The 550th edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown came to you from the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, KS. Just twenty-three days before WrestleMania, the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania, Edge, would go one-on-one with one-half of the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions as “The Rated-R Superstar” must go up against “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show. Also on SmackDown, another Qualifying Match would take place to determine the seventh competitor in the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania as the SmackDown Superstar would join Christian, Dolph Ziggler, Kane, & Shelton Benjamin in the match.
Match Results
- Money-in-the-Bank Qualifying Match: Matt Hardy def. Drew McIntyre by counter roll-up to qualify for the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania.
After having his first loss to Kane last week "expunged" from the record books by WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, McIntyre got a second opportunity to qualify for the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match.
- Shelton Benjamin def. Dolph Ziggler by pin following Pay Dirt.
- Ezekiel Jackson (in his return to SmackDown) def. Jimmy Wang Yang by pin following the Book of Ezekiel.
- Rey Mysterio def. Luke Gallows (with CM Punk & Serena) by roll-up.
- #1 Contenders Triple Threat Tag Match for the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles: Truth & Wisdom (R-Truth & John Morrison) def. Cryme Tyme & The Hart Dynasty by R-Truth pinning Tyson Kidd following the Lie Detector; As a result, Truth & Wisdom will challenge The Miz & Big Show for the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania.
- Edge def. Big Show by pin following the Spear.
Detailed Results
Twenty-three days before he challenges Chris Jericho for the World Heavyweight Championship and on the same night he would face one-half of the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions, Big Show, the winner of the 2010 Royal Rumble, Edge, opens the show! Edge states that he is “concerned” about his opponent at WrestleMania, Chris Jericho, and he is “concerned” about Jericho’s comments over recent weeks, because the same thing happens every week that Jericho comments about beating “The Rated-R Superstar” and that is Jericho getting laid out with a spear! His opponent for later in the night, Big Show, interrupts Edge and Edge calls the interruption a “depressing surprise”, reminding Big Show of his Spear to Show’s tag team partner, The Miz, last week and vows to do the same to Big Show! “The World’s Largest Athlete” reveals that he is also there to learn his and Miz’s opponents for the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania and says that Edge got “lucky” in beating The Miz last week! Big Show then states that he “eats pieces of crap like Edge for breakfast”, which Edge responds by saying that Show eating “pieces of crap for breakfast” explains Big Show’s breath! Edge then vows to spear Big Show in their match before faking Big Show out with his stance that typically comes before the Spear! Show responds by coming after Edge, but the quicker Edge sends Show careening over the top rope by pulling the top rope down! Can Edge use his quickness and a Spear to cut “The World’s Largest Athlete” down to size or will Big Show leave Edge left knocked out cold with a Knockout Punch?
Backstage, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long is confronted by Intercontinental Champion Drew McIntyre, who tells the GM that a lot of people are under the “impression” that he suffered his first loss, to Kane, last week and asked the GM to “set the record straight” to the audience! Long then announces that, by the order of WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, McIntyre’s loss to Kane last week has been “expunged” from the record books and McIntyre is still “undefeated”! Long then informs McIntyre that he will get a second opportunity to enter the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania as he faces Matt Hardy with the winner being added to the match! McIntyre then extends his hand and thanks the GM, but Long walks away from the Intercontinental Champion!
After having his first loss in the WWE “expunged” from the record books by WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, the newly “undefeated” Intercontinental Champion Drew McIntyre would face Matt Hardy, with his NXT Rookie Justin Gabriel accompanying him to the ring, in his second opportunity to qualify for the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania! After countering the Future Shock DDT, Matt Hardy was able to reverse a roll-up attempt into a roll-up his own en route to defeating Drew McIntyre; once again ending the Intercontinental Champion’s undefeated streak and qualifying for the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania! After the match, McIntyre takes his aggressions out on the announce table before ordering commentator Matt Striker to tell the fans that he “swears” that he will be at WrestleMania! How does Drew McIntyre plan to take part in WrestleMania after twice failing to qualify for the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match?
Speaking of the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania, two of the participants in the match went one-on-one on SmackDown as “The Gold Standard” Shelton Benjamin faced “The Platinum Superstar” Dolph Ziggler. After hitting Pay Dirt, Shelton Benjamin was the one standing tall by defeating Dolph Ziggler! Will Benjamin be standing even taller come WrestleMania when he takes part in the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match?
In his first appearance since becoming the final ECW Champion on the last episode of ECW, Ezekiel Jackson returned to the SmackDown brand as he went one-on-one with Jimmy Wang Yang! Though try as he might, Jimmy Wang Yang was no match for “Big Zeke” as Ezekiel Jackson’s pure domination of the WWE continued with an impressive win over Yang!
After costing CM Punk the opportunity to compete in the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match last week, Rey Mysterio would go one-on-one with “The Straightedge Disciple” of CM Punk’s Straightedge Society, Luke Gallows! Before the match, CM Punk states that children support Rey Mysterio to “fill the void” left by their parents and that Rey is a “neglectful parent”! Punk then calls Rey a “coward” and claims that Rey refuses to face him one-on-one! Punk then encourages Luke Gallows to make Rey “answer” for Rey’s actions and do it for The Straightedge Society!
After getting readied by CM Punk, “The Straightedge Disciple” Luke Gallows would look to extract revenge for his leader as he went one-on-one with Rey Mysterio. It looked as though Rey’s fate was sealed after both CM Punk and Serena interfered in the contest, but Rey was able to counter an attempt at the Gallows’ Pole by Luke Gallows to pin Gallows and pick up the win! Immediately after the match, CM Punk hoisted Rey up for the GTS, but Rey gets out of the GTS and delivers a swift kick to the leg of Punk before exiting the ring! How will CM Punk & The Straightedge Society react to Rey Mysterio’s actions?
Next up was a Triple Threat Tag Match as R-Truth & John Morrison, Cryme Tyme, & The Hart Dynasty would all compete with the winning team earning the opportunity to challenge The Miz & Big Show for the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania! After hitting the Lie Detector, R-Truth pinned Tyson Kidd to punch his and John Morrison’s tickets to WrestleMania as “Truth & Wisdom” will challenge The Miz & Big Show for the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles at the grand event! Can Truth & Wisdom dethrone ShoMiz by winning the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles or will The Miz & Big Show reign supreme in their most high-profile title defense in the team’s history?
Backstage, “The Glamazon” Beth Phoenix confronts SmackDown Consultant Vickie Guerrero about a shot at the Women’s Title and, after being told it would “never” happen, Phoenix threatens Vickie by warning Vickie not to “cross” her! Vickie responds by telling Phoenix not to “cross” her and reminds Phoenix of what she did to Mickie James last week! Vickie then vows that Phoenix will only get a shot at the Women’s Title if she says so!
Then it was time for the main event as the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania, Edge, would go one-on-one with one-half of the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions, Big Show. In the end, Edge was able to hit a massive spear on Big Show en route to picking up the win in the main event! After the match, Chris Jericho tried to take Edge out with a shot with the World Heavyweight Title belt, but Edge was able to duck the shot and, once again, hit the Spear on the World Heavyweight Champion! With just over three weeks to go until WrestleMania, does Edge have the number of Chris Jericho heading into their World Heavyweight Title match at the biggest event of the year?