WWE Smackdown
January 30, 2009
Indianapolis, IN
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
We open up Smackdown with a highlight video of what happened leading up to the Royal Rumble with Jeff Hardy having unfortunate accident after unfortunate accident. We then see highlights of the match itself which culminated in a heel turn by Matt Hardy, who clocked his brother over the head with a steel chair! That’s right ? Matt Hardy ? not Christian! I hate to say I told you so but? I told you so! Great swerve though by WWE and really well done! The video package was great too because after he hit Jeff with the chair they showed videos of them together in obviously happier times.
Justin Roberts is in the ring and he introduces the newest member of Smackdown Matt Hardy! Hardy is met with a huge chorus of boos from the Indianapolis crowd! Matt Hardy comes out to no music. He’s dressed in black and is carrying the chair that he used to bash Jeff’s brains in. He gets in the ring, sets up the chair in the middle of it, and takes a seat.
Hardy stares out at the crowd who is giving him no love and says, ?Finally, I no longer have to share the spotlight with my brother!? He says that tonight is his night, his time, and for all of us who are awaiting Jeff to emerge from the darkness, we?re going to be waiting for a while. Jeff’s at home and he?ll stay at home.
He’s always been Jeff’s big brother and since day one he’s taken care of him both personally and professionally. They show a quick video of them as kids, training and dreaming of becoming wrestlers. They?re also playing some ominous music in the background.
Matt says it’s ironic that around the time Jeff was becoming WWE Champion, all these accidents started occurring. He says some people have even had the audacity to blame him for the accidents that happened to Jeff. He says no one can prove that he was the guy who attacked Jeff in the stairwell before Survivor Series. No one can prove that he was the guy who ran Jeff off the road. And no one can prove that he caused the accident when someone tampered with Jeff’s pyro.
But he can tell us what we can prove and it wasn?t an accident ? what he did to Jeff at the Royal Rumble. With one shot from the steel chair he’s sitting on all the pain and suffering that Jeff put him through for years was transferred right back to him ? and it felt good! We have no idea how much of a burden and responsibility it was to take care of Jeff who was nothing more than a constant mistake. He asks us if we know how many nights he was awaken by the phone asking him ?Where’s Jeff? What’s wrong with Jeff?? He asks us if we know how many nights he had to cover for Jeff and how many nights Matt had to worry about Jeff.
Matt says no more. Without him in Jeff’s life to be his guiding light, Jeff Hardy won?t even be able to survive. He’s a psychological wreck. Him? He’s never been healthier or happier! If his survival means Jeff’s total destruction then so be it!
But Jeff isn?t the only one to blame for the decisions he’s been forced to make. We, the fans, are also to blame! For over ten years he’s tried to get us to like him. He’s signed autographs, taken pictures, and done everything in his power to make us happy but it’s never been enough! He’s been a role model to kids and adults alike but all we cared about was the irresponsible, self-destructive screw up known as Jeff Hardy! So from now on the only person he cares about is HIM!
Matt speaks directly to Jeff now. He says he knows he’s at home now, watching this. He officially makes a decree as of this day ? there is no such thing anymore as the Hardy Boys! He no longer considers Jeff his partner or his brother! The crowd chants ?We want Jeff? as we go to commercial. What a hell of a promo!
:::Commercial Break:::
Just for Men brings us the Smackdown Rewind which shows R-Truth beating The Brian Kendrick two weeks ago. Afterwards he was viciously attacked by Ezekiel.
Jim Ross and Tazz officially welcome us to Smackdown as R-Truth comes out. Tonight we?ll see Undertaker vs. Mark Henry in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match tonight! Also we?ll see Triple H vs. Vladimir Kozlov vs. The Great Khali in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match!
R-Truth vs. The Brian Kendrick
Ezekiel Jackson won?t listen to the referee when he tells him to get out of the ring so the referee ejects him from ringside!
The bell rings and The Kendrick immediately jumps R-Truth! He lays in some boots to R-Truth until the referee pulls him off. The Kendrick hits a forearm to the back and R-Truth starts coming out with some big punches! R-Truth hits a nice European Uppercut in the corner and goes for another shot but The Kendrick puts his head through the ropes, making R-Truth stop. The Kendrick then surprises him with a giant heel kick in the face! The Kendrick then hits a low dropkick to the back of the head. The Kendrick covers for a one count.
The Kendrick now locks on a half nelson with a body scissors. Nice move! R-Truth gets to his feet but The Kendrick just throws him down on his head. The Kendrick then kicks him hard in the back and then hits a double stomp to the back. The Kendrick kicks him in the back a few times and covers for a two count. The Kendrick now locks on a Cobra Clutch. R-Truth is able to power up and hit a Judo throw on The Kendrick! R-Truth clotheslines The Kendrick, then hits a powerslam, and covers for a two and a half count!
R-Truth approaches The Kendrick who pulls R-Truth by the pants throat first into the second rope. The Kendrick now runs to R-Truth who knocks him down with the Corkscrew 360? Elbow! R-Truth goes into the ropes, hits the Scissors Kick, and picks up the win here in the rematch! I would?ve liked a little more out of this one?
Winner by Pinfall: R-Truth
Match Rating: * ?
Tonight we?ll hear from the seven time WWE Champion Edge!
We now get a really nice promo building up the importance of WrestleMania, mostly highlighting WrestleMania I. Hey, WrestleMania 25 is basically right around the corner! I can?t believe it!
:::Commercial Break:::
We?ll see the trailer of 12 Rounds tonight. I?m sure we?ll be seeing lots of trailers for it every week until it hits theaters? and those trailers will give away the only good parts of the movie like they did for the previous WWE Films projects. When you saw See No Evil were you really scared? Were you? Or did you know what was going to happen because you had seen the trailer so many times?
Chavo Guerrero is in the ring. He?ll be taking on MVP, who got his first win in months two weeks ago! Can he have continued success tonight?
Chavo Guerrero vs. MVP
The bell rings and the crowd is chanting for MVP! They take some time before locking up but finally do and MVP quickly hits a fireman’s carry takeover followed by a front face lock. Guerrero quickly gets out of it and gets a hammerlock on. MVP pushes him off, pulls him towards him, and powers him down for a pin and a one count. MVP hits a forearm but Guerrero quickly answers with a kick to the midsection and bounces MVP’s head off the top turnbuckle. Guerrero hits a European Uppercut followed by a bunch of right hands in the corner. He stops at the referee’s count of three.
Guerrero approaches MVP and goes to punch him but MVP blocks it and hits some right hands! MVP sends Guerrero into the ropes and hits a back body drop! MVP hits a deep arm drag takedown and locks in an arm bar! Guerrero is down for a bit. He tries to get up but MVP hits the arm a few times and goes for a pin but only gets a one count. MVP yanks on the arm and punches it. Guerrero is able to surprise him with a kick to the midsection and a right hand. He wrenches MVP’s arm but MVP reverses it into an Irish whip but Guerrero catches him with a rolling wheel kick! Guerrero covers for a two and a half count!
Guerrero hits MVP with a kick and twists his arm. Guerrero flips him over, drops an elbow on the shoulder, and gets him in a key lock. Guerrero has it locked in tight and then slams MVP’s arm on the canvas. Guerrero kicks him in the head as he uses the ropes to get up. Guerrero hits a nice drop toe hold and locks on a Fujiwara Arm Bar! Guerrero even grinds his forearm against his face! MVP eventually gets up and punches out but Guerrero hits a single leg sweep and covers for a one count!
MVP gets hit with some forearms getting up but responds with some big right hands however Guerrero is able to get some kicks in and stop the momentum. Guerrero goes into the ropes and gets hit with a flapjack! MVP hits him with a clothesline, a back elbow, and a kick! MVP goes to pick him up but Guerrero stuns him with a punch. He hits a knee to MVP’s face, a right hand, goes into the ropes, and is taken down by a belly to belly overhead suplex from MVP! MVP covers for a two and a half count!
MVP now gets Guerrero on his shoulders in the fireman’s carry position but Guerrero knees him in the face a few times and goes for the Three Amigos! Long live Eddie Guerrero! At the third amigo (presumably Benoit) MVP blocks it, punches him in the ribs, and throws him chest first into the turnbuckle! MVP rushes Guerrero who takes him down with a back elbow. Guerrero goes up top for a Frog Splash but MVP cuts him off with some right hands! MVP goes up to the second rope and attempts a Superplex but Guerrero punches him off, goes for the Frog Splash but MVP rolls out of the way!! MVP now hits the Drive By Kick to pick up his second win in a row!!
Winner by Pinfall: MVP
Match Rating: **
The referee raises MVP’s arm and this is a very welcome sight. Thank God he’s winning again! MVP rules!
Tazz is now in the ring and asks MVP how it feels to have two wins in a row. MVP says once again it looks like once again big things are poppin? because the corn row wearin?, sidewalk farin?, jaw droppin?, bottle poppin?, modern day mack is back! He says he wants his United States Championship back and when he does he?ll be straight up BALLIN?!
Umaga will be returning tonight so we get a special look at him. I love watching video packages of him destroying people. It really makes me happy. He’s in action next!
:::Commercial Break:::
Did you know that almost three times as many viewers watched Smackdown last week than the Winter X Games on ESPN? I feel completely indifferent to that fact. I wish they?d just stop this already. It makes them look desperate for legitimacy.
JR and Tazz talk about the Elimination Chamber Matches at No Way Out. Both World Championships will be on the line in two matches. I?m not sure how I feel about that but check out Mike’s Thoughts because I?ll have an idea on how I feel by then. We get a video package now on the carnage caused by the Elimination Chamber.
Umaga’s new music now hits (featured on the new WWE CD) and he comes out with even more tattoos! We have to go to commercial before we see any action.
:::Commercial Break:::
Umaga vs. Jimmy Wang Yang
I smell a squash match coming but I don?t care because it’s an UMAGA squash match!!
The bell rings and Yang tries to rush Umaga but gets swatted down by one hand! Owned! Umaga goes to grab him but Yang ducks, hits some kicks, goes into the ropes, gets a punch blocked and reversed into that AWESOME twisting sidewalk slam! Umaga goes to pick Yang up but ends up ripping his shirt off! Umaga then just kicks him in the ribs. Umaga sends Yang HARD into the corner, sending him down on his face! Umaga punches him down in the corner and chokes him illegally! Umaga releases it at the referee’s count of three meaning he can either speak English or he’s just lucky.
Umaga now backs away from Yang seated in the corner and looks to the audience who knows what’s coming! Umaga charges and hits the Samoan Wrecking Ball!! Ouch!! Umaga now looks at his thumb and holds it up to the crowd’s approval!! He now hits Yang with the Samoan Spike and pins Yang for the win!!
Winner by Pinfall: Umaga
Match Rating: *
Umaga screams wildly and hilariously while going up the ramp!
Up next we?ll have Undertaker vs. Mark Henry in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match!
:::Commercial Break:::
Only 65 days until WrestleMania 25!
We now get a video promo of Vladimir Kozlov using a jump rope and rolling around on his head. He throws air punches much like Shane McMahon then kicks, punches, and head-butts a punching bag. I?m not kidding. That was great.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Undertaker vs. Mark Henry
Why is Mark Henry accompanied by Tony Atlas when Atlas hardly ever makes an impact in his matches nor is he a good speaker? I guess it’s because he’s a WWE Hall of Famer! PS I can?t believe Mark Henry has been with the WWE going on 13 years. That seems a little? unjust.
Charles Robinson (sporting a new haircut) rings the bell and they lock up. They struggle until Undertaker gets Henry in a side headlock. Henry pushes him off and Undertaker comes back for a shoulder block but he gets taken off his feet by a shoulder block from Henry! They lock up again and Henry pushes Undertaker into the corner. Henry goes for a punch but Undertaker ducks and hits some big punches on the World’s Strongest Man! Undertaker hits a kick to the midsection, some more punches, and bounces Henry’s head off the top turnbuckle!
Undertaker hits an uppercut and bounces Henry’s head off another turnbuckle. Taker goes for a whip into the opposite corner but it’s reversed on him. When he hits the corner he comes out charging for Henry but gets taken down by a clothesline! Henry kicks Undertaker in the head and hits a forearm, sending him back into the corner. Henry hits a shoulder thrust and a head-butt.
Undertaker staggers out of the corner and hits Henry with a big right hand! Undertaker wrenches Henry’s arm and head-butts it. He wrenches it again and goes for Old School! Undertaker comes off the top rope for Old School and gets caught by Mark Henry who slams him back into the corner! Henry hits a punch and a knee thrust to the face before using his foot to choke the Deadman! Henry releases at Robinson’s count of four. Robinson admonishes Henry as Atlas punches Undertaker in the face! I guess I was wrong.
Undertaker is on the outside stalking Tony Atlas when Henry comes out and bounces his head off the steel steps! Henry puts Undertaker back in the ring and kicks him in the chest. They trade blows and Henry body slams Undertaker. Henry goes into the ropes and drops an elbow for a two and a half count! Henry now gets Undertaker in a chin lock and has it on tight. The audience begins chanting for the Undertaker and he slowly begins to get up. Undertaker punches out like crazy and hits an uppercut!
Both men trade right hands with Undertaker coming out on top! Henry then catches Undertaker with a punch that sends him into the corner. Henry whips Undertaker into the opposite corner, charges, and gets hit with a boot! Undertaker then goes into the ropes, ducks a clothesline, and hits Henry with his flipping clothesline!!
Undertaker goes for a Chokeslam but stops when he sees Tony Atlas on the apron. Undertaker now gets clotheslined over the top rope but lands on his feet and big boots Atlas down!! Undertaker hits Henry with a punch from outside the ring, gets back in, and hits a HUGE Chokeslam!! Undertaker then uncharacteristically sloppily gets Henry in Hell’s Gate and gets the submission victory!!
Winner by Submission: Undertaker
Match Rating: **
Undertaker is heading to Seattle to face Edge in the Elimination Chamber! There are four more spots left open.
We?ll be hearing from Edge, the seven time WWE Champion, next!
:::Commercial Break:::
We now get a rundown of Mickey Rourke’s comments from the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards show where he challenges Chris Jericho. We then see him on Larry King Live where he had a verbal confrontation with Chris Jericho. I guess they missed the fact that Rourke isn?t appearing at WrestleMania even though WWE claims he still is.
Vickie Guerrero is in the ring and she asks the crowd to give a welcome to her husband, the WWE Champion Edge! Edge comes out to a chorus of boos but he’s holding the championship he’s won a previous seven times. Has Edge ever won a Championship cleanly? I guess not but then again it’s not in his character to do so.
Edge says he’s got to be honest ? he usually doesn?t acknowledge the fans at all. Our requests for autographs, pictures, and conversations are completely ignored. He wants to change all that tonight. He wants to have a public discourse with us because we all accused him of attacking Jeff Hardy at the Survivor Series, ran him off the road, and injured him with his pyro. Week after week he plead his innocence and we called him a liar! Often times in front of his darling wife! Often times we point blank told him he wouldn?t walk out of the Royal Rumble with the WWE Championship however each and every one of us were all dead wrong! He then does this crazy thing saying wrong while walking around the ring which was pretty funny.
The crowd is chanting that he sucks but he says he wants to open up a line of communication between us. He wants us to be able to tell our parents, teachers, and our pet hamsters that we talked with our seven time WWE Champion! He asks us all to stand up and say, ?Edge, I?m sorry.? I definitely didn?t and it doesn?t seem the crowd did either however he thanks us and accepts our apologies.
He celebrated his Championship win on Sunday by watching his DVD A Decade of Decadence, which has been number one three weeks in a row, and he watched all his fantastic accomplishments. He hasn?t done this in a while but, ?For the benefit of those with flash photography,? he?d like to break out a brand new pose! That’s the old Edge and Christian shtick! Edge now passionately kisses Vickie while holding up the WWE Championship!
Big Show’s music now hits, interrupting this horrible segment! He gets in the ring and picks Vickie up, hugging her and spinning her around! She looks really happy but Edge looks pissed. Show touches the WWE Championship but Edge grabs it away. He makes Vickie get out of the ring and he leaves with her. Big Show will be in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match next!
:::Commercial Break:::
We now get a video package highlighting WrestleMania 21, one of my all time favorites! They specifically highlight the first ever Money in the Bank match, which featured Chris Benoit, who they tried to edit out but you still see him in the background anyway! He existed and there’s nothing you can do about it WWE!
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Big Show vs. Festus
Jack Doane rings the bell and Festus transforms but he doesn?t do the usual wild charge! Big Show approaches but Festus gets him in a waist lock and picks him up off his feet but Show elbows him in the back of the neck and drops him with a stiff DDT! That looked like it jammed Festus’s neck? for real. Big Show hits some body shots on Festus in the corner. Show bounces Festus? head off the turnbuckle and hits a nasty slap to the chest. Festus staggers out of the corner and gets another nasty slap to the chest! Big Show gets Festus in the corner and hits one body shot which causes Festus to collapse to the mat! Big Show hits another body shot and Festus crashes to the mat again!
Big Show whips Festus into the corner and charges but eats a boot! Festus hits some roundhouse punches, goes to the second rope, and hits an absolutely HORRIBLE Tornado DDT. Festus covers for a two count. Festus hits some clubs to the back but Big Show just pushes him off. Festus comes out of the corner and is clotheslined down! Big Show gets Festus in Powerbomb position but goes backward, driving Festus? face into the mat. That’s called the Alley-Oop, a move Big Show used (unsuccessfully) as a finisher back in 2001. It sucked then, too. Big Show now waits for Festus to get up and knocks him out with the Big Punch. Big Show covers for the pin and qualifies for the Elimination Chamber match!
Winner by Pinfall: Big Show
Match Rating: ? *
Jesse comes in to check on Festus? well being and gets the Showstopper from Big Show! Referees come out to help both men to the back.
The No Way Out WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match so far is Edge vs. Undertaker vs. Big Show with three spots still remaining open!
The trailer for 12 Rounds is next. Great?
:::Commercial Break:::
Did you know that last Friday, more men watched Smackdown than any other show on television? And you wonder why most wrestling fans are single?
We see an outside shot of Indianapolis which is covered in snow.
We now see the trailer of 12 Rounds. It seems like a combination of The Marine and The Condemned with the usual dose of suckitude provided by WWE Films. They should just stick to wrestling. I?m not psyched for this. I can only suspend my disbelief for wrestling (only Smackdown ? Raw features too much crap) not movies. I need some realism in my movies, thank you very much, and this looks like it provides zero. I see it opening up at the number four slot then tanking to number eight in its second week, before not even being a blip on the radar in the third week. I could be wrong but if I?m right you?ll hear about it!
Backstage Eve mentions that everyone is looking forward to 12 Rounds, including Michelle McCool who interrupts her. McCool says she’s surprised to see Eve still around because last time she saw her she was begging for mercy at her feet! McCool says she got exactly what she deserved for provoking her! Eve then slaps Michelle McCool in the face!
Up next is Triple H vs. The Great Khali vs. Vladimir Kozlov in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match!
:::Commercial Break:::
Tazz thanks Kevin Rudolf for the use of his song, ?Let It Rock,? the official theme song of the Royal Rumble!
We now get the Raw Rebound presented by WWE Mobile. To say that Raw sucked from almost top to bottom would be an understatement. How in the world do you screw up Randy Orton’s character that badly? One week he kicks Vince McMahon in the head then he wins the Royal Rumble. The next night he can?t even defend himself while getting ?beat up? by a guy who hasn?t wrestled in two plus years! This was like a half assed, poorly written Court TV segment. Probably one of the worst Raws I?ve seen in recent memory. Did I mention that having the McMahons on TV is horrible? All they do is stroke their own egos. PLEASE DON?T COME TO SMACKDOWN AND RUIN THIS SHOW TOO!! PLEASE!! STAY ON RAW!! Side note ? how are we supposed to take Kofi Kingston seriously in the Elimination Chamber when he got owned by Shane McMahon with one or two punches? Did I mention that Raw sucked?
Triple H’s music hits and Tazz mentions that he was in the Royal Rumble for about 50 minutes! Quite an accomplishment!
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match
Triple H vs. The Great Khali vs. Vladimir Kozlov
The bell rings and all three men are at a stand still. Triple H decides to go off on Kozlov a kick and some right hands. Kozlov quickly drives Triple H into the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. Khali comes from behind and throws Kozlov off! He then hits some back elbows on Triple H in the corner. Kozlov runs up from behind with a big club on Khali which he doesn?t sell.
Kozlov and Khali go face to face. Kozlov hits a body shot and a forearm to the face. Kozlov goes into the ropes and gets hit with a Brain Chop! Khali then kicks him in the face and he goes to the outside! Khali turns around and he and Triple H stare down each other as we go to commercial!
:::Commercial Break:::
This is really weird. They gave away the ending of the match that’s currently going on right now! They?re advertising the four men that have qualified for the Elimination Chamber in a Tag Team Match next week! Triple H and Undertaker will take on Edge and Big Show! What the hell?! That couldn?t wait until the show ended?!
We come back from the break to see Triple H stomping on Khali’s ankle on the steel steps. Khali gets up and Triple H hits a chop block on the outside! During the break Khali went for a big boot in the corner but Triple H moved out of the way and he got his knee hung up on the top rope!
Triple H now focuses on Kozlov who hits Triple H with some big shots. Triple H gets in the ring and attacks Kozlov with some punches as he gets back in the ring. Triple H has a whip reversed on him and Kozlov powerslams him down for a two and a half count. Kozlov grounds and pounds before covering for a two count. Kozlov has Triple H in the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. Kozlov hits a forearm and Triple H staggers out. Kozlov sends him into the ropes and crushes him with a clothesline for a two count! Triple H pulls himself up on Kozlov’s legs. Kozlov hits a strong backbreaker which gets him a two count. Kozlov grounds and pounds and goes for a running powerslam but Triple H slides off and hits him with a DDT!
Triple H goes into the ropes and gets caught with a fallaway slam which gets him a two count. Kozlov drives him back into the corner and hits shoulder thrusts. Kozlov now charges and gets a boot in the face! Triple H hits some right hands, goes for a whip but Kozlov doesn?t budge, so Kozlov sends him into the ropes, lowers his head, and gets hit with a jumping face buster! Triple H now hits Kozlov with a Double A Spinebuster and pumps up the crowd!
Khali now gets on the apron so Triple H rushes him but gets the Brain Chop! Khali signals for the Vice Grip while no selling his alleged leg injury and gets the Khali Vice Grip on Triple H! Kozlov breaks this up with a Battering Ram Head-Butt to Khali’s chest! Kozlov now goes for Triple H but Triple H pulls down the top rope and Kozlov gets dumped to the outside!! Triple H now hits a weird looking (horrible) Pedigree on Khali to qualify for the Elimination Chamber!!
Winner by Pinfall: Triple H
Match Rating: * ?
Outside Vladimir Kozlov is having a fit! The WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match so far is Edge vs. Undertaker vs. Big Show vs. Triple H with two spots still open!
Quick Match Results
R-Truth def. The Brian Kendrick
MVP def. Chavo Guerrero
Umaga def. Jimmy Wang Yang
EC Qualifier: Undertaker def. Mark Henry
EC Qualifier: Big Show def. Festus
EC Qualifier: Triple H def. The Great Khali* & Vladimir Kozlov
Bump of the Night: Big Show DDTing Festus hard! I know, not impressive.
Match of the Night: Undertaker def. Mark Henry & MVP def. Chavo Guerrero ** TIE
Mike’s Thoughts
Before I start my thoughts I?d like to congratulate Osaid Ahmad for being the first person to e-mail me correctly calling the winner of the Royal Rumble. I salute you.
It was an OK Smackdown tonight but easily the best WWE produced TV show of the week. We got Matt Hardy cutting a pretty good heel promo (I?ll get to that in a minute) and we got good build to the Elimination Chamber Match which is eons better than Raw’s, which features Rey Mysterio and Kofi Kinston. I mean, come on now!
I hate to say I told you so but I told you so! Everyone thought it?d be Christian but I kept saying it would be Matt Hardy and I was right! In actuality my friend John Serpico said it first so I?ll give credit where credit is due. It made sense though. Back in December Matt Hardy was a guest on the Cutting Edge and Edge said to Matt’s face that he is an afterthought and nobody cares about him. That sent the wheels in motion or at least foreshadowed that something would come of that. It wouldn?t make any sense to have Matt come on the Cutting Edge and get buried when he was at the time the big star on ECW and the ECW Champion. Anyway, Matt cut a good promo. It’s good that Jeff won?t be on Smackdown next week as it gives more time to get Matt over as a heel. I just hope next time he does a promo they don?t edit in stupid ominous music and video. It kind of took away from an otherwise by the book, old school heel promo. The formula? State your case as to why you turned on a partner/brother, assert your beliefs and how you believe in them, then blame the fans for the rest of your problems. Works every time.
I?m looking forward to the Smackdown Elimination Chamber Match at No Way Out however I wish it wasn?t for the title and rather for a title shot at WrestleMania! They should?ve kept that from last year. It made the match seem bigger because it doesn?t look like any of the champions will lose their championships leading into WrestleMania. It just wouldn?t make any sense. How are they going to decide who the Number One Contender is for the WWE Title at WrestleMania? On Smackdown? I don?t mind but come on ? let’s give it more time to build.
MVP looked great tonight. He had a great little match with Chavo Guerrero. This is the MVP I?ve been wanting to see for months. I hope he keeps it up for a while. I hope that by the end of 2009 I won?t be ranking him as the Worst Superstar of the Year.
Glad to see Umaga back. I?m hoping he goes into a feud with Undertaker at some point this year. Can you even fathom how much that would rule? I wish Kurt Angle was still in WWE ? that way my ultimate dream match could come to fruition ? Umaga vs. Kurt Angle! Hell yeah!
Like I said, Smackdown was OK tonight. It had only two segments where there was talking, only one small backstage segment, and lots of wrestling, albeit not any really good wrestling. Still it was OK enough to warrant this.
Final Smackdown Rating: **
As always I?d love to hear from anyone who enjoyed the recap and even those who haven?t. Even if you just want to talk wrestling I?m up for that! I look forward to hearing from you all!
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Thanks for reading!