Well, Smackdown has certainly gotten interesting, hasn't it?
It was reported last night Randy Orton was pulled from the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (PPV) due to a concussion he suffered during Monday's Raw.
Turns out the concussion was all too real as my colleague Keith Harris relayed later. Not wanting to take any chances with one of the few huge stars remaining on the roster, the WWE is allowing Orton the time off he needs to get his bearings straight. But I'll have to agree with Keith in the opinion that "The Viper" will return for WrestleMania 28 in Miami on April 1 as it would take more than a bump on the noggin to convince Vince McMahon to keep Orton on the sidelines for "The Granddaddy of them All."
Alas, Elimination Chamber is not WrestleMania so Orton is out and ... Santino is in?
Find out how as well as everything else that will go down on Friday night (Feb. 17) after the jump!
The show kicks off with Teddy Long letting World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan know Randy Orton is injured and will not compete against him in the main event. Not only that but he has also been pulled from the Elimination Chamber PPV. Que lastima!
First match was The Great Khali and The Big Show taking on Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett. The Khali Show won but the "Weapon of Mass Destruction" knocked his partner out after the match.
Mark Henry was then backstage trying to convince Teddy Long to peg him as Orton's replacement. The BIg Show pops up and started demaning a match against Bryan. He and Henry get into it with Henry getting KTFO'd and Show destroying Long's office. "Playa, that's messed up," I can only assume Long replied. He told security to escort the big guy out but they were understandably not all that excited about the idea.
Hunico beat Ted DiBiase Jr. putting him up on the feud by a count of 103-79.
Epico and Primo defeated The Usos.
Bryan came out and said Show and Orton were both afraid of him and told Lillian Garcia to announce him the winner of his match due to forfeit. Before she could, Long came out and said, "Holla at Sheamus if you a playa!" Sometimes he doesn't even make sense. The champ won by disqualification after he spit in "Great White's" face causing the Irish fella to lose control and push the referee.
Rhodes and Barrett were all nosy rosy about who was going to take Orton's spot. Long told them a Battle Royale in the main event of the night would determine who would be the sixth man in the Elimination Chamber.
Jinder Mahal took on Ezekiel Jackson and won out. Backstage, John Laurinaitis convinced Long to enter David Otunga in the main event Battle Royal. Long said sure.
The team of Tamina and Alicia Fox defeated Pin Up Strong members Beth Phoenix and Natalya. The amount of farts was unclear. They might fix that in post.
And in the main event, Santino Marella won a Battle Royal to take Orton's vacant spot in the Elimination Chamber.
Well, can't say they aren't trying something new.