SD Fusion: Career Confidence

by Firefly on 29th January 2012

The 27th January 2012 episode of Friday Night SmackDown! starts with a video recapping the events of two weeks ago involving Daniel Bryan, The Big Show, and AJ, in which AJ was knocked over by Show.

The Big Show makes his way to the ring to kick off the episode, and he talks about how he apologised to AJ and how she forgave him immediately, though he is finding it hard to forgive himself. He also talks about how the incident with AJ wasn’t exactly an isolated incident, as he says that it was an occurrence that happened many times as a child, despite his attempts to be careful.

He says that when he came to the WWE, he thought that it was all behind him and that he had found a place where he belonged. Show says that he loves what he does and has been in the WWE for thirteen years, but after what happened with AJ, he doesn’t think he has the heart to go on with his career.

Show says that he is honoured and proud to be in the Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble on Sunday, but he says that regardless of what happens, afterwards he is going to have to do some soul searching.

Daniel Bryan makes his way to the ring, where he he mocks The Big Show’s apology and also claims that AJ was heavily medicated when she accepted Show’s apology, so much so that she doesn’t even remember him visiting – though Bryan does, and he remembers everything.

He says that he remembers watching the WWE when he was younger and seeing that it is a place for athletes, not genetic freaks, and he says not to dare pointing out Andre The Giant, as Show is no Andre The Giant.

Bryan tells the crowd that Show has them all fooled and that he has no plans on reassessing his career, claiming that it empty talk and that if Show was really serious and was sorry genuinely sorry for his excuse of a life, he would do the honourable thing and retire right now.

He ends up slapping Show twice, and telling him that he is not a man but a monster, which causes Show to grab him and push him up against the corner, where he asks Bryan who he thinks he is and call him an “arrogant little ass”, telling him that what happened with AJ was an accident – but what happens to Bryan on Sunday won’t be.

Mark Henry’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring to make his own presence known, where he says that he felt compelled to come out and remind Bryan and Show that it is a Triple Threat Steel Cage match on Sunday, and that he doesn’t care about their hurt feelings or Napoleon complex, and definitely not about a 95lb girl in a training bra.

Addressing The Big Show, he tells him that he knows what Henry is capable of, so he doesn’t need to sweet-talk him. Turning his attention to Bryan, he demands that Bryan walk up to him so that he can talk to him face-to-face.

Henry says that he will tear Bryan’s skin on general principle, after he weaselled his way out of his World Heavyweight Championship match last week. Bryan denies the blame and says that it is the fault of the Lumberjacks who piled in and ruined it, and he claims that he was every bit as disappointed as Henry was.

Teddy Long makes his own presence known as he comes out to the stage, and he announces that there is already a main event scheduled for this episode, namely between Randy Orton and Wade Barrett.

He points out that two weeks ago, Daniel Bryan faced The Big Show, and last week faced Mark Henry, so he thinks it is only fair that The Big Show will face Mark Henry this week.

After a video recapping the events that lead to the match between Randy Orton and Wade Barrett that is set to take place later on in this episode, Cody Rhodes takes on Justin Gabriel in a match which sees Rhodes get the victory, when he hits Gabriel with Cross-Rhodes for the 3-count.

An interaction between Santino Marella, Teddy Long, and Yoshi Tatsu, sees Marella trying to convince Long of a match concept where the loser must blast into space with some monkeys, before he introduces himself and Tatsu as the future Tag Team Champions, “Santoshi” (which Tatsu disagrees with and wants it to be called “Yoshitino”).

Drew McIntyre makes his presence known, and Teddy Long points out his losses over the past few weeks, despite assurances that he could get a victory, but McIntyre claims that this is nothing more than a slump, pointing out that even Babe Ruth struck out at times.

Long says that may be true, but more often than not, Babe Ruth struck it out of the park, which he says is exactly what he’s going to need McIntyre to do on this episode, against Sheamus – and that match will be next.

Drew McIntyre is pitted against Sheamus in a match which sees Sheamus get the victory, when he hits McIntyre with the Brogue Kick for the 3-count.

After a video recapping the statistics of past Royal Rumble matches, Santino Marella and Yoshi Tatsu go against Primo and Epico (accompanied by Rosa Mendes) in a tag team match which sees Epico get the victory for his team, when he hits Marella with the Backstabber for the 3-count.

After an interaction between Mark Henry and Daniel Bryan in which he attempts to convince him to give The Big Show a beating in their match later on, Wade Barrett makes his way to the ring and talks about how there is excitement for the return of Randy Orton, but that he has it on good authority that Orton is allowing his ego to get the best of him.

Barrett claims that while Orton may be physically fit to return, spiritually he is a broken man, as you don’t go through what Orton has been through and come out the other side as the same competitor.

After rolling footage on the titantron of the events between Orton and Barrett last month that lead to the upcoming match between the two, he cites that as why Orton is a shell of a man, and that the only voices in Randy Orton’s head are telling him that Wade Barrett is an incredibly vicious competitor.

Wade Barrett is cut off from saying anything further, as Randy Orton’s music hits and he is shown walking through the halls, before then making his way out. Once in the arena, Orton quickly makes a bee-line for Barrett, who does the same, but Orton quickly gets the advantage and starts to attack him.

Referees soon come out in an attempt to separate the men, but it is to no avail, so Teddy Long calls out other Superstars to try to help in the separation. Even then, it is to little avail, as Orton manages to get loose and go back after Barrett, until more Superstars come out to hold him back.

Unhappy at being held back, as it meant the Barrett was able to get away up the ramp, Orton takes out his frustration by hitting an RKO on each Superstar in the ring as Barrett watches in on horror.

After a video hyping the 2012 Royal Rumble and recapping the 2006 Royal Rumble match which was won by Rey Mysterio, an interaction between Kaitlyn and Daniel Bryan sees her agree to Bryan’s request of telling Show that Henry plans to hurt him, and also sees Bryan dodge the question of how he really feels about AJ.

After a video recapping the Flag match between Hunico and Ted DiBiase last week, Hunico (accompanied by Camacho) takes on Ted DiBiase in a match which sees Hunico get the victory, when he hits DiBiase with an Olympic Slam for the 3-count.

Afterwards, Hunico and Camacho attack DiBiase, focusing on his broken wrist by placing it on the steel ring steps and stomping on it.

Going backstage, an interaction between Teddy Long and Aksana is quickly interrupted by Natalya, when she demands a rematch with Tamina to put her in her place. Aksana’s assertion of it being true and Natalya’s challenge that she will beat her too if she finds it so funny, leads to Long making a match between Natalya and Aksana.

Both women are happy with Long’s decision, with Natalya telling Aksana that she can’t wait to make her cry. At this point, someone is heard to break wind, causing Natalya to quickly dash away after a few moments, and both Aksana and Long to make their own excuses to leave too.

Afterwards, an unsuspecting Santino Marella walks straight into the stench, which visibly knocks him back, and causes him to quickly leave too.

Back in the arena, “Funkasaurus” Brodus Clay (accompanied by his dancers, Naomi and Cameron) is pitted against Alex Riley in a match which sees Clay get the victory, when he hits Riley with the “What The Funk” for the 3-count.

After a video recapping the match between Zack Ryder and Kane on Monday Night Raw, and the resulting aftermath including Eve Torres blaming John Cena for what happened (click here for our Raw report), Natalya goes against Aksana in a match which sees Aksana get the victory, when she rolls up Natalya for the 3-count.

Afterwards, Natalya attacks Aksana and puts her in the Sharpshooter, until Tamina hits the ring to make the save. Tamina hits Natalya with a Samoan drop, which she follows up with a Superfly Splash.

Next, Daniel Bryan sits at ringside as Mark Henry takes on The Big Show, in a match which sees Show get the victory as a result of a count-out, when he apparently knocks Henry out of the ring during the break and Henry is unable to answer the count.

Afterwards, Bryan attacks Show with a steel chair, hitting him with it multiple times around the ring. Upon re-entering the ring, Bryan applies the LeBell Lock to Show, until he manages to throw Bryan off and then hits him with a chokeslam.

The Big Show readies himself to follow it up with the Weapon of Mass Destruction, but Bryan avoids it by quickly bailing out of the ring and backing up the ramp as quickly as he can.

The Big Show stands on the stage with the steel chair held aloft in celebration, as SmackDown! goes off the air.

 

What are your predictions for this Sunday’s Royal Rumble? Let us know by joining in with the 2012 Prediction Thread on our Forums and seeing how many points you can attain!

About the Author: Firefly

Avatar of Ron Simmons saying "Damn!"
Discovering WCW Monday Nitro in the 1990s, he has been hooked on wrestling ever since, later going on to also discover WWF (now WWE), and even later numerous independent promotions, TNA and now the very captivating challenger known as AEW.

Related Posts

Comments are closed.