Smackdown on MyNetwork TV
Taped on 8/11/09 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

[Q1]The opening video aired, followed by the pyro and Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcomed us to Smackdown. They plugged Morrison vs. Punk and JTG vs. The Big Show…A video recapped Punk and Hardy’s time on Smackdown last week…Punk was introduced and made his way to the ring.

Punk cut a promo on the TLC match being Jeff’s specialty. He pointed out that he was also an expert in TLCs. He pointed out his chair attack last week and his back to back MITB wins. He said he could tell them all to control themselves, but they would just cheer Jeff more. He said he knew he couldn’t say anything, but he could do something to help the crowd, take out Jeff Hardy. He said he wanted to do it straight up, just like his lifestyle.

He said that he heard the Jeff wasn’t going to make SummerSlam due to the beating he gave him last week. Teddy Long’s music hit and he came to the ring. He said what he did last week was deplorable. He said despite what Punk said, Hardy would be there tonight, but could not compete. He said Punk would face the man he has yet to beat on Smackdown, John Morrison.

Punk said he was sick of Long. He called Long a Jeff Hardy suck up. Hardy’s music hit and he walked very gingerly to the ring. He said he was hurt, but “Here in your face!” He shouted the last and got in Punk’s face. He said he would defend his title at SummerSlam. Hardy’s music hit immediately, meaning it was a quick cut. Jeff left the ring and walked up the ramp…

[Q2]The announce team commentated through a video that showed Kane’s kidnapping of Mini-Me. They put over that Kane had him somewhere in the “bowels of the building.”…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Punk is so money on the mic. Solid opening segment that just hypes this match to the roof. Not sure what happened with Jeff’s promo as it was a strange cut, but he was good for Jeff Hardy. The Kane thing is so stupid, but it is good to see the old evil Kane.

Back from commercial, Teddy Long answered his cell phone, it was McMahon. Vince ordered Jeff into action. Teddy argued and Vince reminded him he was on probation. Long said he remembered and booked Hardy vs. The Hart Dynasty…

Finlay made his ring entrance. A video recapped the Fatal Fourway from last week. Ziggler was out next. The announce team hyped Zigler/Mysterio at SummerSlam…

1. Dolph Ziggler defeated Finlay at 8:44. Finlay worked his ground and pound offense to start. He tied Ziggler in the apron and beat him down. They battled on the apron and Ziggler kicked Finlay’s head into the ring post. He worked on Finlay in the ring as Mike Knox walked out sans music…[C]

[Q3]Back at 4:37, Ziggler had Finlay in a rest hold. Ziggler hit his hair flip elbow for two and went back to a chin lock. Finlay fought out, but Ziggler regained control with strikes. He hit a reverse neck breaker for two. Ziggler went to the second rope, but missed the elbow. Finlay took control and hit the Samoan roll for two.

Finlay tossed Ziggler from the ring and attacked him on the floor. He rolled Ziggler back in the ring and Knox charged at him. Finlay kicked Knox and hit a top rope reverse hangman on Ziggler. As he climbed in the ring, Knox hit him with the shillelagh and Ziggler hit the Zig-Zag for the win.

Post match, Knox tried to hit Finlay again, but Finlay kicked him twice. Knox hit the rope and then landed the cross body. He drug Finlay out of the ring and dropped a back breaker on the stairs. Knox got a mic and said that of all the 207 bones in the body, trauma to the cervical bones left one in “excruciating discomfort.” He left Finlay lying there…The announce team hyped Punk/Morrison…

A video showed Mini-Me tied up in a chair. He said he was being punished for associating with Khali. He said he had been treated fairly and then started saying things in Farsi or something. Kane slapped him around and then told Khali to find them…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Pretty good match. I’m more excited about the Knox/Finlay program than this match, but still pretty good. Ziggler gets the win to look strong going into SummerSlam and Knox looks bat-shit crazy. Nice work. And spare me the Kane stuff. I hate these bits.

Back from commercial, an R-Truth hype video played…Maria and Melina were in a “clothing store” talking about Ziggler. Layla walked up and told Maria Ziggler could do better, and as soon as he realizes it, he gone. She said she was there to give Melina a message. She told her Michelle McCool would be back next week. Melina said she had a message for McCool, but she would tell Layla in the ring…My baby daddy made his ring entrance…

[Q4][C]Back from commercial, Punk made his ring entrance. A video recapped his attack on Hardy last week…

2. CM Punk defeated John Morrison at 13:14. Lost of mat wrestling with quick reversals to start. They ended up in a test of strength. Punk pushed Morrison to the mat and he bridged up. Punk hit several kicks to take control. Morrison slid under Punk on a whip bounce and swept the feet. Punk landed on his face and Morrison hit a springboard moonsault for two. He hit the Chuck kick for two and Punk rolled to the floor.

Morrison went for Punk, but he swept the legs. He worked Morrison on the apron, hitting kicks to the head and chest. He drug Morrison a little farther out of the ring and landed both knees on the back of his neck, driving Morrison to the floor. He recovered into the break…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Best opening three minutes I have ever seen. Swear to God.

Back at 6:15, Punk had a figure four head lock applied. A video recapped the double knee drop before the break. Punk hit several elbows for two. He whipped Morrison who hit a cross body for two to a big pop. Punk beat Morrison down again and went to a head lock. Morrison tried to flip out, but Punk held on. Morrison flipped out of a lift and hit several kicks and a side Russian leg sweep for two.

Morrison continued his fast offense. He hit the standing shooting star press for two. He hit a big cross body for two. Punk scored an inside cradle on the running knee for two. Punk hit several kicks to the head and covered for two. He lifted Morrison for GTS. Morrison fought and Punk drove his head to the corner. He whipped Morrison to the opposite corner and hit the high knee and bulldog for a near fall.

[Q5]Punk pounded on Morrison as the crowd started to chant for Morrison. Morrison reversed a whip into a tilt a whirl DDT for two. He drug Punk to the corner for Starship Pain. Punk sat up, but Morrison landed on his feet and hooked an Oklahoma roll for two. Punk was yelling at the ref and Morrison hit the running knee. He drug Punk to the corner again and went for Starship Pain. Punk hopped up and pushed Morrison into the post.

Morrison fell back and was tied to the Tree of Woe. Punk hit several knees in the corner. He powered Morrison onto his shoulders and hit GTS for the win. Post match, Punk celebrated as a video recapped the match…The announce team hyped Jeff Hardy in action tonight…[C]

Shore’s Slant: I have to say, I’m getting tired of going on and on about how much better Smackdown is than anything else being made. PPV quality match once again that we won’t see for six more months, and then it will be fresh again. (I think Matt gets the next WHC push, not win, but push). Morrison is so good in the ring, and Punk is no slouch himself. Just wow.

Back from commercial, Melina made her entrance. Layla was out next. Before she even made it down the ramp, a video showed Kane beating on Mini-Me again. He asked him why Khali was such a freak. Mini-Me said he wasn’t a freak, he was his brother. Kane asked Singh if he was jealous of Khali. He said Khali better hurry if he wants to help Mini-Me because he was running out of patientence…[C]

Shore’s Slant: What the hell was that? Was that the shortest segment in history?

3. Melina defeated Layla at 3:34. The bell rang as soon as the show came back on. Layla slapped Melina and ran. Melina gave chase but ate a clothesline. Layla rolled her back in the ring and worked on Melina’s back. She dropped Melina backwards over the rope and bent her farther by the hair. She pulled her off the ropes and covered for two. Layla locked in an STFU type move with Melina’s foot on her own head.

[Q6]Melina took control and hit a bulldog off the top rope. She put Layla on the second rope in the corner and dropped both knees on the gut. Melina hit a flapjack and covered for two. She hit her DDT/Leg drop finisher for the win. Post match, Melina celebrated in the ring for some time…The announce team hyped a video of the DX “reformation” from Raw…

Cryme Tyme made their ring entrance to a mixed result. I was confused until I remembered they were in Canada and had just beat the Harts. They punked Jericho and Show and put themselves over. They said they were going to leave SummerSlam as tag champs. They did their “Money, Money, yeah, yeah,” bit but swapped “Tag Team Champions” for “Money, Money.” JTG is in action next…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Diva’s match. No story, so who cares who won? See, WWE likes to say it’s in the entertainment business, but they don’t use the women to entertain us much. Give me a reason to care.

Back from commercial, Show made his entrance to a mixed pop due to Jericho…

4. The Big Show (w/Chris Jericho) squashed JTG (w/Shad) in 3:29. Show hit a shoulder tackle to start and worked power. Jericho joined the announce team and was awesome, as expected. Show hit the big chop and locked in an arm bar/nerve pinch. Jericho put over JTG, and then used that as a measuring stick to put over Show. JTG jumped at Show, but Show caught him and tossed him from the ring in front of the announce table.

[Q7]Shad ran over to check on JTG. Show came out and Shad backed away. He turned around and Jericho drove him into the post. Show rolled JTG back in the ring, hit a big chokeslam, and locked in the camel clutch for the win. Jericho kicked Shad a few times and then got in the ring to celebrate with Show. As they went to leave, Jericho went down the stairs, and Shad ran in and tossed Big Show and went crazy in the ring. He called in Show who just stood there…

In the “bowels of the building,” Khali found Mini-Me tied upside down. He let him down and Kane attacked with a pipe. He destroyed Khali and then leaned over him. He said, “I’ve never been afraid of you, but now you know you should be afraid of me.” He laughed his crazy laugh…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Wow, was it necessary to squash JTG? We couldn’t have hyped this match any other way? Really? Oh well, it was what it was. I’ll give Kane this; at least there is a story here, not just two big guys fighting. I don’t want to see the match, but still. I think the tag team match ought to be pretty good, but this better be short.

Back from commercial, a video recapped the DX garbage from Raw…The announce team ran down the SummerSlam card…Jeff Hardy made his ring entrance…

[Q8][C]Back from commercial, yet another video showed Punk’s assault on Hardy last week. The Hart’s music hit and the crowd popped big for their native children…

5. The Hart Dynasty defeated Jeff Hardy at 5:02. Kidd started out with Jeff. Jeff took out Kidd and then Smith. He dropped Kidd in the corner and hit his mule kick. The landing knocked Jeff out and Kidd tagged in Smith. Smith worked power on Jeff’s neck, head, and back. He tagged in Kidd and they hit a double shoulder block. Kidd covered for two and went to a head lock.

Jeff made his feet, but Kidd tagged in Smith. He hit a snap mare and locked in his own headlock. Jeff fought out and tried for Whisper in the Wind, but Smith pushed him off the top and covered for two. He hit a scoop slam and tagged in Kidd. He launched Kidd at Hardy, but Hardy moved. Kidd made the tag, but Hardy took control. He hit a front suplex on Smith and went to the top.

Kidd distracted Hardy and Smith pulled him down. He tried for a suplex, but Jeff reversed. He went for Twist of Fate, but Smith pushed him off and hit a big boot. He tagged in Kidd and they hit a version of the Hart Attack for the win. Post match, CM Punk came to the ring and attacked Hardy. John Morrison ran in and made the save, but he was taken out by the Harts.

Punk drug Jeff from the ring and put a chair on his head again. He talked junk to Jeff, but before he could drive him into the post, Matt Hardy made the save.

Shore’s Slant: Wait, what?

Hardy and Morrison cleared the Harts and Punk from the ring. Matt went over to Jeff and offered to help him up. Jeff didn’t accept at first and then let Matt help him. Matt touched his heart and said something and all seemed to be well for the Hardy boys…Backstage, Long was watching on a monitor. Vince walked up and asked him what he had planned for next week. Long announced The Harts and Punk vs. John Morrison and The Hardys. Vince looked at him for a moment and then mumbled, “You’re still on probation,” and left to end the show…

Shore’s Slant: OK, nice match that wasn’t too long and yet served its purpose. It wasn’t a great match, just an effective one. The match for next week will either be amazing or terrible. I hope this means a match for Morrison at SummerSlam somehow, even if it is a tag match against the Harts. Nice to see Matt as a face which is a better fit for him.

That being said, how the hell does Jeff just ignore all the shit Matt did to him? I mean, it was only about 30 minutes ago that Matt was burning Jeff’s house down and costing him the world title. Jeff just let’s that go? Week. Very, very week. But compared to Raw? Still genius! Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next week.

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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