Home / Results / Smackdown / July 15, 2011

1. Intercontinental title: Ezekiel Jackson def. Ted DiBiase via submission.

2. Cody Rhodes def. Daniel Bryan.

3. Sin Cara def. Sheamus.

4. Non-title: Kelly Kelly def. Rosa Mendes.

5. Justin Gabriel def. Heath Slater.

6. Non-title: Kane def. Randy Orton via countout due to interference from Christian.

For the 2nd week in a row, Josh Mathews opens the show in the ring, doing an interview. This time, his guest is World champ Randy Orton. The discussion centers on Orton's past anger management issues, and Orton knows that Christian is trying to push his buttons in an effort to take the low road to the title.

Christian appears on the TitanTron, claiming he didn't want that stipulation in the contract, and that "my lawyers forced me into it". Yeah, sure. He brings up Randy's dad, Hall of Famer "Cowboy" Bob Orton, who spent most of his WWE career as a sidekick. Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black, considering that Christian rode shotgun with his best buddy Edge for years. Christian's insincerity is transparent. If he's been forced into something, it's the role he's playing now.

1. Intercontinental title: Ezekiel Jackson vs. Ted DiBiase.

Newcomer Eden Stiles is doing the ring announcing tonight, subbing for Tony Chimel, who is on vacation, presumably, after the South Africa tour. DiBiase earned this after pinning Jackson in a tag match last week. However, the bulk of his offense comes when they're on the floor. Back inside, Jackson builds up momentum, and DiBiase can't quite use his Dream St. finisher. He does use the cobra clutch as a setup for a side Russian legsweep, which gets 2, but inevitably, Jackson locks DiBiase in the torture rack, and DiBiase, like his father before him, is unable to secure the IC title. Winner: Ezekiel Jackson.

Backstage, Cody Rhodes berates DiBiase for losing, and teases putting a bag on DiBiase, but instead, a stray passerby gets bagged.

2. Cody Rhodes vs. Daniel Bryan.

1st of 3 preview matches showcasing Money in the Bank participants. Very even match, but Michael Cole puts the heat on himself by wearing a bag given to Booker T, and mocking Booker, as he did virtually the entire night. The Unknown Comic, he ain't. Not a good idea to use two excellent workers as a backdrop for a ham announcer. Bryan went for the LeBell Lock too early in the match, which telegraphed the result. Rhodes blocked a huracanrana and crotched Bryan on the ropes, then hit the Beautiful Disaster, and that's the end. Winner: Cody Rhodes.

Teddy Long is on the phone with someone, planning post-show activities in the Mohegan Sun Casino. Ref Justin King enters, and is told to relay a message to Big Show & Mark Henry regarding their face-to-face meeting later. If they start fighting, their Sunday match is off. King leaves, and a moment later, Kane is in, complaining about being too human. I smell another of Kane's periodic heel turns on the horizon, but Smackdown is already heel-heavy.

Meanwhile, Christian is checking out Randy Orton's tour bus, but feigns shock in finding it's been tagged with graffiti. Well, Orton & Christian traded insults about being pathetic, but I think the creative team is even more so.......

3. Sin Cara vs. Sheamus.

Wade Barrett joins the announcers for this match. He calls the Corre a "disaster". Well, it fell apart in 6 months, and it looks like Nexus, Barrett's original group, is next. Anyway, you'd think Sheamus, on paper anyway, would be more of a match for Sin Cara, but.....! Sheamus dominated early, using the Celtic Hammer to set up the Irish Curse, but only getting 2. At the end, Sheamus went for the High Cross, but Cara countered and rolled up the stunned Irishman. Winner: Sin Cara.

Post-match, Barrett left the desk and blasted Sheamus with a straight kick to the face, which Cole mistakenly said was Sheamus' Brogue Kick, then hit Wasteland and left Sheamus lying.

Somehow, Christian stole Randy Orton's wallet, and spends the money at the roulette table. Of course, Christian loses. One gets the feeling things will be different on Sunday.......

Now, it's time for the face-to-face between Big Show & Mark Henry, except that the Olympic Powerhouse opts to remain at the ramp to avoid another brawl. Smart thinking. The two trade verbal jabs, with Show claiming he lit a fire under Henry. Well, that happens about every 3 years, Show, so you're not the first one. Long prevents the fight from starting, and says that God will settle this on Sunday. Uh, okay.......

Johnny Curtis wanted to let the cat out of the bag, but the equipment guy gave him a stuffed elephant, which gets beheaded by Curtis.

Earlier, Jinder Mahal & Great Khali are posing for pictures, presumably for a future WWE Magazine cover, but Mahal doesn't like that the photographer is giving more attention to Khali. Get a clue, dude. Word's gotten out that you're a blackmailing piece of trash, and, ah, skip it......

4. Non-title: Kelly Kelly vs. Rosa Mendes (w/Alicia Fox).

If you've seen one Rosa match, you've got a good idea how this turns out. Alicia does exactly nothing. Kelly counters a neckbreaker into the K2, and it's over. Winner: Kelly Kelly.

Alicia isn't happy that Rosa lost---again---but offers some polite applause for Kelly.

5. Heath Slater vs. Justin Gabriel.

The tag team appears to be history, and Slater's playing the same old schtick, without saying so, about carrying Gabriel. Yeah, whatever. Instead, it's Slater who gets squashed, as Gabriel finishes him with the 450. Winner: Justin Gabriel.

Christian cuts another promo, and adds a deleted scene from "That's What I Am", showcasing Orton. Booker T did it better a decade ago.

6. Non-title: Randy Orton vs. Kane.

These two have had better matches than this. Way too short, and, speak of the devil, Christian comes out. He gets Orton's attention, and as the action spills to the floor, Christian leads Orton on a chase after Kane has already gotten back into the ring. Christian empties a water bottle on Orton's back as ref Mike Chioda counts the champ out. Winner: Kane.

Post-match, Christian is chased back into the ring, but Orton finds Kane still wants to fight. However a double-team begins, but when Kane realizes Christian is in the ring, he goes after the challenger, but that loss of focus leads to an RKO. Christian then spears Orton down, then decides to try a 1-man conchairto. Orton foils that, and as Christian leaves, Kane is recovering, but Orton uses him to vent with a series of chair shots. If you ask me, Kane gets the winner of the title match next week, be it Orton or Christian, or it could be a 3-way dance. See ya.