Smackdown on MyNetwork TV
Taped on 2/16/10 in Kansas City, Mo.

[Q1] The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Todd Grisham and Matt Striker welcomed us to Smackdown. They hyped the Edge vs. Batista main event…Jericho’s music hit and he made his ring entrance in his suit. Jericho cut his same promo. He said he had overcome the odds several times. He said it happened when he became the first undisputed champion. He said he did it again when he humiliated Shawn Michaels in a ladder match. He said he did it again last week when he beat Taker.

A video replayed the Codebreaker and pin. He said he proved that the Dead Man was just a man. He said he would do it again this Sunday at the PPV. He started to say it again, but Edge’s music cut him off. Edge came out to a healthy pop, and he put over Jericho beating Taker as a big deal. He said Jericho, like him, was in an elite club. Jericho said of course he did, because he was the best in the world. Edge said that was the problem, and played a video that showed Edge spearing Taker just before Jericho hit the Codebreaker. Edge said Jericho wasn’t as good as he thought he was.

Jericho repeated that he would win, and he encouraged Edge to stay away from him once he won. He said he hurt Edge if Edge bothered him. Edge said the more Jericho talked, the more he wanted to knock that smug look off his face. He said Jericho should not worry about later, he should worry about what he can do now. They butted heads and the lights flickered, complete with a cheesy ass buzzing noise. There was a bad edit, and Edge hit a spear on Jericho. Jericho rolled to the floor and backed up the ramp as Edge stared him down…[C]

Shore’s Slant: A great way to open the show. It hyped the coming feud, and makes you want to buy EC to see if Jericho wins. That was mediocre mic work from them, and I bet it’s still the best thing on the show tonight. The next few weeks are going to be off the charts folks. But what the hell was that light flicker thing? And the cheesy sound effect? Come on.

[Q2] Back from commercial, a video package recapped Kane vs. McIntyre from last week…Back ringside, Kane made his ring entrance. The announce team hyped his title match with McIntyre at the EC. Ziggler was out next…

1. Kane defeated Dolph Ziggler at 7:22. Kane took early control and hit a sit down drop kick for two. He choked Ziggler on the ropes as Striker told us 40 percent of Intercontinental Champions have gone on to hold a world title, and 20 percent have gone to the Hall of Fame. In the ring, Ziggler kicked Kane and went to hit the ropes, but Kane clotheslined him over the top and played to the crowd. Ziggler recovered on the floor…[C]

Back at 5:05, Ziggler had an armbar on Kane. A video showed Kane hitting the railing during the break. Kane made his feet and hit a sidewalk slam. He hit the clothesline in the corner and went to the top. McIntyre’s music hit and he came to the ramp, distracting Kane. Kane jumped off and Ziggler rolled underneath. Ziggler popped up and hooked a sleeper on Kane.

Kane went all the way down to the mat, and then fought back to his feet. He walked to the ropes and grabbed them. Ziggler broke on two, and then jumped back on Kane’s back. Kane shrugged him off, and then hit a chokeslam for the win. Post match, McIntyre slipped in the ring and kicked Kane. He tried for the future shock DDT, but Kane back dropped out. McIntyre rolled to the floor and backed up the ramp…

Backstage, Josh Matthews interviewed Rey Mysterio. Mysterio pointed out that last week Punk and Gallows kicked his ass. He said he might take another ass beating this Sunday, but the difference was this time, he would be champion…The announce team hyped Truth and Morrison vs. the SES…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Another quality match from Ziggler and Kane. Their feud was excellent, and so was this match. Kane gets a good win, and looks good heading into a title match that he will not win. Did Mysterio just say he got his ass kicked and then leave it at that? Wow. What a puss.

Back from commercial, a video package recapped Ezekiel Jackson’s ECW title win from Tuesday, and then hyped his coming to Smackdown…

[Q3] Back from commercial, Cryme Tyme made their entrance. Croft and Baretta were out next.

2. Cryme Tyme defeated Caylen Croft and Trent Baretta at 4:54. JTG took quick control and hit several quick moves. He went to the second rope, but Baretta distracted him. Croft pushed JTG to the floor and tagged Baretta. Baretta worked JTG on the floor and rolled him in the ring. The heels traded quick tags, hitting moves and earning near falls. Baretta set JTG on the top rope and climbed up. JTG hit elbows and escaped to make the hot tag.

Shad cleaned up Baretta. He hit a powerslam and covered. Croft broke it up and JTG attacked him. JTG charged and Croft pulled the ropes down. Shad clotheslined Croft to the floor, and Baretta hit a missile dropkick on Shad’s back. Baretta went for a sliced bread/tornado DDT, but Shad stopped him and hit STO for the win…The Antonio Inoki HOF video aired…[C]

Shore’s Slant: I haven’t looked, but I bet Marv is having a conniption with Crap and Boretta, or whatever it is he calls them. Look, they aren’t bad in the ring, but they are like the Mulkey Brothers (old school in the house!). They are just boring. They have no gimmick. None. Not even a hint of one. They deserve better from creative than “two guys who wear colored tights.”

[Q4] Back from commercial, Josh Matthews introduced John Morrison with just a little too much enthusiasm. He hyped Morrison’s DVD and asked about his ankle. Morrison said since he had stood in line to prove he was “tough enough” to be here, till the time he was drafted to Smackdown, his career was based on this moment. And he would make the most of it.

Truth came up and dismissed Matthews. He put over Morrison and him in the EC, and said they would be enemies Sunday, but tonight they had the SES. They traded some silly jive talk and punked Jericho. Truth acted like an idiot. They hugged and walked off…

Shore’s Slant: WTF was that?

Punk and company made their entrance. A video showed the beat down of Mysterio last week. Punk got a mic and said he was the best thing that had ever happened to them. He cut his promo, and put over the EC. He said he would crush our spirits with his win at the PPV. He said he would pour out our broken hearts and fill it with straight edge. He said straight edge meant he was better than everyone, and he would prove it this Sunday. He said they would have a savior, and his name would be CM Punk…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Meh. I don’t know, I wasn’t diggin’ it tonight. The act has gotten a little stale on the run up to the EC. I hope the feud with he and Mysterio breathes some life into it, but it just doesn’t work as well against people not named Jeff Hardy.

Back from commercial, a video package recapped Morrison’s “injury” last week…Ringside, John Morrison made his ring entrance, followed R-Truth’s lame ass entrance…

[Q5] 3. The Straight Edge Society defeated John Morrison and R-Truth by referee stoppage at 11:22. After some debate from the faces, Morrison and Punk started. They did about a minute of mat wrestling before Morrison scored a head lock. He tagged in Truth and they hit a double gut buster. Truth slapped on another headlock. Punk hit a back suplex to break and tagged in Gallows. Gallows tried to attack, but Truth escaped his grasp and hit a flying cross body for two. Taker’s pyro popped, and his graveyard background appeared on the LED screen. Everyone stared at the ramp…[C]

Back at 5:59, Punk had a rest hold on Truth. A video showed Gallows hitting a back breaker on Truth during the break. Punk hit a slam, and a knee to the back. He tagged in Gallows who worked Truth in the corner. Morrison clapped to get the crowd going, and Gallows took him out with a kick. He hit a clothesline in the corner on Truth and covered for two.

Punk tagged back in and worked the back. Truth hit a surprise elbow, but Punk came back with a roundhouse kick. He tagged in Gallows who worked the back. He slammed Truth and tagged in Punk. Punk tried for a springboard move, but Truth drop kicked him out of the air. Morrison got the hot tag and hit a flying heel kick and a running knee for two. He hit the flying Chuck on Gallows, spilling him to the floor.

Punk rolled to the apron and stood up. Morrison went to kick him, but Punk ducked and Morrison kicked the post with the bad leg. Punk attacked the leg, and then the ref stopped the match. Punk kept attacking the foot, and Truth made the save. Serena covered Punk with her body and Truth argued with her. Gallows attacked him from behind. Punk and Gallows worked Truth until Rey Mysterio came down for the save.

Mysterio hit a West Coast Pop on Punk, and then beat Gallows down. What? He turned around and Punk hit a clothesline. Gallows recovered and hit a back breaker. He held Mysterio for Punk to hit a knee from the top rope. The SES celebrated over all the fallen…A video package recapped Bret Hart’s injury on Raw…

[Q6] The announce team hyped the main event…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Why do you put a guy in an injury angle—that we assume includes him missing the EC so HBK can get involved—at the same time you are hyping his DVD? Even if he gets to go in the EC, why make him look weak? I just don’t get it. A good match, and great post match attacks, but I still don’t get the story with Morrison.

Back from commercial, Teddy Long was watching a replay of the Vickie Guerrero cottage cheese incident from last week. He giggled and turned around to see Vickie. He made a fat joke about her not needing anymore cottage cheese. Mickie James came in and apologized for last week. Vickie booked her to defend the title next week against Michelle McCool with Vickie as the special guest referee. Mickie stormed off…

Maria, Matt Hardy, The Great Khali, and Mini-Me made their ring entrance. The Harts were out next…

4. The Hart Dynasty defeated Matt Hardy, The Great Khali, and Maria (w/Ranjin Sing) at 4:12. The Divas started. Natalya hit a hard take down, but Maria came right back with a drop toe hold. She worked Natty on the ropes, but Natty made a tag to Kidd. Kidd chased Maria out and attacked Hardy, who tried to protect her. The Hart men worked quick tags on Hardy. They lifted for a double suplex, but Kidd slipped out before Smith finally dropped Matt for two.

Hardy ducked a clothesline and hit a side effect. Hardy tried to reach Khali, but Smith attacked him from behind and knocked him into Maria. The men battled on the floor. Natty ran over and dragged Maria into the ring over the top rope. She hit her tornado clothesline for the win. Post match, Maria looked upset and pushed away from Matt as he tried to check on her…The Elimination Chamber video played…

[Q7] The announce team hyped the two EC matches, and then the main event for next…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Here’s a throwaway comment for a throwaway segment: Maria looked good in her top.

Back from commercial, Maria and Matt had a terrible conversation about the loss. He started to kiss her, and the Nearly Beautiful People ran up and said Matt would get the cooties. She pushed past them and they said they had the cooties. Hardy called them children and told them to grow up. They acted stupid or something…

Shore’s Slant: Oh….my….God

Batista made his ring entrance…[C]

[Q8] Back from commercial, the announce team setup a video that recapped Batista telling Cena he would be at Raw this Monday. Edge made his ring entrance…

5. Edge and Batista fought to a no contest at 10:05. Batista held the ropes to start, making the ref keep Edge away. Batista finally waved bye-bye, and left the ring. Edge had the ref stop the count and got a mic. He said maybe John Cena was right, maybe he was spineless. He said he was pulling his “punk” card and challenged Batista to return. Batista stormed back and they locked up 2:01. Edge hit a quick kick and charged for the spear. Batista rolled to the floor and recovered into the break…[C]

Back at 6:05, Batista worked Edge’s neck and back. He tossed Edge through the ropes to the post. Batista went to the floor, and pull the top part off the stairs. He setup Edge for the Batista Bomb, but Edge back dropped out onto the stairs. Edge hit a diving clothesline from the apron, and rolled Batista back in the ring. Edge charged for the spear, but Batista reversed into a spine buster for two.

Batista stomped the mat, and setup for the bomb again. Edge slipped out and hit the impaler DDT for two. Edge went to the top, but Batista knocked him down. Batista stomped in the corner, setting up his own spear. Edge hit the spear instead and covered at 10:05. The lights went out and Hell’s Bells tolled. The lights came up and Taker had Edge by the throat. He chokeslammed Edge and the ref called the no contest. Batista beat a hasty exit. Taker left the ring as Edge staggered to his feet. Jericho ran in out of the crowd and hit the Codebreaker on Edge. He and Undertaker stared down to end the show…

Shore’s Slant: I wasn’t expecting a clean finish, but that was mediocre. Jericho running in saved it at the end, but I grow tired of the Undertaker gimmick like this. It was teased all night, so it was no surprise it happened. I also think it was a mistake to give away Edge’s first singles match. That should have waited until Mania, with him working tag matches or run-ins until then. Instead, they gave it away with a weak ending. What a shame. I’ll have more to say tomorrow on the hitlist. And check back Sunday for my Elimination Chamber preview and predictions. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you then.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com with whatever is on your mind.

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