SmackDown: January 24, 2014

Big Show & Rey Mysterio def. The Real Americans

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – On the final SmackDown before Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, Friday night became an absolute powder keg erupting during a chaotic 10-Man Tag Team main event. 

Big Show & Rey Mysterio join forces against The Real Americans.

Big Show & Rey Mysterio kicked off SmackDown, battling The Real Americans with an awesome display of speed and power. Though Antonio Cesaro is known for his incredible acts of strength, in the end, it was The World’s Largest Athlete who hurled both his opponents to the canvas at the same time. This set up the giant’s KO Punch on Cesaro, followed by  The Master of the 619’s Splash off his gigantic partner’s shoulders for the victory.

Photos: A giant alliance with the 619

However, as big a statement as their tag team triumph made, the final word on the matter came from the emerging Paul Heyman, who informed Big Show that he would “suffer” and be “subjugated” at the hands of Brock Lesnar  this Sunday at the Royal Rumble event.

The Miz def. Brodus Clay

The Miz and Brodus Clay continue their singles match despite the insults coming in from Bad News Barrett.

Next, Bad News Barrett took center stage – perched high above the WWE Universe in order to spread his usual brand of “cheer.” The English Superstar wasted no time sharing the “bad news” that, while SmackDown’s colossal 10-Man Tag Team Match would be huge, the fans would first be forced to sit through a contest between The Miz and Brodus Clay.

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He then continued to mock both of the dueling competitors once the bell sounded, kicking up a great deal of dust, until Miz used the disturbance to his advantage and rolled up Clay for the quick three-count.
 
The Awesome One then attempted to go after Barrett. Unfortunately for him, though, the duke of gloom & doom had some bad news for his livid pursuer – namely that Miz would stay below, while Barrett remained safe on high.

AJ Lee def. Cameron

Divas Champion AJ Lee faces Cameron on SmackDown.

Now holding the Divas Championship for an astonishing 222 days, AJ Lee scored a  hard-fought victory over Cameron on SmackDown with the Shining Wizard. But when Tamina and AJ opted to deliver a follow-up attack after the bell, Naomi took down the outrageous titleholder with beautiful aggression. 

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Curtis Axel & Ryback def. Los Matadores

Diego & Fernando have their hands full with the duo of Curtis Axel & Ryback.

In the height of another tag team showdown, Curtis Axel took advantage of  all-out turmoil to roll up one of his masked opponents for the win.

Photos: Fear the bull!

But the action didn’t end there, as the scrappy El Torito took exception. After expelling the former Intercontinental Champion through the ropes, the flying “bull” launched himself off the top turnbuckle and onto The Human Wrecking Ball outside the ring.

CM Punk proclaimed he would win the Royal Rumble Match from the No. 1 spot

Despite receiving the No. 1 spot, CM Punk is poised to defy the odds at Sunday's Royal Rumble Match.

Fresh off the news that he will have the No. 1 spot in Sunday’s Royal Rumble Match, CM Punk journeyed to SmackDown. The former WWE Champion made it clear that, while winning the Royal Rumble Match has been one of the few honors to elude him, being the first Superstar to enter would not stop him from achieving his goal of victory.

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An  uncharacteristically jubilant Director of Operations Kane emerged to reveal the actual odds of that happening, however. In response, The Second City Saint simply said, “It’s been done before and I’ll do it again.”

Luke Harper & Erick Rowan def. The Prime Time Players

The Prime Time Players step inside the ring with the sadistic Wyatt Family.

The Wyatt Family’s prized disciples used absolute brutality to overcome The Prime Time Players, as Luke Harper knocked Titus O’Neil from the apron with an unforgiving boot and then hit a vicious clothesline on Darren Young for the three-count. 

A picture of creepy: The Wyatt Family disciples unleash brutality

Then, after Bray Wyatt put the exclamation on the win with Sister Abigail, The Eater of Worlds proclaimed that, at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, he will not only beat Daniel Bryan, but hurt him as well. And then he would go on to "change the world."

But the final word came from The Beard himself, who emerged to state that after their Royal Rumble Match, he would not “be trapped in the prison of [Wyatt’s] madness, but rather Wyatt would be trapped in the prison of mine.”

Kofi Kingston def. Fandango

Kofi Kingston looks to continue his recent success on SmackDown.

Kofi Kingston  triumphed over Fandango in a furious showdown, nailing his dancing opponent with Trouble in Paradise out of nowhere.

During the match, a somewhat awkward moment came with Summer Rae recognized NXT Diva Emma, cheering in the crowd. But, more importantly, what sort of moments will Kofi and Fandango create in Sunday’s explosive  30-Superstar Royal Rumble Match this Sunday?

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10-Man Tag Team Match ended in anarchy

The SmackDown main event breaks into chaos just days before Royal Rumble 2014.

When order completely broke down in the colossal 10-Man Tag Team SmackDown main event, a slew of additional participants from this Sunday’s Royal Rumble Match stormed the ring ready to make a point, including the first entry, CM Punk!

As a result, the final show before the imminent pay-per-view free-for-all was left in a state of all-out bedlam.