SmackDown Results: The Rock returned and Del Rio captured World Title on an historic SmackDown

BY Alex Giannini

January 11, 2013

SmackDown General Manager Booker T made a Last Man Standing main event

MIAMI — On the night The Rock made his triumphant return to “his” show after 10 years away, Alberto Del Rio shocked the SmackDown faithful with a giant-size victory over Big Show to claim the World Heavyweight Championship in an epic Last Man Standing Match.

While the WWE Universe waited with baited breath for The Great One to once again electrify the blue brand, General Manager Booker T had other matters on his mind. What was most pressing to the former five-time WCW Champion? Proving that anything Raw can do, SmackDown can do better! Accordingly, Booker set up a monumental matchup between Randy Orton and United States Champion Antonio Cesaro and an epic Last Man Standing Match between World Heavyweight Champion Big Show and Alberto Del Rio with the giant’s title on the line!

Soon after the match was announced, however, a clearly enraged Big Show emerged to take issue. But when The World’s Largest Athlete physically threatened Booker, a timely save by the new No. 1 contender, Del Rio, instantly intensified their title showdown later in the night.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2013-01-11/results-26083196

Alberto Del Rio def. World Heavyweight Champion Big Show in a Last Man Standing Title Match

In what was a match of redemption for The Mexican Aristocrat — after his personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez was knocked out with the KO Punch on Dec. 28 — Alberto Del Rio had a giant task at hand as he faced off against World Heavyweight Champion Big Show in a Last Man Standing Match with the title on the line. Even so, earlier in the night, Del Rio shared just how personal Big Show’s disparaging remarks at the top of the show had made the match for him, and the challenger entered the fray as determined as ever. To win the no disqualification/no count-out bout, a competitor must incapacitate his opponent for a 10-count — a massive feat when dealing with The World’s Largest Athlete.

Things looked bad for Del Rio early on, as Big Show tossed him through a table at ringside. But with a steel chair in hand and with “destiny” on his lips, The Mexican Aristocrat fought back and punished his gigantic foe. When a dropkick by Del Rio sent the titleholder crashing through a table set up in the corner, the Miami crowd began to believe that the giant might, in fact, fall.

But The World’s Largest Athlete simply refused to go down, and planted Del Rio with a ring-rattling chokeslam before ramming Del Rio through the barricade at ringside. Back in the ring, Big Show then leveled the wobbly Del Rio with an earth-shattering KO Punch, and the end was surely at hand. On pure instinct and nothing more, Del Rio used the ring apron for leverage and was able to get his feet underneath him long enough to break the count!

The two continued trading vicious blows, in a heated exchange that utilized the steel ring steps. When this left Big Show grounded behind the SmackDown announce table, Del Rio seized the moment. In a brilliant maneuver, the challenger tipped over the announce table, trapping Big Show underneath. Unable to wrest himself free, Big Show remained buried over the course of the referee’s 10-count, making Alberto Del Rio the new World Heavyweight Champion!

The Miami crowd joined in with Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez in what was an unforgettable celebration on a truly unforgettable night in WWE history.

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