The 568th edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown came to you from the Philips Arena at the site of WrestleMania XXVII in Atlanta, GA. Nine nights before he challenges new champion Rey Mysterio for the World Championship, “The All-American American” Jack Swagger would go one-on-one with the Superstar whose ankle he tried to break two weeks ago as Swagger would square off with “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show!
>>Match Results<<
- SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match: Dolph Ziggler (with Vickie Guerrero) def. MVP & Chavo Guerrero by Dolph Ziggler forcing MVP to submit to the sleeper hold to qualify for the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match.
- Curt Hawkins & Vance Archer (with Christian) def. Christian & Matt Hardy by Curt Hawkins pinning Matt Hardy following the Heat Seeking Elbow Drop.
- If Drew McIntyre Wins, He Qualifies For The SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match: Non-Title: Drew McIntyre def. Kofi Kingston by pin following the Future Shock DDT to qualify for the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match.
- "Dashing" Cody Rhodes def. JTG by pin following the Cross Rhodes.
- Jack Swagger & Big Show fight to a Double Count-Out.
>>Detailed Results<<
Two weeks after being deported back to Scotland due to an expired work visa, the show kicks off with “The Chosen One” Drew McIntyre, but before McIntyre cane even speak, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long comes out! McIntyre assures the GM that his “citizenship issues” have been resolved, but states the issues between them are not resolved and states that, during his time away, he has realized that he has “wronged” Theodore Long and that it is “never too late” for him to say he is “sorry”! The GM responds by telling McIntyre that it is “never too early” to say that McIntyre is a “liar” and that he sees that, without the backing of WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, that McIntyre will no longer be getting any “special privelages” and that McIntyre will be on the “same playing field” as everyone else on the roster! Drew McIntyre then announces that, not only did he come out there to “apologize”, but he came out there to “personally nominate” Theodore Long for the 2011 WWE Hall of Fame on the weekend of WrestleMania XXVII in Long’s hometown of Atlanta and proclaims that, while Long will have his Hall of Fame ring, he will headline WrestleMania XXVII as the World Heavyweight Champion! The General Manager then says that the only way McIntyre would be the World Heavyweight Champion come WrestleMania next year would be if McIntyre won the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match! Theodore Long then tells Drew McIntyre that if he wants to be entered into the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match, he will have to get on his knees and beg for it like McIntyre forced Long to do three weeks ago! Drew McIntyre then reluctantly gets on his knees as the GM forces “The Chosen One” to call Long “handsome” and state that McIntyre is honored to have Long as his boss! Theodore Long then reveals that Drew McIntyre is still not in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match before announcing that, to qualify, Drew McIntyre will have to defeat a very familiar rival in Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston! Can Drew McIntyre defeat Kofi Kingston to gain admittance into the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match?
With two spots open in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match, three Superstars would be looking to land one of those coveted spots as “The Ballin’ Superstar” MVP, “The Latin Warrior” Chavo Guerrero, & “The Platinum Superstar” Dolph Ziggler would compete in a Triple Threat Match with the winner earning a spot in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match! Despite SmackDown Consultant Vickie Guerrero instructing Chavo Guerrero to help Dolph Ziggler win the match, Chavo decided to go into business for himself to try and earn the prestigious opportunity as the partnership between Dolph Ziggler & Chavo Guerrero! In the end, MVP was able to hit the Play of the Day on Chavo Guerrero, but when MVP pinned Chavo, Vickie Guerrero pulled the referee out of the ring, which distracted MVP long enough for Dolph Ziggler to lock on the sleeper hold and put MVP to sleep to earn admittance into the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match! Can Dolph Ziggler win the Money-in-the-Bank title opportunity in nine nights at WWE Money-in-the-Bank?
Backstage, the resident WWE physician is checking on the ankle of World Champion Rey Mysterio as Rey is asked about the condition of his ankle and if he will be able to successfully defend his World Title against Jack Swagger in nine nights at WWE Money-in-the-Bank, but Jack Swagger barges into the trainer’s room and orders everyone out before Jack Swagger attacks the ankle of Rey and locks Rey back in the ankle lock, which Swagger keeps hold of as Swagger drags the World Champion through the backstage area! The ruthless Swagger then slams Rey’s already injured ankle into a piece of steel backstage before taking Rey and swinging Rey so that his head smacks into a wall! The heinous attack of Jack Swagger was not over as Swagger reapplied the ankle lock and dragged a barely conscious Rey Mysterio out into the main part of the arena where everyone could see his devastation as Swagger continued to wrench the injured ankle of Mysterio! Finally, Big Show emerged and ran Jack Swagger off, bringing an end to the heinous assault! What is the condition of Rey Mysterio following this assault? What is the future of Rey Mysterio and the World Championship?
Nine nights before they are two of the eight competitors in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match and one week after they engaged in a brawl on The Peep Show last week, “Captain Charisma” Christian would team with Matt Hardy to face Curt Hawkins & Vance Archer! In the middle of the match, Matt Hardy looks to tag in Christian, but Christian grabs the arm of Matt and pulls Matt over the top rope to the outside before leaving Matt high and dry! Vance Archer then takes advantage of the dysfunction between Christian & Matt Hardy as Archer hits the Archer’s Arrow on Matt, which sets up the Heat Seeking Elbow Drop of Curt Hawkins en route to Hawkins pinning Matt to win the match! What else will go down between the eight SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match participants as WWE Money-in-the-Bank rapidly approaches?
After being forced to beg for his spot in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match only to be denied by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long earlier in the night, “The Chosen One” Drew McIntyre would go one-on-one with Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston and, if McIntyre wins, then he gains entry into the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match! At the end of a hard-fought match, it was Drew McIntyre taking advantage of an exposed steel connector on the ring to hook Kofi Kingston up and deliver the Future Shock DDT to pin Kofi and earn the final spot in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match! Can Drew McIntyre come one step closer to achieving his vision of headlining next year’s WrestleMania as the World Heavyweight Champion by winning the Money-in-the-Bank title opportunity in nine nights at WWE Money-in-the-Bank?
A week after showing video evidence of her consuming alcoholic beverages in order to prove CM Punk’s innocence, Serena would have to stand judgment in front of The Straightedge Society as “The Straightedge Savior” CM Punk & “The Straightedge Disciple” Luke Gallows made an appearance on SmackDown to address the issue! Punk & Gallows call Serena to the ring and Serena comes out and states that CM Punk is her “world” and that she made a big “mistake” by consuming alcohol and begs for the forgiveness of CM Punk! Luke Gallows calls Serena “pathetic” and states that it makes him “sick” that he ever considered Serena his “sister” in The Straightedge Society and reveals that he wanted to kick Serena out of The Straightedge Society, but that the decision lies with CM Punk and that Punk made him see the “bigger picture” of Serena setting a good example for women all over the world, but that if Serena was really sorry then she would leave The Straightedge Society! CM Punk then states that the only “good thing” that was said was that the decision is his before telling Luke Gallows that he “forgives” Serena! This decision prompts Luke Gallows to angrily leave the ring as Serena vows to never disobey Punk or The Straightedge Society again, to which Punk responds by telling Serena that he had “better not”! As Luke Gallows disapprovingly watches from the stage, CM Punk & Serena embrace in the middle of the ring! Even though the rift between CM Punk & Serena seems to be gone, what will become of this new rift between CM Punk & Luke Gallows?
Nine nights before he is one of eight competitors in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match, “Dashing” Cody Rhodes would go one-on-one with “The Brooklyn Baller” JTG. In the end, it was Cody Rhodes hitting the Cross Rhodes en route to picking up the win! How will Cody Rhodes fare in the SmackDown Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match?
Backstage, it was revealed that Kelly Kelly will challenge Layla for the Women’s Title in nine nights at WWE Money-in-the-Bank! Following this announcement, Women’s Champion Layla confronts Kelly Kelly and gets ready to spray Kelly with deodorant again, but Kelly Kelly slaps the deodorant out of the Women’s Champion’s hands, but Michelle McCool blindsides Kelly Kelly as LayCool assaults and leaves Kelly Kelly laid out! How will this affect the Women’s Title match at WWE Money-in-the-Bank?
After witnessing Jack Swagger’s heinous assault on World Champion Rey Mysterio earlier in the night and two weeks after suffering at the hands of Jack Swagger’s ankle lock, “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show would be looking for revenge as he would go one-on-one with Jack Swagger! The match broke down when both competitors found themselves on the outside of the ring as both Superstars end up getting counted out, but the revenge-driven Big Show backs Jack Swagger up to the edge of the stage before Swagger strikes the ankle of Big Show and delivers a DDT to the foot of Big Show; jarring the ankle of Big Show on the steel stage! Proud of his actions against Big Show, Jack Swagger heads backstage, but Swagger is grabbed by Kane, who takes Jack Swagger to a secluded room as “The Big Red Machine” accuses Swagger of attacking The Undertaker because he states he likes to make people “suffer”! Jack Swagger continues to deny attacking The Undertaker as Kane interrogates Jack Swagger; telling Swagger that he knows all about “pain and suffering” and Swagger tells Kane that, like CM Punk, he has an “alibi” and says he will prove it next week! Kane then tells Swagger that his alibi had better be a good one, because if there is the “slightest bit of doubt” in Kane’s mind, then Jack Swagger will be “condemned to hell to live in eternal suffering”! Can Jack Swagger prove his innocence next week or is Jack Swagger truly the one responsible for the attack on The Undertaker?