WWE Smackdown Live Event
Toronto, Ont.
Report by Dot Net reader Mike Beauvais

I'm not sure what capacity at the Ricoh Coliseum (home of the AHL's Toronto Marlies) is, but I can't imagine there were more than maybe 5,000 people at the show. Evidently, attendance at the last house show at the Air Canada Centre (home of the Leafs and Raptors) was so abysmal that the Ricoh was used over the ACC.

1. Kane won an 11-man battle royal to earn an Intercontinental Title match later in the show. Yeah, I dunno about the arbitrary number, either. The participants were Trent Baretta, "Showtime" Percy Watson, Curt Hawkins, Chris Masters, Kane, Chavo Guerrero, JTG, Drew McIntyre and the Corre's Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater and Ezekiel Jackson. The final two were Kane and Chavo and both were over as faces. Chavo's frog splash attempt was turned into a chokeslam over the top for the win.

Dolph Ziggler came out and cut a dynamite promo. I guess the big knock on Ziggler, thus far, is his uncomfortability on the stick, but he was cool and collected and totally played to the crowd. Ziggler again called himself the "uncrowned World Heavyweight Champion" and then went for the cheap heat and said he hated every minute of being in Canada. He then said he sympathized with Toronto because we haven't had anything to cheer for since 1967 (the last year that the Leafs won the Cup...sigh...yeah).

Amazingly, Dolph then finished his promo by throwing Eggos in the ring as a nod to the Leafs fan at the ACC who tossed waffles on the ice to protest the Leafs' mediocrity. A nice touch by Ziggler and some confident, effective mic work.

2. "The Glamazon" Beth Phoenix and Natalya Neidhart defeated Layla El and Kaitlyn. Although not glaringly awful, this match went too long. The crowd was big into the faces, though, and Beth's face-in-peril act for most of the match really got the crowd going. Finish saw a double pin with Beth hitting a Glam Slam on Kaitlyn and Nattie (legal woman) hitting a Michinokou Driver on Layla for the win.

3. Alberto Del Rio defeated "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters by submission. Del Rio came out to big heat, but he did have a vocal contingent of supporters, too. He grabbed the mic and informed Toronto that Canadians and Americans were no different in his eyes and they are inferior to Mexicans.

Masters came out to his old music, which is far superior to the generic crap he's currently using. The crowd wasn't particularly loud for Masters' entrance, but they immediately got behind him and chanted for the Masterlock. Decent little match that the crowd got into and saw Del Rio get out of a Masterlock and work on Masters' arm for an extended sequence before hitting the cross arm-breaker for the tapout. Solid effort from both guys.

4. Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston defeated Kane. As per the battle royal from earlier on, Kane received an IC Title shot. The crowd loved both guys. I think Kane is at that level (like HHH or Undertaker) where the crowd just wants to cheer the guy no matter how he's booked. After a ref bump, Kofi thwarted Kane's chairshot attempt and hit Trouble in Paradise for the win. Another very decent match.

There was a 15-minute intermission

5. "The All-American American" Jack Swagger defeated Chavo Guerrero, Jr. by submission. Swagger cut a pre-match promo, imploring the crowd to be American for just one night. Unsurprisingly, they had none of it. The crowd was big into Chavo and chanted for him throughout. The finish saw Swagger hook in an ankle lock for the submission. Quick, but fine match.

6. Rey Mysterio, Jr. defeated Wade Barrett (w/Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel and Big Zeke). As you can imagine, the kids went nuts for Mysterio. The Corre interfered throughout, until Rey hit a 619 and West Coast Pop for the win. Post-match, the Corre beat down Rey before they were chased off by a babyface contingent led by Chavo and Chris Masters.

7. World Heavyweight Champion Edge defeated Dolph Ziggler in a "Toronto Street Fight." The place went cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs for Edge. This is the first time that I can think of that Edge has main evented any kind of show in Toronto as a face. Ziggler came out in a Leafs jersey with a duct-taped "X" over the logo. Funny.

A really solid match that the crowd ate up. It didn't rely on the stip too much, aside from Edge producing a hockey stick and firing (and eating) Eggos at Ziggler. After Edge kicked out of a Zig Zag, he hit the Spear for the win.

Post-match, Edge removed the tape, donned the Leafs sweater, and acknowledged his mother at ringside. He remarked on how far he's come in the business since cutting his teeth in Toronto years ago at Sully's Gym with Ron Hutchinson. Edge then led the crowd in a "Go Leafs Go" chant before celebrating with the ringside fans.

All in all, it was a fine late afternoon show. Whenever the WWE comes to Toronto for non-TV events, the Ricoh is a great choice due to its superior sight lines compared to the ACC.

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