Welcome to Laying The Smackdown. The final WWE Smackdown of 2012 is in Rochester, New York. Smackdown starts with Sheamus who confuses the fans by talking about what he did on Christmas. This show was taped one week before Christmas. Sheamus wants to face Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship tonight.
Big Show comes out and says that Sheamus does not deserve another title match because Sheamus had two chances to win the title and couldn’t defeat Big Show in a title match. Sheamus says if he can’t get a title match, he wants a fight. Booker T comes out and says an opponent for Big Show tonight will be randomly selected out of a tumbler. Whoever is selected from the tumbler will get a World Heavyweight Championship match. The WWE Superstars come out because a name is going to be selected from the tumbler right now. The tumbler is filled with balls and the name on the winning ball is…Santino Marella.
Primo vs. Brodus Clay
Brodus won with a big splash. This was a squash match. The time length of the match was 1:13.
Winner: Brodus Clay
Rating: NR (No Rating)
After the match, Rosa Mendes enters the ring, but she gets a double suplex from the Funkadactyls.
In the locker room, Sheamus tries to teach the Brogue Kick to Santino and Santino hurts himself while attempting a Brogue Kick.
Kofi Kingston & Team Hell No vs. Team Rhodes Scholars & Wade Barrett
Barrett won after hitting Kofi with the Bull Hammer. It wasn’t a completely clean win for Barrett because the Bull Hammer happened right after Kofi hit Cody Rhodes with Trouble in Paradise. Rhodes entered the ring despite not being tagged in. This was a good match and that doesn’t surprise me because all six men in this match are great in-ring performers. The time length of the match shown on TV was 6:32.
Winners: Team Rhodes Scholars & Wade Barrett
Rating: ***
JBL announces that Santino pulled a hamstring while practicing the Brogue Kick. Santino will not compete tonight.
Backstage, Booker T tells Big Show there will be a World Heavyweight Championship match tonight. Booker picks another name out of the tumbler and gives it to Teddy Long. Big Show wants to know who his opponent is and Booker says Big Show will find out soon enough.
After a commercial break, Big Show finds out that his opponent is Ricardo Rodriguez. Big Show laughs, puts the title on Ricardo’s shoulder, and then knocks Ricardo out.
Zack Ryder vs. Antonio Cesaro
Cesaro won with the Neutralizer. Short match, but I enjoyed watching Cesaro give Ryder a good beating. A lot of hard hitting moves from Cesaro in this match. The time length of this match was 3:27.
Winner: Antonio Cesaro
Rating: **
Smackdown shows video from last week’s MizTV. Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee were the guests on that show.
The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler
Ziggler won with the Zig Zag after Miz was distracted by Big E. Langston. That was one of the best Miz matches I have seen this year. The time length of this match shown on TV was 7:46.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Rating: ***1/4
After the match, Miz says no matter which WWE Superstar is with AJ on New Year’s Eve, the night will end with a bang. Ziggler and Miz fight in the ring and then Miz is attacked by Langston.
Josh Mathews announces that Ricardo Rodriguez will not compete against Big Show tonight.
In the trainer’s room, the trainer is looking at Ricardo who is lying on the trainer’s table. Brad Maddox enters the room and asks Booker T for a match. Booker says Maddox will get one more match and it will be his last match if Maddox doesn’t win. Alberto Del Rio enters the room to see how Ricardo is doing and Booker tells Del Rio that he will face Big Show tonight for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Brad Maddox vs. Sheamus
Sheamus won with the Brogue Kick. Maddox got in very little offense and the match was dominated by Sheamus. It was similar to a Ryback match. The time length of the match was 3:49.
Winner: Sheamus
Rating: *1/2
This week’s RAW Rebound is the “Santa Got Run Over by Del Rio” storyline.
The Usos vs. The Prime Time Players
Jimmy Uso won with a small package. The Usos used twin magic to win the match. The time length of the match was 2:08.
Winners: The Usos
Rating: *3/4
A new Shield video filmed with a hand-held camera is shown. After the video, Matt Striker interviews Big Show.
Alberto Del Rio vs. Big Show (World Heavyweight Championship Match)
Big Show tried to walk away from this match, but Sheamus stopped him and the referee ended the match. This match needed more time. I’m disappointed that so little time was given to a main event world title match. The time length of the match was 5:22.
Winner: Big Show via DQ
Rating: *3/4
After the match, the WWE Superstars force Big Show back into the ring. Inside the ring, Del Rio hits Big Show an enzuigiri and Sheamus hits Big Show with the Brogue Kick.
Matches to Watch: Kofi Kingston & Team Hell No vs. Team Rhodes Scholars & Wade Barrett, Zack Ryder vs. Antonio Cesaro, The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler
Matches to Skip: Primo vs. Brodus Clay, Zack Ryder vs. Antonio Cesaro, Brad Maddox vs. Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio vs. Big Show
Best Superstar of Smackdown: Antonio Cesaro
Cesaro looked really good in his match and I think he is going to have a great 2013.
Best Moment of Smackdown: Santino pulling his hamstring
I have noticed that Smackdown usually doesn’t have many great moments. I thought Santino’s reaction after he pulled his hamstring was funny.
I think this week’s Smackdown was above average. If the main event title match got over ten minutes and was entertaining, this Smackdown would be one of the best episodes of the year in my opinion. The disappointing main event hurt the show a little bit, but some of the matches were good and I liked the backstage segments. In 2013, I would like to see Smackdown consistently have episodes like this week.
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Ringsidehustle.com 
Gotta love Santino’s mannerisms!
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Didn’t watch it this week but going by your review, I think I should watch it. I’ll try to watch it tomorrow morning.
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