WWE Smackdown
May 22, 2009
Cincinnati, OH
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
A video recap of the Judgment Day Main Event is shown. We see highlights of the match, which was great until Matt Hardy interfered with his cast. Edge delivers an Edgecution to Jeff Hardy off the top rope and Edge retains the title.
The Smackdown video plays and we?re brought into the arena with a great pyrotechnics display. Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcome us to the show. Tonight we?ll see a rematch from Superstars with CM Punk taking on Chris Jericho, who he defeated last night.
Justin Roberts is in the ring and asks us to welcome the World Heavyweight Champion Edge. Edge comes out to a less than enthusiastic response. Edge grabs a microphone and says if there was ever any doubt as to who the face of Smackdown, then lets end the debate now. Edge says he doesn?t want to hear any other Superstar coming out and declaring himself the face of the show. Judgment Day has come and gone, and he is still the face of this brand. Edge says that Chris Jericho lost to Rey Mysterio, CM Punk lost to Umaga, and he embarrassed and defeated Jeff Hardy, which means he’s still our World Heavyweight Champion. Edge says to make no mistake about it ? he is the premier superstar in the WWE today. The crowd is chanting for Jeff Hardy but Edge says that he’s not even in Edge’s league. He is a winner. Edge says Jeff Hardy is just like his legions of fans ? the people who believe in him and chant his name. He’s just like all of them ? a loser.
Teddy Long’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring. Long says what he witnessed at Judgment Day was an atrocity. Long says he believes the referee’s decision is final but as the General Manager of this show he cannot deny that Matt Hardy illegally interfered in a World Heavyweight Championship match. Therefore, at Extreme Rules, he is going to grant a rematch to Jeff Hardy!
Edge is angry and says he beat Jeff. You can say that he lost because he got hit in the head with a cast but that’s just an excuse. He’s tired of everyone giving excuses for him because the fact is he ran up against a man who has more will, heart, and determination and who is willing to pull out all the stops. Edge says he went back into the vault, the millions of moves he’s mastered over the years, and he pulled out his top rope Edgecution, and that’s how Jeff Hardy got beat. Jeff Hardy is not World Heavyweight Championship material. Jeff Hardy is a failure.
Jeff Hardy’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring to a great reaction. Hardy stops outside the ring and says Edge is right. He’s a loser, a failure, a screw-up, a let down, pathetic, and reckless. But above and beyond all of that, deep down, Jeff Hardy is a competitor. He also knows that at Extreme Rules, every match is extreme. Hardy says they should get crazy ? they should have a match tonight and whoever wins gets to decide what type of extreme match they will have.
Edge says that Hardy can?t come out and make his own match and pleads to Teddy Long. Hardy says for Long to correct him if he’s wrong but he said last week this show belongs to the WWE Universe so lets hear what Cincinnati has to say. Hardy gets in the crowd and asks a bunch of people if they want to see Hardy vs. Edge tonight and they all say yes. Hardy then asks the entire crowd and they scream yes. Hardy says Cincinnati has spoken and Teddy Long makes the match happen for tonight. Edge is not happy as Jeff Hardy and the crowd celebrates.
-Commercial Break-
We get an aerial shot of Cincinnati, Ohio. Grisham and JR recap what happened ? our Main Event will be Jeff Hardy vs. Edge, with the winner choosing the stipulation of their match at Extreme Rules.
Shelton Benjamin, Charlie Haas & Ricky Ortiz vs. John Morrison & Cryme Tyme
It looks like Ricky Ortiz is a heel, just as I predicted from last week. This is also Cryme Tyme’s first match since being drafted to Smackdown.
The bell sounds and the match will begin with John Morrison going up against Shelton Benjamin. Actually, it won?t be. Benjamin tags in Ricky Ortiz to start this one off. They lock up and Ortiz quickly jams a knee in Morrison’s midsection and clubs him down. Ortiz head-butts Morrison and punches him in the corner before asking the crowd to rally up. Ortiz whips Morrison into the opposite corner but Morrison is able to slingshot over Ortiz, who hits the turnbuckle hard. Ortiz then turns into an arm drag and a right hand. Morrison wrenches the arm and tags in Shad Gaspard, who comes in and elbows Ortiz’s arm.
Shad wrenches the arm and drives his shoulder into Ortiz’s injured shoulder before holding the wrench a bit. Ortiz fights out of it and goes into the ropes only for Shad to shoulder block him down. Shad whips Ortiz into the ropes and delivers a back body drop to the big man. Shad body slams Ortiz and tags in JTG. Shad slams JTG on Ortiz and JTG makes the tag to Morrison. Morrison comes in and hits a break dance leg drop for a two count. Morrison gets a front face lock on and tags in JTG, who comes in with a sunset flip, and gets a one count. Ortiz digs a boot into the midsection and head-butts JTG. Ortiz tags in Haas.
Haas clubs JTG a bit and knees him in the head. Haas throws JTG out of the ring but he lands on his feet and surprises Haas by quickly coming back in the ring and punching him before dropkicking him out of the ring. Morrison and Shad run in to knock everyone else off the apron as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Benjamin stomping JTG. Benjamin hits a hammerlock shoulder breaker and JTG is in pain. Benjamin gets a two count and tags in Charlie Haas. Haas kicks the arm of JTG and locks on an arm bar. Haas has it locked on tight but the crowd gets JTG into it. JTG forearms Haas but Haas pulls him down by the hair and tags in Ricky Ortiz. Ortiz kicks the arm of JTG and drops a knee on his back. Ortiz wrenches the arm and hits a hammerlock slam. Ortiz covers for a one count. Ortiz head-butts the injured arm and gets another arm bar on. JTG punches out but Ortiz cuts him off with a punch and shoves him into the corner, tagging in Benjamin.
Benjamin comes in and kicks JTG before shoving him into a neutral corner, laying in some stiff rights. JTG comes back with some punches and stuns Benjamin. JTG goes to make the tag but Benjamin quickly cuts him off and holds his leg. Benjamin tries to pull JTG over to his corner and JTG kicks him off, unfortunately to Benjamin’s corner, and Benjamin makes the tag to Charlie Haas, who runs in and cuts JTG off before he makes a tag. JTG just grazes the hand and Morrison is legally tagged in.
Morrison punches Haas and comes with a clothesline and more right hands. Morrison ducks a clothesline and hits a dropsault. Haas reverses a whip into the ropes and Morrison hits him with a back heel kick. Morrison goes into the ropes and hits a running kick ot the face, which is broken up at two by Ortiz and Benjamin. Shad comes in to even things up but they whip him into the ropes. Shad breaks through a double clothesline and clotheslines Ortiz down ? Benjamin ducks it. JTG hits a cross-body and he and Benjamin go over the top rope. Shad assaults Ortiz on the outside.
Inside the ring, Haas clubs Morrison and goes for a German Suplex but Morrison back flips out and lands on his feet! Haas charges and Morrison stun guns him on the top rope. Morrison then hits Starship Pain for the big win!
Winners by Pinfall: John Morrison & Cryme Tyme
Match Rating: ** ?
Backstage Josh Matthews welcomes the WWE Women’s Champion Melina. He asks for her thoughts on the Number One Contender’s Match between Michelle McCool and Gail Kim tonight. Melina says she’s a competitor. She came here to be the best and she has the opportunity to show the WWE Universe that she is above and beyond the most dominant Diva in WWE history. She showed her superiority to the best that Raw had to offer and she’s going to do the same thing on Smackdown, whether it’s with Gail Kim or Michelle McCool.
Alicia Fox comes in with a message from Michelle McCool ? that Women’s Championship will be hers. Melina asks Alicia to give McCool a message ? not to send a little girl to do a woman’s job, and she promptly slaps her. Melina squints her eyes to feign anger, and we go to commercial at that.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that since its debut, Smackdown has been watched more than 2.6 billion times in the U.S.?
A video package highlighting the WWE vs. Denver Nuggets feud for the Pepsi Center. They?re building up the Raw Main Event as the Lakers vs. Nuggets, with the faces as the Lakers and the heels as the Nuggets. Also Vince McMahon will call out Stan Kroenke.
#1 Contender’s Match for the Women’s Championship
Michelle McCool vs. Gail Kim
The bell rings and they lock up. They tussle against the ropes and McCool gets Kim in the corner, not giving a clean break. Kim pushes her and charges right into McCool’s knee. McCool hits a European Uppercut, a punch, and wrenches the arm before whipping her into the ropes. McCool lowers her head and eats Kim’s boot. Kim avoids a clothesline and goes for a crucifix but McCool stops it and goes for a slam but Kim counters it into an arm drag, sending McCool out of the ring. Kim follows her outside and gets a knee in the midsection from McCool. McCool then picks her up and drives her knee into the ring post.
McCool puts her back in the ring and pins her for a two count. McCool drives some knees into Kim’s knees and drops an elbow on the join before pulling on it. Kim tries to get the crowd into it but they just don?t care. Kim kicks out of it and McCool stays on top with a kick to the knee and she wraps Kim’s knee around the rope and pulls on it, which is illegal. McCool charges Kim in the corner and eats a back elbow. Kim then comes out of the corner and locks on a nice Octopus Stretch, which they?re calling the Flying Dragon. McCool is passing out but the way she falls she gets a foot on the ropes. McCool quickly sweeps Kim’s knees when the hold is released. Wasn?t she just on the verge of passing out?
McCool goes into the ropes, slides under the ropes, and pulls Gail Kim hard out of the ring. McCool pulls her onto the apron and Kim counters by snapping McCool’s arm off the top rope. Kim comes back with some forearms but the crowd doesn?t care. McCool then dropkicks her in the knee. McCool runs into a kick and Kim hits her with a step-up enzuigiri. Kim now hits her with a cross arm neckbreaker for a near fall. Kim gets on the apron to go to the top rope but Alicia Fox grabs her ankle. Kim pulls her head first into the ring post and goes to the top rope, only for McCool to kick her legs on, hanging her in a reverse Tree of Woe. McCool has her in position and just takes her off the corner for the Faith Breaker and becomes the #1 Contender.
Winner by Pinfall: Michelle McCool
Match Rating: * ?
Michelle McCool signals to the crowd that she’s the next Women’s Champion.
Jim Ross will interview Rey Mysterio about Chris Jericho and Judgment Day, next.
-Commercial Break-
Todd Grisham puts over tonight and JR mentions he’s interviewing Rey Mysterio. Mysterio is backstage and says he’s happy to be speaking with JR. JR asks for his thoughts on beating a great athlete like Chris Jericho and retaining the coveted Intercontinental title. Mysterio says Jericho is extremely talented in the ring and with running his mouth. What made his victory so special was being able to hit the one move Jericho said he?d take away: the 619. Mysterio then leads the crowd in chanting 619. Mysterio says everyone is representing and Mysterio will keep representing for all of us. Mysterio says when he came back from Smackdown, he said he’s take on all challenges, so he’s moving on from Chris Jericho because he knows there’s a lot of hungry, young guys in the locker room who want a shot at the Intercontinental Champion, and he?d be more than happy to give them their shot. Mysterio also wants to carry on the title’s great tradition and history, because some of the greatest men have worn it with pride, including some Latinos ? WWE Hall of Famers Pedro Morales and Tito Santana, as well as his best friend, the late, great Eddie Guerrero. Mysterio hopes some day he?d love to honor them by being considered one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all time.
JR now asks Mysterio why he wrestles wearing a mask. Mysterio jokes that we wouldn?t want to see him without it. Mysterio says that Mexican luchadors, and the Spanish community, it’s been a tradition for many generations to wear masks. It’s a way to pay homage to their heritage. In order to wear the mask, he had to earn it by training many years with his uncle. Mysterio says every time he steps in the ring, he wears the mask with great pride and honor, and he will never take it off because being unmasked for a luchador is a big dishonor. Besides, it looks cool and it gives him some kind of superpower. Above all, without his mask, he is not Rey Mysterio.
Chris Jericho’s music hits and his match with CM Punk will be next.
-Commercial Break-
We see a replay of CM Punk beating Chris Jericho on Superstars last night, and Jericho hitting Punk with a Codebreaker after the match was over. Jericho watches the footage and smiles.
Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk
The bell sounds and they circle the ring. Punk starts it off with some kicks to Jericho’s legs. Punk hits a snapmare and a kick to the back. Punk body slams Jericho and stomps his chest before covering for a one count. Punk forearms Jericho in the corner until the referee makes him back away and walks into a kick from Jericho. Jericho forearms him a few times before whipping him into the ropes and hitting a back elbow. Punk is on the apron and Jericho springboards off the second rope with a dropkick but Punk ducks and Jericho flies to the outside.
Punk drives Jericho spine first into the ring apron and throws him back in the ring for a one count. Punk punches Jericho and whips him into the ropes but lowers his head and gets kicked in the face. Jericho goes into the ropes and Punk gets him in GTS position. Jericho elbows out and drives a running forearm into Punk’s neck, sending him down. Jericho stands over Punk and punches him. Jericho kicks him in the spine and soaks up the heat. Jericho hits a back suplex for a two count. Jericho locks on an arm lock sleeper hold but Punk fights up and arm drags Jericho off. Jericho goes into the ropes and Punk hits a low dropkick to the knee. Punk kicks Jericho in the corner, sending Jericho down. Punk whips him into the ropes and digs a knee into Jericho’s midsection, covering for a two count. Punk wrenches Jericho’s arm and whips him into the corner. Punk charges and Jericho back body drops him onto the apron. Punk punches him away and goes for a springboard clothesline but Jericho dropkicks the ropes, face planting CM Punk as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see CM Punk whip Jericho into the ropes but Jericho holds on as Punk misses the dropkick. Jericho then hits a low dropkick to the face for a two count. Jericho then goes into the ropes for a senton splash for a near fall. I love that move. Jericho bounces Punk’s head off the top turnbuckle and forearms him while talking trash. Jericho whips Punk into the opposite corner and follows up with a clothesline. Jericho positions Punk on the top turnbuckle and goes for a Superplex but Punk head-butts him off. Punk hits a cross-body block but Jericho rolls through for a near fall.
Punk ducks an enzuigiri and rolls Jericho up with a beautiful Magisterial Cradle for a near fall. Punk hits a spin kick to the midsection and a knee to the face before whipping Jericho into the ropes and hitting a back heel kick. Jericho is up in the corner so Punk charges for a high knee but Jericho floors him with a dropkick for a two count. Jericho kicks Punk lightly in the head a few times before whipping him into the corner and going for a bulldog but Punk places him in the corner hard. Punk then hits a high knee to the back of Jericho’s head. Punk sets Jericho up for a GTS but Jericho slides off and goes into the ropes only for CM Punk to twist him back into GTS position. Jericho rolls off and goes for Walls of Jericho but Punk rolls him up, like last night, for a near fall. Jericho kicks out and gets Punk in a nice Walls of Jericho! Punk struggles and gets to the ropes, breaking the hold. Jericho charges into GTS position and Punk connects with it! Jericho rolls out of the ring and Umaga runs up to the apron and hits Punk with a belt, causing the disqualification!
Winner by Disqualification: CM Punk
Match Rating: ** ?
Umaga comes in and hits a crescent kick. Umaga hangs Punk in the Tree of Woe and ties him to the top rope with the belt. Umaga kicks Punk and knees him in the back of the head before hitting a Samoan Spike! Umaga gets a microphone and SPEAKS, saying if he thinks he’s hurt now then wait for Extreme Rules, because he’s issuing him a challenge ? it?ll be a Samoan Strap Match! Umaga then kicks him a few more times before whipping him with the belt while still hung upside down! Umaga speaks English?!
-Commercial Break-
A replay of Dolph Ziggler vs. Great Khali from two weeks ago is shown. Ziggler loses the match by assaulting Khali with a steel chair. Then they show last Friday Ziggler defeating Jimmy Wang Yang and then Khali coming down after the match and Ziggler running away.
Dolph Ziggler vs. R-Truth
Charles Robinson is refereeing this match. The bell rings and they lock up with Ziggler quickly getting a headlock on. R-Truth whips him off but gets shoulder blocked down. Ziggler goes over and under and then over R-Truth and gets hip tossed down. Ziggler gets up in the corner and snap shots R-Truth off the top rope. Ziggler hammers R-Truth before hitting a reverse takedown for a one count. Ziggler locks on a modified chin lock, which R-Truth fights up from. R-Truth hammers out but Ziggler cuts him off with a knee. Ziggler whips R-Truth into the corner and charges but R-Truth moves. R-Truth hits a right hand, ducks a clothesline and hits a back elbow. R-Truth continues with a clothesline and a back heel kick. R-Truth whips him into the ropes but lowers his head and eats a boot. Ziggler goes into the ropes and gets flap-jacked. R-Truth hits a bicycle kick to the face for a near fall. R-Truth goes to the second rope and gets ripped off by Ziggler. Ziggler hits his finisher, which is a reverse Pay Dirt, for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Match Rating: *
Dolph Ziggler celebrates up the ramp until Great Khali’s music hits and he makes his way down the ramp with Ranjin Singh. Ziggler runs into the ring into a Corkscrew 360? Elbow Smash from R-Truth. Ziggler runs out of the ring and away from Khali when he tries to grab him. Ziggler runs for his life and that was a pretty funny segment ? not sure if that’s what they were shooting for, though. Khali looks as intense as I?ve ever seen him.
Still to come tonight is Jeff Hardy vs. Edge with the winner choosing the stipulation for Extreme Rules.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that last month, WWE.com had more U.S. visitors than pop culture icon Disney.com? That’s such a pathetic stat. I really hate these tidbits. It’s like they?re so desperate for credibility they?ll toot anything. Who cares about the websites ? where are the shows sitting in the ratings?
We get another outside shot of Cincinnati, Ohio. They now rundown the budding rivalry between Eve and Layla, starting with the Dance-Off at Madison Square Garden, which Eve won. They then go to the arm wrestling match from two weeks ago, which Eve won. Each time Layla destroyed Eve after. Then last week Eve got the better of Layla. Next week they?ll face off in an actual match on Smackdown. Great?
Edge is backstage in Teddy Long’s office. Edge says to be careful what he wishes for ? when he beats Jeff Hardy tonight, it?ll lead to the extermination of Jeff Hardy as we know it, and that’s on Long’s head. Chris Jericho walks in and simply says Edge. Edge corrects him, saying that’s Champ, the face of Smackdown. Edge walks away and Jericho says ?Not for long.? Long asks what he’s here to complain about. Jericho says it’s not a complaint, more an observation. He just heard Rey Mysterio talk about pride and honor, yet his actions speak louder than words. He’s a coward who hides behind a mask. Jericho says he’s not moving on from him; he’s running away. That’s why he demands a rematch against Rey Mysterio at Extreme Rules and if Teddy Long makes that, he?ll have nothing to complain about. Teddy Long says the match has already been made because Rey Mysterio was just in his office and wanted it to be No Holds Barred. Jericho seems happy with that and walks out.
It’s Main Event time as Jeff Hardy makes his way out to the ring. This match is next.
-Commercial Break-
Jeff Hardy vs. Edge
This is not a World Heavyweight Championship match. If you?re just starting to read here, this match is to determine who will choose the stipulation for their title match at Extreme Rules. They?re playing up that Hardy may have been concussed at Judgment Day.
Mike Chioda calls for the bell and this match begins. They?re at opposite sides of the ring and take a bit of time before locking up. Edge forces Hardy to the corner and punches him. Hardy gets around him and rolls him up for a no count and Edge quickly crawls away. They separate and lock up. Edge gets a headlock but Hardy slides out and rolls Edge up for a one count. They take some more time before locking up again and Edge goes for a test of strength but tricks Hardy by kicking him. Edge goes for a body slam but Hardy slides off and rolls him up for a one count and Edge gets out of the ring frustrated.
Edge grabs Hardy’s leg and pulls him down. Edge goes for an elbow drop but Hardy moves. Hardy gets a headlock on and executes a takeover. Hardy tries pinning Edge’s shoulders and gets a one count. Edge fights up and goes for a back suplex but Hardy counters into another takeover. Edge fights up to his feet and punches Hardy in the knee. Edge punches Hardy in the head and Hardy is staggered. Edge has a whip into the corner reversed on him and he hits the corner sternum first. Hardy splashes him in the corner and bounces Edge’s head off the top turnbuckle about ten times and hits a slingshot dropkick to Edge, but this hurts Hardy more because of his bruised brain. Edge looks astonished that Hardy is able to stand and hits a running big boot to the skull. JR wonders if Hardy can beat Edge as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Edge dropping knees on Jeff Hardy’s head. Edge taunts the crowd and they?re not happy. Hardy is really looking in rough shape. Edge goes outside and hangs Hardy on the apron. Edge elbows his head and hits a running kick to his head. Edge gets back in the ring and will accept the count-out. Edge stops this and goes to the outside and bounces Hardy’s head off the apron. Edge puts him back in the ring and covers for a near fall.
Edge’s face says it all ? he’s psychotic. Edge bounces Hardy’s head off the top turnbuckle and whips him into the opposite corner. Edge charges into a back elbow and then into Hardy’s boots. Hardy now connects with Whisper in the Wind and covers for a CLOSE near fall. Hardy blocks a right hand and punches Edge. Hardy has a whip reversed on him but he’s able to forearm Edge down. Hardy goes into the ropes for another forearm for a two count. Hardy hits a sit-out front suplex and takes off his shirt. Hardy goes to the top rope for the Swanton Bomb but Edge runs away.
Hardy ducks a clothesline and hits an inverted atomic drop. Hardy then goes for a double leg drop to the groin but Edge pushes him away, and Hardy hits the back of his head. I?ve never seen anyone counter that before. Edge covers for a near fall. Edge picks Hardy up and hits a nice neckbreaker for a close near fall. Edge punches Hardy in the skull a bunch of times and goes to the second rope. Edge comes off and Hardy dropkicks him out of the air. Hardy then baseball slides Edge out of the ring.
Hardy springboards over the top rope with a plancha! Hardy puts Edge back in the ring and body slams him. Hardy gets to the second rope and hits a Hardy Leg Drop for a near fall! Haven?t seen him do that in a while! Jeff Hardy now signals for a Twist of Fate but Edge pushes him off into the corner. Edge goes for the Spear but Hardy counters with a sunset flip for a nice near fall! Hardy now goes for a Twist of Fate but Edge counters with a backslide pin for a near fall. Edge goes for the Edgecution but Hardy twists out and hits the Twist of Fate! Hardy struggles to the top rope and Edge cuts him off. Edge goes up top for a top rope Edgecution, much like Judgment Day, but Hardy punches him off! Hardy hits a beautiful Swanton Bomb for the huge win!
Winner by Pinfall: Jeff Hardy
Match Rating: ** ?
Charles Robinson raises Jeff Hardy’s arm and he looks like he’s been through a war. We see replays of all the big head shots Hardy took in this match but he still came out on top. Todd Grisham gets in the ring and congratulates him on a fantastic win. Grisham now asks what type of match we?ll see in New Orleans at Extreme Rules. Hardy says at Extreme Rules he will not be painting, cleaning gutters, or changing bulbs but what he will be doing is climbing a LADDER to become the World Heavyweight Champion! It’s official ? at Extreme Rules it?ll be Jeff Hardy vs. Edge in a Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship! Edge clutches his championship as Smackdown ends!
Quick Match Results
John Morrison* & Cryme Tyme def. Shelton Benjamin, Charlie Haas* & Ricky Ortiz
Michelle McCool def. Gail Kim (#1 Contender’s Match)
CM Punk def. Chris Jericho via DQ
Dolph Ziggler def. R-Truth
Jeff Hardy def. Edge (non-title)
Bump of the Night: McCool’s Faith Breaker to Gail Kim!
Match of the Night: Jeff Hardy vs. Edge ** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
Another fantastic edition of Smackdown! We had five great matches with three of them going two segments. The wrestling was top notch as usual. Even the in ring stuff was great, as well as the short backstage segments.
We had a tremendous Main Event tonight. Anytime Jeff Hardy and Edge lock up in the ring you know it’s going to be a great match. The match was fantastic and they did a good job of creating drama with Jeff Hardy’s alleged concussion. I really like that this is going to be a Ladder Match (did they really have any other option?) and the fact that they?re building up that their ten-year rivalry started at No Mercy 1999 with the first ever Tag Team Ladder Match. Really great stuff and makes me nostalgic for that great period in wrestling. This period isn?t looking too bad now, though, with all the new budding stars. Extreme Rules should be good.
We had another great match from Chris Jericho and CM Punk. They really click together in the ring. Jericho’s character is so good and so dislikeable that it’s so much fun to watch. CM Punk has really grown on me and has been having killer matches as of late. This was just as good as last night’s Superstars match but I gave it a quarter of a star less because of the disqualification finish.
What the heck ? Umaga speaks English?! That was a great surprise and I?m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Does the ability to speak hurt his gimmick by showing that he’s not an untamed wild Samoan from the jungle or is it just the next logical step to go with him? I?m not sure ? you be the judge. Maybe we can find out why he’s been assaulting Punk.
John Morrison and Cryme Tyme had a great match against Benjamin, Haas, and Ricky Ortiz. I?m glad they?re going the heel route with him. It’s so much better because he’s another guy who’s just dislikeable. John Morrison and Cryme Tyme proved their worth, as did Shelton Benjamin, but I want to talk about Charlie Haas, who has gone from a joke to a formidable wrestler again. I would?ve rather Ortiz did the job than Haas because Haas has been looking real strong. I hope they do something good with him and he doesn?t just stay in Shelton Benjamin’s shadow.
The Diva’s had another less than stellar match in my view. I?m going to take a bold stance ? they should just stop letting the women wrestle. Every single one of them can?t wrestle well. Everything looks sloppy, unbelievable, and it’s embarrassing to watch. Where are all the Trish Stratus’s and Lita’s at? If they can?t have women that perform at their level then don?t even bother ? it’s embarrassing and a waste of time. Maybe some people won?t agree with that but that’s how I feel.
I?m really in to Dolph Ziggler’s little feud with Great Khali. I love the scumbag heel that runs away from the face. It’s great and he plays the role well. I?m looking forward to seeing what they do with him in the future.
Final Rating: ***
Do you agree with what I said or not? Debate me! Here’s how:
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
If you didn?t see Superstars yesterday then check out my recap for that.
Thanks for reading!