WWE Tribute to the Troops 2011 results and live blog for Dec. 13

WWE is back again tonight (Tues., Dec. 13, 2011) on the USA network with its annual Tribute to the Troops special, which was taped at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Yes, this one was taped, but we're covering it with a live blog anyway.

Unfortunately for all of us, Nickelback is scheduled to perform. I'm not sure how that's a tribute to any troops. Seems more like torture to me.

Mary J. Blige is also on the docket as well as a few other celebrities. As for the actual wrestlers, the main event is a 6-man tag team match with CM Punk, John Cena and Big Show teaming up against Mark Henry, Alberto Del Rio and The Miz.

The fun kicks off at 9 p.m. ET, folks, so be sure to come back then and shoot the breeze with your all your favorite commenters right here on Cageside. It's always a good time.

Tribute to the Troops live blog after the jump.

WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS DEC. 13

Geno here. Let's do this thing.

Broadcast is live.

Video package, as expected. All the WWE superstars talking about why they love the troops. Thanks for the freedom, dudes.

Show opens with a message from the President of the United States, Barack Obama. The troops are getting out of Iraq and everyone is coming home. God bless America, y'all.

Segue to Randy Orton's entrance music. "I hear voices in my head..."

Great reaction from Fort Bragg.

Randy Orton vs Wade Barrett -- The hard camera is showing nearly everyone in camo. Before the match even starts, they chant for Orton. He gets the upper hand early and they cheer for every spot, punches, uppercut forearms, lariats. This crowd is great.

Orton continues working Barrett and it's not long before they're calling for an RKO. This show is two hours, guys, can't have two minute matches.

Wait.

Anyway, Barrett finally counters and takes advantage. Gets a few shots in on Orton before posing for the crowd, all of whom boo the hell out of him. Sets up a big boot through the ropes and Orton sells like he's dead.

Kicks out of the two count, though.

Barrett keeps rolling until he tries to get cute and go to the top rope, giving Orton the chance to recover and join him there for a superplex. 1-2-kick out.

Orton has an amazing back breaker, by the way. Hits it and pounds mat to signal for the RKO. Gets out of it, though, and they tease a draping DDT to the outside floor. They both end up on the outside and the referee counts them out.

Orton tried to get in the ring when he realized the count was at 9 but Barrett held him and it's a double count out.

That was a weird finish. I wasn't even paying attention to the ref, though, so that was unexpected, at least for me.

Now it's time for these two to brawl, meaning the tables are coming out so they can tease what it will be like this Sunday at the pay-per-view. Cause, you know, they're having a tables match.

Barrett tries to set one up by gets drop kicked by "The Viper," who notices the half set up table and finishes getting it ready. He goes to hit the power bomb but David Otunga comes out and starts pounding on Orton screaming about payback.

This must be for the beatdown Randall gave him at the Holiday Special episode of Smackdown.

Otunga gets him ready to go through the table but Orton counters and hits the RKO. Barrett is at the top of the ramp now and they stare down for a bit. The crowd chants for Orton to use the table on Otunga and that's exactly what he does.

That was a good way to finish the match but they already did that exact same finish on Smackdown last week. Not a bad start to the show, though.

In case you missed what happened six seconds ago, replays air.

Nicole Kidman reads the teleprompter and sends out her message to the troops after a promo for what's next, which is Nickelback. Ugh.

Commercial break.

Backstage interview with Barrett and he's yapping about having a psychological edge over Orton. Says he's the only voice inside Orton's head. Eh.

Nickelback performing the Raw theme song. I'm bailing until this garbage is over.

A video package airs for a few superstars, CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, Alberto Del Rio, Eve and Cody Rhodes, parachuting with a few soldiers. Cool vid.

Zack Ryder vs. Jack Swagger -- Swagger out first with Dolph Ziggler. Ryder comes out and says he speaks for everyone when he says Ziggler is the last guy everyone wants representing the United States as its champion. He'll fist pump Zig's face at TLC and change that. Then he introduces the one and only Sgt. Slaughter. He comes out to the ring and reveals a Broski headband.

Wow, he looks the same as he always did. Maybe a bit rounder.

Ryder gets the early edge in the match before Swagger makes a comeback. They quickly set up the woo, woo, woo kick. The Rough Ryder misses and Swagger sends Ryder out so Ziggler can clothesline him. He does so and immediately climbs up and lays out on the announce table. Gets his phone out and tweets.

HA! The best.

Slaughter comes over and pops Ziggler before Swagger shows up and pops Slaughter. They get back in the ring and Ryder hits his finisher for the win. Slaughter climbs in and gets his payback on Swagger with the Cobra Clutch.

More video packages air. More celebrities send well wishes to the troops. Good stuff all around.

The Bellas are out next for a tag match and they're wearing camo, shaking their asses. Also good stuff.

Bella Twins and Beth Phoenix and Natalya vs. Kelly Kelly, Eve, Alicia Fox and Maria Menounos -- The host of Extra is in the house. Word on the street is she holds her own in this match. Won't take much with these Diva's.

Maria starts and gets hip tossed before foot stomping her way out of a hold and hip tossing a Bella. Eve tags in and the Bellas switch out. Eve with a standing moonsault after the booty shake and it gets two.

They get Eve in the corner and Beth tags in. It doesn't take long for Eve to get the advantage and tag Kelly in, who goes off the top rope for a press and punches. The match breaks down, with all the ladies getting in the ring and taking each other out, one by one.

Maria gets in the ring and Beth gets in her face and shoves her off. Out of nowhere, she hits a roll up and gets the pin.

Holy shit, they just had the host of Extra pin the Diva's champion. Unreal.

Commercial break.

George Wallace comes out and it looks like he's doing a comedy bit. Focusing on holiday seasons. He did a damn good job. Nothing crazy but nothing too vanilla. That was good.

Promo time for Kevin Nash vs. Triple H at TLC. I really can't believe we're getting this match in 2011, damn near 2012. That's insane.

As part of the promo, they re-air Triple H saying, "In this business, you can either make friends or you can make money."

We know which one you chose, Trips.

Justin Roberts introduces Booker T with his awesome entrance music.

"CAN YOU DIG IT ... SUCKAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

Book joins commentary for the second hour. Cole points out how convenient it is that he's coming out to join the team for this match that's next.

Cody Rhodes vs. Daniel Bryan -- They replay Rhodes attacking Booker at Smackdown last week. So this match is just a way to get that feud out there and promoted. Rhodes works Bryan early while Cole asks Booker whether or not he'll finally give Cody credit if Rhodes beats him on Sunday.

Bryan makes a comeback and that's the ideal time for Booker to put Bryan over and bash Rhodes while Cole smashes Bryan and builds up Rhodes. They battle to the outside and Rhodes beats on Bryan in front of Booker. He takes his headset off and checks on Bryan. The crowd chants for Book. He pops Rhodes and that allows Bryan to get a roll up for the pin.

Cole says Book should be fined and suspended. Rhodes calls for Booker to get in the ring and Book takes his suit jacket off. Oh ish, don't play here, sucka.

Booker gets in the ring and clears Cody out with a big back body drop. Rhodes runs out and Cody bails before running back in and getting popped and bailing again.

Which, of course, means it's time for the spin-a-roonie.

The crowd pops huge for him.

Time now for another video segment to give them time to set up the set for Mary J. Blige to perform.

She does her thing and the song was actually pretty good.

Backstage, Air Boom is back together lugging around their titles that have been worthless for about a month and a half now. They run into Miss U.S.A. and exchange pleasantries.

Onto another prerecord, this one from Robin Williams.

Commercial break.

Hornswoggle is the special guest ring announcer. No clue why. Tag team action.

Air Boom vs. Primo and Epico -- The plan as of not that long ago was to have Primo and Epico win the tag titles but we'll see if the powers that be go through with it.

Awesome springboard from Kofi to start. He tags in Bourne and they team up for a cool spot with Primo held up via the ropes and his legs by Kofi while Bourne jumps off the top and lands on top of him feet first.

In the time it takes me to type that, there are tag outs and Epico is in against Kingston looking for a cover. Hits a backbreaker and the crowd pops with a nice "oooohhh" when it hits. Love crowds like this.

Kofi gets another tag, and it's treated like a hot one with Evan cleaning house. His cover on Epico gets just two. They do a series of spots that result in Kofi getting taken out by Primo, who gets taken out by Bourne, who gets taken out -- and pinned for the win -- by Epico.

Clean pinfall loss for the tag champs. They keep the titles. Yep.

Oh my god, they brought Nickelback out again to do another song. I've never dived so fast for my remote control. Be back in a few minutes.

It's over now. Whew. Only heard a few "yayayayayayayayayayays" before getting out of there.

Hey, Christian is back again. He's still selling the neck injury and putting over how he's mentally injured because of all the fans abandoning him. Ha. He's not here for that, though. He's here to pay tribute to the greatest fighting force in the world, the Canadian army.

That was great.

Sheamus' music interrupts and he walks past Christian, who slowly retreats to the back. Hope that ankle heals soon. I was tired of him before he left but I've missed him while he's been gone. He needed the reboot.

Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre -- McIntyre wins the battle of the theme song, easy.

You never hear the shot that takes you down.

HA HA. Sheamus just brutalizes Drew with headbutts in the corner and when they show his face, he's selling like he's knocked silly and Cole can't help but point it out and laugh his ass off. That was phenomenal. McIntyre gets a thumb to the eye on Sheamus and makes a comeback but that gets squashed when he smacks Sheamus in the back of the head and he does his version of the Hulk up.

They've indirectly given him the old Orton gimmick. He's fine, competing and all good, then he gets pissed and rolls through people until he wins.

McIntyre does a horrible job taking the Brogue Kick and the match ends.

Throwaway.

I'm kind of enjoying the lack of lame promos on this show.

Commercial break.

They come back to do another Mary J. Blige performance. Wasn't good, wasn't bad.

Main event time.

Alberto Del Rio, The Miz and Mark Henry vs. CM Punk, John Cena and Big Show -- The babyfaces came out in order of who would get the biggest pop. Show then Punk then Cena. And they blew the roof off for Cena.

Punk and Miz start. Miz, by the way, is impossible to take seriously anymore. This heel character he's playing has actually exposed how unbelievable it is that he would be considered a monster or a threat to anyone on the entire roster.

They treat him that way, too, with all three babyfaces pounding on him before he mercilessly crawls over and tags Del Rio in. Takes but a second for Del Rio to tag Henry in, even though he wasn't asking for it. "The World's Strongest Man" climbs in the ring and gets after it, putting Show on his back.

The crowd starts chanting big for Show to make a comeback and he obliges. Oh shit, Henry stops playing and picks him up for a scoop slam. That's still impressive, I don't care if it's assisted.

Henry walks over and tags Del Rio in forcibly. He complains for a minute before jumping in to take advantage of a hurt Big Show. Hits like eight kicks to the head before going for a pin. Show sends him halfway across the ring on the kick out.

Del Rio tags in Miz, who works kicks of his own until he tags Henry back in, who goes nuts on Show. The crowd again starts the chant. Henry works a bear hug, which looks terribly awkward considering the collective size of both guys. Show is selling big for it.

Finally, a headbutt and a back kick hits that puts Henry down. Double clothesline and they're both down.

Dear crowd, this is your chance to get loud. They don't, even with Punk and Cena spurning them on. Show gets a hot tag to Punk and he cleans house. Knee in the corner and bulldog right after. Punk gets on top of Show's shoulders and does the Macho Man elbow drop from there. Locks in the Anaconda Vice but Del Rio jumps in and makes the save.

Miz tags out to Henry. He comes in and starts wrecking Punk's shit while screaming at him. I love it. Taunts Show but gets countered and Punk gets a hot tag to Cena. Backdrop sets up the five knuckle shuffle. The heels jump in and attack right after he hits. Show in to chokeslam Del Rio. Punk hits the GTS on Miz. Show hits the WMD on Henry leading to Cena hitting the AA on him for the pin.

The babyfaces celebrate along with the crowd.

Cena has a mic now and the entire WWE roster is out on the ramp. He's thanking the troops and cutting a complimentary promo for them. The usual stuff. America is great, the troops are the best, cheer for the microphones.

All the wrestlers go around and do photo-ops with the crowd. Shaking hands and hugging and meeting all the troops and fans and stuff. Breaking kayfabe big time showing heels doing all this but it's WWE in 2011, so whatever. Plus, it's the troops.

Eve does a photo-op with a guy who does his damnedest to sneak a kiss in but just barely misses. She played it off well. Almost had it, guy. Sorry. So close.

They end showing Cena walking up the ramp and waving.

Fade to black.