WWE Smackdown
May 1, 2009
New York City, NY
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
?Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event?? The WWE video leads us into the show.
They play a video hyping Smackdown in Madison Square Garden. They promote history being made as four superstars will battle in a Fatal Four Way Elimination Match to determine the #1 Contender to Edge’s World Heavyweight Championship. It?ll be Rey Mysterio vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho!
The Smackdown video plays and we?re brought into Madison Square Garden with a great fireworks display. Something about seeing that ceiling of Madison Square Garden makes me nostalgic for wrestling of yesteryear. Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcome us to the show and promote the Fatal Four Way Elimination Match. They also announce that tonight we?ll see MVP, with Sheri Shepherd in his corner, defending his United States Championship against Dolph Ziggler. Sheri Shepherd had her own video graphic ? that was pretty funny.
Chris Jericho’s pyro hits and he makes his debut on Smackdown, walking out to a chorus of boos. He’s dressed in his business suit and is coming out looking none too happy. Jericho grabs a microphone and says that even though the night of the week has changed, the ropes have gone from red to blue, and the announcers have changed, we?re still petulant, hypocritical tapeworms and we?re completely clueless and ignorant to how talented he really is. Jericho says he’s not going to come out and introduce himself because that’s beneath him. It’s obvious we all know exactly who he is. Who he is is the biggest superstar to ever be drafted to this show in the history of WWE. Jericho gives his mission statement for all the Smackdown roster and audience, saying to forget everything we?ve seen or heard on this show because from now on he’s taking over! From now on this is Jericho’s show and there’s nothing any of us can do about it! He is the Superstar of the Year for 2008 and it is a travesty that he has to compete in a Fatal Four Way to decide the number one contender because he already IS the number one contender. He?ll still go on to win the match and leave the arena as the number one contender. He?ll go on to Judgment Day and become the new World Heavyweight Championship and that’s just how it’s going to be!
Edge’s music hits and the new World Heavyweight Champion makes his way to the ring! Edge says that’s rude that Jericho won?t introduce himself so he takes the honors and introduces Chris Jericho, Superstar of the Year, torturer of senior citizens the world over, and FORMER World Heavyweight Champion! Edge asks him who beat him for his championship ? John Cena. Edge mentions that Jericho has never beaten John Cena and then asks who beat John Cena at Backlash to become a nine time World Champion. Edge says it’s on the tip of his tongue and then remembers it was him. Edge says that Jericho can take his little self-righteous, angry man in a suit routine because that might have worked on Raw but it’s not going to fly over here. Not Jericho or any other draft pick will come over here and rock the boat. Edge wants to give a history lesson ? this is HIS show, he’s the main event, he’s the name on the marquee. Everyone in the dressing room and in the arena wants to beat him. Edge says there’s no better feeling than walking into the World’s Most Famous Arena ? the Air Canada Centre in Toronto! ? and knowing deep down that you?re better than everyone else! The audience chants for John Cena but he doesn?t come out. Edge says that Jericho can take his big speeches and vocabulary words and scrap them because Smackdown isn?t his to take because it belongs to Edge!
Jericho and Edge go face to face and Jericho says he disagrees. Before he can continue, CM Punk’s music hits! Todd Grisham questions whether Punk will cash in his Money in the Bank contract right now. CM Punk says he heard Edge introducing himself so he decided to come out and introduce himself. He’s CM Punk but Edge can call him Mr. Money in the Bank! Punk says we?ll probably remember him from such awesome moments as this: We see footage from June 30, 2008 when CM Punk defeated Edge to become the NEW World Heavyweight Champion after cashing in Money in the Bank.
Edge doesn?t look happy with that footage. CM Punk says he just wanted to come out here and say that later tonight ? and Jericho interrupts him, saying no one cares what he has to say! Jericho says he’s the best in the world at what he does and he has no right to come down and interrupt him. Jericho says he allowed Edge to do that because he’s the World Heavyweight Champion ? CM Punk isn?t. Jericho says it’s in Punk’s best interest to turn around and leave the ring right now. Jericho then asks if he’s made himself clear PUNK!
Punk ignores Jericho and says ?ANYWAY!? Jericho says that’s fine to continue to disrespect him. All of us recalcitrant frauds can continue to wallow in our own sea of insecurity and disrespect him. Edge can disrespect him. He’s done with all of us! Jericho leaves the ring in disgust!
CM Punk says that was really awkward but it doesn?t garner any laughs. Punk says, ?Anyway, as I was saying?? Then Edge interrupts him and says he agrees with Jericho ? no one cares about what he has to say! If Jericho won?t listen to him, then he certainly won?t listen either. Punk then stops him with his briefcase and says that Edge will really want to hear what he has to say. Punk mentions that this is a new era for Smackdown and it has nothing to do with Edge. His wife, Vickie Guerrero, is no longer Smackdown General Manager! So, to a guy like Punk, that means Edge doesn?t have anyone pulling strings for him in the office. He doesn?t have anyone protecting him or his championship. While Edge will defend the title at Judgment Day, actual General Manager Teddy Long wanted Punk to go out and let Edge know he?ll be in competition against him ? TONIGHT!
Edge isn?t happy and says he?d like to call that a warm-up match. After Edge easily beats him in a non-title match later on tonight, he?ll go on to Judgment Day and defend his championship. CM Punk then asks if he said non-title because that disappoints him. He figured if anyone would know, it would be Edge, because Edge, like him, has been in possession of the Money in the Bank briefcase in the past. Punk says that Edge knows he can cash in his contract ANYTIME he wants, which brings him to his point ? he’s going to face Edge in that non-title ?warm-up,? hit the Go To Sleep, and pin him! While Edge is still sleeping he’s going to cash in the briefcase, cover him one more time, and become the NEW World Heavyweight Champion! They go face to face before Edge leaves the ring.
-Commercial Break-
JR mentions that a new era is dawning on Smackdown. JR thanks everyone who joined them for Backlash and directs us to WWE.com. Grisham then thanks The Veer Union for the use of the song ?Seasons,? the official theme song of Smackdown.
They then talk about the draft picks we got. They first show Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio, then Candice Michelle, and John Morrison ? who JR thinks will be the best on Smackdown ? and Morrison is making his way to the ring for a match!
John Morrison vs. Shelton Benjamin
The referee calls for the bell and they circle the ring. Benjamin takes him down with a kick to the midsection and a club to the back before throwing him out of the ring. Morrison quickly gets back in and surprises Benjamin with a double leg takedown and the ground and pound. Morrison ducks a clothesline and hits Paul London’s dropsault! Dave Stephens must be upset! Morrison covers for a one count.
Morrison has an Irish whip reversed on him and Benjamin goes for a kick, but Morrison blocks it. Morrison tries to spin him and Benjamin goes for a Dragon Kick, which Morrison ducks, but Benjamin connects with a BIG kick in the face! Benjamin now punches and stomps Morrison before picking him up and taking him down with a short-arm clothesline. Morrison tries picking himself up on the ropes but Benjamin just clubs him and brings him to the middle of the ring to lock in a chin lock. Morrison gets to his feet and punches out of that but Benjamin responds with a punch and sends Morrison into the corner. Benjamin charges and Morrison gets a foot up but Benjamin catches it. Benjamin goes for something but Morrison just forearms him in the face, staggering him. Morrison digs his knee into Benjamin’s midsection and goes for an Irish whip but it’s reversed but Morrison is able to hit a jumping roundhouse to the face! Morrison goes back into the ropes and hits a running kick to Benjamin’s face and covers for a two and a half count.
Morrison sizes Benjamin up for a clothesline, which Benjamin ducks and counters with a nasty backbreaker. Benjamin gets him to a vertical base and has a whip into the corner reversed on him but Benjamin slingshots over a charging Morrison but Morrison jumps to the second rope and comes off with that nice roundhouse! Morrison then hits the Moonlight Drive and this match is over!
Winner by Pinfall: John Morrison
Match Rating: * ?
John Morrison gets a nice reception from the crowd. I would?ve liked to have seen this match go a little longer. It was pretty short and they?re too good for a short match.
Still to come tonight is Rey Mysterio vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho vs. Jeff Hardy in a Fatal Four Way Elimination Match to determine the number one contender. Also we?ll have Edge vs. CM Punk as well!
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that for males under 34, WWE.com ranked #1 for all entertainment websites in February, beating out: AOL TV, Oprah.com, MTV.com, CBS.com, FOX.com, and TMZ.com. In all fairness, how many guys do you know that go to Oprah.com?
We now get a shot of outside Madison Square Garden. We see the Empire State Building and Todd Grisham puts over MVP.
We now see a video of Sheri Shepherd and MVP, hyping that she?ll be in his corner. Bringing The View into WWE ? that’s one way to get viewers ? I guess.
They now go over more draft picks, like Kane, Alicia Fox, who they mention picked up a ?big? win on Superstars, and Mike Knox.
Chris Jericho is now backstage in Teddy Long’s office saying that his first night on Smackdown and look what happens ? he’s interrupted by CM Punk and Edge when it should have been his moment. Now he’s in a Fatal Four Way to decide the number one contender ? he’s ALREADY the number one contender! Teddy Long tries to interrupt but Jericho cuts him off and says he’s the Superstar of the Year of 2008. He beat three legends at WrestleMania and then they?re interrupted by The Great Khali and Ranjin Singh! Khali says something and Jericho thinks he’s showing some respect to him. Singh says that Khali says he is the Punjabi Playboy and Jericho should quit his whining and get over himself! Jericho walks out disgusted!
Rey Mysterio’s music hits and he’s making his first appearance on Smackdown since being drafted! The Fatal Four Way is next!
-Commercial Break-
Fatal Four Way Elimination Match
Winner becomes #1 Contender for the World Title
Rey Mysterio vs. Kane vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Chris Jericho
The rules are that four superstars will compete in the ring at the same time. Superstars are eliminated by pinfall, submission, or disqualification. The match will continue until only one superstar remains ? that superstar will be the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Championship at Judgment Day!
Charles Robinson, my favorite referee, calls for the bell and this match begins. Kane quickly establishes dominance, knocking everyone down with pushes, punches, and kicks. Jeff Hardy is quickly dumped out of the ring by Kane and he right away goes to work on Jericho with an uppercut and a clothesline. Kane picks Jericho up and uppercuts him again, putting him against the ropes. Kane whips Jericho into the ropes and drops him with a big boot and then quickly pummels Mysterio with a big clothesline. Kane kicks Jericho in the head before going back to Mysterio and delivering a sidewalk slam. Kane covers for a two count. Jericho gets up and walks right into an uppercut. Kane bounces Jericho’s head off the top turnbuckle and whips him into the opposite corner. Kane charges and hits a corner clothesline before throwing Jericho out of the ring right by Hardy. Kane then picks Mysterio up over his head and throws him over the top rope to the outside on top of Jericho and Hardy! Kane is dominant as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kane come of the top rope for his clothesline but Jeff Hardy counters with a dropkick! Mysterio then hits a springboard leg drop on Kane and covers for a two and a half count. Mysterio gets on Jericho with some forearms but has an Irish whip reversed on him and Jericho crushes him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two and a half count. Hardy then hits Jericho with a club and whips him into the ropes for his flying neckbreaker, covering Jericho for a two and a half count.
Hardy goes for a hurricanrana on Jericho but Jericho counters into the Wall of Jericho! Jericho wrenches it in until Kane grabs him by the throat and goes for a Chokeslam but Jericho gets out of it and goes for the Walls of Jericho but Kane powers out before Jericho can lock it on! Kane then grabs Jericho and Hardy by the throat but releases them when he sees Mysterio springboard off the top rope and grabs Mysterio by the throat. Kane lifts him up for the Chokeslam but Mysterio counters into a hurricanrana, putting Kane in position for the 619! Mysterio goes for it but Jericho, on the outside, grabs Mysterio’s legs and drags him out!
In the ring, Jeff Hardy ducks a clothesline and hits Whisper in the Wind on Kane! Hardy quickly goes to the top rope and hits the Swanton Bomb and covers but Jericho pulls him out of the ring at the count of two! Jericho then scurries into the ring and covers Kane, eliminating him!
Kane has been eliminated from the match.
Jericho smiles but turns right into an uppercut from Kane, flooring him. Kane then exits the ring and bounces Hardy’s head off the barricade. Kane takes the top half of the stairs off and grabs two chairs, putting them in the ring. Kane then leaves ? anticlimactic! Charles Robinson throws one of the chairs out but stops when Mysterio dropkicks Jericho in the back, setting him up for the 619! Mysterio hits it and goes for the West Coast Pop but Jericho throws a chair in his face! Charles Robinson calls for the bell and disqualifies Chris Jericho!
Chris Jericho has been eliminated from the match.
Jericho argues with Charles Robinson before finally leaving. It’s now down to Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio. This should be a great finale to the match.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the ring and Hardy and Mysterio are at opposite sides of the ring, circling each other. They approach and both go for a kick but because Hardy is a little bigger his leg connects first. Hardy has a whip into the ropes reversed on him, he jumps over Mysterio, goes back into the ropes, and gets dropkicked down by Mysterio. Mysterio covers for a two and a half count. Mysterio whips Hardy into the ropes and goes for a dropkick but Hardy holds the ropes and Mysterio crashes on the mat. Hardy hits his double leg drop to the abdomen, low dropkicks Mysterio in the face, and covers for a two and a half count.
Hardy gets the crowd into it before charging Mysterio in the corner but Mysterio moves. Mysterio charges Hardy in the corner but Hardy kicks him in the face, goes to the second rope, and comes off with a sunset flip but Mysterio rolls through and kicks Hardy in the head for a near fall! Mysterio goes into the ropes and hits a leg drop, covering for a two and a half count. Mysterio forearms Hardy but has a whip reversed on him. Mysterio ducks the clothesline and they both go into the ropes at the same time and have a mid-air collision with dual cross-body blocks! Both men are down!
Charles Robinson does not count them down. There must be a winner here. Hardy is the first up and he clubs Mysterio. Hardy kicks him and whips him into the ropes but Mysterio holds on. Hardy charges right into his boot. Mysterio springboards off the second rope for a moonsault press but Hardy catches him on his shoulder and turns it into a Twist of Fate attempt but Mysterio sweeps the legs and goes for a jackknife cover but Hardy reverses it into a cover of his own for a two and a half count!
Hardy goes for a back suplex but Mysterio flips onto his feet. Hardy goes for a kick, which Mysterio blocks, so Hardy hits his flipping mule kick. Hardy goes for the corner slingshot dropkick but Mysterio moves at the last second and Hardy crashes to the mat hard. Mysterio goes into the ropes and does a wheelbarrow into a roll up but Hardy reverses at the two count into a pin of his own for a two and a half count!
Hardy pushes Mysterio into the ropes and Mysterio hits him with a hurricanrana, putting Hardy in position for the 619! Mysterio hits it and hits his springboard senton but Hardy reverses the pinfall into one of his own and gets the pin! Jeff Hardy is the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Championship! Great match!
Winner by Pinfall: Jeff Hardy
Match Rating: ** ?
Jeff Hardy celebrates and he and Mysterio shake hands in the middle of the ring. Mysterio raises Hardy’s hand before leaving the ring. Jeff Hardy continues celebrating with the fans before going to the back.
Our main event for tonight will be Edge vs. CM Punk. CM Punk vows to cash in his Money in the Bank Contract tonight!
-Commercial Break-
We get a shot of New York City from Jersey City, I guess. JR and Grisham plug the Xbox 360 X-Men Origins: Wolverine video game. They tell us to stay tuned for the World Premier of the trailer for the game. The game is available now. I guess whoever is marketing the game did a terrible job if they?re promoting it after it already came out.
We now see some replays of the Fatal Four Way. We see all the eliminations. That was a great match.
Chris Jericho now bursts into Teddy Long’s office but finds Maria there. He demands to know where Teddy Long is but Maria says he told her to wait there because she wants to plug her clothing line. Jericho says he doesn?t give a damn about her clothing line and wonders if everyone has lost control and forgotten about what’s important. Jericho says Teddy Long is an unprofessional General Manager who hires incompetent referees and inept, useless Divas. Edge walks in and he and Jericho look at each other before Jericho leaves.
Edge then asks Maria where Teddy Long is. She doesn?t know still. Edge wonders how he can put him in a match tonight. Five days ago he was in a Last Man Standing Match ? he could get hurt. Edge wonders if CM Punk will cash in his Money in the Bank. Edge then pauses and says, ?I?m going to call my wife!?
JR says to Grisham at ringside that if he ever says that to slap him. Grisham plugs how Kane, Rey Mysterio, and Chris Jericho are great additions to Smackdown and we?ve still got another new draftee in action tonight. JR says the draft was so good to Smackdown and plugs CM Punk joining Smackdown, Layla, and Cryme Tyme!
Cryme Tyme now makes their way to the ring and they get a nice applause from the Garden. It’s their Smackdown debut. Shad is wearing a throwback Patrick Ewing jersey. The Knicks suck ? I?m sorry, they do. JTG does his ?Yo, yo, yo? spot and they introduce themselves. Shad says tonight is their first night on Smackdown and they?re in their hometown, the city so nice they named it twice, New York, New York! They get a nice pop.
JTG now asks the crowd if they want to see two of Smackdown’s most beautiful Divas have a dance off. Shad does and so does JTG. Shad says this can?t be any regular dance off ? they?re in New York so we?re going to get a Brooklyn Break-Down. Shad says its time to start it and brings out Layla from the UK.
Layla makes her Smackdown debut and she looks happy to be here. They then introduce Eve Torres and she comes out in Yankees garb. The Yankees ? the value of a small country and they can barely win. I like the Yankees but they?ve just been sad. Anyway, getting back to wrestling? or the dance-off. This is wrestling?
JTG says this isn?t a typical dance-off ? they?re going to do this battle style. JTG then tells Eve to show us what she’s got but Layla wants to go first.
They play a Black Eyed Peas song and Layla actually does a really good dance. Eve then comes in and does a pretty good dance. Honestly, Layla’s was better. Layla then comes back in and does a better dance than before. Eve now comes back and does a lame dance. You?re not going to beat Layla ? she a cheerleader. Cryme Tyme are hilarious, constantly saying they love their jobs. They then dance together and Cryme Tyme stops it after exhausting themselves.
They ask for a winner. JTG asks for Layla and the crowd gives a good response. Shad now asks for Eve’s response and they give a slightly louder one, only because Eve made some gestures to the crowd. They announce Eve as the winner and Layla doesn?t look happy.
Eve now dances in between Cryme Tyme and invites Layla to come as well. She does but quickly slaps Eve in the face. Eve and her then do the old cat fight routine until Cryme Tyme pull them apart. What a colossal waste of time this was. We couldn?t have Cryme Tyme wrestle?
MVP is getting ready for his match and Sheri Shepherd comes in with a Ric Flair style robe that says Sheri on the back. She says she’s excited and asks him what he’s doing Monday morning. MVP thought she’s asking him out but she wants to do ?you show me yours, I?ll show you mine? by having him on The View. MVP says yes and says his match is up next. Sheri gets really pumped up and it’s pretty funny. MVP calms her down and says he?ll have her and 15,000 New Yorkers in his corner; he?ll defend his championship, and see her on The View still the United States Champion. Sheri says that?ll be straight up BALLIN?! They then walk out for the ring.
-Commercial Break-
The WWE Rewind is brought to us by Verizon Wireless. It’s from two weeks ago when Dolph Ziggler defeated MVP on Smackdown.
Todd Grisham talks about Dolph Ziggler already having defeated MVP and thinks he can do it again with all the marbles on the table. JR also believes that Ziggler can do it again. Grisham now plugs the Women’s Champion Melina coming to Smackdown, as well as Chris Jericho, and Dolph Ziggler, who is making his way to the ring for his United States Championship Match.
Dolph Ziggler gets in the ring and says, ?Hi. My name is Dolph Ziggler and I am going to win the United States Championship tonight, right here in New Jersey!? This gets a loud boo ? that’s not right! I?m from New Jersey! It’s a nice place!
WWE United States Championship Match
Dolph Ziggler vs. MVP (c) w/ Sheri Shepherd
The referee starts the match and they lock up and MVP quickly pushes Ziggler down. MVP taunts Ziggler and Ziggler responds with a kick to the midsection and some punches. Ziggler has an Irish whip reversed on him, Ziggler jumps over MVP on the mat, MVP leap frogs Ziggler, and hits Ziggler with a hip toss and a pair of arm drags! Ziggler quickly backs off. MVP approaches and Ziggler pulls him out of the ring, near Sheri Shepherd.
Shepherd checks on MVP on the outside as Ziggler comes out and pounds him as she cheers MVP on. Ziggler turns around and wants Shepherd to shake his hand. She refuses and MVP turns him around for a clothesline, which he ducks, and MVP almost takes out Sheri Shepherd. MVP makes sure she’s ok and back elbows Ziggler away. MVP puts her by the stairs and throws Ziggler back in the ring.
Ziggler hits MVP with a nasty kick to the head as he gets back in the ring. Ziggler punches him a few times before locking on a tight head lock. Shepherd starts a fake MVP chant (no one on the camera side is moving their mouths) but the chant is enough to get MVP go his feet with Ziggler on his shoulders and gives him an electric chair drop. MVP sends Ziggler into the ropes, goes for a clothesline which Ziggler ducks, but MVP catches him with the belly to belly overhead suplex. MVP grabs Ziggler and he dropkicks MVP in the knee, taking him down. Ziggler stomps and punches until the referee makes him get off.
Sheri Shepherd now gets on the apron and yells at Ziggler to get off. Ziggler wants her to kiss him and she slaps him. MVP clotheslines Ziggler down twice, hits a throat thrust, and a knee to face buster. MVP now gets the crowd pumped up and hits his BALLIN? Elbow Drop for a two and a half count. MVP has an Irish whip reversed on him but MVP leap frogs over Ziggler. Ziggler goes for a dropkick but MVP swats him away. MVP then hits him with a kick to the midsection and hits the Playmaker for the three count!
Winner & STILL United States Champion: MVP
Match Rating: *
MVP and Sheri Shepherd celebrate in the ring with the United States Championship. MVP now goes to The View on Monday ? poor guy.
We now see a replay of CM Punk cashing in his first Money in the Bank on Edge in 2008 in Oklahoma City to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Edge and CM Punk will face one another tonight and Punk said he?ll cash in the Money in the Bank Contract when he beats Edge tonight.
Now we see the trailer for the X-Men Origins video game. It’s a video game ? what do you expect? I still haven?t seen one X-Men movie. Am I really missing anything? Let me know. This was another waste of time on Smackdown tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that WWE Television programs can be seen in 465 million homes worldwide ? more than the NBA, MLB, and the NFL combined? Who cares?
We get an overhead shot of New York City’s Times Square. We now get a quick recap of Raw. It?ll be Batista vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship.
Backstage, Chris Jericho has Teddy Long cornered. Jericho is yelling at him says Long is a two bit hack, a fly by night General Manager. Jericho says it’s a miracle Smackdown has become so successful with a person like him in charge. If this is how Long will treat a superstar of his caliber, the Superstar of the Year, maybe he should just quit. Jericho asks him if that’s what he wants when John Morrison walks up and says hi. Jericho asks him what he’s looking at and Morrison says he thought he was looking at a loser, but it turns out he’s looking at a quitter. Jericho slaps him hard and they fight in the hallway until R-Truth, Charlie Haas, Tony Garea, and Charles Robinson pull them apart. CM Punk then walks by the ruckus whistling and Jericho goes nuts.
-Commercial Break-
Edge vs. CM Punk
This is a non-title match. If CM Punk wins, he declared he?ll cash in the Money in the Bank right away.
Mike Chioda calls for the bell and this match begins. They lock up and Edge pushes Punk into the corner. Chioda wants a clean break and almost gets one until Edge shoves Punk and Punk shoves back. Punk ducks a clothesline and gets Edge on his shoulders for the GTS but Edge holds on to the ropes. Punk gets Edge in the corner and hits some stiff kicks to the chest. Punk elbows him in the neck and whips Edge into the opposite corner. Punk charges and Edge tries to get both his feet up but Punk catches him, spins him on the ropes, and dropkicks him in the back. Punk covers for a one count.
Punk whips Edge into the ropes and hits the kitchen sink knee to the midsection. Punk covers for a two count. Punk gets a front face lock on and Edge twists out with an arm wrench but Punk counters with a kick to the temple. Punk goes to the top rope but Edge cuts him off and goes for a superplex but Punk grabs him by the head and drives him throat first into the top rope. Punk goes to the top rope and Edge crotches him up there. Edge now locks him in a reverse tree of woe and does a half Spear into his upper back! Punk slinks off the ropes and Edge stomps him in the head. Edge clubs him in the back and Punk responds with a side kick to the abdomen and a forearm. Punk attempts a suplex but his back is hurting and Edge takes advantage but suplexing him abdomen-first on the top rope! Edge then big boots him off the apron and Punk crashes to the outside with a thud! That had to hurt.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break and see them slugging it out and Punk comes out on top. Punk has a whip reversed on him and Edge hits him with the kitchen sink. Edge stomps Punk in the back a few times before clubbing him hard in the lower back. Edge then chokes Punk against the second rope before going into the ropes and attempting his cross-body block but Punk moves and Edge hits the ropes hard!
Punk is in the corner, so Edge charges and eats Punk’s boot. Edge ducks a clothesline and rolls Punk up for a two count. Punk then takes Edge out with a heel kick! Punk kicks Edge in the gut, knees him in the face, and kicks him a few times in the temple before attempting the GTS but Edge rolls off for a roll up but Punk sits on his shoulders and gets a two count. Edge now ducks a clothesline and drops Punk with a half nelson bulldog and covers for a two and a half count. I?m surprised this match isn?t getting a huge reaction so far.
Edge sits in the corner for the Spear. Edge charges and eats a big boot, staggering Edge to the corner. Punk hits his knee in the corner and connects with a bulldog for a two and a half count. Punk goes to the apron and springboards off the top rope for a clothesline but Edge ducks and Punk lands on his feet. Edge goes for a Spear but Punk counters into a powerslam for a near fall!
Punk now signals for the GTS and gets himself pumped up. Edge staggers into the GTS position but Edge blocks the knee, sweeps the knee, and locks in the Sharpshooter! Punk is screaming in pain and crawls desperately towards the ropes and gets there!
Edge goes to suplex Punk back in from the apron but Punk slides to his feet and catches Edge with the GTS and pins Edge for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: CM Punk
Match Rating: **
CM Punk now picks up his Money in the Bank briefcase and tells Chioda to call for the bell. Chioda goes outside and tells Justin Roberts, who tells the crowd, that CM Punk is cashing in his Money in the Bank Contract so this next bout will be for the World Heavyweight Championship!
All of a sudden Umaga runs into the ring with even MORE tattoos it appears and side kicks Punk out of his boots! Umaga picks Punk up and hits his spinning sidewalk slam! Umaga screams and leaves the ring!
Edge now surveys the damage. The bell never rang so Punk has not lost his Money in the Bank briefcase. Edge now goes to hit Punk with the briefcase but Jeff Hardy runs in and makes the save! Hardy drops Edge with the Twist of Fate and nails him with the Swanton Bomb! Jeff Hardy then celebrates with the crowd to end this episode!
Quick Match Results
John Morrison def. Shelton Benjamin
Jeff Hardy def. Kane, Chris Jericho & Rey Mysterio
US Champion MVP def. Dolph Ziggler
CM Punk def. Edge (non-title)
Bump of the Night: CM Punk crashing to the outside off the apron!
Match of the Night: The Fatal Four Way Match ** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this episode. I was expecting a little more out of this one and I didn?t feel they delivered. We had two matches that went long and were pretty good but the rest was disappointing. I?ll start with the good and then talk about the rest.
The Fatal Four Way Elimination Match was terrific. Everyone really got a chance to shine in this one, even Kane. It was well booked, dramatic, and fresh. This new batch of talent really helped out the show. I?m excited for some possibilities stemming from this match. I?d love to see a Jericho vs. Mysterio feud, a Jericho vs. Hardy feud, a Hardy vs. Mysterio feud, heck, even a Kane vs. Hardy feud! Jericho and Mysterio really made the final part of the match something special and gave just a taste of what they can do. I hope to see more of that in the future! The result of the match was Jeff Hardy becoming number one contender to face Edge at Judgment Day. I can?t say I?m really excited for the match but I know they?ll deliver. I don?t think Hardy will take the belt home but I?ve been wrong before. I?m kind of hoping that they stop trading the title back and forth and we just have a stable champion for a while.
Wrestling wise the CM Punk vs. Edge match was just OK. It never really seemed to build or go anywhere. It just seemed like they were throwing spots out and then making an abrupt pin. The hype for Punk to cash in Money in the Bank didn?t feel real. I never believed he would cash it in tonight for one second. The announcers tried hard to get it over but it didn?t work ? at least not on me. I?m glad to see Umaga back, though. I hope he can stay healthy now. He’s really great when he’s running on all cylinders.
The United States Championship match was a disappointment. They gave it three minutes. Really ? the stupid dance-off got more time than this. I still don?t understand what having Sheri Shepherd was supposed to do for the show. This is like when Smackdown had Jimmy Kimmel’s cousin wrestle last year. That was before my time. They aren?t celebrities. I doubt this will get housewives watching Smackdown or WWE. Oh well.
John Morrison had a good debut on Smackdown against Shelton Benjamin. I would have loved for that match to have gone a little longer but I guess it was all a matter of timing. They had a good thing going but it’s hard to get too much going when you have about five minutes to wrestle. I also liked seeing Morrison in a mini-segment with Jericho later in the night.
As for the segments I liked the opening one a lot, even though it did go a little long. I like that we?re faced with the opportunity of an Edge vs. Chris Jericho match somewhere down the line. It’s been a while since they?ve faced each other. I still remember that Cage Match they had on Smackdown in 2002. That was great. I also like that CM Punk got some chance to shine with the big guys. Hopefully when he cashes in the MITB he?ll be a more believable champion this time around. I hope when he does cash it in he actually has a match. The thing where he got the cheap win last year made him look weak. That’s reserved for heels. RVD did the right thing by having a match in 2006. Hopefully WWE learned from that mistake. I also liked Jericho’s mini-vignettes looking for respect. They were solid.
The one segment that was an embarrassing waste of time was the Brooklyn Dance-Off. I absolutely HATED that. If you want dancing, watch ?So You Think You Can Dance.? Don?t put it on wrestling. I could give two you-know-what’s less. They could?ve had Cryme Tyme wrestle or showcase some other draftees. To think they gave the US Title match three minutes and the Morrison vs. Benjamin match about the same amount of time and this crap got a full segment. I was not happy with that at all. It’s Madison Square Garden ? they should have tried harder on that one.
Final Rating: ** ?
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E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
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