Posted in: Smackdown SmackDown! Report (04/23/09): A Rated R Rivalry
By MIK
Apr 24, 2009 - 8:59:58 PM
Friday 8/7 ET
London, England
“If You Rock Like Me!” plays and that means it’s the start of another edition of Friday Night SmackDown! Following that, JR and Todd Grisham inform us that later on tonight, the Undertaker go one on one with the Big Show and Batista will team up with Shane McMahon to take on Legacy members Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase.
“You think you know me” hits and out comes the Rated R Superstar, Edge! The former World Heavyweight Champion grabs a microphone and he doesn’t look to happy…
“Two weeks ago John Cena looked me in the eyes and told me I was a desperate man, told me that I was grasping at straws, that he was tougher than me. He told me that whatever I threw at him in the past, he kept getting back up and he was absolutely right.” Edge then starts to mention that past when in 2006, John Cena won an Elimination Chamber match only to lose the WWE Championship later on that night when Edge cashed in Money in the Bank. “Now usually that would be a demoralizing blow, but yet he came back. Since that night, I have brutalized him. I have cost him world titles, I have beaten him for world titles, and I even slapped his father across the face, and yet through all of that, he still came back. But finally on Monday night, that all changed…”
A video plays of Edge delivering the con-chair-to to John Cena from this past Monday night on RAW. It even includes the “10 Count” that Edge had counted to after destroying Cena.
Back in the ring and with the lights even more dimmed than they already were, Edge adds that he almost wants to respect Cena, but he despises Cena too much with every fiber in his being. “Your will cannot match my resolve. This is it for me Cene; I have nothing left. If I don’t beat you for the World Heavyweight Champion this Sunday, I have nothing. My wife Vickie can’t help, I have no friends; in your own words John, I’m a desperate man. So here we are, this Sunday we lay it all on the line for the very last time. It had to come to an end, a definitive end! This war of attrition, this battle that we’ve waged for over three years, it finally has to come to an end, because it shortened both of our careers John. And in the end, I will walk away as champion. I will be the last man standing.”
The crowd chants for Cena as the camera zooms into Edge’s face. Edge’s theme song then hits and he slowly makes his exit.
(Segment Rating: 5/5. Wonderful promo by Edge. Man, I will truly miss this rivalry as it is one of the better ones in sports entertainment history.)
-Commercial-
“Oh yeaaa!!!!” is heard throughout the arena and yes, it is none other than Matt Hardy. Kane then comes out and is introduced as Matt’s tag team partner.
Mr. Money in the Bank, CM Punk, then makes his way down to the ring followed by the Charismatic Enigma, Jeff Hardy.
Match 1: Matt Hardy & Kane v. CM Punk & Jeff Hardy
The two brothers start things off as the bell rings. Unfortunately, Matt quickly tags in Kane and the monster quickly shoves Jeff back into CM Punk. The referee says a tag was made and the two faces quickly enter the ring and double team Kane with numerous punches and kicks. Jeff is then ordered to wait in the corner as Punk attacks Kane with a standing dropkick. Punk then makes the quick tag back out to Jeff, but as soon as Jeff enters, Kane thrusts him down. Matt then gladly wants the tag and so, he is indeed tagged in. Matt attempts to hold Jeff, but Jeff tackles Matt into the turnbuckle and strikes at him several times with clothesline. With Matt grounded in the turnbuckle, Jeff attempts a dropkick, but Matt slides out of the ring. Punk gets off the apron and doesn’t allow Matt to run away. As Matt turns around, Jeff splashes over the top ropes and onto his older brother.
-Commercial-
Back, Jeff Hardy uses CM Punk as a catapult and splashes onto Kane. Following a 1 count, Jeff turns his back on Kane and stares at Matt, but from behind, Kane kicks Jeff onto the outside. While out there, Matt gets in a couple of cheap shots. Kane then drags Jeff back in the ring for a 2 count. Matt is then tagged in and he strikes Jeff with an elbow shot to the back of the head. Matt then places Jeff in the corner and hits him in the face some more. Jeff struggles to fight back, but is quickly body slammed. Matt then begins a series of leg drops. Matt smiles as the crowd boos. Matt goes for the pin, but gets a 2 count. The crowd then starts to get behind Jeff. Following a headlock by Matt, Jeff rams Matt into the turnbuckle and eventually connects with a flying clothesline. With both men down, the referee begins his 10 count. Matt is able to get back up and he tags in Kane. Kane enters and immediately executes a standing vertical suplex. Kane then tags out to Matt and Matt chokes Jeff in the corner with his feet. Matt hooks the leg, but again he gets a 2 count. Matt then applies a sleeper hold and finally this time breaks loose and connects with a Whisper in the Wind. As Jeff goes for the pin, Kane breaks it up. Punk gets in the ring and dropkicks Kane to the outside before taking Kane down with a suicide dive through the ropes. Back in the ring, Jeff strikes Matt with a rolling dropkick and signals for a Twist of Fate, but Matt is able to shove Jeff into dazzled Kane, who had just made it back on the apron. With Jeff stunned from the collision, Matt rolls Jeff up from behind and picks up the first win of the night.
Post-Match: “3 in a row for Matt Hardy!” claims JR, referring to Matt’s winning streak over his brother. Matt walks back up the ramp smiling at Jeff.
(Match Rating: 3.5/5. Good opening bout with excellent tag team action from both teams. I must say, I am anxious to see where this Kane/Punk rivalry will lead up to.)
Still to Come: Undertaker vs. Big Show
Be sure to get the May edition of WWE Magazine.
WWE Did You Know? WWE’s current European tour has featured sell outs in Germany, France, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
A video package plays here hyping the six man tag match for the WWE Championship at Backlash this Sunday.
The Big Show starts to make his entrance down towards the ring.
-Commercial-
Big Show is still in the ring and has a microphone in hand. Show says that the superstars of SmackDown! will be able to sleep a lot easier as tonight is Show’s last night on the blue brand. Show then claims that tonight, he will turn out Undertaker’s light.
Gong! Light’s go out…
Thunder strikes and the Phenom emerges to a well deserved chorus of cheers!
Match 2: Big Show v. Undertaker
Bell rings and both men try to intimidate each other by teasing a few boxing-like punches. Eventually, Undertaker gets in a headlock, but Show powers out of it by striking the abdominal area of the Deadman with numerous body punches. “Undertaker” chants already echo throughout the arena. Undertaker retaliates with a punch to the face of the giant, but Show decks the Phenom a few more times and proceeds to connect with a headbutt to take a brief control of the match. After a few more headbutts from Show, Undertaker struggles to get back up by using the ropes. Show backs off and charges at Undertaker, but Undertaker dodges the giant causing Show to get tied up with the ropes. At this point, Undertaker big boots Show and the giant falls onto the outside of the ring.
-Commercial-
Back, Undertaker punishes Show with his signature guillotine leg drop. As Undertaker tries to get back in the ring, Show quickly strikes the Phenom with a high side kick. Show then connects with a standing leg drop and Undertaker appears to be hurting. Following a few clubs to the back, Show chokes Undertaker using the ropes. Finally after a minute or so, Undertaker starts to fight back with several punches, but Show takes the Phenom down with a power clothesline. Show then lifts the Dead Man up, but suddenly Undertaker grabs Show by the throat. The crowd cheers, but Show quickly elbows Undertaker on the back of the head. Show then signals for Chokeslam and yes, he connects with it. Show goes for the pin, but gets a 2 count! Show appears to be angry and as a result, he applies a dragon-sleeper. Not long after, Undertaker reverses this submission hold into a snap DDT for a 2 count. As both men slowly make it back to their feet, they each exchange a few punches. The crowd cheers when Undertaker strikes and boos when Big Show strikes back. Show gets the better with his body shots, but Undertaker manages to dodge one of the shots and eventually connects with a jumping clothesline. As Show slowly gets back up, Undertaker grabs one of Show’s arm and attempts Old School. As Undertaker comes down, Show strikes the Phenom with the KO Punch. Undertaker staggers several times before collapsing. “Undertaker!” chants emerge once again. Undertaker slowly gets back up using the ropes, but Show strikes him down with yet another KO Punch! Show goes to grab Undertaker once more, but the referee stops the match claiming that Show has won via knockout.
Post-Match: The crowd is in awe. Show boast and holds his fists high up in the air as the crowd boos him. Undertaker slowly gets back up to his feet and he begs Show to fight some more. Show laughs and says that he is going to leave, but instead he tries to get a cheap shot on the Phenom. Undertaker ducks and punches Show in the face several times and eventually Show falls out of the ring. He quickly starts to hustle back up the ramp while smiling.
(Match Rating: 3.5/5. Rather slow at times, but I’ll give this match the benefit of the doubt. Sure the ending was lame, but the bigger picture here is that Big Show is looking very dominant in recent weeks. Could this lead to a main event program with the top superstars on RAW?)
Still to Come: Shane McMahon & Batista vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Up Next: Gail Kim vs. Maryse for the Divas Championship.
-Commercial-
The Divas Champion, Maryse, makes her way down to the ring. Grisham says that she is hated more so over here in London than in the United States.
Gail Kim is then introduced.
Divas Championship
Match 3: Maryse v. Gail Kim
Both divas get face to face and Maryse slaps Kim. Kim retaliates with a few punches before slamming the champions face into the mat. Kim then gets on the second rope and body splashes onto Maryse for a 2 count. Then, as Kim tries to lift Maryse, the divas champion strikes Kim in the abdominal area and proceeds to connect with a standing face-buster. Maryse then pounds Kim’s head into the mat several times before showing off her body to the audience. Following this, Maryse applies a modified chin lock before rubbing Kim’s face onto the mat. At last, Kim elbows Maryse in the face and proceeds to connect with a few clotheslines to build some momentum. Maryse tries run away to the second rope, but Kim stops her there eventually connects with a very nice hurricanrana. Kim then decides to go the top rope, but Maryse slides out of the ring and starts to head to the back. Kim chases Maryse down and shoves her back into the ring. As Kim attempts to get back in the ring, Maryse quickly chokes her on the ropes and then connects with her finishing maneuver, the French Kiss (DDT) for the win.
Post-Match: Maryse holds the Divas Championship high above her head as she receives a mixed ovation.
(Match Rating: 3/5. Short, but very enjoyable divas match. Maryse has come a long way as one of better charismatic divas on the roster. I will miss her, but having Melina on the brand won’t be a bad trade-off either.)
Jeff Hardy is backstage and it appears to be one his rather bizarre type of promos. He says that words like extreme and intensity used to mean everything to him and that he used to wake up every morning knowing who he was and where he wanted to go. “Living for the moment wasn’t just a catchphrase, it used to mean something. But things have changed Matt. You beat me at WrestleMania which was the biggest moment in your career without a doubt. You said you were going to carry me out on a stretcher and that’s exactly what you did. You even won again tonight. So Congrats Matt, your over confidence will kill you.” Jeff then concludes that after Backlash when Matt walks into RAW the next night, he will be known as the older Hardy who quit when it mattered the most and it won’t be just for the moment, but for the rest of his life.
(Segment Rating: 5/5. Wow, talk about unique. This was very different and thus, it was very good!)
The United States Champion, MVP, is backstage heading towards the ring. He is in action next.
-Commercial-
A Backlash promo is aired here.
A clip from The View is shown and it features MVP. Sherry Shepherd, from The View, apparently has a crush on MVP.
MVP makes his way down to the ring. His opponent is Chavo Guerrero.
Match 4: MVP v. Chavo Guerrero.
Bell rings and the two lock up. Chavo shoves MVP off, but MVP retaliates with a shoulder-block. MVP tries to continue the damage, but the referee pulls MVP back as Chavo holds onto the ropes. This allows Chavo for a cheap shot as he strikes MVP with a running knee strike followed by a series of forearm shots. Just moments later however, MVP manages to bodyslam Chavo and then tries for a clothesline, but Chavo ducks and dropkicks the Ballin Superstar out of the ring. Chavo then hurls MVP back in the ring and when the self proclaimed Mexican Warrior tries to get back in the ring as well, MVP cuts him off with a knee lift followed by a vertical suplex from the apron to the inside of the ring. This allows MVP to set up his opponent for his Ballin Elbow Drop and yes, he connects. After a 2 count, Chavo jabs MVP and then charges at him, but gets caught with an overhead throw. Following this, MVP connects with the Playmaker for the win.
Post-Match: MVP celebrates his win when Dolph Ziggler suddenly comes out. He speaks from the stage area and congratulates MVP. Ziggler then lets MVP know that he is coming for his United States Championship next week.
(Match Rating: 3/5. Decent match given the time it was given. I’m not a very big fan of Ziggler and I don’t know where we are headed, but it does have me scratching my head.)
Still to Come: Shane McMahon & Batista vs. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
-Commercial-
A clip of John Cena talking about his Last Man Standing Match against Edge played here. It was the same clip that aired last night during WWE Superstars.
JR and Todd Grisham thank Beer Union for “Season,” the official theme song for Backlash. The commentators then go over the Backlash card.
“I Walk Alone” hits and out comes the Animal, Batista, to a good ovation.
-Commercial-
Shane McMahon is introduced as Batista’s tag team partner. He too receives a good reaction from the UK audience.
The tandem of Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase then make their way down to the ring.
Main Event: Batista & Shane McMahon v. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Shane McMahon and Ted Dibiase start things off. Match begins with Dibiase cornering Shane and pounding on him until Shane counters back with a reverse back elbow followed by a nice armdrag takedown. Batista is then tagged in while Rhodes tags himself in. The Animal takes Rhodes down with a clothesline and gives Dibiase a powerful spinebuster. Batista tags in Shane he immediately elbow drops the downed Rhodes. Then, as Shane nears Rhodes, Rhodes gets a cheap shot in and tags in Dibiase. The Legacy members attempts a double team maneuver, but Batista gets in the ring and assists Shane by taking both guys down with a double clothesline. Batista and Shane then simultaneously clothesline both Rhodes and Dibiase out of the ring as the crowd cheers.
-Commercial-
Back, Batista and Shane double suplex the young Cody Rhodes. Batista then sends Rhodes to the corner where Rhodes is clotheslined. Shane is then tagged in and he and Batista do a backbreaker/elbow drop combo attack on Rhodes. Shane hooks the leg, but Dibiase interrupts the count. With Shane focused on Dibiase, Rhodes comes up from behind and strikes with a dropkick to the back of Shane’s head. Dibiase and Rhodes then make quick tags in and out to ground Shane with numerous punches and kicks. Shane attempts to fight back, but he is quickly taken down with a side Russian Leg Sweep. Dibiase is then tagged in and he enters the ring by dropping both of his knees to the lower abdominal area of Shane from the middle rope. After a 2 count, Rhodes is tagged back in and he strikes Shane with his rolling knee drop. Rhodes then applies a modified headlock as the crowd starts to get behind Shane. Shane starts to jab his way out of the hold and finds success as he is able to connect with a spike DDT. Batista then encourages the audience to get behind Shane. Rhodes slowly makes the tag to Dibiase and Dibiase immediately takes Batista off the apron so Shane could not get the tag. From behind, Shane rolls up Dibiase, but Dibiase shoves his way out of the pinfall. This shove accidentally made Shane bump into Batista, thus making the Animal fall off the apron once more. Batista, now angered, charges back in the ring and stares down Shane. From the corner of the screen, Rhodes comes flying off the top rope, but Batista shoves Shane to the side and takes down Rhodes with a mid-air spinebuster! Shane quickly kicks Dibiase out of the ring and pins Rhodes to earn his team the victory.
Post-Match: Batista helps Shane make it back to his feet and the two celebrate their victory with Batista showing no more signs of frustration. The two hug each other as JR asks, “will we see a hug come this Sunday or a new WWE Champion crowed at Backlash?”
(Match Rating: 3.5/5. Good main event to further hype the WWE Championship match at Backlash for this Sunday. Other than the Undertaker/Show match earlier tonight, this match had a lot of crowd interaction which made it a very enjoyable TV match.)
Quick Match Results:
-Match 1: Matt Hardy & Kane def. CM Punk & Jeff Hardy
-Match 2: Big Show def. Undertaker via KO
-Match 3: Maryse def. Gail Kim to retain Divas Championship
-Match 4: MVP def. Chavo Guerrero
-Main Event: Batista & Shane McMahon def. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Smack of the Night: Batista & Shane McMahon v. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Overall, tonight was a good show that featured a lot of solid action. I guess starting next week, the ‘landscape’ of the brands will alter as the WWE Draft will be in full effect. I am highly anxious to see the new superstars on the show! Final Rating: 8.5/10
Do you have any questions, concerns, or comments? If so, feel free to email me, MIK, at mik123@ymail.com
Do you have any questions, concerns, or comments? If so, feel free to email me, MIK, at mik123@ymail.com
