Full Credit: PWTorch.com
WWE Smackdown review
March 20, 2009
Taped 3/17/09 in Corpus Christi, Tex.
Aired on MyNetwork TV
-The voice-over of the opening package talked about this being the 500th episode of Smackdown and how superstars from all three brands will be on the show. They showed some clips of the past 499 episodes, including Edge teaming with Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff as the Priest.
–Randy Orton’s interview from this past Monday played over video of Triple H breaking into Orton’s house, then we saw what happened during the HHH vs. Cody Rhodes match from Raw.
-To the arena, where Triple H’s music played to start the show. He came out and it looks like he’s set for action. During his entrance, they plugged Shawn Michaels vs. Kane also on the card for tonight, as well as Undertaker vs. JBL. All three of these matches make for a loaded event, yet none are really giving away PPV-caliber main events, which is a good middle-ground to aim for.
HHH got on the mic and said that the worst kept secret in the business is his marriage to Stephanie “in real life.” I think they could’ve come up with a better phrasing for that. HHH said when Orton kicked Vince and Shane in the head, he let it slide. But he said Orton should’ve known better than to do what he did to Stephanie. HHH said Orton has tried to hide, but he’s not buying it. Trips said Orton has a disease: Not IED, but cowardice. He said Orton has run from every challenge he’s ever faced in his life. For Orton, there will be no one to hide behind at Wrestlemania. We got an extreme close-up and he said Orton better pray that he’s as good as he thinks he is. Trips said while Orton says he has a disease, Orton really IS a disease and Triple H is the cure. That last part seemed a bit forced and out of left field.
1- TRIPLE H vs. VLADIMIR KOZLOV
Well, this should be better than their Survivor Series battle. Kozlov took Trips down with a shoulderblock, but Trips low-bridged him out of the ring. Kozlov came right back in, only to get clotheslined to the outside on the opposite side of the ring. Match continues after break.
[Commercial Break]
Triple H had Kozlov in a leg-lock out of break. As the ref admonished The Game for holding on while Kozlov had the ropes, Vlad came in with a headbutt to the chest. Kozlov missed a headbutt in the corner and Triple H set up for the Pedigree, but Kozlov back-dropped out of it. Kozlov ran right into a spinebuster though. Pedigree (and a good one) for three.
WINNER: HHH, at 7:36. Well, they kept it simple and short. A good warm-up match for Triple H over a name opponent.
-This past Monday on Raw, Edge forgave Vickie Guerrero for her transgressions. But then Big Show proclaimed his love for her- and Edge speared him in the main event. What will happen with those three tonight on Passions?……I mean, Smackdown? Well, they’re all in the building, so something is bound to happen.
[Commercial Break]
-A video package on Wrestlemania 23 aired. They focused on the Trump vs. McMahon angle.
2- MVP vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN- UNITED STATES TITLE MATCH
Both men were already in the ring facing off against each other coming back from the video package. They did have Justin Roberts do formal ring introductions though. No clean break in the corner as Shelton stayed right on MVP with punches and kicks. Benjamin worked the chest and rib area, draping MVP over the top turnbuckle and then the top rope. MVP countered an abdominal stretch with a hip-toss, but was put back down after a knee-lift. Overhead throw for two by MVP. Big boot by MVP also got two. Crowd chanted “MVP, MVP.” He hit the “Ballin’!” elbowdrop. Shelton countered a suplex with a neck-breaker. MVP tried a couple pining combinations, but he couldn’t keep the champ down. The challenger side-stepped an attempt by Shelton to hit Paydirt and MVP came back with the Playmaker for the win.
WINNER: MVP, at 5:20. Good, high-energy match. Good pop for MVP after the match as well. Felt like they could’ve built this match up a little more, but maybe WWE felt like they needed the 500th episode to have something newsworthy happen on it, so they booked this title change.
-We saw a profile of Miles Jackson, John Cena’s character’s nemesis in “12 Rounds.”
-Coming up tonight, HBK faces Kane. They showed HBK superkicking Taker on Raw too.
[Commercial Break]
3- SHAWN MICHAELS vs. KANE
HBK chopped Kane but the big man came back with a shoulderblock. He missed an elbow and Shawn began to go low, aiming for the knees. Big uppercut though from Kane ended that short surge. As much as I may rag on him, he’s still got one of the best uppercuts in the business. More right hands in the corner. Shawn with a desperation right hand to create some separation between the two. HBK did the flip sell in the corner and fell to ringside.
[Commercial Break]
Kane was still in control out of break. He hit a running corner clothesline for a near-fall. Kane began to work on the left arm and shoulder of HBK. Low dropkick by Kane got a two-count from referee Marty Elias. Kane working very scientifically this match. Michaels started a comeback with right hands and chops. Swinging neckbreaker and both men were down. Shawn’s inverted atomic drop was blocked by Kane, who wanted to go for a chokeslam. That was blocked and HBK hit the atomic drop then an elbow off the top rope. Looks like he elbowed Kane in the knee as Kane was turning when HBK landed. Not sure what that was supposed to be. Clothesline off the top rope by The Big Red Machine. He ran in for a chokeslam and was instead met by Sweet Chin Music. Goodnight.
WINNER: Michaels, at 11:21. One of Kane’s better matches as of late. JR said Undertaker’s streak will be “in jeopardy” at Wrestlemania.
-Vickie tried to talk Big Show out of something, but couldn’t. He said he came out there on Monday because he didn’t think Edge could handle Cena. He said he can’t just walk away from someone spearing him like Edge did. Show said it’s too late to let it go, then said Edge deserves everything he’s going to get.
[Commercial Break]
-JR announced that Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy at Wrestlemania would be an Extreme Rules Match.
4- JEFF HARDY vs. THE BRIAN KENDRICK- EXTREME RULES MATCH
No entrance for Kendrick, so sadly, no dancing. And how did they pick him to be in an extreme rules match? Hardy dropkicked Ezekiel Jackson as soon as the bell rang, making sure he got to ringside safely. He then threw Kendrick out and plancha’d on Jackson. Zeke came from behind and attacked Jeff, throwing him into the ring barriers. Jeff came back with a chair, slamming Jackson in the back with it several times. Back in the ring, Kendrick hit a dropkick and punched away at Jeff. Kendrick missed a splash in the corner and Jeff got another chair. He threw it at Kendrick in the corner, then used it to propel himself into The Brian. He took Kendrick’s head and pounded it on the steel chair over and over again. Twist of Fate on the chair, though it looked like he missed the chair. To the top, Swanton for the victory.
WINNER: Hardy, at 3:30. Just a “preview” of Jeff’s Wrestlemania match with Matt even though aside from the chairs, this match wasn’t too extreme. Of course, they wouldn’t want to give everything away before the WM match.
[Commercial Break]
-The video for the latest inductees into the 2009 Hall-of-Fame: The Von Erich Family aired. Freebird Michael Hayes will induct them.
-A trailer for “12 Rounds” aired. It hits theaters a week from today.
-The Undertaker made his entrance for a match with new Intercontinental Champion John Bradshaw Layfield. The match is next.
[Commercial Break]
-Taker got on the mic out of break and said HBK is the prey and he is the hunter. When he least expects it, he’ll feel the wrath of The Undertaker.
5- THE UNDERTAKER vs. JBL
JR acknowledged that JBL had accepted Rey Mysterio’s challenge for a Wrestlemania match with the I.C. Title on the line. He also speculated as to what JBL’s “big announcement” for Wrestlemania could be. Taker punched JBL square in the face as soon as the bell rang. JBL fought back with rights of his own, just pummeling Taker. Referee Chad Patton had to physically restrain Layfield. JR compared Taker’s 16 Wrestlemania wins in a row to a team winning the Super Bowl 16 years in a row. I don’t know about THAT. Taker went for Old School, but JBL managed to get out of it. He did take a big boot though, to which Undertaker got a two count off of. More after the break.
[Commercial Break]
Taker dropped the leg over JBL’s throat with the IC Champion laying on the apron. He then threw JBL into the ringside barrier. But Taker crotched himself as he missed a running boot. JBL smelled blood and back in the ring, worked over the leg. He even applied a figure four-like maneuver. Taker got an evil look in his eye and grabbed JBL by the throat to break it. Before Undertaker could do any damage, JBL came back with a chop block. Taker got some more punches in, then hit Snake Eyes and a boot to the face. After a legdrop, he called for a chokeslam. But JBL again kicked Taker in the knee and hit the Clothesline from Hell, but only for two. Taker locked in Devil’s Gate and instead of bleeding and tapping immediately, JBL seemed to lose consciousness, then eventually tapped. That’s odd.
WINNER: Undertaker, at 11:36.
-Tonight, they’re being quite vague as to what will happen between Cena, Edge and Big Show tonight, just saying they’re all in the building. Then they showed Show and Edge on a split-screen, both heading to the ring for something next.
[Commercial Break]
-Big Show came to the ring. Ross ran down some impressive size stats for Show. He got the mic and told Edge to quite being a coward and to come to the ring to deal with things like men. He did came out and the two started arguing on the mics. Vickie Guerrero interrupted this pissing contest and came to the ring. Vickie said she can’t help the way she feels and that she’s in love with both of them. Edge told her she was being ridiculous and Show told him not to talk to her like that. Edge said she’s his wife, he can talk to her any way he likes. Vickie said this will be settled at Wrestlemania and the winner not only will be champion of the World, but champion of her heart. She told them to call a truce and she said at WM, this will all be over. They both shook hands in agreement, and John Cena’s music hit and he came out to a rousing ovation.
He said they seem to be forgetting that there’s a third competitor in the match and he wants nothing to do with Vickie Guerrero. He said this truce they have is ridiculous. He said this was the 500th episode of Smackdown and this is the best they can do for the WWE Universe? He said this was awesome TV and that everyone will be talking about this forever. Sarcastically, of course. Cena tried to get Edge riled up about what Big Show has done with Vickie. He did the same thing to Big Show, talking about how Edge speared him in front of the free world but Show isn’t doing anything about it. Cena said on the greatest stage of them all, those two are going to fight to see how wins Vickie’s affection?
Edge said Cena wouldn’t understand and her love is worth fighting for. Edge talked about the little things, like Vickie sleeping and passing gas. Cena made a joke out of that of course. Why would Edge even bring that up, even if he does think it’s cute? Show and Edge began arguing again and Show told Vickie to tell Edge that if Edge doesn’t watch his mouth, he won’t make it to Wrestlemania. The two shoved each other as Vickie tried to get in the middle of it, then Edge slapped him. Show grabbed Edge by the throat and pushed Vickie to the ground, trying to get her out of the way. He realized what he did and tried to help her up. Edge saw his opening and went to spear Big Show but he moved and speared Vickie. As he tended to her, Big Show grabbed Edge and threw him to the mat so he could do it. He picked Vickie up in his arms and Edge took her from him and put her in his arms. Show stole her away again. Edge went after Show’s knee, causing him to fall forward and drop Vickie. Edge blamed Show, who then chokeslammed him. Show scooped Vickie back up in his arms and walked to the back with her.
