WWE: Friday Night Smackdown
May 18, 2007
Baltimore, MD
1st Mariner Arena

The current Smackdown champions are as follows:
World Heavyweight Champion: Edge (5/11/2007)
WWE United States Champion: Chris Benoit (10/13/2006)
WWE Tag Team Champions: Deuce N Domino (4/20/2007)
WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Chavo Guerrero (2/18/2007)

Read along if you have the WWE Network!

Your hosts are Michael Cole and JBL.

• Matt Hardy vs. MVP
  

They are totally headlocks and shoulderblocks to start with Hardy getting the better of the exchange. MVP turns it around with elbow smashes and kicks. Hardy escapes a neck wrench and drops a flying elbow on the back of MVP’s head for two. MVP starts hammering the back and returns to the neck wrench. Hardy manages an escape, but MVP trips him up and brutally boots him out to the floor. Commercials! When we return, MVP is still cranking on the neck. He goes to the eyes and forces Hardy back into a corner for the Helluva Kick for 1-2-NO! MVP keeps knocking down Hardy with punches and trying for a pinfall, but MATT HARDY WILL NOT DIE! When he can’t get the pin, he presses MVP off his shoulders and sends him crashing to the mat. He tries another big boot, but Hardy ducks and hits a Side Effect! Cover, 1-2-NO! Hardy follows up with a corner clothesline and the running bulldog for two. He’s selling how loopy he is from all the neck work MVP has done to him and slips trying to get up to the top rope. It’s the small stuff, folks. When MVP comes for him, Hardy punches him back down and delivers a Bret Hart short elbow drop for two. MVP hotshots Hardy onto the top of the ringpost and catches him with the PLAYMAKER for the win. (10:48 shown) Good match! They put this over well as MVP stopping a red hot Matt Hardy, which is pretty awesome and makes him look like a guy who could beat the US champ heading into Judgment Day when he faces Chris Benoit in a 2/3 falls match. I’m looking forward to it! ***¼

Last week after the show, the druids came out and carried away the Undertaker, presumably to the place he usually goes when he dies.

• Paul London, Brian Kendrick & Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Chavo Guerrero, Deuce & Domino (w/Cherry)
  

London and Kendrick do well against Chavo. Deuce tags in, but misses a Harlem Side Kick and receives a Rocket Launcher by Yang. The faces triple-team Deuce, but Kendrick gets overwhelmed on the wrong side of town. The heels isolate Kendrick for a while, but he kicks his way out of trouble. Hot tag to Yang, he sweeps Chavo’s leg and hits a spinning heel kick. Chavo tries to slow him down with a back suplex though. Yang blocks a corner charge and hits an RVD flying kick. That sets up the MOONSAULT PRESS for the win. (4:05) Ironic since Chavo’s family pretty much innovated the move itself. Cole and JBL make a big deal about Yang pinning the cruiserweight champ as if it matters these days. **

We get a promo from Mark Henry stating that this isn’t a graveyard – it’s a JUNGLE and he’s a “Silverback”. I get what he’s going for there, but it seems kinda racist, right?

• Mark Henry vs. Funaki
  

Yeah, this won’t go well. Funaki runs right into him and bounces off. He avoids an elbow drop, but gets caught on a flying body press and gets destroyed with the WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM for the win. (1:06) Yes, more of this. I want to see more of Mark Henry dismantling people. ¼*

• Chris Benoit vs. Finlay
  

“Let’s go Benoit” chant starts up in the opening moments. They go through one of their signature strong lockups to start. Finlay runs his mouth about a so-called cheapshot and gets slapped across the chops. Benoit goes crazy on him and delivers a knockdown and a running elbow drop. Finlay grabs a leg lock, but Benoit escapes and they are both back on their feet. Finlay catches him with a lifter and delivers a nasty knee drop where he puts all his weight down on it. He grabs a chinlock, but Benoit shrugs him off and dropkicks him to the floor. Benoit misses a baseball slide and gets shoved into the steps. Finlay grabs the shillelagh, but gets yelled at by the ref and puts it down. Back in, Finlay returns to the leg and wrenches the knee. He kicks at it in the corner, but then misses a corner charge allowing Benoit to start the Rolling Germans. Finlay elbows Benoit away after just one suplex. He whips Benoit into the corner, but runs into an elbow and takes a Snap Suplex. In fact, he takes the Three Amigos! Knowing Benoit would be heading up top, Finlay pops up and knocks him down off the apron to the floor. Back inside, Finlay is applying a stepover toehold to punish Benoit as we go to commercial. When we return, Benoit is still in the hold but makes it to the ropes. Benoit chops back, but Finlay chops him in the throat to knock him down and applies a half crab. Benoit comes back with an enziguri and delivers the Rolling Germans. Hornswoggle appears and gets his legs picked for the Sharpshooter! As the ref helps out, Finlay grabs his shillelagh. Benoit ducks the swing and pulls Finlay down into the CRIPPLER CROSSFACE! Oh, but he won’t tap before MVP runs down for the DQ. (10:47 shown) After the bell, Finlay whacks Benoit in the knee with the shillelagh. MVP adds an exclamation point drilling Benoit with a couple of big kicks to the cranium. Now I’m wondering how all this will play into the 2/3 falls match because I’ve never seen it. ***½

Jillian Hall tries to get to Ozzy Osbourne on his way to the stage, but security keeps him safe. She’s gotta be on a list somewhere.

Ashley makes her return to the ring to introduce Ozzy Osbourne. They perform their latest single “I Don’t Wanna Stop”, which is the theme song for Judgment Day. Never really cared for music performances like this on a wrestling show. Music is too subjective, so if you don’t like it, you’re probably not going to stick around for it to end. You’ll just watch something else or FFWD.

• The Miz vs. Christian York
  

Christian York making a rare WWE TV appearance. Unfortunately, he still has the “Edge & Christian look” going on from 1999 and looks pretty dated. He had a deal with OVW at the time, but never received a WWE contract. Miz hits a reverse neckbreaker, but misses an elbow drop. He delivers the Awesome Clothesline, but pulls York up off the mat and gives York the MIZARD OF OZ for the win. (1:48) Before the Skull Crushing Finale, there was this swinging Scorpion Deathdrop he did called the yet to be called Mizard of Oz finish. JBL even admits the Miz has improved over the last few weeks, but it’s not like he’s facing stiff competition here. ½*

In the back, Kristal says she’s so happy Teddy Long agreed to interview Vickie Guerrero for the assistant job. Vickie comes in and talks about how much Kristal talks about him and really butters up Teddy in the Kristal category before the interview begins.

WWE SLAM OF THE WEEK (brought to you by Just for Men): Smackdown, 5/4/07. William Regal drilling Kane with the POWER OF THE PUNCH to help MVP win. Hey wait a minute, that was the Slam of the Week last week too!

• Kane (w/the Boogeyman & Little Boogey) vs. William Regal (w/Dave Taylor)
  

Kane is still mad about losing out on an opportunity to face the US champ Chris Benoit. He hits a backdrop early, but Regal stretches him and goes after the ribs. Regal takes him over with a T-bone suplex and drops a knee. Kane boots him down, but charges into an elbow. Kane comes back with the Side Slam and goes up top for the Flying Clothesline. Kane gets distracted by Taylor and backed into the apron. Regal looks to win via countout while Taylor tosses the Little Boogey to him. Little Boogey ends up baiting Regal right into a CHOKESLAM by Kane for the win. (4:12) The Boogey Duo eat some worms while Kane stares in disbelief. When KANE stares at you in disbelief, you’re out there. Leave it to Regal to put on an entertaining match with the big guy. *½

The new World Heavyweight champ Edge comes out for his inaugural address. He’s happy to have a fresh start and says he’ll take on all comers. Smackdown GM Teddy Long reminds him that he’ll be facing Batista at Judgment Day, playa. Edge says he’s not afraid of Batista, so Bats dressed to the nines storms down to the ring to tell him he’s taking the title back to end the show. That seems to be all he ever does around here anymore.

Until Judgment Day, so long for now.

WWE presents Judgment Day
Sunday, May 20, 2007 from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO @ 8PM EST
RAW MAIN EVENT: WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. The Great Khali
SMACKDOWN MAIN EVENT: World Heavyweight Championship: Edge (c) vs. Batista
ECW MAIN EVENT: ECW World Championship: Mr. McMahon (c), Shane McMahon & Umaga vs. Bobby Lashley
2/3 Falls for the WWE U.S. Championship: Chris Benoit (c) vs. MVP
World Tag Team Championship: The Hardys (c) vs. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton
CM Punk vs. Elijah Burke
Ric Flair vs. Carlito