Nine nights before Survivor Series, the 586th edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown came to you from the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England. On a blockbuster edition of SmackDown, the World Heavyweight Champion would be in action as, nine nights before he defends the World Heavyweight Title against Edge at Survivor Series, Kane would go one-on-one with his former tag team partner as Kane would face “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show in a battle of SmackDown giants! After leading a failed invasion of SmackDown last week behind the back of Nexus leader Wade Barrett, as well as being on a losing streak as of late, Barrett has ordered Nexus member David Otunga to return to SmackDown to go one-on-one with the man who pinned him last week, the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title, Edge, and if David Otunga loses, then Otunga will be exiled from The Nexus! One week after defeating Drew McIntyre & “Dashing” Cody Rhodes in a Triple Threat Match to become the new #1 Contender for the Intercontinental Title, “The Ballin’ Superstar” MVP would get his shot at the gold as he would challenge Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Title!
>>Match Results<<
- Alberto Del Rio def. Kofi Kingston by submission to the cross armbreaker.
- Non-Title: Natalya def. Layla by submission to the Sharpshooter.
- Win or Leave The Nexus: Lumberjack Match: David Otunga (with Kane, The Nexus, & Alberto Del Rio) def. Edge (with the WWE Superstars) by pin following a chokeslam by Kane to remain a part of The Nexus.
- Intercontinental Championship: Dolph Ziggler (c) def. MVP by pin following the Zig Zag to retain.
- Non-Title: Big Show (with Edge) def. Kane by pin following the chokeslam.
>>Detailed Results<<
Nine nights before he challenges Kane for the World Heavyweight Title at Survivor Series and before he goes one-on-one with Nexus member David Otunga with Otunga’s spot in The Nexus on the line, the show kicks off with the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title, Edge! Edge states that his “agenda” is “packed” for the next couple of months and states that he hopes that the fans will buy their tickets to WrestleMania because he will enter WrestleMania as the World Heavyweight Champion! Edge then proclaims that he has a “plan” to defeat Kane at Survivor Series and win the World Heavyweight Title before addressing David Otunga and telling Otunga that, while Otunga’s famous wife, Jennifer Hudson, is walking the “red carpet”, Otunga will be walking the “unemployment line”! This prompts David Otunga & the rest of The Nexus; Husky Harris, Michael McGillicutty, and WWE Tag Team Champions Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel as The Nexus surrounds the ring, but before The Nexus can do any damage, SmackDown Consultant Vickie Guerrero comes out and reveals that SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long has been “detained” from entering the country so she is in “charge”! Vickie then informs David Otunga that, if any Nexus member enters the ring, then Otunga will automatically lose his match against Edge, meaning his departure from The Nexus! Vickie then announces that The Nexus will be allowed to surround ringside for the match between Edge and David Otunga, but the SmackDown locker room will also surround ringside for a Lumberjack Match! Vickie then orders Edge and David Otunga to shake hands; threatening that, if Edge does not shake Otunga’s hand, then she will take Edge out his Survivor Series match for the World Heavyweight Title! Edge would then reluctantly shake hands with the Nexus member, but, as he starts to leave the ring, Edge decides to come back into the ring to deliver a Spear to David Otunga that knocks Otunga off of the apron on onto The Nexus! When Edge goes one-on-one with David Otunga in a Lumberjack Match with The Nexus and SmackDown Superstars surrounding the ring, will Edge ensure that David Otunga is exiled from The Nexus or will Otunga find a way to defeat Edge?
The self-proclaimed “Essence of Excellence” Alberto Del Rio was in action in the opening match as Del Rio would go one-on-one with former Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston! In the end, it was Alberto Del Rio assaulting the arm of Kofi Kingston, utilizing the steel ring post to soften up the arm enough to lock on the cross ambreaker, forcing Kofi to tap out to pick up the win! After the match, Rey Mysterio would rush out and attack Alberto Del Rio, ultimately hitting the 619 on Del Rio! What is next in this continuing rivalry between Rey Mysterio and Alberto Del Rio?
Nine nights before she challenges both Layla & Michelle McCool for the Divas Title in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match, Natalya would go one-on-one with one-half of the self-proclaimed “co-Divas Champions” Layla, with Layla’s teammate, Michelle McCool, not in the arena or the country! In the end, it was Natalya forcing Layla to tap out to the Sharpshooter that would earn Natalya the dominant victory! Can Natalya achieve the same success when she faces LayCool in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match for the Divas Title at Survivor Series?
Then it was time for the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title, Edge, to go one-on-one with Nexus member David Otunga in a Lumberjack Match with The Nexus and sixteen WWE Superstars surrounding the ring and, if Otunga loses, he would be excommunicated from The Nexus! In the end, it was the Superstars brawling on the outside amongst themselves that would allow Nexus member Michael McGillicutty to enter the ring, but Edge would hit the Spear on McGillicutty! However, the referee for the match would be distracted by the brawl on the outside and this distraction would allow Kane to come out of nowhere and enter the ring to deliver a chokeslam to Edge, allowing David Otunga to crawl to the cover and defeat Edge to remain a part of The Nexus! How will Edge respond to Kane’s interference?
One week after defeating Drew McIntyre & “Dashing” Cody Rhodes in a Triple Threat Match to become the new #1 Contender for the Intercontinental Title, “The Ballin’ Superstar” MVP would challenge Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Title! In the end, it was Dolph Ziggler hitting the Zig Zag and, despite MVP briefly getting his foot on the bottom rope, Dolph would hook both legs of MVP before the referee could see MVP’s foot on the rope, allowing Dolph to pick up the win and successfully retain the Intercontinental Title! Who will be the next Superstar to step up and challenge Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Title?
Backstage, World Heavyweight Champion Kane is shown in a wrecked backstage area where he finds the legendary urn laying on the ground with no Paul Bearer in sight! Where is Paul Bearer and what has happened to Kane’s father and manager?
Then it was time for the main event as World Heavyweight Champion Kane would go one-on-one with “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show in a non-title match! During the match, Kane’s father and manager Paul Bearer would be shown bound and gagged in a wheel chair in the backstage area! Later in the match, Kane would be looking to chokeslam Big Show, but as Kane readies the match-ending move, Edge would interrupt; wheeling the bound and gagged Paul Bearer out to the stage and saying that Bearer has been “tied up” and saying that Kane has some “daddy issues” before flirting with the idea of pushing the helpless Paul Bearer off of the stage! This would distract Kane long enough for Big Show to take advantage and chokeslam Kane en route to picking up the win! After the match, Edge would tell Paul Bearer to say “goodbye” to his son and saying that “cat’s got his tongue” before Edge rolls the bound Paul Bearer to the back! How will Kane respond to the abduction of his father and manager, Paul Bearer, by Edge? What is Edge’s plan for Paul Bearer?