Fall befalls Orton.
The 645th edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown was the final SmackDown of 2011 and it came to you from the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. As reported earlier this week on WWE.com, SmackDown Superstar and former World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton suffered a herniated disc in his back during the show’s taping when Orton went one-on-one with the man he planted with an RKO on the roof of a car last week, Wade Barrett, in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. After being assaulted by Randy Orton last week, what did Wade Barrett do to Orton to cause this back injury?
Match Results
- Jinder Mahal def. Ted DiBiase by submission to the Camel Clutch.
- Alicia Fox & Kaitlyn def. Natalya & Tamina by Alicia Fox pinning Natalya following a Scissors Kick.
- Hunico def. Justin Gabriel by pin following the Falling Star.
- Big Show (with Daniel Bryan) def. David Otunga (with Mark Henry) by pin following the W.M.D.
- Ezekiel Jackson def. Drew McIntyre by roll-up with the tights.
- Sheamus def. Heath Slater by pin following the Brogue Kick.
- Falls Count Anywhere Match: Randy Orton and Wade Barrett fight to a No Contest after Wade Barrett shoves Randy Orton down a flight of stairs.
Detailed Results
Four nights after picking up a big win over Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes on RAW, the show kicks off with six-time World Champion Booker T as Booker proclaims that 2011 has been an awesome year for him. Booker says that the fans made his return at the Royal Rumble a night he will never forget before taking a “step back” and becoming a commentator, which is a great job with the exception of working with Michael Cole. Booker continues that he did not ask for a fight with Cody Rhodes, but the Intercontinental Champion left him no choice. Before Booker can let the show continue, he is interrupted by Cody Rhodes as the Intercontinental Champion says that he overcame a “career threatening injury” to defeat Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania before he brought back “honor and prestige” to the Intercontinental Championship. Rhodes continues that he took a “washed-up announcer” and got him to reach back and regain some of his “former glory”. Booker then interrupts, reminding Rhodes that he beat him on RAW and, if Rhodes respected the business, he would be congratulating him on his win.
The Intercontinental Champion says that he does not want to come off as a “bitter jerk” before congratulating Booker T and offering his hand to the legend, who shakes Rhodes’ hand. Booker then tries to leave the ring, but Rhodes asks Booker if it is “now over” before saying that Booker is a “nostalgia act”, adding that, if Booker continues to compete, then his “deteriorating skills will become exposed”, but if Booker goes back to being a commentator, his legacy will slowly become that of a “semi-literate buffoon of an announcer”. Rhodes then sums it up by calling the six-time World Champion a “joke” before telling Booker to do everyone a favor and “go home”.
Before things can continue, the familiar music of the legendary Goldust plays as Cody Rhodes’ older brother, Dustin Rhodes, comes out. Dustin tells Cody that the Intercontinental Champion is going about things the wrong way. Dustin continues that, when he was down and out, Booker T was the one who inspired him, adding that he and Booker had the best time as a tag team. Dustin then says that he gets the whole idea of Cody trying to make a name for himself, but it will not be at the expense of Booker. The Intercontinental Champion then says that, just when he thinks that there is not a “bigger joke” than Booker T, his own brother comes out there. Cody continues that the fans are not worth inspiring, saying that he “restored the Rhodes family name” after Dustin “threw up” all over it. Cody then says that, as soon as the team of Goldust & Booker T was done, Dustin fell right back into his “demons” before falling into “total obscurity”. Booker then jumps in, saying that “Goldie” is more man than Cody will ever be before challenging Cody to a match for the Intercontinental Title. Cody agrees to the match, but says it will take place next week and, after he wins, then Booker can join his brother into “complete irrelevancy”. Booker argues that, next week, he will become the new Intercontinental Champion. After Booker T exits the ring to head back to the announce desk, Cody attacks his own brother, kicking Dustin in the mid-section before delivering the Beautiful Nightmare Kick to his face! After failing to win the Intercontinental Title at WWE TLC, can Booker T take the gold away from Cody Rhodes on the first SmackDown of 2012 next week?
Two weeks after getting attacked, post-match, by Jinder Mahal before getting locked in the Camel Clutch, Ted DiBiase went one-on-one with Jinder Mahal on SmackDown. In the end, it was Jinder Mahal locking in the Camel Clutch on Ted DiBiase, forcing DiBiase to submit to pick up the win.
Backstage, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long is greeted by SmackDown’s newest acquisition, Drew McIntyre, as Long says that, despite their past, he has forgiven McIntyre. The GM continues that he did not realize how much money McIntyre was making as a RAW Superstar and, when McIntyre was on SmackDown, he was one of the fastest rising stars in the WWE, but his career took a “tailspin” on RAW. Long continues that he is not willing to pay McIntyre as much as he is making if McIntyre can’t get the job done. The GM then lays a big ultimatum on McIntyre, saying that if McIntyre cannot beat Ezekiel Jackson, then he will have to start thinking about letting McIntyre go! McIntyre then tells the GM that, if Long has any reservations about McIntyre’s ability, then Long better take notice of what he does to Ezekiel Jackson.
The Divas were in tag team action as Alicia Fox teams with Kaitlyn to face the team of Natalya & Tamina. In the end, it was Alicia Fox hitting a Scissors Kick on Natalya en route to picking up the win for herself and Kaitlyn. After the match, a frustrated Tamina delivers a super kick to the face of Natalya before hitting the Superfly Splash on Natalya!
Backstage, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long informs Big Show and World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan that there has been a change to their scheduled tag team match against Mark Henry and David Otunga as Otunga has instead requested a rematch from RAW where Big Show will go one-on-one with Otunga, but this time, Mark Henry will be in Otunga’s corner!
With a new bodyguard named Camacho in tow, Hunico was in action on SmackDown as Hunico went one-on-one with Justin Gabriel. In the end, it was Hunico hitting the Falling Star on Justin Gabriel en route to picking up the win. After the match, Hunico had Camacho hoist Gabriel up as Hunico and Camacho hit a combination swinging neckbreaker and Samoan Drop on the high flyer! What does the new threat of Hunico & Camacho have in store for SmackDown in 2012?
In a rematch from RAW, “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show went one-on-one with the legal counsel for RAW General Manager John Laurinaitis, David Otunga, with Mark Henry in his corner. Early in the match, David Otunga gets taken to the outside, where Otunga tries to get Mark Henry to help him out, but Henry shouts at Otunga that Otunga had to get in there and do it himself! Later on in the match, Big Show again takes Otunga to the outside and, with Otunga on the outside, Mark Henry starts to enter the ring, but Daniel Bryan comes through the crowd and hits Henry in the back with his World Heavyweight Title belt! Bryan then lures Mark Henry away from the ring, allowing Show to hit the W.M.D. on Otunga en route to picking up the win.
After being signed back to SmackDown by Theodore Long and, being informed that, if he is unable to defeat Ezekiel Jackson, then the GM will have to think about letting Drew McIntyre go. With that hanging over his head, Drew McIntyre went one-on-one with the powerhouse Ezekiel Jackson. During the match, a desperate Drew McIntyre rolls Ezekiel Jackson up, but gets caught trying to use the ropes for added leverage. While pleading with the referee, McIntyre gets caught in a roll-up by Ezekiel with Ezekiel hooking the tights to pick up the win.
Backstage, Drew McIntyre pleads with SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long to not count his loss to Ezekiel Jackson against him, but the GM says that he can’t stand “losers” and he especially can’t stand losers who make “excuses”! After losing to Ezekiel Jackson in a must-win situation, what is the status of Drew McIntyre on SmackDown?
“The Great White” Sheamus makes an appearance on SmackDown as Sheamus says he is out there to talk about the Royal Rumble Match, where 30 men will compete with the winner getting a guaranteed title shot at WrestleMania 28. Sheamus then guarantees that he will win the 2012 Royal Rumble Match and get his title shot at WrestleMania. Hornswoggle then comes out, letting Sheamus know that he plans to enter the 2012 Royal Rumble Match as well. Sheamus then asks who Hornswoggle thinks will win the Royal Rumble Match and, to no surprise, Hornswoggle sings his name. Heath Slater then comes out, saying he is the “number one redhead on SmackDown”. Slater then gets in the face of Hornswoggle, but Sheamus steps in, saying he sees Slater as more of an “R. Kelly guy” because he can see Slater “fly” and, with that, Sheamus hurls Slater over-the-top rope!
In an impromptu match set up by Theodore Long, “The Great White” Sheamus went one-on-one with Heath Slater on SmackDown. In the end, it was Sheamus blasting Heath Slater with the Brogue Kick en route to picking up the win.
Backstage, Theodore Long have Big Show and World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan in his office to inform them that, on next week’s SmackDown, Daniel Bryan will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Big Show on the first SmackDown of 2012! After giving Big Show the shortest reign as World Heavyweight Champion in history, will Daniel Bryan succumb to the W.M.D. or will the champion find a way to retain against the giant?
Then it was time for the main event as, after planting Wade Barrett with the RKO on the roof of a car last week, “The Viper” Randy Orton went one-on-one with Wade Barrett in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. Early on in the match, Orton puts the head of Wade Barrett on the steel steps before stomping the skull of Barrett into the steel. Later on in the match, Orton throws Barrett over the announce table before Orton inadvertently throws Barrett into the referee, taking the referee out. With no referee, the match devolved into a brawl as Orton and Barrett brawled through the crowd to the backstage area, where Barrett puts Orton through a snack table before the brawl resumes through the halls of the arena. Then the two rivals manage to take the fight into an elevator as the elevator camera captures the fight until the brawl makes its way to an office area on a different floor. Orton and Barrett then fight through the halls of the office area to the top of a flight of concrete stairs with Orton getting the better of Barrett until Barrett manages to shove Orton down the flight of stairs to the concrete below! With a clearly injured Orton laying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, Barrett starts to descend the stairs, but sees the condition Orton is in and opts to run away, quickly fleeing the arena!
What did you think of the final SmackDown of 2011? Post your comments in the box below.
