Smackdown and NXT spoilers.....

Rjd2

NXT


[Q1] The opening video aired. As Michael Cole welcomed us to the show, C.M. Punk's music hit. Punk, Luke Gallows, Serena, and Darren Young made their way to the ring. Josh Mathews checked in on commentary as well. He sent it back to Matt Striker.

Striker said in two weeks, the first round of votes would be completed and someone would be sent away. Matt Hardy and Justin Gabriel came out in matching colors. The crowd popped huge for Hardy. The on screen graphics show the current records of the rookies...

Twill's Two Cents: I still like the reality feel of the concept with records being shown and emphasis being placed on the sports atmosphere of it all. I'm curious to see who and how many people will be eliminated based on the votes and where the eliminated contestants will end up. Jason Powell is in the Dot Net Member's Forum discussing tonight's show with Dot Net Members.

1. C.M. Punk and Darren Young defeated Matt Hardy and Justin Gabriel in 14:04. Young and Punk worked well as a team although Punk's mannerisms were very apprehensive. Gabriel took the offense and tried to come back, but missed a springboard high cross body. Young developed some heel mannerisms and attacked Gabriel on the floor by throwing him into the ring steps... [C]

Back from commercial, Punk continued the onslaught on Gabriel and scored a few nearfalls. Young tagged in and worked a much more aggressive style. Gabriel hit a few impressive kicks but Young did not sell the moves for long at all.

Gabriel hit a telegraphed move (Rock Bottom/leg sweep) and missed the 450 splash. Punk tagged in and applied a leg scissors around the midsection of Gabriel. Young and Punk continued to make frequent tags and work well as a unit.

[Q2] Punk attempted the springboard closeline but Gabriel countered with a dropkick. Hardy made the hot tag and scored a nearfall on Punk after hitting the Side Effect. Punk tagged out and Hardy closelined Young to the floor. Gallows knocked out Gabriel but Hardy hit Luke with a Side Effect.

Back in the ring, Hardy positioned himself to hit the Twist of Fate on Young, but the referee was distracted by the Straight Edge Society. Punk hit the GTS on Hardy and Young covered him for the win...

After the match, Gallows attacked Hardy and Gabriel. Young high fived a smiling Punk, but Gallows then hit the Gallows Pole on Young. The SES left Young laying in the ring as they left the ring...

Twill's Two Cents: I really enjoyed Young's new and more aggressive style. I think he could make a much more effective heel than a babyface. Gabriel did a nice job selling for several minutes and the pros picked up their pace a bit too. Young was impressive offensively but needs to work on selling moves.

It was announced that The Miz put Daniel Bryan in a match with The Great Khali and that match will take place tonight... [C]

The Miz's music hit and Daniel Bryan, who is 0-3, came out alone. Cole mentioned again that the pros would be casting their votes soon. Cole played the respect card again in terms of what Miz is teaching Bryan...

2. The Great Khali (with Runjin Singh) defeated Daniel Bryan in 2:01. Cole and Mathews argued over the merits of Daniel Bryan. Bryan dropped Khali to his knees with a front face lock. Bryan scored a one count after hitting a few kicks. He went to the top and flew into a Khali chop. A Khali Bomb later and a foot to the chest gave Khali the win...

Big Show's music hit and he came out to the ring doing The Miz's bidding. He hit a chokeslam on Bryan and left as Khali looked on with a half smile. Bryan sold his injuries in the ring as the announcers hyped Skip Sheffield vs. Wade Barrett as tonight's main event... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: I'm sure there are many internet fans and Daniel Bryan fans throwing up in their mouthes a bit as the worst wrestler in the world just squashed one of the best. Bryan is obviously being built up as the ultimate underdog. It worked for Rey Mysterio, but can it work that well for anyone else?

[Q3] The statue of the great Magic Johnson was shown outside of the Staples Center. The Raw Rebound played and focused on the WrestleMania match between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon. Of course, Steve Austin moderated the contract signing and personally put Stu Hart into the WWE Hall of Fame...

Twill's Two Cents: How cool was it to see Bret Hart and Steve Austin together in a WWE ring again?

Cole and Mathews ran down the top matches at WrestleMania set to the "Be Yourself" song. Dot Net readers, email me if you remember when WWE used that song before. I think it was during one of the Diva Search contests...

A David Otunga video aired. Otunga's Hollywood lifestyle was profiled, including his relationship with Jennifer Hudson and meeting the President of the United States. He said he did not care how people reacted to him because everyone was just jealous. "If you don't know me, you should." ...

Twill's Two Cents: Otunga definitely has the out of ring skills to be a star. He has two great catchphrases. "Google me" could be a top selling t-shirt, assuming WWE could use "Google" on one of their shirts.

Michael Tarver was shown walking through the backstage area in preparation for his match with Heath Slater... [C]

[Q4] The WrestleMania recall featured Pete Rose at WrestleMania XIV in Boston. Of course, that was the first time Pete took Kane's tombstone piledriver. Look for something with Kane this Monday as Rose will be the guest host of Raw...

The undefeated Heath Slater made his way to the ring. Highlights of Slater pinning Carlito was shown. Tarver made his entrance looking for his first win. Neither rookie came out with their mentors (Carlito for Tarver and Christian for Slater)...

3. Heath Slater defeated Michael Tarver in 2:49. The announcers reiterated that the veterans would be casting votes in two weeks and a rookie would be eliminated. Christian and Carlito were shown watching together backstage. That was weird. Crowd checked out for this one and the announcers were not good enough to keep it interesting.

After some methodical back and forth action, Slater scored the win with a rollup. Christian was happy as Carlito looked upset. Then Tarver attacked Slater with a t-bone suplex. This pleased Carlito as Christian became upset over Tarver's actions...

Twill's Two Cents: Decent match in which Tarver looked more comfortable and Slater made a nice comeback, but the crowd was completely dead, so the entire thing pretty much goes overlooked. The rookies could probably benefit from having their mentors at ringside with them every time out.

William Regal was shown talking to Skip Sheffield backstage... [C]

World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho led his rookie, Wade Barrett, out to the ring. Regal made his entrance with Sheffield...

[Overrun] 4. Wade Barrett (with Chris Jericho) defeated Skip Sheffield (with William Regal) in 3:48. Barrett worked over Sheffield as Jericho screamed at Skip and the announce team. He drove his foot into Sheffield's back as he pulled back on his arms. Sheffield hit a couple of sledgehammer blows to gain the advantage.

Skip hit a splash for a one count as the announcers bickered like children. Sheffield went to the second rope, but Barrett pulled his ankle out from under him. He hit his finisher (I guess), which began as a GTS and he just dumped him forward. He scored the pinfall...

Jericho and Barrett celebrated and left together. Regal left Sheffield laying in the ring as he just walked away...

Twill's Two Cents: This was a match that the crowd did not know who to cheer for, so like the previous rookie vs. rookie match, it just dragged. Barrett is a little sloppy and Sheffield looked decent on offense. Tommy Dreamer hit it on the head today when he said the fans don't know these guys and don't know who to get behind. This show has to start doing a better job of personalizing these guys.



Smackdown

Rey Mysterio opened the show and said he couldn't get the image of his crying daughter out of his mind. He said he doesn't want a normal match at WrestleMania. Rather, they are going with street fight rules for his match with C.M. Punk. However, Punk came out and said that if Rey touches him before WrestleMania, he won't get the street fight.

1. Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger defeated Matt Hardy and MVP. Ziggler got the pin with the Zig Zag in a seven-minute match. Ziggler pulled out a ladder and looked at the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Chris Jericho will be a guest on The Cutting Edge.

Backstage, Teddy Long sarcastically congratulated Drew McIntyre on his last Smackdown match. Teddy booked Drew in a match against Undertaker for later in the show.

2. Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly defeated Michelle McCool and Layla. After the match, Vickie Guerrero came out demanded an apology from Beth, who then apologized. Vickie announced that she'll face Beth Phoenix in a match on next week's Smackdown. Vickie had so much heat you could barely hear what she was saying.

Musician Kevin Rudolf is in the attendance a shot aired of him in the front row.

Edge came out for The Cutting Edge with Chris Jericho as his guest. Jericho came out with his NXT rookie Wade Barrett. After some good verbal sparring, Edge hit Jericho and cleared him from ring. Edge then hit Barrett with the spear. When he turned around, Jericho hit him with the Codebreaker. Jericho got on the mic and said the stupid spear line and stood over him with the belt.

3. John Morrison and R-Truth beat The Hart Dynasty. A squash with R-Truth winning via the corkscrew cross body. The Harts are definitely getting buried, according to C.J. "Sad," writes Carlos about the three-minute match.

4. Luke Gallows (w/C.M. Punk, Serena) defeated Rey Mysterio. Punk distracted the ref while Serena knocked Rey off the ropes as he was going for the West Coast Pop. Rey went ballistic on Gallows and beat his ass at ringside. Punk slowly walked over and stood in front of Rey so he couldn't hit Gallows anymore, which played into the no contact until wrestlemania stipulation. Hot segment. Rey came off hard here.

5. Undertaker defeated Drew McIntyre. Taker chokeslammed him and then hit the Tombstone. He won in less than five minutes. As Taker was walking up the ramp, Shawn Michaels came out and tried to hit him with Sweet Chin Music. Taker avoided it and tried to hit the Tombstone, but Shawn reversed it and hit Sweet Chin Music to end the show.

Rjd2

Drew v Taker? I imagine the combined entrance time of both was longer than the actual match?:pac:

Not sure what is going to happen with Punk v Rey, they don't need to make that a street fight seeing as the card already has two matches that are very similar (Bret v Vince, Taker v HBK) and it does dilute Extreme Rules which is a mere three weeks after Mania..:rolleyes:

JP Liz V1

Another loss for Bryan

I cant wait for him to beat the Miz for the US title

Can't believe Heath Slater is undefeated.
Hope he gets squashed by Sheffield, Barrett, Otunga next week.

DM_7

Another loss for Bryan. Another Win for Slater:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

At least the Punk v Rey is still going strong. Have to hand it to them, in the last 12 months they have been involved in some great feuds, Punk v Hardy and Rey v Jericho.

PTH2009

Christ Vickie Wrestling lol.

paddyismaddy

i kinda think they will have bryan continuing his losing streak and then miz will offer him a title match is he beats big show which he does so he gets a title match with the miz

i cant buy the black troll cena as a heel

Headshot

Punk

ill except you as my saviour

Can't wait for the inevitable head shaved head -->cornrows for Darren Young. Cue the Punk bandages and they made another Elijah Burke.

Tricity Bendix

I know its the run up to Wrestlemania, but I'm seriously peed off about the Smackdown mainevent. Drew McIntyre had all the momentum in the world until 4 weeks ago. Now he's being jobbed in double quick time. Such a waste of an epic entrance theme.

JP Liz V1

Did Ger write Sheamus's promo on SD this week