WWE Smackdown

Opening segment has a verbal exchange between World Champion Randy Orton and Christian Cage...the commentators talk up the lack of a championship advantage at Money In The Bank, though I note Orton can still keep the belt in the event of a countout loss.

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Ted DiBiase Jr. for the Intercontinental Title: DiBiase pinned Jackson clean in a tag match last week, thus this matchup. Michael Cole seems to be more obnoxious on SD than on Raw, which amazingly has some logic behind it as Jerry Lawler isn't around to keep him in line. Zeke overpowers him early but the fight spills out of the ring and DiBiase rams him back-first into the ringpost. Jackson makes the comeback and, despite some last-ditch escapes by Ted Jr., finally gets him in the torture rack for the submission.

Backstage, Rhodes gives DiBiase a bag for his head...but he says he'll personally make him Wear It(tm) if he loses again.

Daniel Bryan vs. Cody Rhodes: Both men are in the Smackdown Money In The Bank Ladder Match on Sunday and they've had a good series of matches in recent months. I do my best to tune out the commentary...Rhodes counters a top-rope Frankensteiner by crotching Bryan on the top rope, then follows up with Beautiful Disaster while Bryan is still straddled on the ropes. That's enough for the victory...Cody's got some momentum going into the PPV.

Kane barges into General Manager Theodore Long's office...he's in a bad mood after his loss to Mark Henry last week. He's feeling a bit too human...he wants to FEEL LIKE A MONSTER~!

Christian discovers that SOMEONE has defaced Randy's tour bus...he's OUTRAGED~!

Sin Cara vs. Sheamus O'Shaunessy: Another matchup between MITB participants and Wade Barrett joins the commentary team. Cole sucks up immediately as he picked Wade to win MITB while Josh Mathews and Booker T picked Sin Cara. I'm sorry, I can barely watch Smackdown nowadays thanks to Cole...maybe that mute button wouldn't be such a bad idea. Sheamus dominates most of the match, but Cara counters a Celtic Edge with a snap rana for the flash pin out of NOWHERE. After the match, Barrett jumps in the ring and floors Sheamus with IT'S THE BIG FOOT(NOT a pump kick, Cole), then drops him with Wasteland(as payback for Sheamus beating up the other MITB participants with a chair last week).

Backstage, Christian finds Randy Orton's "lost" wallet and, after rifling through the contents, decides to stop by the Mohegan Sun casino with the cash. He puts it all on 1 since Randy's birthday is April 1st(and Christian is sure there's a joke in there somewhere)...and he doesn't hit the jackpot. Gosh darn it.

Long conducts a face-to-face interview with The Big Show and Mark Henry prior to their PPV match...no physicality or the match is off. Threats are hurled and...that's about it, really.

Women's Champion Kelly K vs. Rosa Mendes(w/ Alicia Fox), non-title: Rare to see the Women's Champ paying a visit to Smackdown. Decent short match; Kelly takes the win with the Rocker Dropper.

The literal Johnny Curtis tries to pull a cat out of a bag, but it's a stuffed elephant instead. The elephant in the room wasn't supposed to be until NEXT week. If anyone knows how this will get Curtis over, I'm all ears.

Justin Gabriel vs. Heath Slater: Gabriel and Slater have new themes...good for them, but unfortunately that's the end of another tag team. Heath enlightens us...I somehow doubt this'll match their epic title match from FCW. The commentators mention Gabriel competing in his home country of South Africa for the first time...cool for him. Heath backdrops Gabriel off the turnbuckles, but misses a moonsault and Gabriel hits the Fall From Grace for the victory. Fine TV match, at any rate.

World Champion Randy Orton vs. Kane, non-title: Cole insinuates that Christian's legal team pushed Long to make this match. Christian is quick to make his entrance, "observing" the proceedings...Kane goes for the chokeslam early but Orton escapes the predicament. Powerslam and middle-rope hanging DDT set up a possible RKO, but Kane powers out and (thanks to Christian's distraction) Cactus-Clotheslines Orton to the floor. Christian slooooowly makes his way to ringside with both wrestlers down on the floor...and as Kane rolls back through the ropes, Orton elects to chase Christian around ringside and gets counted out! Orton is ticked off and Christian cuts through the broadcast team to get away...then cuts through the ring, causing Orton to run right into Kane. Christian and Kane briefly double-team Orton...but Christian realizes that Kane's not his ally and bails. RKO on Kane!...but Christian re-enters and spears Orton! Christian grabs the belt and a chair, but Orton kicks him away and grabs the chair. Christian wisely retreats, but Orton has another target in his sights and bashes Kane repeatedly with the chair! Orton's sending a message...but he doesn't want to get disqualified on Sunday...