By Marv Hermanstyne

WWE Friday Night Smackdown on SyFy
Taped in Portland, OR

[Q1] The opening montage kicked off the show and Taker was standing on the top of the Rose Garden in Portland. The three-man announce teams talked about Taker returning to SD confront Kane. Paul Bearer has a challenge to issue to Taker later tonight. Teddy Long was already in the ring for an announcement.

Long said it was Bragging Rights time and they won the trophy last year. Long showed Team Raw on the TitanTron and said Big Show is the captain. Long said there will be qualifying matches which will begin now and Rey Mysterio got a hot pop from the crowd…

1. Rey Mysterio defeated WWE Tag Team Champion Cody Rhodes to earn a spot on Team Smackdown in 10:30. Cody and Rey exchanged moves to start the match and went for an cover for a nearfall. Cody facebusted Rey and kicked him for a nearfall. Cody had a stomp fest on Rey and got some nice heat from the crowd. Rey hit a low dropkick to Cody and went for the 619, but Cody slid out. [C]

The show returned with Cody applying a crossface to Rey and Rey came back with a nice counter rollup for a nearfall. Cody applied an submission and Rey countered out. Cody switched up and hit a Backstabber into a body scissors to Rey. Cody continued the attack with a knee drop for a nearfall. Cody shoved and punched Rey until Rey countered out. Cody hit a wheelbarrow suplex to Rey for a nearfall.

[Q2] Cody fell on his knee and Rey hit a drop toe hold, seated senton, and crossbody for a nearfall. Rey kicked the shit out of Cody for another nearfall. Rey hit a legdrop to Cody for a nearfall. Cody went for the Alabama slam but Rey switched it up to the 619 and the West Coast Pop for the win…

Mind of Marv: Excellent opening match to kick off this show. It was obvious who was winning the match, but Cody looked very strong in this match and I like his skills, not his gimmick. He can be a nice upper mid-card guy but nothing more…

Paul Bearer issues his challenge, next…[C]

Backstage, Hornswoggle and Big Show were chatting and Kaval walked in. Kaval was interested in being on Team SD and he put himself over. Kaval asked what Show did on his first match and he said that he won the world title. Show said that he was looking for veterans and Show said that Kaval wouldn't last five minutes with him. Kaval challenged him and said that if he can last five minutes him, he can be on Team SD. They shook hands and agreed to the match.

Mind of Marv: I'm going to go out on a limb and say as long as Hornswoggle is dressed up as a Viking, they will lose…

Bearer's pre-taped promo was basically consisting of a Buried Alive match at Bragging rights and he talked about his vulnerability since Memorial Day. He also talked about confronting Kane later tonight…[C] [Q3]

Mind of Marv: This storyline fits perfect to what is shown on SyFy on the regular which is a good thing…good work from Bearer.

Tony Chimel introduced Big Show and he came out for commentary. Swagger and that stupid eagle came out.

Mind of Marv: This was something I discussed with Michael Wilbon from PTI earlier this year…we both hate mascots! They are stupid and pointless…

2. Jack Swagger defeated MVP to earn a spot on Team Smackdown in 2:10. MVP stomped out Swagger and hit an bulldog and clothesline for a nearfall. Swagger threw MVP into the ring post and MVP countered with a botchy Drive By kick. MVP hit his offense and setup for the Ballin' Elbow and hit it. MVP was going to finish him off, but the stupid Eagle got thrown into the announcers. Swagger grabbed MVP and applied the Ankle Lock for the win.

Mind of Marv: WTF? This show was good for thirty minutes and we get a two minute throwaway match between two guys whom had a long term program? What a way to bury MVP and lose credibility for Swagger because of that stupid ass eagle.

Taker was still on the roof of the Rose Garden…[C]

[Q4] 3. Alberto Del Rio defeated Chris Masters to earn a spot on Team Smackdown in 2:20. Del Rio had a early advantage, but Masters suplexed and applied the Master Lock until Del Rio broke out. Del Rio got aggressive on Masters. Masters hit a Samoan Drop to Del Rio and hit a series of clotheslines and a power slam for a nearfall. Masters tried the Master Lock again but Del Rio applied his finisher to end the match…

Mind of Marv: Couldn't this been an squash match? We all know Chris Masters should stay his ass on Superstars…ugh. This was a forgettable match just to get Del Rio back on the winning track….

Post match, Show offered a handshake but Del Rio looked at him and walked off. The Knucklehead trailer was shown. Edge comes out for his match, next…[C]

Edge still has a Top 5 wrestling entrance and the red shades are cool points in my book. Ziggler came out and footage was shown of the boring love triangle of Dolph, Vickie and Katelyn.


[Q5] 4. Edge defeated Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler to earn a spot on Team Smackdown in 12:50. Both men exchanged blows and Edge took the advantage of Dolph in the corner. Edge slammed Dolph's head into the corner and Dolph got back on offense by working on Edge's neck with the ring ropes and neck breaker for a nearfall. Dolph applied a modified sleeper to Edge and Edge countered with an baseball slide to Dolph.

Dolph hit an boot and a neck breaker off the ropes to Edge for a nearfall. Both men exchanged blows until Dolph countered with an elbow. Edge hit a big boot to Dolph outside of the ring. Edge tried to spear Dolph but Dolph hit a Zig Zag to Edge on the ring steps. Edge made the ten count and Dolph got aggressive…[C]

The show returned with Dolph applying a body scissors to Edge. Dolph missed a splash and Edge hit a flapjack to Dolph. Edge hit clotheslines and a bulldog for a nearfall. Dolph went for rollup, but Edge countered for a nearfall. Both men exchanged blows until Dolph tried the sleeper but Edge countered into the Impaler DDT. Rapid fire exchanges were done and Edge speared the shit out of Dolph in the air for the win…

Mind of Marv: I'm glad Edge is back on the blue brand because we may have a helluva program after Bragging Rights. Edge looked so G-O-O-D out there (KFC, please save me the infringement lawsuit) and I want to see these guys in a long term program. Another good match on this hot show…

Taker was still being a Gargoyle on the top of the Rose Garden…[C] [Q6]

The Raw Rebound was shown which Wade Barrett made John Cena his personal bitch…CLASSIC.

5. Kaval survived a five-minute challenge with Big Show to earn a spot on Team Smackdown. Both men shook hands to start the match,. Kaval tried a kick but he got swatted like a fly and chopped up like a fresh salad. Show pressed his weight on Kaval. Show headbutted Kaval and pressed his weight on him again. Show went on with his offense to Kaval which basically was a chop fest and Kaval survived the test…

Show gave Kaval his respect after the match. [C] [Q7]

Mind of Marv: All I can say about this match is ZZZZ…and if you read the spoilers, you are in for a treat!

The show returned and TYLER Reks comes out, WTF? Reks put himself over and Teddy Long came out. Long said Kaval isn't up to it and Kaval took his challenge.

6. Tyler Reks defeated Kaval to take his spot on Team Smackdown in :51. Kaval started the match with kicks and went to the top but Reks clotheslines Kaval twice and stomped him out. Tyler Reks hit his Torture Rack type DDT finisher for the win…[C]

Mind of Marv: That finisher was sick as hell…we got the Dreadlocked C.M. Punk making an impact on SD? Interesting….

The Dashing tip of the week was on dirty nails and he gave himself an manicure…

Mind of Marv: The dashing one is Metrosexual…wow. Just f'n wow…

Drew McIntyre was already in the ring for the last qualifying match and Kofi came out to a huge pop.

7. Kofi Kingston defeated WWE Tag Team Champion Drew McIntyre to win the final spot on Team Smackdown in 2:15. Drew stomped out Kofi and talked shit in the same process. Kofi rammed Drew in the conrer. Kofi went for a crossbody but Drew hit a sick kick to Kofi's grill for a nearfall. Drew attacked Kofi outside of the ring by slamming him on the side of the ring for a nearfall. Drew tried to slam Kofi but Kofi countered into a cross body for a nearfall. Kofi rolled over Drew and hit a nasty TIP for the quick win…

Mind of Marv: Kofi is over as hell, put him the main event NOW. But when you look at things, all the champions minus Kane lost tonight which shows the confidence that WWE has in these guys. This match was throwaway, but if SD wins Bragging Rights it will be either Show or Kofi…

[Q8] Taker is finally inside of the Rose Garden and he is heading to the ring, next…[C]

Kane and Bearer got a lot of heat and Kane said that facts have no room for argument. Kane said that fact is that Taker is a dejected form of himself and he is the superior one. Kane said that he is superior to everyone and the only thing that anyone is successful of is mediocre and everyone fails. He said that Taker failed in the past two matches and will fail in the buried alive match. He said everyone was pathetic and they used Taker as an excuse of being failures. He said it's no escape and everyone would love to see Taker beat Kane because it's never going to happen.

I love the way Kane says phenom…

Kane says that everyone's hopes will be buried alive and he laughed. The crowd chanted for Taker and he came out 30 seconds later. Taker had an priceless look on his face and he turned to Bearer for an second until he focused on Kane. Taker basically beat the shit out of Kane and hit his pyro. Kane ran off with Bearer and hit some lighting which made Bearer drop the urn…

Mind of Marv: Ugh, who cares about this feud now? I'm bored by it…everyone knows that Taker is going over at Bragging Rights or Survivor Series so give me a reason to care? Overall, A- show although we got a lot of throwaway matches. As loaded as Team Raw looks, SD has some underrated and veteran talent.

Chris Shore will provide the Smackdown Hitlist in the morning and any feedback should be forwarded to dotnetmarv@gmail.com and I'll see you next week. You can also email me for any last minute fantasy football advice because my top money league, there is an 8 way tie for first place (excluding tie breakers), so it's anyone's pot to win!

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