WWE Friday Night Smackdown Report for January 21st, 2011

This week’s show starts off with Wade Barrett’s comments from last week along with footage of his fall from grace from Raw and his new beginning on Smackdown as he faced Big Show and the formation of Nexus Classic with Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, and the newest member, Ezekiel Jackson. Then we see the impact that Jackson made when he slammed the giant.

We are live on tape from Tulsa, Oklahoma and your announcers are Michael ‘Can I say stuff three times to anger Jim Ross’ Cole, Josh ‘Can I teach the people on Tough Enough how to do a moonsault’ Mathews, and Matt ‘Snow Days’ Striker.

Wade Barrett comes to the ring along with Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, and Ezekiel Jackson. Barrett says that it gives him great pleasure that the Big Show will not be here tonight. Wade says that he wants to take this time to introduce themselves to the Smackdown audience. Wade says that for the last six months he assisted revolutionizing Raw as the leader of the Nexus. That was until he was summarily dismissed by the group. Since that day, he has come to learn the error of his ways. It never should have been all about him. It should have been about the entire group. Wade says that is what this is all about. This is the Corre.

Ezekiel Jackson introduces himself and he says that Teddy Long has been hyping his appearance on Smackdown for a number of weeks. Jackson says that he is a proud member of the Smackdown brand, but he is extremely proud to be a member of The Corre.

Heath Slater introduces himself and he reminds us that he is the One Man Rock Band. Nexus was so dominating because of him. Heath says that you haven’t seen nothing yet.

Justin Gabriel introduces himself to the Smackdown audience and he says that he is from Cape Town, South Africa. He now calls Smackdown his home and the Corre is his family. Now everyone can watch him deliver the most spectacular move in the WWE, the sternum crushing 450 splash.

Wade says that for the people who saw the chaos and destruction that the original Nexus caused, it will pale in comparison to what the Corre will achieve.

Teddy Long comes out and he does not announce that he is part of the Corre. He wants to stop things before they go any further. Teddy says that he is not naïve. He knows that things may happen that he does not like. Teddy says that they need to know that before they come out and making grand stands about taking out everything that they see, he is still the general manager and he is in charge. If they are going to start playing outside the rules, they have a problem.

Wade wants to know why Teddy is so hostile because they do respect him as the authority figure on Smackdown. He says that the Corre is here to assist them. Wade says that all of them will be in the Royal Rumble representing Smackdown. If they are going to represent Smackdown, it is because they want to work with Teddy, not against him. He wants Teddy to be able to say that he was in charge of Smackdown when Wade Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, Justin Gabriel, and Heath Slater came together to form the Corre.

Teddy says that they call themselves the Nina, the Pinta, or the Santa Maria. He says that he saw what they did on Raw and Teddy says that he wasn’t born yesterday. He is not going to buy them saying that they are working together. Teddy will not watch Wade Barrett lead these men. . .

Wade interrupts Teddy and says that he never said that he was leading these men because the Corre has no leader. They are about equals.

Teddy says that he is not an anonymous general manager and a chirping computer. He will not let them bring what they did on Raw to this show because they have the numbers. Last week, they ganged up on the Big Show and that was the first time they came together on Smackdown. It is the last time that they will do that.

Ezekiel says that they are disappointed that Teddy did not welcome them to Smackdown with an open mind because they can take Smackdown to a different level.

Teddy says that they can all be cool as long as they play within the rules. If they don’t, the only room he has for negotiating is that you can either like Smackdown . . . or you can leave it.

Alberto Del Rio drives into the arena and then he comes to the ring as golden pyro falls behind him. He says that he knows those guys are new on Smackdown so he is going to introduce himself to them. He says that they already know who he is. They are welcome on Smackdown, but there is something that they need to know. He says that this is his show and he is the man who is going to win the Royal Rumble. He says that it is his destiny.

We go to commercial.

Match Number One: Alberto Del Rio versus R Truth

They lock up and Del Rio backs Truth into the corner. Del Rio with a kick instead of a clean break and then he knees Truth before an Irish whip. Truth with a clothesline and Del Rio goes to the floor. Truth punches Del Rio on the floor and then sends him into the apron. Truth with another punch before they go into the ring. Del Rio misses an elbow when Truth rolls back in and then Truth with a near fall. Truth with an arm bar, but we go away from the action in the ring.

We go to the back where the medical staff is going into a room to check on Teddy Long, who is down on the floor with Dolph Ziggler, Vickie Guerrero, and Michael Tarver standing over Teddy. They call for the paramedics while they check on Teddy.

We return to the ring where Truth still has Del Rio in an arm bar. Del Rio with forearms to Truth but Truth with an Irish whip and forearm into the corner. Truth puts Del Rio on the top turnbuckle and then sets for a rana and hits it. Truth clotheslines Del Rio over the top rope to the floor and we go to commercial.

We are back and Del Rio with a punch followed by an Irish whip but he runs into a boot. Truth goes to the turnbuckles but Del Rio pulls him off the turnbuckles and gets a near fall. Del Rio with knees to the neck followed by a boot. Del Rio with a snap mare and reverse chin lock. Truth with punches followed by a forearm but Del Rio with a drop toe hold and a near fall. Del Rio punches Truth while we see Teddy being taken out on a stretcher. Vickie shows a lot of concern over Teddy’s condition as they take him to the hospital.

Back in the ring, Del Rio with a kick to the head but Truth with a clothesline and drop kick. Truth with a sit out gourdbuster for a near fall. Del Rio sends Truth into the turnbuckles followed by a step up enzuigiri for a near fall. Del Rio with a boot to the head and then he tries to set for the cross arm breaker but Truth is able to run Del Rio into the corner and he follows that with a hip toss. Rodriguez trips Truth as he goes off the ropes and that distraction allows Del Rio to grab Truth’s arm and drop it on the top rope as Del Rio goes to the floor. Truth with the float over into the cross arm breaker and Truth tries to reach for the ropes but he has to tap.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

We go to the back where Teddy Long is placed in the ambulance and taken away. We see some of the Superstars watch the ambulance leave as we go to commercial.

We are back and Vickie and Dolph walk into their office while Vickie wonders who could have done that to Teddy. As they enter, Vickie and Dolph see The Corre. Vickie asks if she can help them. Wade says that they want to talk. Justin says that they just heard about the head trauma and they did not have anything to do with it. Zeke says that they were in their locker room when it happened and Heath also provides an alibi. Wade tells Vickie if there is anything that she needs, they are here to help her.

Vickie thinks about it and points out that her boyfriend will be facing Edge for the World Title in two weeks at the Royal Rumble. Tonight, one of them will face Edge and she expects them to live up to their reputations. Vickie tells The Corre that she has some business to deal with.

We go to the announce table where Michael Cole summarizes what we just saw and points out that The Corre says that they did not have anything to do with what happened to Teddy Long and the match one of them will face Edge tonight.

It is time for the Royal Rumble by the numbers video package.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Did You Know that a lot of countries will be represented at this year’s Wrestlemania in the crowd?

Match Number Two: Layla with Michelle McCool versus Beth Phoenix

They lock up and Beth backs Layla into the corner. Beth with a clean break but Layla with a kick. Layla with more kicks as she avoids Beth in the corner. Layla with another kick but Beth catches Layla and hits a giant swing followed by a running forearm for a near fall. Layla sends Beth into the turnbuckles followed by a tornado DDT on the arm and then she kicks Beth in the shoulder. Layla with a near fall on Beth. Layla with a key lock using the leg for extra leverage. Beth rolls through an picks up Layla and hits a modified electric chair drop. Beth favors her arm as she gets back up and she blocks a punch and connects with one of her own. Beth with forearms followed by a clothesline and back elbow. Beth with another clothesline and then he kicks Layla and then hits the slingshot suplex and gets a near fall. Beth with an Iris whip and she runs into an elbow. Layla with a kick to the arm and she tries to take Beth down for an arm bar submission but Beth counters with a back breaker and then she gets Layla up for the Glam Slam and hits it and gets the three count.

Winner: Beth Phoenix

After the match, Beth makes sure that Layla and Michelle know that she has beaten both of them.

Rey Mysterio is walking in the back and he looks very red and we go to commercial.

It is time to be reminded that the Stand Up for WWE campaign won some awards last year.

Match Number Three: Rey Mysterio versus “Dashing” Cody Rhodes

Cody goes for the leg and backs Rey into the corner. Cody with a knee and a side head lock. Cody with a clothesline to Rey but Rey kicks Cody off. Rey with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors. Cody runs into a boot from Rey. Rey tries again but Cody puts the leg in the ropes and Cody kicks the leg. Cody continues to work on the knee but Rey gets his foot on the ropes when Cody goes for a cover. Cody continues to use the ropes to work on the leg. Cody with a knee to the leg. Rey kicks Cody away but Cody returns to the attack. Cody with an Irish whip but Rey floats over. Cody with a kick and then he sends Rey under the rope. Cody with a baseball slide to the floor but Rey ducks out of the way. Cody pushes Rey into the ring steps but when Cody charges, Rey moves and Rey with a drop toe hold onto the ring steps.

They return to the ring and Rey with a seated splash from the turnbuckles for a near fall. Rey with a springboard cross body for a near fall. Rey with a kick to Cody but Cody with a side Russian leg sweep and float over for a near fall. Cody with a kick to the hip and then he tries for a sunset flip but you don’t give Rey a sunset flip without him rolling through. Rey tries for a kick but Cody expected it so he ducks out of the way. Cody did not expect a drop kick from Rey and he connects and gets a near fall. Rey with a drop kick to the back and then he hits the 619. Rey goes up top for the dive and he gets the three count.

Winner: Rey Mysterio

After the match, Cody is holding his nose as the medical staff earns their money this week to check on him.

It is now time to get an update on General Manager Teddy Long’s condition. Todd Grisham has the latest and he says that Teddy has been taken to a local hospital where . . .

Todd is interrupted by Alex Riley who calls Todd a nerd. Alex tells Todd to stop wasting his time by talking about people who are not on the show and start talking about people who are here. People like the Miz.

Michael Cole does his best high pitch reaction to the Miz’s appearance before Todd asks him why he is here. Miz says that he is the WWE Champion and says that he can do whatever he wants. After what he did to Randy Orton on Raw, he had to share it with everyone.

We go to commercial while Cole basks in the afterglow of seeing Miz and Alex Riley.

We are back and Cody has his nose checked out and he is told that it is broken. Cody looks at it and he cannot believe what he is seeing.

We are told that the next match will be a three minute amateur challenge with the winner being determined by pinfall or points.

Match Number Four: Jack Swagger versus Kofi Kingston in an Amateur Wrestling Challenge

Swagger with a double leg take down for two points but Kofi gets one for an escape. Swagger with a front face lock into a waist lock for two points and Kofi gets a point when Swagger lets go of the hold. Swagger with a double under hook into a take down for two points but he lets Kofi go again for another point. Swagger asks Kofi if he wants to leave the ring and quit. Swagger asks for the referee to award him points for a near fall and he gets them. Kofi is awarded another point so it is eight to four as we approach the end of the match. Swagger with take down for two more points and then he floats over on Kofi’s back and then he does push ups while Kofi is on the mat. Kofi escapes for a point and then he takes Swagger down with a double leg take down and he gets a few more points for having Swagger on his back as time runs out.

Winner: Jack Swagger (10 to 9)

After the match, Swagger attacks Kofi but Kofi responds with a Thesz Press and then hits Trouble in Paradise. Kofi goes up top and hits a cross body on Swagger.

The announcers talk about what happened last week on the Cutting Edge between Edge and Dolph Ziggler. We go to highlights from last week.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Josh Mathews mentions that they got the best ratings on Fridays on Smackdown in five years. Cole and Striker bicker before our next match starts.

We see highlights from last week’s upset by Trent Barreta of Drew McIntyre followed by Drew’s post match attack that Kelly Kelly saw and Kelly’s comments to Drew.

Match Number Five: Trent Barreta versus Drew McIntyre

Drew misses a punch but Trent with a forearm. Drew with a kick and an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Drew with punches and kicks Trent. Drew with a clothesline in the corner followed by a snap suplex for a near fall. Trent with a drop kick to counter a back body drop. Trent goes to the apron and Drew tries for a shoulder but Trent moves out of the way and Trent kicks Drew in the chest while Drew is in the ropes. Trent with a springboard move but Drew counters with a sit out power bomb for a near fall.

Drew picks up Trent and runs him into the turnbuckles and puts him on the turnbuckles. Trent kicks Drew away but Drew runs the turnbuckles and hits a butterfly superplex for the three count.

Winner: Drew McIntyre

After the match, Drew stands over Trent and offers his hand as a sign of sportsmanship. Trent with a forearm to the head instead. Drew leaves the ring but thinks about it and he returns to give Trent a forearm to the head. Drew punches Trent and Kelly Kelly comes to the ring as Drew prepares to put Trent in the Future Shock DDT. Kelly tells Drew to stop and he lets go of Trent. Drew tells Kelly that Trent hit him first. Kelly walks past Drew to check on Trent.

Drew cannot believe what he sees and he tells Kelly that Trent hit him in the face. Kelly says that she doesn’t want to hear it. Drew leaves the ring and he thinks again about going after Trent one more time, but he walks away.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Did You Know that WWE still airs in a lot of countries in a lot of languages.

The Miz comes to the ring with his manservant Alex Riley while his Official Spokesmodel gushes over Miz while he walks to the ring. Miz wants to know how the people of Tulsa really feel as they boo him. Miz says that there is a popular saying that these people might have heard. It is ‘Awesome is as awesome does’. He explains to those who might not understand that being awesome is about doing awesome. He proved on Raw how awesome he was when he did awesome to Randy Orton. For those of you who might have missed, here is the footage from Raw.

Miz approves of what he did and he says to let the evidence show that he is the Miz and that he is . . .

Interrupted by Edge.

Edge says that he is the Miz and he is done. Edge says that he is sick of the Raw rejects coming to Smackdown acting like they own this place. Edge points out that Miz is talking about what he did to Randy Orton after Orton’s match with Dolph Ziggler.

Miz says that what he did to Randy Orton is nothing compared to what he is going to do on Raw.

Edge tells Miz that he is number twenty-seven on his list of things to do, maybe number thirty-two. Edge says that he will deal with Miz on Monday because he has to deal with Wade Barrett and the rest of Corre tonight. Edge tells Miz to do him and everyone a favor by getting out of his ring.

Miz hands the mic to his water boy and Edge drops his mic as they face off. Miz walks out of the ring and Riley appears to follow but he drops the ‘Mongo McMichael Model’ Halliburton and then he stays in the ring and he wants to say something to Edge, but Edge speaks with a Spear to Riley.

Miz takes off his jacket and he gets on the apron but he does not get into the ring. Miz leaves the ringside area while Riley is still down and we go to commercial.

We are back and Vickie Guerrero comes out before the main event and she says that before the match begins, she introduces the guest commentator, Dolph Ziggler.

Match Number Six: Edge versus Justin Gabriel with Ezekiel Jackson, Wade Barrett, and Heath Slater

They lock up and Edge works on the arm and puts Justin in an arm bar. Gabriel with a forearm but Edge with a kick and punch. Edge with forearms to the back of the neck followed by a hard Irish whip. Edge with kicks to the midsection and then he punches Gabriel. Gabriel misses a round kick and Edge with an Edge-o-matic for a near fall. Gabriel with a punch and back kick followed by a forearm. Gabriel with a kick to the back and then he chokes Edge in the corner.

Gabriel with a forearm and a jumping back kick. Gabriel with punches but Edge fights back with punches of his own followed by an elbow to the head. Edge with an Irish whip but he runs into an elbow. Edge sends Gabriel to the apron and then he connects with a big boot to the head and Gabriel goes to the floor and we go to commercial.

We are back and Gabriel is in control and he kicks Edge and gets a near fall. Gabriel with another near fall. We see footage from the commercial break when Gabriel kicked Edge from the floor and Edge landed face first on the apron. Gabriel with a side Russian leg sweep into an arm bar submission. Edge escapes the hold and elbows Gabriel. Gabriel with an STO and then he goes to the apron and up top for the 450 splash but Edge gets to his feet. Gabriel dives off the turnbuckles and Edge with a drop kick to the midsection and both men are down.

Edge with a flap jack to Gabriel and they are down one more time. Gabriel rolls to the apron. Gabriel with a kick but Edge blocks part of it and then he drops Gabriel across the top rope. Edge goes to the floor and he makes sure to avoid the members of the Corre at ringside. He returns Gabriel to the ring and Edge goes up top but Gabriel with a jumping kick that staggers Edge. Gabriel sets for a superplex but Edge holds on to the turnbuckle. Edge punches Gabriel and pushes him off. Edge sets for a cross body and hits it and gets a near fall.

Edge gets ready for the spear as he pulls at the hair and has that faraway look in his eyes. Edge sees Barrett get on the apron so he knocks Wade to the floor. Slater tries to get involved but he gets a shoulder from Edge and Slater goes to the floor as well. Jackson gets on the apron and he connects with a clothesline. The referee did not see what happened to Edge and Gabriel gets the three count.

Winner: Justin Gabriel

After the match, Corre surrounds Edge and the champion gets to his feet. Edge punches Slater, Barrett, and Gabriel; but Jackson sends Edge back to the mat with a body block. Slater hits Sweetness then Barrett gets Edge up for Wasteland. They pull Edge into the corner for the 450 Splash. Corre stands over Edge before leaving the ring.

With Edge motionless on the mat, Dolph Ziggler enters the ring and stands over Edge before getting on one knee. Ziggler stands on Edge’s chest like the conquering hero as we go to credits.

PWI