WWE Smackdown 2/3/2012

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Smackdown
Date: 2/3/2012
From: Omaha, NE

Tonight, Sheamus competes in singles action against Cody Rhodes. Daniel Bryan has a confrontation with Big Show. Oh, and Randy Orton meets Wade Barrett in a no disqualification match!

Teddy Long is in the ring to open the program. He quickly puts over the Royal Rumble and says that Smackdown will be taking part in the Elimination Chamber pay per view. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan will defend against Wade Barrett, Big Show, WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, Mark Henry and Randy Orton in the chamber. Long goes over the rules for the match. Mark Henry makes his way out to the ring when Long gets done speaking. Henry doesn’t like this idea because he doesn’t like his odds in winning. He doesn’t deserve this. Long tells him that he should be happy that he is even in the match to begin with. Henry considers himself to be Long’s meal ticket. Henry doesn’t want the match and instead wants Daniel Bryan tonight for the championship. Long takes him out of the match but he won’t get Bryan tonight. Henry tells Long that he is replaceable just like Johnny Ace on RAW. Henry puts his hands on Long, and he is as a result suspended! Henry says he might as well get his money worth if he is going to get suspended. This brings out Sheamus, who won the 2012 Royal Rumble. Sheamus nails Henry with the Brogue Kick! Long wants to know which title Sheamus is going to go after at WrestleMania. Sheamus hasn’t decided which title and is going to wait until after the Elimination Chamber to decide. WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes makes his way out. Rhodes says that no one is going to remember that Sheamus won the Royal Rumble match. Instead, they will remember that Rhodes eliminated the most people and lasted over 40-minutes. Rhodes compares both men to the Ultimate Warrior because he can’t understand them. Long books them in a singles match tonight.

Commercials –

Opening Contest: Sheamus vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes
Sheamus shoulder blocks Rhodes early on and keeps control with several strikes in the corner. Sheamus connects with a fireman’s carry roll for a two count. Rhodes is back dropped onto the apron where Sheamus delivers ten forearm shots. Rhodes dropkicks Sheamus back first into the ring post and springboards off the guard railing to hit the Disaster Kick on Sheamus! Rhodes leaps off the top to hit a moonsault for a near fall! Rhodes gets another near fall after a bulldog.

Rhodes runs into a power slam from Sheamus but he only gets a two count on a cover attempt. Sheamus shoves Rhodes off the middle rope to hit a top rope shoulder block. Rhodes misses the Disaster kick, but avoids the Brogue Kick as well. Sheamus finishes Rhodes off with a modified Death Valley Driver for the win.

Your Winner: Sheamus via pin fall
Match Rating: **1/2

Commercials –

Justin Gabriel comes out for his match, but Cody Rhodes is still at ringside. Rhodes attacks Gabriel while he is distracted by Hunico talking. The Great Khali makes his way down to make the save. Khali stands tall while Rhodes is on the ramp way with his championship.

Commercials –

Backstage, Drew McIntyre is asking Teddy Long for one more chance. Long wants McIntyre to find a better way to impress him. Santino Marella enters the room and says he found a new partner. His new partner is Jim Duggan! They will get a tag team title shot tonight. Aksana shows up and says she is impress with how he handled Mark Henry. Aksana picks up the 2×4 and Duggan comes back before leaving by saying “Hoooo!”

Commercials –

Second Contest: WWE World Tag Team Championship Match
Santino Marella & Jim Duggan vs. (champions) Epico & Primo
Epico and Marella start off the contest with Marella and Duggan working on Epico. Duggan tags in and clotheslines Epico a few times. Epico turns the tables with several kicks and tags in Primo. Primo is sent head first into a turnbuckle. Marella tags back in and hip tosses Primo. Marella hits a falling head butt for a two count only. Duggan has Epico on the floor while Marella has the Cobra. Primo hits the Back Stabber and wins the match.

Your Winners and STILL WWE World Tag Team Champions: Epico & Primo via pin fall
Match Rating: *

Backstage, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan is walking towards the ring.

Commercials –

Michael Cole is in the ring to conduct an interview with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan. Cole says he always thought Bryan was just a nerd and wouldn’t amount to anything. Cole discredits the victory by saying Bryan was lucky. Cole admits he was wrong about Bryan and wants to shake his hand. Bryan grabs the microphone and says this interview isn’t about Cole. Instead, the interview is about him! Bryan puts himself over as a great champion for beating Mark Henry and Big Show at the Royal Rumble. He also considers himself a great role model. He wants people to follow him and be like him. He wants the fans to be a vegan. Bryan wants the fans to stop eating meat. Bryan knows he is healthier than everyone else in the arena. He will never have the diseases that the other people have. He doesn’t believe that he should defend the championship in an Elimination Chamber match. He especially doesn’t want the Big Show in the match. Bryan calls Show a failure was a wrestler and as a human. Bryan is going to take his case to the WWE Board Of Directors if Teddy Long doesn’t take Show out of the match. Naturally, the Big Show makes his way out. Show says he just finished a steak in the backstage area. Show says a good role model is when you have people follow you and not by telling them what to do. Show tells Bryan that he will not be the champion after Elimination Chamber. Bryan assures Show that he will not lose the championship to Show at the Chamber. “Once a loser, always a loser.” Show attacks Bryan with several knee lifts and clubbing blows. Show tosses Bryan across the ring and chops the champ. Show goes for the choke slam and connects. AJ comes out with a neck brace on and she slowly backs away from Show. She is afraid of Show. Show goes for the knockout punch but AJ stops him from doing that. Bryan hugs AJ on the floor and tells her that he will keep her safe.

Backstage, Natayla and Beth Phoenix are doing squats. Natalya farts two more times and runs away embarrassed. Santino Marella walks over and runs away because of the smell.

Commercials –

Third Contest: Aksana & Tamina vs. WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Natayla
Natalya opens with a slam on Aksana. She drops Aksana with a front slam as well. Beth forces herslef into the match and hits the Glam Slam to win the match quickly.

After the match, Natayla is super kicked by Tamina as she went for the Sharpshooter on Aksana. Tamina hits a top rope big splash as well.

Your Winners: Beth Phoenix & Natayla via pin fall

It’s been announced that the Great Khali will be replacing Mark Henry in the Elimination Chamber match.

Commercials –

Backstage, Matt Striker chats with Randy Orton. Orton tells Striker that he doesn’t hold anything back. If given the same chance, he would’ve tossed Wade Barrett down the stairs. Orton promises to win tonight and he will win the championship at the Elimination Chamber.

Commercials –

Main Event: No Disqualification Match
Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton
Orton hammers away on Barrett but Barrett fights back with several of his own. Orton upper cuts Barrett and connects with a running clothesline out of the corner. Orton drives Barrett down to the canvas with a suplex and stomps away on Barrett. Orton sends Barrett over the top to the floor. Orton sends Barrett face first into the ring steps. Orton tosses Barrett into the guard railing as well. Barrett has his head on the steps and Orton stomps down onto him. Orton drops Barrett back first over the guard railing. Orton goes under the ring and brings out a table as we go to commercial.

They are on the middle rope with the table set up in the ring. Barrett shoves Orton off and Orton crashes through the table! Barrett covers but Orton kicks out at two. Barrett sends Orton hard back first into the corner. Barrett presses Orton’s side into the ring post to keep the advantage. Barrett gets a two count back in the ring. Barrett chokes Orton over the top rope and delivers several knee lifts. Barrett nails Orton with a running big boot sending Orton to the floor. Orton fights back on the floor with right hands and now they are in the crowd.

Orton clotheslines Barrett over the railing and back to the ringside area. Orton leaps off the railing to hit Barrett with a double axe handle. Barrett stops Orton by sending him into the ring steps shoulder first. Barrett whacks Orton over the back and jabs him in the gut with a chair. Barrett goes for the Wasteland but Orton gets out of it and clotheslines Barrett before hitting a snap power slam. Orton has the chair now and whacks Barrett over the back several times. Orton sets a chair up in the corner. Barrett is sent head first into the chair! Orton dropkicks Barrett to the floor. He tosses Barrett over the announcers table only to send him back in the ring. Orton plants Barrett with an elevated DDT. Barrett avoids the RKO and hits a swinging side slam for a near fall! Barrett grabs the chair and nails Orton on the back with it. Orton counters a pump handle slam and hits the RKO! Orton doesn’t cover, but instead hits another RKO on the chair! Orton covers and wins the match.

Your Winner: Randy Orton via pin fall
Match Rating: ***1/2

Backstage, Teddy Long tells Daniel Bryan next week he will be wrestling against Randy Orton. Bryan tells AJ to watch what he is about to do. Bryan comes down to the ring and is celebrating like he just won the match. Bryan just leaves the ring and Orton stares him down to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
The program started off good, but it seems like a regular occurrence that the show struggles during the midway mark. I like that they are continuing the feud between Show and Bryan. Even though their matches aren’t that great, the angle has been interesting to me. I’m considering this a solid edition of Smackdown. The opener, the segment between Show/Bryan and the main event were all productive segments.

Thanks for reading.