WWE Smackdown
March 6, 2009
Uncasville, CT
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
No WWE introduction video to lead us into this week’s broadcast. We go right to a recap of what happened this past Monday on Raw when Edge put his World Heavyweight Championship on the line against John Cena ? Cena’s rematch for the title. This all came three days after John Cena was knocked out by Big Show. WWE has an amazing video department because they took this OK match and made it look tremendous in the video package. I liked the creative ending to it with Edge grabbing the title out of Chioda’s hands and hitting Cena with it. Vickie Guerrero then announces Edge will defend his World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 25 against Big Show! Edge and John Cena look dejected to end that broadcast!
Smackdown’s video now plays and we?re brought into the Mohegan Sun Arena with a tremendous pyrotechnics display! The crowd is rowdy and we?ll be seeing a contract signing for the World Heavyweight Championship between Edge and Big Show tonight! Also, even though he’s going through a ton of stuff with Randy Orton on Raw, Triple H will be taking on Umaga in a non-title match!
Undertaker’s music hits and he makes his way out to the arena, much to the Connecticut fan’s delight! As he comes to the ring we see highlights of the Vladimir Kozlov vs. Shawn Michaels match where HBK defeated the Moscow Mauler for the first time in singles competition to earn the right to face Undertaker at WrestleMania! I didn?t like the way they jobbed Kozlov out like that but at least it?ll be Taker vs. HBK in their first singles match since Undertaker broke his back in 1998 in that Casket Match!
Undertaker looks at the WrestleMania 25 logo and says for most of his existence, others have chosen to stay clear of his path. Through the fear of the wrath of the Undertaker was a road no one wanted to embark on. He was the one on the pursuit of the hunt and staking the claim. How times have changed, he comments, and this angers him!
The streak is something that he never speaks of ? it just so happens that WrestleMania is the night he has chosen to show his peers and the rest of the world what it is that the Undertaker represents! Yet there seems to be a need, a desire, to feed their egos and lust! Endless souls line up each year to make a name for themselves at his expense, which he takes as a personal insult! He then says that he accepts Shawn Michaels? challenge at WrestleMania 25!
We now see a nice video package, highlighting Shawn Michaels? career at WrestleManias. It’s amazing to think that he started his WrestleMania career at WrestleMania V, a full twenty years ago! My personal favorite matches of his at Mania are the Ladder Match (of course), the Iron Man Match (naturally), Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1998, Chris Jericho 2003, Chris Benoit and Triple H in 2004, Kurt Angle in 2005, and Ric Flair in 2008. Ok, that’s almost all of them.
The video ends and we?re back in the arena with Undertaker. He says that was very clever of Shawn. Undertaker knows what he’s trying to do and he’s chosen the wrong person to play mind games with. It’s only going to make things worse for him in the end. Undertaker calls Shawn Michaels an icon amongst men but for sixteen WrestleManias they have come and for sixteen WrestleManias they have fallen! HBK’s fate will be no different.
HBK may claim to have made peace from within but the time for prayer has just begun! On April 5th he will truly show Shawn Michaels the meaning of what he once told him and that is, ?Sometimes it is Hell trying to get to Heaven!? Undertaker’s music hits and we get one of those iconic shots of him standing in the shadows of the WrestleMania logo. Who doesn?t love the Undertaker?
Tonight we?ll be seeing Matt and Jeff Hardy’s individual Money in the Bank Qualifying Matches. That should be interesting!
-Commercial Break-
We get the same video we?ve seen for the past few weeks highlighting WrestleMania III. You have to respect this WrestleMania ? it set the bar for all of them. Hogan vs. Andre will live in WWE infamy forever. This all happened a mere few weeks before I was born. Yeah, I?ll be 22 in April.
Backstage we see Vickie Guerrero talking to someone on the phone. She says he hasn?t been home since Monday and hasn?t heard from him since then either. She claims that she even to reach for his family but no one called her back. She tells this person if he or she hears from him to call her back. Who is this ?he?? The likely answer is Edge but not with the way things have been going lately!
Jeff Hardy is in her office now and he asks why she wanted to see him. She says she doesn?t have a problem putting him in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match tonight but she has to ask him one more time ? is he sure he won?t face his brother. Jeff quickly says he’s not going to fight his brother. Vickie reminds him that Matt cost Jeff the WWE Championship and begins to say, ?If I were you?? but he cuts her off and says she’s not him ? she doesn?t even know him and he’s not going to fight Matt. What he is going to do is qualify for Money in the Bank. He’s going to go to WrestleMania, win Money in the Bank, and whoever is left standing between Edge and Big Show, don?t be surprised if he cashes in that night and becomes World Heavyweight Champion!
We get an interior shot of the Mohegan Sun Casino and then we get a shot inside the arena of the Money in the Bank briefcase holding that contract that guarantees the winner a shot at whatever World Title he wants for up to a year!
Matt Hardy’s music hits and he comes to the ring to a chorus of boos! He gets in the ring and grabs a microphone. Matt says, ?So Jeff Hardy doesn?t want to fight me, huh?? Did he not just see the segment mere minutes before? Matt says it’s obvious that Jeff is once again running away from his problems. Jeff wants to qualify for Money in the Bank and so does he! When he wins his match tonight and assuming Jeff wins his, they will be in the Money in the Bank Match together, and he will finally ? FINALLY ? get his hands on Jeff at WrestleMania! Matt says he will destroy Jeff Hardy along with the six other competitors and he will climb the ladder and win the Money in the Bank briefcase! He says when he chooses and the time is right, when there’s an opportune moment, he will cash in that Money in the Bank briefcase and become a World Champion!
MVP’s music hits ? he?ll definitely have something to say about Matt Hardy getting in that Money in the Bank match as he’s Matt’s opponent! So far in the people in the Money in the Bank Match are the Intercontinental Champion CM Punk, Kane, and Mark Henry. Five more people to go!
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Matt Hardy vs. MVP
The referee calls for the bell and they circle the ring before locking up. MVP quickly turns and rolls up Matt Hardy for a one count! MVP quickly controls him with a front face lock and takes him down again with a quick hip toss, locking a waist lock on almost immediately! Hardy tries to fight out but instead goes for the ropes. The crowd is chanting for MVP!
They stand across the ring from one another while MVP takes in the chants. They lock up again and MVP quickly goes behind for a waist lock! Hardy thinks about what he’s going to do and then back elbows him in the face! Hardy then hits a punishing right hand that sends MVP down! Hardy picks MVP up and bounces his head off the top turnbuckle. Hardy then whips him into the opposite corner and charges, hitting a corner clothesline. Hardy tries to connect it up with a bulldog but MVP pushes him into the ropes and hits him with a drop-toe-hold! MVP goes for the Playmaker but Hardy twists out, goes for a clothesline but MVP ducks it, and MVP bounces around talking trash to Hardy, pointing to the briefcase saying he’s going to WrestleMania! MVP does his pose as we wonder who will get the advantage in this match.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see MVP on the mat in a rear chin lock with Hardy doing a grapevine! During the break Hardy was concentrating on MVP’s neck, specifically when he snapped the neck off the top rope with a Hot Shot! Hardy also did a unique chin lock neckbreaker! Back to the action, MVP manages to get to his feet as the fans chant his name and tries to elbow out but Hardy immediately takes him down again. Both of MVP’s shoulders are on the mat in clear view of the camera and the referee embarrassingly doesn?t count the pin. So much for realism!
MVP gets to his feet while in a front face lock and pushes Hardy into the corner. MVP hits a forearm and a right hand and backs up for the Drive By. He charges and Hardy hits him with a back elbow, which takes him down to a knee! Hardy picks him up and hits a nice right hand, which sprawls MVP out on the second rope! Hardy uses this situation to pull his back and chin against the top rope ? an illegal move! The referee counts but then just pries Hardy’s hands off. This referee is garbage. MVP is again against the second rope with his arms and neck on it. Hardy goes into the ropes and lands on his back! MVP is gasping for air as Hardy covers for a two and a half count!
Hardy hits a snapmare and goes right back to the rear chin lock with the grapevine. The crowd is chanting for MVP, which gets him to roll over and get in a front face lock and to his feet! MVP punches out, whips Hardy into the ropes, Hardy ducks a clothesline and goes back into the ropes only to get hit with a belly to belly throw by MVP! MVP covers for a two count! MVP picks Hardy up and whips him into the ropes again. He hits Hardy with a kick to the midsection, a European Uppercut, and goes into the ropes for a flying forearm! MVP covers this time for a two and a half count!
MVP picks Hardy up and Hardy surprises him with a sharp right hand! MVP hits back and they trade blows until MVP hits a throat thrust and his face buster, which Matt Hardy takes full force! Ouch! That was legit! MVP now goes into the ropes and hits the BALLIN? Elbow-Drop and MVP covers for a near fall!
MVP picks Hardy up and gets hit with a jab in the midsection. Hardy ducks a clothesline and goes for the Side Effect but MVP elbows out and hits a rolling cradle for a two and a half count! Hardy then gets up, ducks a clothesline, and successfully hits the Side Effect! Hardy now waits for MVP to get up for the Twist of Fate and the fans aren?t happy! MVP gets up and Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate but MVP surprises him with a jackknife roll-up for the shocking victory!!
Winner by Pinfall: MVP
Match Rating: ** ?
Hardy can?t believe what just happened and almost cries at the thought of not facing Jeff Hardy at WrestleMania 25! MVP backs up the ramp and celebrates, pointing up at the WrestleMania 25 sign! The Money in the Bank Match now has CM Punk, Kane, Mark Henry, and MVP!
In our other Money in the Bank Qualifying Match, Jeff Hardy will take on the United States Champion Shelton Benjamin. Also to come tonight is Edge and Big Show’s contract signing!
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that on the sports DVD charts, WWE Home Video owns nine of the top ten spots, led by The Best of Saturday Night’s Main Event at Number One? Wow!!! Their source is legit and they?re not pulling it out of their you-know-what ? Neilson Video Scan First Alert is it.
WrestleMania 25 is only THIRTY DAYS AWAY!!!! If you couldn?t tell I?m really excited!!!
JR and Tazz thank the WWE Universe for helping Smackdown break its own ratings record for the TWELFTH time! Tazz says it’s JR’s hat ? people love seeing a Hall of Famer in a ten gallon! JR then mentions that two guys who love wonderful ratings are Miz and Morrison, who are standing by.
We get the introduction to the Dirt Sheet and we see John Morrison and The Miz wearing plastic butts on their faces! They say they?re the ?Colons? and they won?t take any poop from anyone. They mock Carlito and Primo and we find out next week it?ll be Miz and Morrison vs. Carlito and Primo for the World Tag Team Titles!
Michelle McCool is joining JR and Tazz at the commentary booth. For some reason they piped in cheers for her ? I thought she was a heel!
Diva’s Champion Maryse is making her way to the ring for a match! We see highlights of what happened on Raw when Maryse DDTed Melina on the outside in a DDT very reminiscent of when Jake The Snake Roberts DDTed Ricky Steamboat on the concrete floor, concussing him! Maryse’s DDT would have been Bump of the Night if it happened on Smackdown! We?ll see Maryse’s match after the break!
-Commercial Break-
We see a video package of Umaga destroying countless pieces of meat. Tonight we?ll see Umaga take on Triple H in a non-title match.
Eve Torres is making her way to the ring to face the Diva’s Champion in a non-title match. Michelle McCool plays heel on commentary by saying there isn?t much talent in Eve and she’s definitely not as talented as McCool!
Maryse vs. Eve Torres
This is a non-title match as I said just a few lines ago.
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee in the whole world, calls for the bell to start the match. Maryse does her playful little taunts and when Eve goes to lock up Maryse backs away and taunts some more! Maryse wants to do the old ?test of strength? spot and then takes her hand when Eve goes to grab it, laughing! Maryse then puts her hand up again and takes it away from Eve when she goes for it! Eve is fed up and goes for Maryse, who gets her head through the ropes, forcing Charles Robinson to use force in keeping her away. Lay down the law Chuck! He’s the best.
Maryse does her trademark pose for the crowd. She then approaches Eve who kicks her in the midsection and forearms her against the ropes. Eve has an Irish whip reversed on her but leap frogs over Maryse and goes for a kick which Maryse blocks so Eve hits an enzuigiri! Maryse takes a breather outside the ring.
Michelle McCool says Maryse is a coward and expected her to get out of the ring. Eve retrieves Maryse and puts her back in the ring. Eve is coming in through the rope and Maryse Hot Shots her on the second rope! Maryse takes Eve by the hair and bounces her head off the bottom turnbuckle. She does it two more times until Robinson admonishes her! Maryse goes on the apron and kicks Eve in the neck through the ropes! Maryse lazily covers for a two count.
Maryse picks Eve up by the hair and face plants her. Maryse then sits on her back and locks on her variation of the Camel Clutch! Long live the Iron Sheik ? and B. Brian Blair just for the hell of it! Eve valiantly fights to her feet with Maryse on her back and pulls her over with a snapmare! Both ladies are down but Maryse is the first one up. She approaches Eve and gets kick in the midsection twice while Eve is still down! Eve then forearms her but gets pushed away. Eve then dropkicks her down twice and covers for a two count!
Eve hits a knee to the midsection but has a whip into the corner reversed on her. Maryse approaches and gets a back elbow! Eve goes to the second rope and Maryse tries to hold her feet but Eve kicks her off. Eve then goes for a cross-body even though it was painfully obvious Maryse had already ducked and covered. That looked bad and the crowd didn?t like that either. Maryse then picks her up and DDTs her to win the match.
Winner by Pinfall: Maryse
Match Rating: * ?
Maryse doesn?t have time to celebrate as Melina immediately runs down and assaults Maryse for the DDT on Raw!! The Women’s Champion is destroying the Diva’s Champion until Michelle McCool comes in the ring and kicks Melina in the face! McCool knees her in the midsection and throws her shoulder first into the ring post!! McCool looks at the destruction as she coldly goes to the back.
The Edge and Big Show World Heavyweight Championship contract signing is next!
-Commercial Break-
JR thanks AC/DC for the use of their song ?Shoot to Thrill,? the official theme song of WrestleMania 25!
Justin Roberts introduces the General Manager for Friday Night Smackdown Vickie Guerrero! She’s in the ring which has black carpet down and a table in the middle. The World Heavyweight Championship is on the table.
Vickie says it is her extreme pleasure to preside over the official contract signing for the World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 25. This year’s match will feature two of the most elite and superior athletes ? but before she can continue she’s interrupted by her husband Edge!!
Edge comes out not looking happy. He walks away from Vickie and grabs a microphone. Edge says he isn?t going to do this ? he’s not signing anything! He needs to know the truth on what the deal is between her and the Big Show!
Vickie says she loves him but he hasn?t returned her messages nor has he been home. She says she?ll look him straight in the eye and tell him that the relationship between her and Big Show is strictly professional! She says he’s her husband and she loves him.
Edge says he got every one of her messages but something doesn?t compute. He needs to know the truth but how could he? While he was away for a few months, the Big Show ?took care? of her. Then, when he retained the title against Cena on Raw, her and Big Show come out and drop this bombshell on him. He found out when all of ?these people? did and he’s better than that! Edge says that’s a slap in the face to him ? he says she wanted to embarrass him and make him look like an idiot!
Vickie says this isn?t true and she didn?t think of the match until she saw him facing Cena on Raw. She told Big Show to come out and then she made the announcement. Vickie says she would never embarrass him and he’s special to her; he’s her husband!
Edge asks, ?Why the Big Show?? What makes the Big Show so damn special? Big Show’s going to tell him himself because his music hits!
Big Show gets in the ring and grabs a microphone. Show says to Vickie that it’s time Edge learned the truth! She pleads him not to and Show says it’s ok. Big Show says to Edge that the truth is he’s not a good champion! He takes shortcuts and survives by the skin of his teeth every time ? he’s the Ultimate Opportunist! Big Show on the other hand, not only is he the largest athlete on the planet, he dominates and demolishes ? he is someone worthy of being called ?World Heavyweight Champion!? Big Show says that Vickie knows this and she looks a bit coy now.
Big Show says there is something going on between he and Vickie ? and it’s just business! Vickie looks relieved when he said that! There’s something deeper here! Vickie knows that he will be a far better champion than Edge and that’s why she made this match! That’s why at WrestleMania ? and he signs the contract ? he’s going to beat Edge!
Edge asks if that’s what this is all about because if that’s the case then he apologizes! He doesn?t know how to break this to Big Show but he may be the largest athlete in the world and can use that ?dominating? shtick on anybody else but him! Edge is an EIGHT TIME World Champion! He’s been winning championships and stepping over people to get to the top of the WWE since he entered the WWE! He’s more talented than Show, faster and smarter! Simply put ? he’s better than the Big Show!
Edge has an epiphany! This is why Vickie chose him! Because he will walk out of WrestleMania with his title in tact! He wonders how he could be so stupid to think that Big Show would take his wife away from him. Edge tells Big Show the truth ? he’s more man than he will ever be!
Big Show smiles like he knows something different! Big Show tells him to sign the contract and find out for himself! Edge says, ?With pleasure,? and goes to sign the contract when John Cena’s music hits!!!
Cena charges the ring and gets in Big Show’s face! He low blows Big Show and punches Edge in the face!! Cena grabs the World Heavyweight Title, knocks the table over, and hits Big Show with the belt, sending Show out of the ring!! Edge charges and Cena sends him shoulder first into the ring post!! Cena then picks up the table and throws it at Edge!!
Cena now looks over to Vickie Guerrero who is cowering in the corner! Cena goes over to her and whispers something in her ear that visibly upsets her! What did he say?? John Cena poses for the crowd as Vickie looks like she’s going to break down in tears!
Still to come tonight will be Triple H vs. Umaga in a non-title match! Also, in case you?ve been living under a rock for the past week, we?ll find out the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2009!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break as JR and Tazz watch replays of what just happen and wonder what John Cena said!
We get an interior shot of the Mohegan Sun Casino. We now see a graphic of the current inductees to the Hall of Fame which are Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dory, Jr. and Terry Funk, and Ricky ?The Dragon? Steamboat! The next inductee ? Cowboy Bill Watts! Here’s a tremendous wrestler who sold out the Garden with Bruno Sammartino and was also a tremendous promoter. He ran the Mid-South territory and was cutting edge back when perhaps hiring a black man to be your top guy in the territory wasn?t quite in fashion. This is a man who only saw one color ? green. It didn?t matter if you were black, white, or yellow. If you could draw, you were on top. This man put Big Cat Ernie Ladd, Junkyard Dog, Tony Atlas, and so many others on the map because he took a chance when other promoters were too chicken-you-know-what to do something with these talented individuals! Cowboy Bill Watts will be inducted by his longtime friend and fellow Hall of Famer Jim Ross!
Backstage Edge is complaining to a visibly shaken Vickie Guerrero that he is sick and tired of John Cena sticking his nose in his business. Vickie is supposed to be the interim General Manager of Raw and the General Manager of Smackdown ? he wonders whether she should have some sort of authority! Edge tells her to get the contract because he?ll sign it right now! Vickie tells him he?ll sign it next week on Raw! Edge doesn?t understand why and Vickie starts crying! Edge goes to put his hand on her shoulder and she says she needs space! Edge walks away.
Up next it?ll be the Money in the Bank Qualifying Match between Jeff Hardy and Shelton Benjamin!
-Commercial Break-
We get another WrestleMania rewind that we?ve already seen ? the WrestleMania 21 recap video. This was a great one and I started watching it last night, starting with the Hall of Fame. I got up to Jimmy Hart and had to go to sleep but that was a great class. This WrestleMania of course had Edge win the first Money in the Bank match!
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Jeff Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin’s United States Championship will not be on the line tonight.
The referee calls for the bell and the match begins. They circle the ring before locking up and Benjamin immediately hooks Hardy’s leg and lifts him over his head! That’s the move Chris Benoit used when he accidentally broke Sabu’s neck, giving him the nickname, ?The Canadian Crippler.? Benjamin covers for a two count! Benjamin forearms Hardy a few times and hits a Northern Lights Suplex with a bridge for a two count! Hardy’s tongue is busted open already.
Benjamin gets Hardy up and suplexes him. Benjamin floats over into a cover for a two count! Benjamin picks Hardy up and Irish whips him but lowers his head and pays for it with a kick to the face! Hardy comes back with some right hand but has an Irish whip reversed on him! Hardy ducks a clothesline, goes back into the ropes, and goes for a cross-body but Benjamin goes down and Hardy flies out of the ring with a thump!
Benjamin goes outside to retrieve Hardy and forearms him viciously a few times! Benjamin then has a whip into the barricade reversed on him! Hardy sets up the steps and runs, jumping off the stairs with a variation of Poetry in Motion on the outside!! It’s time for a break.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to Hardy chants but he’s not doing much except taking punishment from Benjamin, who has just dug his knee into Hardy’s back and is pulling back on the chin! During the break we see Hardy go for his corner slingshot dropkick but Benjamin quickly caught Hardy midair and powerbombed him into the corner!!
Hardy gets to his feet and punches out. Hardy goes for something but Benjamin quickly hits a unique backbreaker on his knee for a two and a half count! Benjamin picks Hardy up with a traditional backbreaker and stretches Hardy across his knee! The fans chant for Hardy and he eventually punches out but can?t do anything!
Benjamin lays Hardy against the second rope and digs his knee into his back twice! Benjamin backs up and charges but Hardy back body-drops him over the top rope but Benjamin hangs on to the top rope and stays on the apron! Hardy goes to suplex him back in the ring but Benjamin lands on his feet and goes for his neckbreaker but Hardy holds on to the top rope! Hardy then hits a double leg takedown and leg-drops him in the groin area! Hardy then goes into the ropes and hits a low dropkick to the face, covering Benjamin for a two and a half count!!
Jeff Hardy picks Benjamin up and hits his unique neckbreaker but the fans are booing because Matt Hardy is making his way down to the ring! Hardy pins Benjamin for a two and a half count! Jeff sees Matt but tries to ignore him as he bounces Benjamin’s head off the top turnbuckle and hits Whisper in the Wind!! Jeff stares Matt down and hits the Twist of Fate on Shelton Benjamin! Matt Hardy now gets into the ring and stares down his brother face to face. He then turns around and punches Benjamin in the face, costing Jeff Hardy the match!!
Winner by Disqualification: Shelton Benjamin
Match Rating: ** ?
Jeff stares at his brother in disbelief as Matt Hardy angrily stares back. Matt then symbolically turns his back on his brother and waits for him to attack. When Jeff doesn?t he simply leaves the ring, content at shattering Jeff’s WrestleMania dreams. The Money in the Bank match now has CM Punk, Kane, Mark Henry, MVP, and Shelton Benjamin in it. No offense to these superstars but it’s not exactly the best lineup they?ve had through the years.
We now get the Raw Recap with the Randy Orton and Triple H promo. It started off crappy with the whole ?Triple H is going to jail? crap but got good at the end when Triple H came out. Apparently they can?t touch one another until WrestleMania. How are they going to do the angle like that? That just means more promos? By the way, when they touched noses, that was contact ? Triple H should be in prison now!
Triple H vs. Umaga is next!!
-Commercial Break-
Did you know last week, Smackdown once again achieved the highest rating in the history of My Network TV, breaking its own record for the 12th time? Smackdown rules!
Jim Ross and Tazz are still discussing what John Cena said to Vickie Guerrero. This leads into a video, asking us to wonder who Danny Fisher is, the character John Cena plays in the movie that should be direct-to-video, ?12 Rounds.?
Triple H makes his way to the ring. His match with Umaga is next!
-Commercial Break-
AutoZone brings the WWE Smack of the Week, which was Randy Orton taunting Triple H about RKO-ing Stephanie. Triple H tells Orton he?ll break his neck.
Triple H vs. Umaga
This is a non-title match, in case you were wondering.
Mike Chioda calls for the bell and we?re ready to begin. Umaga goes for a right hand but Triple H blocks it and punches Umaga viciously into the corner! Chioda has to back him away and when Triple H approaches Umaga again he’s hit with a head-butt! Umaga hits him with three more head-butts but he doesn?t go down ? get real, guy.
Umaga punches Triple H into the corner and intimidates Chioda quickly. Umaga then whips Triple H into the opposite corner but Triple H recovers nicely with a clothesline! Triple H punches Umaga and bounces his head off the top turnbuckle. Triple H punches again and goes for a whip but Umaga doesn?t budge. Umaga whips Triple H into the corner and charges into Triple H’s boot! Triple H then charges out into a side kick from Umaga, which he sells horribly but going down slowly to his knees and then to his face.
Umaga looks around and then hits a diving head-butt to Triple H’s ribs. Triple H crawls to the corner and Umaga punches him a few times. Umaga picks Triple H up and head-butts him down. Umaga hits an ugly leg-drop and covers for a two count. Umaga picks Triple H back up and punches him. Umaga whips him into the ropes but lowers his head and eats a face buster. Triple H punches Umaga a few times against the ropes and goes into the ropes, ducking a clothesline but is unable to dodge a throat thrust! Umaga now charges Triple H but he lowers the rope and Umaga tweaks his knee bad. Great, he’s injured again.
All of a sudden Legacy comes through the crowd and surrounds the ring! Mike Chioda has left so I guess this is a No Contest!
Winner: No Contest
Match Rating: * ?
Randy Orton acts like a snake pretending to get in the ring. Cody Rhodes jumps first and Triple H punches him! Ted DiBiase comes in and they double team Triple H and then Randy Orton physically provokes Triple H and they brawl!
Triple H and DiBiase dump through the ropes to the outside and soon Triple H and Randy Orton tackle each other over the announcer’s table! Randy Orton then throws him over the table!
They all get back in the ring and Triple H tries to make a comeback but the three are just too much for him. What proceeds from here are eight of the most boring minutes I think I?ve ever had to endure since I started on WrestleView.com. All they do is just beat him down ? forever. It was intense but it just went way too long, kind of like Umaga’s injury left too much time in between. I don?t know for sure but it seems that way.
The only cool part was really Randy Orton saying, ?I remember? as he kicks Triple H countless times in the face. Orton then half-punted him in the face! Orton sends DiBiase and Rhodes to the back as Triple H, covered in mucus and snot (I?m not kidding), tries to act sympathetic but it just looks gross. Orton plays his part well but smiling while Triple H reaches for him. This concludes this week’s Smackdown.
Quick Match Results
MITB Qualifier: MVP def. Matt Hardy
Maryse def. Eve Torres (non-title)
MITB Qualifier: Shelton Benjamin def. Jeff Hardy via DQ (non-title)
Triple H NC Umaga (non-title)
Bump of the Night: Jeff Hardy’s Poetry in Motion on Shelton Benjamin on the outside!
Match of the Night: MVP def. Matt Hardy ** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
Tonight’s Smackdown had some pretty good WrestleMania build and I was very happy with it, aside from that epically boring beat down on Triple H. Still the Smackdown portion of WrestleMania (the WWE Title is technically a Raw match to me) looks STRONG!
This Edge/Big Show/ Vickie Guerrero love triangle is shaping up to be a hell of a storyline! I had my qualms about it in the beginning but they?re doing a great job with it. Even the acting is dead on ? Vickie Guerrero was terrific tonight? well as good as acting can be on a wrestling show. I?m really intrigued. Then John Cena’s surprise appearance really shook things up! What did he say to Vickie? I hope we find out more on Monday! This pretty simple storyline is really great! You don?t need intricate storylines with doctors and lawyers and IED to sell WrestleManias!
I was interested in the Triple H vs. Randy Orton match following the promo tonight but was skeptical on how they?d build the match with no physical contact. Apparently WWE didn?t know what to do either as they nixed the ?no touching? policy on the next show! It’s for the better but that beat down tonight sucked. I get that they have to make Legacy seem unstoppable and evil but that just went too long. Eight minutes of just beating with snot all over from Triple H. That was just a strange decision on his part to be drooling and snotting everywhere. Sometimes when they go for too much realism it looks faker ? the drooling made it fake. Oh well, I?m still interested to see where they go from here. This whole storyline changed on Smackdown and I?m happy about that!
Things are still shaping up well with the Matt vs. Jeff Hardy storyline. I really liked MVP getting the surprise win on Matt Hardy and then Matt costing Jeff his Money in the Bank Qualifying match. That was some good booking and Jeff’s face after the disqualification was great! I can?t wait for more!
Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels! Finally, for the first time since 1998 they?re facing off in a singles match (Royal Rumble doesn?t count)! I can?t wait! Undertaker cut a hell of a promo this week and it can?t wait to hear what HBK has to say on Monday! I?m looking forward to HBK possibly making an appearance on Smackdown as well!
The Diva’s even have some interesting stuff heading into WrestleMania. I like the idea of the two top Diva’s squaring off, even if it’s not in a singles match. That’s some good stuff right there!
Random Thought ? Vickie Guerrero with her new hairdo and pants suit looked like Hilary Clinton on crack tonight. I know it couldn?t be just me!
By the way, my friend Lisa Arpino was at this Smackdown event (and next week’s for that matter). I?m still jealous, Lisa! She must be excited at the possibility of Edge being cheated on ? he could be a single man again soon!
The wrestling side of Smackdown was half good and half bad. The Hardy matches were fantastic ? Shelton Benjamin and MVP were no slouches either! Maryse and Eve had an average match for a greenhorn like Eve but the Triple H match was inexcusable and it was at no fault of Umaga! Triple H just was really bad tonight ? an uncharacteristically bad match from the 13 time champion! I can?t remember the last time we?ve seen one but this was just no good. To top it all off it appears as if Umaga is legit injured. I?m not happy about that at all. So much for my dream of an Undertaker vs. Umaga match for Summerslam! I?d even take Big Show vs. Umaga!
All in all a very good Smackdown except for the eight LONG minutes of beating down. WrestleMania is looking strong for Smackdown!
Final Smackdown Rating: ** ?
As always I?d love to hear from everyone who liked the recap and even those who didn?t. Do you agree with what I have to say or how I call the action or do you disagree? Let me know! I look forward to hearing from you all!
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Thanks for reading!