Full Credit: PWTorch.com
WWE Smackdown review
January 16, 2009
Taped 1/13/09 in Omaha, Neb.
Aired on MyNetwork TV
Report by Greg Parks, Torch Team Contributor
-WWE Open.
-The show began with a flashback to Jeff’s car accident and his comments on last week’s episode.
-Smackdown Open.
-JR and Tazz plugged The Cutting Edge tonight, with special guest Jeff Hardy.
-Vickie Guerrero was in the ring and she helpfully introduced herself. She showed a video of HHH’s Triple Jeopardy Matches last week, prefacing it by warning wrestlers in the back that this is what will happen if you cross her. She noted that Triple H disrespected her, resulting in The Big Show knocking him out. She said Trips almost ruined her marriage and is trying to ruin her reputation. Vickie said that if he thought this was some kind of joke, she’s the one left laughing. Triple H came out to “King of Kings.” He had a manilla envelope with him (with her nude pics perhaps?).
HHH acted all solemn and he then apologized to Vickie, saying she taught him the error of his ways last week. He said sometimes he carries jokes too far and sometimes peoples feelings get hurt. As a peace offering, he said he got her a gift. It was the envelope, and he said it was her nude photos. Trips said he went through a lot to get them because Great Khali had them and he showed them to a lot of people in the back. Then he said Joey Styles (Trips noted, for those who didn’t know, that he worked for WWE.com) bought them from Great Khali and put them up on the website and A LOT of people saw them. Trips said it cost him a fortune to get them. Vickie accepted his apology but said it wasn’t good enough for her. She said he can’t take his place in the Rumble, but she could put it on the line…..and it’ll be a match against the Big Show, in a Last Man Standing re-match. Well if Stephanie could take Jericho’s Rumble spot away, how come Vickie can’t take HHH’s?
Triple H said he thought something like this might happen (of course he did, he’s the smartest man in the business), and then said maybe this would help her forgive him: The photos then went up on the Titan-Tron, with the black bar across the naughty bits and horse and cow (I think) sounds playing over the music in the background. HHH’s music started playing, but Vickie interrupted. Vickie said he won’t be fighting for his place in the Rumble and if they can’t beat Big Show, he’s going to lose his spot in the Rumble. That person fighting for Triple H…..MVP. She then banned The Game from ringside. A well-played chess match here.
-Oh, we’ll get an Undertaker
“edict” tonight on Smackdown.
[Commercial Break]
-The closest thing to an ECW Rebound we’ll ever get aired….a video package on Jack Swagger, I believe the same one that aired on ECW this week, with clips of his match against Matt Hardy added in.
-Swagger was in the ring with the ECW belt around his waist. He’s teaming with Mark Henry tonight. Man, they couldn’t even give him an entrance in his first TV match since winning the title? That’s sad.
1- JACK SWAGGER & MARK HENRY vs. FINLAY & MATT HARDY
Henry picked up Matt and set him on the top rope. Matt then foolishly jumped into his arms, and Henry took him back-first into the buckle. Henry missed an elbowdrop. Enziguiri by Matt, who then tagged in Finlay. Fit worked over Mark until Henry was able to scoop him up and slam him. The new ECW champ tagged in and he did the same to Finlay. That was all he could do to the Irishman, as Finlay made a comeback and had an extended stay on offense. Finlay fought out of the heel corner, but was pushed into the steel ring-post when he was standing on the apron. Henry took this opportunity to get in a few cheap shots. Swagger had Finlay in a chin-lock as the show went to break.
[Commercial Break]
Henry had command over Finlay when the show returned. Swagger tagged in and tried to keep Finlay away from Hardy. Ross announced that Swagger would be defending his ECW Title against Matt Hardy at the Royal Rumble. Swagger missed a Vader Bomb and Finlay was able to make the hot tag. Hardy hit his signature moves on Swagger, then set up for the Twist of Fate, but Tony Atlas tossed Hornswoggle into the ring. Behind the ref’s back, Henry nailed Hardy. Finlay took him out and Swagger knocked Finlay down. Hardy was able to recover and hit the Twist of Fate on Swagger for the win.
WINNERS: Hardy & Finlay, at 10:35. Good match, and I understand the ECW/Smackdown working agreement in storyline, but why was this match on the show? All four wrestlers are on ECW….I can’t help but think it would’ve been better served as ECW’s main event next week.
-Edge was talking to Vickie backstage, and he said he wanted to make sure Jeff Hardy’s match with him at the Rumble is his first and only title defense. Big Show walked in and Chavo talked him up (Chavo was there too) and Show complimented Vickie on her match-making. Show was happy to take HHH out of the Rumble and shut MVP’s mouth tonight too. Big Show then said he’d win the Rumble and face Edge at Wrestlemania, and maybe knock him out. Chavo said “oh, it’s on!” Edge told Chavo to make sure everything was set for the Cutting Edge later tonight.
[Commercial Break]
-R-Truth was walking backstage when he came upon The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson. Kendrick said Truth’s dancing didn’t impress him. Zeke told Truth “That’s what’s up.” Then they walked away.
-Todd Grisham was backstage with Michelle McCool. He noted she had become more vicious, then they showed her attacking Maria and Eve. Michelle didn’t even allow him to ask a question, saying it was all about jealousy. She said Maria and Eve are jealous of her. She told Todd to look at her, as she’d be jealous of her too. She called herself the top diva in all of WWE. She then put Michelle on notice that she’d get her title back. Victoria walked up to her and said Michelle might scare all the little girls, but she doesn’t scare her. And Michelle’s about to find out why.
-MVP was backstage warming up for his match, with Triple H standing next to him. Thanks to my MyNet affiliate, they cut a commercial in there. Then after the commercial, it went back to that segment, but MVP had just finishes saying something. So yeah, we missed the whole deal here.
-R-Truth was coming to the ring through the crowd. He was announced as being in the Royal Rumble. His match is next.
[Commercial Break]
-Still to come tonight, Jeff Hardy is a guest on The Cutting Edge.
2- R-TRUTH vs. THE BRIAN KENDRICK
Kendrick is also in the Rumble, according to the chyron. Kendrick missed a running kick thanks to a heads-up split performed by Truth. Truth then hit a flurry of offense, including a few hip-tosses. Kendrick rolled to the apron to re-group. He came back with a boot to the mouth. After a snap-mare, Kendrick kicked Truth in the chest. Truth fought out of a camel clutch and hit some right hands. That onslaught didn’t last long and Kendrick eventually went back to a modified camel clutch. Truth caught Kendrick with a powerslam as the former tag specialist came off the ropes. The Kendrick was dodged and Truth hit his twisting flying forearm. Axe kick on Kendrick and Truth got the win.
WINNER: Truth, at 4:03. Interesting result. Both men have been rumored to be in the doghouse, so I was wondering who’d get the win. I was guessing Kendrick. Match had good energy while it lasted.
After the match, Ezekiel took out Truth with a uranage.
-Triple H was talking up MVP again backstage. He told him to forget about his losing streak and everything. He told MVP to remember what he told him because this match means everything to him. For his sake, Trips told him, he better hope he wins. Oh, and he said that holding a sledgehammer. That’s intimidation, brother.
-The Last Man Standing match between Big Show and MVP is next.
[Commercial Break]
-Another Vladimir Kozlov training video aired.
3- THE BIG SHOW vs. MVP- LAST MAN STANDING MATCH
As Show walked to the ring, MVP came from behind and nailed him with a chair. The ref started the match even though neither man was in the ring. Show got hit with a couple shots to the back, but Show punched the chair out of the way. MVP got in the ring and kicked Show in the face when the big man tried to come in. Dropkick by MVP once Show got inside. Show caught MVP’s boot and pushed him down and out of the ring. Show again pushed him out of the ring soon after MVP came back in. Forearm to the back by Show on the outside. He threw MVP into the barricade. MVP tried to dually re-group and avoid Show. Show eventually caught him and threw him into the ringside steps. MVP had enough in him to kick Big Show into the ring post. Crowd really got behind Montel Vontavious Porter, even starting and “MVP” chant. Show got up at eight and chopped MVP off the apron. Match continues after break.
[Commercial Break]
Show was in control out of break, working at his usual deliberate pace. Hard chop to MVP’s chest. Huge beal out of the corner by Show. He grabbed MVP by the head, lifted him up, shook him a bit and threw him down. Show missed a charge in the corner, as Porter got his boot up. MVP jumped on Show’s back and applied a sleeper. After a few seconds, Show flipped MVP over his head and to the canvas. He then sent MVP over the top rope and to the floor. Show again whipped MVP into the barricade. MVP slapped Show, so the big man got even angrier, and he suplexed MVP on the ramp. Referee Scott Armstrong’s count got up to eight, but MVP got up. At the top of the ramp, Show clotheslined MVP down to the steel. Show went for a chokeslam but Triple H came out and nailed Show in the back with a sledgehammer. Both men were down but MVP made it up at nine and Show didn’t make it up at all.
WINNER: MVP, at 15:15. Nice….Triple H was banned from RINGSIDE, not from interfering at all. Match wasn’t great but had a good storyline behind it. And lost in that storyline was MVP breaking his losing streak.
-A huge announcement concerning the Class of 2009 WWE Hall-of-Fame is coming up later in the show.
-Next, we’ll hear from The Undertaker.
[Commercial Break]
-A video hyping Umaga’s return aired.
-Vickie, backstage with Edge, ordered Chavo to have Triple H come to her office immediately. Edge talked about interviewing Jeff Hardy later on tonight during The Cutting Edge.
-The Undertaker appeared to give a message on the Titan-Tron. He said every year, 30 men try to get immorality. He said only this year, 29 men will be in the match, and one phenom. During his speech, the faces of all the men in the Rumble this year passed by. Taker said going over the top rope won’t be the worst thing that will happen to them at the Rumble and spoke about their suffering being infinite. He said he’d bury them all. That would take a lot of work. Oh, he meant metaphorically.
[Commercial Break]
3- MICHELLE MCCOOL vs. VICTORIA
JR announced that this was Victoria’s retirement match. Could’ve built it up a little better. She took it to Michelle on the outside and in the ring. Shoulders to the gut inside the ring and she continued pounding away. Standing moonsault got a two-count from the returning referee Jack Doan, back from shoulder surgery according to JR. McCool went to the top, but Victoria hit the ropes and crotched her. Superplex by Victoria for a very near-fall. Victoria went to the top and missed a moonsault. Low dropkick by Michelle for two. Michelle went to work on the leg of Victoria, including a chop block. She elbowdropped the leg as well. Half-crab applied by McCool. Heel hook then put on by McCool, but Victoria got the ropes. Victoria dodged Michelle and got a roll-up for two. Couple clotheslines by the veteran followed by some slaps. Backslide by Victoria for two. Victoria couldn’t hold Michelle up for the Widow’s Peak. She then hit the Faith Breaker (Styles Clash) for three.
WINNER: McCool, at 6:19. This may be Victoria’s “retirement” from WWE, but from her myspace message, it sure doesn’t sound like she’s done with wrestling. Personally, I’ll miss the Widow’s Peak the most. There was no follow-up or anything- they cut away right after the match.
-Vickie punished Triple H backstage by saying he’d be out of the Rumble. HHH said he was only banned from ringside. Vickie said he knew what she meant, but Trips countered with the “yeah, but that’s not what you said” defense. Vickie said fine, but next week, he’d face Vladimir Kozlov.
-Tonight, Jeff Hardy is the special guest of Edge on the Cutting Edge.
-Next, the revelation as to who is the first name announced to be inducted into the WWE H.O.F class of 2009.
[Commercial Break]
-The Steve Austin Hall-of-Fame video aired.
-JR and Tazz previewed the Royal Rumble.
-Edge came out for The Cutting Edge. His guest, Jeff Hardy, would come out after the commercials.
[Commercial Break]
-Vladimir Kozlov cut a promo against a red back-drop backstage. He said he didn’t think HHH would bring him competition next week and predicted he’d stay undefeated.
-In the ring, Edge talked about winning the title from Jeff Hardy at the Royal Rumble. Edge said his thoughts have been all over the place lately, having to worry about his wife’s nude photos on the internet or worry about Jeff himself. He said he has to worry about Jeff being at the show at all to defend against him. Edge said this entire storyline (my words, not his) is so unbelievable, a movie should be made about it. So we saw a trailer for Edge vs. Jeff Hardy at the Rumble. Edge said Jeff’s title win was an accident. He wanted to tell Jeff face-to-face, so he called out the champion. After a lengthy pause, Jeff’s music hit. He came out, sans face paint. But the fireworks went off and must’ve caught Jeff, as he flailed around on the top of the ramp. One of the techies checked on him as Gregory Helms and Jimmy Wang Yang came out as well, calling for medics. Matt finally made his way out as they got a stretcher onto the ramp. R-Truth came out as well to assist. Vickie came out and looked on from a distance as Edge joined her. We got a replay of the fireworks going off, looking like they went off right in his face. That’s kinda tasteless if we’re supposed to think this is a terrible accident. They got Jeff on the stretcher and wheeled him backstage as he covered his face. Crowd chanted “Hardy, Hardy” as he was taken back. Edge and Vickie looked on, worried, as the show ended.
