Swagger tells Booker T that he should be in the World Championship match, but Booker T tells him that there are no spots left. That is until Money In The Bank holder Dolph Ziggler ducks out of the match, saying he can be World Champion whenever he wants to. Just before Ziggles leaves, Booker T tells him that he will be facing Alberto Del Rio tonight. Should be an awesome match since both guys are amazing in the ring.
Booker T then announces that we will start off Smackdown with some, you guessed it, tag team action. I think WWE even realizes that it is becoming a running joke. Anyways, he says that the tag team match will consist of Team Hell No versus the returning Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio. Mysterio and Cara make their way to the ring (with Cara wearing a weird green outfit with a zip hoodie) to start the match. Also, Rey is wearing a Robin inspired outfit today. So, they both look pretty weird.
Kane and Mysterio start off the match, with Rey getting some quick offense in before tagging in Sin Cara. Kane tags in Daniel Bryan, but Bryan gets quickly taken out by Sin Cara, who tags in Rey. The masked luchadors do some awesome looking double team moves, and stay in control of Daniel Bryan. Rey goes for a huricanrana, but Daniel Bryan catches him half way through and hits him with an amazing double knee face breaker. Looks like Daniel Bryan was channeling his inner Bryan Danielson there. Bryan tags in Kane, who goes to work on Rey. Kane tags Bryan back in, who goes for a pin on Mysterio. Mysterio kicks out and quickly sets up Bryan for the 619. Bryan rolls out of the ring as we go to break.
Phenomenal match. There was never a dull moment and both teams gave their best. It also furthered the Bryan/Kane storyline, who are definitely headed for a break up in the near future. I’m not sure if I’m on board with Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio being the next tag champs however, as Rey is slowing down in his career and I think it would be better to put it on either the Rhodes Scholars or maybe even the Usos. We get a re-cap of what went down with Big Show and Del Rio on Raw. I’m assuming that Big Show vs. Del Rio will once again be happening at Elimination Chamber, which opens up a lot of new WrestleMania options. Maybe Ziggler cashes in on Del Rio and Bryan win the Chamber match. Maybe Orton wins the Chamber match, turns heel, and goes on to face Del Rio. It’s nice to see things in the World Championship picture being up in the air for WrestleMania, especially considering we already know what two of the matches will be (Rock vs. Cena and Lesner vs. HHH).
After a re-cap of Lesnar’s return on Raw and Cena’s destruction at the hands of the Shield, we head to the ring to see Sheamus making his way down to the ring to face (and defeat) Damien Sandow again. The newly solo Damien Sandow’s music hits as he makes his way down the ramp to lose to Sheamus. At least this time he won’t go through a table. The bell rings and Sandow hits some quick strikes on Sheamus. Sheamus fights back, only for Sandow to escape to the outside of the ring. Sheamus goes to the outside to get Sandow back into the ring, but Sandow rolls in before Sheamus can, and attacks Sheamus as he tries to re-enter the ring. Sandow sends the Celtic Warrior into the corner, but Sheamus comes back with a few stiff strikes.
Sheamus starts to do his WWE ’13 comeback, and sends Sandow to the apron to hits the Irish Clubs. Before he can actually get things going, the Shield’s music hits and they make their way through the crowd to take on Sheamus. Rollins slides in the ring first, only to take a Brogue Kick. But Sheamus is still overwhelmed by Ambrose and Reigns. It looks like Sheamus’s place in the Elimination Chamber match may be uncertain, because it looks like he may be facing the Shield at Elimination Chamber, most likely alongside John Cena and Ryback. Maybe a returning Christian or Henry could take his place in the Chamber match.
Swagger’s looking better than he has in the past 2 years right now. Swagger grounds Kofi with an armbar, but Kofi breaks free and lands a few strikes on the All American American. Swagger tries to throw Kofi again, but Kofi counters it into a Monkey Flip. Kofi comes back with the ol’ WWE ’13 Comeback sequence, but Swagger catches him after he tries to hit a trouble in paradise. Kofi sends Swagger into the corner and outside of the ring, and Kofi goes for a sliding dropkick to Swagger. Swagger dodges and sends Kofi over the steel steps, but Kofi uses the steps as a launch pad and hits Swagger with a flying clothesline. Kofi then goes for a trouble in paradise, but Swagger dodges, causing Kofi’s foot to hit the announcer’s table. I smell an Ankle Lock coming. Swagger sends Kofi back into the ring, and what do you know, he lock in the Ankle Lock. Kofi taps out, and it looks like Swagger is back. Great match. Good back and forth from both men, and it was nice to see Swagger win for once. Even nicer to see him win cleanly. Curious to see how both of these men will fit in at WrestleMania. Hopefully they can avoid being in the multi-man mid-card showcase matches like they usually are, and maybe be in an actual program.
We go to the parking lot to see Alberto Del Rio (in street clothes) still waiting for the Big Show. This is still too similar to when Sheamus did this exact same thing. Big Show finally arrives (about an hour and a half late), and is immediately attack by Del Rio. Del Rio charges at Big Show with a baseball bat, but only ends up wrecking some poor guy’s car window. Show and Del Rio start playing the old “let’s keep the car in between us” game, as they both circle it. Big Show climbs on top of the car, only for Del Rio to sweep his legs out from under him, causing him to crash onto the roof of the car. I hope WWE pays this guy’s car repairs. Del Rio mounts Big Show (in a non-sexual way, of course) and starts wailing on the World’s Largest Athlete. Big Show escapes Del Rio and gets into someone else’s car (people need to stop leaving their cars in the WWE parking lot) to drive away.
Del Rio calls for the armbar by slapping his wrist, but Ziggler counters it into a leg drop bulldog. I’m kind of waiting for Jericho to come out. Alberto Del Rio comes back and sets Ziggler up in the corner ropes, and delivers some kidney punches to the Show-Off. Del Rio then hits a nice backstabber, something I’m not too sure Primo and Epico appreciate him using. Del Rio once again goes to the top rope, but gets caught with a huge dropkick on the way down. Great match so far. Ziggler goes for a Zig Zag, but gets caught with the cross armbar and taps out. Awesome match. I would have liked it if Jericho played a part, but it was still good. Big Show shows up on the torn to reveal that has Ricardo hostage. I’m not sure why the camera men agreed to help Show with this. Big Show threatens Del Rio and says that if Del Rio ever attacks him again he will destroy him. Big Show “let’s” Ricardo go by giving him the KO punch, and Del Rio races to the back as we end the show.
Great show tonight. A lot of amazing matches and story development, and although we didn’t get a Jericho sighting, the show still featured the return of Jack Swagger. As usual, you can follow me on Twitter @SmarkInProgress, where you can hear me unjustifiably crap on most of the WWE faces.
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