Smackdown on MyNetwork TV
Taped on 11/03/09 in Providence R.I.

[Q1]The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Todd Grisham and Matt Striker welcomed us to Smackdown. They hyped the Batista/Hardy main event…Hell’s Bells range and Undertaker made his entrance. He cut a promo and put himself over as the baddest mofo on the planet. He said and yet they still come for his title. HE said Show betrayed a whole team to get a chance. Yet all he won was a chance to be destroyed by the Dead Man. He said they only two things he loved were fighting alongside and against his brother Kane. He said Jericho denied him another chance so his fate was sealed and he would RIP.

Jericho’s music hit and he came to the ring, but stayed on the floor. He said after 10 years they were finally going to lock up. Jericho gave the dictionary meaning of phenom and said he was the phenom now. He said Taker had been brain washing the crowd for years. He said Taker wasn’t a dead man, he was just a man like Cena or Kane or any number of people he has beaten in the last 10 days. He said he would win at Survivor Series. He got in the ring and reminded Taker he was just a man and there was no man Jericho was afraid of.

Taker grabbed Jericho o by the throat. Jericho fought out and hit the far rope. Taker hit a big boot and Jericho rolled to the floor near the announcer’s table holding his mouth. Taker made the cut throat sign and left the ring…The announce team set up a Batista/Rey video…

Shore’s Slant: Solid opening segment. I have never been a fan of Taker’s promos because they tend to go over the top. However, when he can keep it level, like tonight, they are a ton of fun. Jericho is a god on the mic, what else can be said. This PPV is starting to be the best one on paper in a long time.

[Q2][C]Back from commercial, Dolph Ziggler made his ring entrance. A video showed him beating Morrison last week. The Harts were out next. Morrison came out and a video showed him on a Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? which was on weeks ago. Cryme Tyme was out next…

1. Dolph Ziggler and The Hart Dynasty defeated John Morrison and Cryme Tyme at 8:52. Morrison and Kidd started out. Kidd ran the ropes and Morrison scored a hip toss. Kidd backed up into the corner, and Morrison sold a rib injury from last week…[C]

Back from commercial at 3:45, Ziggler had JTG in a chin lock. JTG escaped and worked his quick offense. He had Ziggler in the corner and went for a monkey flip, but Natalya distracted the ref and Smith ran over and knocked JTG down. Smith tagged in and slammed JTG he and Kidd tagged in and out working tag moves like a drop toe hold into a drop kick to the head. Cool stuff. Smith was in and had JTG in a headlock. JTG fought out, but Smith tagged in Ziggler before JTG could escape.

Ziggler tried for a lift, but JTG reversed into a back breaker. Kidd and Morrison got hot tags. Morrison took out Kidd while selling the rib injury. Smith tagged in and Morrison hit the Chuck kick. Ziggler ran in and Morrison sent him to the floor. He tagged in Shad and hit a corkscrew plancha on Ziggler on the floor.

[Q3]Shad worked Smith in the ring. Ziggler and Morrison fought on the floor and Ziggler dropped him on the rail ribs first. Ziggler got a blind tag. Shad set up for his finisher and Ziggler hit the Zig Zag for the win. Post match, the heels celebrated in the ring….The announce team hyped a sit down interview with Rey Mysterio next…[C]

Shore’s Slant: OK, Ziggler and Morrison didn’t make the Harts vs. Cryme Tyme fresh, but they sure as hell made it interesting. We all know my love of Morrison, and I think Ziggler is probably as good, maybe even better on the stick. When these guys were in the ring. It was hot. I like that Morrison and Ziggler are continuing in spite of the losses by Ziggler.

Back from commercial, Josh Matthews sat down with Rey Mysterio. He asked him about his state of mind. Rey asked how Josh would feel if one of his family walked out on him over something so small. He said something in Spanish about Family. Matthews announced that it would be Mysterio vs. Batista at Survivor Series and asked if Rey had a message. He told Batista he would see a side of him Batista never thought existed…

Beth Phoenix made her ring entrance. The local jobber was in the ring…

2. Beth Phoenix squashed Brittany Carter at 1:55. Beth woman handled Carter in pure beast style. She cared Carter out of the corner with one arm and hit a backbreaker. Beth continued to destroy her Umaga style and hit her finisher for the win…Batista’s promo was hyped for next…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Rey and Dave have a chance to put on a good show Sunday if they both work hard. Batista doesn’t sell the fast stuff well, but if they keep it simple, this match has a real chance. Rey’s promos continue to disappoint, but after 15 years, I’m used to it. How awesome was Beth? She’s Awesome Kong, but hot. I hope we end up with a triple threat with her and Mickie and Michelle for the Women’s title.

[Q4]The Smack of the Night video was Drew McIntyre destroying Finlay last week. Back ringisde, McIntyre made his ring entrance. The Asian Redneck made his ring entrance. Bet you can’t guess what happened. Yang climbed the ropes to pander to the crowd and McIntyre hit him from behind, knocking him to the floor. McIntyre got a mic and said the party couldn’t get started until he got some real competition. He left the ring and Yang rolled in the ring. Wang told the ref to ring the bell and he did. McIntyre turned around and said, “You’re serious?” He got back in the ring…

3. Drew McIntyre defeated Jimmy Wang Yang at 0:48 McIntyre charged and Wang hit several chops. Drew quickly retook control and destroyed Yang. He beat up Yang some more for good measure after the bell…Backstage, Matthews ran down Batista and asked him why. Batista said he wanted to be the World Heavyweight Champion and would hurt whoever he had to in order to accomplish that goal…Rey was shown backstage heading towards the ring…[C]

Shore’s Slant: I didn’t think this pre match squash idea would work for McIntyre, but the crowd popped big when Yang got his chops in. That being said, it is time to put him in a meaningful feud to capitalize on that.

Back from commercial, Rey Mysterio made his ring entrance. Knox was out next. Striker put Knox over as a freak who sits in a cabin and reads anatomy books…

4. Rey Mysterio defeated Mike Knox at 7:14. Mysterio started out fast. He hit a flying head scissors that set Knox up for 619. Knox escaped to the floor and Rey tried to jump on him. Knox moved but Rey landed on his feet. He turned around and Knox hit the cross body on the floor. Jesus.

[Q5]Knox rolled Rey in and covered for two. Knox worked slams and strikes on Rey. Knox lifted Rey into a bear hug. Rey fought out. He hit the rope and kicked Knox who no sold and looked pissed. He charged at Rey and Rey pulled the ropes down, sending Knox to the floor. Rey hit a baseball slide and then hit the far ropes. Knox climbed in the ring and leveled Rey. He followed with a splash for two and locked in an abdominal stretch.

Knox lifted Rey out of the hold, but Rey reversed into a DDT. Rey hit a drop kick and his bulldog for two. He hit a springboard seated senton and came off the ropes. Knox hit a big clothesline for two. Knox whipped Rey to the corner and charged in. Rey moved and Knox hiot the post. Rey hit a dropkick on the shoulder and Knox fell conveniently on the ropes. Rey hit the 619 and West Coast Pop for the win. Post match, a video recapped the mathc, including the sick cross body on the floor…The announce team hyped the main event…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Why oh why isn’t Mike Knox in the main event. This match was great. That cross body on the floor made me gasp. Rey may be crap on the stick, but he can go in the ring. Fun, fun, fun match. I watched Smackdown on Hulu last week and didn’t know until I read the recap that Batista had even beat down Hardy.

Back from commercial, the announce team hype Morrison vs., Ziggler for next week…

Shore’s Slant: Hot damn!

CM Punk made his ring entrance. A video recapped his beat down on Armstrong last week. Armstrong is the ref for this match. Punk tried to intimidate Armstrong by getting in his face. R-Truth made his lame ass entrance…

5. R-Truth defeated CM Punk at 10:29. Punk apparently missed his waxing appointment. They tied up and Truth backed him into the corner. He broke clean but Punk still yelled at Armstrong. Truth hit a shoulder tackle and took control.

[Q6]Truth locked in a head scissors. Punk kicked out they locked up. Punk backed to the corner and broke dirty. He hit the rope and Truth hit a hip toss. He clotheslined Punk over the top rope and dove over the top. Punk missed him mostly and Truth landed hard on his arm. Both men recovered into the break…[C]

Back at 6:36, Truth reversed a suplex into one of his own. Punk got in a cheap shot and hit a springboard clothesline for one. Punk hooked Truth, blew the crowd a kiss, and hit a suplex for two. Punk locked in a bow and arrow submission hold. He broke it on his own and worked strikes on Truth. He whipped Truth to the corner and tried for a drop kick. Truth moved and Punk hit the turnbuckle.

Truth worked strikes and clotheslines on Punk. He split ducked a clothesline and hit a leg lariat. Punk ducked a clothesline and hit a leg lariat of his own. Truth kicked out at two and Punk got on the ref again. He told Armstrong to count faster. Truth rolled him up from behind and Armstrong counted fast for a Truth victory. Post match, Armstrong left the ring quickly and Punk went nuts…

Backstage, Mickie walked into Michelle McCool and Layla. McCool talked trash and Layla repeated all of it. It seems that Mickie and Michelle are the two captains of the Divas teams at Survivor Series. Micke said her team would win and then she would take the Women’s Title. She called Layla Scary Spice and walked off…A video showed the Batista attack on Hardy I missed last week and the announce team hyped their match…

Shore’s Slant: Not a terrible match, but it should have switched times with Rey and Knox. What did CM Punk do? He was a great champ, way over, so it had to be politics or something backstage. My how the might have fallen.

[Q7]The Raw Rebound recapped Ozzy’s time on Raw…Matthews interview Matt Hardy. He said he tried to keep Batista from making the same mistakes he made because Batista was a friend. He said tonight, he wasn’t his friend and he was going to hurt Batista. He then came out to Jeff’s heat…[C]

Back from commercial, Batista came out to mostly boos…

[Q8]6. Matt Hardy defeated Batista by disqualification at 13:40. They locked up and Batista broke clean. Batista pushed Hardy and Hardy pushed back. Batista drove him back to the corner, but Matt fought back. They traded blows and Batista took control. Batista worked like a monster heel, tossing Matt around and choking him on the ropes. Batista argued with the ref, telling him to get out of his face. Matt took advantage of the distraction and went to the second rope, but Batista swept the legs, He continued to stalk Hardy into the break…[C]

Back at 7:30, Batista locked in a Camel Clutch, but broke it and continued to work on the back. He slammed Matt and covered arrogantly for two. Hardy tried to fight back but no go. Grisham buried Hardy, saying Batista was in a league of his own. Batista locked in a sleeper, but let it go for a body scissors instead. Batista broke the hold and lifted Hardy who reversed into a neck breaker.

Both men made their feet and Batista ran in only to be kicked from Hardy. Hardy hit a DDT and dragged Batista to the corner. He went for a moonsault, but Batista rolled out of the way. Actually he didn’t roll far enough and his face landed on Batista’s legs. Batista stood him up and Matt hit Twist of Fate out of nowhere. Batista grabbed the ropes at two. Hardy tried for it again, but Batista hit a spine buster. He choked Matt on the ropes and the ref had to make him break the choke.

Matt rolled to the floor and Batista followed. He slammed Matt into the rail and then the announce table. HE pulled out a monitor and hit Matt in the back with it, causing the DQ. Batista drove Matt into the stairs and rolled him into the ring. He got in the ring and took off his elbow pads. He set up Matt for the Batista Bomb, but pushed him away and left the ring. He celebrated on the ramp to end the show…A video package hyped Jericho vs. Undertaker next week…

Shore’s Slant: Wow, that was the worst match of the night. Smackdown was hot for the most part, but this was a big drag. A 13 minute squash? We didn’t need this to get Batista over as a beast. So next week is Ziggler/Morrison for the belt AND Jericho vs. Taker. Be still my beating heart! I’ll have more to say tomorrow on the hitlist. 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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