Centerpiece Orton Vs. Mark Henry, Again

Randy Orton won the right to face Mark Henry for the World title by winning a battle royal. He already used that title shot later in the show. How would people have felt if the WWE had instead used this as a way to slide Orton somehow into the match coming up between Big Show and Mark Henry? Of course, it did not happen.

Let me point out something I think was smart here. They had a pretty big match early in the show, then used that to hype another big match later in the show. There was build there. The centerpiece of Smackdown faced the top heel in the main event for the most important title of the brand. Going back to what I said about this week's Raw, that is what was missing there. The WWE revealed all the surprises and answered all the questions in the first hour. In the second hour, all they had being advertised the most was CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio in a non-title match. No sign of Cena, who is centerpiece there. No Triple H advertised. R-Truth and Miz returning not teased, not that I am saying it should have been. I am just pointing out that it was nothing big that could draw in the second hour as compared to the first. Smackdown ratings are obviously not in yet, but they did better progressing the show.

Tired of seeing Orton take on Mark Henry? It's not as bad as Beth and Kelly, who also faced off again in a regular match on Smackdown. Cody Rhodes ran in to continue his feud with Orton. Big Show did his part to continue his feud with Mark Henry. I just do not think enough is being done with Orton/Rhodes. Cody can definitely be made to look stronger than he has been. The title feud is doing fine. The predictable tag match will probably follow. But I don't like how they are almost selling it like Orton can shrug off Cody Rhodes and still focus on Mark Henry, or even handle both if he really had to. Does anyone really take Cody seriously in this feud? Personally, I don't. I was not expecting Cody Rhodes to walk out of this thing being treated like John Cena, but he is just not being pushed right to Orton's level. And he definitely does not need to hold the Intercontinental title for this feud. When this feud really does make it to that level where Orton is pushed too far by Rhodes, I would expect Orton to somehow cost Cody his title. It would be good feud progression, while getting the title on another face who can use it in their own feud or build. Cody getting a feud with a guy like Orton is worth more than holding a midcard title. But they have to do the feud right. Less Mark Henry.