WWE Smackdown
August 14, 2009
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
?Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event?? The WWE video leads us into the show.
The Smackdown video plays and we?re brought into the arena with a big pyrotechnics display. Wow that was bizarre. My DVR automatically went to the Spanish version so I was welcomed to the show by Hugo Savinovich and Carlos Cabrera. I changed it back to Jim Ross and Todd Grisham. Just thought I?d point that out. Tonight’s Main Event will be CM Punk taking on John Morrison. We?ll also see JTG battle Big Show.
They now bring us to a video recap of last week’s show. The video starts off with CM Punk’s promo, telling us that we need him, and it leads to the beat down from Jeff Hardy. Vince McMahon then came out to remind Teddy Long he’s on probation and that he has added a Special Guest Enforcer to the World Heavyweight Championship match. That enforcer turned out to be Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy’s estranged brother. Matt Hardy wound up saving the match for his brother and counting the pinfall. Matt then quickly left so we?re left wondering what that’s all about. CM Punk then demolished Jeff Hardy after the match, putting a chair around Hardy’s head and throwing him into the ring post. Teddy Long then made a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for Summerslam between Punk and Hardy for the World Heavyweight Title!
Tony Chimel, who is announcing for Smackdown tonight, asks us to welcome the Number One Contender CM Punk. Punk comes out to jeers from the crowd but he doesn?t mind as he walks to the ring clapping. Punk gets in the ring and grabs a microphone. Punk mentions that Teddy Long said last week that Tables, Ladders, and Chairs is Jeff Hardy’s specialty, but it’s not the first time as Long is wrong. When it comes to ladders nobody is better than him. He’s proven that time in and time out with consistency. As far as chairs, he proved last week how dangerous he can be with one. You don?t have to be a WWE historian to know this ? he’s competed in two back to back Money in the Bank Ladder Matches at WrestleMania, and both times he’s come out victorious.
Punk says he can stay out here and waste his time telling us the difference between right and wrong, the importance of virtues like honesty and integrity, but he knows we?re all just slaves to Jeff Hardy and his ?In the moment? propaganda. Besides, anything he says will make us love Jeff Hardy that much more. Punk says he’s figured out what he has to do to make us see the light. Punk’s figured out the daunting task he has to do to get us to live a healthy lifestyle ? a lifestyle where we?re productive and contribute in society instead of contributing to the statistics of alcohol and drug abuse. All Punk has to do is END Jeff Hardy. Punk wants to do that the same way he lives his life ? the right way. Straight up, one on one, no outside enforcers with family ties causing confliction. Just him and Jeff with the World Heavyweight Championship hanging above their heads? and TLC.
It’s typical of Hardy to screw everything up in his life like he always has. Hardy’s already well on his way to screwing this up because he’s heard Hardy won?t even make it to Summerslam. No one is more disappointed than Punk. Punk was going to go on but he’s interrupted by General Manager Theodore Long’s music.
Teddy Long gets in the ring and says what CM Punk did last week was deplorable. Long asks if Punk realizes he could have ended Hardy’s career last week. Long says before Punk starts making alternative plans for Summerslam, he came out here to tell Punk that Jeff Hardy will be here tonight. As we know he’s in no condition to compete but he’s assured Long that he will be ready to fight at Summerslam! Long then reminds Punk that he?ll go one on one with the man he has yet to defeat on Smackdown, John Morrison! Punk says he’s sick of Long being a Jeff Hardy suck-up, like all us fans. Tonight Punk will be John Morrison and then at Summerslam he?ll be Long’s poster boy.
All of a sudden he’s interrupted by Jeff Hardy’s music and the World Heavyweight Champion slowly makes his way to the ring! Hardy gets in the ring and soaks in the cheers from the fans. Hardy looks super tan like his brother Matt did last week. Hardy says he’s hurt, but he’s here and in Punk’s face! Hardy goes face to face with Punk and says nothing will stop him ? he?ll endure the pain and retain his championship at Summerslam! Hardy’s music plays and he looks a bit woozy before leaving the ring. Punk is smiling watching his broken opponent walk away.
Jim Ross and Todd Grisham talk about Kane’s abduction of Ranjin Singh. We now see a video of Ranjin Singh being taken away by Kane through the crowd. JR says that the rumors are that Kane has brought Singh to this arena with him and they?re somewhere in the bowels of this arena.
-Commercial Break-
We see Teddy Long in his office when he gets a phone call (his ringtone is his entrance music ? cute). It’s Vince McMahon and Long looks distressed as McMahon tells him he wants Hardy in action tonight. Long is reminded that he’s on probation. McMahon wants Jeff Hardy in a two-on-one handicap match against the Hart Dynasty! Long accepts, since he’s on probation, and hangs up the phone.
Finlay vs. Dolph Ziggler
We see Dolph Ziggler pinning Finlay to earn a shot at Rey Mysterio’s Intercontinental Championship at Summerslam. After the match Finlay distracted Ziggler long enough for Mysterio to blindside him with a seated senton off the announcer’s table.
My favorite referee in the whole world returns this week as Charles Robinson is taking this one over. The match begins and they circle the ring. They lock up and Finlay quickly gets a headlock on. Ziggler whips him off and gets shoulder blocked down. Ziggler gets up angrily as Finlay smiles at him. Ziggler goes for a lock up but Finlay controls him with a nerve hold and an elbow to the face. Finlay delivers a few European Uppercuts before bouncing Ziggler’s head off the turnbuckle. Finlay goes for it again but Ziggler reverses it. Finlay rolls out of the ring. Ziggler goes for a baseball slide but Finlay catches him between the apron and beats him down.
Finlay clubs Ziggler down on the outside and rolls him in the ring. Finlay gets on the apron and Ziggler shoulder blocks him back first into the ring post. Ziggler then delivers a vicious kick to Finlay’s head, sandwiching his head between his boot and the ring post! Ziggler rolls him back into the ring and smiles as he sees Mike Knox walking to the ring. Ziggler covers for a near fall. Ziggler beats on Finlay some more as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Finlay locked in an arm bar. Ziggler also has his forearm across Finlay’s throat. We see Mike Knox watching intently at ringside. Finlay fights up and arm drags Ziggler off only to get clotheslined right back down for a two count. Ziggler kicks him in the temple and punches him a bit. Ziggler hits a snapmare and a big elbow drop for a two count. Ziggler locks the dreaded chin lock on now. Ziggler has it on tight before releasing it to elbow him in the back of the neck.
Finlay angrily strikes back with a slap to the chest but Ziggler controls him with punches in the corner. Finlay then explodes with a double leg takedown and the ground and pound. Ziggler then stuns him with a quick and drops him with a neckbreaker for a two count. Ziggler goes to the second rope and comes off into Finlay’s boot. Ziggler charges into Finlay’s boot and eats some forearms. Finlay sends Ziggler into the ropes but lowers his head and eats a kick. Ziggler charges but Finlay is able to catch him on his shoulders and he hits the Rolling Hills for a near fall!
Finlay clotheslines Ziggler down three times before hitting a cannonball to the midsection. Finlay drives a shoulder into Ziggler in the corner before having a whip reversed on him in the corner. Finlay tries to slingshot over Ziggler but gets caught and is thrown to the apron. Finlay cuts Ziggler off and throws him out of the ring. Finlay then comes off the apron and clotheslines him on the outside! Finlay puts him back in the ring and kicks Mike Knox in the face when he tries to interfere! Finlay hot shots Ziggler off the top rope. The referee checks on Ziggler as Mike Knox hits Finlay in the back of the knee with the shillelagh, allowing Dolph Ziggler to hit his Jumping Reverse Bulldog for the win! They need to name his finisher?
Winner by Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Match Rating: **
Mike Knox gets in the ring with the shillelagh while Finlay is still down. Finlay gets up and kicks Knox a few times. Knox then goes into the ropes and hits his flying cross-body block, crushing Finlay. Knox then throws Finlay out of the ring. Knox disassembles the ring steps and sidewalk slams Finlay on top of them! Ouch! Knox grabs a microphone and says its common knowledge that the human body has 206 bones. Knox says what fascinates him is that the slightest trauma on the cervical vertebrae can leave one in quite a lot of excruciating discomfort. Knox cut the whole promo Hannibal Lector style. That was strange, but interesting. Strangely the Edmonton crowd was silent throughout that.
Still to come is CM Punk vs. John Morrison! We?ll also see Jeff Hardy take on the Hart Dynasty.
Backstage we see Ranjin Singh tied to a chair, begging to be let go. Kane says to say what he wants him to say. Kane wants him to look into the camera and say what he wants him to say. Kane then grabs him by the throat and Singh says his name. Singh then says he’s being punished for his association with the Great Khali. Singh says he’s being treated fairly and he has been well taken care of. Singh then speaks Indian until Kane slaps him around. Kane then shows his face on camera and he says he wants to hear and see Khali. Kane wants him to come and have a look at his handiwork.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know more than seven times as many people watched Smackdown last Friday than ESPN? Who do they think sits back in their arm chair and says ?Wow? to that statement?
A video for R-Truth plays, similar to the videos that play on Superstars. I actually think this is the same video from a Superstars episode. It was a good video building R-Truth up.
Backstage Maria is trying to decide with Melina what to wear on her date with Dolph Ziggler. Melina asks her what she’s doing on Summerslam weekend. Maria says they?re going out a few days early because Dolph knows she loves LA. Layla walks up and says this is cute. Layla tells Maria to watch out because Dolph can do better and once he realizes that he’s going to leave. Melina says she wishes Melina would leave. Layla says she’s here to deliver a message, and that message is Michelle McCool will be back next week. Melina says she has a message and she?ll give it to Layla in the ring. I guess Melina is an Assistant General Manager?
John Morrison’s music hits and the Guru of Greatness makes his way to the ring. He?ll take on CM Punk next!
-Commercial Break-
John Morrison vs. CM Punk
Mike Chioda calls for the bell and the match begins. They circle the ring before locking up. Punk gets a headlock on and Morrison counters into a wristlock. Punk tries to get out but Morrison catches him in a waist lock and rolls him up for a one count. Morrison gets a front face lock on, which Punk turns into a hammerlock. Morrison counters into a takedown and locks on an arm bar. They turn this into a test of strength. Punk bends Morrison into a bridge but Morrison is able to power up. Punk stuns him with a kick to the midsection and stomps on his hand before kicking him in the chest.
Punk hits a forearm and goes into the ropes only for Morrison to cross-body his legs, tripping him. Morrison then springboards into the ring to the second rope and hits a moonsault for a near fall! Morrison bounces Punk off the turnbuckle and hits the Flying Chuck for another near fall! Punk tries to get out of the ring and does. Morrison gets on the apron and Punk kicks his legs out. Punk bounces Morrison chest first off the apron before kicking him in the chest. Punk then hangs Morrison over the apron and goes to the second rope. Punk comes off the second rope with a double knee drop to the back of the neck, knocking Morrison to the outside! That was a nice move!
-Commercial Break-
We come back to see Morrison locked in a head-scissors. Punk is choking him out with his legs. Punk elbows him a few times in the face before releasing and covering for a near fall. Punk catapults Morrison into the corner but Morrison lands on the second rope and hits a flying cross-body for a near fall! Punk quickly takes him down with a clothesline. Punk smiles at the crowd before arrogantly covering Morrison for a two count. Punk locks on a chin lock. Morrison fights up and backs Punk into the corner. Morrison tries to snapmare Punk off but Punk holds on and keeps the hold on. Morrison punches Punk a few times but is stunned by a kick.
Punk goes for a back drop but Morrison lands on his feet. Morrison hits an inverted backbreaker followed by a Russian Leg Sweep for a two count. Morrison ducks a clothesline and a roundhouse kick. Morrison hits some punches before getting trapped in a headlock. Morrison whips Punk off and takes him down with two clotheslines. Morrison sends Punk back into the ropes and hits a calf kick followed by a STANDING Shooting Star Press for a near fall! Morrison goes to the top rope and flies off with a cross-body block for a near fall! I can?t believe we got this guy through the supplemental draft!
Morrison goes for the running knee but Punk blocks that with a kick to the knee cap. Punk gets an inside cradle for a near fall. Punk hits a pair of punches before roundhouse kicking him in the face for a near fall. Punk signals it’s time for the GTS. Punk gets Morrison on his shoulders. Morrison tries to get out so Punk drives his head into the turnbuckle. Punk sends Morrison into the corner and hits a high knee followed by a bulldog for a near fall!
Punk is frustrated now as he lays in some big right hands. Punk sends Morrison into the ropes and goes for a tilt-a-whirl but Morrison counters into DDT and covers for a near fall! Morrison goes for Starship Pain but Punk moves and Morrison lands on his feet! Morrison hits the Oklahoma roll for a near fall. Morrison follows this up with a running knee and sets him up in the corner. Morrison goes for Starship Pain only to be crotched on the top rope! Morrison is in the Tree of Woe and Punk lays in some heavy duty kicks and knees. Punk now gets him on his shoulders and hits the GTS for the win! This was a great match!
Winner by Pinfall: CM Punk
Match Rating: ***
Still to come tonight is Jeff Hardy taking on the Hart Dynasty.
-Commercial Break-
Melina makes her way to the ring. Layla makes her way after and we?re interrupted by?
?Kane assaulting Ranjin Singh after asking him why Khali is such a freak. Singh says he’s not a freak ? he’s his brother! Kane asks if he’s jealous of his brother and asks if he?ll save him ? or does he hate him? All Kane knows is if Khali is going to save him he better be quick because he’s running out of patience. This is great stuff? and by great I mean I?m laughing.
-Commercial Break-
Melina vs. Layla
The bell rings as we come back from the commercial break. They lock up and Layla pushes Melina into the ropes. Layla has a kick blocked so she slaps Melina and runs out of the ring. Melina follows her only to be clotheslined down on the outside. Layla throws her back in the ring for a one count. Melina hits some forearms before sending Layla into the ropes. Layla counters into an inside cradle but has too much momentum and slides out of it. Layla quickly covers for a one count. Props for trying but do Diva matches really need 900 intricate spots thrown into a three minute match?
Layla knees Melina in the midsection and sends her to the corner. Melina kicks Layla in the head and goes to the second rope. Layla then lays her out in a reverse tree of woe (Melina is hanging toward the outside). Layla then pulls her hair through the ropes. Layla then brings her off the top rope with a face plant for a two count. Layla then bends Melina’s leg to touch her own head and pulls her head back some more! Melina gets out by pulling her hair. Layla goes for a knee buster but Melina gets to her feet and pushes her off. Layla then big boots her down. Layla chokes her on the bottom rope. A ?Let’s go Oilers? chant breaks out. Oh Canada!
Melina kicks Layla in the midsection and drop toe holds her into the ropes. Melina kicks her in the head before hitting an off the top rope face plant. Melina blocks a kick and clotheslines her down twice. Melina sends Layla into the corner and blocks a kick. Melina hangs her across the second rope and drives both knees into her midsection. Layla rolls through a sunset flip and hits a dropkick to the face. Layla then runs into a flapjack for a two count. Melina hits a shoulder thrust before sliding through her legs and hitting the Primal Scream for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Melina
Match Rating: * ?
Oh great ? we?re going to get a look at the reformation of DX. Spare me.
Cryme Tyme’s music hits and they make their way to the ring. JTG will be in action next against Big Show. Shad grabs a microphone and gives it to JTG. They do their ?Yo, yo, yo? thing and remind everyone that JTG has ?mad skills.? JTG says Christina got dealt with last week, and he knows it. Shad says they come out every week saying what they did. In the real, Cryme Tyme is coming up real strong. Chris Jericho and Big Show need to watch their back because it doesn?t matter what they?ve done because come Summerslam they?ll be Unified Tag Team Champions. They then do ?Tag Team Champions, yeah, yeah.?
-Commercial Break-
JTG vs. Big Show
The bell rings and Show takes JTG down quickly with a shoulder block. Show then body slams him before locking on a big nerve hold. Jericho has joined JR and Grisham on commentary. Show elbowed JTG in the shoulder before chopping his chest. Jericho says he had a sore throat last week. Show locks on a big nerve hold while grounding JTG. Big Show hammerlocks him and drives his shoulder into the turnbuckle. Show locks on an overhead wristlock before tossing him down. Show locks the nerve hold back on, grounding JTG again. Show sends JTG into the corner and charges into nothing as JTG moves.
JTG charges Big Show but gets caught by the throat and thrown over the top rope. Jericho goes to blindside him so Shad rushes over. Show throws JTG back in the ring as Jericho blindsides Shad by throwing him into the ring post. Show goes for the Colossal Clutch but JTG slides away. JTG hits some punches but Big Show just drops him with a Chokeslam. Show locks the Colossal Clutch on and JTG submits. His doo rag never even came off.
Winner by Submission: JTG
Match Rating: ? *
As Big Show leaves the ring Shad Gaspard knocks him off the apron to the outside. Show looks on wildly as Shad yells at him intensely. That’s the most emotion I?ve seen out of Shad ever.
Wow, this is hilarious! Ranjin Singh is hanging upside down by his feet! Khali casually walks in and unties him. Kane then blindsides Khali with a lead pipe. Kane throws Khali into the steel gate a few times before kicking him in the head. Khali is down and Kane stands over him saying he’s never been afraid of him, but now Khali knows he should be afraid of him. Kane then leaves the room.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that in addition to over 1,000,000 females, more males watched Smackdown last Friday than any show on ABC, NBC, Fox, or CBS?
JR and Todd Grisham bring us into the Raw Rebound. If you?ve seen Raw anytime over the past three years then you?ve seen this Raw. It featured the return of Shawn Michaels after a four month absence in some lame comedy skits. It was sad to watch. Is a DX reunion really that big a deal anymore?
They now run down the Summerslam card. It’s looking like a good event.
World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring trying his best to be enthusiastic but he looks really beat up. Hardy still gets a great reception. He?ll be facing the hometown boys of the Hart Dynasty next.
-Commercial Break-
The Hart Dynasty gets a tremendous reception from the crowd. I love the nostalgia.
Jeff Hardy vs. The Hart Dynasty
It?ll be Tyson Kidd starting out against Jeff Hardy. Hardy goes right at him with a kick and a punch before knocking Smith down on the apron. Hardy sends Kidd to the corner and clotheslines him down. Hardy hits his slingshot dropkick but can?t follow up on anything as his injured neck prevents him. Kidd tags in David Hart Smith, who kicks him in the head. Smith hits a short-arm clothesline before kicking him in the head a few times for a near fall. Smith hits a nasty neckbreaker for a near fall. Smith elbows Hardy in the face before tagging Kidd back in. They double whip him into the ropes, hitting a double shoulder block. Kidd covers for a near fall.
Kidd locks Hardy in an intense headlock. Kidd has it locked on tight and screams like a banshee. Hardy gets up and tries to elbow out but can?t. Kidd tags in Smith and holds Hardy open to be kicked. Smith punches Hardy before hitting a snapmare and a chin lock. Hardy gets up and punches out. Smith reverses a whip so Hardy tries to counter with Whisper in the Wind but Smith crotches him on the top rope! Hardy crashes to the mat on his head and gets covered for a near fall! Smith grounds and pounds Hardy before hitting a body slam. Kidd gets tagged in and they go for a double team top rope splash but Hardy rolls out of the way.
Smith is tagged back in. Hardy ducks a clothesline and hits some punches. Smith cuts him off with a knee and sends him to the corner. Smith charges but Hardy moves and drops him with a face buster suplex. Hardy takes his shirt off and goes to the top. Hardy knocks Kidd of the apron and Smith gets him on the apron. Smith tries to suplex him back in but Hardy lands on his feet. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate but Smith pushes him off and big boots him. Kidd is tagged in and they hit a version of the Hart Attack for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: The Hart Dynasty
Match Rating: * ?
CM Punk makes his way down to the ring and knees him in the head. Punk elbows Hardy a whole bunch of times in the neck before John Morrison runs down and breaks it up. Morrison takes out the Hart Dynasty as well before being taken out by a chair shot from CM Punk! Punk drags Hardy around on the outside and puts the chair around Hardy’s neck, looking to repeat what he?d done the week before. Punk is cut off by Matt Hardy, who runs down swinging! Matt Hardy and John Morrison rid the ring of the Hart Dynasty and the crowd loves Matt Hardy now.
Jeff Hardy is still injured in the corner. Matt Hardy looks over to his brother and the crowd is chanting for the Hardys. Jeff wants nothing to do with Matt until Matt helps him up. I guess he thought he was going to attack him. There appears to be a bit of reconciliation here as Jeff Hardy’s music hits.
Backstage Teddy Long is watching this. Vince McMahon walks in and taps him on the shoulder. McMahon says this was an exciting show and asks about next week. Next week it?ll be CM Punk and the Hart Dynasty taking on John Morrison and the Hardys! McMahon says he’s still on probation and walks away.
Quick Match Results
Dolph Ziggler def. Finlay
CM Punk def. John Morrison
Melina def. Layla
Big Show def. JTG via Submission
The Hart Dynasty def. Jeff Hardy
Bump of the Night: Mike Knox sidewalk slamming Finlay on the steel steps!
Match of the Night: John Morrison vs. CM Punk ***
Mike’s Thoughts
It seems like a long time since we?ve had an episode of Smackdown that was just ok but we?ve finally got one. I guess it had to come. It wasn?t a bad show by any stretch of the imagination but it certainly wasn?t the greatest. It was just ok.
The big news from this show is that apparently all is forgiven between Matt and Jeff Hardy. Apparently Jeff Hardy has forgotten about Matt Hardy running him off the road, attempting to murder him with his own pyro, assaulting him before the Survivor Series, and burning his house down, killing his dog. Hopefully they?ll explain this next week because I wasn?t much of a fan of that. It seemed too abrupt. It’s like they?re looking for the next babyface to replace Jeff when he takes his leave of absence so they went with his brother. It’s just tough to swallow when they went through such great lengths to make him extra evil. If my brother did one of those things Matt did to his brother I?d never forgive him. First lame major storyline happening I?ve seen on Smackdown in a while. Hopefully it?ll all be explained next week.
CM Punk and John Morrison had a tremendous match, again. These guys are magic in the ring together. This is a main event for years to come. It?ll never get old. They?re always finding some way to keep their matches interesting and fresh. They?ve been feuding on and off since 2007 so they?ve had a long history. This is a match you have to hulu if you missed it!
The rest of Smackdown was ok. Dolph Ziggler and Finlay had a pretty good match. The highlight was the after match assault on Finlay by Mike Knox. Pretty good stuff there. The Divas had the same match they?ve been having for, well, ever. I didn?t mind the Big Show squash of JTG. It’s Big Show vs. Shad that I?m really interested in seeing.
Final Rating: **
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Be sure to check out yesterday’s Superstars recap.
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