We see the Smackdown opening video and then go into the arena in Providence, Rhode Island, where Teddy Long is already in the ring. Teddy says Mr. McMahon knows what he’s doing in hiring Brad Maddox as the new Raw General Manager. Teddy says Vince will be here tonight to give him a Job Evaluation. He asks the WWE Universe if they would like to see him as the permanent General Manager for Smackdown. Booker T’s music hits, and he makes his return to the Blue Brand byt joining Teddy in the ring. Booker thanks Teddy for filling in for him during his absence. Booker says he is back and is ready to resume his GM duties. Vince McMahon’s music hits and the Chairman makes his way to the ring. Vince shakes hands with both men and gets the crowd to cheer for them both. Vince says only one person can be in charge of Smackdown. Vince asks Teddy to make a match for tonight. Teddy says Curtis Axel will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Chris Jericho. He asks Booker to do the same, and Booker says Alberto Del Rio will go one-on-one with Randy Orton. Brad Maddox makes his way out to the ring. Vince asks Maddox what he is going here. Maddox says he wants to be the General Manager of Smackdown as well. Maddox says tonight will mark the Smackdown return of Rob Van Dam. We get a drum roll, and Vince announces the permanent General Manager of Smackdown is Vickie Guerrero. Vickie comes to the ring and thanks Vince. She blames the WWE Universe for being fired on Raw and that she hates everyone. She says there is nothing anybody can do about her being the permanent GM of Smackdown.
We see that Paul Heyman will be a guest on MizTV later tonight as we head to a commercial.
Match #1: Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger (w/Antonio Cesaro and Zeb Colter)
Swagger sends Ziggler to the mat with an elbow shot as AJ Lee and Big E. Langston are shown watching the match backstage. Ziggler comes back and sends Swagger to the outside, and Swagger huddles up with Cesaro and Colter. Ziggler gets Swagger in the corner, but Swagger counters and slams him down to the mat. Swagger comes off the ropes, but Ziggler takes him down with a dropkick. Swagger goes to the outside again, but Ziggler tosses him back into the ring. Cesaro upeercuts Ziggler behind the referee’s back, and the referee then ejects Colter and Cesaro. Swagger tosses Ziggler back into the ring and goes for the Patriot Lock. Ziggler comes back and connects with the Zigzag and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler.
After the match, Ziggler grabs a microphone. He says he dumped AJ on Monday. Ziggler says he is sorry that he didn’t do it sooner. We see AJ and Big E. backstage again, and AJ starts going crazy. She tosses various objects around and Big E. tries to calm her down. He grabs her and hugs her and kisser her on the forehead before walking away.
We take a look at The Shield’s beat down of Mark Henry from this past Monday’s Raw.
Match #2: The Shield (Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins) vs. The Usos
The Usos charge the ring and get the better of Reigns and Rollins. Dean Ambrose rushes the ring and The Shield takes control of the fight. Mark Henry’s music hits and he gets to the ring. Henry and The Usos get the advantage over The Shield, and The Shield exits the ring as Henry and The Usos stare them down.
Match Result: No Contest.
We are reminded that Rob Van Dam will return to Smackdown later tonight, and that the main event tonight will feature Alberto Del Rio and Randy Orton going one-on-one.
Match #3: Daniel Bryan vs. Wade Barrett
Barrett backs Bryan into the corner, but Bryan fights out quickly. Barrett places Bryan on the top rope and clubs him on the back a few times. Barrett goes for the cover, but Bryan kicks out at two. Barrett slams Bryan to the mat again and goes for the cover, but Bryan kicks out at two. Barrett gets Bryan in a headlock, but Bryan fights out and kicks Barrett into the corner. Barrett tosses Bryan into the corner, but Bryan goes over the top of Barrett and charges off the ropes. Bryan flips Barrett down to the mat and then locks in the Yes Lock, and Barrett taps out.
Winner: Daniel Bryan.
We go backstage and we see Vickie Guerrero. Brad Maddox walks up. He says they’re even now. Vickie offers her hand for a handshake, but pulls back and slaps Maddox across the face.
Paul Heyman will be a guest on MizTV after the commercial break.
We’re back and The Miz welcomes us to MizTV. He brings out Paul Heyman. We take a look back at Brock Lesnar’s attack on CM Punk from this past Monday’s Raw. The Miz says he has nothing to ask Heyman, and the floor is his to save whatever he wants. Heyman says he is merely an advocate for his client Brock Lesnar. Heyman says Lesnar’s sight is set solely on Punk. Heyman says this is painful for him, because he still has love in his heart for his former best friend. Heyman says he has a public plea for Punk. He tells Punk to stay down, go home, leave the WWE Universe behind, lick his wounds, and do not even think about returning. Heyman says that if Punk ever shows his face again, Lesnar will deal with him again. Miz asks him ‘Really?’ Miz says he understands why Heyman lies now, and it’s because a truthful Heyman is even uglier than a lying Heyman. Miz says Heyman revolts him. Miz drops the microphone and leaves the ring. Heyman brings out the Intercontinental Champion, Curtis Axel.
Match #4: WWE Intercontinental Championship Match – Curtis Axel (w/Paul Heyman) (c) vs. Chris Jericho
Axel gets Jericho in a headlock, but Jericho fights out and drops Axel with a dropkick. Jericho sends Axel to the outside and then delivers a baseball slide that sends Axel into the announce table. Back in the ring, Jericho takes Axel down with an elbow shot. Jericho goes for the cover, but Axel kicks out at two. Axel comes back and slams Jericho into the corner. Axel goes for the cover, but Jericho kicks out quickly. Axel applies a submission down on the mat. Jericho fights out and delivers a series of chops to Axel. Jericho takes Axel down with a Northern Lights suplex and goes for the cover, but Axel kicks out at two. Axel comes back and takes Jericho down with a clubbing shot to the back of the head and goes for the cover, but Jericho kicks out at two. Jericho comes back and comes off the top rope and connects with the cross-body, but only gets a two count. Jericho goes for the Codebreaker, but Axel reverses and slams him to the mat. Axel goes for the cover, but Jericho kicks out at two as we head to a commercial.
We’re back and Axel is still in control of the match. Jericho comes back and tosses Axel into the corner and charges, but Axel moves and Jericho goes shoulder-first into the ring post. Axel slams Jericho down to the mat and goes up top. Axel goes for a right hand from the top, but Jericho rolls out of the way. Jericho takes Axel down with an enzuiguri and goes for the cover, but Axel kicks out at two. Jericho goes for the bulldog, but Axel reverses into a spinning neck-breaker. Axel goes for the cover, but Jericho kicks out at two. Axel goes for a dropkick, but Jericho holds on to the ropes. Jericho connects with the Lionsault and goes for the cover, but Axel kicks out at two. Axel tosses Jericho to the apron, but Jericho goes to the top. Jericho jumps, but Axel kicks him in the mid-section. Axel goes for the Perfect Plex, but Jericho reverses into the Walls. Heyman distracts Jericho and Axel reverses into a roll-up, but Jericho kicks out at two. Jericho comes back and locks in the Walls of Jericho again, but Axel gets to the bottom rope to force the break of the hold. Jericho takes Axel down on the outside. Jericho slams Axel into the announce table and then back into the ring. Heyman distracts Jericho and Axel kicks Jericho in the head. Axel takes Jericho down and gets the pin fall for the win.
Winner and still Intercontinental Champion: Curtis Axel.
After the match, Ryback’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Ryback kicks Jericho in the head a few times. Jericho fights back, but Ryback takes him down with the Meat Hook Clothesline. Ryback picks Jericho up and delivers Shell Shocked. Ryback kicks Jericho in the midsection as he was trying to get to his feet.
We are reminded once more that Alberto Del Rio and Randy Orton will go one-on-one in the main event later tonight.
We’re back and Mr. Money in the Bank, Damien Sandow, is in the ring. Sandow quotes Ghandi and then says he won the briefcase fair and square over Cody Rhodes. He shows footage of his match with Christian and then Rhodes attacking him on this past Monday’s Raw. Sandow says he is not going to react to this the same way the WWE Universe would. He says he is not going to hate on Cody for what he did. Sandow and he and Rhodes are both civilized gentlemen and are still best friends. He calls Rhodes to the ring. Rhodes makes his way to the ring. Sandow says no explanations necessary and that he forgives him for acting out in anger. Sandow says he may have prevented Rhodes from winning the briefcase, but he would like to bestow the honor of being Protector of the Case. Sandow says Rhodes will be directly responsible for the briefcase until he wants to cash it in. Sandow tells Rhodes that he earned it. Rhodes hits Sandow in the head with the briefcase and beats him down, but Sandow escapes with the briefcase. Rhodes and Sandow stare each other down to end the segment.
We see Rob Van Dam walking backstage. He will be in action after the commercial break.
Match #5: Darren Young (w/Titus O’Neil) vs. Rob Van Dam
Van Dam quickly takes Young down and goes for the cover, but Young kicks out quickly. RVD connects with the standing moonsault and goes for another cover, and Young kicks out again. RVD goes to run the ropes, but O’Neil gets on the apron and stops him. RVD knocks him down to the floor, but Young takes advantage. Young slams RVD to the mat and goes for the cover, but RBD kicks out at two. RVD kicks Young in the face and delivers a cross-body. RVD delivers Rolling Thunder and kicks O-Neil off the apron. RVD goes up top and delivers the Five-Star Frogsplash to Young and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Rob Van Dam.
We take a look back at the Raw Rebound, which focused on The Wyatt Family’s attack on R-Truth and Bray Wyatt’s message for Kane to ‘follow the buzzards.’
We go into Vickie Guerrero’s office and Teddy Long walks up. She says they need to let bygones be bygones because they are adults. He asks her if she is serious. She says, “Hell no!” as has security escort him away.
We see that The Big Show will return to the ring this coming Monday night on Raw.
Match #6: Alberto Del Rio vs. Randy Orton
Orton backs Del Rio into the corner and delivers a series of right hands. Orton takes Del Rio to the opposite corner, but Del Rio catches him and locks in the cross arm-breaker over the top rope. Del Rio takes Orton down to the mat and then wraps his arm around the middle rope. Orton fights back, but Del Rio kicks him on his injured shoulder. Orton rolls to the outside and Del Rio goes out after him. Orton slams Del Rio into the barricade. Del Rio comes back and slams Orton into the steel steps. Del Rio tosses Orton back into the ring. Del Rio comes off the top rope, but Orton counters with a dropkick. Del Rio comes back and rolls into the cross arm-breaker, but Orton gets to the ropes before Del Rio locks it all the way in. Orton hits Del Rio with a back-breaker and goes for the cover, but Del Rio kicks out at two. Orton goes for the middle-rope DDT, but Del Rio reverses and delivers an enzuiguri that sends Orton to the floor. Del Rio goes out after Orton and rolls him back into the ring. Del Rio goes for the cover, but Orton kicks out at two. Del Rio kicks Orton in the back and then mocks Orton. Del Rio goes for the RKO, but Orton reverses into the power slam. Orton delivers the middle-rope DDT. Orton goes for the RKO, but Del Rio counters with the back-stabber. Del Rio goes for the cover, but Orton kicks out at two. Del Rio goes for the cross arm-breaker, but Orton rolls through. Del Rio goes to kick Orton in the head, but Orton ducks and then drops Del Rio with an RKO for the pin fall.
Winner: Randy Orton.
Randy Orton holds his Money in the Bank briefcase high overhead as Smackdown comes to a close.
Quick Results:
1. Dolph Ziggler def. Jack Swagger
2. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins vs. The Usos went to a No Contest
3. Daniel Bryan def. Wade Barrett
4. Curtis Axel def. Chris Jericho to retain the Intercontinental Championship
5. Rob Van Dam def. Darren Young
6. Randy Orton def. Alberto Del Rio