THE SPECIALISTS SMACKDOWN STORYLINE TRACKER 2/3: Henry "suspended," Bryan-Show, Orton-Barrett, Elimination Chamber announcement
Feb 10, 2012 - 6:11:13 PM
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WWE Smackdown Storyline Tracker
By Robin Scannell, PWTorch Specialist
Episode - February 3, 2012
(1) World Title Picture / Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show
Smackdown opened Teddy Long talking about Smackdown being a part of the Elimination Chamber. Teddy announced Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, Big Show, Cody Rhodes, Mark Henry, and Randy Orton as the participants in the Chamber match.
Reax: Teddy Long described the rules of the Chamber match as, “Now, during regularly scheduled intervals, eliminations will occur, during submission or pinfall.” I’m sure he didn’t mean to say that.
Mark Henry then came to the ring and demanded a singles match and flicked Long’s tie. Long then took Henry out of the Elimination Chamber match and suspended him indefinitely. Sheamus then came to the ring, and he hit his Brogue Kick on Henry. Sheamus announced that he’d decide who he would face at WrestleMania after Elimination Chamber. Cody Rhodes then came to the ring and talked up his performance in the Royal Rumble by eliminating six people and lasting over 45 minutes.
This led to a match between Sheamus and Rhodes. Sheamus defeated Cody Rhodes via a new finisher (Finlay’s Celtic Cross). After Rhodes’s match, he was still at ringside. Rhodes attacked Justin Gabriel, who was set to face Hunico. Rhodes, Hunico, and Camacho then attacked Gabriel until The Great Khali made the save. Hunico cut a promo on the way to way to the ring about being unfairly judged as thugs.
Later, Daniel Bryan was interviewed in the ring by Michael Cole. Cole said that he was wrong about Bryan after his win on Sunday. Bryan said that this isn't about Cole. Bryan then talked about being a great champion and a role model. Bryan wanted Show taken out of the match. Show came to the ring and talked about not telling people how to live, but leading by example. Bryan annoyed Show so much that Show attacked him. A.J. then came out and managed to save Bryan.
During the show, it was announced that The Great Khali would take Henry’s place in the Elimination Chamber World Heavyweight Title match.
Backstage, Bryan and A.J. wanted to talk to Long about Big Show, which Long said they would do, as they watched the main event. After the match, Long booked Bryan against Orton for the following week. Bryan then ran to the ring and celebrated.
***
(2) Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett
In a backstage interview, Randy Orton said he wouldn’t hold back against Wade Barrett. Orton said that he would have done what Barrett did to him. Orton then stated that he would defeat Barrett and then win the Elimination Chamber. In the no-disqualification main event, Orton defeated Barrett after two RKOs, with the second being on a chair.
Reax: A potential conclusion to the feud would be Orton capturing the World Title heading into WrestleMania. There are two main questions if that happens, though. With Orton vs. Sheamus being a likely match, does one of them turn heel? Also, does Daniel Bryan get added in to make it a Triple Threat match, as he will have his re-match?
***
(3) Natalya vs. Tamina / Natayla’s new “gimmick”
Backstage, Natalya and Beth were talking and warming up, and then Natalya farted, and Santino walked into it. Natayla and Beth defeated Tamina and Aksana in a short match. After the match, Tamina saved Aksana from an attack by Natalya.
***
Other Stories
- Backstage, Teddy Long told Drew McIntyre to find another way to impress him, as he’s predictably losing each week.
Reax: This seems to be being written by the week. The premise is that McIntyre is having a hard time getting a win and that his salary and job are at stake. So far, he’s just lost matches, and nothing has changed. Originally, when the story started, McIntyre’s cheating attempts were spotted while his opponents's were not. Logically, it could be expected that McIntyre would stop cheating, as it isn’t getting him wins, but nothing like that happened. This week, McIntyre was told to do something different, so he attacked Brodus Clay (although unsuccessfully). However, this didn’t even make it to TV.
- Primo and Epico (with Rosa Mendes) defeated Santino and his tag team partner of the week, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan.
Current Feuds Active this Week (# weeks)
Smackdown
Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett (12)
Tamina vs. Natalya (6)
Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show (8)
Ted DiBiase vs. Hunico (w/ Camacho) (5)
Santino & ? vs. Primo and Epico (2)
Feel free to email any comments to scannell.torch@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter @robinocracy for my thoughts on the pay-per-view and non-wrestling related things.
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