Friday Night Smackdown – 2/5/10

After a returning Edge won the Royal Rumble, what would his first night back on Smackdown be like?  Here’s what happened last night:

Chris Jericho comes to the ring, “tonight was supposed to be my night… the main event of WrestleMania was taken away from me by one man, Edge, who returned unannounced.  Edge is a con-artist.  He’s the same man who has no heart or passion.  Who left me alone to fend for myself… and now Teddy Long says I have to qualify for the Elimination Chamber…?”

• Jericho calls out Teddy Long, but when he doesn’t come to the ring, Jericho wanders backstage till he finds his office.  He enters, but finds Edge sitting at Long’s desk.  Edge tells him, “You’re the reason I’m back, you lit the fire, so thank you!”
• Jericho responds, “You’re going to regret coming back,” and Edge snaps back, “NO!  You’re going to regret me coming back!”

Video Package: Look at “Satan’s Structure” aka The Elimination Chamber.

Triple Threat – Elimination Chamber Qualifier
John Morrison vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kane
WINNER: John Morrison via pin fall after hitting Star Ship Pain on Kane

Elimination Chamber Qualifier
R-Truth vs. Mike Knox
WINNER: R-Truth via pin fall after hitting the Lie Detector (Flippy punch thing)

Video Package: Look back at what happened on RAW with Bret Hart, Vince McMahon & Batista.  Exclusive footage is show from after RAW went off the air when John Cena came to the aid of Bret Hart and got destroyed by Batista because of it.

Backstage: Straightedge Society watching the video package on a monitor.  CM Punk says to his followers, “You both realize that without your leader there is no Straightedge Society, right?  I say that because I have to get into the ring with Batista.  I need to know what you’re willing to do to protect me…”

• Serena responds, “anything!”  Luke Gallows replies, “I’d stick my head in the fire to preserve my salvation.”

Elimination Chamber Qualifier
Batista vs. CM Punk with Gallows & Serena
WINNER: CM Punk via count out

• After the opening bell rang, Batista refused to make contact, and then took a walk.

Backstage: Matt Hardy walking towards the ring sees Maria and compliments her on being on the Celebrity Apprentice.

Elimination Chamber Qualifier
Matt Hardy vs. Chris Jericho
WINNER: Chris Jericho via pin fall after hitting the Code Breaker

The NEW Women’s Champion, Mickie James comes to the ring, “Ever since I was traded to SD!, Layla & Michelle McCool have tried to make jokes at me and they did hurt, but being real is what a true champion is all about…”

• Interrupted by “The Glamazon” Beth Phoenix, “while you were celebrating your victory over two little girls, I made history competing in the Royal Rumble against 29 grown men… I’m proud of you, but Mickie, don’t think for one second I won’t take that title from you anytime, any place I want!”
• Vickie Guerrero comes out to the ramp, “Sorry but this is not happening… How about both of you facing McCool & Layla in a tag team match?”

Beth Phoenix & Mickie James vs. Michelle McCool & Layla
WINNERS: Beth Phoenix & Mickie James via small package pin fall by Mickie on Layla

• Mid match, Beth clocked Mickie in the face and walked out.

Cryme Tyme had their Word Up segment.  The word of the day was “King.”  Jerry Lawler made a special appearance.

Elimination Chamber Qualifier
Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler
WINNER: Rey Mysterio via roll up pin fall

“The Rated R Superstar,” Edge comes to the ring  for his talk segment, The Cutting Edge.  He starts off by saying, “He’s happy to be home” while looking like he’s fighting back emotions.  Edge shows a video from RAW of him making a fool out of the WWE Champion, Sheamus, and then he’s interrupted by Chris Jericho.

• Y2J says, “Well I was waiting for my moment and you took it away from me… I deserved to win the Rumble!
• Edge responds, “One reason why you didn’t deserve to win, I threw you out of the Rumble… You’re not the face of Smackdown anymore… For the last six months I had to listen to you say you’re the best in the world and I’m sick of it!”
• CM Punk and the Straightedge Society interrupt.  Punk says, “You two look like junkies arguing over who’s going to get the last fix… it’s about The Undertaker…”  Punk then goes on a rant about his accolades against Taker and what he’s done for the WWE Universe by “saving them.”
• Lights out/lights on.  Taker is in the ring.  He takes out Punk and Gallows.  Edge takes out Jericho.  They glare at each other as the broadcast goes off the air.

QUICK THOUGHTS:

I think tonight was a good show.  Just enough talking to get stories across, but not too much where it was boring.  There were six matches in total, and really only two weren’t more than five minutes.

The walk out angle in the Batista match was interesting.  If you’ve seen the shows or read this blog, you’ll know that it’s been Batista’s mission to regain the World Title over the past few months.  That was the whole heel turn, destroying his friendship with Mysterio, and gunning for The Undertaker.  Now, it’s almost as if he’s shifted his goals with this count out.  The exclusive footage from after RAW went off the air was the clue.  His forgoing the chance at the title clears his schedule for the Elimination Chamber to screw over John Cena leading up to a showdown at WrestleMania.  That’s at least how I’m reading into it.

I was a little upset that they didn’t make R-Truth’s opponent for the qualifier a little tougher.  Mike Knox is no push over, but he has been jobbing lately with Charlie Haas on Superstars.  I wish they would’ve forgone the triple threat match and put him against either Kane or McIntyre.  He would’ve looked strong going into it and not look like he got a lucky hand dealt his way.