Coverage and thoughts on the February 1, 2013 episode of Smackdown
They start the show with Alberto Del Rio outside the arena with a pipe in hand, waiting for Big Show to arrive
The actual show starts with Booker T and 6 guys who are looking to be in the Eliminatgion Chamber in the ring. Those guys are Kane, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Great Khali, Randy Orton & Sheamus. Booker mentions that the rumble was won buy Cena. Cena's been telling the whole world that he will challenge for the WWE Title at WrestleMania. Now the question is who will challenge for the World Title at WrestleMania? Booker tells the 6 guys that they all have their own unique qualities & that they've all been World Champion before (Does Dolph's reign really count? Also Khali's reign was pretty forgettable). He's gonna give them all a chance to become World Champion 1 more time. The only thing they have to do is win the elimination chamber match. AT the chamber there're only 6 spots available. Then Jack Swagger's music hits & he makes his return. He says Booker left someone out of this gathering of champions (His reign wasn't too memorable either). Booker asks "Swag" where he's been "Dawg." Swagger says that he's been living the life of a real American (He's Hulk Swagger now brother). He says that since he's been gone he's been watching everything & he is very dissapointed in the direction that WWE is headed for (Aren't we all). Booker asks Swagger what he wants him to do. Swagger says that what he wants Booker to do about it to ad him into the Elimination Chamber & he will do the rest. Booker tells "Swag" that for him to be in the chamber he has to prove himself and earn just like everyone elese around here. Booker says there are 6 spots in the chamber. He looks around & he sees 7 guys (He counted the number). Dolph is standing outside the ring & tells Booker that he is already Mr. Money in the Bank & that he has a gauranteed World Title match (You wouldn't know it the way he's been booked. He's had that case in July). He then says that he can be in 1 of the most brutal matches in WWE or he can sit back, do nothing & still have his gauranteed World Title match. Dolph says he will the World Title especially if the champion is Alberto Del Rio. He can cash the MITB case in whnever he wants including WrestleMania (It looks like that's what they're gonna have him do.) So Dolph pulls out of the chamber & tells Big E & AJ they're outta there. Booker then he knew that this "Sucka" was gonna try to chicken out on the Elimination Chamber. He tells Dolph that he can chicken out of the chamber but he won't be chickening out of his match tonight with Alberto Del Rio (Why is Booker making Dolph face the World Champion & sinced he is why doesn't Dolph say he's going to cash in the MITB case)? Booker says that the champ is in a real bad mood. Then Booker tells the other 6 guys that they will all be in matches tonight & all they have to do is impress him & Teddy Long and then he & Long will decide (Decide what? I thought Booker just said that all 6 guys will be in the chamber). But right now they're about ready to kick this show off with a bang (Doesn't Booker say that every week?). He's talking about tag team action. He's talking about Kane & Daniel Bryan facing Sin Cara & another former World Champion, who also wants to get in on this Elimination Chamber match, Rey Mysterio. Mysterio's music hits & he comes out to a home town pop. This was the typical "Smackdown starting off with a promo" segment. If Dolph is facing Del Rio why doesn't he cash in the MITB case later? Also booker told the other guys that they'll be in the chamber match, but then he says they have to impress him & Long and then they'll decide who will be in the chamber? That was odd.
Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Kane & Daniel Bryan. Rey & Cara win when Mysterio pins Daniel. During the match Mysterio was going to give Daniel the 619 but Kane grabbed him by the throat. Then he gave Cara a big boot and then Mystrio hit a Rana on Kane & Kane went to the outside. Then Daniel got the No Lock on Mysterio but Cara kicked him in the head. Then Cara dove onto Kane on the outsie. Then Mysterio gave Daniel the 619 followed by the top rope splash for the pin. Afterwards Kane & Daniel argued again. This was a good match.
They reshow Alberto beating Big Show at the rumble, followed by Big Show taping Del Rio to the ropes and then pounding Ricardo the next night on Raw.
Back to Del Rio outside the arena. Some one pulls in. Then Striker shows up & tells him that he has a match with Dolph. Striker can only speculate that Del Rio's there waiting for Big Show to arrive. Del Rio tells Striker that he is getting fresh air and to leave him alone.
They show the karaoke segment from Raw. Man was that terrible!
Great Khali vs. Jinder Mahal. Khali gets the pin. This was a squash. McIntyre got on the apron & played air guiar for Natalya. Then Khali chopped him off the apron. Then Slater chased Horswoogle under the ring and Khali hit the Punjabi Plunge on Jinder for the win. Remember when they were brother in laws and Jinder had control over Khali? Well WWE sure doesn't.
Booker & Long are in the GM office. Booker says Khali was totally impressive. Long sas that this is shaping up to be a fun and unpredictable show (There's really nothing unpredictable about WWE). Booker then says that speaking of unpredictable he was totally blindsided by Jack Swagger's return. Long then tells Booker that it was his idea to bring back Swagger. Long says that Swagger is a former World Champion. Then in come Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow. Cody says that in light of recent events he & Damien have made the very difficult decision to dissolve Team Rhodes Scholars & to persue singles competition going foward. Then Sandow says that he & Cody will remain best friends. Then he was about to quote some French author. Booker asks who that is. Long says he never heard of the guy either. Then Sandow quotes him saying, "Don't walk behind me. I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me. I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." Then Cody & Sandow hug. Booker hates to break up this little love fest. He says that he's glad they're going to pursue their singles careers. This frees Dmaien up tonight so he can face the guy that piut through a table on Raw, Sheamus. Then Cody tellls Sandow that he will be with him in spirit & walks out. Then Booker tells Sandow that it looks like he just went from Rhodes Scholars to Roadkill (Does that make Cody Danny Doring). Booker & long laugh and then Booker tells Sandow, "Oh yeah, you're welcome." This was ok. Sandow was good here but Booker was usual "You get what I'm sayin' dawg" self.
They reshow the Heyman performance evaluation that was followed up by Brock Lesnar giving Vince an F5 from the end of Raw.
Then they show a wwe.com "exclusive". They show that after Raw ended Vince was wheeled out on a stretcher.
Back to Del Rio outside the arena still waiting for Big Show.
They show Cena's Raw promo saying he willl challeng the WWE Champion at WrestleMania. That was followed by the Cena, Sheamus & Ryback brawl with The Shield.
Sheamus vs. Damien Sandow. Sheamus wins by DQ when The Shield comes in. Sheamus was pounding on Sandow's chest and then Shields music played and they came out through the crowd. Sheamus gave Reigns a Brogue Kick. Then Rollins & Ambrose attacked Sheamus. Sheamus fought back and wound up tossing Rollins out of the ring. Then Ambrose got Sheamus on the mat and held his legs as Reigns pounded on him from outside the ring. Then Reigns gets in the ring gives Sheamus a few head butts. Then the triple power bomb Sheamus. The match was decent and I liked The Shield coming out. Let's hope they keep The Shield's push going.
They reshow Wade Barrett being eliminated by Bo Dallas at the rumble, followed by Dallas pinning Barrett on Raw.
Randy Orton vs. Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett. Orton gets the pin. This was a solid match.
Backstage Matt Striker is with Wade Barrett. Striker says that losing to Orton must be a tough pill to swallow. Barrett tells him that the last thing he wants...then he looks and sees Bo Dallas. He hits him from behind and they go at it. Barrett pounds on Dallas and leaves him lying. This was good.
Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger. Swagger wins by sumbission. This was a really good back & forth match. Kofi was going for Trouble in Paradise ooutside the ring but Swagger ducked & Kofi kicked the announce table. Then Swagger got the Ankle lcok on Kofi for the win.
Back to Alberto Del Rio outside the building. Security shows up & they tell him to drop the pipe. He says something in Spanish and they walk off. He sees a bus pulling in & he hides behind a fan. Big Show comes out of the bus & Del Rio goes after himk. Show kicks him in the gut, pulls some guy out of a car. Then Del Rio takes another swing at Big Show but he breaks the door window. Big Show climbs the car roof but Del Rio hits him the knee and Show falls back first on the roof (I'm surprised the roof didn't collapse). Then Del Rio gets on the roof & pouns on Big Show. Then Big Show gets into another car. Del Rio tries to stop him but he rides off. This was good too. They're doing a good job with Del Rio-Big Show program.
The replay The Rock-CM Punk prom from Raw.
They show Del Rio & Ricardo backstage. Ricardo has a necbrace. Del Rio tells Ricardo to remain backstage. Ricardo says they're a team. Del Rio says Ricardo's hurt. Ricardo protests & Del Rio tells Ricardo to trust him.
World Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. Dolph Ziggler. Del Rio wins by submission. Big E got involved & the referee kicked him out. This was a good match but why have Dolph face the World Champion, the guy that he can cash in on and have him ckeanly lose a non title match? That makes no sense.
Then Big Show appears on the Tron. He tells Del Rio that he's back in the building, but he is not alone. He has a friend with him. He's got ahold of Ricardo. Del Rio exits the ring and Big Show tells him to get back in or he will snap Ricardo like a piece of straw. Then Big Show tells Del Rio that if he ever attacks him like that again he will make Del Rio sorry that he ever woke up today. He will hurt Ricardo, Del Rio, or anyone who gets in his way. He asks Del Rio who he thinks he is attacking him. He forces Ricardo to his knees & Big Show asks Del Rio if he wants to see his little dog beg. Big Show asks Del Rio if he should let Ricardo go and then he gives Ricardo the KO punch. Then Del Rio storms up the ramp to the back. A referee is checking on Ricardo. Then a medic comes by to check on him too. Then Del Rio comes in asking where the Dr. is. He leans over the knocked out Ricardo to end the show. This was good. They're doing a good job with thee Del Rio-Big Show feud.
I thought this was a solid show overall. The opening segment was the usual "Start the show off with a promo" bit. Booker said that the guys who were in the ring would be in the chamber but then said that they would be in matches and he & Long will decide who will be in the chamber. That was confusing. For the chamber they got Kane, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Randy Orton, Grat Khali, Jack Swagger & Rey Mysterio. That's 7 guys for a 6 man match. I'm thinking Sheamus will not be in the match since The Shield attacked him later on during his match with Sandow. They'll hopefully have Cena, Sheamus & Ryback vs. The Shield in a war games elimination chamber match. Del Rio-Dolph was good but having Dolph aka Mr. MITB lose cleanly in a non title match to the guy that he can cash in on made no sense. Why didn't Dolph says he was going to cash in right after Booker said he would be facing Del Rio? Kofi-Swagger was really good. The Del Rio-Big Show bit outside the building was good too & I thought they did a good job at the end when Big Show gave Ricardo the KO punch. This feud has been good. Khali-Jinder wasn't much. Sheamus-Sandow was solid and I'm glad they didn't have Sandow lose cleanly. Rey & Cara vs. Kane & Daniel was good too. The bit where Wade Barrett went after Bo Dallas was good too & the Orton-Barrett match was solid. On the whole I thought this was a decent to solid show.
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