CANOE — SLAM! Sports – Wrestling – Smackdown: Live from Oklahoma .

Smackdown: Live from Oklahoma City, it?s Friday night! "http://www.canoe.ca/SlamNew02Images/write_off.gif">

It?s the season premiere for Smackdown on the SyFy network in the United States, and it is so a lively event. while it may not take the scheme of a ?Who Shot J.R.? storyline (or even ?Who fired good ol? J.R.?), tonight?

show feels like a comeback to the spot for Smackdown with a legion of Raw wrestlers in attendance and a last fight for this weekend?s Hell in a Cell event.

Match #1 ? MVP vs. Dolph Ziggler (C) (w/ Vickie Guerrero) ? Intercontinental Title Match

So far so well for the new Smackdown, as the show opens with its new theme song, ?Know Your Enemy? by Green Day. Green Day trumps Nickelback hands down. the gang is jumping as the match starts; Ziggler attempts an early sleeper hold, but MVP escapes and counters with a couple of suplexes. Ziggler is then thrown out of the band and the tally is soon declared to be a no-contest because the Nexus descends as promised, minus Wade Barrett, and dismantle Ziggler on the exterior before surrounding MVP inside the ring. MVP fights gamely, but can?t live the numbers. Big show enters the disturbance to slightly better success, but he is also beaten down. Finally, John Cena arrives and, together, he and Big show manage to draw the Link to back off. Barrett appears on the Titan Tron with Teddy Long, announcing that the Nexus have arranged some matches for late in the show.

Match is ruled a No-Contest

Match #2 ? Michelle McCool (C), Layla, Maryse, & Alicia Fox vs. Nikki and Brie Bella, Kelly Kelly, and Natalya

In what hopefully proves to be a one-time event, Michael Cole returns to his Smackdown commentary role, joining Todd Grisham and Matt Striker. Early on, McCool breaks up a sharpshooter on Maryse, prompting a celebration outside the call by Laycool. Layla is almost pulled under the band by Hornswoggle, who emerges to track her until he?s felled by a McCool boot to his face. Natalya re-applies the sharpshooter and Maryse submits.

Winners via submission: Nikki and Brie Bella, Kelly Kelly, and Natalya

Returning from the break, Jack Swagger has adorned the band in an Oklahoman theme, and he comes to the band with a purple cape, accompanied by his own mascot: the Swagger Soaring Eagle. He runs down Oklahoma and its mass for not appreciating him, and announces that he has affected to Texas. Edge interrupts what would have been Swagger?s self-coronation as Queen of Oklahoma, with the former Rated-R Superstar (now rated PG-13, perhaps?) vowing to rid the WWE of all things stupid. He begins his request by spearing the Swagger Soaring Eagle.

Dashing Cody Rhodes has a neat tip on how to avoid embarrassing perspiration: apply anti-perspirant.

Match #3 ? the Nexus (Wade Barrett, Michael Tarver, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, and David Otunga) vs. Big show

All 5 members of the Link are in the border at the same time, and they now charge Big show into a corner. He fights back, able to make a pair of them out of the ring, but Barrett stuns Big picture with a driving kick, and it goes downhill for Big picture from there. He ends up with all four limbs and his head caught in submission vices, forcing a referee?s decision.

Winner via decision: the Nexus

After the catch is over, the inevitable Nexus beatdown continues. Justin Gabriel hits a 450 Splash, and then follows with a 443 Splash (just missing his final revolution).

Match #4 ? the Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. CM Punk

As celebrated by the announcers, this is a re-match from a few weeks back, but this sentence the Undertaker is unstoppable. Punk starts with a bustle of offense, but after suffering Old School, Snake Eyes, a chokeslam, and a Tombstone piledriver, the Undertaker completes a dominating victory.

Winner via pinfall: the Undertaker

Ricardo Rodriguez is on hand to introduce Alberto Del Rio, who makes a big deal about announcing Rey Mysterio down to the ring. instead, Rodriguez comes down the ramp holding a chihuahua wearing a makeshift Mysterio mask. Apparently Rey didn?t see the humour, because he charges the ring. Del Rio escapes to the floor unharmed, but Mysterio catches Rodriguez with his 619.

Match #4 ? Cody Rhodes (w/ Drew McIntyre) vs. Randy Orton (C) Non-Title Match

In this Legacy reunion, it?s light to see the big divide between Orton, who has gone on to make the WWE Championship, and Rhodes, who is spending as much time preening as he is pinning these days. the pit itself is warm as Orton plants Rhodes with a scoop slam, drives him blue with his rope-leveraged DDT, and finishes him off with an RKO.

Winner via pinfall: Randy Orton

McIntyre attempts to get to Rhodes? rescue, but receives an RKO himself for his efforts. Sheamus appears and attacks Orton from behind ahead of their catch on Sunday, laying out the champ with his Brogue Kick.

The WWE, while never afraid to toot its own horn, nonetheless runs a well-deserved promo for the act it does with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Most interestingly, their clips include Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan. Considering that Mick Foley?s latest book also received a mention earlier in the evening, could the WWE be entering a brave new reality of non-partisan reporting style for wrestling news and history?

Match #5 ? John Cena vs. Kane (C) ? Non-Title Match, Lumberjack Match

With the Nexus surrounding the ring serving as lumberjacks, Kane takes the other advantage and tosses Cena out onto the floor. the event is sensitive as the Nexus lays a drubbing on Cena before sending him backward into the ring. Cena escapes a submission hold by Kane, and then dodges the champ?s attack off of the top rope. Cena hits two shoulder-blocks and hits the Five-Knuckle Shuffle, then Kane escapes the Attitude Adjustment followed rapidly by Cena escaping a chokeslam. Kane ends up outside of the band but Nexus does not fire him. No matter, Kane starts attacking them instead. Cena is also pulled out of the pack and he retreats up the ramp. before he?s gone, the lights go out and Kane soon finds himself only in the band with the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. the Undertaker shows off more of his newly regained power and hits Kane with everything but the Tombstone, which Kane narrowly avoids before getting out of the ring.

Match is ruled a No-Contest

Dave Hillhouse is a screenwriter and teacher, and really can?t even remember who shot J.R.

CANOE - SLAM! Sports - Wrestling - Smackdown: Live from Oklahoma City, it?s Friday night!