11/15 WWE Smackdown/ECW in Belfast: Rey Mysterio challenges John Morrison for the Intercontinental Title, Finlay vs. Drew McIntyre, Michelle McCool and Beth Phoenix vs. Mickie James and Katie Lea Burchill

WWE Smackdown/ECW house show
Belfast, Northern Ireland at The Odyssey Arena
Report by Alan Hamilton

This was my first live WWE experience, and it was a very memorable one! The Odyssey Arena holds about 10,500 in full, but only around 10,000 seats tonight as there was a huge gap on the floor. I'd guess 9,500 in attendance, with a lot of people arriving just for the main event.

The event started with the new theme tune, and Tony Chimel walking to the ring with Scott Armstrong. Huge pop.

1. Matt Hardy defeated Eric Escobar. Straight to business with Tony announcing the first match is for one fall. Matt Hardy's music hits. I like it when its left to be a surprise whose coming. Huge pop for Hardy. His opponent was Eric Escobar. Straight away Hardy got the crowd into the match with a few taunts. Long match, lasting 10 minutes. Back and forth stuff with Hardy getting a few minutes offense, then Escobar getting a few. Hardy hit the Twist of Fate to get the pinfall and a huge cheer from the crowd.

2. R-Truth defeated Dolph Ziggler. Dolph Ziggler came out to a few cheers, but then people started to boo. Probably just pleased to see him in Belfast. He had a quick promo, tried to introduce his name but kept receiving mega heat. Finally, when he lined up to say his name, R-Truths music hit to a big pop. Match started with Truth dancing, and Ziggler attempting to copy. Truth then worked the crowd shouting 'What's Up'. Ziggler got frustrated and got a mic, said 'Watch how easy this is... What's Up?', to which the crowd replied 'You Suck'. Funny.

Ziggler finally made the first move, but after a minute or so R-Truth backed up and worked on the crowd again. Truth walked towards a corner and shouted Whats Up, then when he went to the next corner to do the same, referee Charles Robinson got in the way. Truth backed up and looked at the ref, Charles then turned round and shouted 'Whats Up' to the crowd, only to get a huge pop and an applause, while Ziggler lost his cool. Finally, after what was probably 10 minutes, the match actually started. A lot of mat work, with a few air moves, and R-Truth getting the pinfall after roughly 20 minutes.

3. Mickie James and Katie Lea Burhcill defeated Michelle McCool and Beth Phoenix. Not much happened here, your usual divas tag match. A few near falls from both sides, but it was Katie Lee taking out McCool, leaving Mickie to pin Beth for the win. Nothing special, but a good match. A few things to note. Mickie James is small! She literally had her chin on the top ropes! Katie Lee looks so much better without the Umaga style facepaint! Beth Phoenix' muscles are shocking! Oh, and Michelle McCool had her hair in a pony tail.

4. Drew McIntyre defeated Finlay. McIntyre came out and delivered a heat promo about not wrestling in Scotland, and having to wrestle in Wales. Then he rambled on about how Southern Ireland have gone independent with the Euro and separate government (despite complaining about that the night before in Dublin). He then went on to say how us Northern Irish are wanna be Scot's because we support Scottish football teams, and speak Gaelic (despite the fact we don't speak Gaelic...). Very on the edge promo with Sectarianism being such a huge topic in Northern Ireland, but still drew him massive heat (no pun intended).

McIntyre then went on to say that all that was nothing compared to the one thing he really hated about Northern Ireland... Finlay's music hit and a massive pop from the crowd. Good match, with Finlay getting a lot of the offense for the first 5-7 minutes, before Drew got the turning point by almost using the Shillelagh against Finlay, only for Finlay to take it off him, and the referee to take it off him and give to Tony Chimel. A lot of near falls, but Drew won in the end by pinfall using the middle ropes. Drew left the arena leaving Finlay on his knees in the ring. Standing ovation from the crowd for the local lad.

5. John Morrison defeated Rey Mysterio to retain the Intercontinental Title. One of the biggest highlights for me (and my girlfriend). Both men came out to huge cheers, and Mysterio used an extended opening to his theme, as well as wearing am 'I'm your Papi' t-shirt. Match started straight away with a handshake initiated my Morrison, followed by some 'Eddie' and 'Thank You Eddie' chants from the crowd. Lots of pinfalls in this match, and a lot of mat work. Both guys delivered some kinda twist move to each other, leaving both of them on their shoulders in the centre of the ring. The ref started counting with both hands, only for both guys to raise themselves using their heads and feet at 2 which drew a few laughs.

After about 10 minutes, things started getting high with Mysterio hitting a few aerial moves from the apron on Morrison on the outside. Morrison at one point had Mystero down on the mat and teased a Starship Pain, but Mysterio moved. Mysterio then delivered a huracanrana to Morrison who landed in the 619 position which drew a huge pop. Mysterio connected with the 619, but Morrison rolled out of the frogsplash. Mysterio got Morrison in the 619 position again, but Morrison moved and countered, leaving Mysterio on his back and ready for Starship Pain which drew a big pop. Morrison won the pinfall, and helped Mysterio up and left the ring together.

Intermission - Strong first half with a lot of action, and comedy spots. So far, the only heel to win was Drew McIntyre. That was probably because Finlay is literally bulletproof in his hometown.

Tony came back out after what must have been the shortest intermission ever, and announced that the WWE will be returning in April with John Cena and the Raw roster. This drew a 50/50 mixture of boo's and cheers as expected.

6. Christian defeated William Regal to retain the ECW Title. Before the match started, there was a huge 'Regal Sucks' chant going on. Regal asked for a mic and replied 'I can't suck, I'm not from Belfast'. Massive heat as expected, and pretty good improvisation by Regal. That couldn't have been planned! The match got started, and as with most of the other match tonight, was 5-10 minutes of crowd taunting. Christian raised his hands and received a cheer, then pointed at Regal who got a boo. This went on for a VERY long time. When the match did get started, Regal attempted a lot of holds, only for Christian to get the crowd into it, and get out of them. A few nearfall attempts, and 1 kill switch reversal. But in the end Christian retained with the kill switch Engaged. Nothing overly special, but a good match despite only being about 5 minutes of wrestling and about 15 of crowd taunting.

7. Shelton Benjamin and Goldust defeated Ezekiel Jackson and Zack Ryder. A huge disappointment. Ezekiel Jackson and Zack Ryder vs Golddust and Shelton Benjamin. WTF! Why was this match in the second half? Why was this match even here! It was rather boring, and every time the babyface team attempted to get the crowd into a hot tag, the place was dead. There were quite a few 'We want Yoshi' and 'We want Dreamer' chants going on from around my block. Basically, this match would have been useless if it weren't for the immenseness of Zeke Jackson. The guy is huge and can be heard everywhere in the arena! In the end it was Shelton getting the pinfall (I think...) EIther way, the babyface team won.

Tony then gave another one of the WWE's regular shameless plugs, before thanking the crowd and introducing the main event was a casket match, when the aim of the match is to "stuff" your opponent in the casket. Very technical terms used... Punk's music hit to the biggest, and one of the only real heat moments of the night. He took so long that his music actually ended, there was silence and a huge cheer of people expecting Taker, only for Punk's music to restart. He delivered true heel stuff by ripping up posters. The casket came out to the usual song, with two druids pushing it. (Not many of you will understand this, but they just looked like hooded gang members from East Belfast!).

Taker's bells hit to a massive pop. His entrance really is something special. The only bad thing was that during the Undertakers entrance, CM Punk proceeded to 'stuff' Tony Chimel into the coffin. Should he not have been doing the whole I'm scared wrist rolling act? Taker entered the ring and got a huge pop when officially announced. Punk then took his t-shirt off and threw it directly at taker from the opposite corner of the ring (nice shot).

Taker didn't move, then picked up the t-shirt, looked at it as it he was going to fold it neatly, walked toward the coffin and throw it in to get a huge pop. Punk then hesitated to place both feet on the inside of the ring, and therefore the match couldn't be started. This went on for far too long although at one point Punk kicked the ring steps, moving them out of place, then a few minutes he tripped up them because they weren't in the proper position. Huge cheer for that!. Anyway, I'd guess maybe 7-8 minutes of Punk hovering and Undertaker standing in his corner waiting. When Punk finally manned up, he done the usual duck and roll out of the ring. Believe it or not, at least 500 people left during the whole 'I'm not going to wrestle' fiasco.

8. Undertaker defeated C.M. Punk in a casket match to retain the World Hvt. Championship. Taker finally snapped and followed Punk around the outside. Eventually, play resumed inside the ring and Taker was in firm control. He got punk in the choke slam hold and raised him over the ring, and into the coffin when Punk got free and ran (very fast might I add!) up the ramp to the door. Punk came back and it was the usual back and forth stuff with both guys getting a few chances.

Taker then got punk on his back, on the coffin, with his head hanging off the side. He then connected on what was one of the most horrific leg drops I've ever seen! It genuinely looked like Punk's neck snapped, and the coffin did snap (which probably cushioned the blow a bit). This got a bit slow after this (and you could see that Taker was struggling even at a slow pace).

Taker then teased some old school, but Punk reversed, only for Taker to actually go old school and connect. Punk got Taker down and in a head lock, and rendered him unconscious and he taunted the crowd and asked for the coffin to be opened, before Taker 'rose from the dead'. Punk later on hit the GTS, and rolled Taker into the coffin for a similar finish as the night before 100 miles south in Dublin. Taker went for the choke slam, both stood up and threw punched while in the coffin, went back to the ring, Taker hit the tombstone pile driver for the roll into the coffin and the win.

Undertaker then lifted a mic, and said that we had just witnessed a "Belfast Casket Match," and that we seen the inevitable as CM Punk was to 'Rest In Peace'.

Good show overall, but a disappointing second half! They should have moved the IC Title match in place of the ECW tag match.

Top 5 Biggest Pops:
1. Undertaker
2. Finlay
3. Rey Mysterio
4. Matt Hardy
5. John Morrison

Top 5 Biggest Heat:
1. CM Punk
2. Drew McIntyre
3. Dolph Zigger
4. Eric Escobar
5. Michelle McCool and Beth Phoenix!

The above is based on what I heard from my section, door 22.

Top 3 Biggest Hits:
1. The Undertaker's entrance
2. Matt Hardy opening the show
3. Rey Mysterio vs John Morrison

Top 3 Biggest Misses:
1. Yoshi Tatsu
2. Chris Jericho
3. Pyro - The entrances just aren't the same without pyrotechnics... especially the Undertakers flames!