WWE: Friday Night Smackdown
May 25, 2007
Des Moines, IA
Wells Fargo Arena

The current Smackdown champions are as follows:
World Heavyweight Champion: Edge (5/11/2007)
WWE United States Champion: MVP (5/20/2007)
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.

The World Heavyweight Champion Edge comes out to tell everyone to quit whining because it doesn’t matter how you get things done so long as accomplish your goal of becoming the champ. He’s such a nihilist! To be fair, I don’t really see what he’s done that was so sinister to become the world champ. You may have a problem with goading Mr. Kennedy into putting his MITB briefcase on the line, but Kennedy didn’t have to accept the challenge. If you can cash in the MITB briefcase whenever you want and the UNDERTAKER is the champ, wouldn’t you do it after a cage match against Batista and a brutal beating from Mark Henry, too? Smackdown GM Teddy Long interrupts (of course he would) to announce Edge will defend the title at the One Night Stand PPV against the winner of a Fatal Four-Way between Batista, Kane, Mark Henry and Finlay. Well, I can think of at least two people who have absolutely no shot at winning. That title defense at One Night Stand will take place INSIDE A STEEL CAGE. Oh my.

• Paul London & Brian Kendrick vs. William Regal & Dave Taylor
  

Deuce & Domino come out to scout the competition. Good to see Regal and Taylor wrestling someone besides Kane and the Boogeyman. London and Kendrick use their speed early, but Taylor tosses Kendrick to the floor to block a headscissors move which tweaks Kendrick’s knee. Kendrick plays face-in-peril for a bit. Kendrick eventually avoids a charge and hits SLICED BREAD #2 on Taylor. Hot tag to London, he cleans house until Domino pushes him off the top rope for the DQ. (5:30) Taylor and Regal are pissed creating a big brawl between the three teams. Is it strange that the two teams that don’t have the tag belts are more interesting together than the actual champions are with anybody else? **

In the back, Hornswoggle has stolen the world title from Edge. He chases Horny around in a funny little bit. He hands it over to Finlay who then gives it back to Edge – for now.

• Matt Hardy vs. The Miz
  

JBL describes Matt Hardy as “hotter than Shrek”. The Miz snaps Matt’s neck on the ropes early on and takes over on offense. Matt tries to slam his way out of a cravat, but Miz rolls through and continues to put the pressure on his neck. Matt fights his way back, but takes a back elbow. Miz delivers the Awesome Clothesline for two. Miz runs right into a clothesline, and Matt comes back for real. Matt hits a bulldog and the AHH flying elbow for two. Miz reverses the Twist of Fate to a jackknife rollup for two. Side Effect gets two, but Matt punches him square in the face and hits the TWIST OF FATE for the win. (8:36) We continue to see the Miz improve here. I’m actually digging it. **½

Mark Henry cuts a promo on the other three competitors he’ll be facing tonight. Edge is about to see how savage the silverback can be.

There’s a huge red, white, and blue celebration for MVP for finally winning the U.S. title from Chris Benoit. He talks about being the MVP of Smackdown and how he’s lived up to his lucrative contract. Fantastic! He demands Chris Benoit come out and shake his hand. Benoit comes out and shakes his hand. Better yet, MVP thinks Benoit should raise his hand to show the world who the better man is. Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Benoit smacks MVP around and gives him a Hat Trick of Germans. Well that was awesome.

Now it’s Kane’s turn to talk down to his three competitors as he looks ahead to One Night Stand.

WWE SMACK OF THE NIGHT (brought to you by Click It or Ticket): No Way Out 2007, Chavo Guerrero winning the cruiserweight title.

• Chavo Guerrero vs. Jimmy Wang Yang
  

This is non-title, obvs. Chavo controls with a headlock early, but Yang reverses to one of his own. Yang goes up top, but Chavo dropkicks him off and goes right after his knee. MUTALOCK~! Oh snap. He one-ups that with the Stretch Muffler. He then changes over to a half crab. Yang reverses to a small package for two. A backslide gets two more. He tries the Moonsault Press, but his knee buckles. Chavo hits a few of the Three Amigos, but gets kicked at the top rope. When Chavo goes for a sunset flip powerbomb, Yang reverses to a hurracanrana for the upset win. (7:45) Chavo did some good legwork, but it didn’t really factor into the match all that much. **¼

Backstage, Batista talks with Kristal. She wants his reaction to the comments made by Finlay, Mark Henry, and Kane. It’s gonna be fatal for them, but not for him. Yep.

• Batista vs. Kane vs. Mark Henry vs. Finlay
  

The winner faces Edge for the world title in a cage match at One Night Stand who joins Cole and JBL for this one. Bats still has his thigh wrapped. There’s some trash-talking from everybody to start. Henry and Batista battle out to the floor while Kane goes after Finlay. Bats grabs at Edge and shoves him back. Dang, Edge is scared to DEATH. Henry jumps Batista from behind to take us into commercial. When we return, Finlay tosses Kane into the steps as Henry works Batista over in the ring. Finlay tries to choke out Henry and fails. Kane cleans house. He hits a Side Slam on Bats and drills Henry with a flying clothesline. Henry manages to slow down Kane, but turns around into a flying shoulder tackle from Batista for two. Next up, Kane and Henry go toe-to-toe for a slugfest. Batista runs in and spinebusters Kane. Henry hits the WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM on Bats for 1-2-NO! While ref Charles Robinson checks on Batista, Finlay KO’s Henry with a pair of shillelagh shots. When the ref turns his attention over to Henry, Finlay hits Batista on the thigh with the shillelagh. Awesome. Finlay goes after Kane on the floor and gets shoved into the ringpost. Hornswoggle comes out from under the ring, but Finlay takes a Spear from Batista. That scares Horny back under the ring. Bats continues spearing through Kane and Henry. With everybody out, Batista hits Finlay with a DEMON BOMB and becomes *your* #1 contender to the world title. (10:35) Bats sells the hurt leg while Edge looks on very concerned. They lock eyes as we close out the show. **½

Until next time, so long for now.