SmackDown results: Opportunity lost and found

BY Michael Burdick

April 15, 2011

ALBANY, New York – Four days after World Heavyweight Champion Edge announced his shocking retirement from WWE, The Rated-R Superstar officially surrendered the World Heavyweight Championship. And Christian honored his lifelong friend by capturing the opportunity to face No. 1 contender Alberto Del Rio for the vacant World Title at Extreme Rules.

Christian triumphed in a No. 1 Contender’s World Heavyweight Championship Battle Royal

With Alberto Del Rio sitting ringside, Christian heroically outlasted 19 other Superstars to become his aristocratic adversary’s opponent in a Ladder Match at Extreme Rules that will decide the next World Heavyweight Champion.

As Captain Charisma battled former World Champion Jack Swagger in the final moments of the mega Battle Royal, Del Rio grabbed Christian’s ankle, trying to eliminate the former ECW Champion from outside the ring. Aggressively freeing himself from his interfering foe, Christian lowered the ropes, sending the charging All-American American crashing down to his defeat. As the smoke cleared, Edge himself emerged to congratulate his former tag team partner on his monumental accomplishment.

The intense Battle Royal also saw WWE Tag Team Champion Justin Gabriel eliminate fellow Corre member Wade Barrett – just moments after they worked together to get rid of the monstrous Kane. Although he started strong by eliminating three Superstars, Big Show’s momentum sent both him and Ezekiel Jackson over the ropes and out of contention. And Rey Mysterio eliminated his bitter adversary Cody Rhodes, shortly before Michael Cole sacrificed his body to The Ultimate Underdog’s 619 in order to save his Extreme Rules tag team partner Jack Swagger from taking the hit.

GM Theodore Long decided the future of the World Heavyweight Championship

Just four days after Edge announced that a serious injury was forcing him to retire from WWE, the No. 1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship Alberto Del Rio came forth, suggesting that The Rated-R Superstar present him with title.

SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long informed the elitist Superstar that instead, his new opponent for the World Title Ladder Match at Extreme Rules would be determined in a 20-Man Over-the-Top-Rope Battle Royal. Del Rio then proclaimed that he is glad to be the Superstar that forced Edge to retire.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2011-04-15/results