WWE Smackdown
April 24, 2009
London, England
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com
?Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event?? The WWE video leads us into the show.
The Smackdown video plays, highlighting all of Smackdown’s newest Superstars who aren?t actually debuting until next week, and we?re brought into the arena with a great pyrotechnics display! WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcome us to the show. One of our Main Events will be Undertaker taking on Big Show! Also tonight we?ll see Batista and Shane McMahon team up to face Legacy’s Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase!
Edge’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring to a surprisingly receptive crowd! He gets in the ring and they actually chant his name! Edge doesn?t acknowledge them and says that two weeks ago, John Cena looked into his eyes and told him he was a desperate man. He told him that he was ?grasping at straws,? and that he is tougher than him. He told him that no matter what he had thrown at him in the past, he keeps getting back up ? he can?t keep Cena down and he was absolutely right. Edge says the old clich? of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object ? Edge will stop at nothing to get what he wants and it seems that John Cena has an unshakable resolve to keep getting back up!
Edge gives us a history lesson, now, saying in 2006, Cena won an Elimination Chamber match. Edge then cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, he Speared him twice, and won his first ever World Title! This is met with cheers! Edge says that would usually be a demoralizing blow but he came back. Since that night he has brutalized Cena ? he has cost him World Titles, he has beaten him for World Titles, and he even slapped his father across the face, and, yet, through all that he’s still come back. But finally, on Monday night, that all changed!
We now see footage of Edge hitting the Con-Chair-To on Cena and then we?re right back in the arena with the fans cheering! Edge says he?d like to think that the last thing John Cena heard was his voice as he slipped into unconsciousness, but in case it wasn?t, in case he woke up with a pounding headache, thinking it was all a bad nightmare, Edge reminds all of us and Cena exactly how his night ended, just like it will this Sunday. We now see footage of Edge counting to ten, which would signify the end of a Last Man Standing Match if there was one going on. Edge then announces himself the winner of the match and new World Heavyweight Champion!
We?re now back in the arena and now the lights are turned off and a single spotlight is on Edge. Why ? I don?t know. Edge says that John Cena has the strongest resolve of anyone he ever fought ? it almost makes him want to respect him but he despises him too much with every fiber of his being! Cena’s will cannot match his resolve! This is it for Edge ? he has nothing left. If he doesn?t beat Cena for the World Heavyweight Championship on Sunday then he has nothing! His wife, Vickie, can?t help. He admits he has no friends and, in Cena’s words, he’s a desperate man. Edge says this Sunday they?ll lay it all on the line for the very last time ? it has to come to an end, a definitive end. This ?war of attrition,? this battle they?ve waged for three years, has to come to an end because it’s shortened both of their careers. In the end ? Edge is cut off by Cena chants (it’s actually just some kids chanting and then they piped in an arena full of people, which sounded really fake) ? Edge continues by saying that in the end he will walk away as Champion! Edge will be the Last Man Standing! Edge stands there stoically before leaving the ring.
Jim Ross and Todd Grisham now talk about another match at Backlash that is just as dangerous as Last Man Standing ? the I Quit Match which will put Jeff Hardy against his brother Matt Hardy again! JR says we?ll see the Hardy’s on the opposite sides of the ring in Tag Team action but last week it was Jeff Hardy one on one with Big Show. Thanks to Matt Hardy’s distraction Big Show knocked Jeff Hardy unconscious. After that Matt Hardy hit some legs, which JR says was repulsive!
Coming up next we?ll see two Smackdown debuts from the draft ? Jeff Hardy and CM Punk will take on Matt Hardy and Kane!
-Commercial Break-
We get a shot outside in London. We get a look at Buckingham Palace ? beautiful place.
Matt Hardy & Kane vs. CM Punk & Jeff Hardy
Matt Hardy came out sporting a black eye, presumably from when he was busted open during the European tour. Jeff Hardy came out to the ring with some freaky black and white face paint and immediately goes for his brother who bolts from the ring!
The referee calls for the bell and this match is officially started. It’s Matt Hardy in the ring against Jeff Hardy! Jeff aggressively approaches his brother and he backs into his corner to tag in Kane! Jeff immediately attacks Kane with a boot to the midsection and lefts and rights to the ribs before Kane simply pushes him away. Hardy backs into Punk so the tag is made and they both pummel Kane before Hardy leaves the ring.
Punk goes for an Irish whip but Kane doesn?t budge and instead sends Punk into the ropes. Punk slides under Kane’s big boot attempt and catches him with a dropkick when he turns! Punk punches Kane and wrenches the arm before tagging Jeff Hardy back in. Hardy comes off the top rope with a hammer to the shoulder. Jeff hits a punch and Kane stuns him with an uppercut that floors him! Matt Hardy now wants the tag and gets it!
Matt Hardy circles around his brother, who still hasn?t gotten up. Matt picks Jeff up and Jeff hits him with some shots and drives him into the neutral corner, continuing his assault until the referee backs him away. Jeff then puts Matt in a seated position in the corner with a corner clothesline. Jeff goes for his slingshot dropkick in the corner but Matt rolls out of the ring. CM Punk cuts Matt Hardy off before he leaves and Matt turns into a slingshot baseball slide from his brother, flooring him on the outside! Jeff then vaults over the top rope with a body press on his brother and we go to commercial!!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kane in the corner and Jeff Hardy whipping CM Punk into that same corner and Punk hits his high knee! Punk then gets on all fours and Jeff Hardy runs and jumps off his back into Kane! Pseudo-Poetry in Motion! Punk covers but only gets a one count. Punk wrenches Kane’s arm and drives his shoulder into Kane’s shoulder. He then tags Jeff Hardy back in.
Hardy and Punk double Irish whip Kane into the ropes and hit stereo low dropkicks to his knees, sending him down! They then give him a double DDT and Hardy covers but only gets one! Jeff then charges for his brother, who quickly gets off the apron! Jeff gets on the apron like he’s going to dive but from behind Kane big boots him off into the barricade! Kane distracts the referee as Matt gets some cheap shots in on his brother! Matt walks away before he is caught. Kane comes over and scoops Jeff up before ramming his back into the ring post and throwing him back in the ring!
Kane covers for a two and a half count. Kane drags Jeff over to his corner and Matt tags in! Matt hits Jeff with some punches and an elbow to the back of the neck. Matt takes Jeff and bounces his head off the top turnbuckle of the neutral corner. Matt hits some punches on Jeff in the corner until the referee makes him back away. Matt approaches and Jeff starts firing back with punches of his own but Matt cuts him off with some punches and a hard body slam! Matt goes into the ropes three times and hits three legs, much like last Friday! Matt stands and basks in his boos before going back into the ropes a fourth time and hitting a big leg! Matt goes for the cover but he’s no Hulk Hogan ? only a two and a half count! Punk is now doing all he can to get the crowd into this as Matt gets Jeff in a neck vice! Matt has it locked in for a good while before Jeff fights to his feet and backs Matt into the corner. Jeff hits some punches but Matt cuts him off with a knee to the midsection. Matt whips Jeff into the corner and charges but Jeff gets his feet in his face! Jeff then explodes out of the corner with a flying neckbreaker and both men are down!
Matt is the first up and he tags in Kane, who immediately hits an elbow on Jeff! Kane stomps Jeff, picks him up, and hits a picture-perfect suplex! Kane makes a cover for two and a half! Kane sends Jeff into the corner and hits a clothesline!
Kane tags Matt back in and chokes Jeff with his boot before leaving the ring. Matt follows suit and chokes Jeff with his boot too until the referee makes him back up. Kane uses the distraction to boot Jeff in the head. Matt picks Jeff up and floors him with a big right hand! He pins Jeff for a two and a half count! Matt now locks Jeff in a chin lock with half a body scissor on. Jeff fights up so Matt goes to bounce his head off the turnbuckle but Jeff blocks it, elbows him away, shoots to the top rope and hits Whisper in the Wind!! Jeff’s cover is quickly broken up by Kane, which causes CM Punk to take him out of the ring with a big clothesline! Punk then hits a suicide dive to the outside!!
Jeff and Matt trade punches and kicks inside the ring. Matt blocks a kick so Jeff counters that with his flipping mule kick! Jeff sends his legs into Matt’s groin and follows it up with a quick dropkick to the face! Jeff now calls for the Twist of Fate and goes for it but Matt pushes him into the ropes where Kane is waiting and Jeff forearms him off the apron! Matt then rolls Jeff up from behind to steal the match for his team!! Matt is now 3-0 against Jeff!!
Winners by Pinfall: Matt Hardy & Kane
Match Rating: ** ?
Still to come tonight is Undertaker vs. Big Show!
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that WWE’s current European tour has featured sell outs in Germany, France, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom?
Ugh ? they?re highlighting the painfully BORING Randy Orton vs. Triple H ‘saga.? I?m so sick of this angle I?m not even going to comment on it anymore. It sucks that much.
Still to come tonight is Batista and Shane McMahon vs. Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes.
Big Show is making his way out to the ring now. I guess now this will be his ?final? match on Smackdown as the draft goes into effect on Monday. He?ll face Undertaker next.
-Commercial Break-
Next week’s Smackdown will emanate from the Mecca of Sports Entertainment: Madison Square Garden! I?m expecting a great show. MVP will defend his United States Championship against Dolph Ziggler!
Big Show has a microphone and says the superstars of Smackdown are going to be able to sleep a lot easier now that tonight is his last night. They won?t have a 7-foot, 485 pound nightmare of destruction to worry about because we know as soon as he locks this (his fist), load this (his fist), and fire this (his fist) into somebody’s skull, there’s not any time to pray that the lights come back on! Big Show says tonight he’s going to turn out Undertaker’s lights!
Big Show vs. Undertaker
Charles Robinson calls for the bell and both men approach each other in fighting stances, throwing quick jabs in the air to feel each other out. They lock up and Big Show backs Undertaker into the corner. He quickly goes for a wild punch, which Undertaker ducks, and Undertaker backs up. They circle again and lock up. Big Show tries to back Undertaker up but Undertaker quickly hooks him in a side headlock. Big Show gets out of that with some stiff body shots and a head-butt. Undertaker is in the corner now as Big Show hits him with a pair of body shots, causing Undertaker to run out in pain. Undertaker goes into the ropes and connects with a big right hand! Undertaker connects with another before Big Show cuts him off with a big body shot and a knee in the midsection which lifts Undertaker off the ground! Big Show hits a bunch of body shots in the corner and finishes up with a head-butt.
Undertaker staggers to the other corner and Big Show approaches only to be met with kicks, elbows, and punches! Undertaker has Big Show in the corner now so he puts Show’s arm around the top rope and hits him with a body shot of his own! Undertaker hits Big Show with a head-butt while he’s against the ropes but it hurts Undertaker more than it does Big Show as Big Show head-butts Taker down to the canvas! Big Show shakes the cobwebs out as Undertaker slowly gets up. Big Show greets him with another head-butt and then another! Big Show hits him with more body shots against the ropes before hitting another head-butt. Big Show then backs up and charges for a big boot but Undertaker moves and Big Show crotches himself on the top rope! Undertaker then goes into the ropes and big boots Big Show to the outside!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Undertaker hit a leg on Big Show while on the apron! They seem to return to a lot of Undertaker matches like that. During the break we saw Big Show whip Undertaker hard into the barricade.
Undertaker rolls into the ring and the action has stalled as both men are hurting. Undertaker then charges and runs into a side kick from Big Show! Big Show then head-butts the back of Undertaker’s injured neck! Big Show smiles, picks Undertaker up, and hits a Fame-Ass-Er! Somewhere Billy Gunn is not happy! Big Show then drives an elbow into Undertaker’s neck and Undertaker gets up and stumbles in pain into the corner. Big Show hits him with a boot to the midsection and another elbow that drives him to his knees. Big Show clubs him and Undertaker is now set up on the second rope, prompting Big Show to use the ropes to administer a kind of Camel Clutch on the ropes! Charles Robinson asserts his authority with a three count ? go Chuck! Big Show then almost sits on Undertaker’s neck while he’s still on the second rope! Big Show head-butts the back of the neck and then stands on it! Undertaker rolls to the apron and Big Show grabs him to do something but Undertaker counters by hitting a Stun Gun on Big Show using the ropes!
Undertaker rolls into the ring, ducks a clothesline from Big Show, and hits him with four good right hands that stagger Big Show against the ropes! Taker has an Irish whip reversed on him and he gets dropped with a clothesline from Big Show! Big Show steps on his neck, again, and drives an elbow into it! Big Show drives another elbow into Undertaker’s neck and Undertaker fires back with a quick kick in the midsection! Big Show tries again and gets kicked so he charges into a big right hand from Undertaker! Undertaker hits another right hand and goes for a Chokeslam but Big Show elbows him in the neck, sending Undertaker down to the mat! Big Show now calls for his Chokeslam (also known as the Showstopper) and he hits it! Big Show covers but Undertaker kicks out at two and three-fourths!!
Big Show gets up, frustrated, and he clubs Undertaker’s neck. Big Show now locks on a Dragon Sleeper! Big Show has some good torque on this and Undertaker can?t do much. Out of nowhere Undertaker turns it around and counters with a DDT! Undertaker covers for a two and a half count!
Undertaker gets up, hitting his arms to get feeling back into them, and hits Big Show with a right hand! Big Show responds with a body shot and Undertaker fires back with another right hand! They trade blows with Big Show getting the upper-hand with lots of body shots! He whips Undertaker into the corner and charges into Undertaker’s feet! Undertaker goes into the ropes, ducks a clothesline, and hits his flipping lariat!! Undertaker covers for a two and a half count.
Undertaker now wrenches Big Show’s arm, walks the top rope, and goes for Old School but he jumps right into the Knockout Punch!! Undertaker staggers around the ring for a few moments as Big Show doesn?t cover ? he just watches!! Undertaker pulls himself up and Big Show punches him in the back of the skull!! Undertaker crumples to the mat and Charles Robinson stops the match!!
Winner by Referee’s Decision: Big Show
Match Rating: ** ?
Undertaker manages to pull himself up and gets back in a fighting stance! Big Show smiles and taunts Undertaker! Big Show pretends to walk away but quickly turns to blindside him but Undertaker ducks it and punches Big Show out of the ring!! Big Show walks to the back still smiling!!
Still to come tonight is Batista and Shane McMahon vs. Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes. Up next we?ll see Maryse put her Diva’s Championship on the line against the Diva who beat her last week, Gail Kim!
-Commercial Break-
KFC brings us the WWE Slam of the Week, which is Gail Kim beating Maryse last week!
WWE Diva’s Championship
Maryse (c) vs. Gail Kim
Gail Kim came out with new entrance music ? it’s just as bad as last week’s!
The referee calls for the bell and they bump chests and Maryse pushes Gail Kim away by her face! Maryse smiles and Kim forearms that smile off her! Maryse fires back but Kim blocks it and hits another forearm! Maryse tries AGAIN and gets the same thing! Gail Kim kicks Maryse in the knee, sending her down to the mat, and Kim bounces her face off the mat. Maryse responds with a quick kick to the ribs, sending Kim staggering to the corner. Maryse charges but Kim avoids her by weaving out between the ropes! Kim hits a shoulder thrust through the ropes and rolls in over Maryse’s back! Gail Kim hits a nice Mexican roll for a one count. Gail Kim then jumps to the second rope and flips into a cross-body block for a two count!
Maryse fires back with a punch and a knee to the midsection before hitting a sweeping face-breaker! Maryse then gets on the mat and pounds Kim’s head into it some more until the referee reprimands her ? she then promptly does her shut up hand gesture to him! Maryse picks Kim up by the hair and bounces her head off again before skipping back and celebrating! Maryse now sits on Kim’s back and pulls back on the neck, taking the time out to rub Kim’s face and slap her numerous times on the back of the head! Gail Kim fights up and elbows out.
Maryse goes for the French TKO but Kim ducks it and clotheslines Maryse down! Maryse winds up in the corner and Kim hits her with her jumping clothesline! Kim whips Maryse into the corner and charges into a back elbow! Maryse goes to the second rope but Gail Kim cuts her off and hits a super hurricanrana! Gail Kim covers for a two and a half count!!
Gail Kim goes to the top rope but Maryse has had enough and walks out! Gail Kim cuts her off and throws her back into the ring! As Kim is getting in, Maryse hits her with a Stun Gun on the ropes and Kim collapses to the outside! Maryse drags her back in and hits the French Kiss (DDT) for the win!!
Winner & STILL WWE Diva’s Champion: Maryse
Match Rating: * ?
Jeff Hardy is backstage in some weird spot. Jeff says that words like ?extreme? and ?intensity? used to mean everything to him. He used to wake up in the morning and know exactly who he is and exactly where he wanted to go. Living for the moment used to be more than just a catchphrase ? it used to mean something. Jeff says that things have changed to Matt. Matt beat him at WrestleMania, which was the biggest moment of his career without a doubt! Matt said he was going to send him out on a stretcher and he did! He even beat him tonight! Jeff congratulates him and warns that his overconfidence will KILL him! All the pain he’s brought into Jeff’s life will show through on Sunday, and he?ll show he’s just as crazy as he’s ever been! All though they won?t have ladders, tables, or stretchers, they will have the words ?I Quit!? After Backlash, when Matt walks to the Raw set, he?ll be known as the older Hardy, who quit when it meant the most, and not for just the moment, but for the rest of his life!! This was a great promo with the arbitrary spooky music set for all Hardy promos.
Up next MVP will be in action! Grisham incorrectly mentions him as the longest running US Champion ever. Idiot! Come back, Tazz!!
-Commercial Break-
Did you know that last Friday, Smackdown was watched by more people than any program on CW or Fox?
We get a shot from outside the arena in London, England.
We now get a portion of The View where Sheri Sheppard discusses her love of MVP and they engage in some mindless chatter.
MVP vs. Chavo Guerrero
MVP’s United States Championship will not be on the line in this match. He?ll defend it next week against Dolph Ziggler!
The referee calls for the bell and they circle the ring before locking up. MVP gets a side headlock and Chavo whips him into the ropes only to get shoulder blocked down. The referee keeps MVP away as Guerrero puts himself through the ropes. MVP removes his headband and Guerrero blindsides him with a flying knee to the back! Guerrero kicks MVP in the shoulder and then punches it a few times. Guerrero gets reprimanded by the referee but that doesn?t stop him from kicking the shoulder, then going to the apron with the injured arm in his hand, and jumping off, snapping the injured arm of MVP off the bottom rope!
Guerrero slides in and kicks MVP in the lower back. He then locks an arm bar on MVP and puts some torque on it. MVP fights up and body slams Guerrero down! MVP shakes some feeling back into his left arm as Guerrero charges into the back of MVP’s elbow! MVP follows it up with a nice clothesline and charges Guerrero but Guerrero surprises him with a dropkick! Guerrero then baseball slides MVP out of the ring!
Guerrero follows MVP outside and kicks him in the arm before throwing him back in. Guerrero is coming in and MVP stuns him with a knee in the face! Guerrero is barely hanging on to the ropes from falling off the apron and MVP doesn?t help him any by bouncing his head off the top turnbuckle! MVP then suplexes him back into the ring! MVP now gets the crowd into it and hits the BALLIN? Elbow for a two count! MVP whips Guerrero into the corner and charges into Guerrero’s feet. Guerrero charges out into an overhead belly to belly overhead suplex and MVP quickly hits the Playmaker to end the match!!
Winner by Pinfall: MVP
Match Rating: * ?
Dolph Ziggler’s music hits and he comes out to the stage golf clapping. Ziggler congratulates MVP on an ?impressive? victory and he sure hopes his #1 fan Sheri Sheppard was watching because that is the last time she or any of the people in this arena will ever see him leave a match as the United States Champion. What he’s trying to say is MVP’s title will be HIS! After he faces MVP next week, in Madison Square Garden, he’s going to introduce himself to Sheri Sheppard as the NEW United States Champion ? Dolph Ziggler! MVP simply raises his belt in the air and smiles.
Still to come tonight is Batista and Shane McMahon vs. Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes.
-Commercial Break-
We get another outside shot of London and of Parliament across the river Thames!
We now take a look at Todd Grisham’s interview of John Cena from Superstars. This next part will be taken directly from my Superstars recap yesterday. If you haven?t checked it out, you should!
Todd Grisham asks John Cena how what happened on Monday will affect him at Backlash. Cena says this is usually the point in the show where he says that he’s unaffected and he’s raring to go for the Last Man Standing Match at Backlash but he’s not going to do that. This is also the point where Grisham may have some follow-up questions which he wants Cena to answer but he’s not going to answer them. Unfortunately, tonight, he’s not going to talk to Todd Grisham. He grabs the microphone and looks at the camera. He says for once, he’s going to talk to us, all the viewers watching Superstars. The footage we just saw some might say is overly graphic. Cena says, unfortunately, it was a necessity. The rivalry between he and Edge simply has nowhere else to go. They?ve walked down every road, danced every step, and told every story. This is one of the greatest rivalries in sports-entertainment history and, as a matter of fact, in a weird, crazy way, they?ve both manufactured each others careers. This is the WWE Universe’s version of the Yankees vs. the Red Sox! Cena then asks what if the Yankees and Red Sox were only going to play one game. Do we think we could drag any one of the nine off the field and ask them if they?d risk their career to win that night? Will they risk their health to be the better man? Will they put it all on the line and gamble because they knew on the final day they would be victorious? If you ask any one of them, they?ll say yes! Cena needs to tell us how serious this is to him and us. We?ll probably hear from Edge with him telling us how he?ll be the Last Man Standing at Backlash and we?ve seen the footage ? Cena is banged up, but still standing! He’s still standing and he’s thirsty ? thirsty for a knockdown, drag-out brawl! At Backlash they will stand in the ring knowing that only one will walk out ? knowing that at the final bell only one man will be able to tell the story because the winner writes the history books! Knowing that at the end of this rivalry only one will be the better man! Knowing at the end of the night on Backlash there will only be ONE Last Man Standing! Cena walks away.
JR and Todd Grisham discuss John Cena’s intensity and JR voices his concerns. Todd thanks The Veer Union for the use of the song ?Seasons,? the official theme song of Backlash. They then run down the card which looks pretty good.
Batista’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring to a thunderous applause! He?ll team with Shane McMahon to face Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes ? NEXT!
-Commercial Break-
Batista & Shane McMahon vs. Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes
Mike Chioda calls for the bell and it?ll be Shane in the ring against Ted DiBiase. They lock up and DiBiase powers McMahon into the corner. He pretends to do a clean break only to kick Shane O?Mac and deliver some right hands until Chioda physically pushes him away. DiBiase gets right back on the attack with another kick to the midsection and some punches in the corner. Chioda reprimands him again. DiBiase gloats and Shane quickly comes back with some stinging left jabs to the jaw! McMahon Irish whips him into the ropes and hits a nice flying back elbow! Shane hits a pair of arm drags and locks in an arm bar after the second one! Shane now has control and makes a tag to Batista!
Batista comes in and clubs DiBiase. He sends DiBiase into the ropes and floors him with a back elbow. Batista gets DiBiase on his shoulder and plays with Rhodes trying to get the tag by letting DiBiase’s hand get only so close only for Batista to slap it away! Batista turns to slam him but Rhodes makes the blind tag in on DiBiase’s leg! Batista dumps DiBiase and clotheslines Cody Rhodes entering the ring! DiBiase charges and runs right into a HUGE Spinebuster! Batista now gets Rhodes on his shoulder and slams him down for a two count! Batista tags in Shane and holds Rhodes in place for McMahon to deliver a double axe handle to the back.
McMahon puts him on the mat and hits an elbow and a kick to the spine! McMahon gets him to a vertical base only to be cut off with a knee to the midsection and a punch. Rhodes tags in DiBiase and they double wrench his arms, deliver stereo body shots, and then go for a double back suplex but McMahon flips out and lands on his feet! McMahon motions for them to bring it on and he ducks their double clothesline and they run into Batista, who clotheslines them down! Batista and McMahon hit stereo clotheslines over the top rope to bring us to a commercial!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see McMahon arm drag Cody Rhodes down. McMahon has an arm bar and tags in Batista! They go for a double suplex and they hold him in the air and it turns out Shane is doing no work holding Rhodes up as he walks away to admire before going back to his position and they send Rhodes to the mat! Batista covers for a two and a half count! Batista whips Rhodes into his corner and clotheslines him. He tags Shane back in.
Batista hits a backbreaker and keeps Rhodes on his knee as McMahon flies off the second rope with an elbow to Rhodes, turning him inside out! McMahon covers for a two count, which is broken up by Ted DiBiase! McMahon turns his attention to DiBiase and talks some trash meanwhile Rhodes sneaks up behind him and dropkicks him in the head! DiBiase now yells for the tag and gets it!
DiBiase comes in and stomps McMahon a whole bunch of times! He then mounts him and punches him before Chioda makes him get off. McMahon tries to quickly crawl to Batista but DiBiase cuts him off and gets a front face lock on him. He brings McMahon to his corner and Rhodes tags in. They double whip McMahon chest first into the turnbuckle and Rhodes follows up with a stomp to the head. Rhodes covers for a two and a half count! McMahon almost gets the better of Rhodes by almost getting to Batista before Rhodes cuts him off. Rhodes stomps him a few times and then punches him. Rhodes powers McMahon into the corner and punches him a few times. McMahon blocks one and punches Rhodes loopy a few times but Rhodes eventually counters with a nice Russian Leg Sweep! Rhodes tags in DiBiase and holds McMahon down. DiBiase comes off the second rope with a double stomp to the chest and he covers for a two and a half count! DiBiase stomps McMahon a few times in the head and gets a modified Camel Clutch on. McMahon slides out and almost gets to Batista but DiBiase gets him in a chin lock. DiBiase drives his knee into McMahon’s ribs and tags in Rhodes. DiBiase body slams McMahon before leaving. Rhodes hits a Ric Flair Knee to McMahon’s head and covers for a two and a half count! Rhodes stomps Shane O?Mac all frustrated and taunts tagging Batista in. He then gets McMahon to a vertical base and hits a snapmare followed by a stomp to the head. Rhodes now gets a neck vice on and the crowd is getting into it. McMahon gets out of it with some punches! Rhodes pushes McMahon into the ropes, boots him in the midsection, and goes for a suplex but Shane twists out and hits a nice DDT!
Rhodes tags DiBiase in and DiBiase forearms Batista off the apron when McMahon was centimeters from a tag! McMahon gets a Mexican roll-up and DiBiase kicks out and McMahon flies right into Batista, who just got back on the apron, and who flies off the apron again! DiBiase runs into a back elbow and Batista is now in the ring! It looks like he’s mad at Shane but he just moves him to the side as Rhodes comes off the top rope into a SPEAR!! Batista just split him in half!! McMahon kicks DiBiase out of the ring and pins Cody Rhodes for the big win!!
Winners by Pinfall: Batista & Shane McMahon
Match Rating: ** ?
Batista helps Shane O?Mac up and they have their hands raised by Mike Chioda! They embrace as JR wonders if we?ll see a celebratory hug at Backlash or if the title will change hands.
Quick Match Results
Matt Hardy* & Kane def. CM Punk & Jeff Hardy*
Big Show def. Undertaker via Referee’s Decision
Diva’s Title: Maryse def. Gail Kim (Maryse RETAINS)
MVP def. Chavo Guerrero (non-title)
Batista & Shane McMahon* def. Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes*
Bump of the Night: Batista SPEARING Rhodes in mid-air!
Match of the Night: Undertaker vs. Big Show & Tag Team Main Event ** ?
Mike’s Thoughts
Tonight’s Smackdown was very good from a wrestling stance ? from a booking sense it was kind of stupid, for lack of a better word. Every match tonight had Raw guys going over Smackdown guys and our Main Event was a total Raw Main Event. It kind of undermines the whole idea of the brand split and it was really poor booking. They just have to keep asserting their decision that Raw is the number one show. Ok, we get it. So, if that’s the case, then what is the incentive to watch Smackdown? They?re just made to look like a bunch of jerks who can?t beat the ?A-Team.? I hate that because I really like Smackdown over Raw, and not just because of my personal bias. I truly believe Smackdown is a great show and their storylines are way better than anything Raw has come up with. They tried hard with the Triple H vs. Randy Orton feud but it just didn?t work. The thing was lame from the get-go.
Anyhow, I didn?t mean to get off on a little rant there, but I really feel that tonight’s booking was terrible. I?m hoping after this draft FINALLY goes into effect on Monday that they just stop the crossing over for a while. Does anyone remember when the split actually first started in 2002 and the first inter-promotional match happened about a year and a half later with Billy and Chuck vs. The Island Boys? That was a year and a half when the two brands? wrestlers had no contact. The first big inter-promotional match was in 2004 with Undertaker vs. Kane at WrestleMania XX. That felt like a huge deal. They should try that again ? I can dream, can?t I?
Now, from the wrestling standpoint, everything was great. Undertaker and Big Show had a terrific match and the Main Event, even though it was a Raw Main Event, was real good. The rest of the stuff was good as well. The Divas had a nice little match and MVP and Chavo had a quick one that was just ok. The opening tag match didn?t hurt anyone at all and it helped further the Hardy feud more. Speaking of which, Jeff Hardy cut an awesome promo tonight. He’s come a long way.
Speaking even more about Jeff Hardy, I?m hoping that these rumors about him not resigning with WWE are just that ? rumors. I?m hoping that because it was a slow news week that this was just a story that has been blown out of proportion to get people talking. If WWE were to lose Jeff Hardy, I can almost foresee Smackdown House Show attendance going way down. That’s all I?ve got to say about that.
I?m looking forward to Smackdown coming from Madison Square Garden next week! MSG almost always means a better than average show and I hope they keep the streak going! Tune in next week ? it should be good!
Final Rating: ** ?
As always I?d love to hear comments from everyone who liked the recap and even those who didn?t! Do you agree or disagree with anything I?ve said? Let me know!
E-Mail ? MikeyT817@hotmail.com
Be sure to check out my Superstars recap!
Enjoy Backlash 2009 and thanks for reading!