Friday Night’s Smackdown saw the brand’s competitors for the Elimination Chamber named, as well the World Championship defended in an unconventional handicapped match. In the main event, Edge managed to retain his title, teaming with Kelly Kelly against Dolph Ziggler and LayCool. Once again, Edge’s spear was banned, and in a gimmicky ploy to make his run as champion appear in peril, the belt would switch hands even if it was Kelly Kelly who was pinned. Unsurprisingly, Kelly Kelly secured the pin on Layla (after a spear, no less) to save Edge’s title. Post-match, Vicki Guerrero announced that next week on Smackdown, she would referee a World Title rematch from the Royal Rumble, as Edge will defend his title against Dolph Ziggler. Oh, and she fired Kelly Kelly.
Meanwhile, Booker T made his debut at the commentary booth, joining Josh Matthews and the Slammy Award winner Michael Cole to call the action. His first night with the headset was a success, although he was a little quiet at times. His interactions with Matthews seemed like there was some forced chumminess going on, but he and Cole shared some pretty believable heated dialogue. I look forward to hearing him progress as the weeks go on. After the jump you’ll find some bulleted reactions to the rest of the show, which did a sufficient, albeit predictable, job of setting up the Elimination Chamber in two weeks.
- Tag Team Champions Santino Marella and Vladamir Koslov jobbed to Corre members Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater. It’s discouraging seeing the champions lose clean semi-often, although I understand the desire to get the Corre over. I smell a three-way match for the Unified Tag Team Titles between Marella/Koslov, Gabriel/Slater, and Harris/McGillicuty in the future, either at the Chamber or WrestleMania. Actually, Husky Harris may miss the match if he’s still selling the punt he took last week, and if that’s the case, replace his name with Otunga’s or Mason Ryan’s.
- Drew McIntyre defeated Kofi Kingston to qualify for the Chamber in a good match that was given plenty of time to unfold. It’s a shame to see either of these guys left out of the match, as both of their careers have seen them in line for big pushes that always seem to fall through. Fortunately, it looks like Kingston may wrestle number one contender Alberto Del Rio at the PPV, so at least both guys would be included on the card in that scenerio.
- In the match of the night, Jack Swagger just barely lost to Rey Mysterio in an Elimination Chamber qualifier. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a Mysterio match, but this one was good. Swagger works extremely well as a menacing, intimidating heel, and it was a lot of fun to watch him in that role in this match. Losing the eagle could do a lot for the All American American.
- Kelly Kelly had a really awkward moment in which she compared Edge to Drew McIntyre and threw a little fit. Her character is hard to put a finger on. She’s a face, but she acts irrationally and annoyingly in a way that makes you kind of dislike her. Hopefully some time away will set her right.
- Kane chokeslammed his way into the Elimination Chamber, beating Chavo Guerrero Jr in a two and a half minute match that was about two minutes longer than their last encounter.
- The increasingly goofy Big Show counted the lights as Wade Barrett defeated him to advance to the Chamber match. Big Zeke interfered in the match and bodyslammed Show in an impressive display of power afterward. The seeds are being planted for a match between these two, probably at the Elimination Chamber PPV if they don’t put it on Smackdown sometime before that.
So, the Smackdown Elimination Chamber match will see Edge defend his World Title (assuming he still has it) against Dolph Zigger, Rey Mysterio, Drew McIntyre, Kane, and Wade Barrett. Realistically, Mysterio is the only one that I see as having an outside chance at winning the title, and even that is a longshot. The program between Edge and Del Rio for WrestleMania has already begun, but if they tie Del Rio up in a Kingston feud for three weeks and put his rivalry with Edge on the backburner, I could see the Champion changing without much problem. Setting the table for a Mysterio Vs Del Rio match at Mania would allow Edge to transition into a program with another superstar leading into the biggest show of the year. A former partner perhaps?
