We see the Smackdown opening video and Josh Mathews welcomes us to the show from Indianapolis, Indiana.
Vince McMahon’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Vince says that finding a General Manager with Smackdown has been an arduous task. He says we needed one with integrity, charisma, intelligence, and who the fans like. He introduces the new General Manager, Booker T. Booker gets in the ring and gets a microphone. He thanks Vince and the Board of Directors. He says Friday Night Smackdown is about to blow up. Alberto Del Rio’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring. Del Rio congratulates Booker and says that he knows Booker is happy to be working with him. Booker stops him and tells him to stop sucking up to the new GM. Del Rio says Sheamus in beneath him and grew up a peasant. Del Rio says he has the blood of champions in his DNA. Sheamus’ music hits and he makes his way out to the ring. Sheamus congratulates Booker and they share a bro hug. Sheamus invites Booker out for drinks after the show. Sheamus says he is proud of where he came from and who he is. Sheamus says he won’t be taking three weeks off because he is scared of breaking a nail like Del Rio. Booker interjects and says both of them have matches tonight. Del Rio says he doesn’t care who Booker is and will not compete until SummerSlam. Booker says money doesn’t make Del Rio hear better. Booker says he is the boss and Del Rio will compete tonight. Booker announces that Randy Orton is Del Rio’s opponent. Booker brings out Sheamus’ opponent, Tensai.
Match #1: Sheamus vs. Tensai (w/Sakomoto)
They tie up and Tensai backs Sheamus into the corner. Sheamus gets Tensai in a headlock in the corner. Tensai shoots Sheamus off the ropes and they run into each other but neither man falls. Sheamus wrenches Tensai’s arm, but Tensai comes back and drives his shoulder into Sheamus’ midsection. Sheamus comes back and delviers some right hands to Tensai in the corner, but Tensai comes back for a bit. Sheamus takes Tensai down and gets him in a sleeper hold on the mat, before he powers out and takes Sheamus down. Tensai drags Sheamus to the middle of the ring and goes for an elbow drop, but Sheamus moves and drops a couple of knees on Tensai to send him to the outside. Tensai shoves Sakamoto into Sheamus, who shoves him back into Tensai, who shoves him into the barricade. Sheamus shoves Tensai back into the ring, but he takes Sheamus down. Tensai picks Sheamus up and pummels him in the corner. Sheamus fights out and flips to the top rope and dives off, but Tensai moves. Tensai sends Sheamus off the ropes, but he comes back and clotheslines Tensai over the top rope. Sheamus goes out after Tensai and kicks him in the head before Tensai catches him and shoves him into the ring post as we go to a commercial.
We’re back and Sheamus is fighting back, but Tensai tosses him into the corner and hits a splash for a two count. Tensai picks Sheamus up and applies a bear hug. Tensai shoves Sheamus into the ropes and then punches him in the kidney. Sheamus comes back and goes for a slam, but Tensai connects with a boot to Sheamus’ head for a two count. Tensai head-butts Sheamus a few times and then stomps away on him in the corner. Tensai goes to the middle rope, but Sheamus catches him and clubs him on the back. Sheamus charges and knocks Tensai down to the floor. Sheamus catches Tensai on the ring apron and delivers his vintage ten clubbing blows. Sheamus goes for a suplex, but Tensai reverses with a head-butt. Tensai gets in the ring, but Sheamus catches him and slams him to the mat for a two count. Sheamus goes for White Noise, but Tensai shoves him into the ring post. Tensai hits his finisher, but Sheamus kicks out at two. Tensai kicks Sheamus in the midsection and charges, but Sheamus moves and comes off the ropes to deliver a Brogue Kick for the pin fall. Winner: Sheamus.
We go backstage and see Eve Torres in Booker T’s office. Eve congratulates him. Eve says if there are any positions open, she and Booker would make a great team. Teddy Long comes in and says Booker has earned his way to the top. Booker offers Teddy a spot on his staff. He names Teddy the Senior Adviser. Booker asks Teddy to show Eve out, but Eve just walks away as we go to a commercial.
We’re back and Antonio Cesaro and Aksana are in the ring. Cesaro says hello to the WWE Universe in English, Italian, Swiss, German, and French before the match begins.
Match #2: Antonio Cesaro (w/Aksana) vs. Santino Marella
Marella connects with a right hand before Cesaro takes him into the corner. Marella tries to go over Cesaro, but he catches Marella. Marella goes for a quick roll up, but Cesaro kicks out. Cesaro goes for a pin of his own, but Marella kicks out. Cesaro gets Marella in a headlock, but Marella reverses into a roll through for a two count. Marella takes control and grabs the cobra sock. Marella goes for The Cobra, but Cesaro reverses. Marella connects with The Corba right after and goes for the cover, but Cesaro’s leg was under the rope. Cesaro goes to the outside and Marella follows, but Cesaro tosses him into the barricade. Cesaro gets back in the ring and waits on Marella. Cesaro hits his finisher for the pin fall. Winner: Antonio Cesaro.
We see that Kane, Christian, and Chris Jericho will team up to face Daniel Bryan, The Miz, and Dolph Ziggler later tonight as we go to a commercial.
We’re back and we go backstage where Matt Striker has an interview with Daniel Bryan. We take a look back at the past couple of weeks and what Daniel Bryan has been going through. Bryan says he has no comments and tells us we will hear him say “No” a lot more often. He is wearing a shirt that says “No No No.” He says he doesn’t want to hear the WWE Universe chanting “Yes” anymore because it’s his catchphrase.
Match #3: Six-Man Tag Team Match: Chris Jericho, Christian, and Kane vs. Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, and The Miz
Christian and Bryan start the match and Bryan quickly takes him down and stomps away on him. Bryan comes off the ropes, but Christian moves and takes control. Christian launches himself over the top rope onto Bryan for a two count. Christian tags in Kane, who comes in and takes Bryan down for a two count. Kane takes Bryan into the corner and pounds away on him. He tosses Bryan into the other corner and hits a clothesline, followed by a big boot, for a two count. Bryan gets the tag to The Miz, who jumps off the top rope right into an uppercut from Kane. Kane tags in Jericho, who goes to work on The Miz. Ziggler distracts Jericho and The Miz hits a big boot on Jericho. Miz tags in Ziggler, but Jericho takes control and tosses Ziggler into the ropes, but Ziggler escapes to the outside as we go to a commercial.
We’re back and Miz has Christian in a headlock on the mat. Christian fights out and goes for his corner, but Miz stops him. Christian rolls up Miz for a two count. Miz goes for a cover of his own, but Christian kicks out at two. Miz tags in Bryan, who comes in and kicks Christian while chanting “No” over and over. Bryan gets a cover for a two count before tagging in Ziggler. Ziggler drops an elbow on Christian for a two count. Christian fights back, but Ziggler connects with a big dropkick. Ziggler goes for the cover, but Christian kicks out at two. Miz is tagged in and he connects with a boot to Christian’s face. Miz goes for the cover, but Christian kicks out at two again. Miz gets Christian in a submission in the middle of the ring, but Christian fights out. Miz tosses Christian into the corner and charges, but Christian gets his boots up. Christian and Miz are both down and going for their corners. Miz tags in Bryan and Christian tags in Jericho. Jericho takes Bryan down and dropkicks Ziggler off the apron. Jericho hits the bulldog on Bryan and then the Lionsault for a two count. Kane gets in and takes Ziggler out of the ring. Miz takes Kane out of the ring and Christian takes himself and Miz out of the ring. Bryan goes for a kick on Jericho, but Jericho reverses into the Walls of Jericho. Vickie gets on the apron and Ziggler tries to hit Jericho with the briefcase, but Jericho hits him with the Codebreaker. The distraction allows Bryan to roll up Jericho for the pin fall. Winners: Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, and The Miz
We go backstage where Matt Striker is standing by to interview Randy Orton. Striker asks Orton how he think he’ll do in his first match back on Smackdown. Orton says he is looking forward to being here and not going anywhere for a while. Orton says he will give Alberto Del Rio an RKO that the WWE Universe can enjoy.
Match #4: Jinder Mahal vs. Ryback
Ryback taks Mahal into the corner and drives his shoulder into Mahal’s midsection. Ryback takes Mahal down and slams his head into the mat repeatedly. Ryback tosses Mahal over his head. Mahal kicks Ryback in the knee and takes control. Mahal jumps towards Ryback, but Ryback moves and slams him onto the mat. Mahal goes to the outside and grabs a microphone and hits Ryback with it when he comes out after him. Winner by disqualification: Ryback
We go backstage and The Prime Time Players and A.W. are at the t-shirt stand and ask where the Prime Time Players shirts are at. A.W. tells the guy to get some. Darren Young vs. R-Truth is next.
Match #5: Darren Young (w/A.W. and Titus O’Neil) vs. R-Truth (w/Kofi Kingston)
Truth backs Young into the corner and pounds away on him. Young sends Truth off of the ropes and connects with a scoop slam for a two count. Truth comes back and sends Young into the ropes, but he holds on. Truth charges, but Young pulls the ropes down and Truth goes to the outside. Kingston comes around the ring and takes O’Neil out. Kingston chases A.W. up the ramp, but Kingston gets taken down, which distracts Truth. Young hits his finisher on Truth for the pin fall. Winner: Darren Young
We see that we will go back to Raw and see what happened with CM Punk after the commercial.
We’re back and we go to the Raw Rebound, which focuses on CM Punk and his actions over the past two weeks.
We go backstage and Booker T is on the phone. Layla walks in and they chat it up. Cody Rhodes walks in congratulates Booker. Rhodes says that he hopes the fact that he ended Booker’s career earlier this year doesn’t affect their working relationship. Booker says Rhodes will compete next week on Smackdown against Sin Cara.
Match #6: Alberto Del Rio (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) vs. Randy Orton
Del Rio backs Orton into the corner and works on his arm. Del Rio charges, but Orton comes back and hits a big clothesline out of the corner. Orton clotheslines Del Rio in the corner and goes up top. Orton hits Del Rio ten times and Del Rio goes to the outside. Del Rio gets back into the ring and Orton hits him with a back body drop. Orton gets Del Rio in the middle rope and goes for his DDT, but Del Rio elevates him over the top rope and knocks him off the apron to the floor. Del Rio goes out after him and shoves him into the barricade. Del Rio tosses Orton back into the ring and gets a two count. Del Rio places Orton in a submission in the middle of the ring, but Orton fights out. Del Rio head-butts Orton and goes for a clothesline, but Orton reverses with a back breaker. Orton stomps away on Del Rio and attempts to drop a knee, but Del Rio rolls out of the way. Del Rio grabs Orton and slams him in the corner and delivers a kick to Orton. Del Rio goes for a cover, but Orton kicks out at two. Del Rio takes Orton into the corner and tosses him into the other corner and connects with a kick to the face. Del Rio tosses Orton to the other corner and charges, but Orton moves and Del Rio hits the ring post. Orton rolls up Del Rio, but he kicks out at two. Del Rio charges Orton again, but Orton takes him down with a couple of clotheslines and a power slam. Orton puts Del Rio on the middle rope and connects with his DDT. Orton sets up for the RKO, but Ricardo Rodriguez gets in the ring and grabs him, leading to the disqualification. Winner by disqualification: Randy Orton. After the match, Del Rio attacks Orton’s arm and goes for the cross arm breaker, but Orton comes back and tosses Del Rio and Rodriguez out of the ring. Del Rio and Rodriguez back up the ramp, but Sheamus comes out and tosses Del Rio back into the ring, right into an RKO. Smackdown comes to a close with Orton staring down at Del Rio and posing on the ropes.
Quick Results:
1. Sheamus def. Tensai
2. Antonio Cesaro def. Santino Marella
3. Six-Man Tag Team Match: Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, and The Miz def. Chris Jericho, Christian, and Kane
4. Ryback def. Jinder Mahal by disqualification
5. Darren Young def. R-Truth
6. Randy Orton def. Alberto Del Rio by disqualification