WWE Smackdown review
April 26, 2013
Taped 4/23/13 in London, England
Aired on SyFy
By Greg Parks, PWTorch Columnist (Twitter: @gregmparks)


- The opening video package profiled the issues between Jack Swagger and Alberto Del Rio. Highlights of the big six-man tag match from Raw were shown, and Undertaker vs. Dean Ambrose was advertised for tonight.

- Inside the O2 Arena, Lilian Garcia began ring introductions for the first match.

1 – JACK SWAGGER vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO – NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH

The two began to brawl at the opening bell, and 10 seconds in, Swagger was clotheslined over the top rope. Suicide dive by Del Rio. As Del Rio retrieved a kendo stick and brought it into the ring, Swagger grabbed it from him and used it on Del Rio’s injured left knee. The men fought over the stick and then strangely, it was just dropped and the two men fought without it. As Del Rio was sent to ringside, Swagger did some trash-talking. Del Rio turned the tide and they ended up brawling onto the ramp. Del Rio suplexed Swagger onto it. Del Rio introduced a ladder and Swagger was sent into it face-first. They cut to break at 3:44 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Swagger had Del Rio in a front face-lock out of break. They were back in the ring. Big slam from Swagger for two at 7:10. An angry Swagger went to the timekeeper and took a chair. While on the apron though, Del Rio gave Swagger an enziguiri. Del Rio clobbered Swagger with rights, but Swagger took out Del Rio’s knee. Clothesline by Swagger for two. Swagger went back and got the chair again. He set it up in the corner, but Del Rio went after Swagger’s taped arm. Momentum shifted to Del Rio with clotheslines and a tilt-a-whirl back-breaker. Del Rio whacked Swagger in the back nine times with the kendo stick, then gave him a back-breaker. A two-count at 9:52. Patriot Lock countered into an arm-breaker by Del Rio. But Del Rio went shoulder-first into the steel chair still propped in the corner. A cover by Swagger only netted him a two-count. Swagger tried to bring a ladder into the game, but Del Rio see-sawed it into Swagger’s chin. Why even do that move anymore? Way too dangerous. Swagger did come up bleeding from the mouth. Colter distracted Del Rio by wielding the kendo stick, allowing Swagger to run over Del Rio with the ladder. Another two-count at 12:38. Vader Bomb was countered into an arm-breaker, but Swagger fought it. Colter assisted Swagger by giving him the kendo stick and he fought Del Rio off with it. More shots with the stick, then he dropped the ladder onto Del Rio. Gutwrench powerbomb for three.

WINNER: Swagger, at 14:02. Swagger got his win back after losing to Del Rio last week. The match was fine, but I didn’t think it was as good as last week’s offering.

The finish of the match was replayed.

- Still to come, Sheamus vs. The Big Show.

- Plus, Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry. Quite a loaded show tonight.

[Commercial Break]

- Some shots of London were shown.

2 – AKSANA vs. LAYLA

No entrance for Aksana. Aksana got one or two moves in, then decided to crawl on the apron and taunt the fans. That…did not work to her advantage. A few roll-ups by Layla for two-counts. Aksana took Layla and gave her a hot-shot over the top rope. Knee to the face for a two-count. After working the wrist and arm, Aksana did more taunting. Aksana put her head down after whipping Layla into the ropes, which turned out to be a mistake. Aksana dropped an elbow for two. Side headlock from Aksana, but an arm-drag was turned into a pinning combination, and she picked up the win.

WINNER: Layla, at 3:04. We seem to be out of the era where WWE was throwing Divas matches out there for 30 seconds.

- The Divas are coming to the E! Network. I’m thrilled.

- Next, we’ll see clips of the epic six-man showdown from Raw.

[Commercial Break]

- The announcers talked about what Michael Cole called “one of the greatest six-man tag matches I’ve ever seen.” They sent it to a video recap of the closing moments of the contest.

- In a backstage shaky-cam video, The Shield bragged about their match against Team Hell No and Undertaker. Seth Rollins said the true injustice was that Undertaker escaped Raw with his soul still intact. Ambrose bragged about doing something that no one has been able to do in 21 Wrestlemanias: Beat the Undertaker.

- Fandango danced his way down to the ring as the fans hummed his theme. They showed his whole ring entrance with his accompanying dancer, before cutting to break.

3 – FANDANGO vs. JUSTIN GABRIEL

No entrance for Gabriel. Fandango danced when the bell rang and the crowd continued singing their tune. Gabriel tried to show his dance moves, but Fandango attacked him. Side roll from Gabriel shook up Fandango enough that he needed to take a break. Back in, Gabriel arm-dragged him down. The hand gestures seem to be as much a part of the performance by the fans as the humming itself. Fandango took over with a running kick to Gabriel’s head. Gabriel used his educated feet to get back into the match. Springboard by Gabriel, but Fandango kicked him in the gut on the way down. Fandango took Gabriel down with a former of a leg-sweep, then hit the top-rope leg-drop for the finish.

WINNER: Fandango, at 3:03. If you want to make Fandango (or anyone) look good, Gabriel’s a good choice to do the job.

Fandango clarified the pronunciation of his name after the match. They also replayed the finish.

- Sheamus vs. Big Show is next.

[Commercial Break]

4 – SHEAMUS vs. THE BIG SHOW

During the entrance of Sheamus, they showed the last two weeks of Mark Henry attacking Sheamus, then Sheamus attacking Henry backstage. Show unloaded on Sheamus’s chest with chops once the match began. Sheamus fired back with rights. Show grabbed Sheamus by the throat and pushed him over the top rope. Sheamus did some clubberin’ of his own, giving Show the forearms-to-the-chest treatment. But Show quickly recovered and gave Sheamus a side slam. Final Cut by Show for two. Sheamus tried to slam Show, but Show collapsed on top of him for two. Show continued dissecting Sheamus. They went to break 5:10 into the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 8:42 of the match. Show was still holding court inside the ring as Sheamus seemed nearly out of gas. Outside the ring, Show whipped Sheamus into the steel steps. Sheamus re-entered the ring at a count of nine. JBL raved about Big Show’s game plan during this match. If the game plan involves boring viewers to tears, he’s right on schedule. Sheamus attempted a comeback, but a Show forearm to the back put him down. Top wrist-lock was next. Sheamus got Show down to one knee and DDT’d him. Both men were down at 11:43 of the match. Sheamus came at Show with forearms and plowed him into the corner. He went to the top and came off with a flying shoulder tackle. Sheamus countered a chokeslam and gave Show the White Noise. Show ducked out of the ring before the Brogue Kick could connect. Sheamus briefly pursued Show outside the ring. Back to the top went Sheamus, but Mark Henry came out to distract Sheamus, and Show gave Sheamus a knockout punch. Sheamus fell in a heap and Show made the pin.

WINNER: Show, at 14:22. How can a man the size (and speed) of Henry come down to the ring with no one noticing? This match picked up late, but most of the match with Show on offense was terribly uninteresting.

Replays of the finish aired.

- Henry takes on Randy Orton tonight.

- Also tonight: Undertaker vs. Dean Ambrose.

[Commercial Break]

- A Tweet from The Rock updating his recovery from surgery was shown.

5 – WILLIAM REGAL vs. WADE BARRETT

Barrett did some mic work on the way to the ring and talked about grave robbers in England and how Regal looks like he’s a corpse that’s been dug up. Barrett said he’ll send Regal back to whence he came.

Regal caught Barrett coming out of the corner with a forearm. Knees in the gut in the corner by Regal. Barret mule-kicked Regal, but Regal avoided the Bull Hammer. Suplex by Regal. Knee trembler missed and Barrett caught him with the Bull Hammer for the pinfall.

WINNER: Barrett, at :55. Nice of them to give Regal another appearance, even if it was short. Gets Barrett some local heat, too, which helped.

The Bull Hammer shot was replayed.

- To the announcers, who threw it to clips of the opening segment of Raw. I’ll say this: Paul Heyman took that Pedigree like a man.

- Randy Orton came to the ring. He faces Mark Henry next.

[Commercial Break]

6 – RANDY ORTON vs. MARK HENRY

Henry quickly got the better of Orton and set up for the World’s Strongest Slam, to no avail. Shot by Orton and Henry went to ringside. The match continued there. Henry picked up Orton, but Orton slid out the back and shoved Henry into the ring post. Orton played to the crowd but it cost him. Henry made the same mistake and met the same fate. Short DDT by Orton. Henry was set up for the vintage Orton DDT, and Orton followed through successfully. Henry rolled out of the ring prior to the RKO. Orton delivered body shots outside the ring, but Henry shook them off and sent Orton into the post spine-first. As Henry sent Orton back into the ring, Sheamus ran down and gave Henry the Brogue Kick.

WINNER: Henry, via disqualification, at 4:20. Kind of a sloppy match.

Following the kick, Orton delivered the RKO to Henry. The Brogue and RKO were replayed.

- The trailer for “No One Lives” was shown.

[Commercial Break]

- Mathews thanked Airbourne for providing the official theme to Extreme Rules, “Live it Up.”

- A graphic aired for John Cena vs. Ryback at Extreme Rules.

- The Raw Rebound aired, focusing on the Ryback-Mick Foley segment.

- Following The Undertaker’s entrance, the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

7 – THE UNDERTAKER vs. DEAN AMBROSE

The rest of The Shield were at ringside with Ambrose. Taker grabbed Ambrose by the throat and threw him into the corner. I was actually somewhat nostalgic for Michael Cole’s “best pure striker in the history of WWE” line that he managed to slide in early on. Legdrop by Taker with Ambrose over the apron. Undertaker missed a kick and was crotched on the top rope. Ambrose took advantage and unloaded on Taker outside the ring. With Taker against the ropes, Ambrose dropkicked him for two. Taker grabbed Ambrose by the throat as he lay on the mat. The two traded punches, but Taker bested him with a chokeslam. Rollins was knocked off the apron and a distraction by Roman Reigns allowed Ambrose to hit a low-blow. That got a two-count. Hell’s Gate out of nowhere forced Ambrose to tap.

WINNER: Undertaker, at 4:45.

The Shield attacked Taker after the match, but held his own at ringside, that is, until Reigns speared Taker through the barricade. The Shield used a steel chair on Taker. Then, they triple powerbombed him through the announce table. As The Shield celebrated their attack, the show went off the air.


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Greg Parks has been covering WWE Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. Follow him on Twitter @gregmparks for live Tweeting during Raw, Impact, and PPVs, as well as other bits of wisdom. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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