WWE Smackdown
March 5, 2010
Wichita, KS
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
A video airs hyping up the Chris Jericho/Edge feud. It highlights their verbal exchanges and the countless Spears Edge has delivered to the World Heavyweight Champion. I like how Jericho said he would never be Speared again only to get Speared a minute later.
The Smackdown video plays and we go into the arena with some pyro. Todd Grisham and Matt Striker welcome us to the show. Our Main Event will be Edge taking on the Big Show.
Edge’s music plays and the number one contender comes out to a massive pop. We?re shown a replay of last week when Edge defeated The Miz with a massive Spear. Edge says that WrestleMania is 23 days away and he’s concerned. He’s concerned about his opponent Chris Jericho because week after week they?ve come face to face. During those times Jericho told him he’s dangerous and the best in the world at what he does but it seems the same thing keeps happening. He keeps getting Speared. The thing is that the same thing will keep happening until WrestleMania ? he?ll get Speared. The crowd starts chanting Spear. I like the chant.
Big Show’s music hits and one half of the Unified Tag Team Champions makes his way to the ring. Edge says this is a depressing surprise and asks what he wants. Edge says he knows ? his little buddy stuck his foot in his mouth last week and got Speared. Edge says they have a match tonight and Big Show will get Speared. Big Show says Edge isn?t the only reason he’s here. Tonight he and Miz will find out who their opponents at WrestleMania will be. Big Show says Edge got lucky when he beat The Miz. Big Show says his luck will run out tonight because he knows he’s in the ring with the largest athlete in the world. Big Show says he knows when he gets his hands on him ? Edge cuts him off and asks if he?ll eat him. Big Show says he eats crap like him for breakfast.
Edge asks if Big Show really eats crap for breakfast because his breath is kicking. Edge says Show’s promises mean nothing but his do. At WrestleMania he?ll win the World Heavyweight Championship and tonight he?ll Spear him. Edge fakes a Spear and Big Show flips out. Edge asks if he thought he was going to get a Spear. Big Show charges but Edge ducks and pulls down the top rope, sending the big man over the top rope. Edge leaves the ring satisfied.
Teddy Long is reading in his office when Drew McIntyre walks in. McIntyre says a lot of people are under the impression that he lost to Kane last week. McIntyre tells Long to set the record straight to the audience. Long announces that Mr. McMahon has had last week’s lost stricken from his record. Therefore McIntyre is still undefeated. Long says Kane qualified for Money in the Bank so tonight McIntyre will be entered into another Money in the Bank Qualifying Match against Matt Hardy ? next! McIntyre thanks him and goes to shake hands but Long snubs him.
-Commercial Break-
WrestleMania is 23 days away. I can?t wait.
The Money in the Bank contract is seen hanging above the ring. They play some dramatic music.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Drew McIntyre vs. Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy comes to the ring with his impressive NXT rookie Justin Gabriel. That 450 Splash was awesome. The Goose, Mr. V’s favorite, is the official. They lock up and McIntyre quickly backs him to the corner. McIntyre backs up and points to the WrestleMania sign. They lock up and Hardy gets a side headlock. McIntyre backs him against the ropes and kicks. McIntyre sends him to the ropes and hits a back elbow for a two count. McIntyre locks on a reverse headlock but Hardy fights up. Hardy pushes him off but McIntyre holds the ropes. McIntyre then charges into a pair of hip tosses for a one count.
McIntyre has to regroup before continuing. McIntyre kicks and head-butts him. McIntyre sends him to the ropes but lowers his head and eats a kick. Hardy then hits a big clothesline over the top rope. McIntyre kicks him on the outside but Hardy still comes out on top. Hardy charges and McIntyre flapjacks him ribs first on the barricade. McIntyre gets in the ring and looks for a count-out. Hardy rolls in and gets stomped as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Hardy locked in an arm bar. Hardy fights up and goes for a Side Effect but McIntyre elbows out before hitting a neckbreaker on his knee for a near fall. McIntyre punches at the ribs and covers for another two count. McIntyre kicks him in the head and cuts off a Hardy comeback with a northern lights suplex for a two count. McIntyre does the ground and pound before applying a grounded abdominal stretch. Hardy fights out but quickly gets kicked. McIntyre sends him to the corner and runs into some boots. Hardy goes up top but McIntyre cuts him off. McIntyre goes for a superplex but Hardy punches him off. Hardy hits his flying elbow to the back of the neck and gets the crowd into it.
Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate but McIntyre counters into a Future Shock attempt but Hardy counters that. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate again but McIntyre jackknifes him for a two count. Hardy turns the jackknife into a roll-up for the win! Drew McIntyre’s undefeated streak ends? again!
Winner by Pinfall: Matt Hardy
Match Rating: * ?
Drew McIntyre paces the ringside area before flipping out. McIntyre rips the cover off the announcer’s table and throws a chair. McIntyre vows to Matt Striker that he will be at WrestleMania. McIntyre walks off to boos. The Money in the Bank will now feature Christian, Shelton Benjamin, Jack Swagger, Kane, Dolph Ziggler, MVP, and now Matt Hardy. I guess one more spot is open.
John Morrison is watching his DVD with Slam Master J of all people. SMJ shows his abs and thanks Morrison for the tips before leaving. R-Truth comes in and greets him with his NXT rookie David Otunga. R-Truth says he got hot because he lost his NXT match but they?re cool. Otunga coldly agrees and leaves. R-Truth says last week they let Ziggles jack their spot for WrestleMania and now neither of them are going to WrestleMania. Morrison says they have one last shot against two teams with a lot of experience. They need to get on the same page if they?re going to go. R-Truth comes up with some names for the team like ?This and That.? They go back and forth before R-Truth simply says ?Unified Tag Team Champions.? They like that.
Tonight Rey Mysterio will take on Luke Gallows of the S.E.S. Punk wants Mysterio destroyed.
-Commercial Break-
The WWE Smack of the Night is Shelton Benjamin beating CM Punk with an assist from Rey Mysterio to enter the Money in the Bank match.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Dolph Ziggler
The match begins and they lock up. Benjamin gets a side headlock before being whipped off. Benjamin hits a shoulder block and Ziggler talks some trash. Benjamin blocks a kick and punches him. Benjamin sends him to the corner but Ziggler slingshots over and locks on his sleeper hold. Benjamin quickly gets out with a jawbreaker. Benjamin misses a stinger splash and Ziggler rolls him up for a two count.
Ziggler kicks away at him until the referee backs him up. Ziggler waits for him to get up before hitting a dropkick for a two count. Ziggler quickly applies a reverse headlock on the ground. Ziggler has it cinched on tight but Benjamin gets to his feet and punches. Ziggler cuts him off with a knee and a nice neckbreaker for a two count. Ziggler clubs him before throwing some sweat on him. Ziggler drops a big elbow for a two count. Ziggler punches him in the corner before sending him to the opposite side. Ziggler goes for a monkey flip but Benjamin lands on his feet. Benjamin then drops Ziggler with a backbreaker.
They trade some punches with Benjamin coming out on top. Benjamin has a whip reversed on him but he hits a pair of forearms. Benjamin sends Ziggler to the ropes but lowers his head and takes a kick. Ziggler goes for a clothesline but Benjamin ducks and hits a German Suplex for a two count. Benjamin gets up and approaches but Ziggler pulls him into the turnbuckle. Ziggler then locks on the sleeper hold. Benjamin flips him off but Ziggler lands on his feet. Ziggler goes for the Zig-Zag but Benjamin counters into a catapult. Benjamin then hits a botched Pay Dirt for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Shelton Benjamin
Match Rating: * ?
Shelton Benjamin gets on the turnbuckle and points to the WrestleMania XXVI sign.
Our Main Event will be Edge taking on the Big Show.
-Commercial Break-
Tonight we?ll see John Morrison & R-Truth take on Cryme Tyme and the Hart Dynasty for a shot at the Unified Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania.
Jimmy Wang Yang is in the ring already. Who’s he jobbing to? Ezekiel Jackson, that’s who!
Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Ezekiel Jackson
Jackson immediately overpowers Yang by tossing him off a lock up. Yang tries a roll-up so Jackson picks him up by the neck but Yang hits a mid-air dropkick. Yang then runs into a shoulder block that turns him inside out. Jackson chokes him before punching him in the corner. Yang mounts a little comeback before getting caught attempting a cross-body. Jackson then hits the Book of Ezekiel for the win. What a surprise!
Winner by Pinfall: Ezekiel Jackson
Match Rating: N/A
Rey Mysterio is backstage with his daughter Allyah. He brings her in a new WWE toy. Mysterio says he has a match now so Tiffany will watch her. Mysterio says she can watch on TV and asks for a blessing. Mysterio then leaves. So Tiffany goes from ECW General Manager to babysitter?
-Commercial Break-
The white hot Straight Edge Society makes their way to the ring. I completely love this group. CM Punk says Rey Mysterio’s popularity stems from one thing and that is the parent’s inability to be proper role models for their children. Children love Rey Mysterio. They fill the arenas, buy his masks, and tune in Fridays to watch. Punk talks to a little boy and says his parents are neglectful. Ouch! Punk says Mysterio is not a superhero. Mysterio is just your average neglectful parent, just like everyone in the arena. Last week they cheered Mysterio’s act of cowardice because that’s all they know. Punk says Mysterio refuses to face him man to man. What he chooses to do is take cheap shots and that stripped him of his right to be a three time Money in the Bank winner.
Punk says Mysterio put his hands on Luke Gallows and for an entire week he’s carried the guilt with him. Punk tells Gallows that he forgives him but he does not forgive Rey Mysterio. Punk tells Gallows it’s time to make Mysterio pay for his actions. Gallows isn?t just fighting for him ? he’s fighting for an entire society!
Luke Gallows vs. Rey Mysterio
Gallows quickly starts off the match by dominating Mysterio with kicks. Mysterio comes back with a kick of his own but Gallows quickly throws him down. Gallows sends him to the ropes and gets dropkicked in the knee. Mysterio gets a side headlock on and Gallows immediately counters with a nice back suplex. Gallows stomps Mysterio before sending him to the ropes. Mysterio ducks a clothesline and hits a head-scissors takeover. Mysterio goes into the ropes and Gallows hits a nice diving shoulder block. Darren Young, Punk’s NXT rookie, is watching backstage.
Gallows chokes Mysterio and hits an uppercut. Gallows drops a knee on the ribs before getting backed up by the referee. Gallows knees him hard in the midsection and then the face. After a few moments of hitting some strikes Gallows sends him to the ropes. Gallows lowers his head and eats a kick. Gallows angrily charges and Mysterio pulls the top rope down, sending him over. Punk quickly runs over and gives Gallows a pep talk as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Mysterio kicking Gallows. Mysterio attempts a whip but Gallows pulls him into a short-arm clothesline. Gallows drops an elbow for a one count. Gallows sends Mysterio to the ropes but he holds on and kicks Gallows in the face. Mysterio goes for a head-scissors but Gallows throws him to the apron. Gallows then sends him back first into the ring post, sending him crashing to the floor! Gallows goes outside and press slams Mysterio back into the ring.
Gallows punches Mysterio in the corner. Mysterio is sent hard to the corner and dropped with a belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Gallows knees him in the back and head-butts him. Gallows then digs a knee into the back and pulls back on the chin. Mysterio fights up but gets caught doing a cross-body and Gallows hits a fall away slam for a near fall. Gallows then pummels him for kicking out. Gallows applies a bear hug at this point. Mysterio quickly punches out but gets shoved to the corner. Gallows then drives a shoulder into Mysterio’s midsection. Gallows goes for a second but Mysterio leaps over him and Gallows hits the ring post shoulder first.
Mysterio hits a springboard senton and a springboard cross-body for a two count. Gallows kicks Mysterio and clotheslines him from his knees for a near fall. Gallows sends him to the ropes and goes for a flapjack but Mysterio counters into a sit-out face buster. Mysterio goes to the top rope but Gallows cuts him off. Gallows goes to the second rope and gets punched off. Mysterio leaps and falls right into an uppercut. Gallows hits a big splash for a near fall. Mysterio counters a powerslam attempt into a body-scissors front face lock. Gallows gets to the ropes so Mysterio breaks the hold and dropkicks him into position. Mysterio goes for the 619 but Serena gets on the apron. Punk then distracts Mysterio. Gallows goes for a powerbomb but Mysterio counters into a senton for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Rey Mysterio
Match Rating: ** ?
CM Punk quickly runs into the ring and goes for a GTS but Mysterio slides off and kicks his knee. Mysterio escapes from the ring before he gets another beat down. Mysterio backs up the ramp as the S.E.S. angrily looks on. This is smelling like a WrestleMania match. Serena looks like a total nut.
Chris Jericho is backstage talking to his old partner Big Show. Jericho congratulates him on winning the titles with Miz and compliments his body of work. Jericho asks him to be the giant destroyer he knows he can be by destroying Edge. Jericho says he owes it to him. Big Show says he owes him nothing. Big Show knows why he’s here ? because it’s all about Jericho. Big Show says he’s not doing this for Jericho. He’s doing it for him. Big Show grabs his titles and walks out. Jericho tells him to ?go get ?em.?
-Commercial Break-
Did you know fans from all 50 states and 24 countries have purchased tickets to WrestleMania?
The Raw Rebound airs. I understand why they highlight the Shawn Michaels thing but in my opinion the real money segment from Raw was the John Cena-Batista promo. That was just crazy.
John Morrison makes his way to the ring followed by R-Truth. They?ll team up against Cryme Tyme and the Hart Dynasty for a shot at ShoMiz’s Unified Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania.
Winners go to WrestleMania XXIV
Morrison & R-Truth vs. The Hart Dynasty vs. Cryme Tyme
The match begins and it’s Shad against John Morrison. Shad points to the WrestleMania sign. Morrison punches and goes for a whip but Shad doesn?t budge. Shad goes for a powerslam but Morrison slides off. Shad runs into some boots. Morrison goes for a springboard cross-body but Shad catches him and slams him down for a near fall.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Morrison locked in a headlock applied by JTG. During the break Shad slammed JTG on him. Shad is tagged back in and they double team Morrison. JTG is tagged in. He goes into the ropes and Tyson Kidd blind tags. David Hart Smith is tagged and he pummels Morrison. Smith hits a trio of belly to belly suplexes. I love that and it gets a near fall. Smith kicks Morrison in the midsection. Smith picks him up and goes for a suplex but Morrison lands on his feet. They both run and clunk heads.
Kidd is tagged in and he knocks Cryme Tyme off the apron. R-Truth is tagged in and he hits a pair of clotheslines on Kidd. Kidd reverses a whip but R-Truth slingshots over, splits under a clothesline, and hits a jumping heel kick for a near fall broken up by Smith. Smith and Shad fight until Morrison sacrifices himself to send them over the top rope. JTG tries to attack R-Truth but it fails. R-Truth turns into a springboard dropkick from Kidd for a near fall. Kidd punches and sends R-Truth into the ropes. R-Truth ducks a clothesline and hits the Lie Detector for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: John Morrison & R-Truth
Match Rating: * ?
John Morrison and R-Truth will take on Big Show and The Miz for the Unified Tag Team Titles. They break dance in the ring to celebrate.
-Commercial Break-
Todd Grisham thanks Kevin Rudolf for the use of the song ?I Made It,? one of WrestleMania’s official theme songs.
Simply Flawless is thanking Vickie Guerrero for helping last week. They give her their t-shirt. Beth Phoenix walks up and Simply Flawless leaves. Beth asks when she?ll get a shot at the Women’s Title. Beth says she’s just asking for what she deserves. Vickie says she’s not the only one with beauty and brains. Vickie says she won?t get her shot unless she says so. Beth tells her not to cross her and Vickie says she’s not intimidated.
Todd Grisham and Matt Striker go over the awesome WrestleMania card. I just can?t wait.
Big Show’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. He?ll face Edge in the main event next.
-Commercial Break-
Big Show vs. Edge
The match begins and Edge ducks a lock up. Edge punches but Big Show quickly head-butts him down. Show chokes him on the second rope before hitting a body shot in the corner. Show strangles him with his boot until the referee makes him back up. Big Show pulls him back to the apron from the floor but Edge counters with a hot shot. Edge runs into a shoulder block. Show chops the chest and chokes him with the boot again. Big Show talks trash before pulling him out of the ring. Big Show goes to throw Edge into the ring post but Edge slides off and pushes him into the post.
Edge punches away at Show until he punches back. Show hits a body slam and chokes him on the rope. Show hits a body punch and another head-butt. Edge tries to punch back but Show simply clubs him down. Big Show locks on a chin lock. Edge fights up and gets out with a jawbreaker. Edge punches away until Show knees him and hits a nasty body slam. Big Show goes for the Vader Bomb but misses.
Big Show runs into a boot. Edge goes for a tornado DDT but Big Show pushes him off. Edge eventually hits a second rope bulldog for a near fall. Big Show throws him off, countering an Edge-O-Matic. Big Show goes for a Chokeslam but Edge counters into a DDT. Edge hits a Spear and mercifully it’s all over.
Winner by Pinfall: Edge
Match Rating: *
Chris Jericho comes through the crowd and goes for a belt shot. Edge ducks and hits another Spear on Jericho! Edge says in case we missed it, Chris Jericho just got a Spear! The crowd chants Spear as Jericho walks up the ramp.
Quick Match Results
MITB Qualifier: Matt Hardy def. Drew McIntyre (non-title)
Shelton Benjamin def. Dolph Ziggler
Ezekiel Jackson def. Jimmy Wang Yang
Rey Mysterio def. Luke Gallows
Morrison & R-Truth def. Hart Dynasty & Cryme Tyme
Edge def. Big Show
Bump of the Night: The Ezekiel Jackson match
Match of the Night: Rey Mysterio vs. Luke Gallows ** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
This wasn?t a bad episode of Smackdown. I was expecting a little more since we are building toward WrestleMania but that’s ok. I was a little surprised that they didn?t give Chris Jericho some kind of upper hand heading into WrestleMania. In fact he was only on the show thirty seconds. They?re really not doing much to give you any doubt that Edge will win it. It’s pretty certain that Jericho is just holding the title for Edge but they could make him look a little stronger. He truly is the best in the world at what he does and he deserves a little better.
I really enjoyed the Mysterio-Gallows match tonight. Luke Gallows really surprised me with his work rate. It was very impressive. He’s another Mike Knox type big guy? except they?re actually doing something with him. The Mysterio-S.E.S. feud is going well and I expect a match to be made for WrestleMania next week between them. That would be awesome.
I was very surprised to see John Morrison and R-Truth qualify for the tag team titles. I can?t believe they?re not doing anything with the Hart Dynasty at WrestleMania, considering that Uncle Bret is on the show. I was also surprised to see Matt Hardy pick up the win over Drew McIntyre. One week he’s tagging with Great Khali and seems to be lost in Superstars purgatory and the next he’s beating the undefeated Drew McIntyre to get on WrestleMania. I wonder what they?ll do with Drew at WrestleMania then.
My big question is where was Charles Robinson tonight??
Final Rating: ** ?
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Be sure to check out my last Superstars recap. Also be sure to check out my first NXT recap on Tuesday!
Thanks for reading!