WWE Smackdown
January 29, 2010
Cincinnati, OH
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
?Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event?? The WWE video leads us into the show.
A video airs hyping the return of Degeneration-X to Smackdown to take on CM Punk and his Straightedge Society. They tease wondering what will happen since Triple H declared every man for himself at the Royal Rumble.
DX’s music hits and they make their entrance to thunderous applause. Apparently they?re opening the show up with the Tag Team Championship match. They get in the ring and the crowd chants for them. Triple H says he sees the army is here ? and they?re interrupted by Rey Mysterio’s music! Mysterio makes his way to the ring.
Mysterio grabs a microphone and says that he respects Shawn Michaels but he feels that he has no respect for him. Mysterio says he’s been watching Raw and all he’s seen is Michaels saying he?ll win the Royal Rumble and defeat Undertaker for the title at WrestleMania. Mysterio sees that HBK already has the conclusion laid out for this Sunday. HBK thinks Undertaker will beat him and retain the World Heavyweight Championship. Michaels says that’s exactly what he thinks. HBK wants to know what Mysterio is doing getting in his face.
Triple H steps in between them and says to calm down. Triple H says if he’s looking for a fight it’s the wrong week since Hornswoggle isn?t there. Mysterio says they?re all about jokes so he gives them a ?joke.? He’s going to do something that neither was able to do at WrestleMania. He’s going to do something they?ll never have a chance to do again ? beat the Undertaker. HBK asks what if he doesn?t make it to the Rumble and Mysterio asks the same question. Mysterio says if he has a problem they can take care of it in the ring tonight.
CM Punk’s music hits and he comes out with Luke Gallows and the bald Serena. Punk says Mysterio must be high on some illegal pharmaceutical substance. If he watched Raw and heard what HBK said then he should watch Smackdown because tonight the Straightedge Society will become the first ever Straightedge Unified Tag Team Champions. Punk came out for a reason and a purpose. He’s here to lead his crusade and he brought his disciples Luke Gallows and Serena with him. Triple H says he’s been watching Smackdown and, while he’s relieved to know he’s straight, the whole ?not drinking thing? is something no one gives a crap about. Punk says he’s looking at three people who do give a crap. Punk says not to pretend like he knows anything about him or straightedge. Triple H says he doesn?t know anything about it and he doesn?t get it. Triple H says he doesn?t smoke, drink, or do drugs, but at least he doesn?t look like he’s been on a weeklong crack binge with Amy Winehouse. That’s a good observation. Triple H says to have pride and clean up, like shaving the squirrel off his chin. Triple H says he smells and calls Serena Brittney Spears.
Teddy Long’s music hits and he says this isn?t going down like this. This is WWE and when opportunity knocks things can change. Punk and Gallows won?t get their Unified Tag Title shot tonight. Punk is pissed and asks why. Long says they?re going to do it bigger. Tonight Rey Mysterio will go one on one with the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels! Wow! Since Punk was expecting to compete in a match he?ll do just that, going one on one with the Game Triple H! Punk looks none too pleased. That match happens when we come back!
-Commercial Break-
The WWE Rewind is CM Punk shaving Serena’s head last Friday.
Triple H vs. CM Punk
The referee calls for the bell and this match begins. They take time before locking up. Triple H gets a side headlock and takes Punk down. Apparently Triple H sent HBK to the back. Punk fights up and whips him off only to be shoulder blocked down. Triple H goes into the ropes and blocks a hip toss attempt by Punk, countering with a clothesline for a one count. Triple H hits another headlock takeover and gets a one count. Punk fights up again and backs him to the corner. Punk hits some shoulder blocks and knees to the face. The referee has to back him off one he gets too aggressive. Punk bounces his head off the turnbuckle and punches. Triple H tries to fight back but Punk is able to keep the momentum on his side. Punk sends him into the ropes and lowers his head so Triple H attempts a Pedigree. Punk immediately gets out and bolts from the ring.
Luke Gallows check on Punk and Triple H pulls Punk up to the apron by his hair. Triple H brings him in the hard way and Gallows provides a distraction. Triple H goes to Punk on the apron and has his neck snapped off the top rope. Punk drops him with a springboard clothesline and we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Punk hit a snapmare and kick him in the back. This gets Punk a near fall. Punk grapevines the neck. During the break Triple H was hit with a baseball slide that sent him face first into the announcer’s table. Punk elbows him in the face a few times for a two count. Matt Striker calls Triple H the ?father of this industry.? What an insufferable kiss ass. Triple H fights back and goes into the ropes only to eat a spinning wheel kick for a two count. Punk whips him to the corner hard and Triple H drops to his knees. Punk hammers him in the corner before attempting to suplex him. Triple H blocks it and suplexes Punk.
Both men are down now, fighting to get up. Triple H is up first and he takes a SOLID roundhouse kick to the temple for a near fall! That was nasty. Punk locks the grapevine on again around the neck. Triple H eventually fights to the ropes to get out. Punk charges him in the corner and takes a boot. Punk then charges into a Double A Spinebuster. Triple H is hurting so he can?t capitalize on that. The referee begins the count and Punk is the first to answer.
Triple H hits some right hands before having a whip reversed on him. Punk lowers his head and gets a face buster. Triple H hammers him down in the corner. Triple H gives him the ?Suck it? taunt before hitting a straight right hand for a near fall. Punk ducks a clothesline but can?t duck that high knee for a two count. Triple H goes for a Pedigree but Punk counters with a back body drop. Punk hits a high knee in the corner and goes for the bulldog but Triple H counters with a knee buster. Triple H locks on a Figure Four Leg Lock and the crowd is wooing. Triple H illegally uses the ropes for leverage. Serena distracts the referee and Gallows elbows Triple H. Punk hits a spinning kick to the midsection and goes for the GTS but Triple H slides off. Triple H goes for the Pedigree and Serena jumps on his back, causing a disqualification.
Winner by Disqualification: Triple H
Match Rating: ** ?
Triple H rips her off and drops Punk with a right hand. Serena jumps on his back again and Luke Gallows comes in, hammering Triple H down in the corner. Gallows chokes him with his foot and brings him to the center of the ring. Punk elbows him in the neck a few times and Gallows gets the buzzer. Shawn Michaels runs down to help and fights them off. DX clotheslines Gallows over the top rope and Punk puts Serena in front of him. Punk then leaves the ring smiling. Shawn Michaels fakes hitting Serena with Sweet Chin Music and she quickly gets out of the ring. Triple H stomps on the buzzer and kicks it out of the ring. The Straightedge Society makes its way up the ramp.
Still to come tonight is Shawn Michaels vs. Rey Mysterio for the first time ever on Smackdown. I can?t wait! Also we?ll see Drew McIntyre defend the Intercontinental Championship against John Morrison in a No Disqualification match! I can?t wait for that either!
Chris Jericho will be in action next.
-Commercial Break-
As Jericho comes out we see how R-Truth pinned him in the tag match last week.
Chris Jericho vs. R-Truth
Jericho quickly kicks and punches R-Truth, bouncing his face off the turnbuckle. Jericho gets a side headlock on. R-Truth whips him off but gets shoulder blocked down. Jericho smiles before going into the ropes, over and under R-Truth, before getting dropped by a big hip toss. R-Truth hits a dropkick and clotheslines him over the top rope. R-Truth goes for a plancha but Jericho sidesteps him and he hits the ground hard! We?ll take a break here.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Jericho kick R-Truth hard in the midsection before doing the Hulk Hogan taunt. Jericho kicks him in the ribs a few times and knees him. Jericho talks some trash until R-Truth starts fighting back. R-Truth sends him into the ropes but gets caught with a front suplex on the top rope for a near fall. Jericho is really working the injured ribs from that missed plancha. Jericho hits a gut-buster and kicks him in the head a few times. Jericho locks an abdominal stretch on. R-Truth eventually gets out with a hip toss. Jericho goes right back with a kick. Jericho sends him to the ropes but R-Truth ducks the clothesline and hits one of his own.
R-Truth hits some big punches, knocking Jericho down. R-Truth has a whip reversed on him but he’s able to hit a head-scissors takeover and a jumping heel kick to the face for a near fall. R-Truth forearms him in the face but has a whip to the corner reversed. R-Truth slingshots over, splits under a clothesline, but Jericho avoids a big boot. Jericho locks on the Walls of Jericho but R-Truth immediately counters into an inside cradle for a near fall! Jericho kicks him and goes for the Codebreaker but R-Truth holds on to the ropes! R-Truth gets a jackknife pin for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: R-Truth
Match Rating: **
Chris Jericho is not happy about that as R-Truth goes up the ramp smiling.
Matt Striker and Todd Grisham hype up the World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble. They show a clip of Undertaker telling Mysterio he will ?Rest in Peace? last Friday. Then we see Batista attack Rey Mysterio until Undertaker stopped him. Batista left through the crowd.
Josh Mathews asks if his strategy has changed heading into the Royal Rumble. Batista says things haven?t changed. All he did was put the spotlight back where it belongs ? on him. He’s the rightful World Heavyweight Champion and was cheated out of the number one contender spot so he made a statement last week ? a simple and clear statement that he will win the Royal Rumble. He?ll secure his championship match at WrestleMania and win back what’s his. If anyone gets in his way like Shawn Michaels, Triple H, or John Cena, or any so called WWE Superstar, they?re going to get hurt.
John Morrison is walking backstage. He?ll be in a no disqualification match next!
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that WWE.com had over 4.3 billion page views in 2009 ? beating CBS.com, NBC.com, FOX.com, ABC.com, UFC.com, Nascar.com, and NBA.com? I don?t know why I repeat these things.
John Morrison comes into the ring and says he’s not Drew McIntyre. He’s not endorsed by the brass in the back. When he won the Intercontinental Championship he saw him drop it on the floor an hour later to give a chest bump to his buddy Sheamus. Dropping that title means that he doesn?t know what it means. McIntyre is talented but he doesn?t appreciate what he has because he takes shortcuts. McIntyre thinks he doesn?t have to play by the rules so tonight there are no rules. Tonight is No Disqualification and anything goes. McIntyre can?t cheat, run, or get counted out. Life is shrouded by sensation and delusion, and your Friday Night Delight will pull back his corporate tablecloth and show him he?ll have to fight just like everyone else.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
No Disqualification
John Morrison vs. Drew McIntyre (c)
The match begins and they circle the ring. Morrison kicks and punches McIntyre to the corner. McIntyre puts himself through the ropes, which would necessitate a break, but it’s no DQ. Morrison punches him and brings him back in. McIntyre hits a jawbreaker but quickly runs into a jumping calf kick for a near fall. Morrison clotheslines McIntyre over the top rope. Morrison gets out of the ring and McIntyre hits him in the midsection with a kendo stick! McIntyre clubs it on his back and sends him in the ring for a two count.
McIntyre shoves him into the corner and hits some big clubs. McIntyre hits a short-arm clothesline and taunts the crowd before covering for a near fall. McIntyre locks on an arm bar with a knee to the back. Morrison fights up and forearms out. McIntyre reverses a whip to the corner so Morrison tries a slingshot and McIntyre kicks him in the ribs. McIntyre gets a near fall for that.
Morrison punches back and his back has some serious welts on it. Morrison hits some kicks and some big punches which take McIntyre down. McIntyre leaves the ring, grabs his title, and Morrison punches him in the face. Morrison throws him in the ring, ducks a belt shot, and punches away. McIntyre kicks him in the midsection and the face. McIntyre grounds and pounds before picking up his title and taunting.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Morrison fight out of an arm bar but McIntyre connects with some knees to the midsection. McIntyre goes for his Double Arm DDT but Morrison gets out. Morrison goes for a Flying Chuck but McIntyre shoves him over the top rope! McIntyre grabs the steel steps. McIntyre throws them but Morrison quickly avoids it! McIntyre clotheslines him over the barricade into the fan’s laps. McIntyre follows and Morrison shoves him down on the concrete! Morrison punches away and throws him back over the barricade. Morrison runs and leaps over the barricade with a clothesline! Morrison taunts and the crowd is really in to him.
Morrison punches and hits McIntyre in the midsection with the kendo stick! Morrison smashes it across his back for good measure! McIntyre thumbs his eye, much like TLC, and McIntyre pushes him down. McIntyre grabs the kendo stick and charges into a hip toss on the ring steps! Morrison throws him into the ring and covers for a near fall. Morrison goes for Starship Pain but McIntyre gets his knees up! McIntyre then hits his Double Arm DDT on top of the Intercontinental Championship and covers John Morrison for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Drew McIntyre
Match Rating: ** ?
Drew McIntyre stands over a broken John Morrison.
Still to come tonight is Rey Mysterio taking on Shawn Michaels for the first time ever on Smackdown.
-Commercial Break-
Matt Striker thanks Skillet for the use of their song ?Hero,? an official theme song of the Royal Rumble.
Michelle McCool’s music hits and she makes her way to the ring. McCool says since she’s kind and considerate she did all her fans a huge favor last week. She sent Piggie James back to the barnyard for good. She tells them not to be upset since she’s right where she belongs. If the crowd is anything like her (she says they?re not) she can?t stop smiling. We then see footage of the crap from last week where McCool shoved cake in her face and poured punch on her head. McCool says she came, she ate, she ate some more, and went wee, wee, wee all the way home. McCool says she?d be mad if she were the crowd, not being able to see her defend her title at the Rumble against Piggie James.
Since she’s a fighting champion she?ll put her Women’s Title on the line right now. Mickie James? music hits and it’s Layla dressed in a fat suit with a pig nose on. This is the worst diva storyline ever. She’s eating cake and saying she’s crying because she didn?t get enough cake last week. ?Piggie? James says she’s starving and McCool says it looks like she hasn?t lost weight. She gyrates in the ring and McCool takes the doughnut.
Michelle McCool vs. Layla (?Piggie James?)
Layla chases her and almost gets counted out. She runs into the corner and McCool trips her to get the win. They?re serious with this crap?
Winner by Pinfall: Michelle McCool
Match Rating: -****
This is so bad I can?t even put it into words to properly describe it. I cannot wait for this garbage to be over. For months people have talked about wanting the divas to have a storyline ? I?m sure this isn?t what they had in mind.
Still to come is Rey Mysterio taking on Shawn Michaels.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that since the Royal Rumble’s inception in 1988, more than half of the Royal Rumble winners have gone on to win the title at WrestleMania?
The Royal Rumble numbers video airs. I really like this video.
Todd Grisham and Matt Striker run down the card for the Royal Rumble. It doesn?t look too bad.
Shawn Michaels is walking backstage with his titles. Batista interrupts him. Batista says he doesn?t care about his obsession with Undertaker. Batista tells him to stay out of his face at the Rumble. HBK says he always thought Batista was overrated. Batista says something until Triple H interrupts him. They have a face off and Triple H asks if he wants to say anything. Batista looks at him and walks away.
Rey Mysterio’s music hits. He?ll take on Shawn Michaels next.
-Commercial Break-
Rey Mysterio vs. Shawn Michaels
The match begins and they lock up. Michaels gets a quick side headlock and he hits a takeover. Mysterio fights up and whips him off but goes down to a shoulder block. Mysterio immediately gets in Michaels? face so HBK chops him down. HBK throws him in the corner and chops him. HBK whips him to the opposite corner. Mysterio slingshots over but quickly gets chopped back down. Mysterio reverses a whip to the corner and charges but HBK moves. HBK slides Mysterio out of the ring but he lands on his feet. HBK follows to the outside and Mysterio quickly gets in. Mysterio goes into the ropes as he gets in the ring and head-scissors him into position. Mysterio goes into the ropes for the 619 but HBK gets out of the ring.
They lock up and HBK knees him in the midsection. HBK kicks him in the face before chopping him hard in the corner. Mysterio’s chest is already beet red. Mysterio turns him in the corner and hits some strikes. HBK quickly turns him and chops him again. Mysterio gets out of the ring for a breather and HBK chops him down on the outside hard. HBK hits a snapmare and stomps his face. HBK sends him to the ropes but Mysterio holds on. HBK charges into a drop toe hold in 619 position. Mysterio goes into the ropes and ducks Sweet Chin Music. HBK charges into a boot and Mysterio hits a hurricanrana that takes them both over the top rope! We?ll take a break here.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Mysterio kick HBK in the knee a few times. Mysterio punches him to the corner and punches him down. Mysterio pulls him out of the corner and works on the knee with kicks and stretches. Mysterio hits a snapmare and locks on a leg bar. Mysterio takes a chop but quickly punches back. HBK chops again a few times and Mysterio sends him to the ropes. Mysterio lowers his head and takes a neckbreaker. HBK is holding his knee.
HBK chops him in the corner and I think Mysterio’s chest is cut. HBK sends him to the corner and runs into a drop toe hold. Mysterio goes to the top rope and HBK sweeps the feet, tying Mysterio up in the tree of woe. Mysterio’s surgically repaired knee may be in jeopardy. Mysterio blocks a body slam but can?t avoid HBK’s modified Figure Four. Mysterio is screaming in pain and frantically reaching for the ropes. Mysterio eventually gets there and the hold is released. HBK brings him out by the leg and Mysterio hits an enzuigiri.
Both men are down now. They trade chops and punches. HBK has a whip reversed on him but he’s able to hit a flying forearm. HBK kips up and goes for his inverted atomic drop but Mysterio amazingly hits a hurricanrana! HBK charges into a boot and Mysterio hits a top rope seated senton for a near fall! Mysterio ducks a clothesline and goes for a springboard cross-body but HBK counters into an inverted atomic drop! HBK drops him with a chop for a near fall. HBK goes for a powerslam but Mysterio counters into a reverse DDT.
Mysterio goes for a springboard splash but HBK gets his knees up! HBK goes to the top rope and hits his trademark elbow drop! HBK is tuning up the band now. Mysterio surprises him with a wheel kick and hits the 619! Mysterio goes for the West Coast Pop and HBK takes his head off with SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! Wow!! Batista then runs in and Spears HBK! Batista then hits a Spinebuster on Rey Mysterio and the match is thrown out.
Winner: No Contest
Match Rating: ***
Triple H runs down and trades punches with Batista. Triple H hits a Double A Spinebuster and hits a clothesline that takes him and Batista over the top rope! HBK and Mysterio are still in the ring, recovering from their injuries. All of a sudden the GONG hits and the lights go out. The lights come back on and Undertaker is standing over them! Undertaker grabs them both by the throat! Undertaker looks them both in the eyes before hitting a Double Chokeslam! The blue lights come on and Undertaker stands dominant in the ring!
Quick Match Results
Triple H def. CM Punk via DQ
R-Truth def. Chris Jericho
Drew McIntyre def. John Morrison to retain the IC Title
Michelle McCool def. Layla (?Piggie James?)
Rey Mysterio NC Shawn Michaels
Bump of the Night: HBK’s Sweet Chin Music counter of a West Coast Pop!
Match of the Night: Rey Mysterio vs. Shawn Michaels ***
Mike’s Thoughts
Wow ? that was an amazing Smackdown. Last week I was optimistic of the two matches that were announced. Then one of them got scrapped and in its place was put two awesome matches. What an improvement from last week’s poor effort. Everything was put over well for the Rumble and this was a tremendous go home show.
Rey Mysterio and Shawn Michaels put on one hell of a match tonight. This is a match I?ve wanted to see for years. The only time I?ve seen it was during the Eddie Guerrero Raw Tribute Show. I hope that sometime after WrestleMania we can see some kind of rivalry with them. What they showed tonight was amazing and I know if given the opportunity at a PPV they could do even more. Just amazing.
I really enjoyed the No Disqualification Intercontinental Championship Match tonight. John Morrison and Drew McIntyre put it all on the line and gave us a great show. The weapon use wasn?t too heavy but I was happy to see them fight into the crowd. They had some nice spots that made the match exciting. I particularly liked Morrison’s promo before the match. It was real strong. He’s slowly but surely getting better as he goes with promos.
CM Punk and Triple H put on a good showing as well. Punk’s Straightedge Society is great. I?m really interested to see how it goes with DX over the next few weeks since they still haven?t had their shot yet. We could be in for some entertaining television.
The only dull note of the night was the Divas. I simply cannot take another week of the Michelle McCool and Mickie James storyline. This Diva storyline is so bad that it’s on par with Torrie Wilson and Dawn Marie from 2002-2003. That ended at the Rumble too. It’s just so bad its embarrassing.
Final Rating: *** ?
Agree with me or not? Shoot me an e-mail!
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Be sure to check out yesterday’s Superstars recap.
Enjoy the 2010 Royal Rumble! Thanks for reading!
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