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I quickly would like to mention Kaval’s release. I am upset, as I enjoyed him as Lo-Ki in ROH and Senshi in TNA but I’m also not going to complain and rip WWE and say I hope everyone in WWE gets rectal cancer and such, however I feared that this may happen as the WWE sometimes does not know what to do with little guys. On to the show…
David Hart Smith vs. Zack Ryder:
This is the first non-Tyson Kidd singles match for Smith. DH Smith shoulderblocks Ryder and he retreats. He comes back and knees Smith in the gut and slaps him. Ryder tries to retreat again but Smith hiptosses him back in the ring and atomic drops him; Smith tries for a Sharpshooter but it is too early so he applies a half crab instead. Awfully smoky in the arena; I guess the ventilation has not been turned on yet. Ryder makes the ropes but not before Smith turns it into kind of a half Walls of Jericho but stands on Ryder’s head. Ouch. Ryder manages a shoulderblock on the apron but Smith comes back quickly as Scott Stanford and Jerry Lawler discusses Twitter. DH Smith applies a seated armbar and punches away. Smith hits a LONG delayed Bulldog vertical suplex (including releasing one arm to pump up the crowd). Impressive. It gets two. Ryder takes a powder but Smith follows him out and clobbers him with a European uppercut. Ryder counters a corner charge with an elbow and lands a second-rope missile dropkick. Ryder now applies a reverse chinlock and jumps on the back; he dusts off a seated abdominal stretch. I miss the Stanford/Mr. Punk banter. Ryder flapjacks Smith and hangs him off the ropes with a suplex. Body scissors by Ryder; back from commercial and Ryder has a standard abdominal stretch on Smith but has the ropes but the referee catches him and it allows Smith to ram him into turnbuckles. Ryder reverses and continues to work Smith’s back. Ryder looks for a superplex but DH Smith head-butts him off the buckle and tries to drop a fist; Ryder gets his boot up, Smith sees it however and blocks and drops an elbow BUT Ryder moves. Smith blocks a vertical suplex and hits his own. Smith builds momentum with clotheslines and a belly-to-belly suplex. He runs into Ryder’s boot in the corner but completes a powerslam as Ryder runs right into it for two. Smith misses a legdrop; Rider lines up for the Ruff Ryder but Smith ducks and nails a Saito suplex for three.
Here is your Winner… David Hart Smith @ about 8:45 (broadcast)
Rating 5.5/10 Not a bad match actually; Ryder continues to deliver good matches when he is given the time and allowed not to look like a moron. Smith held up his end of the bargain as well. They packed some serious action into nine minutes.
NXT Report; the wheelbarrow race and a hot seat trivia challenge.
Yoshi Tatsu & Darren Young vs. Jimmy & Jey Uso:
This is a bizarre babyface pairing. Tamina is no longer with the Usos. Jey and Darren Young start off and Jey gets the advantage and shoulderblocks in the corner; Young comes back with his generic basic offense and drops a leg. Tatsu arrives and they hit a double shoulderblock. Yoshi kicks Jey in the face for two; Tatsu chops away and a roundhouse kick. Jey has Tatsu chase him around the ring and tags Jimmy as he reenters the ring. Tatsu missed it and it allows Jimmy to nail him from behind. Jimmy drops a head-butt and the Usos begin to quick tag. Jimmy slams Yoshi and tags Jey who applies a side headlock. Yoshi breaks free and crucifixes Jey for two; a clothesline puts the Usos on top again. Return to the chinlock until Yoshi reverses it. Jey tries to back suplex out but Tatsu lands on top for two. Jey grabs his leg and tries to tag but Tatsu enziguris him before he can. Double tags are made as Young comes off the top into a clothesline on Jimmy and knocks Jey off the apron. Darren hits a belly-to-belly throw for two on Jimmy. Blind tag as the Usos team up for the Alley-Uus for three. Wow a tandem finisher; looked like a press into a Samoan drop but it was kinda botched.
Here are your Winners… The Usos @ about 6:15
Rating 3.5/10 Nothing special here as the Usos get a win and debut a named tandem finisher.
Raw Rebound: focuses on John Cena and Jerry Lawler trading fat jokes at Vickie Guerrero’s expense. They even go into SmackDown when Vickie basically cost Dolph Ziggler the match versus Cena. They are REALLY emphasizing Vickie and her weight until CM Punk shows up, attacks Cena and IT ALL GETS SERIOUS NOW! For the rest of Raw, check out Thomas Hall’s 411’s WWE Raw Report or “On the Marc” 12/20/10 Monday Night Raw Review from my personal website. For the rest of SmackDown check out Nick Bazar’s 411’s WWE SmackDown Report or “On the Marc” 12/21/10 Friday Night SmackDown Review from my personal website.
Kelly Kelly & Beth Phoenix vs. Laycool:
Michelle and Beth Phoenix start off. McCool tries a side headlock but Beth shoots her off and shoulderblocks her. McCool WAY oversells it and tags out. The premise being she is still smarting from the tables match at TLC. Beth clobbers Layla with an armbar takedown and rams Layla into the corner and tags Kelly; she comes off the top with a sunset flip and rams her head into the canvas. Beth returns for some good wrestling and slingshot suplexes Layla for two. Beth tosses Layla into Michelle and they both wind up on the floor. Kelly baseball slides into Michelle. Back from commercial Kelly Kelly hits a handspring elbow. Layla kicks her leg and tags; Michelle runs into a spinning head scissors takedown but Kelly gets belly-to-belly suplexed to give Laycool the advantage. Michelle beats on Kelly and does push-ups on her chest. Layla returns and Beth runs in at just the wrong moment as Kelly rolled up Layla. No referee. Layla applies a body scissors. Laycool cut off a tag and continue to work over Kelly as Matt Striker does his REALLY ANNOYING British accent when saying “Layla”. I’m hot and cold with Striker but I really HATE (and I normally do not believe in hating anything) when he says Layla like that. Layla misses a charge and still cannot tag; Layla misses a second-rope legdrop and FINALLY tags in Beth Phoenix. Now the fit is going to hit the shan. Beth dominates Layla; second rope clothesline but Michelle saves the pinfall. Beth begins to set Layla up for the Glam Slam; Michelle tries to stop it but winds up kicking Layla instead. Beth sledges Michelle and lands the Glam Slam for three.
Here are your Winners… Beth Phoenix & Kelly Kelly @ about 9:20 (broadcast)
Rating 4.5/10 Decent main event this week with Laycool overselling everything but it was in line with the beating they took at TLC so it is all good.
OVERALL 4.5/10 Well, one out of three may seem bad but it was not torture. The tag matches were passable but the best match of the night was Ryder/Smith; from what I have seen, they both can go in the ring.
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