Drama’s Smackdown Report 5/15/09

Friday Night Smackdown!
May 15, 2009
Dayton, Ohio
Jim Ross and Todd Grisham

OPENING ANIMATION

We get right down to business with our first match as JR welcomes us to the Buckeye State for Smackdown!

John Morrison & CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas

Now this is a hot opener. Haas starts with Punk, and they lock up. Haas carries Punk into the corner and he starts clubbing. Haas with a body slam but he misses a knee drop. Punk with some kicks to the chest and a knee to the gut. Tag to Morrison and a kick to the gut. Haas is whipped to the corner and a hip toss by Morrison with a leg drop for 2. Haas with a low punch and a tag to Shelton who works the Shaman of Sexy over. Shelton’s punch in the corner is blocked and Morrison with a neckbreaker and a tag to Punk. Some doubleteaming elbows for 2. Shelton retaliates with a jawjacker and a tag to Haas who gets some shots in but Punk comes back with kicks to the back. Punk with a hammerlock on Haas. Punk with another kick to the back for 2. Haas with a low knee and some forearms. Punk leapfrogs a corner charge, hits an arm drag and back to the armbar. Punk keeps working the arm over till Haas breaks it with a reverse elbow. More strikes for Haas but he walks into a set-up for the GTS. Shelton comes in to break it and he gets set up for the GTS. Haas pulls him down and then he and Shelton eat drop kicks from Punk and Morrison. The World’s Greatest Tag Team hit the floor and we go to break. Back from break and Morrison arm drags Haas into an armbar. Haas fights out of it and pushes Morrison into his corner. The WGTT work Morrison over and Haas gets a clothesline for 2. Tag to Shelton and he drops and elbow and some knee strikes. Shelton with a neckbreaker for 2. Shelton with a sleeper but Morrison whips out of it. Morrison tries to tag Punk but Shelton grabs him. Morrison goes for a sunset flip but Shelton had tagged Haas on the flip and kicks Morrison in the back. Haas and Morrison exchange punches but Haas keeps Morrison in the corner and tags Shelton who cranks a chinlock. Great opener so far with no real slow spots. Morrison elbows out of the move and ducks a clothesline but Shelton with a backslide for 2. Morrison flips out of it and finally hot tags Punk who goes off with clotheslines on Shelton. Punk goes for a kick but Shelton stops, then blind tags Haas. Great exchange here as Punk hits the high knee on Shelton in the corner, but when he goes for the bulldog Shelton pushes him into Haas who hits a crisp belly-to-belly suplex. More big kicks on Punk, but Punk is blocking a gut wrench suplex so Haas turns it into a waistlock but Punk powers out, then walks into a power slam for 2. Haas with a chinlock on Punk as this match hasn’t really stopped at all. Haas tags Shelton and he hits a suplex, then some kicks. Shelton with some shots to the back but Punk fights back with some kicks, but Shelton with a clothesline. Tag to Haas who really look close to 2003 form tonight. Haas goes back to the headlock, and he hasn’t looked this good in a while. Punk elbowing out of it but Haas goes for a suplex. Punk flips out of it and tags Morrison before Haas clotheslines Punk out of the ring. Morrison with a clothesline and drop kicks. He punches Shelton off the apron. Great counter by Haas as Morrison goes for a shoulder block through the ropes but Haas lifts his knee and cracks Morrison’s jaw. Morrison rolls out of a sunset flip and smacks Morrison with a knee to the face. Shelton comes in to interfere by jumping up the ropes as Morrison was planted but Punk comes from the other side of the ring and clotheslines Shelton out of the ring. Morrison goes to the top and hits that awesome Split-legged Corkscrew Moonsault, a move he calls “Starship Pain”, for the 3 count. What a great TV match. WINNERS: John Morrison & CM Punk (Grade: 4)

Judgment Day is this Sunday! Order now!!! Edge vs. Jeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship.

-Back from break and it’s time to BREAK DOWN THE WALLS as Chris Jericho joins us. Jericho says this Sunday is Judgment Day, the day of atonement. He says all the hypocrites in the crowd are afraid of Judgment Day, and without a blink of an eye he is not afraid. He says he’s pure-hearting and full of virtue. He’s a man who does what he says he will do. He says once he came to Smackdown, he’s been lied to and cheated on. Jericho says there’s a conspiracy going on here, and its all the fault of the gelatinous parasitic tapeworms in the crowd. Jericho says this conspiracy is run by the “inept” GM Teddy long and the jealous superstars in the locker room. However this Sunday Jericho will be vindicated and his rapture will begin. Jericho says if he must embarrass the entire roster one by one. Jericho says he is the destroyer of hopes and dreams and the best wrestler in the world. He says twice that Smackdown is Chris Jericho’s show. He now digs into Rey Mysterio, who Jericho says ruined his chance at being the sole #1 contender a couple of weeks ago. He says he will take all the joy away from the fans at Judgment Day when he becomes a 9-time Intercontinental Champion. He guarantees there will be no 619 at Judgment Day or even tonight as he calls out Rey Mysterio right at this moment. Suddenly we get the smoke & music of the World Heavyweight Champion as Edge comes out to a decent face pop (probably because he’s interrupting Jericho). Edge has a mike, and he says that it’s been a few weeks since the draft and he’s already sick of hearing Jericho’s voice. Edge says no one’s out to get Jericho because he’s not the champ, Edge is. Edge alone says Jericho’s out to get him. Edge says while Jericho was on Raw getting beat by John Cena he owned Smackdown. Edge says Smackdown has always been his show. Edge says he’s a 9-time World Heavyweight Champion and in fact this isn’t even Jericho’s time to be out here it’s his time. So Rey Mysterio won’t be called out, Edge’s Judgment Day opponent will come out, Jeff Hardy. Edge and Jericho continue bitching to each other until Teddy Long comes out and says this isn’t Edge’s or Jericho’s show, it’s the WWE Universe’s show. Teddy says if these guys want action, they’ll get it. Tonight Edge and Chris Jericho will face each other tonight.

-Jeff Hardy in green and white facepaint is walking to the ring, as he’s up next.

Jeff Hardy vs. Ricky Ortiz

We get an old school pre-match promo from Ortiz about being positive and 100% support from the WWE Universe to rally up. They lock up and Ortiz with a low knee. Oritz with a couple of head butts, and a hip toss. Ortiz off the ropes with a shoulder block for 2. Some knee drops for 2 as Ortiz is dictating the action thus far. Ortiz with a headlock but Hardy powers up. Ortiz pulls the hair and hits 3 head butts for 2. Ortiz goes for a splash but Hardy lifts the knees. Hardy comes off the ropes and Ortiz with a power slam for 2. Ortiz goes back to the headlock. Hardy gets to his feet and hits a clothesline. Both guys are down but Hardy gets up and hits a shoulder block. He goes for a kick but Ortiz catches the leg, so Hardy hits an enziguiri. Hardy hits his double slingshot mule kick. Ortiz with a blind charge eats an elbow, then Hardy hits Whisper in the Wind. Hardy then hits the Twist of Fate and the Swanton finishes it off. WINNER: Jeff Hardy (Grade: 2)

-We return from break and Josh Matthews is in the ring with Jeff Hardy. Jeff says Edge is a creature of habit. He wins a title at a PPV, then loses it. Wins it, then loses it. A fan says Jeff’s the best and Jeff returns the favor to the fans. Hardy says defeating Edge Sunday will be for the fans who have supported him through thick and thin, and Sunday their energy will give him the win.

-We go to the Raw Rebound, highlighting Batista almost taking out all of Legacy.

Michelle McCool & Alicia Fox vs. Gail Kim & Women’s Champion Melina

What the hell happened to Alicia Fox’s hair? Looks like he put her finger in a light socket. McCool spears Melina and they roll around on the canvas for a bit. They get up and glare. McCool tags Fox and she locks up with Melina. Fox with a full nelson but Melina drops out of it and swings a hip toss. Melina with right hands and an armbar. Tag to Kim who hits a drop kick for 2. A forearm from Kim and a reverse elbow. Kim with a hurricanrana and splash. Kim kicks McCool off the apron, but when Kim went for a slingshot off the rope McCool pulled her down to the floor. McCool rolls Kim in and tags herself in, then goes for a 2 count. McCool with a neckbreaker for 2. McCool with a reverse headlock. Kim fights to the ropes, then hops off them and flips McCool on her back WHILE IN THE HEADLOCK. Impressive. Both are trying to get to their corners and Kim tags Melina who works McCool over. Geez all four girls are screaming while in the ring as McCool gets a roll-up for 2. Melina boots McCool in the head for 2. Melina goes for a reverse DDT but Fox comes in and clotheslines Melina to break it. Kim comes in and takes Fox out to the floor. In the ring Melina boots McCool on a charge, but when McCool goes for a powerbomb Melina reverse it and hit a crazy powerbomb herself for the 3 count. Best women’s match I’ve seen in ages. WINNERS: Gail Kim & Melina (Grade: 3)

Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Dolph Ziggler

I was just thinking about Yang the other day, wondering when he last was on, or should I say who he last jobbed to. Ziggler extends his hand and he pushes Yang, who smacks him with a boot. Yang with a armbar that Ziggler punched out of, then hits a face down slam for 2. Ziggler with a head lock. Yang gets to his feet but Ziggler pulls him down with the hair and hit 4 successive elbow drops for 2. Back to the headlock. Ziggler starts taunting him and smacking Yang’s face, but Jimmy with some right hands, but Ziggler with a boot. Ziggler with a full nelson as he’s screaming to tap out. Lots of screaming on the show this week. Yang flips Ziggler over and ducks a blind charge then hits some kicks for 2. Yang goes to the top but misses his moonsault. Ziggler hits a reverse DDT for the win. WINNER: Dolph ZIgger (Grade: 2)

-As his music plays out comes the Great Khali who’s walking out with a purpose. Khali grabs Ziggler by the throat and throws Ziggler to the floor. Ziggler bails as Khali follows.

-Back from break and Cryme Tyme’s rapping with Eve Torres. They bust her stones about Layla and what Eve Torres should do about it. So Eve walks down the hall to see Layla getting her makeup done. Eve dumps powder on her head and attacks her on the makeup table. Pretty funny segment as Cryme Tyme’s the best at just being sneaky.

R-Truth vs. Mike Knox

A rematch from last week. They lock up and Truth with right hands but Knox takes over with a body slam. Knox misses a knee drop and he bails. Truth with a plancha outside. Truth with forearm shots and he pitches Knox back in. Truth comes in but Knox boots Truth in the face. Knox with a head butt and splash in the corner, then a clothesline for 2. Knox catapults Truth into the second rope for 2. Knox goes to the headlock. Knox with some big bombs and knees to the gut. Knox with a boot but Truth leapfrogs his charge, ducks the clothesline and hits the corkscrew elbow for 3. A total surprise win here as I thought Knox was taking it. WINNER: R-Truth (Grade: 2)

-Back from break and Josh is with Rey Mysterio. Rey says Sunday at Judgment Day Jericho will lose, then he talks in Spanish. Rey says since Jericho has been on Smackdown he’s been crying about a lack of respect. More talking in Spanish, and he says Rey will not be walked on. Now I can see why Rey was brought back to Smackdown. Back to the ring and JR and Grish are in the ring going over Sunday’s Judgment Day card:

WWE Championship: Randy Orton © vs. Batista
World Heavyweight Championship: Edge © vs. Jeff Hardy
ECW Championship: Christian © vs. Jack Swagger
CM Punk vs. Umaga
John Cena vs. Big Show
Intercontinental Championship: Rey Mysterio © vs. Chris Jericho

World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Chris Jericho

This should be a good one. They start jawing at each other to start then Jericho starts clubbing. They roll around the mat and hit the floor. Back in the ring and Edge with right hands but he misses a shoulder block and hits the post. Jericho throws Edge’s shoulder into the post again. Jericho works the left shoulder over with an armbar. Edge irish whips out of it and hits a hip toss. Edge with a couple of boots and right hands. Edge works Jericho on the ropes and splashed him on them for 2. Jericho with a boot to the gut and he chokes Edge on the ropes. Jericho drop kicks Edge to the floor. Y2J heads outside and Edge reverses a whip and Jericho hits the stairs. Edge drops Jericho with a clothesline and then both men make their way to the top rope. Jericho clotheslines Edge and both men hit the floor. We go to break as both men are out. We return and Edge with a suplex on Jericho for 2. Both guys are wearing red tonight. Edge with a right hand but Jericho off the ropes with a DDT for 2. Jericho with a hammerlock slam on Edge then some boots. Jericho starts jawing at Edge and more boots. Jericho working much more heel than Edge right now. Jericho misses a blind charge in the corner and Edge hits a shoulderblock in the other corner. Jericho pulls the legs and goes for the legs on the ropes pin, then Edge tries the same thing. Funny. Then a double clothesline takes both men out. Edge with a right hand but Jericho reverses a whip and hits the bulldog. Edge avoids the Lionsault and ratchets the Sharpshooter. Jericho finally gets to the ropes after a minute but Edge looks to re-hook the Sharpshooter in but Jericho gets a small package for 2. Jericho then hooks his Walls in. Edge gets to the ropes himself and Jericho lets go. Jericho’s jawing with the ref and Edge spears him. Jericho rolls outside while Edge is on his back. Jericho is up and grabs a chair but Edge boots him and the ref calls for the bell. Edge grabs the chair but Jeff Hardy runs in and hits the Twist of Fate on the chair. He goes to the top but Jericho goes after him. He kicks Jericho off and then planchas him off the rope to the floor. WINNER: Edge by disqualification (Grade: 2.5)

-Out of nowhere CM Punk’s music hits and he’s about to cash Money in the Bank in but Umaga gets in the ring and Punk cracks him twice with the MITB briefcase. They brawl outside, Edge and Hardy are brawling in the ring, and as Jericho leaves Rey Mysterio attacks him. All three Smackdown feuds for Judgment Day are brawling as we go off the air.

FINAL GRADE: A- (An unprecedented third straight week.)

MVP: R-Truth
Runner Up: Jeff Hardy
Non MVP: Chris Jericho
Runner Up: Michelle McCool