Spoiler for Smackdown 01/11/13

[Jon E Diamond]

Alberto Del Rio wins the World Heavyweight Championship

On wwe.com:

MIAMI — With the crowning of a new World Heavyweight Champion, the Jan. 8, 2013, episode of SmackDown cemented its place in blue brand history just one week before its landmark 700th episode.

On the same night The Rock made his eagerly anticipated return to Friday night’s best show, Alberto Del Rio seized the spotlight and defeated Big Show in a Last Man Standing Match to claim the World Heavyweight Championship.

The Mexican Aristocrat heroically battled The World’s Largest Athlete in an absolutely brutal showdown, literally taking The World’s Largest Athlete to his limit en route to an historic victory.

Del Rio’s title triumph stands as his first World Heavyweight Championship and his third World Title overall. His victory also shows, once again, that anything can happen on SmackDown at any time!

See how it t went down and witness the return of The Rock to the blue brand, this Friday at 8/7 CT only on SmackDown on Syfy.

Not sure if Big Show is hurt, or they're trying to run with Del Rio's face turn, but at the end of the day, I'm not sure what to make of it. I'm not the biggest fan of this, but at the same time it makes sense to put the belt on him now rather than later, as they are clearly trying to get him over with his face turn.

Anyone else's thoughts?

[Deleted]

Show was having a good run as champion. To do this on TV instead of PPV makes little sense.

[Phoenix]

i guess they are trying to surprise people, having it on tv. They've turned Miz face, now trying it with Del Rio (just after he ran down Santa Claus no less), but i really don't get it. To me neither one plays well as a babyface. Especially Del Rio. Doesn't seem like there are enough Heels left now.
Question is will Ziggler now cash in on Del Rio.

[Tournament Master]

I read that the main reason for this is to have a major Mexican baby face, since Rey is old and usually hurt and Sin Cara sucks.

My guess is that he hold onto it until Mania, when Dolph Ziggler becomes the first to cash in MITB at Wrestlemania.

[subvert69]

I just wonder why they didn't do it Monday on the anniversary of RAW...

[Shon Maxx]

Cool, I like ADR, though I'm not coutning on a long reign for him. Also, it makes little sense pushing him as a face after he ran over Santa Claus (which also made no sense.). Of course, if he had run over a snowman, I'd be cheering, but that's just me.

I won't mind some matches between ADR and Ziggler, especially since we're most likely going to be stuck with Rock as champ for a while.

[Vegas]

Jan 10, 2013 15:31:05 GMT -5 Tournament Master said:

I read that the main reason for this is to have a major Mexican baby face, since Rey is old and usually hurt and Sin Cara sucks.

If that is the WWE's objective, I think they might be successful.

I was at Summerslam 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles when Alberto Del Rio cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase at the end of the show after Kevin Nash had attacked CM Punk and won the WWE Championship. The crowd loved it and I remember lots of fans shouting "Del Rio!" while exiting Staples Center.

On a side note, the WWE had Alberto Del Rio unmask after they signed him. Hopefully they won't unmask El Generico too.