WWE Superstars
May 7, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA/Buffalo, NY
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
?Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event tonight?? The WWE video leads us into the show.
The Superstars video plays and we?re brought right into the arena in Pittsburgh and Edge’s music hits. It’s already time for the Cutting Edge. The World Heavyweight Champion is making his second appearance on Superstars.
Todd Grisham and Jim Ross welcome us to Superstars. They announce Edge’s guest will be the Number One Contender to the World Heavyweight Championship at Judgment Day, Jeff Hardy.
Edge gets in the ring and welcomes us to the Cutting Edge. He says before we start, with just over one week until Judgment Day, he wanted his opponent to be his guest on the show. Edge doesn?t waste any time and introduces Jeff Hardy, who comes out to a huge applause.
Jeff Hardy gets in the ring and Edge offers him a seat, which he accepts. Edge says that about a month ago, he had John Cena as his guest on the show. He explains that he talked about their long and storied past but that it had to come to an end, and when it did, he?d be the last man standing. Lo and behold, that’s exactly what happened. Edge says he’s rid himself of one longtime rival, and that’s why he had Jeff out tonight, because he wanted to tell him he’s going to do the same thing to him at Judgment Day. Edge says he’s exercising his demons so he tells Jeff to savor that monumental victory he had at Madison Square Garden last week to earn his title opportunity ? he’s interrupted by the audience chatting Hardy ? he continues by saying he wants him to hold on to that feeling because ?this? (the title), between them, just like him and Cena, has to end and it will end at Judgment Day. It will end the same way it always does with Edge being the winner and Jeff crawling back to whatever hole he came out of a loser.
Hardy asks if Edge really wants to talk about the way things have gone down between them. Hardy asks Edge to correct him if he’s wrong but when he became WWE Champion, he beat a punk by the name of the Rated R Superstar Edge ? that’s him, isn?t it? Edge asks if Jeff wants to talk about one lucky night ? Jeff cuts him off by saying lucky night is when a brother turns on a brother and smashes him in the head with a steel chair, leaving him for dead, and leaving him for Edge to get a cheap victory. Hardy says he’s been battling with his brother for the past few months, trying to find some closure to this madness, but he still hasn?t found it, he’s still missing something ? Championship gold that was taken from him at the Royal Rumble. Hardy says that’s all right because at Judgment Day it’s coming back to where it belongs ? to Jeff Hardy!
Edge says if Hardy wants to talk about a lucky night over the past few months but Edge wants to talk about over ten years time. Edge says he and Hardy started in the company around the same time, and from the first time they locked up until now one thing has always remained the same. Edge sees an opportunity, he takes advantage of it, and makes the most of it while Jeff gets opportunity after opportunity handed to him, whether he deserves it or not, and squanders it. Edge says Jeff has everyone fooled into thinking he’s a changed man who just wants closure but Edge sees past that. Edge says deep down inside Jeff is the same screw-up he always has been and always will be.
Jeff thanks Edge for the journey down memory lane and says Edge is right that they?ve been through a lot but if Edge is afraid then he better buckle up because they?re going to go through a lot more! Hardy then kicks Edge in the midsection and goes for a Twist of Fate but Edge pushes him into the corner and goes for a Spear but Hardy avoids it and hits the Twist of Fate! Hardy then goes to the top and hits the Swanton Bomb! Hardy celebrates with the crowd and raises the World Heavyweight Championship up over his head!
Tonight’s Main Event will be John Morrison vs. Chris Jericho. They?re citing the altercation they had backstage at Smackdown last week. This should be a great match.
-Commercial Break-
We?re in the arena in Buffalo, NY and the old Billy and Chuck theme song hits ? Miss WrestleMania Santina Marella will be in action. Michael Cole and Jerry ?The King? Lawler will be calling the action. This match is brought to us by Raw, of course.
Santina Marella & Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix & Rosa Mendes
In a funny moment while Beth Phoenix is coming out, Jerry Lawler calls Michael Cole the ?Dr. Kevorkian of commentating.? I agree.
It?ll be Santina and Rosa Mendes starting this one off. Santina dances around and psyches Mendes out before Mendes kicks ?her? in the butt. Santina calls for a time out and readjusts her skirt. She bounces off the ropes a few times and Mendes tags in Phoenix, which scares Santina so bad she rolls around and quickly tags in Kelly Kelly.
Kelly Kelly shoulders Phoenix in the midsection before flipping over the top rope, landing on her feet, and hitting a hurricanrana with a cradle for a two count. Kelly Kelly hits some forearms before hitting a wild head-scissors takedown, spinning Phoenix around a few times. Santina likes what ‘she’s? seeing. Kelly Kelly dropkicks Phoenix into the corner and brings Rosa Mendes into the ring the hard way for some reason. She forearms Mendes into the corner opposite Phoenix and hits her handspring back elbow. She then calls Santina into the ring and she does her own pretty funny version to Beth Phoenix before dancing merrily back to the apron. Phoenix staggers out so Kelly Kelly charges but gets hit with a backbreaker. Phoenix stomps her a few times and covers for a count of two. Phoenix sends Kelly Kelly into her corner and hits a running back elbow. She chokes her with her boot and tags in Rosa Mendes.
Mendes stomps her a few times before hitting a snapmare and locking on a surfboard stretch. Santina gets the crowd into it, pumping Kelly Kelly enough to get up, but Mendes pulls her back down by her hair. Mendes tags Beth Phoenix back in and Phoenix drops an elbow on the lower back. Phoenix bounces her head off the top turnbuckle and hits a few forearms before the referee makes her back up. She approaches again but Kelly Kelly kicks her away. Kelly Kelly tries crawling through Phoenix’s legs but gets caught. Kelly Kelly struggles and finally kicks Phoenix off, making the tag to Santina.
Santina comes in and does some windmill action with punches and kicks that all miss so Phoenix simply kicks her in the midsection and throws her down to the mat hard. I can?t believe I?m using ?her? do describe Santino Marella, a man. I?m sure Gorilla Monsoon isn?t happy with his namesake. Phoenix misses two elbow drops and a charge to the corner and Santina rolls her up for a two count. Phoenix hits a back elbow to the face and attempts a body slam but Marella slides off, locks on a waist lock, Phoenix goes forward into the ropes, and Santina rolls her up but gets off to drop toe hold Rosa Mendes.
I didn?t notice Mendes tagged in when Phoenix went to the ropes. In any event, Santina tags in Kelly Kelly. Kelly Kelly comes in, hits the K2 on Mendes, and covers her for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Santina Marella & Kelly Kelly
Match Rating: *
Santina and Kelly Kelly dance around the ring as Michael Cole mentions that Santina Marella’s winning streak continues.
Backstage, Finlay is preparing for his match. This will be the ECW contribution to the show. They then go to another area of backstage where Zack Ryder is fixing his new haircut and pretending he’s 80s.
-Commercial Break-
Finlay is already in the ring and he looks ready to go. Josh Matthews and Matt Striker welcome us to the show and talk about how great the show has been so far.
Finlay vs. Zack Ryder
Ryder’s whole gimmick seems to consist of him fixing his hair and saying, ?Woo, woo, woo.? Not exactly a character that has many dimensions.
Ryder taunts Finlay before putting himself between the ropes to fix his hair. They lock up and Finlay headlocks him. Ryder whips Finlay off him and gets shoulder blocked down by the Irishman. Ryder quickly goes back between the ropes to fix his hair again. Ryder comes out and attempts to lock up but Finlay turns him to get a neck vice on before hitting a snapmare, taking off his headband, and messing up Ryder’s hair. Ryder pushes Finlay and gives him a ?Woo, woo, woo? before having the taste slapped out of his mouth. Finlay hits a short-arm clothesline and a body slam. Finlay has an Irish whip reversed on him but Ryder lowers his head and Finlay kicks him in the face. Ryder fights back with a solid kick to Finlay’s midsection and Finlay rolls out of the ring.
Ryder attempts a Plancha but Finlay pulls out the apron and Ryder crotches himself before getting cracked with a forearm. Finlay throws him back in the ring but gets kicked in the face when he gets on the apron. Ryder kicks him off the apron and hits a low dropkick as Finlay rolls back in. Ryder covers but gets nothing so he goes for a rest hold ? the dreaded chin lock. Ryder holds it in as Striker does a good job putting over Ryder’s new character. Finlay gets up but Ryder hits a back heel trip into a side headlock. Finlay fights up and counters out with a jawbreaker. Ryder is in the corner and kicks Finlay in the face when he approaches. Ryder goes to the second rope but Finlay rips him off that, covering him for a two count. Ryder gets out of the ring.
Finlay kicks Ryder’s hand off the bottom rope and does one of the weirdest things I?ve ever seen in wrestling ? he drives himself throat first into the top rope. Finlay then quickly gets out of the ring and clotheslines Ryder down. I guess he was going for a suicide dive and failed miserably? A rare mistake from Finlay. Finlay rolls him in the ring and gets taken down by a throat thrust. Ryder whips Finlay into the corner and goes for a shoulder tackle but Finlay moves and Ryder hits the ring post shoulder first. Finlay then hits him with the Celtic Cross to win this glorified squash match. So much for Zack Ryder’s character!
Winner by Pinfall: Finlay
Match Rating: * ?
Finlay chases Zack Ryder out with the shillelagh and celebrates with the crowd. Still to come tonight is Chris Jericho vs. John Morrison for the first time ever!
-Commercial Break-
Did you know in 2008, WWE.com outperformed the following websites: MLB.com, UFC.com, ABC.com, NBA.com, NBC.com, MTV.com, Nike.com, and NASCAR.com? Prove it!
A CM Punk Superstars video plays. Todd Grisham and Jim Ross talk about what a great edition CM Punk is to Smackdown. We then go to a Smackdown Rebound and I?m happy as hell about that! They recap Chris Jericho’s plight for respect ? I love it! They include the altercation between him and John Morrison, explaining tonight. If you didn?t catch it, check out my recap.
Chris Jericho is making his way to the ring. His match is next!
-Commercial Break-
Chris Jericho vs. John Morrison
My favorite referee, Charles Robinson, is refereeing this match. Morrison and Jericho circle the ring before locking up. Morrison powers Jericho into the corner and Robinson forces a clean break but Jericho gets a push in. Morrison is being held back by Robinson as Jericho exits the ring and takes a walk.
Jericho gets back in the ring. They lock up and Jericho quickly gets on a headlock, which he wrenches in hard. Jericho grounds him with a headlock takeover and gets Morrison’s shoulders on the mat for a one count. Morrison powers out and shoots the half for a one count and Jericho slithers out of Morrison’s grip before locking on a side headlock. Morrison gets up and whips Jericho off only to be shoulder blocked down. Jericho smiles before going into the ropes, jumping over Morrison, jumping under Morrison when he leap frogs him, before ultimately getting taken down by a dropkick. Morrison then clotheslines Jericho out of the ring!
Morrison hits Jericho with a baseball slide and bounces his face off the apron. Morrison rolls Jericho in at the count of three and covers Jericho for a one count. Morrison European Uppercuts Jericho into the corner and forearms him. Morrison has an Irish whip reversed on him and Jericho levels him with a back elbow before covering for a two count. Jericho disrespectfully slaps Morrison in the face a few times before getting blocked and having the taste slapped out of his mouth! Morrison forearms Jericho in the corner before whipping him sternum first into the turnbuckle. Morrison goes for his springboard roundhouse kick but Jericho pushes him over the top rope and he crashes to the floor! This sets up the commercial break.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Jericho trying to get Morrison to submit with a Tazmission. Morrison finally hammers out and goes into the ropes only to be taken down with a knee to the midsection. Jericho hits a stiff kick to the back before using the second rope to choke him. Jericho picks him up by his hair and stalls before attempting a suplex, which Morrison counters by landing on his feet and forearming Jericho before going into the ropes and clotheslining him down. Morrison has a whip reversed on him but he counters with a back heel kick! Morrison goes into the ropes and hits a running knee to the face for a two and a half count. Morrison goes for the Moonlight Drive but Jericho counters with a knee to the face and a clothesline.
Jericho goes for the Lionsault but lands on his feet when Morrison moves and possibly jams his kneecap! Morrison brings Jericho up for what looks like a back suplex but instead brings Jericho forward into a face plant! Morrison shoots the half for a two and a half count. Morrison hits a forearm but has a whip into the corner reversed on him. Jericho charges and eats Morrison’s boot. Morrison comes out of the corner and Jericho takes him down by the legs and locks on the Walls of Jericho but Morrison quickly grabs the ropes before submitting! Jericho argues the rope break with Charles Robinson even though it was obvious Morrison grabbed the ropes. Classic heel!
Jericho goes for a bulldog but Morrison counters by sending Jericho crotch first into the corner. Morrison then goes up top and hits a split-legged corkscrew moonsault for a two and a half count when Jericho gets a foot on the rope! Morrison tries to drag Jericho to the center of the ring but he holds onto the bottom rope for dear life. Jericho then nails him with a forearm as Charles Robinson tries to keep Morrison away. Jericho kicks him in the face and slaps him in the back of the head. Jericho hits some more forearms and slaps in the corner before whipping Morrison to the opposite corner but he counters as he jumps to the second rope and hits a cross-body block for a two and a half count! Jericho then hits a running enzuigiri out of nowhere for a two and a half count!
Jericho hits a forearm and whips Morrison into the ropes but lowers his head and Morrison kicks him in the face. Morrison then hits Jericho with his springboard roundhouse to the face and all of a sudden Shelton Benjamin’s music hits!
Benjamin appears on the screen and says Morrison remembers him since he’s the Gold Standard. Now that he has his attention, he simply says, ?Gotcha!? Morrison then turns around into a Codebreaker and Jericho covers him for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Chris Jericho
Match Rating: ** ?
Chris Jericho makes his way to the back holding his face. Shelton Benjamin then comes out to the stage and continuously tells Morrison that he got him. This was really good and a great way to end Superstars.
Quick Match Results
Santina Marella & Kelly Kelly* def. Beth Phoenix & Rosa Mendes*
Finlay def. Zack Ryder
Chris Jericho def. John Morrison
Bump of the Night: Morrison getting dumped over the top rope!
Match of the Night: Chris Jericho vs. John Morrison ** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
Fantastic episode of Superstars this week! A great segment and a great main event highlight this one.
I like what they?re doing with John Morrison. They really are serious about building up new stars and pairing him with Jericho tonight is the perfect way to start bringing Morrison’s star up. Even though he lost, being in the ring with a veteran like Jericho and hanging in there with him move for move really makes people take notice of his talent even more, and think of him in a different light. He had a tremendous match with Jericho and I like that they?re pairing him up with Shelton Benjamin. They had a great match last week and it can only help Morrison as he makes his way to hopefully a main event spot, or at least an upper-mid-card spot some time in the not so distant future!
Zack Ryder debuted his new gimmick in a match and then promptly got squashed. Ryder got some moves but, let’s be honest, he got squashed. What’s the point of him cutting his hair? I hope they do something with him because he has potential (almost everyone on the roster does except Mike Knox and Ricky Ortiz) but his character is just embarrassingly bad and unbelievable. It didn?t work with Deuce N? Domino as a 50s gimmick and an 80s gimmick won?t work here. No one wants a throwback.
Santina Marella had ?her? funny spots again. The match wasn?t great but the comedy was there. Definitely funnier than the segment at Backlash. They still talked about Jim Ross being Santina’s secret lover, though. Vince just can?t resist.
The Cutting Edge segment was terrific. Edge and Jeff Hardy have a tremendous chemistry and even though we truly have been seeing this match-up for the past ten years, I?m STILL looking forward to it. They?re tremendous together and this segment showcased that.
Final Rating: ** ?
As always I?d love to get some e-mails on what you thought of the recap. Any suggestions? Do you agree with what I?ve said? Let me know!
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Be sure to check out my Smackdown recap!
Thanks for reading!