1-27-12 Smackdown results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the January 27, 2012 episode of Smackdown

The show starts with Big Show coming to the ring and he is all upset about injuring AJ and says that after Sunday he is going to do some soul searching. Then Daniel Bryan comes out and he verbally rips on Show and tells him to do the honorable thing and retire. Then he slaps Show and tells him to split. Show gets ticked off and pushes Daniel into the corner and then gets in his face saying that what happened to AJ was not intentional but what he does to Daniel at the Rumble will be. Then he throws Bryan to the mat and then Mark Henry comes out and reminds both guys that the cage match at the Royal Rumble is a triple threat match and he doesn’t care about Show, Daniel or AJ. Then he gets in Bryan’s face saying that he snuck out of their match last week. Daniel says the lumberjacks were everywhere and that it wasn’t his fault. Then Teddy Long comes out and announces that Randy Orton will face Wade Barrett in one of tonight’s main events. Then he says that since Daniel Bryan faced Big Show to weeks ago and faced Mark Henry last week, this week Big Show will face Mark Henry. I thought this was a good opening segment and all 3 guys cut really good promos.

The show a Randy Orton video package to hype up his return.

Justin Gabriel vs. Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes. Cody gets the pin. This was a solid back and forth match. I’m glad Gabriel has been given the chance to show his talent on Smackdown.

Teddy Long & Santino Marella are backstage and Santino talks about forming a team with Yoshi Tatsu. He calls the team name, “Santoshi.” Then Yoshi says he wants the team to be called “Yoshitino.” They bicker about that for a bit and then Drew McIntyre comes in and Long tells him that he’s about done. Then he tells him that he will face Sheamus next. This was typical Long-Santino comedy. I hope they don’t stick Yoshi with Santino. Yoshi is a really talented guy and shouldn’t be stuck in a comedy ace with Santino. Also the Drew McIntyre losing streak is getting old too. When are the going to have him finally win a few matches?

Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre. Sheamus gets the pin. This was a decent match. Sheamus dominated most of it. I don’t get why Drew is still a jobber.

They show the Royal Rumble video package.

Yoshi Tatsu & Santino Marella vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Primo & Epico. Primo & Epico win when Epico pins Santino. This was a short but ok match.

Daniel Bryan & Mark Henry are backstage and Bryan says that he respects Henry and knows Henry can beat Big Show. This was good too. Daniel Bryan did a good job of trying to get into Henry’s head about taking out Big Show and saying that Teddy Long favors Show which is why the Title match is a 3 way.

Wade Barrett comes to the ring and talks about Randy Orton’s return and says that Orton is spiritually broken. Then they show the clip of Orton going down the stairs. He talks some more saying how Orton is a shell of his former self and mentions how vicious he (Barrett) is and then Orton’s music plays and they show on the Tron backstage and then Orton comes out. He and Barrett go at it. Referees come in to break it up but that doesn’t work of course. Orton continues to pound on Barrett and then Teddy Long comes out and has some of the wrestlers try to break it up. Orton breaks free and goes back after Barrett and the other wrestlers come in to break it up again and Barrett bails and heads up the ramp. Then Orton gives the RKO to Hawkins, Rex, Trent & The Usos. This was a good segment too. Both guys are great in their roles. It’s too bad that they had the other wrestlers who are very talented get flattened.

They show clips from the 2006 Royal Rumble that Rey Mysterio won. That was a good one also. Rey was number 2 that year.

They show Daniel Bryan backstage with Kaitlyn and he says that she needs to do something for. Kaitlyn says that she will do anything for AJ. He tells that she needs to let Big Show know that Mark Henry is going to try to injure Big Show tonight and take him out of the World Title match Sunday. Then Kaitlyn asks if she is doing AJ a favor or if she’s doing him a favor. Daniel says that the favor is for both of them and then he says that AJ loves him. Kaitlyn says that she will talk to Big Show but she wants to know how much Daniel really cares about AJ. Daniel says that he likes to keep himself very private and the sooner she talks to Big Show the better. This segment was ok. I’m not sure what Daniel meant about being a private guy since we see everything but I think he’s been doing a good job getting inside people’s heads.

Ted DiBiase, Jr. vs. Hunico. Hunico gets the pin. After wards he Camacho go after Ted’s injured wrist. This was a short match and the post match attack was done to write Ted off the storylines for a bit so he can take some time off for his wrist to heal up.

They show Teddy Long & Aksana watching what happened with the stupid music playing. Then Teddy tells that he has to check on Ted. Before he can Natalya comes in and says that she wants a rematch with Tamina. Then Aksana says that Tamina squashed Natalya like a grape. Natalya gets in her face and then Teddy says that Natalya will face Aksana. They both go for the idea and Natalya says that she will make her cry. Then they play a breaking wind sound which was supposed to be from Natalya. She runs out and Long that he has to go check on Ted and Aksana goes with him. Then Santino Marella comes in and acts like a goofball saying that the smell in his mouth and he walks out. This was really idiotic! Why is Natalya being booked this way!?

Brodus Clay comes out for his match with Alex Riley. Alex tries to beat him in a dance off before the match.

Brodus Clay vs. Alex Riley. Brodus gets the pin. This was a squash.

They show Kaitlyn talking to Big Show backstage but there’s no audio.

Aksana vs. Natalya. Aksana gets the really quick pin. After wards Natalya gives Aksana the Sharpshooter but Tamina comes in and gives Natalya the Super Fly splash. Why is Natalya being booked this way? Now she’s losing to Aksana? COME ON! I don’t get why they had Natalya face the Tron as soon as the bell rang so Aksana can roll her up. Also I’m not sure why Natalya is the heal in this feud with Tamina since Tamina attacked her when they lost their tag match a few weeks ago. Shouldn’t Natalya be the baby face?

Big Show vs. Mark Henry. Big Show wins by count out. Daniel Bryan watched from ringside. After wards Daniel hits Big Show with a chair and then Show gets the chair and Daniel grabs his belt and backs off. Then Bryan tosses the belt to Show and then he kicks him and gets the chair. He beats Show with it and then he gets him in the ring and gets Show in the LeBell Lock. Big Show gets out of it and choke slams Daniel and then goes to hit him with the knockout punch but Daniel retreats. Show screams at Daniel while Daniel looks on terrified. Then after the replay Show is on the stage holding the chair and motioning to the fans that he will be the World Champion. That ends the show. This was good too I thought. The match wasn’t much and the finish happened during the break but the post match stuff with Show & Bryan was good. (Note: They had to end the match with the count out because Mark Henry got injured somehow during the match).    

I thought that this was a mixed bag show overall and I liked how they had Daniel Bryan playing mind games with the other guys. I don’t know why the finish happened during the break. I hope Mark Henry will be alright Sunday. The rest of the show was hit and miss. The opening segment with Show, Henry & Bryan was good I thought they did a decent job building their match Sunday. Hopefully Mark Henry will be able to go. I liked the Justin Gabriel-Cody Rhodes match too. The rest of the show wasn’t too memorable. I hope they don’t have Yoshi & Santino as a regular tag team. The Natalya stuff was awful. I don’t know why she’s being booked like more of a jobber. Drew McIntyre also. When will they give these 2 decent pushes again? On the whole I thought this was a middle of the road show.