Home / Results / Smackdown / July 22, 2011

1. Non-title: Christian def. Ezekiel Jackson.

2. Daniel Bryan def. Heath Slater-submission.

3. Wade Barrett & Sheamus fought to a double-countout.

4. Randy Orton def. Kane.

We begin tonight with Randy Orton, seated in center ring. He notes the fact that over on Raw, the WWE title is vacant at the moment, and Vince McMahon has fallen out of power, with Triple H as the new Chairman. However, Orton, despite the fact that he has a main event streetfight with Kane, wants Christian.

The newly crowned World champ comes out, and now the shoe is on the other foot. It is Orton who is unhappy, but it is his own inability to control his anger that cost him the title. Christian has to turn on the Minneapolis faithful to get his heel heat back. He asks Orton if maybe his unfinished business is really with the voices in his head. Good question. Orton decides to go after Christian, which prompts Teddy Long and a posse of referees to come out. Long reminds that Orton will face Kane, and will get his rematch. Christian, though, is in our first match........

1. Non-title: Christian vs. Ezekiel Jackson.

17 months ago, Jackson defeated Christian to become the last ECW champion. Now, their roles are reversed, as Jackson is the crowd favorite. However, Christian's experience proves to be the difference. The easiest way to neutralize the strength of Jackson, or any big man, is to take out the legs. Christian does this first with a drop kick to the left knee. He goes back to that knee with a chop block, then posts Jackson, shoulder-first, to set up the Killswitch, on his 3rd attempt. Winner: Christian.

Cody Rhodes vidpack. I have a feeling he won't be weearing that faceguard too much longer.

Michael Cole interviews Daniel Bryan. As usual with Cole, he rips into Bryan, calling his Money in the Bank win a fluke. Bryan gives it right back to him, saying that Cole's venomous words mean zero to him. Major face pop. Cole is actually smiling. Bryan announces that he will cash in the contract at Wrestlemania. Heath Slater is out. He dubs Bryan a loser, referencing his brief stints on NXT and with Nexus. We have our next match.......

2. Daniel Bryan vs. Heath Slater.

So much for being a loser. Bryan used his smaller size to avoid Slater, and deflect what little offense Slater could muster. He went for the LeBell Lock too early, and that was a sign that he had a "B" plan. Cole is apopletic. Bryan sets up for a tornado DDT, but instead it's a guillotine sleeper, and Slater taps. Winner: Daniel Bryan.

Mark Henry interview. His path of rage will never end, because he gets a perverse pleasure out of what he's done. Maybe he should get in line for a World title match....

Recap of the fall of Vince McMahon.

3. Sheamus vs. Wade Barrett.

Based on what's happened the last two weeks, the crowd seems to be slowly getting behind the Celtic Warrior. It's an even brawl, however, as the two are equal in size, strength, and experience. Cole, instead of Josh Mathews, brings up the college backgrounds of both men. Mostly stuff we already knew. The battle spills out to the floor, where the fight rages despite ref Charles Robinson's very audible count. Winner: None. Double countout.

Post-match, Barrett went for Wasteland, but Sheamus got the last word with the Brogue Kick.

Backstage, Kane talks about how, over 14 years, he's haunted people's nightmares. These days, he's haunting himself, more specifically, because of the human side of his nature, something he wants to expunge at the expense of one Randy Orton.......

4. Randy Orton vs. Kane.

This required 3 commercial breaks. At one point, Orton's knee gave out on the broadcast table when he kicked Kane in the face. Kane took a dive over the steps, which Orton soon used against him. Both men were limping the rest of the way. Kane kicked out of the RKO. Orton kicked out of the chokeslam. Late in the match, Kane signaled for the tombstone, with a chair in the ring, but Orton countered and hit a 2nd RKO on the chair to finally end it. Winner: Randy Orton.

Post-match, the two wounded warriors shook hands as a sign of respect. However, after Orton departed, Mark Henry showed up, showing zero respect. A World's Strongest Slam, followed by 2 splashes, softened up Kane. Henry retrieved a fresh chair, prompting Josh, Booker, & Cole to leave. Just as he did with Big Show on Sunday, Henry hooked the chair to Kane's already injured leg, and hit a Vader Bomb. As he walked away, Henry snarled, "I run this show!". We'll see about that, playa.