WWE Smackdown house show results
January 17, 2013
Anchorage, Alaska
Report by Mike Carrier & RB, PWTorch readers
(1) The Usos beat Prime Time Players. Pretty much a comedy match. Good crowd reaction as both teams got all involved, especially the Usos since there was a strong Samoan population in the crowd. Large "Uso" chants throughout the match. The Players did some decent heel work in this long match. The Usos got the win with the double superfly dives from the top-rope. Good match! Titus O'Neil looked really strong in this match.
(2) Justin Gabriel beat Curt Hawkins. Curt got virtually no heat, and Gabriel got decent pops. Justin is looking better, for sure. Over-the-top dive and top-rope splash to Hawkins, then a nasty-looking enziguiri from Hawkins. Gabriel eventually got the win with a moonsault.
(3) Layla beat Aksana. Divas match – most went to the concession stand. Until WWE makes the Divas a priority and creates quality storylines, no one is going to care.
(4) Kofi Kingston beat Heath Slater (w/Jinder Mahal). Slater with some local insults to create heat from the crowd beforehand – good mic work. Kofi was major over with Alaska. Good back-and-forth action with some interference from Jinder Mahal, who has a star quality to him. Lots of near-falls with Slater getting in a lot of offense. Kofi eventually hit the Boom Drop and Trouble in Paradise for the win. After mouthing off to Kofi, Mahal got the Trouble in Paradise as well. Good match!
(5) Randy Orton & WWE tag champions Daniel Bryan & Kane beat The Shield via DQ in a six-man tag match. Orton was the most popular wrestler of the night. Bryan showed true face colors by encouraging the crowd to cheer, and in the middle of the match throwing his shirt to the crowd. He also played the face in peril during most of the match as the crowd chanted for Orton to come in. After clearing house, Roman Reigns grabbed a chair and jabbed him with it, causing the DQ. After that, all three faces used their finishers on each Shield member, then Orton, Kane, and Bryan hugged it out. Overall, a decent brawl. All good-guy wins so far…
[Intermission]
(6) Great Khali beat David Otunga. Time to take a nap for the sideshow attraction with no skills. Khali, who looked bad and slow, won after Hornswoggle interfered. No DQ was called? It was to the point of feeling bad for Khali based on how he was moving. Khali won with the chop for the pin after Otunga worked on Khali's legs. Many blown spots. Next match…
(7) Sheamus beat IC champion Wade Barrett in a non-title match. Barrett had great mic work beforehand, and both guys really seemed to be over. But, no title change? I must have missed the announcement. Great match, the Match of the Night. Sheamus scored the pin with the Brogue Kick.
(8) World Hvt. champion Alberto Del Rio beat Big Show in a No DQ match to retain the World Title. The crowd was still not convinced about Alberto being a face, as Big Show got most of the cheers. Good match with tables and chairs utilized. The ending saw Big Show getting ready to deliver a top-rope move, but Del Rio stood up and delivered a high enziguiri to Show's head, causing him to fall through a table. Alberto pinned and won.
After the match, Big Show got a big reaction as he left. Show acknowledged the cheers as he left up the ramp, then gave a wave and thumbs up to wrap up the show. I haven't been to a WWE show in many, many years, and this was a great night. Good job by all.
Most Popular:
(1) Orton (by far)
(2) Sheamus
(3) Kofi
(4) Usos
(5) Big Show
Most Heat:
(1) Barrett
(2) Shield
(3) 3MB
(4) Ricardo Rodriguez
(5) Del Rio
