On Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 4:03 AM EST WWE Smackdown
July 25, 2008
Philadelphia, PA
Report By: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
“Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event…” The WWE video leads us into the show.
We start this show with a video package highlighting the events of last week. They show the wedding, the horrible first dance with the even more terrible singing and it’s all interrupted by Triple H, who is celebrating true love. They show highlights of the hotel room make out session with Alicia Fox. This angle was really well done and I had a great time watching this last week. My girlfriend and I were just dying. If you missed it then that’s definitely your loss! Surprisingly there was nothing about the Great American Bash Main Event in this package.
The Smackdown video plays and fireworks begin exploding in the Wachovia Center as Jim Ross and the “Hardcore Legend” Mick Foley welcome us to the show. We’re in the City of Brotherly Love, home of the old ECW. JR goes over the events that happened at GAB. Foley says that Vickie Guerrero will be on Smackdown tonight and he questions her physical and mental state.
Now, it’s time for the VIP Lounge.
MVP opens up the Lounge with his wonderful little rhymes about how the VIP Lounge is better than us. The fans boo and he says they’re just hating because everything he has is luxurious, even his hair. He then makes a rhyme involving his hair. MVP says that his guest tonight is the most controversial guest he’s ever had on his Lounge (really?). The very mention of his name makes men and children go crazy. He’s a four time Intercontinental Champion and he is Jeff Hardy!
Jeff Hardy comes out to a tremendous applause from the great Philadelphia crowd. They’re still lively even after watching Philadelphia wrestling staple ECW be further destroyed as that taping was right before this show. That new title stinks. Anyway, the big bodyguard that looks like Forrest Whittaker allows Jeff to enter the VIP Lounge and he gets in the ring. JR and Foley plug Jeff Hardy’s straightforward interview in WWE Magazine.
MVP says first thing’s first he welcomes Jeff to Smackdown (too late since he’s already been on the show for a few weeks). He welcomes him to the VIP Lounge because he knows they aren’t doing things like this on RAW so welcome back to the big leagues! MVP plugs that Jeff Hardy will be in the Battle Royal later tonight and goes over the opponents in the match and the winner goes to Summerslam to meet Triple H for the WWE Championship. MVP says that it’s unfortunate because the odds are not in Jeff’s favor since there are some many monsters in there like Umaga, Big Show and Khali. MVP says that the odds on favorite to win it is the name he hadn’t mentioned yet and says it’s him.
Jeff laughs a little bit and questions him being the odds on favorite. Jeff says he hasn’t seen MVP win a match since he lost the US Title to his brother! MVP says he invites him to be a guest on the VIP Lounge and he disrespects him like that. MVP says this has got to be a huge year for Jeff Hardy – he’s competing for an opportunity to face Triple H, he’s on the cover of this month’s WWE Magazine and he’s on the VIP Lounge with him. That’s got to be huge. They then show the magazine cover.
MVP mentions that he’s close to the WWE Title in the picture but he’s not known for winning the title. He’s known to be a risk taker and a man willing to make death defying leaps from anywhere and everywhere. While those risks have come to be huge successes for him in WWE, some of those risks have resulted in his biggest failures as well, one of which he talks about in WWE Magazine and he asks him to elaborate. Uh oh.
Jeff Hardy says he made a mistake and he paid for it with a sixty day suspension and he missed Wrestlemania but he thinks the people respect that he was open and honest about what he did. I am and so is the audience who cheer.
MVP says as he recalls that’s not the only mistake he made – just prior to his suspension, he lost the Intercontinental Championship. MVP says that’s not all. He had another traumatic experience happen when his house – more like a trailer as MVP corrects himself – burnt down. He mentions that Jeff lost everything – his recording studio, his artwork. MVP asks him what it feels like. What do you think pal? Jeff said it was horrible and that you always hear about fires destroying people’s homes and belongings and when it happens to you – then Jeff stops and asks MVP what he’s trying to do. MVP says that this is his VIP Lounge and he asks the questions.
MVP says what we need to talk about is Jeff’s risk taking behavior. MVP says that he’s an artist and he wears his emotions on his sleeve. MVP says that he sees internally he’s wrestling with some serious issues of guilt – guilt over the fact that his behavior probably cost him the life of his very good friend, his dog. MVP can’t remember the name and Jeff says it was Jack. This is getting raw. MVP says he feels responsible for Jack’s death because of his irresponsible behavior. Jeff asks if he has this straight – not only is he a jerk but he’s a psychiatrist?! MVP says he’s not a jerk or a psychiatrist – he’s from the streets and he knows when someone looks and feels guilty. Jeff says he doesn’t know him. MVP says he knows that he’s feeling guilty over his reckless behavior that cost him someone very near and dear to him. As a matter of fact he goes on to say that he is ruining his career.
MVP says he’s going to go further – he is reckless! He is ruining everything around him – his friends, family and career – and it is because of this that he will never be WWE Champion! MVP says that unlike these people he doesn’t believe that Jeff will never be suspended again. Jeff says that’s right – he’ll be released! MVP says that’s what he’s talking about – that laissez-faire attitude. MVP says he doesn’t care about his career or the people because he wants to do whatever Jeff wants to do. MVP says that’s fine because if he wants to throw his career away, it’s going to happen and he won’t have anyone to blame but himself. However, Jeff needs to wake up and look in the mirror and realize that he’s a professional and it’s time he starts acting like one but more than that he’s a grown man and he needs to come to terms with his issues and accept responsibility for his actions. MVP knows that this whole thing has got to be burning Jeff up inside.
Jeff says he’s thankful that he has a second chance and if anyone knows about second chances, it’s MVP! Jeff says he’s right – it does burn him up inside. Jeff looks pissed off as he lowers the microphone. MVP tells him to settle down and Jeff pushes him and MVP hits his couch and rolls out of the ring! Jeff yells at him that MVP makes him sick and the fans chant Hardy’s name. MVP walks away and Jeff Hardy’s music plays.
:::Commercial Break:::
A video for WWEShop.com plays. If I may make a suggestion to all of you – buy the Ric Flair DVD. It’s awesome.
Organ music plays as a graphic plays saying that Vickie Guerrero is due to arrive. They also plug the Main Event for tonight – a Six Man Battle Royal (dubbed a Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer Battle Royal) where the winner goes to Summerslam to face Triple H for the WWE Title. The participants are MVP, The Great Khali, Umaga, Jeff Hardy, Big Show and Mr. Kennedy.
Shelton Benjamin’s music hits and the brand new United States Champion makes his way to the ring. Highlights of the match between him and Matt Hardy plays. I knew he was going to win with the way they were putting him over. Uh oh – Shelton has a microphone.
Benjamin says last Sunday at the Bash, he did exactly what he was going to do because last Sunday he hit the mother load as he liberated the US Title from Matt Hardy. Now, not only is he the Gold Standard in the WWE, he’s also the United States but he stops. He then says he’s the NEW United States Champion and there ain’t no stoppin’ him NOWWW!!! That’s always awkward. He laughs and the audience boos. Time for some jobber fodder as Jimmy Wang Yang makes his way to the ring.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Jimmy Wang Yang
Jim Ross mentions that eleven of the WWE’s Hall of Famers have won the United States Championship and Shelton is one of only a handful of people to have won the United States Championship and the Intercontinental Championship. One of them is Ric Flair!
The bell rings and the competitors circle around the ring. They lock up quickly and just as quickly Shelton is behind Yang and gets a waist lock takedown on him. Benjamin holds onto the lock and brings him up again and after some fumbling he hits a sort of gut-wrench suplex on Yang. Benjamin picks Yang up and whips him into the ropes and hits a nasty big boot on the Chinese Red Neck. That gets a close two count. Benjamin grabs the left arm and start dropping knees on Yang’s face. Ouch. He then gets poor Jimmy in a neck wrench and he’s twisting his head at a sickening angle. He then stops the submission and hits a big elbow to the neck and shoulder muscle. Benjamin gets him in the corner and hits a right to the gut. Charles Robinson makes him get out of the corner as Yang writhes in pain. Benjamin picks him up and grabs his left leg but Yang jumps up and hits an enzuigiri!
Shelton is down on his knees and Yang gets up and hits a forearm to the head and a kick. He goes to whip Benjamin but it’s reversed and Jimmy comes off the ropes and hits a head scissor takedown! Yang hits him a few times and then whips him in the corner. Yang runs up to him and jumps on him for a monkey flip but Shelton holds on, turns him around and tosses him into the turnbuckle. Benjamin casually walks up to him and meets a boot to the gut and Jimmy begins climbing the ropes as if to go for Yang Time but Benjamin catches him at the second and pulls him off. Yang lands on his feet and Benjamin goes to kick him but he catches it and spins Shelton around and Shelton goes for the Dragon Kick but Yang ducks it and goes for one of his own but Benjamin ducks it and when Yang turns around Benjamin hits Pay Dirt! Nice exchange there and that’s the end of the match. Good short match.
Winner by Pinfall: Shelton Benjamin
Match Rating: * ½
Ross mentions that wrestling Shelton Benjamin is about as dangerous as going on a hunting trip with Vice President Dick Cheney. I love it! Shelton raises the US Title in the air and smiles.
Backstage, Edge is looking really stressed out. Hawkins and Ryder come in and Edge says he wasn’t expecting them but this is great because he wanted to see them. Edge congratulates them on becoming WWE Tag Team Champions. He says they deserve it. Hawkins says it wasn’t like Edge’s evening on Sunday but Edge says not to worry about that. Edge says he wanted to apologize to them about last week but they say they don’t need to hear it because it’s Edge’s business. Edge says he wants to explain but they say they don’t need the explanation – Vickie does. They say they can’t talk because they have a match and leave Edge. Edge sheepishly says good luck.
:::Commercial Break:::
Just For Men presents highlights of the tag team Fatal Four Way for the Tag Titles and show Hawkins and Ryder becoming new champions.
Hawkins and Ryder make their way to the ring and apparently this is a singles match that Curt Hawkins will be wrestling. It’s now Biscuits and Gravy time and the Corn Fed Colossus will betaking him on.
Curt Hawkins w/ Zach Ryder vs. Festus w/ Jesse
The bell rings and it’s the usual – you know, Festus goes nuts, runs around the ring and creates trouble for his opponent. He charges Hawkins into the corner and hits some rights and lefts. The ref makes Festus leave the corner (how the hell does the referee control him?!) and as Hawkins leaves the corner Festus levels him with a huge uppercut! Hawkins is back in the corner and Festus whips him to the opposite corner and charges but Hawkins moves and Festus hits the corner hard with his chest. Hawkins starts clubbing his Festus’ back and kicking his legs. Festus pushes him away but Hawkins gets up and stays on the attack. Hawkins then goes for a snapmare but can’t get Festus over and Festus winds up lifting him up and dropping him on his back. Festus levels him three times with rights and lefts and then whips him in the corner and hits him with a butt bump, then comes off the ropes and hits a huge shoulder block!
Hawkins rolls out of the ring and Jesse talks a little trash! Ryder starts trying to sneak over to get the ring bell to stop Festus but Jesse knocks him down! Festus is on the outside and puts Hawkins back in the ring. As Festus gets in Hawkins kicks him in the ribs hard. Hawkins kicks him in the head and comes off the ropes. Festus goes to clothesline him but he ducks and comes off the ropes into Festus’ finisher – the One Man Flapjack – and this match is over!
Winner by Pinfall: Festus
Match Rating: ½ *
The bell sounds and Festus is back to being docile. Ryder tries to attack Festus but Jesse stops him and knocks Ryder to his knees but Ryder pulls him hard and Jesse goes through the ropes and into the ring post shoulder first! The Tag Champs circle Festus and Ryder punches him in the gut. They then hit a Double DDT on the defenseless Festus! Ryder hits a couple of more forearms to the back for good measure and the referee kicks them out.
We now get a video package of Jenny McCarthy and her Generation Rescue, which is for autism. WWE is supporting Generation Rescue and they’re giving them a spot on Saturday Night’s Main Event to raise money globally. Charlie Sheen says good luck to Jenny as she steps in the WWE ring to fight autism and better her than him – whatever that means. Tim Allen also wishes her luck and says give a hammerlock and a noogie. Jim Carrey does some fun dancing and Howie Mandel, that tool, says this is a great thing. Saturday Night’s Main Event is next week – August 2nd.
We’re still waiting for General Manager Vickie Guerrero’s arrival but what we have coming up in the Main Event is the huge Battle Royal.
:::Commercial Break:::
Edge is backstage talking to someone that he hasn’t seen since Sunday. The camera pans out and it’s Alicia Fox. Edge asks her what she was thinking on Sunday. Edge asks her to bear with him. He says she needs to work herself into the woodwork and blend in a little more. She says she is blended. Edge says they’ll talk about it later in the hotel room because Vickie could be there any minute. As he’s saying that Bam Neely is seen listening in!!
Stevie Richards’s music hits and the ECW Original is in his hometown and gets a huge ovation in Philadelphia. Oh God it’s against Vladimir Kozlov. I knew it was too good to be true. This sucks. The Moscow Mauler is making his undefeated way to the ring. Apparently Richards asked for this match.
Stevie Richards vs. Vladimir Kozlov
The bell rings and they lock up but Kozlov quickly hits a hard knee to the gut, sending Big Stevie Cool down to his knees. Kozlov whips him into the corner and charges but Stevie moves and Kozlov hits chest first and Stevie goes for a roll up but Kozlov holds onto the ropes and grabs him by the throat. He brings Stevie out to the middle of the ring and Stevie slaps him in the face! Stevie hits a couple of punches, comes off the ropes and hits a modified bulldog for a no count! Richards goes around Kozlov and starts kicking him hard in the back. Kozlov is up to his feet and Stevie starts kicking him in the legs. Kozlov blocks a kick and hits a big belly to belly suplex. Richards gets up and Kozlov levels him with a running boot to the chest. Kozlov gets him in a front face lock and then hits a kind of butterfly suplex and locks in a Fujiwara Arm Bar. Ouch. Richards refuses to give up so Kozlov gets up to a vertical base while still holding the arm and wrenches it hard. Kozlov then lifts up the left arm and gives a stiff kick to Stevie’s ribs. While Stevie is holding onto the ropes, Kozlov approaches and Stevie kicks him in the face and he goes down! Kozlov now charges Richards and Richards avoids it and Kozlov flies out of the ring between the second and third ropes! Kozlov is pissed and he quickly gets back in the ring and Stevie meets him with some kicks to the chest! Kozlov grabs Stevie’s head but he kicks him again and Kozlov releases it! Stevie then hits a big front dropkick for a one count! Stevie calls for the Stevie-T but Kozlov charges him into the corner. Kozlov goes to hit a shoulder to the gut but Richards gets his knee up and starts pounding on Kozlov’s back! Stevie goes up to the second rope for a Tornado DDT but Kozlov pushes him off! Stevie lands on his feet, comes off the ropes and avoids a roundhouse kick but comes off the ropes again into that dreaded (and painful) head-butt for the finish.
Winner by Pinfall: Vladimir Kozlov
Match Rating: *
The Philly crowd is pissed and Kozlov walks up to the announcer’s table and says some things in Russian and pounds the table a few times. He then walks to the back. Ross says that he said in broken English he wants more competition.
Up next is the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer Battle Royal. Exciting.
:::Commercial Break:::
We get the same video package that played in the beginning of the show in case you forgot what happened. We’re still awaiting the arrival of Vickie Guerrero.
Mr. Kennedy makes his way out to the ring first and says that everyone knows he’s from Green Bay, Wisconsin but he gets a chance tonight to show everyone that he is the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer and he gets to do it in the City of Brotherly Love and he is Mr. Kennedy!
Khali is out next and Ranjin Singh is back! They say he was on sabbatical in India… not that he had a knee injury incurred by the Undertaker at No Way Out. Nothing /* of note as everyone /* comes out.
Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer Battle Royal
The Winner goes to face Triple H at Summerslam for the WWE Title
Mr. Kennedy vs. The Great Khali vs. MVP vs. Umaga vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Big Show
This is going to be crazy to call but try and bear with me as we go through this journey together.
The bell rings and MVP immediately rolls out of the ring under the bottom rope as Jeff Hardy charges him. Kennedy goes to work on Khali’s legs and Show works on Umaga. Hardy runs over to help Kennedy beat down Khali and they lay the boots on the big man in the corner. MVP backs up as the Big Show motions to get him. Umaga capitalizes on the situation and gets Show with a shot to the throat. Umaga punches Show a bit and in the other corner Kennedy hits Khali with a clothesline in the turnbuckle. Umaga is trying to get Big Show over the top rope as MVP rolls out of the ring again when Hardy charges him.
Kennedy drops to all fours and Jeff Hardy comes off his back and the two men do a Poetry in Motion on Khali! Kennedy and Hardy try to get Khali over the top rope but Khali pushes Kennedy off and then pushes Hardy off! Kennedy and Hardy go to Irish whip Khali but he pulls them in for a double clothesline! MVP then approaches Khali and hits a punch but Khali immediately floors him with a Big Chop to the head. On the other side, Big Show hits a sidewalk slam on Umaga! Show turns around and Khali head-butts him! Big Show head-butts him back and Khali then head-butts him in return! Show turns into a thrust kick from Umaga and that floors him. Umaga then immediately hits a thrust kick on Khali and that floors him too! Umaga screams and raises his arms.
:::Commercial Break:::
We’re back and immediately we see Jeff Hardy hit Umaga with a Whisper in the Wind!! Umaga rolls out of the ring under the bottom rope. Kennedy is up and starts laying the fists to Show while MVP clotheslines Jeff Hardy! Show head-butts Kennedy down and MVP mounts Hardy for the ground and pound. Big Show goes over to Khali and starts hitting him with knees and elbows in the corner, keeping him slumped there. Umaga is back in the ring and goes to work on Khali. Show is choking Kennedy in the corner and Kennedy hits an eye rake to break it. Umaga is in the other corner working on Khali’s head and in the other corner MVP is choking Hardy with his foot. MVP nearly has Hardy over the top rope now but Hardy fights out of it. He’s pounding MVP in the corner and goes to throw him out but MVP is holding on.
Big Show goes over and head-butts Umaga and starts punching Khali. Jeff Hardy hits a flipping kick to MVP’s chest and clotheslines MVP over the top rope!!
MVP has been eliminated by Jeff Hardy
Show chops Kennedy’s chest in the corner while Umaga throws Jeff Hardy over the top rope but Hardy hangs on as his feet almost touch the floor and pulls himself back into the ring while Umaga’s back is turned. Umaga and Big Show are having a face off and the crowd noise is building. Umaga punches him and Show chops his chest hard! They do the same thing again and Umaga comes off the ropes and into a shoulder block by Big Show, knocking him down! Kennedy is in the other corner working on Khali. Big Show clotheslines Umaga over the top rope!
Umaga has been eliminated by Big Show
Big Show turns around and Jeff Hardy hits him with a flying forearm and Kennedy and Hardy are now working on Big Show! Big Show ends up pushing them off and Show locks Hardy in a Cobra Clutch and then tosses Hardy. Big Show picks Kennedy up and Kennedy explodes with some rights and lefts and comes off the ropes but Show grabs him by the throat and tosses Kennedy over the top rope!
Mr. Kennedy has been eliminated by Big Show
Khali is up now and he starts punching Big Show. Khali then levels Show with a Big Chop. Khali defiantly raises his arms in the air, which I believe is a finisher for him. Khali goes for the Khali Bomb on Big Show but he breaks it and hits a Showstopper! Big Show turns into a Samoan Spike from Umaga! It’s No DQ so it’s legal! Umaga leaves the ring and both the big men are down with Jeff Hardy up now! Jeff Hardy is on the top rope and jumps onto Big Show’s shoulders! Big Show goes to powerbomb Hardy out of the ring but Hardy holds the ropes and ELIMINATES THE BIG SHOW!!
Big Show has been eliminated by Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy (and me) can’t believe it but he runs right to the top rope again and hits a Swanton Bomb on Khali!! Hardy takes his shirt off and starts trying to throw Khali over the top rope but Khali elbows him off. Jeff walks into a Khali Vice Grip but Jeff quickly hits a low blow to get out of it!! Jeff goes to throw him over again but Khali pushes him off with one hand. Jeff walks into a Big Chop from Khali. Khali then picks up Hardy and tosses him over the top rope and the WWE Title Match at Summerslam is officially going to suck.
Winner: The Great Khali
Match Rating: ** ¾
One kid with his hands over his face says it all. Make sure you check out Mike’s Thoughts to see what I think of this GARBAGE.
Triple H’s music now hits and he makes his way out to the stage with a look of disbelief as he sizes up Khali. Triple H makes his way to the ring and gets in. He has a face off with Khali and the size difference (and talent difference) is astronomical. Ranjin Singh pulls Khali off and says it can wait for Summerslam. Take all the time you want.
:::Commercial Break:::
A video package plays for R. Truth aka Ron “The Truth” Killings! That’s right, folks! K-Kwik is coming back to WWE and he’s coming to Smackdown! The package highlights the ghetto that R. Truth came from. Rough neighborhood.
The first ever Diva’s Champion Michelle McCool makes her way to the ring. They show highlights from the Bash from the kind of sloppy match on Sunday against Natalya. I stand firm to my belief that Natalya should have won the match.
Michelle McCool vs. Maryse
The bell rings for this non title match and these two Divas lock up and Maryse throws Michelle down by her hair. Maryse poses for the fans and McCool comes from behind and pulls her down by the hair and then hits a low dropkick for a one count! Maryse puts her head through the ropes and tells the ref to keep McCool off her. McCool charges anyway and gets kicked in the gut. Maryse goes to bash her head into the turnbuckle but McCool blocks it and bashes Maryse’s head! She then starts kicking Maryse in the ovaries in the corner. McCool pulls her out to the ropes and hits a European Uppercut and then whips her into the ropes and hits a nice dropkick. Maryse rolls out to the apron and McCool goes to grab her but Maryse hits a weak shoulder to the gut which for some reason stuns McCool and Maryse pulls her through the ropes and McCool lands on the floor.
Maryse goes to the floor to get McCool and she whips McCool hard into the ring apron. Maryse rolls McCool back into the ring at the five count and gets a one count on the Diva’s Champion. Maryse whips McCool hard into the turnbuckle and clubs her back. Maryse pulls her hair and gives a big knee to the back and then gets in the ref’s face! Maryse pulls McCool in for a short arm clothesline then the uncoordinated Maryse falls on her butt. Maryse then mounts McCool and punches her. The referee tells her to get off and Maryse picks McCool up and whips her into the turnbuckle but McCool lands on the second rope and hits a beautiful back flip and lands on her feet! McCool goes for the heel hook but Maryse kicks her off but McCool flipped over and locked in that Brazilian Heel Hook for the submission victory!
Winner by Submission: Michelle McCool
Match Rating: *
A shot backstage shows an empty parking lot as we are still waiting for Smackdown General Manager Vickie Guerrero! Who’s booking this show if she’s not there?!?!
:::Commercial Break:::
Did you know that the new WWE set is comprised of 1.2 million LED lights and takes eight hours to assemble? No? Did you also know it has to be transported by 14 tractor trailers? Didn’t know that either? You idiot!
Time for the RAW Rebound. They show the whole Batista vs. CM Punk match with Kane interfering and JBL interfering and all that happy stuff. RAW was OK with nothing of note really happening in my opinion. I do like the Kane angle. Damn, this video didn’t show the single greatest comeback of all time – the return of D’Lo Brown!! Just kidding. So far CM Punk is still a weak champion. He still hasn’t won a match against a big guy.
Jim Ross and Mick Foley discuss what happened on RAW a little bit which is ridiculous because they don’t do that on RAW. They then tell us that it’s official – at Summerslam its Triple H vs. The Great Khali for the WWE Championship. Yawn.
Vickie Guerrero is being wheeled in the parking garage by Chavo Guerrero. No wonder it took so long to get here. I know, I know – bad joke. Bam Neely runs up and asks Chavo if he told her what Edge said earlier. She asks what but they say it’s nothing and wheel her to her office.
:::Commercial Break:::
Maria, who was advertised to be on Smackdown two weeks ago, is apparently returning for real next week on Smackdown. I’ll believe it when I see it!
Edge is backstage and Bam Neely walks up to him. He tells Edge that Vickie is here and in her office. Edge says he needs to apologize to Vickie but he needs to do it in public. Bam says he’ll go tell her.
Brian Kendrick makes his way out to the ring and Jim Ross says he reminds him of Brian Pillman. Kendrick grabs the microphone. Brian Kendrick says they don’t realize what they’re seeing. What we’re witnessing is the fastest, most well trained and most intelligent wrestler in the WWE. We can use this opportunity to brag to our friends, kids and grandkids that we got to see THE Brian Kendrick way back when. He went out and found the biggest and baddest brother around – Ezekiel. If any of us are delusional enough to attempt to touch greatness, we’ll have to take it up with his man Zeke!
Brian Kendrick w/ Ezekiel vs. Shannon Moore
The bell rings and it’s time to witness THE Brian Kendrick! They circle the ring and lock up. Shannon Moore gets a waist lock on Kendrick and Kendrick backs him into the corner, forcing the break. It’s not a clean one though as Kendrick punches Moore in the head. Kendrick whips Moore into the opposite corner but Moore goes to reverse it as if Kendrick was charging him but Kendrick is behind him and hits him with a knee to the kidneys which knocks Moore forward and he bounces his head off the second turnbuckle. Kendrick runs up and kicks him hard four times in the ribs and gets a one count. Kendrick keeps working on the ribs of Moore and hits a body slam. Kendrick goes up to the second rope for a double knee drop but Moore rolls out of the way! Moore hits a reverse atomic drop and hits a jumping sitting senton splash! Moore is holding his ribs for some reason like that hurt them more. Moore goes to the apron but Ving Rhames or Zeke ominously stares him down. The distraction allows Kendrick to hit a big shoulder to the ribs. Kendrick bounces Moore’s head off the turnbuckle and he hits Sliced Bread #2 for the win. Wait a minute – it’s not called Sliced Bread #2 anymore. It’s called The Kendrick.
Winner by Pinfall: Brian Kendrick
Match Rating: ¾ *
Backstage, Chavo is talking with Vickie Guerrero. Bam Neely comes in and Vickie asks where Edge is. Bam said that Edge wants to meet her in the ring. Bam purposely says that Edge wants her to apologize to him in the ring and Vickie rolls her eyes. Bam is a trouble maker.
:::Commercial Break:::
Ben Stiller reminds us all to watch Jenny McCarthy help fight autism on Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Edge’s music hits and he comes out still looking upset and stressed out. There are some people in the crowd holding up a big sign for Edge. Edge says he’s out here to apologize publically to his wife Victoria – his baby Vickie. He didn’t just want to apologize in public – he wanted to apologize face to face so he asks Vickie to please come out.
Nothing happens and then Chavo wheels her out. The audience is booing. No music for the General Manager – just bad dresses and gross facial expressions. Vickie has trouble getting in the ring, holding her ribs after the spear at the Great American Bash. Vickie motions to Chavo and Bam that she’s ok and they leave the ring. Vickie is giving Edge a tough stare and won’t even really look at him.
Edge gets down on his knee to talk. He asks her to hear him out. He knows that what he did was horrible; he understands. He understands if she can’t forgive him but at least hear him out. He says what the video didn’t show was how many times he tried to say no! He says Alicia Fox was so aggressive and he said no! He says he knows she’s thinking “Why didn’t he just leave?” He says what was going through his mind was to hammer out (bad reference) all the wedding plans. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect because nothing means more to him than her happiness. Nothing means more to him than her love! Edge says he won’t live – he can’t live – without her love.
Vickie says that she understands and smiles. They hug in the ring and the Philly crowd is booing like crazy. Edge goes to kiss her but she turns her head!
Vickie says he needs to understand that hell hath no fury over a woman’s scorn. She says when she was really, really mad she did something he might not like. Edge is scared and says that’s ok and he understands and then asks what she did. Vickie says that she reinstated THE UNDERTAKER!! The crowd goes crazy and Edge looks frightened and then looks pissed. The fans are chanting for Undertaker!
Edge says ok and that she’s a business woman and that’s good business. He sighs and says “oh boy”. He says they can go on their honeymoon and Undertaker and Triple H can destroy each other and when they come back he’ll pick the bones and take back the WWE Championship. Vickie says that sounds great but she’s already scheduled an opponent to face Undertaker at Summerslam. Edge asks who and Vickie says it’s Edge!!
Edge gets up in sheer panic and is biting his nails. Edge says she can’t mean that but she says that she does mean it and it will be HELL IN A CELL!!!! Edge falls back in sheer terror and she laughs evilly as the audience chants for the Undertaker as Smackdown goes off the air!!Quick Match Results
Shelton Benjamin defeated Jimmy Wang Yang (non-title)
Festus w/ Jesse defeated Curt Hawkins w/ Zach Ryder
Vladimir Kozlov defeated Stevie Richards
The Great Khali won a Battle Royal to become #1 Contender
Michelle McCool defeated Maryse by Submission
Brian Kendrick w/ Ezekiel defeated Shannon Moore
Bump of the Night: Jeff Hardy eliminating the Big Show!!
Match of the Night: The Battle Royal ** ¾
Mike’s Thoughts
Thank God for the Hell in a Cell match because if the only matches scheduled for Summerslam so far were Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry and Triple H vs. Great Khali I was beginning to thing that Summerslam would be Summer-sham. Thank God. Perfect time to bring the Undertaker back. I figured he would come back for the wedding but this was better.
As for The Great Khali becoming #1 Contender for the WWE Championship I have just one question. What in the hell did the Great Khali do to deserve a title match?? Seriously, two Summerslams in a row with Khali in a Smackdown title match? I was unfortunately there for that last year and that was absolutely brutal. Totally killed the crowd and me. Seriously, Khali can hardly move let alone wrestle! However, if Triple H can pull a decent match out of Mark Henry then maybe he can pull one out of Khali. Still this Main Event SUCKS and I am NOT happy about this crap.
The VIP Lounge was a great opener to the show. It felt real and that’s probably because Jeff Hardy was really feeling it being that all the situations are still fairly recent. I like this approach to Jeff Hardy because it just shows that he has a huge fire for the business. It looks like we’re heading for a Jeff Hardy vs. MVP rivalry. Sounds good to me.
Random Fact: Smackdown emanated from the Wachovia Center tonight. I applied to Wachovia earlier this year and they turned me down for someone bilingual. Hey Wachovia – SCREW YOU!
Jeff Hardy was built up strong in the Battle Royal tonight. It looks like they’ve returned to the push he got earlier this year where he wound up being the final man in the Elimination Chamber with Triple H. I hope we see Jeff Hardy in some sort of an important match at Wrestlemania. I know it’s WAY too early to talk about Mania but still!
They should think about making the strap for the Diva’s Title smaller because it was just flapping around carelessly around Michelle McCool’s waist and it looked stupid. Well maybe that’s just the nature of the title!
Still no direction with Vladimir Kozlov. Me and Jerry Jarrett are still waiting for one.
Final Smackdown Rating: * ½
As always I’d love to hear (or read in the case of e-mail) some feedback and ideas from all fans (and haters… like there would be any!) of the column.
I’d like to hear all your feedback on what you think about Great Khali becoming #1 Contender – if you think it’s a good idea or not. I already know the answer but I want to hear what my legions of fans think.
E-Mail – MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Thanks for reading!