WWE Smackdown
July 10, 2009
Bakersfield, CA
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
The Smackdown video plays and we?re brought into the arena with a great pyro display. Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcome us to the show. Our Main Event tonight will be Rey Mysterio defending the Intercontinental Championship against Chris Jericho, who is invoking his rematch clause.
Jeff Hardy makes his way to the ring with a giant eye patch over his right eye. Hardy gets in the ring and grabs a microphone. Hardy says last week in the middle of a tag team match with CM Punk, tragedy struck. We now catch the recap of what happened on the last edition of Smackdown. They were facing Edge and Jericho. Hardy was in there for a while and went for the tag numerous times but CM Punk was distracted by his injured eye and missed the tag. Hardy eventually fights them off and forces Punk to make the tag. Punk does a good job fighting them off but eventually needs to make a tag but all of a sudden Hardy’s eye is injured and he can?t make the tag. Edge Spears CM Punk and takes the win.
Hardy claims he didn?t know what happened except his eye was on fire. Hardy says after the match CM Punk didn?t take the time to find him and see if he’s ok. Hardy says it’s almost as if Punk believes Hardy is making the injury up. Unlike CM Punk Hardy does not make up injuries, kick referees in the back, or forfeit matches. Hardy says to believe what he says (he removes the patch, showing a healthy eye) that his eye injury is just as serious as Punk’s.
Kane’s music hits and he?ll be going one on one with Jeff Hardy.
Jeff Hardy vs. Kane
The match begins and Hardy claps to get the crowd into it. Hardy quickly tries to stun Kane with some punches but he just pushes him away. Hardy ducks a clothesline and punches Kane some more but Kane simply pushes him away again. Kane charges into Hardy’s boots and angrily charges again but Hardy pulls the top rope down and Kane flies over. Hardy hits a slingshot baseball slide before taking him down with a nice plancha. Hardy clubs Kane some more before being pushed away.
Kane gets back in the ring and Hardy follows. Kane picks him up for a slam but Hardy slides off his shoulder and hits a clothesline but it doesn?t budge Kane. Hardy goes into the ropes and right into an uppercut from Kane for a near fall. Kane hits a punch and a kick before ominously walking around. Hardy then snaps up and goes for the Twist of Fate but Kane pushes him into the ropes and hits a kick to the midsection. Kane then hits a front suplex onto the top rope, hanging Hardy up there. Kane then big boots him off the rope and we?ll take a commercial right here.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Hardy on the second rope with Kane choking him. Kane releases the hold and hits a snapmare. Kane goes into the ropes and hits a nice low dropkick to the face for a near fall. Kane locks a grounded waist lock on now. Hardy fights up and elbows out. Hardy hits a sit-out jawbreaker and a dropkick to the knee, taking Kane down. Hardy hits a low dropkick to the face for a near fall of his own. Hardy hits a double leg drop to the midsection but this only gets him a one count.
Hardy hits some punches and goes for a whip but Kane twists him. Kane gets Hardy on his shoulders and hits a nice gut buster. Kane pins him for a near fall. Kane throws Hardy under the bottom turnbuckle spine first into the ring post. Kane then hits a baseball slide on Hardy right into that ring post again! This will get Kane a near fall. That was a nasty exchange. Kane bounces Hardy off the top turnbuckle and strikes him a few times in the corner before Hardy collapses. Kane gets Hardy up and hits a backbreaker for a near fall. Kane now locks on a body scissors, the first time I think I?ve ever seen him do that. JR fills us in that in the early 1900s, wrestlers would train to use the body scissors on bags of wheat. Thank god for JR.
Hardy punches Kane in the knee and gets out of that. Hardy hits his flipping mule kick but that doesn?t take Kane down. Hardy goes into the ropes but Kane simply takes him down with a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Kane climbs to the top rope and Hardy cuts him off. Hardy climbs up there too and attempts a superplex but Kane pushes him off. Kane goes for his clothesline but Hardy crotches him up there. Hardy hits his slingshot dropkick and gets Kane on his knees. Hardy hits a DDT for a near fall. Kane is up in the corner so Hardy charges him and Kane back body drops him to the apron. Hardy comes off the top rope and Kane grabs him by the throat. Kane goes for a Chokeslam but Hardy lands on his feet and runs up the corner for a nasty Whisper in the Wind, which gets him a close near fall.
Hardy drops Kane with a Twist of Fate and takes his shirt off. Hardy goes up top and all of a sudden CM Punk’s music hits. CM Punk makes his way out to the stage squinting and all of a sudden Kane grabs Hardy by the throat and he Chokeslams him off the top rope for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Kane
Match Rating: ** ?
CM Punk smiles before walking away. Apparently this was a favorable result.
Still to come tonight is our epic Main Event: Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that 12 Rounds is number one on the top selling DVDs in America? It’s apparently beating out Entourage, Gran Torino, the Jonas Brothers, and Princess Protection Program?! What?
It’s time for Cryme Tyme’s Word Up. Today’s word will be Bromance. Bromance is a close relationship or man-crush between two bros to such a point where they start to seem like a couple. Shad says in the history of the world there have been classic bromances, like Fred and Barney from the Flintstones. Eve mentions Leo DiCaprio and Zack Efron. JTG then mentions Siegfried and Roy. Shad then mentions the Hart Dynasty and asks us to think about what it’s like to be locked in a dungeon, sweating and wearing pink while Natalya cheers on the sidelines like a dolphin. Eve then mentions that Cryme Tyme is a tag team and asks if they?re a bromance. Shad and JTG disagree and they?re interrupted by Jesse in his gangster apparel. Jesse does a few raps of his name that are all lame. Jesse says he’s having a party so Eve locks him in a room. They end it here with Jesse yelling that he has Sega Genesis with two controllers.
Elsewhere backstage Teddy Long is with John Morrison, saying they should karaoke after singing Michael Jackson last week. Morrison reminds Long that last week he said he was issuing a challenge to the winner of Punk vs. Hardy at Night of Champions. Long says he’s taking that into consideration and all of a sudden there’s a banging in the closet behind them. Long tells Morrison to stay focused as he has a match against Dolph Ziggler. Long leaves and Ziggler is the one who comes out of the closet. Morrison says it’s about time and walks away. All of a sudden Maria walks out of the same closet and wishes Ziggler luck before slapping him on the rear. Her hair looked sloppy. I wonder what they?re implying on a PG-rated show.
-Commercial Break-
Dolph Ziggler vs. John Morrison
They start off tussling around the mat performing amateur wrestling maneuvers but to me it looked a little awkward. They?re not like Angle vs. Benoit at WM 17. Ziggler gets a headlock on so Morrison snapmares him and locks a headlock of his own on but Ziggler is quickly able to get to the ropes. Ziggler blindsides Morrison with a forearm smash and some boots. Ziggler sends him into the ropes but Morrison slides under Ziggler’s legs and hits a back elbow that sends Ziggler out of the ring. Morrison then hits an over the top rope corkscrew plancha, a very pretty move.
Morrison sends Ziggler back into the ring and snaps his neck off the top rope. Morrison goes for Starship Pain but Ziggler holds his leg and chop blocks him. Ziggler hangs Morrison over the apron and kicks him in the chest. Ziggler kicks Morrison in the midsection a few times before putting him in the ring and covering for a two count. Ziggler stands over Morrison and punches him a bit before slicking his hair back. Ziggler hits a mini-snapmare before dropping a trio of elbows before stopping and taunting before dropping an even bigger elbow for a near fall. Ziggler now locks a chin lock on. Morrison powers up and backs Ziggler to the corner before rolling him off. Ziggler quickly gets back on top with a knee to the midsection and a high angle back suplex before covering for a near fall. Ziggler rubs Morrison’s face in the mat before punching him. Ziggler now traps Morrison in the tried and true Full Nelson. Morrison slides out and kicks him in the face.
Ziggler blocks a kick so Morrison kicks him with his other leg. Morrison hits some punches before Ziggler reverses one. Morrison comes back with an even bigger one and hits a clothesline. Morrison sends him into the ropes and hits a nice jumping heel kick before hitting a running knee to the face for a near fall. Ziggler avoids a knee in the corner and hits his nice reverse powerslam for a near fall. That reminds me of an old Tazplex. Ziggler sends Morrison into the corner and charges but Morrison slides through the ropes and kicks him. Morrison then comes off the top with a nice missile dropkick for a near fall. Morrison goes for his tilt-a-whirl DDT but Ziggler slides through and rolls him up, grabbing the tights for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Match Rating: **
Still to come tonight is Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship.
-Commercial Break-
Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcome us back to the show. Grisham says we?re going to take an interesting look at R-Truth. JR says this is not the R-Truth that we have come to know.
We now get shot of R-Truth outside the arena dressed in some different clothing with fake bad teeth in and a do-rag. He says his name is Pretty Ricky, but his government name is Delicious. Pretty Ricky attempts many times to get into the arena but gets kicked out. They actually showed a shot of him entering the arena in front of someone wearing a So Cal Val t-shirt. I?m surprised they didn?t blur that out. All he does is keep stirring up trouble. This was ridiculous on so many levels and I can?t believe they thought this was a good thing for R-Truth. This wasn?t even remotely funny.
Melina & Eve Torres vs. Michelle McCool & Layla
The match begins and it?ll be Layla and Eve starting out. They lock up and Layla gets a waist lock which Eve quickly gets out of with a firewoman’s carry takeover. That gets her a one count. Eve wrenches the arm and rolls her up for a one count. Eve hits some forearms before having a whip to the corner reversed on her. She slingshots over Layla and takes her down with a shoulder block. Eve takes her down with a poor dropkick for a two count. Layla now lays in the punches and kicks before attempting a cross-body block but Eve holds her and slams her for a two count. Layla quickly sits on the apron so Eve baseball slides her off and Layla, who I guess wasn?t expecting this, takes a NASTY spill to the outside. That may be Bump of the Night. Eve throws her back in the ring and Michelle McCool kicks her in the head while the referee is distracted.
McCool is tagged in now and she bounces Eve’s face off the announcer’s table. McCool puts her in the ring and pins for a near fall. McCool knees her in the face and kicks her down for another near fall. McCool now locks on a figure four headlock. Eve eventually powers up and gets out. Eve hits a bulldog and both Divas are down. Eve makes the tag as does Michelle McCool.
Melina hits Layla and hits a single leg takedown before hitting a pair of clotheslines. Melina takes her down with a flying forearm before having a whip reversed on her. Melina catches Layla with her legs around her neck and kicks her in the head. Melina then comes off the second rope with a flying crotch to the face. Melina takes her down with a face buster before taunting McCool. Layla pushes her away and goes for a clothesline but Melina does the Matrix move under it. Melina then hits a weak kick to the head. Melina goes for the Primal Scream but is distracted by Michelle McCool. The referee is distracted by Eve so Layla pushes Melina into McCool’s kick. Layla now hits an over the shoulder torture rack and we almost have a wardrobe malfunction. Melina gets off and pushes Layla into McCool before rolling her up for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Melina & Eve Torres
Match Rating: * ?
Michelle McCool quickly attacks Melina from behind and pounds her to the outside. McCool goes to kick her head into the barricade but Melina moves and clotheslines her over the barricade. That’s about as hardcore as you?ll ever see the Divas go. Melina brings McCool in the hard way over the barricade and McCool runs away.
Coming up next we?ll see CM Punk vs. The Great Khali.
-Commercial Break-
Jeff Hardy has joined Jim Ross and Todd Grisham at the announcer’s table. JR says that a lot of people are thinking CM Punk should be concerned about his chances at Night of Champions. Jeff Hardy says he should be worried as CM Punk makes his way to the ring.
CM Punk gets in the ring and asks if Hardy is proud of himself. Punk says he could?ve been seriously injured last week and he has a lot of nerve faking an eye injury, leaving him in the ring to fend for himself, especially considering Hardy injured his eye in the first place. Punk says as far as Hardy accusing him of making the whole thing up and mocking him, he wants to show him something. Punk pulls out a mini thing of eye drops, saying it’s some sulfate thing that can only be obtained through prescription. Punk says Hardy knows a thing or two about medication but he probably didn?t know he has to go to a doctor to legally obtain some. Punk says unlike Hardy this is the only foreign substance he?ll allow in his body. So if Hardy wants to imitate him then why doesn?t he live a clean, straightedge lifestyle.
Punk says Hardy has two strikes and he has zero. Punk asks if Hardy knows how many times he’s been suspended or sent to rehab. That would be zero times. Punk then says Hardy’s chances of beating him at Night of Champions is zero. This was some great stuff. Hardy stands up at the table and Khali’s music hits now.
CM Punk vs. The Great Khali
This is a non-title match in case you were wondering. Jeff Hardy doesn?t speak on commentary anymore and is instead just shown watching the match.
My favorite referee Charles Robinson is refereeing this one. Punk hits Khali with some kicks before Khali pushes him into the ropes and takes him down with a forearm smash. Khali bounces his head off the top rope and chops his chest hard. Khali goes for a leg drop but Punk moves. Punk kicks him in the face and the body a few times before going to the apron. Punk springboards off the top rope with a clothesline (which Khali sells) and he covers for a one count. Khali powers him off and Punk hits Charles Robinson, which takes him out of the ring. That wasn?t a planned ref bump so everything is fine. I?m just mad that Robinson got hit. This is the second time Khali almost killed him.
Punk comes back with some kicks to the midsection and hits a high knee in the corner. Punk goes for a bulldog but Khali pushes him away. Khali hits a back elbow and clotheslines him down. Khali hits his Brain Chop and then a Punjabi Plunge. Kane’s music now hits and he makes his way to the ring with a chair. CM Punk and the referee bolt from the ring. There is no bell so this is a No Contest.
Winner: No Contest
Match Rating: ? *
Khali has a chair handed to him by Ranjin Singh. Khali and Kane stand in the ring and tease hitting one another. Kane then cracks Khali on the head with the chair as Grisham compares this to Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. That’s a stretch buddy. Khali no sells the shot and punches the chair out of Kane’s hands. Khali then cracks Kane with the chair and Kane retreats from the ring, holding his shoulder.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know more males (under 65) watched Smackdown last week than ANY show on ANY network? They really emphasized the ?any? in that.
Cryme Tyme makes their way to the ring and Todd Grisham makes it clear that he and JR do not have a bromance. We then see Cryme Tyme spoils the Hart Dynasty’s Smackdown debut by defeating them last week.
Cryme Tyme vs. The Hart Dynasty
It?ll be JTG starting out against Tyson Kidd. They lock up and Kidd clubs JTG down. Kidd has a whip to the corner reversed on him. JTG charges but slides out of the ring, under Kidd’s boots. JTG sweeps the legs and enters the ring, coming off with a second rope leg-line. Nice move! JTG hits a nice flipping neckbreaker before taking Smith off the apron. JTG then back body drops Kidd out of the ring. Natalya distracts JTG on the outside so Kidd pulls him face first into the announcer’s table. Kidd tags in David Hart Smith.
Smith comes in with some strikes before hitting a nice neckbreaker for a near fall. Smith hits some more kicks before hitting a beautiful standing vertical suplex, his Dad’s finisher, for a near fall. JTG reverses a punch and takes Kidd off the apron. JTG shoulders Smith in the midsection and flips over him to tag in Shad. Shad comes in with a big shoulder tackle and a clothesline. Shad sends Smith into the ropes and takes him out with a back elbow. Shad hits a nice face buster before going for Thugnificent but Kidd interferes. Shad takes him out and Smith rolls him up but JTG breaks that up. Natalya now distracts the referee and they hit the Hi/Lo on Shad for the win. This was a little too short.
Winners by Pinfall: The Hart Dynasty
Match Rating: * ?
Coming up next we?ll see the Intercontinental Championship match. I can?t wait.
-Commercial Break-
The Raw Rebound is shown. I?d like to see a Smackdown Rebound on Raw one of these days. It would only help WWE out.
Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring and grabs a microphone. Jericho says he is the best in the world at what he does. Jericho says he’s not satisfied with just being one half of the Unified Tag Team Champions. Jericho runs down his credentials, which includes five World Titles, including being the first Undisputed World Champion. After tonight’s victory he will be the Intercontinental Champion for the tenth time, which breaks his own record and cements his legendary status in this business once again. The sweetest thing of all is his victory will come at the expense of our lying, recalcitrant little hero Rey Mysterio.
-Commercial Break-
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio (c)
Before the match begins they do the classic in ring introductions for both men, giving this match the ?big feel? treatment.
The match begins and they circle the ring. They lock up and Jericho gets a quick headlock on. Mysterio whips Jericho off and Jericho takes him down with a shoulder block. Jericho smiles to the crowd before going into the ropes, over Mysterio, and Mysterio attempts a senton but Jericho holds him. Mysterio punches him and Jericho falls back, giving Mysterio a two count. Jericho cuts him off with a kick and a forearm. A head-butt takes Mysterio down and Jericho talks some trash. Jericho slides him under the bottom rope and Mysterio rolls to his feet on the outside. Jericho chases Mysterio out and Mysterio gets in the ring. Mysterio hits a slingshot baseball slide and comes off the apron with a senton.
Mysterio kicks Jericho in the ribs before throwing him back in the ring. Mysterio hits a shoulder to the midsection before rolling in over Jericho and going into the ropes. Jericho counters Mysterio with a beautiful tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. Jericho kicks Mysterio and talks some trash before picking him up. Mysterio comes back with some punches and goes into the ropes but Jericho back body drops him on to the apron. Jericho hits Mysterio and sends him back first into the ring post, knocking Mysterio to the floor!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Jericho baseball slide Mysterio out of the ring and he hits the floor on his shoulder, which looked nasty! Jericho wipes his hands, like this is an easy match for him. Jericho soon goes to the outside and throws Mysterio back in. Jericho comes in and drops a knee for a two count. Jericho locks an arm trap chin lock on but Mysterio powers up and elbows out. Mysterio kicks Jericho but Jericho cuts him off with a punch. Jericho sends Mysterio to the corner and charges. Mysterio gets a boot up but Jericho blocks it, but he can?t block the enzuigiri, which puts him in position for the 619. Mysterio goes into the ropes and Jericho hits him with a beautiful torture rack backbreaker for a near fall!
Jericho steps on Mysterio’s chest before taunting the crowd. Jericho slaps Mysterio and chokes him on the second rope. Jericho kicks him in the face and hits a snapmare, locking on a kneeling chin lock. Mysterio again powers up and elbows out. Mysterio goes into the ropes and Jericho goes for the tilt-a-whirl but Mysterio lands on his feet and kicks him. Mysterio goes into the ropes, ducks a clothesline, and hits a springboard cross-body block for a near fall! Mysterio goes into the ropes and hits a wheelbarrow bulldog for another near fall!
Mysterio has a whip reversed on him and he goes for a hurricanrana but Jericho counters with a nasty powerbomb for a near fall! Jericho sends Mysterio into the opposite corner and Mysterio attempts to counter his charge with a head-scissors but Jericho counters it into the Walls of Jericho! Mysterio punches out and attempts to roll Jericho up but Jericho sits on his shoulders. Mysterio rolls through at two and a half and Jericho rolls through Mysterio’s pin at two and a half. Jericho cuts Mysterio off with a forearm and attempts a back suplex but Mysterio counters with a beautiful head-scissors takeover, putting Jericho in position! Mysterio goes for the 619 but Jericho pulls the rope down and Mysterio crashes and burns outside the ring!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Mysterio trapped in a double under-hook submission. Mysterio powers up and stomps on Jericho’s feet. Jericho cuts him off with a head-butt. Jericho sends Mysterio to the corner and follows up with a corner clothesline. Jericho covers for a near fall when Mysterio grabs the bottom rope. Jericho grounds and pounds Mysterio for a second before getting off. Jericho squishes his foot into Mysterio’s face before getting off at the referee’s order. Mysterio all of a sudden has an outburst of punches but Jericho reverses an Irish whip into the corner hard. Jericho then hits a Muscle Buster Neckbreaker for a near fall! Very nicely done!
Jericho locks a surfboard stretch on but Mysterio soon powers up and kicks Jericho’s legs. Mysterio jumps up to Jericho’s shoulders, twists, and rolls him up for a near fall. Mysterio ducks a clothesline and goes for a springboard moonsault block but Jericho holds him and slams him into the corner. Jericho ties him in the Tree of Woe and goes for a running shoulder tackle but Mysterio sits up and Jericho hits the ring post shoulder first. Mysterio then comes off the second rope with a seated senton! Mysterio goes into the ropes and hits a nice head-scissors takeover. Mysterio kicks Jericho in the midsection but his whip is reversed. Jericho lowers his head and gets kicked in the face. Mysterio this a snapmare and then a slingshot dropkick to the face followed by a slingshot body splash for a near fall!
Mysterio has a whip to the corner reversed by he boots Jericho in the face when he charges. Mysterio rolls up Jericho but Jericho counters by falling back and face busting him. Jericho kicks Mysterio in the head and hits a running face buster. Jericho taunts before going for the Lionsault but Mysterio moves and Jericho lands on his feet. Mysterio goes for a hurricanrana but Jericho counters again into the Walls of Jericho! Jericho has it locked on tight and it takes some time but Mysterio claws his way to the bottom rope for the break!
Jericho charges for a baseball slide but Mysterio jumps over him. Mysterio kicks him in the face from the apron and hits a beautiful Asai Moonsault! Mysterio may have tweaked his knee but he looks fine. Mysterio puts Jericho back in the ring and springboards off the top rope but Jericho catches him with the Codebreaker in mid-air! Jericho covers and gets a very close near fall! Jericho yells at Mysterio to stay down and kicks him in the ribs a few times. Jericho charges Mysterio in the corner and Mysterio dropkicks him in the knee. Mysterio dropkicks him into position and hits the 619 followed by the body splash to retain his Intercontinental Championship!!
Winner by Pinfall and STILL the IC Champion: Rey Mysterio
Match Rating: *** ?
Rey Mysterio proudly holds the Intercontinental Championship up before noticing Edge running in the ring. Mysterio trips him and leaves the ring. Dolph Ziggler then runs down and attacks Mysterio from behind before putting him back in the ring where he is promptly Speared by Edge! Edge taunts to the crowd before smiling at Jericho. Edge does a wheelbarrow to Mysterio and Jericho hits a Codebreaker! Nice double team move! Edge and Jericho then leave Mysterio for Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler waits for Mysterio to get up and when he does Ziggler hits his finisher, the Jumping Russian Leg Sweep! Dolph Ziggler stands over Rey Mysterio to end the show.
Quick Match Results
Kane def. Jeff Hardy
Dolph Ziggler def. John Morrison
Melina* & Eve Torres def. Michelle McCool & Layla*
CM Punk NC The Great Khali (non-title)
The Hart Dynasty def. Cryme Tyme (Smith p. Shad)
IC Title: Rey Mysterio def. Chris Jericho to RETAIN
Bump of the Night: Layla’s nasty bump to the outside
Match of the Night: Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho *** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
Wow, what a Smackdown. That was a tremendous Main Event we had. That was certainly the best match of the year so far, making Edge vs. Rey Mysterio the second best of the year. We had some other good build-up for Night of Champions with CM Punk and Jeff Hardy. I?ll run down the show.
Like I?ve already said, Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho is the best Smackdown Main Event of the year so far. Their rivalry has been epic and is also up there as storyline/rivalry of the year. They?ve been gold for the past two months and I?m really sad that this rivalry is probably over. Most importantly they?ve really brought the prestige back to the Intercontinental Championship, something it’s desperately needed over the past seven or eight years. They really made it feel important again and not just another title in the WWE. Kudos to both men on a job well done!
On a sadder note, after the match we saw the last interactions with Edge we?ll see for some time. This was recorded two days before he tore his Achilles tendon so it was little behind the times. I said it on the radio show tonight and I?ll say it again: I?m going to really miss Edge. While I?ll admit his character was getting a little stale he was still a tremendous wrestler and could always be counted on every week to give you a hell of a show. Hopefully he?ll come back healthy and refreshed and with some new stuff for us with his character. See you in 2010, Edge! Be well and thank you for putting your body on the line for us!
CM Punk and Jeff Hardy had some good interaction tonight. I liked Jeff Hardy coming out with the eye patch on and accusing Punk again of faking the eye injury. Punk then cut another tremendous promo on Hardy, mentioning his drug use and how he’s straightedge. This is very reminiscent of his heel run on the indy scene. I also liked Punk costing Hardy his match against Kane tonight. I still like that Punk is doing all the right things but the fans still boo him, making us the heels. This is so much fun.
I like Dolph Ziggler. He’s grown on me. I liked his match against John Morrison and the cheap win. I also liked him attacking Rey Mysterio after the match. This is the big rub he needs to get to the next level. Morrison has already had this rub and is making the most of it. Ziggler will most likely face Mysterio at Night of Champions. I don?t predict a win but it will be competitive.
Speaking of John Morrison I?m glad they?re going the route of him challenging the winner of CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy since he beat CM Punk two weeks ago. That’s old school there. Morrison has had success and good matches against both men so no matter who wins we?ll most likely see a great match at Summerslam.
Kane vs. The Great Khali. What a feud?
The Divas disappoint me again. There are not enough of them and the ones they do have are almost all unpolished. Even Melina! Her matrix move is the worst. Eve and Layla know three moves really well and the rest is all them just trying whatever they remember. They need to do something.
What in God’s name was that R-Truth segment tonight? That was absolutely horrible. R-Truth totally ripped off Martin Lawrence from ?Blue Streak? when he dressed up as the Pizza Delivery boy to get into the police station. Sometimes imitation isn?t the highest form of flattery. This was just bad and wrong on so many levels for R-Truth’s character, which was coming along these past couple of weeks.
Cryme Tyme and the Hart Dynasty fought again but they weren?t given enough time to really build to anything. These are now the only two tag teams on Smackdown due to Edge’s injury. They need to do something with this division. These teams are great but you need more.
Final Rating: ***
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Be sure to check out yesterday’s Superstars recap.
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