From the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T & Josh Matthews
Championship's roll call: WWE Champion: CM Punk… World Champion: Daniel Bryan… Intercontinental Champion: Cody Rhodes… United States Champion: Zack Ryder… Tag Team Champions: Air Boom… Diva's Champion: Beth Phoenix
Well it's time for the final SmackDown of 2011!
Booker T gets his own entrance and heads into the ring; he wants to thank the WWE as well as the fans because 2011 has been an awesome year for Booker T. He started as a surprise entrance at the Rumble and then headed to the commentator's table. Cody Rhodes dragged himself back into active competition and he beat Cody in the center of the ring. He begins to dig that but Rhodes interrupts. He insults the hometown Indianapolis Colts and runs down his 2011; coming back from the facial injury, defeating Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania and brought back prestige to the IC title; then he took up a "washed up" announcer and got him to regain his former glory. Booker interrupts him and says, on Monday, that he defeated him. Booker says he should be congratulating him on defeating Cody; Rhodes actually congratulates him on the victory and sticks out his hand to shake. Booker shakes and leaves; Cody says now, it's all over. Rhodes informs him he is a novelty act and a joke; he asks him to go home. Dustin Rhodes comes out… NOW this is getting interesting. He gets Goldust's music and entrance, but is in a suit with no makeup on. He tells Cody that he's his brother and he loves him… but he is going about it the wrong way. Dustin says that when he was going through Hell with demons, Booker was there for him; he had his best times in the WWE when he tag teamed with him. Cody says he does not care about inspiration, the fans aren't worth inspiration. Cody adds that he restored the Rhodes' family name after Dustin "threw up all over it"; he says that after the tag team ended, Goldust fell back into obscurity. Booker pipes in and says Goldie is more man than Cody could ever be. Booker says Cody has a win and Book has a win; he suggests the third match be for the IC title. Cody agrees… for next week. Booker says that next week he's gonna celebrate because next week he's gonna be the new IC title, sucka! Goldust tries to calm Cody down and eats a Beautiful Disaster for his trouble. 7/10 Excellent work from all three guys involved; Booker and Cody's bro giving Cody the mega rub here. I wonder if this will lead to the Cody versus Goldust that Goldie has been begging for on… TWITTER.
Before the match Jinder Mahal has a cut-in promo insulting America for being fat, mediocre and poor.
Ted Dibiase vs. Jinder Mahal: Dibiase autographs a "Dibiase Posse" sign on his way to the ring; this feud has been bubbling for a while. Mahal looks to be growing a beard. Dibiase starts off hot and hits a hiptoss. Mahal comes back with a flapjack and a standing STO. He drops a knee and smothers him against the ropes with it; Mahal with a butterfly suplex and knees him in the face a few times. Jinder with a chinlock and Dibiase fires back with the Dibiase Lariat. He hits a spinebuster for a nearfall. Ted to the top? Mahal charges so Dibiase leaps over him and tweaks his knee on the landing; Mahal capitalizes with a Flatliner. He slaps on the Camel Clutch and gets the tapout win. 3/10 Whoa that was a quick match, almost a squash. Dibiase got a little offense in the beginning and then a short comeback and the submission loss. I guess the WWE is getting serious about a Mahal midcard push.
In the back Teddy Long discusses his New Year's party and is interrupted by Aksana. The usual sexual tension follows but Drew McIntyre interrupts, who has been resigned to SmackDown. Long says that since he left for Raw his career took a tailspin; he says that if McIntyre doesn't defeat his opponent tonight, he may be released. Long thinks he may be losing passion; Drew assures him that he has plenty of it.
Alicia Fox & Kaitlyn vs. Natalya & Tamina: Wait, isn't Kaitlyn a heel? I can't figure out these diva storylines anymore. Tamina and Kaitlyn start off; she drops Tamina with a crossbody and then gets distracted by Nattie and blindsided. The heels beat on her in the corner and Natalya gets a nearfall. She hits a sit-out bodyslam but misses a legdrop. Alicia tags in and quickly finished Nattie off with a sloppy scissors kick. Really? Post-match, Tamina is pissed at Nattie and kills her with a superkick and then a Superfly Splash. 1/10 Huh? Is that a babyface turn for Tamina or a heeler turn for her? Whatever.
Daniel Bryan flirts with AJ Lee and says how he saved Big Show on Monday; Show arrives and says giants don't need to be "saved". Teddy Long says that their tag match is canceled because Mark Henry is unable to compete. There will be a singles match with Show versus David Otunga but Henry will be in Otunga's corner.
Justin Gabriel vs. Hunico (w/Camacho): During his entrance, Hunico, in a cut-in promo, introduces Camacho his homie. Gabriel backdrops Hunico to the floor and slides out after him; Hunico gets the jump on him and lands an Asai moonsault. Back in the ring Hunico misses a charge and gets stun-gunned off the ropes. Gabriel springboards over Hunico and he tires something but it went wrong; it looked like a tornado DDT that Gabriel was supposed to counter. Gabriel heads to the top but Hunico arm drags him off. The high-angle senton bomb gets the three for Hunico. Post-match, Hunico slingshots Gabriel onto Camacho's shoulders and they hit a double team fireman's carry/neckbreaker move. 2/10 That was a mess; it was a squash that didn't click. I wonder if it was clipped down because it made Gabriel look completely useless. The post-match beat down was better than the match!
Big Show vs. David Otunga (w/Mark Henry): Apparently Otunga asked for this match, but he does indeed have Henry in his corner, which probably helps him. The usual Big Show verses little midcarder follows; he punches Otunga in the corner and chops the shit out of him on the ropes. Henry looks on. Show slams him and Otunga retreats to the floor for some "inspiration" from Henry, which amounts to "git your ass back in there!" Otunga heads in full of fire but it put out with a nasty shoulderblock. Show with an Avalanche and… Henry distracts Show allowing an Otunga chopblock. David hits a pair of boots and a Dangerous DDT for a one count that sends Otunga to the floor on the kick out. For some odd reason, Daniel Bryan arrives and nails Henry with the World title… oh, I get it; he goads Henry to the back so Show has it one-on-one with Otunga, "saving" him again. Well now that it's a fair fight the WMD quickly finishes Otunga off. 4/10 I find this Show/Bryan angle intriguing, since I figured Show would turn heel, but the way it is going here, Bryan looks like the dickhead and Show looks like the babyface.
Ezekiel Jackson vs. Drew McIntyre: This is either the rebirth of Drew McIntyre… or the end of the road. Drew has been toiling around on Superstars as part of the Raw brand jobbing over and over, been a rough 2011 for the "chosen one". So if Drew loses he's cut from the SmackDown roster, I guess he could sign with NXT… that is a brand… isn't it? There is also an issue with McIntyre's contract being too lucrative for his win/loss record. Drew aggressively applies a side headlock but gets powered out and bodyslammed. He catches Jackson with a boot and a pretty poor dropkick; he applies a wastelock but gets flipped out when Jackson powers free. Jackson begins to unload with his power stuff; Drew retreats to the ropes and pokes him in the eye when the referee breaks them up. A big boot follows, for two; McIntyre takes over and hits a nice Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall. Jackson comes back off a backdrop and starts clotheslining Drew in the corner; he hits a sidewalk slam for two. McIntyre retreats to the corner and boots Ezekiel in the leg and pounds away in the corner. Referee Rod Zapata gets in McIntyre's face and Jackson sneaks up and scoops him into the Torture Rack, smart move by the usually dumb Jackson. Drew counters and boots a charging Zeke in the corner; he tries a Flair pin but gets caught by Zapata; Jackson schoolboys him WITH THE TIGHTS to get the pinfall on McIntyre. 3/10 Wow, Drew got screwed! The match was awful; Teddy Long should discuss Jackson's contract status with SmackDown. I do like the storyline that is beginning here with Drew though, that's the only reason this bad match got three points.
In the back Drew McIntyre complains to Teddy Long about the tights. Long has no sympathy for him and Drew leaves in a huff.
Sheamus comes out for some words. Haven't seen a babyface promo from him in a while; Sheamus looks forward to 2012 and to the Royal Rumble. He doesn't care what his number is and says he is winning the Rumble. Hornswoggle interrupts; at least he can talk now so he serves a little purpose. Sheamus questions his logic in entering the Rumble and asks him who is going to win. Hornswoggle says himself. Sheamus spins a yarn that ends with the line, "fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice you're looking for a kick up the arse." Hardy-har. Heath Slater interrupts, thank God. Slater mentions Bushwhacker Luke and the Brooklyn Brawler as jobbers who claim to win the Rumble but no one takes them seriously. Slater says his ginger is better than Sheamus' ginger; he threatens to beat up Hornswoggle. Sheamus likes Southern Rock and says that Slater is more of an R. Kelly guy with I Believe I Can Fly and tosses him to the floor. 4/10 That was clever in some parts and brutally painful in others.
Sheamus vs. Heath Slater: Gee, I wonder who's winning this one. This match is actually JIP to Sheamus countering an armbar; he covers for two. Sheamus hits a short elbow to the skull and then forearms him off a whip. He points and tosses Slater to the apron. Heath makes the unbelievably stupid move, slapping Sheamus. He pounds on him in the ropes, slams him and drops an elbow. Slater actually tries a backslide but that fails; he manages to takes Sheamus' legs out and hits Sweetness… for one? That's his finisher, oy. A Russian leg sweep gets a one count this time. Slater gets a little token offense in with some punches and then applies a chinlock. Sheamus hangs in that for a little bit and then gets angry and powers out. Irish Hammers follow and then a clothesline in the corner; he heads to the top for the Battering Ram. Brogue Kick! Slater's dead. Three count. 5/10 Yeah it was a squash but sometimes it's fun to watch Sheamus beat up people.
Daniel Bryan is in the back telling Teddy Long that he is Big Show's good luck charm; Show appears and says he is getting annoyed with Bryan. They argue for a little bit so Long books a World title match between the two of them next week. Show laughs at him and Bryan looks annoyed; Bryan says even if he loses his reign is longer than Show' forty-five seconds. They are REALLY making Bryan look like the dickhead here.
Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett falls count anywhere: They open up exchanging blows and Orton hits a few Euro uppercuts; Barrett heads to the floor and Orton gives chase. They brawl there as well and Orton tosses Barrett into the steps for a nearfall on the floor. Orton places Barrett's head on the steps and STOMPS on it. That gets only two. Orton coils but Barrett sends him into the ringpost to counter the RKO. Back from break, Barrett is pounding on Orton in the center of the ring. Barrett boots him and tosses him into the buckles; he chokes him there with his boot. Wade uses the ropes to legally choke the crap out of Orton. Barrett entangles him in the ropes and boots him to the floor, for two, on the floor. Orton fires back and they head back to the ring; Randy fires back there and counters a backdrop with a boot. Wade recovers quick enough to plant Orton with a big boot; he hits the chinlock allowing the fans to chant "Randy". Barrett hits a second-rope elbow drop and gets two and a half. Barrett applies another chinlock. Too many rest holds and lack of plunder for a falls count anywhere match; I know Orton's back is hurting, then don't book the match. Orton slithers out of a pump-handle slam and begins the comeback with the short powerslam. Orton tries the Viper DDT but Barrett slips to the floor; Randy gives chase and tosses Barrett over the announce table and then pummels him out into the crowd. He tosses Barrett into the referee, knocking him out, and they brawl through the crowd into the backstage area. Barrett spinebusters through a refreshment table in the back. NOW it's a falls count anywhere match. They battle through the makeup area and fight onto an elevator (that's unique). Luckily we get the feed from the security camera as they fight, in the elevator, up to the fourth floor… lingerie. The cameraman catches up with them in the stairwell. We barely see Barrett toss Orton down a flight of stairs. We catch up with him (Orton) laying on the floor in heap and Barrett leaves out the backdoor. 5.5/10 That fall down the steps reportedly legit reinjured Orton's already hurting back, but worse. The reports are disc injuries. That's bad I hope Orton gets better quickly. I may have criticized the way he has been pushed in recent years, but quickly we forget how he was buried at the hands of TWO separate Triple H feuds. The match was okay but takes a backseat to the injury. I guess Barrett wins the way by proxy.
OVERALL 4/10 The only things that this show is notable for is the possible heel turn for Bryan and Orton's injury in the main event; otherwise this show was pretty bad. It is the final show of 2011 and I guess the WWE figured there'd be less people watching. There were a few storylines that looks to be kicking off here though with the Drew McIntyre thing, but I'm sure it will be reviewed the next time he wrestles anyway.
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