Smackdown 2/29/08: Dark Path to 'Mania
Submitted by Christopher Huynh on Sunday, March 2, 2008 at 1:20 AM EST





Sorry for the delay! I have been through an extremely busy week. Sincerely Apologize!

Good Evening to all! Tonight will mark Big Show’s first match on SmackDown! in over a year! In addition, Undertaker’s quest for the World Heavyweight Championship continues. How will these giants fare as they head to WrestleMania? Let’s find out!

Tonight’s SmackDown! is brought to you from the great city of Tucson, Arizona.

Fireworks go off and we see the Big Show making his way down to the ring with two local jobbers standing in the ring. As he enters, we are told that next Monday on RAW, the Big Show will be in an exhibition match against a professional fighter in preparation for his match against Floyd Mayweather for WrestleMania.

Match 1: Big Show vs. Garlins & Ryans (Jobbers) in a Handicap Match

The match begins with Garlins charging at Big Show, but Show catches Garlins by the throat. Ryans tries to set Garlins free, but gets kicked in the face for his troubles. Show proceeds to hurl Garlins to the outside of the ring. At this point, Show grabs Garlins by the head from the outside and lifts him up and connects with a giant slap across the chest using the ropes for leverage. (Ouch!). Show then gives Ryans the same fate as well. Garlins gets up, but Show grabs him by the throat and strangles him for a bit and eventually hits a devastating chokeslam. Garlins is unconscious. Show then gets in a boxing stance to mock Mayweather and strikes with several blows the Ryans lower abdomen and face. Show pulls Ryans in the middle of the ring and connects with a Giant Punch to not only win the match, but knock Ryans out of his misery.

Post-Match: Big Show stands over his fallen victims and grabs a mic. He says there’s a rumor going around that in September Floyd Mayweather is going to face off against Oscar DeLa Hoya. Crowd Cheers. He says that he is here to squash that rumor because when Mayweather steps into the ring with Show at WrestleMania, he will break him and his spirit in half. So obviously there’s not going to be a DeLa Hoya/Mayweather II, but rather a DeLa Hoya vs. Big Show match instead. But then again, Show states that he would squash DeLa Hoya too just like a cockroach. Show then gets serious and says that the $20 Million the WWE is paying Mayweather to compete at WrestleMania ‘won’t be worth it.’

(Rating: 3/5. On concept alone. It’s great to see Show back and deliver. Another fresh superstar with a unique storyline heading into WrestleMania.)

We are then told that we have a tag team match scheduled for later on tonight: Batista & Kane vs. MVP & Great Khali.

**Commercial**

Match 2: Shannon Moore & Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Deuce & Domino w/Cherry

Yang and Domino are start things off. Domino applies a side headlock takedown and they get back to their feet. Yang fights out of it, but Domino throws him back down. Yang gets in the headlock now and is pushed off the ropes by Domino. He goes for a clothesline and Yang ducks then gets an arm drag into an arm bar. Moore comes in on the tag and hits a headscissors. He attempts another, but Domino launches him to the outside and Deuce throws him back in. Domino goes for a cover and barely gets a 2 count. Deuce gets in now and goes right to a rest hold. Now a series of fists by Deuce and some boots. Now he mounts Moore and throws more fists and ultimately going back to the rest hold with some fingers for Shannon’s nose. The crowd starts to rally for Moore and as he gets to his feet he’s thrown back to the mat. Domino gets the tag. He gets hung up on the ropes and is able to tag back in Deuce, but Moore also makes a tag. Yang cleans house and goes for a moonsault press. Deuce moves out of the way and Yang lands on his feet, but got hit with a move from Deuce. Yang flips out of a suplex attempt and runs up the ropes quickly to hit the moonsault press for the 2 count. (Rating: 2.5/5. Decent fast past action. Nothing new between these two teams.)

We cut backstage where we see Edge and Vickie together. They talk about how they should go to Canada for their honeymoon. Ryder & Hawkins come into the scene and Edge asks them what they are going to do about the Undertaker for putting his hands on Edge last week. Edge then states that Ryder is the man to get Edge’s revenge on Undertaker. Ryder looks worried as we go to commercial.

**Commercial**

Match 3: Chuck Palumbo vs. Jamie Noble w/Michelle McCool

The bell rings and Palumbo throws Noble right into the corner. Noble uses his speed to side step him and hit some punches. Chuck uses his power to throw him right back around into the turnbuckle. Noble then gets tossed outside to the floor. Chuck follows him out and hits what can only be described as a short leg clothesline. He goes for more damage, but Michelle distracts him. Noble comes up from behind and low blows him. They get back in the ring and Noble hits an arm breaker. Noble goes up top, but Chuck catches him and hits a big over the head belly-to-belly superplex. He goes for a cover and gets a 2 count. Chuck goes for the fall away slam and Noble counters it into an arm bar. Jamie wrenches it, but Chuck makes it to the ropes and gets the break. He comes back with a big right hand and Noble gets dropped. Coach says if Big Show hits Mayweather like that, it’ll be over. Noble gets back the advantage with an enziguiri, a summersault press and missile dropkick for 2. He counters another move by Chuck into a standing arm bar, but Chuck rakes Noble’s eye and hits a big boot. Now the Full Throttle on Noble and it’s over. (Rating: 3/5. Though this storyline needs something new to spice it up, I feel as though this was a good match wrestling wise. I certainly do not expect this feud to continue for much longer.)

Backstage we see Maryse and Vickie talking to each other. Batista walks in and asks her if he can represent SmackDown in the match for brand superiority at WrestleMania. Vickie pauses for a second and Maryse proceeds to whisper something in her ear. Vickie says yes and it is official that Umaga will face Batista in an inter-promotional Raw vs. SmackDown match!

Cole & Coach state that Ryder will indeed face Undertaker later on tonight.

**Commercial**

Match 4: Batista & Kane vs. MVP & Khali

Lots of tag team action between the four competitors. Kane and Khali start it off and Kane quickly ends up in the corner. Khali throws some wild right hands and boots at him. MVP gets in the tag and soon after is back body dropped by Kane. Snap mare and basement dropkick by Kane. Batista gets tagged in and drives his shoulder into MVP’s gut in the corner. He then hits a running clothesline that gets a 2 count. In the far left corner some punches from Batista and a tag to Kane. A few minutes later, MVP boasts and delivers a few punches and applies a submission. Several minutes later, Batista is finally able to tag Kane in but MVP tags Khali in right away and Khali puts a beatdown on Kane with kicks and clotheslines. MVP is back in and the crowd begins to get behind Kane. The action continues to go back and forth but Kane manages to make the hot tag to Batista. Batista enters the ring with a series of punches and corners the ballin superstar and proceeds to hit a running clothesline. This is followed by several shoulder strikes. Batista tries hitting an Oklahoma Slam, but MVP escapes and clubs Batista on his aching back. Minutes later, Khali gets the blind tag in and after Batista hits MVP with a powerslam, Khali brain chops the Animal instantly knocking him down. Khali signals for the vice-grip. When he attempts to lock it in, Batista catches Khali’s hands and hits a powerful spinebuster. Batista covers 1..2..No! MVP breaks the count. Kane comes into the ring and kicks MVP right out of the ring. Kane turns around and is caught by Khali in position of the chokeslam. However, Batista comes to the aid of Kane and drills Khali with a spear for the victory. (Rating: 4.5/5. Holy Crud! What a great match. This match lasted nearly 20 minutes and the crowd was really into it. Excellent tag team match…definitely the best Smackdown tag team match in a looong time!)

**Commercial**

John Cena ‘no drugs’ package airs.

Eve Torres comes out and says that the night before WrestleMania is important as it is the HOF induction ceremony. Congrats to Rocky Johnson and Peter Maivia.

Jesse & Festus come down to the ring.

**Commercial**

Miz & Morrison make their way down to the ring.

-Miz gets a mic and says he has a special surprise for Jesse & Festus. Morrison says they have something for them that will expand their mind. It’s the dirt sheet. Wow. They cut up an interview with Jesse to make it sound like he got probed by aliens and loved it.


Match 5: Jesse & Festus vs. Miz & Morrison

The bell rings and Festus goes nuts. He starts it off with Miz and slams him around. He throws Morrison from the apron and gets a 2 count after a head-butt. He tags in Jesse who hits a senton from the top. A side headlock next and then shoulder block, ending in a roll up for 2. Miz decides to bail and heads outside. Jesse chases after him and Morrison catches him with a clothesline on the floor. Morrison gets the tag and tags right back in Miz. Jesse bobs and weaves through offense attempts from the two and makes a tag to Festus. He hits a big boot on both opponents and then a big splash. Miz jumps back up and goes at Festus and Jesse throws him outside. Now a flapjack from Festus and that gets the 3 count. (Rating: 2/5. Not good. Just a disappointment.)

**Commercial**

Cole says Finlay will be at Raw on Monday night. Coach is interested to hear what he has to say.

-Big Daddy V and Matt Striker are come down to the ring. His opponent….Balls Mahoney…who? LOL!

Match 6: Big Daddy V vs. Balls Mahoney

Big Daddy V slaps him around and drops him. He proceeds to put all 500 of his pounds across Mahoney’s throat. Now some chops followed by a Samoan drop. GONG! The lights go out! Taker is making his way to the ring, and swiftly! Taker enters the ring and knocks the mastodon out with a big boot. Taker then delivers a devastating chokeslam to Mahoney.

Taker gets a mic and says death waits for no man. He wants Edge to bring him his minion and bring him to his yard. They can meet their fate, the same fate Edge will meet at ‘Mania. Rest. In. Peace!

(Segment Rating: 3/5. Not too bad. Undertaker was the savior.)

**Commercial**

Edge comes out with Rider and Hawkins.

Match 7: Zach Ryder vs. Undertaker

The bell rings and Ryder appears tentative. Ryder gets out of the ring and Taker chases after him. Ryder gets back in and Hawkins distracts Taker. Ryder gets back out and starts throwing punches at him. Taker comes right back and lays him out. Taker hits the leg drop on the apron. He throws some haymakers in the corner and then throws him into the turnbuckle. He now throws him outside and goes out after him. He stares down Edge and pounds on Ryder some more. Taker goes for a chokeslam and Hawkins gets on the apron. The ref gets distracted and Ryder hits a low blow. He gets in some punches and a knee in the corner. He gets on the 2nd rope and throws more punches and Taker pushes him off. Now Taker throws Ryder into the corner. He runs at him, but Ryder gets in a back elbow. Ryder drives his shoulder into Taker’s gut. Taker again comes back by throwing him into the corner and hitting more punches. Whip into the corner and an avalanche from Taker then the snake eyes and a clothesline. He drops a leg and gets a 2 count with it. Taker calls for the chokeslam and hits it. Taker goes back to staring down Edge. He puts on the inverted triangle choke and he taps. (Rating: 3/5. Not that great, but certainly does progress the Edge/Taker rivalry into WrestleMania)

Post-Match: Hawkins and Edge jump Taker and throw punches at him. They throw him to the ropes and Taker stops short. He throws Hawkins aside and goes for Edge, but he bails. Hawkins gets a chokeslam and stares back down at Edge whose moving up the ramp. He puts Hawkins in the submission hold now. Edge staring back from the entrance way can be heard saying “make him break it.” Taker has the belt and holds it up. Edge and Taker stare at each other as the show goes off the air.


Match of the Night: Batista & Kane vs. MVP & Khali

Overall: 5/10. Sorry no time for much commentary tonight!









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