The Undercard:
Damien Sandow defeated Kofi Kingston in a match that really intrigued me. For starters, Kofi is on a roll, so I was not sure if he would lose. Sandow continues to be one of the most consistent performers every week on Smackdown. The action was quick, fast paced, and showcased what Sandow can do with differing opponents. He was able to keep up with Kingston, including adding some new moves during the match. I really love when Sandow kicks down his opponent, only to set up a neckbreaker. The intensity is seen in his motions in the ring, as well as his facial expressions. The end had Sandow pick up somewhat of a cheap win, so it did not really hurt Kingston. Grade: B
Randy Orton and The Miz defeated Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio, where we got a preview of what to expect on Sunday. This is the second match pitting opponents against one another, and I enjoyed this one as well. The physicality of Orton is excellent, where he is able to calculate every move on an opponent's weakness. I feel like this is something that fans underestimate. Orton is truly a student of the game, and it showed every bit here. The Miz gets his first face reaction in front of his hometown, Cleveland. Ziggler hit a beautiful dropkick, but what else is new with him? He was able to ground The Miz for a little bit, until the hot tag to Orton took place. The speed picked up quite a bit, and Del Rio was able to weather the storm. Del Rio gets taken down and gets hit with a hanging DDT. Even though The Miz is a face now, he still has a tiny heel feature. He tags himself in, similar to Bryan tagging himself in for Kane, to steal the victory. Excellent back and forth from all four men in the match of the night. Also, Randy RKO's Miz, which gets booed about from the crowd. I wanted to see dissension from the two squads, and that is what happened. Grade: A-
Kaitlyn, Layla, and Natalya defeated Eve, Alicia Fox, and Aksana. This match was purely to showcase Kaitlyn over anyone else. She got a lot of the action, picked up the victory, and stared down Eve. This was simple, but I did like how they did not waste too much time. The Divas were given enough time to get some action in, as well as giving Kaitlyn the exposure a few days before the biggest match of her career. Grade: C
Kane defeated Wade Barrett , and I was disappointed in this match. I felt like this pairing could have been excellent, but it fell a little short for me. they exchanged blows, kept a heavyweight feel to it, but the ending ruined it for me. Team Ziggler comes out and attacks Kane, and that is about it. Both teams get in, and Orton clears the ring. I would have given that to someone else who needed that main event feel to it, possibly Kingston or Bryan. Grade: C
Antonio Cesaro defeated Sin Cara. This was a quick match that showed Cesaro's abilities to carry a match with any type of opponent. I like Cesaro so much, but why not give him a victory over someone like Mysterio? He is more established, and the win would have done so much more for the US Champion. Anyways, his European Uppercut is excellent, and his finisher is just good enough to get by. He will continue to build on those two moves. Truth does nothing besides chant USA after the match. Uh, okay? Grade: C+
