Friday Night SmackDown Review - May 25, 2012

Alberto Del Rio connects with a well-timed kick on Randy Orton.

Effective opening segment featuring Randy Orton, Alberto Del Rio, Kane, and Eve that set up the main event match nicely. All three competitors made their claim as to why they deserve a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship, so it was common booking. Eve continues to excel in her role as an authority figure.

Good match with Intercontinental Champion Christian defeating Hunico. These two had an innovative clash of styles that meshed together nicely to make for a fun bout. The finish was pretty cool, and I'm liking adding more moves into his arsenal such as the Frog Splash to finish off his opponents. Cody Rhodes constructed a great promo following the contest, claiming that his quest on regaining the Intercontinental title has only begun.

Fine tag team match with Titus O'Neil and Darren Young defeating The Usos. There wasn't much action, but the victory helped Young and O'Neil regain the momentum they lost last week. Here's hoping this string of recent wins gets these two in the WWE Tag Team title picture very soon.

Impressive outing from Ryback. While it would have been more beneficial to Ryback had he been facing two contracted Superstars rather than local athletes, his domination over his two adversaries was done in such an intimidating fashion that will certainly get him noticed. I'm not entirely sure whether the reaction he received was piped in for not, but the live crowd seemed to enjoy his power moves he used throughout the contest. 

Throwaway match between United States Champion Santino Marella and Ricardo Rodriguez. Obviously, most of it was for comedic purposes, but thankfully, it didn't last long. It's funny that both Marella and Rodriguez are very good wrestlers, but their characters aren't allowed to truly exhibit that. This mini-feud between the two is meaningless, so it's time to move Marella into an actual title program.

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Jack Swagger takes control of World Champion Sheamus.

Solid match between World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus and Jack Swagger. They got great time and Swagger was able to look like a formidable force  by taking control for a majority of the contest. Of course, it was obvious Sheamus would emerge as the victory, but Swagger looked strong in defeat.

Intense showing from Damien Sandow squashing Yoshi Tatsu. I'm glad they set up this match from last week's segment between these two, so it felt even more significant. Sandow looked excellent in his first real match on SmackDown, even though I'd like to see what else he could do given more time. Seeing how Sandow shines both on the mic and in the ring at this point, I have high hopes for his character going forward.

Decent promo from Big Show explaining his actions as of late. The promo delivery was good for what it's worth, but I'm so uninspired for his pending rivalry with John Cena that it doesn't mean much. Additionally, Show has turned so many times in the last decade that it's not a shock to anyone. Show shouldn't be pushed this aggressively at this point in his career when he's done everything there is to do, so I'd much rather see him retire from the squared circle sooner rather than later.

Great Triple Threat main event with Alberto Del Rio becoming the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship at No Way Out. All three competitors are solid workers and have workable chemistry, so it made for an intriguing match. Daniel Bryan's ambush on Kane prior to the bout was able to protect the Big Red Monster in defeat, but Bryan's two subsequent run-ins were a bit much. Fingers crossed they aren't turning Kane face again, and I'm confused as to why they're having him feud with Bryan while Bryan is still in a program with Punk. Nonetheless, a logical main event that gives Del Rio a much-needed victory to make him feel relevant again.

Overall, an enjoyable show that served as a nice fallback from Over the Limit last Sunday and also pushed forward to the No Way Out pay-per-view next month. Granted, most of the bouts on tonight's program were rather brief, but most of them helped push younger talent such as Young/O'Neil, Ryback, and Sandow. SmackDown has been improving their content as of late, so hopefully it continues to entertain going in the summer season.

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