CM Punk retained the WWE Championship against Kane in the main event of SmackDown, but only when the match was thrown out thanks to interference from Daniel Bryan.

After a back-and-forth battle with the Big Red Monster, Punk managed to rock Kane in the corner with his trademark high knee. CM Punk was unable to follow up with a bulldog though, and had to settle for a neckbreaker, which kept Kane on the canvas for a two-count.

Punk headed to the top rope only to be caught by Kane, but slipped from his challenger’s shoulders and lifted Kane onto his for the GTS. Kane proved to be too heavy for the WWE Champion after their gruelling match though, and Punk fell to the mat with Kane landing on top of him.

Kane climbed to the top rope now, ready for his patented flying clothesline. Punk had the Big Red Machine scouted with a dropkick to the abdomen though, and climbed to the top rope himself as Kane gasped for air on the mat.

AJ, who had accompanied Punk to the ring, leapt to the apron and began to yell at the WWE Champion as Daniel Bryan rushed down the entrance ramp. AJ’s tip-off allowed Punk to leap from the top rope and take Bryan out with a cross-body press, before returning to the top rope for a Macho Man style elbow drop to Kane.

Kane kicked out of the following cover, and caught Punk by the throat as he attempted a springboard clothesline.

There was no chance for Kane to chokeslam Punk though, as Daniel Bryan dove from the top rope with a missile dropkick that took out both men – bringing an end to the first WWE Championship match on SmackDown in four years.

Bryan set about battering CM Punk with a series of relentless roundhouse kicks before Punk managed to nail him with a clothesline and pick him up for the GTS.

It was Kane who would have the last laugh though, grabbing both men around the throat and slamming them to the mat in a double chokeslam.

Furthermore, John Laurinaitis and Eve, his executive assistant, took to the stage to announce a change to No Way Out. As a result of Kane’s dominance, the Big Red Monster will now be a part of the WWE Championship match, wrestling Bryan and Punk in a triple threat.

After seven months away from the ring, Sin Cara made his return to SmackDown with a win over Heath Slater. Coming back from a ruptured patella tendon at Survivor Series last year, Sin Cara proved his knee was back in fine form with a cross-body off the top rope and onto Slater on the outside of the ring.

Back in the ring now, Sin Cara rocked Slater with a springboard back elbow, and finished off the One Man Rockband when he took Slater to the mat face first with a version of La Mistica, before covering him for the three.

Santino Marella and Zack Ryder beat Darren Young and Titus O’Neil in tag team action, but soon had their night take a turn for the worse when The Big Show interrupted their victory celebration. As both men began to play air-trumpet at the top of the stage, Big Show smashed Marella into the large WWE logo, and dragged Ryder down to the ring.

Show tossed Ryder to the security barrier before whipping him to the steel steps. Show then walked the steps midway up the entrance ramp before scooping Ryder up and slamming him down on them.

With the Long Island Iced Z down and out, Big Show dragged the steps to the top of the ramp and positioned Santino Marella on top of them, bending the United States Champion in half with a camel clutch. As Marella screamed out in pain, Big Show broke the hold and put Santino out of his misery with a massive WMD knockout punch to the back of the head.

At the top of the night, World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus was once again given an opportunity to apologise for knocking down Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis on last week’s Raw.

Before Sheamus could speak his mind, Alberto Del Rio took to the ring and announced he had been given the authority to pick Sheamus’ opponent for the night. David Otunga, serving as John Laurinaitis’ representative, confirmed Del Rio’s claim before being subjected to a Brogue Kick from the Great White.

Del Rio was approached by Dolph Ziggler backstage. Ziggler requested a chance to go one-on-one with the World Heavyweight Champion before No Way Out – where Sheamus will defend against Del Rio – and was selected as Sheamus’ opponent.

Ziggler gave Sheamus a lot of resistance, cutting the Great White off on the top rope and bringing him back to the mat with a facebuster. Ziggler then tried for the Zig-Zag, only to get his finisher countered and be driven to the mat with Sheamus’ White Noise.

Jack Swagger shot to the ring and tried to distract Sheamus, but was knocked from the apron by the World Heavyweight Champion before he blasted Ziggler with the Brogue Kick for the win.

SmackDown Results:

• Sin Cara def. Heath Slater
• Damien Sandow def. Ezekiel Jackson
• 2-on-1 Handicap Match:
  Ryback def. Chris Lyons & Ryan Shelton
• Sheamus def. Dolph Ziggler w/ Vickie Guerrero
• Santino Marella & Zack Ryder def. Darren Young & Titus O’Neil
• Cody Rhodes def. Tyson Kidd
• WWE Championship:
  No Contest: CM Punk (c) w/ AJ vs. Kane