Smackdown’s Tenth Anniversary Special
October 2, 2009
Boston, MA
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
It’s been ten years in the making. Here we go?
?Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event?? The WWE video leads us into the show.
A really nice video plays hyping up the tenth anniversary of Smackdown. Eddie Guerrero is featured, the Rock, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appearance, the ring collapsing, and the 9/11 show are highlighted, as well as Edge and Vickie’s relationship. There are so many great moments from this show. You should really pick up that Best of Smackdown DVD if you don?t have it already.
The brand new Smackdown video and song plays. I really like both of them. The video is tremendous and the song is a definite toe tapper. We?re then brought into the arena with a great pyrotechnics display. WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross and Todd Grisham are in the ring to welcome us to the show. They promote the Main Event, which is Undertaker, John Cena, and DX taking on CM Punk and the Legacy. We?ll also have a special message from The Rock!
They show a party going on backstage involving all three rosters. Hornswoggle is the bartender and Michael Cole is already a fixture at the bar.
Batista vs. Kane
As Batista comes out they show Moment #64 from the Smackdown DVD, which was Batista and Rey Mysterio defeating MNM for the WWE Tag Team Championships on December 16, 2005, one month after Eddie Guerrero’s untimely death. That was a great moment. They?ll have a chance at that again this Sunday at Hell in a Cell.
The match begins with my favorite referee Charles Robinson calling it. They lock up and Batista powers Kane to the corner. Batista gives a clean break and gets slapped by Kane. Kane punches Batista to the corner and goes for a punch, which Batista ducks. Batista punches Kane in the corner but has a whip reversed on him, and he eats a back elbow. Kane goes for an elbow drop but Batista rolls out of the way and kicks Kane in the face. Batista takes Kane down with a clothesline for a one count. Batista locks a side headlock on for a bit until Kane counters with a momentum changing back suplex.
Kane goes into the ropes and stomps Batista in the head. Kane gets Batista in the corner and hits some body shots as well as back elbows. There was a clear edit here as Kane whipped Batista into the corner and all of a sudden he’s in a hammerlock and hitting the turnbuckle. Kane hits an arm breaker and covers for a two count. This is Batista’s surgically repaired arm. Kane locks on an overhead wrist lock. Batista powers to his feet and pushes Kane back and over the top rope! Kane looks on stunned from the outside as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Batista locked in an arm bar. During the commercial Kane hit a big boot to Batista, knocking him right off the apron to the floor. Batista powers to his feet and whips Kane off, but lowers his head and eats a kick. There’s another edit here as Kane goes for a right hand and then they cut to an uppercut. What’s with the edits in this match? Kane whips Batista and goes for a clothesline, which Batista ducks, and they take each other down with the double big boot spot.
Both men are up and Batista starts hitting some heavy rights. Batista whips Kane into the ropes and hits a back elbow, which does not take Kane down. Batista then goes into the ropes and hits a shoulder block which does the job. Kane is in the corner and Batista clotheslines him there. Batista whips him to the opposite corner and hits another clothesline. Batista has a whip reversed on him and Kane hits a clothesline followed by a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Kane goes to the top rope and hits his flying lariat! Kane signals for the Chokeslam and goes to grab the throat but Batista hits a big Spinebuster for a near fall!
Batista goes for the Batista Bomb but Kane powers him back to the corner. Batista explodes out of the corner with a clothesline and goes to the top rope now. Batista comes off into a Chokeslam attempt. Batista lands on his feet and clubs Kane. Kane sidesteps Batista when he charges and goes for the ten punches in the corner. Kane gets on the second rope and Batista comes out of the corner with him on his shoulders. Batista drops him with the Batista Bomb and pins Kane for the first time since Kane came back to Smackdown!
Winner by Pinfall: Batista
Match Rating: ** ?
Batista celebrates in the ring and they promote that he?ll team with Rey Mysterio to take on JeriShow for the Unified Tag Team Titles at Hell in a Cell.
Backstage Teddy Long is walking around thanking everyone for coming to the party. Brooklyn Brawler is there! Hornswoggle gives Maria a drink and slaps her butt. Michael Cole yells ?Vintage Hornswoggle!? Cole is downing shrimp and liquor. Long orders a Diet Pepsi and Finlay stops him, ordering four Irish Whiskeys, which causes Cole to yell ?Vintage Finlay!? Cole dips his shrimp in the whiskey. Finlay proposes a toast to the Decade of Smackdown and CM Punk stops Long before he drinks the shot. Cole yells ?Vintage Punk? and leaves when Punk stares him down. Punk says the Superstars should be ashamed of themselves. Punk says as long as he’s World Heavyweight Champion Smackdown is under prohibition rules. Punk says they should pay close attention to the main event so they can see why Straightedge can save them.
Long walks into Vickie Guerrero, who has a new haircut. Guerrero says she can?t believe Long lifted the ban on the Undertaker’s Hells Gate. Guerrero says he doesn?t have the backbone to run the show. A new guy walks up and says he hopes he isn?t interrupting. Long asks who he is and Guerrero says this is her hot new boyfriend Eric Escobar. Escobar introduces himself to Long. Guerrero says Long doesn?t know what is going on with his show since Mr. McMahon signed Escobar and allowed her back to Smackdown to manage him. All of a sudden a black glove grabs Long’s shoulder and it turns out just to be Santino Marella dressed as Undertaker. Marella says it’s a great costume party and Long downs his whiskey.
Still to come tonight is the big Eight Man Tag Team Match. Coming up next we?ll celebrate Eddie Guerrero’s legacy.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know WWE offers all U.S. Military personnel free tickets to all its live events in the U.S.?
Backstage Michael Cole is hammered and downing ?Vintage Shrimp.? Finlay has Hornswoggle come over with a ton of shots. Cole tells Hornswoggle to get him more shrimp and asks if he gets the joke. Hornswoggle kicks him in the knee. Hornswoggle then walks over to MVP and Mark Henry and gets in the VIP Lounge. Zack Ryder is on the outside begging to be let in but they won?t let him. They let Matt Hardy, Kelly Kelly, Alicia Fox, Layla, Rosa Mendes, Charlie Haas, Courtney, Maria, and Sergeant Slaughter in, but not Ryder. Iron Sheik is the last to be let in! Sheiky Baby! The Iron Sheik calls him a jabroni and promises to make him humble. Just kidding. He did call him a jabroni, though.
A TREMENDOUS video package airs for WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero. It seriously brought a tear to my eye. I really miss this guy. A tremendous talent who’s candle was burned out way too soon.
They show the crowd chanting ?Eddie.? This was really a touching moment.
-Commercial Break-
Still to come tonight is a special message from The Rock!
Jack Swagger is at the announcer’s table with Jim Ross and Todd Grisham. As Kofi Kingston comes out he takes off his headset and just sits there.
John Morrison & Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler & The Miz
The Miz and John Morrison start the match out. They are a former tag team and this is the first time they?ve faced since the split. Miz gets in Morrison’s face and talks trash. They circle the ring and Miz kicks him in the midsection before punching him down. Miz whips him into the ropes so Morrison slides between his legs and hits a dropsault. Morrison clotheslines him over the top rope. Ziggler goes to get in the ring but Kingston and Morrison scare him away.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Ziggler kneeing Kingston in the midsection. Ziggler has a whip reversed on him. Ziggler leap frogs Kingston but can?t avoid a nice flapjack/European Uppercut combo for a near fall. Jack Swagger watches on unimpressed from ringside. Kingston punches and has a whip reversed on him. Kingston hangs on to the ropes and back elbows Ziggler. Swagger gets up from his seat and distracts Kingston long enough for Ziggler to hot shot him on the top rope. Ziggler covers for a one count.
Ziggler tags in the Miz and Miz stomps him. Miz hits some back elbows in the corner and punches him down more. Miz gets Morrison riled up, distracting the referee, and he hits Kingston with his patented corner clothesline while Ziggler pulls the hair. Miz comes off the top rope with a double axe handle for a two count. Miz locks on a rear face lock. Kingston elbows out and goes for a tag but Miz cuts him off. Miz drops him with an over the knee face buster and tags Ziggler. Miz goes for the old catapult double team but Kingston forearms Ziggler off the apron and stomps Miz. Kingston gets cut off by Ziggler before he makes the tag and Ziggler drops a big elbow for a two count. Ziggler locks on a nice rear chin lock. Kingston fights to his feet and attempts to elbow out but Ziggler simply takes him down with a whiplash slam.
Kingston gets whipped into the corner and Ziggler tags in the Miz. Miz goes for a running shoulder thrust but Kingston moves and he hits the ring post. Both men make the tags. Morrison takes Ziggler out with two clotheslines before sending him into the ropes and hitting a BEAUTIFUL jumping calf kick. Morrison hits a STANDING Shooting Star Press for a near fall. Morrison whips him sternum first into the turnbuckle and ducks Miz? interference. Miz then gets taken out by Kingston on the outside with a nice clothesline off the stairs. Morrison goes for the Flying Chuck but Ziggler hangs him up on the top rope. Ziggler then drops him with the Zig Zag for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler & The Miz
Match Rating: ** ?
Backstage at the Smackdown party Kung Fu-Naki and Yoshi Tatsu are doing karaoke to Shawn Michaels? music. They stop when Jillian interrupts them with her version of the son. Elsewhere Sergeant Slaughter and the Iron Sheik are going back and forth saying the names of their countries. Sheik is about to say the United States and do his trademark spit but he starts choking. The Hurricane comes up from behind and performs the Heimlich. Sheik spits shrimp out and it lands on Michael Cole’s table. Cole eats it as he’s wasted by this point. Cole is even wearing a cowboy hat. Finlay makes him do more shots.
Chris Jericho and Big Show walk up now in nice suits. Jericho calls on the attention of the party and Show quiets everyone down. Jericho says they should be the guests of honor since they were on the first episode of Smackdown ten years ago. Jericho says not only are they the most powerful duo in sports but they have the most longevity in Smackdown history. Michael Cole throws up on Jericho’s shoes and he makes the greatest face. Big Show takes a look and then promptly throws up everywhere. Joey Styles then walks up and says ?OH MY GOD!?
Coming up next we?ll have a special message from The Rock!
-Commercial Break-
The Rock is shown on video throwing away a script. They do a couple of funny outtakes where he asks who Dolph Ziggler is and attempts to get back in character. The Rock finally does get back in character and says ?FINALLY, THE ROCK HAS COME BACK TO SMACKDOWN!? The Rock says it has been ten years for Smackdown and it’s been a while since he said the words that changed the English language ? ?Layin? the Smackdown on ALL your candy asses!? The Rock then does his Elvis impersonation doing the Smackdown Hotel.
The Rock says it’s ten years later and says the champion is now CM Punk, the straightedge guy who sits when he uses the toilet. The Rock says he should be called BM Punk for bowel movement. The Rock says he hasn?t faced Punk but he has faced Punk’s opponent the Undertaker. The Rock says they made history and says he kicked the Undertaker’s ass all around the world. The Rock then says he’s kidding and he only won once by disqualification. The Rock tells them to edit that out because he doesn?t want to get the Tombstone. The Rock then tells the director to come up and asks him questions before saying it doesn?t matter what he thinks. The Rock rips open the guy’s shirt and shows his hairy chest. The Rock tells him to shave it because it’s disturbing and tells him to leave.
The Rock says that this Sunday night will be disturbing at Hell in a Cell. The Rock says there will be a new World Champion and a new era on Smackdown will be born. No matter what, though, this show will always belong to the ?Jabroni beating, pie eating, has no peer, has no flaw, now that he’s tried Smackdown, maybe it’s time The Rock guest hosts Raw.? The Rock says he?ll be the most electrifying host the show has ever seen IF YA SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKIN! The Rock then has the camera zoom in for the People’s Eyebrow and our brief look into wrestling’s glory days is over. Holy crap I miss that era.
Still to come is our huge eight man tag team match!
-Commercial Break-
It’s time for a Lumberjack Match for the WWE Women’s Championship. The Lumberjacks will be Eve Torres, Maria, Kelly Kelly, Beth Phoenix, Alicia Fox, Rosa Mendes, Katie Lea Burchill, Jillian, Natalya, Layla, Courtney, and the Bella Twins.
WWE Women’s Championship Lumberjack Match
Melina vs. Michelle McCool (c)
The bell rings and they lock up. McCool hits a back heel trip and covers for a two count. McCool hits an uppercut and kicks Melina. McCool punches her down before whipping her into the ropes. Melina hits a back elbow and chokes McCool with her legs. McCool pushes her over the top rope to the apron. Melina splits under a clothesline so McCool kicks her off the apron! Melina bumps hard to the outside. That looked rough. The lumberjacks, or lumberjills, help Melina up. Hey, what is this? McCool pushes them away and throws Melina into the ring.
McCool kicks her and smashes her face off the canvas. McCool kicks her in the head but has a whip reversed on her. Melina hits some punches and drops her with a flapjack for a near fall. McCool hits a knee to the midsection and sends her into the ropes but lowers her head and eats a kick. Melina hits a clothesline and goes into the ropes but Jillian grabs her leg. Melina hits a cross-body to the outside on Jillian. The Divas start fighting on the outside. McCool sends Melina into the corner and runs into a boot. Melina goes to the top rope and Beth Phoenix pulls her leg out. McCool then hits the Faith Breaker and covers to retain the title.
Winner & Still Women’s Champion: Michelle McCool
Match Rating: *
The Undertaker is backstage to cut a promo. ?CM Punk, you are about to enter the domain of the Undertaker, a domain of eternal suffering ? a place where there is no forgiveness, only vengeance. I will reclaim the World Heavyweight Championship, and in the process I will knock you from the black horse of self-righteousness. The pills, the alcohol, and the drugs you so despise you soon will crave ? you soon will need. Welcome to Hell’s playground. Welcome to Satan’s structure. Welcome to Hell in a Cell!?
-Commercial Break-
Did you know more males (under 55) watched Smackdown last Friday than EVERY show on ABC, Fox, NBC, and CBS?
The Smackdown party is still going on backstage. Everyone is dancing until Drew McIntyre interrupts. McIntyre says as the newest member of Smackdown he?d like to make a toast to himself, a future World Champion, and to the party just getting started. R-Truth viciously attacks him and they destroy the place.
Degeneration X makes their entrance with the glow sticks. They?re followed by the WWE Champion John Cena. They show a flashback to Smackdown Moment #100 on the DVD when John Cena debuted the Spinner WWE Title. This was from April 14, 2005, my birthday. Maybe for my birthday next year they?ll change it to something else? anything will do.
Soon they?re followed by the legendary Undertaker. Undertaker’s entrance is still a sight to be seen, in my eyes. I still wonder how many hours of my life have been wasted watching it. They then show Smackdown Moment #28, which was from September 26, 2008. Undertaker delivered a Tombstone Piledriver to Vickie Guerrero. They tease a little something with Undertaker and HBK before going to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
DX, John Cena & Undertaker vs. Legacy & CM Punk
The bell is rung and it will be John Cena starting out against Cody Rhodes. Cena gets an arm wrench and powers Rhodes to the corner. Cena ducks a clothesline, punches him down, and bounces his face off the turnbuckle. Cena whips him hard into the opposite corner and catches him with a face buster for a one count. Cena tags Triple H in and Triple H lays him out with a right hand. Rhodes desperately tags in Ted DiBiase.
They lock up and Triple H powers him to the corner. They trade punches with Triple H coming out on top. Triple H has a whip reversed on him to the corner but he explodes out with a clothesline. Triple H wrenches the arm and whips him to the corner. Triple H hits him with a neckbreaker and covers for a two count. Triple H locks on a wrist lock and wrenches the arm some more. Triple H bounces DiBiase’s face off HBK’s boots and tags him in. Michaels hits a knife edge chop. Michaels goes to bounce DiBiase’s face off the turnbuckle but DiBiase turns it on him. DiBiase hits some right hands and sends Michaels to the corner. DiBiase charges into his boot. Michaels wrenches the arm and stares down Undertaker. DiBiase starts punching and sends Michaels into the ropes where Undertaker makes a blind tag. Michaels ducks a clothesline and chops him down. Undertaker gets in the ring and stares down Shawn Michaels. Cody Rhodes is tagged in and gets punched down by Undertaker. Undertaker and Shawn Michaels go back to the stare down as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Undertaker hit Old School on Cody Rhodes for a near fall! Undertaker tags in Triple H. Triple H hits a right hand before a nice delayed vertical suplex. Triple H says Rhodes can ?Suck It? and drops a knee. Triple H tags in Shawn Michaels and Michaels chops Rhodes. Rhodes hits some right hands and takes him out. DiBiase is tagged in. DiBiase punches Michaels down and tags in Randy Orton. Orton hits some right hands in the corner and is backed up by the referee. Legacy chokes HBK as the referee’s back is turned.
CM Punk is tagged in and Punk hits some stomps to Michaels. This is the first time I can recall Punk and HBK facing. Punk hits a nice back suplex for a two count. Punk tags Orton in and Orton hits some stomps to the midsection. Orton locks on a chin lock and holds it tight. Michaels fights up and back suplexes Orton. Orton tags in Rhodes before Michaels can make the tag. Michaels hits the enzuigiri and tags in Cena.
Cena hits a pair of shoulder blocks, a spinning back suplex, and hits ?You Can?t See Me.? Cena goes for the Attitude Adjustment but DiBiase runs in. Cena drops him with a right hand and sends him into Rhodes in the corner. Cena lifts Legacy on his shoulders for the Attitude Adjustment but the slide off and hit the High/Low! We?ll take a commercial here.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Punk hit a low dropkick to the back of the head on Cena for a near fall. Orton is tagged in and Punk holds Cena wide open for Orton to hit a right hand. Orton viciously clubs Cena’s chest a whole bunch of times. Orton drops a huge knee and covers for a two count. Orton kicks Cena in the ribs and rakes the eyes with his boots. All of a sudden Cena comes to life with an Attitude Adjustment attempt but Orton slides off and DDTs him for a two count.
DiBiase is tagged in and he kicks Cena in the ribs. DiBiase kicks Cena in the head and covers for a two count. DiBiase locks on a chin lock. Cena, of course, powers out, goes into the ropes, and eats a clothesline. DiBiase hits a Million Dollar Fist Drop and then hits another for good measure. DiBiase goes for a third but misses. Cena then takes him out with a belly to belly side suplex and both men are down.
Triple H and CM Punk are tagged in. Punk eats some right hands before going into the ropes, ducking a clothesline, and eating a high knee. Punk reverses a whip but lowers his head and takes a face buster. Triple H then takes him out with a clothesline. Rhodes goes to run in but decides he wants no part of that. Triple H hits a Double A Spinebuster and tags in Undertaker! CM Punk immediately tags to Randy Orton and gets away!
Undertaker brings Orton in the hard way and hits some right hands. Undertaker whips him to the corner and hits a big clothesline. Undertaker hits Snake Eyes and a big boot before dropping DiBiase with a right hand. Orton gets some offense with his backbreaker but when he goes to pick him up Taker gets him in Hell’s Gate! Rhodes quickly breaks it up and Triple H punches him away before throwing him out of the ring. DiBiase goes to hit Dream Street on Triple H but HBK hits Sweet Chin Music and Triple H Pedigrees him! CM Punk then drops HBK out of nowhere with his jumping calf kick. John Cena then catches CM Punk and Attitude Adjusts him over the top rope onto Legacy!
Randy Orton gets up and finds himself in the middle of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, and the Undertaker! Cena and Orton go face to face before Orton turns into a Tombstone Piledriver! Undertaker pins Randy Orton!
Winners by Pinfall: DX, John Cena & Undertaker
Match Rating: ***
All four of the victors entrance music plays as blue and white confetti fills the arena! The show closes with the purple lights and Undertaker doing his trademark pose! That’s the right way for Smackdown to end!
Quick Match Results
Batista def. Kane
Dolph Ziggler* & The Miz def. John Morrison* & Kofi Kingston
Michelle McCool def. Melina to RETAIN the Women’s Title
DX, John Cena & Undertaker* def. Legacy & CM Punk
Bump of the Night: CM Punk getting Attitude Adjusted over the top rope!
Match of the Night: Eight Man Tag ***
Mike’s Thoughts
Well Smackdown turned ten tonight and we had a fun episode to commemorate it. We had some good matches and some fun backstage segments that had some good comedy. It’s strange that Vince McMahon didn?t make an appearance, though.
The Eight Man Tag Team Main Event was real good and a lot of fun. It had some good action and was booked well, except for the fact that Orton took the fall. I?d have thrown DiBiase or Rhodes into that position. Orton needs all the momentum he can get. Still I like the way they teased Undertaker and Shawn Michaels turning on one another. It was a nice reminder of their tremendous WrestleMania match. Still it was a good way to promote three Main Event matches in one for the PPV this Sunday.
I really enjoyed the backstage segments. They probably weren?t enjoyed by everyone on the internet but I thought they were funny. I like all the random cameos (Sheiky Baby!) as well as drunk Michael Cole, who was hilarious. Speaking of hilarious, Todd Grisham is absolutely hilarious on the Best of Smackdown DVD. I have a newfound respect for that man.
Batista and Kane kicked the night off the right way with a surprisingly good match. It was hard fought and fun. Neither man scream great wrestler so when I heard they were fighting I feared the worst. Thank goodness I was wrong. My hat is off to both men for kicking the night off well.
It was nice that we had some tips of the hat from the past. The Rock was classic in his promo and I really hope he does go to guest host Raw. That?ll be a good Raw. It was also nice to have an Eddie Guerrero tribute. If any one deserves it he does. Speaking of Eddie, his wife is back on Smackdown managing Eric Escobar, a guy who’s been fighting on House Shows for the better part of the year. I?m looking forward to seeing what this guy has.
Final Rating: *** ?
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com.
Be sure to check out yesterday’s Superstars recap.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy Hell in a Cell 2009!
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