WWE: Friday Night Smackdown
April 6, 2007
Fort Wayne, IN
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

The current Smackdown champions are as follows:
World Heavyweight Champion: The Undertaker (4/1/2007)
WWE United States Champion: Chris Benoit (10/13/2006)
WWE Tag Team Champions: Paul London & Brian Kendrick (5/21/2006)
WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Chavo Guerrero (2/18/2007)

Read along if you have the WWE Network!

Your hosts are Michael Cole and JBL.

• Mr. Kennedy vs. Jeff Hardy
  

Kennedy has a good laugh seeing Hornswoggle take his Finlay Roll off the ladder at WrestleMania. He wants us now to refer to him as Mr. Money in the Bank (…Money in the Bank?). Welcome to the Kennedy Era, ladies and gents. Hardy is selling his sore hips after putting Edge through a ladder. Not sure why Jeff is here since he’s a RAW guy and one half of their tag team champions as well, but whatevs. We get some basic prelim stuff to start. The action picks up with Jeff taking out Kennedy with a pescado that takes us into commercial. When we return, Hardy hits the sitout gourdbuster. He goes up top looking for the Swanton Bomb, but Kennedy backdrops him down to the mat. Cole and JBL discuss how Hardy isn’t anywhere near 100% after WrestleMania. Kennedy kicks at the ribs and bends Hardy on the ringpost. He works in an abdominal stretch around a backbreaker. Jeff escapes the ab stretch and hits the low dropkick in the corner. Whisper in the Wind connects, but the SWANTON BOMB crashes and burns. Kennedy then kicks at the knee and DDTs Hardy for the three-count. (9:14 shown) Sort of an anti-climactic finish there. Good psychology from Kennedy though. Even when it’s what is best for Hardy, he refuses to work a ground game and just does the usual high-flying spots. Afterwards, Hornswoggle appears and baits Kennedy so that Finlay can drill him with the shillelagh. Finlay then violently warns Kennedy if he ever puts his hands on Hornswoggle again, he’ll be watching WrestleMania from now on from a wheelchair. Well, *that* was awesome. **

In the back, Kristal gives Teddy Long a card. He’ll have to open it later though because Mr. Kennedy shows up and wants Hornswoggle. Teddy makes the match for next week – except Hornswoggle’s partner will be Finlay. Kennedy is *not* happy. Once Kennedy storms out, Teddy opens the card and enjoys some possible NSFW pictures.

Elsewhere, Ashley runs into Timbaland. He starts talking about his album when Jillian Hall appears and embarrasses herself. He leaves her behind and walks away with Ashley. Jillian looks confused. I’m just wincing – looking back over my shoulder to make sure no one else saw me watching this segment. Ugh.

WrestleMania 23 recap video airs for the fourth time this week.

SMACK OF THE NIGHT brought to you by Auto Zone: Still shot photos of Chris Benoit and MVP from WrestleMania 23! I guess Auto Zone didn’t want to shill out for the actual footage.

• Chris Benoit vs. The Miz
  

Okay, knowing we’re now under three months until Benoit makes the worst decision of his life is bumming me out. Miz tries a headlock on Benoit and gets thrown away with a back suplex. Benoit starts throwing chops and hits a Snap Suplex for two. Miz corners Benoit with some punches, but Benoit absorbs the blows and comes back with a backbreaker. Benoit brings Miz up to his feet and slaps him across the chops. Miz reverses a whip into the corner and charges, but takes a backdrop to the apron. Benoit starts chopping Miz while he’s hanging onto the top rope for dear life. Miz goes to the eyes to prevent a suplex back in and snaps Benoit’s neck on the top rope. Back inside, Miz grabs a cravat. JBL gives him zero credit here. He’s just a fauxhawk-wearing, reality-show douchebag to JBL. Although Benoit fights out, Miz sends him into the corner to debut the Awesome Clothesline. He clamps on a chinlock, but Benoit comes back with his chops and clotheslines for two. He continues with the Hat Trick of Germans – basically going through the motions. Benoit heads up for the SWANDIVE HEADBUTT, but MVP appears and pulls the Miz out of harm’s way! The Miz rolls over on top of Benoit and gets the YUUGE upset win. (7:29) This had to be the Miz’s best match to date, right? RIGHT? Great finish, too. Everything was on point here to get heat for the Miz and MVP. **

Let Us Take You Back: WrestleMania 23, Money in the Bank ladder match. King Booker turned down winning the Money in the Bank to save his wife from getting a Twist of Fate from Matt Hardy.

In the back, King Booker and Queen Sharmell discuss revenge on Matt Hardy.

• King Booker (w/Queen Sharmell) vs. Matt Hardy
  

Well, this inter-brand match actually makes sense. Booker has his game face on tonight. We’ve got a slugfest to start and Matt gets his mouth busted open. Hardy gets a running bulldog for two, but then Booker comes right back with the Hook Kick. Booker chokes Hardy in the ropes and backs away allowing Sharmell to slap him across the face. He tries to keep Hardy down and applies a chinlock leading to a comeback from Matt. A reverse neckbreaker leads to the AHH flying legdrop for 1-2-NO! Booker cuts him off with a spinning heel kick. He applies an abdominal stretch. Hardy hiptosses out, but Booker catches him with a clothesline. Matt gets stretched again, but fights up and hits the Side Effect. Finisher attempts are traded, but Hardy surprises Booker with a rollup for 1-2-NO! Superkick by Booker gets two. Hardy staggers Booker with a hotshot and tries the Twist of Fate again, but Booker counters and looks for a backslide. Hardy gets flipped over Booker’s shoulders and catches Booker with an inside cradle for the win. (9:35) Good match with a good story attached to it! Afterwards, Sharmell gets real with Booker for losing and calls him a huge disappointment before storming off to the back leaving her man behind. ***

WWE SLAM OF THE WEEK brought to you by RGX Body Spray: Still shots of WrestleMania 23 when Mr. McMahon got his head shaved and afterwards when Stone Cold Steve Austin gave Donald Trump a Stone Cold Stunner.

• Kane vs. Dave Taylor (w/William Regal)
  

No match. Kane beats up Taylor and Regal and NO-SELLS everything they try in order to put him over again as the monster he was before losing to the Great Khali. Once he’s done, he sets the corners on fire and walks out.

Backstage, King Booker tries to console a crying Sharmell. Once he thinks he’s got her back and wants a kiss, Sharmell slaps him across the face (she’s good at that!) and storms off.

Mark Henry vignette. The World’s Strongest Man Returns. When though?

• Paul London & Brian Kendrick (w/Ashley) vs. Chavo Guerrero & Gregory Helms
  

Deuce & Domino come out in their convertible to watch this match. London gets cornered by Guerrero and Helms to start and we are off to the races. They suplex him around and keep him grounded. Eventually, London catches Guerrero with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors and hot tags Kendrick. The tag champs go HEADSCISSORS CRAZY on Guerrero and Helms – sending them to the floor for STEREO TOPE SUICIDAS. Commercials! When we come back, Helms and Guerrero are getting heat on Kendrick keeping him on their side of town. Not a lot to talk about, but it’s fine wrestling. Kendrick gets the hot tag allowing London to go nuts on Helms and Guerrero. With Helms doubled over, London shows off with a flying double stomp for two. Guerrero distracts London long enough for Helms to fire on him with the Final Cut for 1-2-NO! We now find Guerrero heading up top hoping to hit London with a Frog Splash, but Kendrick stops him. As Helms comes over to help out, so does London. Chavo gets knocked to the floor while London holds Helms in place for the SUPER SLICED BREAD #2 to pick up the win. (9:20 shown) Another good match! It’s good to see London and Kendrick have actual perceived threats to get over instead of having them wrestle the “flavor of the month” tag team so that NO ONE gets over. ***

We get a video package highlighting the Detroit premiere of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s new flick, “The Condemned” which will make it’s way to theaters April 27!

Speaking of not getting over, London and Kendrick face Deuce & Domino next week with the WWE tag titles on the line.

Backstage, King Booker is shown yelling at himself just wanting to hurt somebody to impress Queen Sharmell.

They recap the WWE Hall of Fame.

It’s Main Event Interview Time. Tonight, we hear from the *new* World Heavyweight Champion the Undertaker who defeated Batista to become not just the new champ, but also 15-0 at WrestleMania 23. Before he can speak, Batista interrupts and heads to the ring. Naturally, he wants his rematch. He then drops the mic and walks off. Next thing we know, King Booker jumps the Undertaker from behind. Oh, this is bad. Your woman won’t be impressed, Book. Taker destroys Booker and gives him a TOMBSTONE on the announce table. Queen Sharmell hurries down to check on her man while Taker walks away. Booker does a stretcher job to close out the show as he will be taking a couple months off to heal a knee injury.

We will actually pick up next week with Smackdown! No RAW or ECW though – at least not until they go to Europe. The RAW from London in 2007 was pretty epic. Until then, so long for now!