WWE Superstars
June 25, 2009
Green Bay, WI/Milwaukee, WI
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
?Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event?? The WWE video leads us into the show.
The Superstars video plays and we?re brought into the arena with no pyro this week. Jack Swagger’s music hits and we?re welcomed to the show by Josh Mathews and Matt Striker. This is ECW’s contribution to the show this week.
They also announce the Main Event for tonight. Josh Mathews has a huge gaffe here, announcing that this comes from Smackdown: Kofi Kingston vs. Matt Hardy vs. MVP. Matt Striker soon corrects him and assumes it must be from all the hoopla surrounding ECW’s Bash match. It?ll be an ECW Championship Scramble as Tommy Dreamer puts the title on the line against Christian, Jack Swagger, Finlay, and Mark Henry. We couldn?t have Evan Bourne instead of Mark Henry?
Jack Swagger vs. Evan Bourne
Evan Bourne still has his ribs taped up and we see footage from nine days ago where Mark Henry defeated him with the World’s Strongest Slam and hit him with another one after the match was over. Matt Striker says he has internal injuries.
The match begins and they lock up. Swagger quickly takes him down with a waist lock and spins around on Bourne’s prone body before getting off. Swagger goes for a lock up but Bourne ducks and gets a waist lock. Swagger quickly breaks the hold and wrenches the arm before hitting a single leg take down. Swagger now rolls on him again and locks on a grounded hammerlock. Bourne twists out of it, kips up, and hits a unique looking arm drag. Bourne dodges a big boot and kicks him in the back of the leg. Swagger quickly regains control by kicking him in the injured ribs and throwing him chest first into the corner.
Swagger goes for a biel throw but Bourne lands on his feet and takes him down with a drop toe hold. Bourne quickly goes into the ropes and hits a low dropkick to the face for a two count. Bourne approaches Swagger but Swagger pulls him by the tape on his ribs to the apron. Bourne quickly retaliates with a shoulder to the midsection and attempts a sunset flip but Swagger holds on to the top rope. Bourne releases, realizing he’s not going to power him down, and goes into the ropes but Swagger catches him and hits a belly to belly suplex over the top rope to the outside! We?ll continue this after the break.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Bourne locked in a waist lock. Bourne fights towards the ropes but Swagger powers him back and takes him down with a waist lock. Swagger has it locked on tight ? even Bourne elbowing him in the head doesn?t break it. Bourne finally gets to his feet so Swagger attempts to take him down but Bourne uses leverage to stop it. A second take down is thwarted again and Bourne rolls him off. Swagger gets up and Bourne dropkicks him in the knee. Bourne charges at Swagger in the corner and Swagger gets both knees him his face. Swagger goes to the second rope and executes a slingshot body splash but Bourne rolls out of the way and Swagger hits the mat hard.
Swagger gets up and goes for a belly to back suplex but Bourne uses the momentum to bring him forward for a bulldog. Bourne ducks a clothesline and takes Swagger down with a flying elbow. Bourne then charges, ducks a clothesline, and jumps off the ropes with a kick to the back of the head! That was impressive! This will get Bourne a near fall. Bourne then kicks Swagger out of the ring. Swagger attempts to drag Bourne to the outside but Bourne kicks him off. Bourne now springboards off the second rope and twist into a double knee drop onto a standing Jack Swagger! That just may be Bump of the Night!
Bourne gets Swagger in the ring and goes to the top rope but Swagger cuts him off with a belly to belly overhead superplex that sends Bourne all the way across the ring! Swagger covers and gets a near fall. Swagger goes for the Gutwrench Powerbomb but Bourne counter with a hurricanrana into a cradle and this gets him a near fall. Bourne now goes up top for Air Bourne but Swagger moves and Bourne lands on his feet! Swagger quickly hits Bourne from behind and hits a Gutwrench Powerbomb for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Jack Swagger
Match Rating: ** ?
Jack Swagger looks like he’s been through a war and has his hand raised, bloody lip and all. Swagger taunts to the crowd and has a lot of momentum going into the Bash on Sunday.
Dolph Ziggler is seen walking backstage. He?ll be in action next.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know more people watched Superstars last Thursday than any show on VH1, Sci-Fi, E!, or ESPN?
Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcome us to the Smackdown portion of Superstars. They announce that Dolph Ziggler will take on the Great Khali at the Bash. What a match that will be.
Dolph Ziggler grabs a microphone and says for the three Divas who were rendered speechless by his mere presence last week on Smackdown, Layla, Eve, and especially Maria, somehow they didn?t remember his name. This Sunday, at the Bash, when he once again outsmarts and defeats the Great Khali, we will never forget his name? DOLPH ZIGGLER!
Dolph Ziggler vs. Jimmy Wang Yang
The match begins and Yang quickly gets a waist lock on and executes a headlock takeover. Yang hits another one and Ziggler gets to his feet and gets to the ropes. Ziggler hits a big forearm and he hits Yang with a kick and a bunch of punches until the referee makes him get off. Ziggler hits a slam that sees Yang land on his face and upper body the gets Ziggler a two count. Ziggler goes for a neckbreaker but Yang counters into a backslide for a one count. Yang ducks a clothesline and goes into the ropes but Ziggler hits a powerslam for a two count. Ziggler kicks Yang in the head and pushes him down a few times before hitting some crossfaces and locking on a chin lock. Yang fights up and elbows out but Ziggler hits a knee and a belly to back suplex.
Ziggler goes to the second rope and comes off into a dropkick from Yang. Yang blocks a punch and hits one of his own before kicking him in the back of the knee and hitting a flipping kick to the back of the head. Yang covers for a two count. Yang sends Ziggler into the corner and hits a wheel kick. That’s a nice move. Yang comes off the top rope with a cross-body block but Ziggler rolls through and grabs the jeans for a near fall. Yang quickly kicks him in the midsection and gets a front face lock on but Ziggler powers him into the corner. Ziggler charges into a back elbow and Yang jump up top for Yang Time but Ziggler knocks his feet off the ropes. Yang crashes on the mat and gets up into Ziggler’s Reverse STO, giving Ziggler the match.
Winner by Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Match Rating: * ?
Still to come tonight is a United States Championship match as Kofi Kingston will defend against MVP and Matt Hardy.
-Commercial Break-
A Superstars exclusive video package plays and this week it is highlighting Triple H. This was another great video.
We?re welcomed back to the show by Michael Cole and Jerry ?The King? Lawler. They quickly talk about Triple H’s feud with Randy Orton and then bring us into the Raw Rebound, which highlights the Last Man Standing Match. I thought the finish to the match was really unique, using the ladder to get up only for it to fall. Donald Trump is then highlighted. That was really, um, dumb. Trump talks about how he likes the people but quickly sells it back to McMahon for double his money. That makes Trump look bad, but that’s just my opinion. They then show McMahon making the Three Stages of Hell match.
They then run down the card for the Bash. It shouldn?t be too bad of a PPV.
Josh Mathews will now interview Kofi Kingston. Mathews mentions that Kingston has defended his match against all comers and this time he?ll be in a Triple Threat Match. Kingston says a true champion is always being tested. Being the United States Champion means he has to uphold the title with the most integrity possible. Tonight he?ll face MVP and Matt Hardy, two of the best in the game right now, and two former United States Champions that will do anything to get their hands on the title again. When all is said and done he?ll still be the United States Champion. Boom, boom, BOOM!
MVP is now introduced and he makes his way to the ring. We?ll see him in action next.
-Commercial Break-
WWE United States Championship Match
MVP vs. Matt Hardy vs. Kofi Kingston (c)
The bell rings and they all circle around the ring, waiting for someone to make a move. Hardy quickly kicks Kingston in the midsection and throws him out of the ring. MVP quickly charges into a kick from Hardy and Hardy bounces his head off the turnbuckle. Hardy whips MVP into the opposite corner and charges with a clothesline into a bulldog for a one count. Hardy knees MVP a few times before MVP blocks one and takes him down with punches. MVP sends Hardy into the ropes and hits a belly to belly overhead suplex. Kingston gets back in the ring and he and MVP take turns punching Hardy. MVP directs traffic, sending Hardy into the ropes, and MVP dropkicks Hardy down. MVP directs again and they hit a double team delayed vertical suplex. Kingston covers but MVP throws him off at one and covers but Kingston breaks that one up.
MVP and Kingston go face to face. They talk it out, apparently agreeing to take Hardy out and then it?ll but just them but the negotiations are broken up when Hardy hits Kingston from behind and he knocks MVP down and out of the ring. Hardy rolls Kingston up for a near fall. Hardy clotheslines him down and knocks MVP off the apron. Hardy hits a nice neckbreaker and this doesn?t hurt Hardy’s ?injured? wrist. Hardy hits a pair of leg drops and knees Kingston in the face. MVP attempts to rush back into the ring but Hardy quickly dropkicks him back out. Hardy walks back toward Kingston and Kingston quickly rolls him up for a two count. Kingston punches Hardy in the corner and hits an arm wrench takedown for a two count. Kingston gets a front face lock on but Hardy hits him with a stun gun on the top rope. Hardy covers but MVP breaks it up and it’s a near fall.
MVP forearms Hardy a few times before whipping him into the ropes for a drop toe hold. MVP covers for a two count when Kingston breaks it up with a dropkick. All three men trade blows as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Matt Hardy hit a double clothesline. Hardy body slams Kingston down and hits an elbow drop for a two count. MVP has rolled to the outside of the ring. During the break MVP sent Kingston into the ropes and went for a flapjack but Kingston hit a dropkick in mid-air. Hardy clubs Kingston down in live action and sends Kingston into the ropes but Kingston is able to counter with a monkey flip. Kingston dropkicks him down and covers for a one count when the pin is broken up by MVP. Hardy now rolls out of the ring.
Kingston and MVP square off. Kingston kicks but MVP quickly gains control with kicks of his own. MVP knees him in the ribs a few times before sending him into the ropes and hitting a flapjack. MVP hits a knee drop for a two count. MVP locks on a chicken wing submission. Kingston gets to his feet so MVP gets a headlock on. Kingston whips him off and jumps over MVP a few times before hitting flying back elbow. Kingston hits a side Russian Leg Sweep and goes for the Boom-Boom Leg Drop but Hardy pulls the top rope down and Kingston crashes to the outside. Hardy now drops Kingston throat first on the barricade.
Hardy hits some knees to the ribs of MVP before hitting him with a neckbreaker for a near fall. Hardy goes to the second rope and comes off with an elbow to the back of the head. Cole says he used the cast when he clearly used the elbow. Lawler asks him if he has both contacts in one eye. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate but MVP catches the kick and spins him around into a flurry of punches that knock Hardy down. MVP hits a throat thrust and a face buster. MVP hits his BALLIN? Elbow Drop for a near fall. Kingston comes from behind and dropkicks MVP out of the ring. Kingston now hits the Boom-Boom Leg Drop and covers but MVP breaks up the pin with a right hand.
MVP punches Kingston and sends him into the ropes. Kingston goes for a crucifix but MVP rolls through and hits a diving clothesline for a near fall. Hardy ducks a clothesline and hits a Side Effect on MVP for a near fall. Hardy knees Kingston and sends him into the corner. Hardy charges but Kingston slides through the ropes and kicks him in the face. Kingston comes off the top rope with a cross-body block for a near fall. Hardy gets up in the corner and Kingston jumps up to his shoulders and hits a bunch of punches. Kingston hits a European Uppercut and turns his attention toward MVP. Kingston charges into a big boot. Hardy then hits MVP with the Twist of Fate but Kingston makes the save before he gets the win!
Kingston blocks a punch from Hardy and hits a few of his own. Kingston goes for a big punch that Hardy ducks. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate but Kingston pushes him off into the ropes and drops him with Trouble in Paradise to retain his United States Championship!
Winner & Still United States Champion: Kofi Kingston
Match Rating: ** ?
Kofi Kingston celebrates with the crowd and the United States Championship still in his possession. That does it for Superstars this week.
Quick Match Results
Jack Swagger def. Evan Bourne
Dolph Ziggler def. Jimmy Wang Yang
US Title: Kofi Kingston def. MVP & Matt Hardy to RETAIN
Bump of the Night: Evan Bourne hitting a springboard double knee to the outside on Jack Swagger!
Match of the Night: US Title Triple Threat ** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
This was a very good edition of Superstars tonight. We had two good matches and one that was a squash but it wasn?t a horrible squash match.
The United States Championship Triple Threat Match was awesome. All three men are so terrific and I don?t understand why more isn?t being done with them. Even though it’s a Smackdown match, Dolph Ziggler vs. Great Khali shouldn?t be on the Bash PPV ? these men should. What the hell are they doing with MVP? He started out strong on Raw against Randy Orton and hasn?t done much since. They need to utilize him more. Also, I believe those reports that Hardy suffered an abdominal tear in this match are false. At no point in this match did Hardy look injured, aside from the cast thing. An abdominal muscle tear is an extremely painful injury. Hardy was moving around too well if this injury happened, which I don?t believe it did.
Jack Swagger and Evan Bourne had a terrific opening match. Swagger is a great talent, as is Bourne. I was really impressed with the match. Both men are going places and are certainly part of the future of WWE. I just wish Bourne was part of the ECW Championship Scramble.
Final Rating: **
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Be sure to check out tomorrow’s Smackdown recap.
Thanks for reading!