WWE Smackdown house show report
September 1, 2011
Nimes, France
Report by Antoine Cagne, PWTorch reader
Tony Chimel announced the opening contest would be a battle royal, the winner of which would go on to face Randy Orton in the main event.
(1) Christian won a battle royal to face Randy Orton for the World Title later in the show. Christian won after eliminating Daniel Bryan following a sequence of elimination teases on the ring apron.
The participants were Christian, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Tyson Kidd, The Great Khali, Jinder Mahal, Ezekiel Jackson, Cody Rhodes, Heath Slater, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Brodus Clay, and Yoshi Tatsu. Mark Henry, Sin Cara, and Ted DiBiase did not compete in the battle royal. Sheamus and Wade Barrett eliminated each other at the same time, setting up their match on the card.
(2) Alicia Fox beat Natalya after countering a Sharpshooter attempt into a small package.
(3) Sin Cara beat Tyson Kidd with a top-rope Senton bomb.
(4) Jinder Mahal beat Ezekiel Jackson with a Full Nelson slam (Jackson was distracted by Khali on the apron).
(5) Sheamus beat Wade Barrett with the Brogue Kick. Match of the Night, with almost PPV-caliber action. Lots of hard-hitting blows and brutal slams from both.
[Intermission]
(6) Ted DiBiase beat Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes via disqualification after Rhodes hit him with his mask; Rhodes retained the IC Title. After the match, DiBiase hit him with Dream Street and posed with the belt.
(7) Mark Henry beat Daniel Bryan with the World's Strongest Slam.
(8) World Hvt. champion Randy Orton beat Christian to retain the World Title. Orton caught him with a mid-air RKO for the win.
Orton then posed for the fans to close the show.