Smackdown is live from Long Island and live-ish for us fans.  Lets stop for the night and take a two hour break from driving on the Road to WrestleMania.

Can you dig it?  Oh yes I can!  Booker T joins the Smackdown announce team!  Booker holds up a fans sign, “I came to see Booker T”, and hits a vintage Spinarooni for the fans.  Between this and the Rumble Booker has already gotten more attention and love than in years of TNA.  Wait, where the hell is Matt Striker?!  If Booker was going to replace anyone it should have been Michael Cole.  Cole is already over exposed on Raw, I don’t need him for two more hours on Smackdown.  Even more if I watched NXT.

Vickie Guerrero comes out, with Dolph, and demands Kelly Kelly come out to explain her actions from the PPV.  Hell, it made no sense to me either to have her come out during that match.  ‘Splain yourself Kelly!  Kelly looks like a star on her way out, and my choice for “hot picture to get people to click on this link” is made.  Kelly says Vickie goes through her things in the back and maybe she should quit.  Yeah, that’s showing her!  Quit and run away.  This might explain Kelly’s lack of titles as well.  Also, where is this idea of Vickie the luggage looter coming from?  Is she sniffing the panties too?  Kelly is blamed for Dolph’s loss at the Rumble and your World title feud apparently needed random women to make it matter.  LayCool gets added to the mix, Edge saves Kelly, and the blondest main event of all time is made.

Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov (WWE Tag Team Champions, with Tamina) vs. Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel – The Corre

Booker is doing a good job keeping up with current WWE stories and Superstars.  The man’s been gone for years, its not reasonable to expect him to be perfect, but he’s doing very well.  Gabriel hits a 450 splash on Vlad for the pin and The Corre might bring the tag titles back very soon.

Kofi Kingston (Intercontinental champion) vs. Drew McIntyre – Winner Gets Into Elimination Chamber

Drew is a man without a plot now that Kelly has been moved into the main event story.  Booker is genuinely interested in the matches and it makes the show that much more exciting.  Josh and Booker are focused on the match and getting over the wrestlers.  Cole is still only concerned with getting himself over.  Del Rio appears on the screen and its enough to distract Kofi, so Drew sneaks in for the pin.

Rey Mysterio vs. Jack Swagger – Another spot in the Chamber

A really good match but when WrestleMania match rumors are already flying, its easy to know who is going over in these matches.  Rey sneaks through Swagger’s legs and kicks Jack, then rolls with Jack’s limp body and Rey picks up the pin.  Match was a bit of a shock and hopefully not the last time these two face off.

Alberto Del Rio has a celebration with Ricardo, Hornswoggle and Rosa Mendes for no good reason.  Horn gets beat up, Kofi makes the save and Del Rio beats Kofi with a pinata stick.  No idea why Rosa was borught into this story, but her career could get a huge jump start if she latches onto Del Rio.  Kofi is either getting a nice PPV match with the WrestleMania main eventer or he’s on the injured list going into the biggest time of the year.  Either feast or famine for Kingston.

Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero

Yeah, do I even need to say anything about this match?  Kane wins and is in the PPV.  Chavo continues to get mis-used.

Wade Barrett vs. The Big Show

How did this feud not get a PPV blow off match?  Show better hope Kevin Nash is sticking around because so far that looks like the only way he’s getting on the Mania card.  Corre interferes and Wade gets the pin.  Show gets all pissed off and attacks Corre.  Ezekiel Jackson earns the new nickname of Juggernaut (thank you Booker) when he very easily picks up Show and slams him down with more force than anyone ever.

Edge (World champion) and Kelly Kelly vs. Dolph Ziggler (with Vickie Guerrero) and LayCool

If any of the heels get the pin, Edge loses the World title.  I would not be shocked if Dolph won the title in such a shady way.  He’d get huge heel heat for winning the belt in an undeserving way, and Edge could still stay strong.  Kelly spears Layla for the pin, and gets her biggest win ever.  Vickie immediately fires Kelly and Smackdown’s new number one Diva cries her eyes out.  The fans love her now, and if WWE still had their WrestleMania deal with Playboy this would be the girl.  Vickie makes a Rumble rematch for next week with her as the referee.  Dolph sneaks in to hit the Zig Zag and Edge’s chances to retain look minimal.

Good show with a lot of build to the next couple months.  WWE is hitting the mark lately.