5/29 Hermanstyne's Smackdown Coverage: Melina in Action, John Morrison vs. Umaga, Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas vs. Cryme Tyme, Eve vs. Layla, Chris Jericho and Edge vs. Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio |
WWE Smackdown on MyNetworkTV
Taped in Los Angeles, Calif.
[Q1] The show began with Rey Mysterio coming out to a standing ovation. The announcers hype the main event for tonight. Rey said its good to be back in his home state and he says the same thing in Spanish. He says it’s going to be a better week when he bashes Jericho at Extreme Rules. He mentioned that it will be dangerous and off the hook. He started to name California zip codes and said he will do anything…then he is interrupted by Jericho in his suit.
Jericho got a ton of heat. Jericho said is it going to be off the hook if he gives Mysterio brain damage. He said would it be off the hook if he take the IC title and beat him. He rambled and Mysterio told him to shut up. Mysterio said his words mean nothing and the last time he said his word meant something, he got hit with the 619.
Mysterio went on to say that Mickey Rourke knocked him out at WM25. Mysterio said that Jericho’s word is worthless. Jericho stared at Rourke and said that he is too much of a professional to punch him in the face. Rourke smiled and Jericho said it would be too easy and worthless. Jericho called the fans parasites for the 600,000 time and talked about Mysterio hiding behind the mask.
He said that only criminals, cowards and people with secrets hide behind the mask. He said that he will tear the mask off and expose him for what he is and he gives him his word. He said that mask will be his downfall. Jericho tried to cheap shot Mysterio but he moved and attempted a 619. Jericho moved and ran up the ramp.
Mind of Marv: Good start to kick the show off. This should be one interesting, long term feud which would elevate the Smackdown brand.
The Great Khali/Truth vs. Knox/Ziggler match is next…[C]
[Q2] R-Truth, Singh, and Khali came out together and looks like complete tools with dancing and rapping to Truth weak ass rap. Knox and Ziggler make their entrances. Footage of Khali and Ziggler feud from three weeks ago was shown.
1. Great Khali (w/Ranjin Singh) and R-Truth defeated Mike Knox and Dolph Ziggler in 4:02. Ziggler and Truth started the match up with Truth getting a quick rollup for a near fall. Khali got tagged in and Ziggler tagged Knox quickly. Khali chopped and gave a big boot to Knox. Truth got back in and got clotheslined by Knox. Ziggler got back in and worked on Truth. Both guys collided with each other and they both tag their partners. Khali clotheslined Knox three times and Ziggler tried to interfere but Khali caught him in the air. Ziggler ran out, and Knox got Punjabi Plunged for the victory.
Mind of Marv: Talk about Knox getting buried in a forgettable match. How are they supposed to market Knox as a bad ass heel when Khali does nothing but clothesline, big boot and Punjabi Plunge him?
The main event is hyped again and Truth & Khali celebrated in the ring. Backstage, Melina was approaching the ring for her match, next. [C]
The Smack of the Night was shown with Melina smacking the shit out of Alicia Fox last week. Melina got a big pop from the hometown crowd.
2. WWE Women’s Champion Melina defeated Alicia Fox (w/Michelle McCool) in 2:33. Fox got the advantage with a slap and a clothesline to Melina. Melina used her flexibility to kick Fox. McCool distracted Melina for Fox to kick her outside of the ring. Fox it a tilt-o-whirl back breaker on Melina. Melina hit her finisher on Fox to get the quick win.
Mind of Marv: Besides the opening segment, this show was been mediocre so far but not as atrocious as RAW…
[Q3] Backstage, John Morrison was interviewed by Josh Matthews. Morrison called Umaga a moron, and said he was going to out think Umaga. Shelton interrupted him and said they had unfinished business. Morrison said he had beaten Benjamin and the other half of the World’s Most Forgotten Tag Team twice already. Shelton said that he is a former US champ and the gold standard. Morrison ripped Shelton by saying that he had better things to do than discuss gold hair dye #5 with a former champion. [C]
Grisham hyped the ladder match for the world title at Extreme Rules and a video package of Jeff’s past ladder matches were shown. Jeff comes out to and standing ovation from the crowd or was it pumped out because the camera made it seem that the Staples Center was about ½ full.
Jeff came out and said that he maybe crazy for asking for this match but ladder matches are his comfort zone. He mentioned that when he and Edge was in the first tag team ladder match, their career changed. He said when he became champ last year, he will prove that it was no fluke and when he climbs the ladder at Extreme Rules, he will become world heavyweight champion. Meanwhile, Umaga comes out with a strap for his match, next…[C]
Mind of Marv: Jeff has really improved on the stick. Just keep it short and sweet and he’s good.
[Q4]3. John Morrison defeated Umaga by disqualification in 12:55. The match began with Umaga attacking Morrison. Morrison capitalized with some punches, but Umaga knocked him down. Morrison jumped off the rope to hit Umaga outside of the ring. Morrison hit a big knee to Umaga for a one count. Umaga threw up Morrison in the air for a Samoan Drop. [C]
The show returned with Umaga dominating Morrison. Morrison tried to suplexed Umaga but it didn’t work. Umaga threw Morrison on the rope and super kicked him to Anaheim. Umaga clotheslined Morrison and put him a trapezes muscle submission with a hyperextension to his elbow. Morrison pulled a page out of AJ Styles book and hit a Pele kick to Umaga.
Umaga countered with a spinning side slam and went back to the trapeze muscle submission. Morrison got thrown in the ropes and turned it into an DDT for a near fall. Morrison hit a standing drop kick to Umaga and chopped his knee. Umaga capitalized with an uppercut. Morrison hit the Chuck Kick. Umaga rolled out of the ring and started to attack Morrison with the strap like a government mule (Had to use the JR reference, ha-ha).
[Q5] Umaga tied Morrison on the turnbuckle with the strap and kicked him. C.M. Punk came out hit Umaga with the briefcase. Punk hit a bulldog on the briefcase and Umaga escaped. Grisham asked Punk what is his strategy for Umaga in the strap match. Punk said does he look like a guy that strategizes? He went on to say that he will always find a way. He said that he is bigger and dangerous but one thing he isn’t and that is C.M. Punk. [C]
Mind of Marv: This match wasn’t bad considering that Morrison didn’t look bad. Umaga put Morrison in too many holds which dragged the quality of the match, but overall, not bad to end the first half of SD.
4. Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas defeated Cryme Tyme in 11:13. Haas and JTG started the match with Haas getting the early advantage. JTG hit a leg drop for a near fall. JTG threw Shad into Haas and Haas countered with knees to Shad’s back. Shelton got tagged in and worked on Shad. Shelton put JTG in a headlock and the show goes to a commercial break…[C]
[Q6] The show returned with Haas power bombing JTG. Shelton tagged in and worked on JTG in the corner.
Mind of Marv: Is this college day on Smackdown? The announcers are talking about colleges all freaking day. It makes you think: Who needs college? Just go to the WWE! The way RAW has been lately, they need someone beyond the 8th grade level in writing and booking to make the show better.
Haas got tagged back in and worked on JTG’s neck. Shelton and JTG traded punches and Shelton got the advantage by hitting a belly-to-back suplex for a near fall. Haas started to limp and JTG hit a neck breaker. Shad got in the match and hit some clotheslines to the heels. Shad hit a power slam and the Money Elbow for the near fall. Shelton hit the Paydirt on Shad for the victory.
Mind of Marv:Cryme Tyme is a joke to me, point blank. Their matches end the same way. Shad turns into Cena, dominates for a minute, the other heel tries to interfere and JTG knocks them out of the ring. Then Shad sits there like an idiot, takes a finisher and jobs. Same crap. But anyway, I agree with Twilling when it comes to Shelton and Haas because they are suited as a tag team. Shelton gets heat and athletic but no one really cares about putting him over. Haas is also talented and athletic but he gets ZERO heat. But how can they get over when WWE doesn’t give a damn about tag team wrestling?
Footage was shown of the Layla and Eve feud from the past month. The Divas finally fight, next…[C]
[Q7] 5. Eve Torres beat Layla in 3:11. And the cat fight begins. Layla worked on Eve’s back most of the match. Eve got back in the match with a boot to Layla. Eve got some punches, a drop kick and sunset flip for a near fall. Eve pinned Layla for the victory.
Mind of Marv: Forgettable Divas match. I’m going to turn to the NBA game for a few minutes. Hopefully the Lakers can finish things tonight…
Edge and Jericho are backstage and Edge says follow his lead. Jericho said it didn’t work out for him last week. Edge said he is the world champ and he should follow his lead. Jericho said he doesn’t listen to anybody and told Edge that he should have this match by himself because he is done. [C]
Footage from last week’s stipulation set by Jeff Hardy was shown. Edge comes to the ring for a promo. Edge said that Jeff Hardy in two words is: wasted opportunities. Edge said that Jeff picked the match that he owns. He said that he has had more wins in ladder matches than anyone in WWE history.
Edge said that Jeff may have all the highlights, but he has always one. He says all those other matches were tag team matches, but this match will be special because it’s for the world title. He said that Jeff is a loser and he is a winner. Edge said he will walk out of Extreme Rules as the world heavyweight champion. Jericho’s music is played and there is no Jericho.
Mysterio made his ring entrance and gave a kid his mask. He went to another person in a mask and it was Jericho. Jericho attacked Mysterio and tried to unmask him but Jeff Hardy ran out for the save. Mysterio was still laid out when officials checked on him. [C]
6. Chris Jericho & World Heavyweight Champion Edge defeated Jeff Hardy in a handicap match in 7:12. Jeff and Jericho started the match. Jeff attempted a Swanton but Edge interfered and Jeff hit Edge outside of the ring. Jericho hit a springboard kick on Jeff outside of the ring. Jericho worked on Jeff with a knee to his head and a back slam for a near fall.
Edge got the tag, and head butted Jeff and worked on his neck for a near fall. Jericho got tagged in and hit a springboard splash for a near fall. Jericho attempted the Lionsault but he landed on Jeff’s knees. Edge got tagged in and Jeff clotheslined him and hit a mule kick into two more clotheslines. Jeff hit the Poetry in Motion for a near fall. Jeff attempted a Twist of Fate but Edge countered by throwing Jeff into Jericho. Jeff hit the Twist of Fate on Jericho but Edge countered with a spear because he was the legal man for the victory.
Edge got a ladder and knocked Jeff squared out. He then smashed Jeff with the ladder like a Conchairto and celebrated with the world title to end the show.
Mind of Marv: Handicap matches make my head hurt especially Kozlov related ones, but that’s Powell’s headache not mine. But the main event was decent and the ladder match at Extreme Rules looks like a classic in the making. Overall, this show was lackluster but 100,000 better than Monday Night Raw. I give it a B- for a grade this week.
Rich Twilling will have the Smackdown Hitlist available tomorrow and send some emails to the MBA at mr.hermanstyne@gmail.com
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