls Count Anywhere match. The match goes to a No Contest after Orton goes down a flight of stairs. This was a good brawl. They went into the crowd and then got in an elevator and went up a couple levels. Then they fight by the stairs and when the camera man comes in Orton’s already fallen. Barrett walks out and they show Orton lying at the bottom of the stairs to end the show. (Randy Orton actually suffered an injury and this was the storyline for writing him of TV)

I thought that this week’s show was ok but not as good as other ones. The opening promo with Booker, Dustin & Cody was good and the Orton-Barrett match was too. The Daniel Bryan-Big Show tension was decent too and I would like see Daniel Bryan be the heal here. I’m not sure why they have Sheamus in a comedy role with Hornswoggle since he is the only other top good guy besides Orton (who will be out for a while). Overall I thought this was a middle of the road show.