WWE SMACKDOWN SPOILERS 18th February 2011

[Troy]

Opened with a video package commemorating the show's history through 599 episodes.

We head right into our first match, which is the 12-person tag match. Each wrestler got his own entrance, which made the whole thing take forever. Heel team was Drew McIntyre, Wade Barrett, CM Punk, Kane, Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus; face team was John Cena, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Edge, R-Truth and John Morrison. Rey spent probably more than half the match getting beaten down, but finally tagged out. A free-for-all between the teams resulted in every guy hitting his finisher on someone. Rey hit a double 619 on McIntyre and Ziggler, allowing Edge to come in and spear Ziggler for the pin. As Edge celebrated in the ring, Vickie came out, said he is not the champion, accused him of taking out Teddy Long, and then fired him. She reminded us that Dolph will be coronated as champion later in the show.

Following a recap of Rey Mysterio breaking Cody Rhodes' nose a few weeks ago, we go to Todd Grisham interviewing Cody somewhere in an "undisclosed location." Cody, wearing a clear protective face mask, said his doctors have approved him to travel, and he will be back next week to make an announcement.

The divas were up next, as Eve and Beth Phoenix took on Layla and Maryse (with Michelle McCool on commentary). Maryse started the match by offering a handful of cash to Beth if she'd go to the back. Beth slapped the money away, then went to work on Maryse. Before long, Michelle turned up on the apron to distract the referee, allowing a double-team that resulted in a pin for the heels.

Next match was Kofi Kingston vs The Miz. Back at Wrestlemania VI, the WWF champ vs the IC champ was the main event; nowadays, the matchup apparently just gets thrown into the middle of a free TV Show, with no build or anything. Not a bad match. Kofi was on the verge of winning, but Alberto del Rio came to ringside to distract Kofi, allowing Miz to sneak up from behind and hit the Skull Crushing Finale for the win. Afterward, as Kofi lay on the mat, del Rio came into the ring and stood over him, putting the badmouth on him before leaving without anything physical happening.

The tag titles were on the line next, as Santino and Kozlov defended against Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater. The rest of the Corre came to ringside shortly after the match started. Santino hit the cobra, and Corre hit the ring. The ref DQ'd the Corre team, but the beatdown continued until the Big Show came down and cleaned house. Ezekiel Jackson teased getting into the ring with Show after everyone had been thrown out, but instead retreated to the back.

Crew members set up a red carpet inside the ring, meaning it was coronation time. Having come to the ring together, Vickie presented Dolph with the belt, but as he walked around the ring showing it off, Teddy Long suddenly appeared at the top of the stage. After coming to the ring, Teddy confronted Vickie, who repeatedly denied any involvement in his attack. Finally, she confessed by blaming it on Dolph. Teddy said he is back, and was immediately not only rehiring Edge, but giving him an immediate title match.

The match itself was good but fairly short, with Edge hitting the spear out of nowhere to pick up the pin. As he celebrated, Teddy Long came back out, and announced that Dolph Ziggler was officially fired.

Edge grabbed the mic, saying that he was on the first episode of Smackdown, and now won the championship on its 600th installment. He led the crowd in a "Hey Hey Hey Goodbye" singalong for Dolph, who went to the back as confetti poured down from the rafters.

​

Some things really bug me with this episode.

First, as mentioned in the spoilers, they are giving away a match between the WHC and IC champion on free television. Why give away a big match like that even if it is the 600th episode of Smackdown.

Second, I hate the way they have been handling the World Heavyweight championship. So Edge retains his title because a Green Bay Packer posed as the ref to make the count. Then Vickie sees the replay and because Edge used the spear he is stripped of the title and Dolph is now champion. Now Teddy Long comes back and rather than saying Dolph never held the title he gets it and then Edge wins it back?!?! Then Dolph is fired? Stupid, stupid booking as it just devalues the title plus why do this during the Road to Wrestlemania?

That just really ruins the show for me. It should have simply built the Elimination Chamber match whilst celebrating 600 episodes. What a waste of a show.

What do you think?​

 

[EffectsofRaven]

You say that Troy, but I'm sure you're fully aware WWE do it all the time but with extremely smart booking on the matter; I mean look at Raw Homecoming, one of the most important Show's in Raw's history and that had what, the rubber matches between Angle/ HBK & Hardy/ Edge.

So doing this is not so much of a surprise but Dolph Ziggler held the title for roughly 10 to 20 minutes is a nice little treat and well deserved, I wonder where it's going to go from here.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

I really hate that they made it official that Dolph was a World Champion. Troy, is right about the World Title. It has no value left in it anymore. They do all these quick title changes for no reason. A few years ago the World Title changed hands on 3 straight pay per views. I really disagree with putting the belt on Dolph and then losing it back to end just to pad Edge's title reigns. Why wouldn't Dolph just go into the ppv as champion? Why couldn't he just go into Wrestlemania and its a triple threat match with Edge? The title is really starting to be a joke. Jack Swagger is a champion and he is made to look weak. Kane is a champion, which really seemed like a last second descion. Then they revolve Kane's reign around a story that made no sense. Batista won the title at Cyber Sunday in 2008 and lost the title back to Jericho a week later? What was the point of the change? It seems to be like the World Title is only around to title reigns up. Could you image Hogan's total reigns if WWF had pay per views as much as they do now and also have Raw? He would probably be a 50 time champion.

This is why I think they should just combine the titles. Both titles have no really no value. Cena/Orton are ALWAYS in the mix. I believe this pay per view is the last first WWE Title match that didn't have Cena and Orton in it since No Way Out 2008. 3 years of having one of them in the title match makes it boring.

 

[Troy]

I just checked the title history for the WHC on wwe.com and they do list Dolph Ziggler as a champion so unfortunately it is official. Such a waste of a title change. I still don't understand why they didn't have Teddy just disregard the title reign for Ziggler since it never actually happened and then Edge could have just been champion this whole time.

I do like Ziggler and would like to see him have a title reign but not this way. They should have simply had him win the title and walk into Elimination Chamber as champion or they could have had him win the title at the Royal Rumble. I don't mind title reigns that are two months long if they are booked well, ten minute title reigns are just stupid.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

Troy, what about the title changes that happened 3 times in one night?

No Mercy 2007
Randy Orton awarded WWE Title after Cena was injured
Triple H beats him to open up the PPV and win the WWE Title
Triple H beats Umaga to retain WWE Title
Randy Orton beats Triple H to win WWE Title in the Main Event

that was totally pointless to give Triple H a title reign like that

 

[Troy]

I try to forget things like that. It was a terrible decision and I can actually remember that PPV quite well. No-one could understand the point of awarding Orton the title and then having him loss it only to have him win it back again later that night. It really devalued the title and this is just another example of poor booking of the titles. The titles should be protected by creative.

 

[Dod Draper]

I loved the tag match that opened this show. Crowd were really into it, had some nice spots and each guy got a little ring time.

The divas match was an absolute dudfest. WHY is Eve the champion? Please, someone explain that to me.