Past SMACKDOWN Shows 2007
All discs are in the U.S. -
NTSC format,
English
language only.
SMACKDOWN
# 386
1-5-07 Taped 1-2-07
The Lakeland Center
Lakeland, Florida
Mr. Kennedy kicked off his 2007 by becoming the man with the time to outdo in the first ever SmackDown Beat the Clock
Sprint. The first edition of Friday Night SmackDown of the new year played host to the Beat the Clock Sprint. General
Manager Theodore Long began the night by telling WWE fans in attendance that the match-ups would all be random with the
eventual winner facing the World Heavyweight Champion at Royal Rumble. As he explained, the winner of the Beat the Clock
Sprint would be the Superstar that wins their match in the fastest time. World Heavyweight Champion Batista was welcomed
to the ring by Long. The Animal smiled and explained how much he was looking forward to the challenge. “I love it. I want
to be in the ring with the best. I will keep fighting as hard as I can to keep my title.”
The first match in the Beat the Clock Sprint was Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero. Kane defeated Chavo, and set the pace for the
night at 7 minutes 53 seconds.
The next match pitted one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London against his tag team partner and fellow champion
Brian Kendrick. The two Superstars high-octane, fast-paced styles left the crowd in amazement, but were not enough to beat
the time set by Kane.
On a mission to regain the championship he lost at Survivor Series, King Booker defeated Gregory Helms in 6 minutes 24
seconds to establish the new time to beat. After the match, Boogeyman continued his stalking of Helms, and the
Cruiserweight Champion was laid out and wormed.
Jimmy Wang Yang nearly beat Tatanka and the time set by King Booker, but as the referee counted the pin, the buzzer
sounded. As Yang stood in disbelief, Tatanka delivered a vicious assault from behind, leaving the resident redneck in the
middle of the ring.
In the final match of the night in the Beat the Clock Sprint, Mr. Kennedy battled United States Champion Chris Benoit, the
man who defeated him for the title. Kennedy took advantage of an exposed turnbuckle, and pinned Benoit at 5 minutes 7
seconds to secure the top time in the Beat the Clock Sprint.
Montel Vontavious Porter made his first appearance since Armageddon, still showing the effects of burns received in the
Inferno Match. MVP questioned General Manager Theodore Long, asking, “Do you realize what you took from me?” The young
Superstar explained, “the pain and suffering I have been enduring would pale in comparison to the pain and suffering I
would have tolerated if I allowed you to stop me from fulfilling my destiny in becoming World Heavyweight Champion.” Next
week, Porter will get his opportunity, as he has been announced to take part in the Beat the Clock Sprint.
Jillian took on Ashley, but not before she revealed her plans to disfigure her. Since Ashley was named cover girl for
Playboy’s April issue, Jillian has become insanely jealous of the attention Ashley has been receiving. On this edition of
SmackDown, Ashley would once again get the upper hand, defeating Jillian.
Former Diva search finalist Maryse surprised WWE fans as a video of the sultry beauty speaking French was shown. What does
the appearance by Maryse mean for SmackDown?
An extremely emotional Vickie Guerrero expressed her sadness to Kristal over her current situation. “Things are
rough for me right now. Chris Benoit turned his back on me and my own nephew (Chavo) turned his back on me,” she said.
Vickie is still nursing an injured neck caused by Benoit, and she told fans how lost she feels.
Next week on SmackDown, four more Superstars will look to establish the winning time for the Beat the Clock Sprint: Matt
Hardy, Finlay, MVP and Undertaker. Will these World Heavyweight Champion hopefuls be able to beat the time Mr. Kennedy has
set and move on to Royal Rumble to challenge Batista?
MATCHES:
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
Kane defeated Chavo Guerrero
in a time of 7 minutes 53 seconds
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
Paul London vs Brian Kendrick
time expired
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
King Booker defeated Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms
in a time of 6 minutes 24 seconds
Ashley Masaro defeated Jillian Hall
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
Jimmy Wang Yang vs Tatanka
time expired
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
Mr. Kennedy defeated United States Champion Chris Benoit
in a time of 5 minutes 7 seconds
SMACKDOWN
# 387
1-12-07 Taped 1-9-07
Peoria Civic Center
Peoria, Illinois
The Beat the Clock Sprint wrapped up this week on SmackDown, and Mr. Kennedy, right or wrong, fair or not, is going to the
Royal Rumble to challenge Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. Kennedy has defeated six former world champions
on his ascension to No. 1 contender status, and now The Animal is standing firmly in his path. Batista told SmackDown fans
he would “never look past and never underestimate Mr. Kennedy.” The Animal has tasted defeat at the hands of Kennedy once
before, and at Royal Rumble, they will face off for Batista’s World Heavyweight Championship.
In the last Beat the Clock Sprint match, Undertaker seemed poised to overtake the time of 5 minutes 7 seconds posted last
week by Kennedy. When he took on The Miz, The Phenom looked to capitalize and move on to Royal Rumble. However, Kennedy
interfered, pulling Miz out of the ring. Undertaker chased him off, and delivered the Tombstone to Miz, but it was too
late. As the buzzer sounded, Mr. Kennedy celebrated at the expense of Undertaker.
MVP returned to action, to take part in the Beat the Clock Sprint, still showing the ill effects of the burns he received
last month in an Inferno Match. As MVP was hoping to fulfill what he believes to be his destiny to be World Heavyweight
Champion, his opponent Vito was eager to make the most of his own opportunity - and to take advantage of the less than 100
percent Porter. The two men attempted numerous pinfalls, but neither MVP nor Vito could gain an advantage and beat the
clock.
Matt Hardy and Finlay faced off in the Beat the Clock Sprint, each with their focus on victory. Hardy finally had the
chance to elevate himself into the World Heavyweight Championship mix, but The Irishman had plans of his own. Little
Bastard made an appearance, and Finlay used that as his opening to attack Hardy with a shillelagh to the knee. Finlay
applied a submission maneuver to that same knee, but could only watch the clock count down and expire as Matt Hardy would
not quit. With Finlay’s hold still applied, Joey Mercury, donning a protective mask, attacked and viciously assaulted
Hardy, still blaming Hardy for his disfigurement. WWE officials stopped the young, angry Superstar before he could inflict
severe damage, but Mercury made it clear to WWE fans that, “until General Manager Theodore Long gives me what I want, this
will continue.”
The Beat the Clock Sprint winner Mr. Kennedy was also in action against United States Champion Chris Benoit. As Chavo
Guerrero sat ringside on commentary, Benoit and Kennedy went back and forth. When JBL and Michael Cole questioned where
Chavo’s business manager Vickie Guerrero was, he responded, “This has nothing to do with Vickie and everything to do with
Chris Benoit.” As Benoit was poised to take the victory, Guerrero once again interfered, and as the Rabid Wolverine hooked
the Sharpshooter on Chavo, Kennedy stole the victory.
General Manager Theodore Long has announced that next week on SmackDown, Chavo Guerrero will challenge Chris Benoit for
the United States Championship in a No Disqualification Match.
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London and Brian Kendrick squared off against William Regal and Dave Taylor for the titles.
Regal and Taylor claimed this was their night, telling London and Kendrick, “There are no ladders in this match.” The
match pitted the brute strength of Regal and Taylor against the speed and agility of London and Kendrick. In the end,
London and Kendrick sealed the victory, much to the disgust of Regal and Taylor. The WWE Tag Team Champions have held the
titles for nearly 8 months now.
Jimmy Wang Yang and Tatanka had another physically brutal match. Tatanka picked up the victory, using his strength and
power to neutralize Yang’s quickness. Tatanka has been focused since unleashing the vengeful warrior, and this budding
rivalry with SmackDown’s resident redneck has picked up the past two weeks.
MATCHES:
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
Matt Hardy vs Finlay
time expired
Tatanka
defeated
Jimmy Wang Yang
- NON TITLE -
Mr. Kennedy
defeated
United States Champion Chris Benoit
" TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London and Brian Kendrick
defeated
William Regal and Dave Taylor
retaining the titles
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
MVP vs Vito
time expired
- BEAT THE CLOCK SPRINT MATCH -
Undertaker vs Miz
time expired
SMACKDOWN
# 388
1-19-07 Taped 1-9-07
Alltel Arena
Little Rock, Arkansas
At the Royal Rumble in just under two weeks, Mr. Kennedy will have his first opportunity at a world title when he faces
Batista one-on-one for the World Heavyweight Championship. If Mr. Kennedy is truly the young stud of SmackDown, the cocky
loudmouth has a serious case of hoof-in-mouth. Kennedy arrived to the ring bragging about his victory in the Beat the
Clock Sprint and his match with Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble. The match will be
Kennedy’s first opportunity at a World Championship. “It is my time,” Kennedy said. “I screwed Undertaker because I was
protecting my best interests.” General Manager Theodore Long entered the arena and agreed with Kennedy, saying, “You did
beat the clock, but under controversial circumstances,” Long continued. “Tonight, you’ll have to protect more than that,
as you will face [the man you screwed] Undertaker.” Long also made the stipulation that if Kennedy defeated Undertaker, he
would face Batista one-on-one at the Royal Rumble, and if Undertaker won, the World Heavyweight Championship would be
contested under Triple Threat rules. As Batista sat ringside for commentary, Kennedy saw an opening, and hit the World
Heavyweight Champion with a cheap shot, angering The Animal. As Undertaker looked to add himself to one of the Royal
Rumble main events, Batista entered the ring and speared Kennedy, disqualifying Undertaker in the process. Much to the
disgust of The Phenom, at the Royal Rumble, it will be Mr. Kennedy facing Batista one-on-one for the World Heavyweight
Championship,.
United States Champion Chris Benoit and Chavo Guerrero battled over the U.S. title, this time in a No Disqualification
Match. Benoit picked up the victory and retained his title when Chavo tapped out to the Sharpshooter. However, Chavo’s
business manager Vickie Guerrero was nowhere to be found. Is there trouble in the Guerrero family?
Matt Hardy defeated Joey Mercury, but paid a heavy price for his victory. For the past few weeks Mercury has told WWE fans
about his anger towards Hardy. “Matt Hardy ruined my Hollywood good looks and destroyed my livelihood.” This all stems
from the brutal injury Mercury says the Hardys caused at Armageddon in a Ladder Match for the WWE Tag team Championship.
Hardy has maintained his innocence, saying, “ladders are legal weapons.” Johnny Nitro attacked Hardy after the match and
helped his friend Joey Mercury deliver the Snap Shot to the exposed concrete floor leaving him unconscious at the hands of
MNM. Is Joey Mercury done with his personal vengeance toward Matt Hardy? Mercury has said, “I’m not going to stop until
Matt Hardy’s face looks like mine.” Will Mercury live up to his words?
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London and Brian Kendrick teamed with Vito in six-man tag action as they took on William
Regal, Dave Taylor, and MVP. It looked as if Kendrick and London would lead the team to victory, but as Kendrick came off
the top rope, he was caught in mid-air by MVP, who then delivered the pinfall and victory for Regal, Taylor, and himself.
King Booker told General Manager Theodore Long that although he, “never received a one-on-one rematch for [my] World
Heavyweight Championship, I will reclaim my gold by winning the Royal Rumble and going to WrestleMania 23.” Long wished
King Booker well, and announced a warm-up for the Royal Rumble, as next week on Friday Night SmackDown, it will be a
Six-Man Over-the-Top Challenge featuring King Booker, Finlay, Miz, MVP, Benoit and Kane.
Miz boasted to SmackDown Divas Ashley and Layla, “last week I took Undertaker to the limit - and tonight, I’ll beat Kane.”
However, the terrified Superstar was defeated by the Big Red Monster after receiving the Chokeslam.
In recent weeks, Maryse has made appearances on SmackDown, and the bombshell beauty once again made her presence known.
Maryse has all SmackDown fans, and even JBL himself, taking lessons in her native French tongue.
Deuce and Domino debuted on Friday Night SmackDown, introducing themselves to WWE fans. Accompanied by the roller-skating,
poodle skirt wearing Cherry, the duo looks to make a splash in the tag team division. Deuce is Cherry’s boyfriend, while
Domino is Cherry’s older brother. Are there ‘Happy Days’ ahead for Deuce, Domino, and Cherry?
MATCHES:
Matt Hardy
defeated
Joey Mercury
William Regal, Dave Taylor & M.V.P.
defeated
Paul London, Brian Kendrick & Vito
" U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP "
- NO DISQUALIFICATION -
Chris Benoit defeated Chavo Guerrero
retaining the title
"The Band" Deuce & Domino
defeated
The Dope From Hope & An Unknown
"The Big Red Machine" Kane
defeated
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
Mr. Kennedy
defeated
The Undertaker
via a disqualification
SMACKDOWN
# 389
1-26-07 Taped 1-23-07
Mobile Civic Center
Mobile, Alabama
World Heavyweight Champion Batista, who will defend his title this Sunday against Mr. Kennedy, kicked off the show in a
champion vs. champion match. He faced the “Longest Reigning Champion in the history of SmackDown,” Cruiserweight Champion
Gregory Helms. The Animal looked sharp, picking up the victory as he steam rolls into the Royal Rumble showdown.
Later in the night, Kennedy told WWE fans, “this Sunday, I will defeat Batista and become World Heavyweight Champion. I am
the fastest rising Superstar in the history of WWE.” Batista stormed the ring and demanded that Kennedy hit him again (as
he did last week on SmackDown). As the challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship looked to deliver, Undertaker
appeared in the ring behind Kennedy. When The Phenom attempted to blast him with a boot, Kennedy ducked and ran up the
aisle, and Undertaker inadvertently nailed Batista.
Mr. Kennedy was able to duck and run this time, but at the Royal Rumble, there is no place to hide as he goes one-on-one
with Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship.
As announced on WWE.com, the competitors in the Six-Man Over-the-Top Challenge were in single action against each other on
SmackDown.
United States Champion Chris Benoit, the 2004 Royal Rumble winner faced off against The Miz, who will
make his Royal Rumble debut this Sunday. In 2004, Chris Benoit entered #1 and outlasted every other Superstar en route to
his victory. Miz’s Royal Rumble experience will be chronicled all day Sunday on WWE.com. On this night, the Miz put forth
a valiant effort before he tapped out to the Crossface.
Showing that the Royal Rumble truly is every man for himself, King Booker and Finlay were in action against each other.
These former allies will both be part of the 30-man-over-the-top match in 48 hours and both Superstars looked for momentum
heading toward Sunday.
MVP tried to back out of his match with the man who burned him at Armageddon in an Inferno Match – Kane. General Manager
Theodore Long told Porter, “you have no choice. You fight Kane or you lose your spot in the Royal Rumble.”
With all that is at stake at the Royal Rumble, the first-time participant MVP headed to the ring, where a grinning Kane
awaited. MVP must have known SmackDown’s General Manager was going to make him wrestle, because the first chance he had,
MVP grabbed a gas can from beneath the ring, looking to administer revenge on Kane.
The Big Red Monster rose up before MVP could attack, and chased off the cocky Porter. Will MVP find himself staring across
the ring this Sunday at Kane, the most dominant man in Royal Rumble history?
The Six-Man Over-the-Top Challenge was supposed to be a warm-up to the Royal Rumble, but it turned out to be a prelude to
darkness, as Undertaker arrived and destroyed the competition, making a statement for all of SmackDown, Raw and ECW to see.
Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro and Melina reformed MNM and took on the WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London, Brian Kendrick and
Ashley in a Mixed Tag Team Match.
MNM were the last team to hold the titles that London and Kendrick have held for over eight months. Melina caused a
distraction, and MNM were victorious heading into their match with The Hardys this Sunday.
Finally, Deuce and Domino were once again impressive in victory. Since debuting last week, the tag team has consecutive
wins on SmackDown, as they look to ascend the ladder of the SmackDown tag division.
The Royal Rumble is just two
days away, and the Superstars of Raw and SmackDown, as well as the first time participants of ECW, look to make history by
winning the most star-studded Royal Rumble Match of all time. Who will make history and win the opportunity to main event
WrestleMania? Will Batista successfully defend his World Heavyweight Championship?
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE -
World Heavyweight Champion Batista
defeated
Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms
- NON TITLE -
United States Champion Chris Benoit
defeated
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
Deuce & Domino
defeated
Adam Evans & Wes Adams
King Booker vs Fit Finlay
ended in a no contest
- NON TITLE -
"MNM" Johnny Nitro, Joey Mercury & Melina
defeated
WWE Tag Team Champions
Paul London, Brian Kendrick & Ashley Masaro
Kane vs M.V.P.
ended in a no contest
- OVER THE TOP ROPE CHALLENGE -
Kane
vs
M.V.P.
vs
Fit Finlay
vs
King Booker
vs
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
vs
Chris Benoit
ended in a no contest
SMACKDOWN
# 390
2-2-07 Taped 1-30-07
Toyota Center
Houston, Texas
MISSED THIS SHOW - THIS SHOW WANTED
The fallout from the Royal Rumble continued on SmackDown as its Superstars embarked on the Road to WrestleMania. Only one
question remained: Who will Undertaker face at WrestleMania 23? The action was live from the sold-out Toyota Center in
Houston. This was the third WWE show in the state of Texas this week, all three sellout crowds of WWE fans. Several
celebrities were in attendance, including Tracy McGrady of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, DeMeco Ryans of the NFL’s Houston
Texans, and rock ‘n’ roll legend Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
World Heavyweight Champion Batista demanded an answer from the Deadman about his intentions for WrestleMania 23, welcoming
the challenge. “The World Heavyweight Championship up against the [Undertaker’s] 14-0 undefeated streak. It doesn’t get
any bigger than that.” Just when fans believed Undertaker would appear, WWE Champion John Cena came out and demanded an
answer — an answer he believes he rightfully deserves. Batista and Cena stood side-by-side, both with their gold over
their shoulders as the Phenom made his way out. Undertaker stared them both down, seemingly ready to make a choice —
until Shawn Michaels interrupted. “You two aren’t the only ones who want an answer,” HBK said. “Undertaker, put your title
match on the line against me.” Although all four men had questions for each other, only one man ultimately decides the
fate of Superstars: Mr. McMahon. The Chairman made his way to Texas having answers. “I don’t give a damn what any of you
want,” said The Chairman. “On Feb. 18 there will be no way out for you four men.” Mr. McMahon then announced a blockbuster
match involving all four men. In less than three weeks at WWE’s No Way Out on pay-per-view, WWE Champion John Cena
and his tag team partner, fellow World Tag Team Champion Shawn Michaels, will face World Heavyweight Champion Batista and
Undertaker.
A focused Mr. Kennedy defeated Vito, and unleashed an assault on the dress-wearing Superstar. After leaving Vito
unconscious, Kennedy sought out General Manager Theodore Long. “I should be the World Heavyweight Champion,” Kennedy
explained to Long. After listening to Kennedy’s gripes, the General Manager decided that next week on SmackDown, it will
be Mr. Kennedy taking on Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship.
United States Champion Chris Benoit retained his gold when he pinned Finlay. This tough, physical match was interrupted
when Little Bastard attempted to emerge from under the ring. After numerous tries by Little Bastard to emerge, Boogeyman
was revealed to be below the ring, preventing him from going anywhere. This caused Finlay to lose the focus he had on
Benoit’s knee. The Rabid Wolverine capitalized and retained his United States Championship.
King Booker returned to his hometown of Houston and was greeted with a ceremony giving him the key to the city, from the
Ancient Order of Royal Houstonians. The coronation quickly turned sour when Kane arrived and cleared the ring. Kane was
still seething about the Royal Rumble, when he eliminated King Booker, only to have Booker re-enter the ring and eliminate
him. Booker ran off and the Big Red Monster stood tall.
In just their third week of action, the new additions to SmackDown’s roster, Deuce and Domino were able to win a non-title
match against the WWE Tag Team Champions, Paul London and Brian Kendrick. Deuce and Domino have been dominant since
debuting, and they continued to make a name for themselves at the expense of the champions.
The Miz defeated Matt Hardy when Joey Mercury interfered and nailed Hardy with his protective faceguard. Matt Hardy
claimed to be finished with Mercury after the Royal Rumble, but Mercury is still hell-bent on revenge.
SmackDown Diva Ashley was declared by WWE fans to be the winner of the Diva Bikini Contest. Jillian refused to
participate, deciding to sing to the crowd, much to the disgust of Ashley, Kristal and anyone within an earshot. After
winning the approval of the crowd, Ashley stripped Jillian down to her bra and panties, giving WWE fans something they
really wanted.
Finally, Vickie Guerrero told Kristal, “I will be returning to SmackDown soon.”
MATCHES:
United States Champion Chris Benoit defeated Finlay
Deuce and Domino defeated WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London and Brian Kendrick
Mr. Kennedy defeated Vito
The Miz defeated Matt Hardy
SMACKDOWN
# 391
2-9-07 Taped 2-6-07
MISSED THIS SHOW - THIS SHOW WANTED
Undertaker’s road to WrestleMania 23 has become a one-way street heading straight for Batista and the World Heavyweight
Championship. The Miz was the unfortunate soul who had to face the Deadman on this edition of SmackDown, and after the
young Superstar had bragged a few weeks ago about going the distance with Undertaker, The Miz was a marked man. Undertaker
destroyed Miz, and after picking up the victory, he sent an emphatic message to Batista (and to Miz), delivering the Last
Ride through the announce table. At WrestleMania it will be Undertaker’s Streak of 14-0 versus Batista and his World
Heavyweight Championship.
The Animal responded to Undertaker’s message by defeating Mr. Kennedy in a Royal Rumble Rematch. The loudmouth tried to
psych-out Batista earlier in the night, but in the end, Kennedy could not capitalize. In just over one week at No
Way Out, World Heavyweight Champion Batista will team with Undertaker to face WWE Champion John Cena and his partner,
fellow World Tag Team Champion, Shawn Michaels. Can Batista and Undertaker coexist as they head into No Way Out?
Finlay picked up a victory and put an end to the undefeated streak of Boogeyman. Once again, Little Bastard was chased down
by Boogeyman, and with the referee turned around, Finlay was able to nail Boogeyman and steal a victory.
General Manager Theodore Long announced a huge Four Team Ladder Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship at No Way Out. The
match will include the following teams: WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick, William Regal & Dave Taylor,
MNM, and The Hardys.
On SmackDown, two participants in that huge match squared off, as Joey Mercury faced Matt Hardy. In what has become one of
the most heated rivalries in SmackDown history, Mercury picked up the victory and injured Hardy’s knee in the process.
Heading toward No Way Out and the Four Team Ladder Match, is Hardy going to be full strength or has Joey Mercury finally
achieved his goal of revenge?
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick were in action against newcomers Deuce and Domino for the second
straight week. After the huge upset last week, Deuce and Domino looked to ‘sock ‘em in da mouth’ again.
As SmackDown fans looked on, Deuce and Domino once again defeated the WWE Tag Team Champions. As JBL noted, for the second
straight week Deuce and Domino defeated the champions. He then questioned, “why haven’t they received a title shot? Teddy
Long, I hope you are watching.” As much as fans may disagree, JBL may have a point, as the impressive team of Deuce and
Domino were left out of the Four Way Ladder Match at No Way Out after their string of impressive victories.
Daivari returned to SmackDown and immediately made an impact by defeating Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms in
non-title action. Daivari had been manager to The Great Khali, but looks to strike on his own in the cruiserweight
division.
Theodore Long had a very busy night as SmackDown readies for No Way Out. The SmackDown General Manager also made a match
between Kane and King Booker, stemming from the fallout of the Royal Rumble. He also signed a match between Finlay and
Boogeyman.
Long also announced that No Way Out will host the Diva Talent Invitational, open to all WWE and ECW Divas.
Next week on SmackDown, the beautiful Ashley will unveil her Playboy cover to WWE fans.
Finally, in two weeks, when SmackDown heads to San Diego, former World Champion Rey Mysterio will make his first
appearance since being injured months ago by Chavo Guerrero.
MATCHES:
The Undertaker defeated Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Deuce & Domino defeated Paul London & Brian Kendrick
Joey Mercury defeated Matt Hardy
Fit Finlay defeated The Boogeyman
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Daivari defeated Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Mr. Kennedy
SMACKDOWN
# 392
2-16-07 Taped 2-13-07
Key Arena
Seattle, Washington
With No Way Out just two days away, the Superstars of SmackDown looked to gain momentum heading into the last pay-per-view
before WrestleMania 23. Raw Superstars Edge, Randy Orton, WWE Champion John Cena and Shawn Michaels all were in Seattle
for action on SmackDown. This Sunday, Cena & Michaels will team up to face Undertaker & Batista in a huge main event.
World Heavyweight Champion Batista & Undertaker teamed up to face Rated-RKO. The Phenom and The Animal were able to get
the victory when Undertaker delivered a Tombstone to Edge.
After getting the win, Batista and Undertaker were laid out by Cena and HBK, payback for the attack the SmackDown duo
leveled them with on Raw. Heading into No Way Out, Michaels and Cena seemed to have gotten the best of their opponents on
SmackDown.
Earlier in the night, the World Tag Team Champions Cena & Michaels took on Mr. Kennedy & MVP - two young stars hoping to
rise up the ladder of WWE. MVP and Kennedy did what they could, but HBK saved his partner from a chair shot, allowing Cena
to FU Montel Vontavious Porter for the victory. Mr. Kennedy immediately went to General Manager Theodore Long to voice his
displeasures once more. Long was being visited by former SmackDown Superstar and current ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley,
and Kennedy took exception. When Kennedy pointed out, “I’ve beaten you once before Lashley, and I can do it again,”
Lashley became agitated. His friend General Manager Theodore Long contacted ECW officials and the match has been made for
this Sunday, where Mr. Kennedy will challenge Bobby Lashley for the ECW World Championship.
Gregory Helms squared off against Scotty 2 Hotty on SmackDown, and as Scotty looked for the Worm, he was attacked by
Daivari. This set off a chain reaction which saw Daivari, Scotty 2 Hotty, Funaki, Jamie Noble, Shannon Moore, Jimmy Wang
Yang and Chavo Guerrero added to a Cruiserweight Open Match for the Cruiserweight Championship. Can Gregory Helms continue
his history making run as Cruiserweight Champion?
WWE Tag Team Champion Brian Kendrick was in singles competition against Deuce. As Kendrick looked to seize momentum,
Domino interfered, causing London to come to the aid of his partner. With the refs back turned, Domino shoved Kendrick off
the top rope and Deuce hit the Crack ‘Em in Da Mouth for the win.
The team of Deuce & Domino will challenge London
& Kendrick for the titles this Sunday, after going above General Manager Theodore Long to get the match made by WWE
officials.
King Booker hosted his review of the movie See No Evil starring his No Way Out opponent – Kane. Booker and Sharmell shared
a laugh at Kane’s expense and then the King proclaimed, “I do not fear Kane.” When the Big Red Monster appeared, King
Booker and Sharmell ran off, and Kane got the last laugh.
The Boogeyman avenged his first loss last week at the hands of Finlay by defeating the Irishman. Little Bastard looked to
get involved, but Little Boogeyman appeared and attacked him. At No Way Out, Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman will face Finlay
& Little Bastard in a Mixed Tag Team Match.
In preparation for the Diva Talent Invitational, Kristal and Jillian tried to impress SmackDown’s General Manager. Which
Divas will participate come this Sunday at No Way Out?
The lovely Ashley unveiled her Playboy cover, much to the delight of WWE fans.
Finally, next week on SmackDown, Rey Mysterio will make a special appearance in his hometown of San Diego.
MATCHES:
Boogeyman defeated Finlay
Deuce defeated Brian Kendrick
WWE Champion John Cena & Shawn Michaels
defeated
M.V.P. & Mr. Kennedy
World Heavyweight Champion Batista & Undertaker
defeated
"Rated-RKO" Edge & Orton
Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms vs Scotty 2 Hotty
ended in a no contest
SMACKDOWN
# 393
2-23-07 Taped 2-20-07
I Pay One Center
San Diego, California
The World Heavyweight Champion Batista has made it clear that he is ready heading into his match with Undertaker at
WrestleMania 23. On SmackDown this week, The Animal explained to WWE fans the reasons for his actions at No Way Out, when
he Spinebustered Undertaker, causing the duo to lose their tag team match versus John Cena & Shawn Michaels. “I cannot
apologize for what I did at No Way Out,” said Batista. “Undertaker, we are even. Now we can go on to WrestleMania and give
WWE fans a match they’ll never forget.” He continued, “I respect you Undertaker, but I am not intimidated by anyone.”
Batista’s strong message for Undertaker is sure to be answered next week, when the Phenom is scheduled to appear on
SmackDown to offer his reply.
Rey Mysterio’s special appearance in his hometown of San Diego and a WWE ring was supposed to be a special moment for the
former World Champion. The hometown crowd showered Mysterio with thunderous applause, to which Rey replied, “it feels so
good to be in a WWE ring again, but it feels better to be back in my hometown – the 619.” Rey’s ambitious spirit was
evident when he exclaimed to WWE fans, “I wish I could wrestle right here, right now.” Rey continued, “I’ll be back soon,
better than ever before.” Hell-bent on the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23, Mr. McMahon chose this
opportunity to steal the spotlight as he entered the arena. He then questioned Rey as to who he thought would win the
match in Detroit April 1. Mysterio responded, “You are a loser Vince,” which sent both the crowd, and the Chairman, into
separate frenzies. To the shock of the SmackDown fans at the sold out ipayOne Center, Mr. McMahon introduced Umaga, who
entered the ring. Following the direction of the Chairman, Umaga unleashed a horrific attack on Rey, leaving the hometown
hero lifeless in the center of the ring. WWE.com will have an update on Rey’s condition tomorrow. Mr. McMahon sent Donald
Trump, and whoever Mr. Trump chooses as his representative, a loud message heading into Monday Night Raw, when Trump will
reveal his choice.
King Booker had told WWE.com earlier in the day about his feelings on facing Kane in the first-ever Falls Count Anywhere
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. In a brutal, personal match stemming from the incidents of Royal Rumble, (where Kane
was eliminated by an already eliminated King Booker) Kane looked to have the advantage. However, out of nowhere, Raw
Superstar Great Khali appeared. Khali decimated Kane, throwing The Big Red Monster through the ringside barrier. King
Booker took advantage, and walked away with a victory. This victory gives him a spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match
at WrestleMania 23. As Michael Cole pointed out tonight, “on Raw, Khali had told Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman he
was looking for some competition, and he may get more than he asked for with The Big Red Monster.”
Matt Hardy teamed with WWE Tag Team Champion Paul London & Brian Kendrick to take on Joey Mercury with
Deuce & Domino. Still angry over what many consider to be an upset at the hands of London & Kendrick, Deuce & Domino
controlled much of the action in this match, looking to make a statement. When Matt Hardy finally entered the ring, the
momentum turned, and Hardy was able to pick up the victory by pinning rival Joey Mercury.
Finlay & Little Bastard teamed up again to take on Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman in a No Way Out Rematch. Little Boogeyman
delivered a low blow to Finlay during the course of the match, but in the end, after a shillelagh to the Boogeyman’s knee,
Boogeyman was Little DDT’d by Little Bastard, who covered Boogeyman for the victory.
The new Cruiserweight Champion – Chavo Guerrero, not a fan favorite in San Diego for putting Rey Mysterio out of action,
defeated Scotty 2 Hotty in his first title defense since dethroning Gregory Helms. Chavo stole the victory from Scotty,
using the ropes for leverage.
Vickie Guerrero told her friend Kristal that the “little thing that needed to be taken care of, I took care of earlier
tonight.” What do Vickie’s words mean for SmackDown?
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Matt Hardy and WWE Tag team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
Joey Mercury and Deuce & Domino
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero
defeated
Scotty 2 Hotty
- MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH -
FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE
King Booker
defeated
"The Big Red Monster" Kane
Fit Finlay & The Little Bastard
defeated
The Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman
SMACKDOWN
# 394
3-2-07 Taped 2-27-07
Hewlitt Packard Pavilion
San Jose, California
Batista last week told Undertaker and WWE fans, "I am not intimidated by anyone." The Animal may be rethinking that
statement after seeing the response of his WrestleMania 23 opponent, Undertaker, on The CW Network’s No. 1 rated show -
SmackDown. The Phenom sent an ominous message of his own this week to the World Heavyweight Champion - Batista. While The
Animal stood in the center of the ring reiterating his comments from last week, the champion was interrupted when the
sold-out HP Pavilion arena in San Jose, Calif. went dark, and Undertaker was shown standing in a cemetery, digging a
grave. "Batista, for some, WrestleMania is heaven on earth, but for you it is going to be hell," said Undertaker. "At
WrestleMania, your reign as champion will rest in peace." The World Heavyweight Champion Batista was left speechless by the
actions and words of Undertaker. For those who have followed the amazing 14-0 undefeated streak of Undertaker at
WrestleMania, this message could be one the Phenom delivers on April 1 in Detroit.
Mr. McMahon arrived at SmackDown to brag about the beating he ordered Umaga to administer last week to an already injured
Rey Mysterio. ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley made his way out and Mr. McMahon attempted to offer Lashley a way out of his
obligations to Donald Trump in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23, even offering the ECW Champion double
what Trump was paying him. Lashley refused, saying, "it was an honor to be chosen by Donald Trump.” He continued, “it will
be a privilege to compete at WrestleMania and it will be my pleasure to defeat Umaga (McMahon’s representative)," Mr.
McMahon became irate. The Chairman then slapped ECW’s World Champion, and when Lashley snapped back and stared at him, Mr.
McMahon ducked out of the ring, the arena and San Jose.
Before he made it out of San Jose, Mr. Kennedy approached Mr. McMahon and asked for a title opportunity against Bobby
Lashley. Mr. McMahon granted the request, and added the rules that Mr. Kennedy could not be disqualified or counted out,
but Lashley could. A confident Kennedy did all he could in the match to win his first world title, but even with the odds
against him, Bobby Lashley defeated Kennedy to retain his ECW World Championship.
The Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 23 had two more qualifying matches on SmackDown, with Matt Hardy facing
Joey Mercury in the first contest. Hardy and Mercury have had a heated rivalry since the beginning of December of ‘06, and
the personal brutality continued between the two Superstars. When Mercury looked to finish Hardy off with a high risk
maneuver, Hardy countered, and delivered a Twist of Fate from the ropes to get the victory. King Booker, who qualified last
week by defeating Kane in the first-ever Falls Count Anywhere Qualifying Match, sat ringside on commentary for this
contest, getting a first-hand look at his competition for WrestleMania 23.
In the second qualifying match, United States Champion Chris Benoit competed in the first-ever Triple Threat Qualifying
Match against MVP and Finlay. Before the match began, Finlay berated SmackDown announcer Michael Cole for referring to
Hornswoggle by any other name. It could have been that fire that lit Finlay. In a physically brutal match between the three
men, Finlay was able to get the victory when Hornswoggle distracted the ref, allowing the Irishman to use the shillelagh on
both opponents and qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 23.
There are now 7 known participants in the match April 1 in Detroit - Jeff Hardy, Edge, Matt Hardy, Finlay, King Booker, CM
Punk and Mr. Kennedy. Who will be the last Superstar in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match?
Jimmy Wang Yang, Shannon Moore and Scotty 2 Hotty squared off against Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero, former
champion Gregory Helms and Daivari. The action was fast-paced and high-flying, and Jimmy Wang Yang was able to get the win
for his team when he pinned Daivari after a Moonsault.
Ashley, the April Playboy cover girl, defeated Jillian in a Diva match. While the beautiful Ashley is treating WWE fans
with her pulse-pounding, upcoming Playboy appearance, Jillian is making ears bleed in arenas around the world.
Jerry "The King" Lawler has been announced as the newest inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame.
MATCHES:
- MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH -
Matt Hardy defeated Joey Mercury
Jimmy Wang Yang, Scotty 2 Hotty & Shannon Moore
defeated
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero, Gregory Helms & Daivari
Ashley Masaro defeated Jillian Hall
- TRIPLE THREAT MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH -
NON TITLE
Fit Finaly defeated MVP and United States Champion Chris Benoit
" ECW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP "
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley
defeated
Mr. Kennedy
retaining the title
SMACKDOWN
# 395
3-9-07 Taped 3-6-07
Tucson Convention Center
Tucson, Arizona
With just 23 days left until WrestleMania, SmackDown’s Superstars have all begun to assert themselves, looking to gain any
advantage heading toward the biggest event of the year. The World Heavyweight Champion Batista is at the top of his game as
he heads into a showdown with Undertaker. Last week, Undertaker began his mind games, and Batista responded on SmackDown
when he claimed, “I am walking into WrestleMania 23 the World Heavyweight Champion, and I am walking out the World
Heavyweight Champion,” he continued. “I will end the streak.” The Animal then said, “tonight I will face Kane –
Undertaker’s sick, twisted, demented brother.” When Batista and the Big Red Monster collided, the two forces in the ring
looked to feel each other out, and in the end, The Animal was able to Batista Bomb Kane to pick up a hard fought victory.
With the win, the World Heavyweight Champion may have learned what he needs to do when he is face-to-face with the title on
the line against Undertaker on April 1. After his defeat, as Kristal was interviewing him, Kane was attacked by Great
Khali. Raw’s Khali has been stalking Kane for weeks now, and this was a clear message to the Big Red Monster. The Phenom
was also in action as he took on Finlay. The Irishman earlier had said, “there is no fear in Irish eyes,” and he showed how
much he loved to fight as he went straight for Undertaker. Not to be outdone, Undertaker fought back and took control,
until Hornswoggle found his way into the match. With the referee distracted, Finlay nailed Undertaker with the shillelagh,
but the Phenom kicked out of the pinfall. As Michael Cole pointed out, “Undertaker is in great shape,” which helped as the
Deadman delivered a Tombstone to defeat Finlay. After the match, Batista stood in the ramp and the two Superstars had a
stare down. When Batista gave the familiar signal of thumbs-down, Undertaker responded with his legendary throat slash. In
23 days, who will walk out of WrestleMania the World Heavyweight Champion?
Four of the eight Money in the Bank Ladder Match Qualifiers were in action against each other as Matt Hardy faced King
Booker while Mr. Kennedy took on ECW’s CM Punk. In the first match-up, King Booker defeated Matt Hardy when Queen Sharmell,
(who had been on commentary), interfered, allowing Booker to hit the Scissors Kick for the win. When Kennedy took on Punk,
the “future of sports-entertainment” was highly impressive as he pinned and defeated the Straightedge Superstar. As the
Road to WrestleMania narrows, all four of these Superstars are jockeying for position as they each look to establish any
dominance heading into the innovative Money in the Bank Ladder Match. With the winner of that match getting the opportunity
to challenge for a World Title when they see fit, the stakes could not be any higher for the participants.
Miz TV debuted, and Miz’s first guest was SmackDown Diva Ashley, who will grace the cover of Playboy this Monday! The
SmackDown beauty thought she was on Miz TV to talk about her experience posing for the magazine, but Miz revealed he had
another guest, WWE Women’s Champion Melina. Melina has been insanely jealous of the attention Ashley has been getting as of
late, and she was at the sold-out Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Ariz. Melina complained, “I should be getting the
attention, people would kill to see me in Playboy, but they have to settle for you.” As the Women’s Champion Melina looks
to earn the respect of WWE fans, Ashley is receiving nothing but love.
Finally, Montel Vontavious Porter disrupted General Manager Theodore Long while he was on his computer, and demanded that
he receive a United States Championship opportunity versus the champion Chris Benoit at WrestleMania. MVP angrily spoke to
Long, saying, “stop looking at the Daily Diva on WWE.com Teddy.” Long responded, telling MVP, “I’m still the General
Manager of SmackDown, and I will take your request under consideration.”
MATCHES:
King Booker defeated Matt Hardy
- NON TITLE -
World Heavyweight Champion Batista defeated Kane
Mr. Kennedy defeated C.M. Punk
The Undertaker defeated Fit Finlay
SMACKDOWN
# 396
3-16-07 Taped 3-13-07
Sovereign Bank Arena
Trenton, New Jersey
With just over two weeks remaining until WrestleMania 23, the tension between World Heavyweight Champion Batista and
Undertaker is at a boiling point. Batista began his night as a guest on Miz TV, and after The Miz insulted Batista by
saying, “I don’t think you can stop Undertaker,” the young SmackDown Superstar played an early April Fool’s joke on The
Animal, having paid someone to turn out the lights and play Undertaker’s music. The World Heavyweight Champion was not
amused, and had the last laugh, delivering an explosive Batista Bomb. Later in the night, Batista sat ringside on
commentary as Undertaker faced King Booker in one-on-one action. With Undertaker poised to capture a victory, Finlay
interfered with the shillelagh, and he and Booker double-teamed the Phenom as Batista looked on. Undertaker fought back and
dismantled Finlay and King Booker, and then threw the Irishman into Batista. After laying King Booker out, Undertaker
walked his way up the ramp and turned to see an angry Batista staring from the ring. In 16 days at WrestleMania 23, these
two Superstars will square off for the richest prize in sports-entertainment – the World Heavyweight Championship.
MVP will also be seeking a championship on April 1 as he goes up against United States Champion Chris Benoit. Porter
defeated El Grande Latte with the Playmaker, and continued to berate Benoit, even labeling him as a coward. General
Manager Theodore Long then granted the cocky MVP his WrestleMania wish. Benoit made his way out and brawled with MVP,
looking to apply the Crossface. If Benoit is able to get MVP in his clutches at Ford Field, Porter’s wish may become a
nightmare.
Mr. Kennedy and Matt Hardy, two of the Money in the Bank Ladder Match participants at WrestleMania, were in action against
each other. Kennedy still claims to be “the future of sports-entertainment,” but Hardy is hoping to assert his own legacy.
While Kennedy claimed prior to the match that nobody would stop his ascension up the ladder at WrestleMania, Matt Hardy
stopped the loudmouth on this night. Hardy defeated Kennedy with the Twist of Fate, as he continues to build momentum
heading into the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
Kane sent a clear message to The Great Khali, as he destroyed Daivari and then dragged his opponent out of the arena with a
hook. Last week, Kane was referred to as demented, twisted, and sick. This week, the Big Red Monster showed WWE fans just
how far he will take his battle with Khali, bringing flashbacks to his movie See No Evil.
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick teamed with Playboy cover girl Ashley to take on MNM in a Six-Person
Tag Match. London and Kendrick have become the fourth longest Tag Champions in WWE history, holding the titles for 300
days. Nitro, Mercury and Women’s Champion Melina stole the victory from the high-octane trio after Melina interfered. After
the match, Ashley and Melina fought outside the ring until being separated by their teams. As Ashley and Melina head toward
a showdown at WrestleMania, this personal and bitter rivalry is becoming as hot as the two Divas.
Hornswoggle, SmackDown’s leprechaun, wished all WWE fans a very happy St. Patrick’s Day, but was met with screams when he
requested Queen Sharmell, “Kiss me, I’m Irish.”
Mr. Fuji was announced as the latest inductee into WWE’s Hall of Fame, joining the Class of 2007.
MATCHES:
Matt Hardy defeated Mr. Kennedy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
M.V.P.
defeated
Honduran Champion El Grande Latte
- NON TITLE -
"MNM" Melina, Johnny Nitro & Joey Mercury
defeated
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick & Ashley Masaro
Kane vs Daivari
ended in a no contest
King Booker vs Undertaker
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 397
3-23-07 Taped 3-20-07
Quicken Loans Arena
Cleveland, Ohio
Only nine days remain until WrestleMania 23 in Detroit, and the Superstars of SmackDown continue to build their own
momentum heading into the biggest event of the year. World Heavyweight Champion Batista told Kristal, “Undertaker and I can
co-exist tonight during the match, but after the match it’s a different story,” he said. “I will walk out of WrestleMania
still the World Heavyweight Champion.” The Animal was scheduled to team with his WrestleMania opponent Undertaker to take
on King Booker and Finlay, but was attacked from behind, leaving Undertaker to face the former United States Champion
Finlay and former World Heavyweight Champion King Booker alone. Undertaker seemed to be firmly in control, but Finlay used
the shillelagh, causing the disqualification and allowing the Irishman and King Booker to double team the Phenom. The
Animal rushed to the ring to aid Undertaker, and they looked to be working together to dismantle Finlay and Booker.
However, moments later Batista launched King Booker into Undertaker, undoubtedly payback for last week when Undertaker
tossed Finlay into the World Heavyweight Champion. As Michael Cole noted when SmackDown went off the air, “the animosity
between Undertaker and Batista is heating up.” He then questioned, “will the action be even hotter in the tag match this
Monday on Raw and will it reach a boiling point next week on SmackDown?” Next week, WrestleMania 23 will be just two days
away, and WWE fans are in for a treat. General Manager Theodore Long has granted JBL his request to host the biggest
interview in sports-entertainment history – Undertaker and Batista face-to-face.
Mr. McMahon began SmackDown gloating about the “vivid message” he sent to Donald Trump when he shaved Eugene’s head on Raw.
Mr. McMahon then went on to guarantee a victory Monday night when he faces ECW World Champion Lashley. The Chairman then
made a match for SmackDown that pitted Lashley in a Handicap Tables Match against Mr. Kennedy and Randy Orton, the first
Tables Match of any kind on WWE television in two years. With the odds stacked highly against him, Lashley was able to
overpower his opponents to get the victory by putting Kennedy and Orton through tables, much to the disgust of Mr. McMahon.
Lashley is on a roll. Monday he became the first man to break the Masterlock, Tuesday he defeated Chris Masters on ECW on
Sci Fi, and on SmackDown he prevailed in the Handicap Tables Match. What will happen Monday night when he faces the
Chairman?
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick defeated MNM after Ashley prevented Melina from interfering. London &
Kendrick have held the titles for 307 days, and they continued to show why they are champions.
Playboy cover girl Ashley and Women’s Champion Melina continued their personal rivalry, one that has included a brutal war
of words on WWE.com. The two Divas are on a crash course for Melina’s Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 23, and each
looks to establish themselves as the top Diva in WWE.
MVP was victorious in his match against the Lichtenstein Champion – Cedrick Von Haussen. The cocky and confident Superstar
then claimed that United States Champion Chris Benoit would make history as the first man to lose a title to Montel
Vontavious Porter. MVP may be looking to win the title, but if he overlooks the Rabid Wolverine, he might be left holding
fool’s gold.
Kane told Kristal, “all the way,” is how far he is willing to go in his match versus Khali at WrestleMania. Can Ford Field
contain these two behemoths?
Jimmy Wang Yang defeated Cruiserweight Champion of the World Chavo Guerrero in non-title action. Guerrero looked dominant
for most of the match, but Yang was able to bounce back to get the hard-earned victory.
The trailer for The Condemned, starring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin debuted on SmackDown. Can Hollywood handle the
Rattlesnake?
The Wild Samoans were announced as the next inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2007, joining an impressive list
of former greats being honored at this years ceremony.
Finally, it looks as if General Manager Theodore Long is smitten with a certain Diva, even handing her a rose on this
edition of SmackDown.
MATCHES:
" TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
"MNM" Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro & Melina
retaining the titles
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Jimmy Wang Yang
defeated
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero
- NON TITLE MATCH -
M.V.P.
defeated
Lichtenstein Champion Cedrick Von Haussen
- NON TITLE HANDICAP TABLES MATCH -
ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley
defeated
Mr. Kennedy and Randy Orton
- NON TITLE MATCH -
United States Champion Chris Benoit
defeated
Gregory Helms
The Undertaker & World Heavyweight Champion Batista
defeated
Fit Finlay & King Booker
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 398
3-30-07 Taped 3-27-07
Vanandel Arena
Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Road to WrestleMania made its final stop on SmackDown, two days away from the biggest WWE event of the year -
WrestleMania 23. Just 48 hours before their epic encounter this Sunday in Detroit, the World Heavyweight Champion Batista
and Undertaker were face-to-face in the ring. General Manager Theodore Long tried his best to maintain order during the
“biggest interview in sports-entertainment history,” but the tension that has been building between The Animal and The
Phenom exploded in front of WWE fans in Grand Rapids, Mich. – erupting into a brawl between the champion and the
challenger to his title. As much as security and officials tried, they could not stop the intense fight between the two
men. Batista looked to gain an edge heading into WrestleMania, as he delivered a Spinebuster to Undertaker. The Deadman
rose up as the confrontation between these two men had gone past the point of tension, steamrolling right into a violent
conflict. Sunday, Undertaker puts his undefeated WrestleMania streak on the line against Batista’s World Heavyweight
Championship when these two men collide for the richest prize in the business.
As Michael Cole stated, “the man who will special guest referee the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania does what he
wants, when he wants. Stone Cold is the law.” As JBL found out, and as the dueling billionaires may find out on Sunday,
The Rattlesnake can strike when he feels like it. At WrestleMania, nobody is safe from Stone Cold or the Stunner – not Mr.
McMahon, Umaga, or even Donald Trump.
The eight men in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania were scheduled to be in action, but
former Money in the Bank winner Edge refused to compete against Matt Hardy, instead introducing his replacement – The
Great Khali. Khali looked to disassemble Matt Hardy, but he was distracted when Kane’s music sounded. The Big Red
Monster’s sinister laugh filled the arena, and he warned, “Khali – two days”. These two behemoths will square off this
Sunday at WrestleMania 23, and both are looking to lay claim to being the monster of WWE.
While Edge avoided competition, CM Punk made the most of his opportunity when he defeated and shocked King Booker in an
upset victory. The straightedge Superstar will look to score another upset this Sunday at WrestleMania.
In a Raw rematch, Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton went one-on-one, with each man looking for any advantage heading into Sunday.
Orton is looking to regain the form he had when he became the youngest World Champion in WWE history, and Hardy is aiming
to get to the top of WWE. Orton was poised for the victory until his so-called friend Edge interfered, allowing Hardy to
get the victory. If Orton is to be successful at WrestleMania this Sunday, he will, as Michael Cole said, “need to get
Edge out of his head.”
Another SmackDown Superstar who gained momentum heading into WrestleMania’s Money in the Bank was Finlay. The Irishman
defeated Mr. Kennedy in singles competition, but not before Hornswoggle delivered an unforgettable “Lepre-ton Bomb” to
Kennedy. Who will ascend the ladder this Sunday at WrestleMania and become Money in the Bank?
MVP’s final match before WrestleMania was against Ethiopian Champion – Viko Batomango. MVP took the opportunity during this
match to mock Chris Benoit’s trademark suplexes before picking up the victory. In preparation for his match against Benoit
for the United States Championship, Porter has faced competition that some would say is less than spectacular. Will the
cocky Superstar be hurt by this approach? Sunday at Ford Field, will MVP’s laid back approach to this match hurt him
against the Rabid Wolverine or will he be “ballin’” his way to gold?
Ashley, Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle, Maria & Mickie James defeated Women’s Champion Melina, Kristal, Jillian, Michelle
McCool & Victoria in the first ever 5-on-5 Diva Match in SmackDown history. Ashley challenges Melina for the championship
Sunday at WrestleMania, and the ring will be surrounded by Divas in a Lumberjill Match. Will Ashley end Melina’s reign or
will the jealousy of the Women’s Champion propel her to victory?
General Manager Theodore Long has planned a romantic rendezvous with SmackDown Diva Kristal. As JBL pointed out, “all we
need now is Julie McCoy and we’ll have the Love Boat.” The relationship between Diva and GM seems to be heating up on
Friday nights.
MATCHES:
Matt Hardy vs The Great Khali
ended in a no contest
Fit Finlay defeated Mr. Kennedy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
M.V.P. defeated "Ethiopian Champion" Viko Batomango
Jeff Hardy defeated Randy Orton
Ashley, Maria, Mickie James, Candice Michelle & Torrie Wilson
defeated
Women's Champion Melina, Michelle McCool, Kristal, Jillian Hall & Victoria
C.M. Punk defeated King Booker
Run Time: 1:59:51
SMACKDOWN
# 399
4-6-07 Taped 4-3-07
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Fort Wayne, Indiana
The “Era of The Deadman” officially began on SmackDown, as the new World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker began his reign
with championship gold in his hands. As Undertaker was ready to speak, former champion Batista, the man who The Phenom
defeated at WrestleMania, made his way to the ring and had a simple message: “Congratulations…I want my rematch.” Will
these two men square off again for the richest prize in the business? As The Animal left the ring, King Booker attacked
Undertaker from behind, hoping to make a statement of his own. Booker’s attempt for a royal declaration was short-lived,
as Undertaker quickly turned the attack into one of his own. Undertaker dismantled King Booker, then delivered a
devastating Tombstone on the announce table, leaving King Booker injured. Stay tuned to WWE.com for details on Booker’s
status.
The night was supposed to be redemption for King Booker, who was looking to avenge his loss in the Money in the Bank Ladder
Match – a match in which Booker was forced to make the toughest decision of his professional life – between Queen Sharmell
and the briefcase holding a championship match future. Booker chose to defend Sharmell, therefore losing the match and his
chance at gold. King Booker lost on this night to World Tag Team Champion Matt Hardy, and Queen Sharmell then verbally
berated him, questioning his manhood by saying, “I was violated by Matt Hardy at WrestleMania – is this how you defend my
honor King Booker?” It was not a good week to be King Booker.
One Superstar who had a week on the opposite spectrum was Mr. Kennedy. The “future of sports-entertainment” defeated seven
other WWE and ECW Superstars en route to capturing the briefcase and winning Money in the Bank. Kennedy faced World Tag
Team Champion Jeff Hardy – and defeated Hardy to continue the momentum he has been building. After the match, Hornswoggle
appeared, causing Kennedy to stalk him until Finlay attacked from behind. Kennedy then stormed into General Manager
Theodore Long’s office and demanded a match versus Hornswoggle. Long granted his request, and added Finlay to the mix,
making it a Handicap Match next week on SmackDown.
United States Champion Chris Benoit took on The Miz in a non-title match. Benoit seemed to be in full control of the
match, and as he was ready to deliver a Flying Headbutt to Miz, Montel Vontavious Porter interfered, which allowed Miz to
pick up the victory. MVP failed to win the United States title from Benoit at WrestleMania 23, but it appears that he
still has unfinished business to settle with the Rabid Wolverine.
Kane defeated Dave Taylor despite interference from William Regal at ringside. The Big Red Machine is coming off a loss to
The Great Khali at WrestleMania, and Taylor & Regal were in the path of Kane’s destruction.
The WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick were in action against Cruiserweight Champion of the World Chavo
Guerrero & Gregory Helms. The champions defeated Helms & Guerrero in non-title action, but next week the nearly one-year
reign of London & Kendrick will be on the line against the men from the Other Side of the Tracks – Deuce & Domino. Can
London & Kendrick overcome the odds once more next week on SmackDown?
General Manager Theodore Long and Kristal have been growing close as of late and reportedly had a post-WrestleMania
rendezvous. Does the General Manager of SmackDown have a thing for SmackDown Diva Kristal?
MATCHES:
Mr. Kennedy defeated Jeff Hardy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
United States Champion Chris Benoit defeated The Miz
Matt Hardy defeated King Booker
Kane defeated Dave Taylor
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
Gregory Helms & Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 400
4-13-07 Taped 4-10-07
Dunkin Donuts Center
Providence, Rhode Island
As SmackDown kicked off, General Manager Theodore Long announced that at Backlash in just over two weeks, Undertaker would
defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Batista in a Last Man Standing Match. Moments later, Long put the
Backlash opponents together as a team – after the actions of Mr. Kennedy & Finlay. WWE Backlash will be a tri-brand
pay-per-view including Raw, SmackDown and ECW Superstars. The Irishman & Hornswoggle were scheduled to face off against
Mr. Kennedy in a Handicap Match. Kennedy, however, entered
the sold-out Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. and told Finlay, “at WrestleMania, we were in the biggest match of
our careers, and things got out of hand.” He continued, “I’m sorry. I apologize.” Finlay accepted the apology and the
Handicap Match was cancelled by the participants – then the General Manager made the new match. Undertaker and Batista
were able to exist as a team, which allowed The Animal to deliver a Batista Bomb to Mr. Money in
the Bank Kennedy to pick up the victory and send a clear message to The Phenom – Batista is coming for the World
Heavyweight Championship.
Montel Vontavious Porter had a WrestleMania rematch against United States Champion Chris Benoit in a non-title contest.
Much like their match at WrestleMania, MVP continued to prove that he is more than just a cocky Superstar, surprising
Benoit and WWE fans by stealing the victory, using the ropes for leverage. After his stunning victory, MVP exclaimed to
WWE fans, “I told you so,” referring to his claims that he could defeat Chris Benoit in one-on-one action.
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick defended the titles against Deuce & Domino. London & Kendrick have
held the titles for 327 days as of Friday Night SmackDown, the fourth longest reign in WWE tag team history. Deuce &
Domino looked to end that reign with their brute force, hoping to neutralize the speed and high-flying style of London &
Kendrick. The challengers had control of the match, but not of their actions, and continually refused the orders from
referee Mickie Henson to follow the rules. When Deuce ignored the order to leave the ring, instead delivering Crack ‘em
in ‘da Mouth, Henson had no choice but to disqualify Deuce & Domino – much to the disgust of the challengers. The fact
remains that once again London & Kendrick found a way to win when the titles were on the line, retaining their WWE Tag
Team Championship and continuing their impressive run at the top.
Kane dominated Daivari en route to victory, but was attacked after the match by William Regal & Dave Taylor. Regal &
Taylor were looking for payback after Kane defeated Taylor last week, despite constant interference from Regal. The Big
Red Machine has caught the ire of this dangerous tag team, and the budding rivalry is building steam.
SmackDown Diva Ashley was attacked by Jillian, jealous over Ashley’s involvement in mega-producer Timbaland’s newest music
video. Jillian shouted, “if I can’t be in Timbaland’s video, neither can you.” The brutal attack aggravated Ashley’s leg
injury suffered last year, and the beautiful Diva will need surgery to re-insert a screw into a metal plate in her leg.
General Manager Theodore Long discussed with his new love Kristal their plans for the upcoming European tour. SmackDown
will have its first broadcast from Italy next week, and the romance between the Kristal and SmackDown’s General Manager
could be blossoming overseas.
It was announced that the World’s Strongest Man Mark Henry will be making his return to Friday Night SmackDown.
MATCHES:
" TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
WWE Tag Team Champions
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
Deuce & Domino
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE MATCH -
M.V.P.
defeated
United States Champion
Chris Benoit
"The Big Red Machine" Kane
defeated
Daivari
World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker & Dave Batista
defeated
Mr. Kennedy & Fit Finlay
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 401
4-20-07 TAPED
Datch Forum
Milan, Italy
SmackDown emanated for the very first time from il Bel Paese (the Beautiful Country), creating yet
another memorable moment in the history of the program. At Backlash in nine days, two men who will step into the ring
looking to make their own history are World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker and Batista. The Phenom and The Animal will
face off in a Last Man Standing Match for the title, and both were hoping to gain momentum heading into one of the most
brutal matches in WWE. Batista kicked off the show in action against Finlay, and as The Animal looked in full control, Mr.
Kennedy interfered, causing the disqualification. Kennedy & Finlay then physically dismantled Batista with help from the
shillelagh and a Celtic Cross from the Irishman. Later in the night Mr. Money in the Bank Kennedy fought Undertaker in a
non-title contest. Finlay returned the earlier favor of Kennedy, interfering and causing a disqualification. The dangerous
duo of Kennedy & Finlay then dismantled Undertaker the same way they did to Batista. As SmackDown
went off the air, Finlay & Kennedy stood tall, having made a huge statement by decimating both World Heavyweight Champion
Undertaker and his Backlash opponent Batista.
Deuce & Domino arrived in Milan in style, making their grand entrance in a pink Cadillac. The men from the Other Side of
the Tracks were intent to dethrone the near year-long reign of WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick. The
clashing styles were once again a factor as the fast-paced London & Kendrick wanted to high-fly their way to another
victory over the powerful tandem of Deuce & Domino. When Paul London failed at an attempted Moonsault, he was left
incapacitated on the outside of the ring – leaving Kendrick to defend the titles on his own. Deuce & Domino took full
advantage of the situation, breaking down Kendrick and defeating the courageous Superstar for the WWE Tag Team
Championship.
World Tag Team Champions The Hardys teamed with United States Champion Chris Benoit to face Cruiserweight Champion Chavo
Guerrero, Gregory Helms & MVP. After MVP’s controversial upset of Benoit last week, the Rabid Wolverine looked to exact a
measure of revenge on the cocky Superstar. Benoit & The Hardys picked up the victory when the United States Champion forced
Gregory Helms to tap out to the Sharpshooter.
William Regal & Dave Taylor were in a Handicap Match against Kane. The duo of Regal & Taylor has had their share of
problems over the past few weeks with the Big Red Monster. With Kane firmly in control, Regal & Taylor marched out of the
ring, causing the countout. The duo marched straight to General Manager Theodore Long’s office, and demanded to be kept
far away from Kane. Long had other plans in mind and he made a match for next Friday in Regal’s home country of England –
Regal & Taylor will take on the team of Kane & Boogeyman, much to the delight of SmackDown fans, and the disgust of
William Regal & Dave Taylor.
After making that match, General Manager Long and SmackDown Diva Kristal shared a few words about shopping, and then they
exchanged a passionate kiss.
Jillian arrived in Milan bragging about her attack on Ashley, and hoping to please WWE fans with her operetta-style
singing. Instead, Jillian butchered yet another song, and Michelle McCool came to the ring to tell Jillian exactly what
WWE fans and she thought about the tone-deaf Diva. “Quello č orrible,” Michelle first exclaimed and then translated,
“that’s horrible.” Jillian tried to attack McCool too, but was thrown out of the ring by Michelle.
Next Friday in theaters everywhere, The Condemned starring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin will open. Can the Rattlesnake stun
the box office?
MATCHES:
Dave Batista
defeated
Fit Finlay
via a disqualification
World Tag Team Champions The Hardys & United States Champion Chris Benoit
defeated
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero, Gregory Helms & M.V.P.
Deuce & Domino defeated
WWE Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick
becoming new WWE Tag Team Champions
- HANDICAP MATCH -
Kane
defeated
William Regal & Dave Taylor
via a countout
- NON TITLE -
World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker
defeated
Mr. Kennedy
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:56
SMACKDOWN
# 402
4-27-07 TAPED
Earl`s Court
London, England
On the final stop of a successful European tour, World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker and Backlash opponent Batista were
both dominant in a No Disqualification Tag Team Match, just days before their Last Man Standing Match this Sunday on
pay-per-view. After disposing of Mr. Kennedy & Finlay, The Animal told The Phenom that as far as the title is concerned,
“I’m taking it back.” The champion had a message of his own for Batista, telling him, “Sunday, I will take your soul.”
Earlier in the night, Mr. Kennedy & Finlay tried to once again dismantle The Animal, attacking him in the aisle as
SmackDown began. Batista held his own until the two focused their assault on The Animal's wounded and taped right leg.
Suddenly, the arena went black and Undertaker appeared in the center of the ring sending the dangerous duo of Mr. Money in
the Bank and the Irishman back to the locker room. Moments later, Kennedy & Finlay implored General Manager Theodore Long
to put The Deadman and Batista in action against each other. Long showed his GM power by putting the Backlash opponents in
action – but against Finlay & Kennedy. In a brutally physical No DQ match, Finlay & Kennedy concentrated on the heavily
bandaged right leg of The Animal – a leg beaten badly by the shillelagh last week. However, The Phenom delivered
Chokeslams to both Mr. Kennedy & Finlay, and looked poised to get the win for his team, but Batista decided to make a
statement of his own. He came into the ring, sent Finlay to the mat with a devastating Spinebuster, and then pinned him to
get the victory. After pushing the World Heavyweight Champion to the limits at WrestleMania 23, wounded or not, Batista
will once more test the power of The Deadman this Sunday.
Another SmackDown Superstar in pursuit of gold at Backlash will be Montel Vontavious Porter, who faces Chris Benoit for
the United States Championship, as first announced by WWE Mobile Alerts. In preparation for his match, the cocky Superstar
had an open invitational to face some of the United Kingdom’s great champions. First up was the Scottish Champion Hamlet
Macbeth, a man who MVP claimed, “can shoot lightning bolts out of his arse.” Macbeth made his way out and was promptly
flattened by MVP. When the second champion in the invitational was revealed as the Rabid Wolverine, the two competitors
had an impromptu non-title match just 48 hours before their Backlash encounter. MVP showed Benoit he was ready, countering
the offensive arsenal of the Wolverine, finding his way out of the Crossface and the Sharpshooter. Porter then found his
way out of the sold-out Earls Court, causing the count-out. Sunday at Backlash, MVP will have nowhere to run and will have
to step up his game if he wants to walk away with the U.S. gold.
Englishmen William Regal & Dave Taylor returned to their home country in a tag team encounter with the most unlikely tag
team in WWE history – Kane & Boogeyman. Alongside his worm-eating partner, the Big Red Monster settled the score with Regal
& Taylor on SmackDown, perhaps birthing what could be a formidable - yet bizarre – duo on Friday nights.
Former WWE Tag Team Champion Brian Kendrick was in singles action against one-half of the new WWE Tag Team Champions –
Deuce. Kendrick’s partner Paul London was unable to compete due to the injury he sustained last week, but Michael Cole
pointed out that, “when London is 100 percent, he and Kendrick will certainly seek out the titles.” When Deuce’s
girlfriend Cherry tried to distract the referee, London was attacked and incapacitated by Domino. Deuce took full
advantage of the distractions to deliver a powerful kick to Kendrick’s face to get the victory.
The SmackDown Divas were also on hand in the United Kingdom Friday night. Jillian arrived in London intent to entertain
WWE fans with her singing, and once again, the tone-deaf Diva was way off key. When her opponent Michelle McCool
interrupted the serenade and came to the ring, Jillian sang a different tune, defeating McCool. Jillian then attempted to
display her talent again, but McCool interrupted again, slamming Jillian into the steel steps and causing this rivalry to
hit a crescendo.
Another Diva heating up Friday nights is Kristal, who shared her true feelings with General Manager Theodore Long. It's
clear that Long and the SmackDown beauty are in love and are a very happy couple.
Finally, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's new movie The Condemned opened in theaters everywhere today!
MATCHES:
Kane & The Boogeyman
defeated
William Regal & Dave Taylor
WWE Tag Team Champion Deuce
defeated
Brian Kendrick
M.V.P. defeated Hamlet Macbeth
- NON TITLE MATCH -
United States Champion Chris Benoit
defeated
M.V.P.
via a countout
Jillian Hall defeated Michelle McCool
- NO DISQUALIFICATION -
World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker & Batista
defeated
Fit Finlay & Mr. Kennedy
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 403
5-4-07 Taped 5-1-07
Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center
Birmingham, Alabama
On a night when General Manager Theodore Long announced that next Friday World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker and Batista
would face off in a Steel Cage Match, both The Phenom and The Animal had stern messages for each other. When these two
behemoths collide in Pittsburgh on Friday, the Steel City will never be the same – and neither will either competitor.
Following the announcement, a wounded Batista told the World Heavyweight Champion, “at Backlash, we pushed each other to
the limit. Then we went past the limit. Nothing is resolved.” He continued, “is the World Heavyweight Championship worth
all this destruction? Hell yes.” The Animal then had a promise for Undertaker, saying, “next week, in a 15-foot high cage,
I will win back my title.” The Deadman had a message of his own for his challenger, telling Batista, “I took your soul at
Backlash. I took your health.” Undertaker then assured him, “next Friday when you step into the demon’s playground, you
will rest in peace.”
Speaking of the World Heavyweight Championship, after announcing on Raw that he would cash in his championship opportunity
at WrestleMania 24, Mr. Kennedy was on SmackDown in one-on-one action against Matt Hardy. Mr. Money in the Bank and Hardy
are both looking to vault themselves into the upper echelon of SmackDown, and on this night, Hardy was able to get the
victory over Kennedy in one of the highlight matches of the year for Friday Night SmackDown. Despite the loss, Kennedy has
331 days until he claims he will take his opportunity at a world champion at WrestleMania 24, but Mr. Money in the Bank
could always cash it in at any time.
Montel Vontavious Porter went up against Kane in a No. 1 Contenders Match for the right to face United States Champion
Chris Benoit. The Big Red Monster was in full control and looked to become the man to face the Rabid Wolverine, but
William Regal & Dave Taylor interfered. Regal & Taylor earlier in the night attacked Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman, but Kane
made his way out, chasing off the dangerous duo of Regal & Taylor. The two would get their revenge when they cost Kane the
match against MVP, as Regal nailed Kane with brass knuckles. MVP delivered the Playmaker for the victory and earned yet
another opportunity at U.S. gold.
A former champion looking to regain his gold is Brian Kendrick. He took on one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, Domino.
Kendrick is still waiting for his partner Paul London to regain full health so the two can pursue the tag titles again,
while Deuce & Domino are looking to “crack em’ in da mouth” before they have the chance. Last week, Kendrick lost to
Domino’s partner, Deuce, and this week, the young high-flyer gutted out the victory.
Anticipating the need for some time off to spend with his girl Kristal, General Manager Theodore Long has begun the
interview process for his assistant. On SmackDown, “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, Brooklyn Brawler, and
even Miz were lined up in hopes of landing the job.
Another video featuring Mark Henry aired, and The World’s Strongest Man has vowed to continue the path of destruction he
was on before his injury. Henry then told our fans and all of SmackDown, “there is nothing you can do about it.”
The Miz took on Finlay, but became increasingly frustrated when Hornswoggle intervened on numerous occasions. Hornswoggle
poked Miz in the eyes, teed off with the shillelagh, and then pulled Miz under the ring, much to the delight of Finlay.
Miz escaped from under the ring and left the arena in frustration, losing the match to the Irishman by count-out.
Jimmy Wang Yang defeated Gregory Helms in singles action.
MATCHES:
The Boogeyman defeated William Regal
via a disqualification
Brian Kendrick defeated WWE Tag Team Champion Domino
Matt Hardy defeated Mr. Kennedy
Jimmy Wang Yang defeated Gregory Helms
Fit Finlay defeated "The Miz"
via a count-out
M.V.P. defeated Kane
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 404
5-11-07 Taped 5-8-07
Mellon Arena
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In one historic night, the Rated-R Superstar Edge went from Mr. Money in the Bank to the new World Heavyweight Champion.
Edge’s win came hot on the heels of one of the most incredible Steel Cage Matches in history that pit Batista against
Undertaker as both men escaped the cage at the exact same time. The match ended with officials going to an instant replay
before declaring the match a draw.
In other SmackDown action, Chris Benoit teamed with Matt Hardy to defeat the team of MVP & Finlay. The match ended with
Benoit using a jackknife cover on MVP to secure the pin. Benoit gains momentum as he goes on to face MVP again at Judgment
Day in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match with the title on the line.
Later in the night, Kane defeated Dave Taylor as Boogeyman, Little Boogeyman and William Regal (who, thanks to Boogeyman,
had over two dozen stitches in his lips) looked on. Last week on SmackDown, Regal & Taylor attacked both Kane and
Boogeyman. This week, thanks to Kane’s win and the fact that Boogeyman badly injured Regal’s lip at a live event, this
bizarre twosome looks to be sitting pretty (or at least as pretty as these two monsters can possibly get).
Paul London was back in action for the first time since he injured his ribs in London & Kendrick’s WWE Tag Team
Championship loss to Deuce & Domino. This week on SmackDown, London defeated Domino in a singles match. London seems ready
to go – we may see a rematch with current WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino soon.
In WWE Diva action, Michelle McCool cut short the musical stylings of self-procalimed pop princess, Jillian Hall. After
McCool delivered a swift backbreaker to Hall, she was able to secure the pin and pick up the 1-2-3. Jillian also seems to
be the target of Ashley, who appeared live via satellite for an interview with Michael Cole. Ashley stated that music and
the desire to beat up Jillian Hall are driving her toward a speedy recovery. Speaking of music, next week on SmackDown,
Ozzy Osbourne will perform the official theme song for Judgment Day entitled “I Don’t Wanna Stop”. This week, fans got a
taste of the new song from the legendary rocker.
This week, our fans also got to meet Jesse and Festus Dalton, two overall-clad competitors who SmackDown General Manager
Theodore Long promised a match next week if they’re “pick-em-up truck” makes it all the way to Maryland. General Manager
Long continued to interview potential assistants, and promised his girlfriend Kristal that he would grant Vickie Guerrero
an opportunity to interview next week on SmackDown.
MATCHES:
United States Champion Chris Benoit & Matt Hardy
defeated
M.V.P. & Fit Finlay
Michelle McCool defeated Jillian Hall
Paul London defeated Domino
Kane defeated Dave Taylor
- STEEL CAGE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker
vs
"The Animal" Dave Batista
ended in a draw
"The R-Rated Superstar" Edge
defeated
World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker
by cashing in on Money in the Bank thus becoming new champion
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 405
5-18-07 Taped 5-15-07
1st Mariner Arena
Baltimore, Maryland
Met by a torrent of audible discontent from Baltimore fans, new World Heavyweight Champion Edge came to SmackDown with a
primary focus: to gloat and bask in controversy. The Rated-R Superstar, however, did not account for his inaugural address
to be crashed by a focused, angry Animal, just days before their high-stakes championship encounter at Judgment Day. “That
title belongs to me,” Batista affirmed as he stared directly into his foe’s calculative eyes. “I’m sorry, but Sunday, I’m
going to be needing it back.” As announced earlier this week on WWE.com, these two warriors will meet this Sunday for the
very championship many believe Batista was robbed of last week in Pittsburgh. With just a handful of carefully chosen
words, The Animal certainly made a last impression on the gold bearing Rated-R Superstar as the two stood face-to-face for
the first time since Edge’s now infamous deeds. Batista’s words clearly resonated within the complex psyche of the
champion, as a chagrined Edge cowered from the ring, leaving the confident Animal standing in the SmackDown ring he’s
called home for some time now. Prior to the interruption from his confident Judgment Day opponent, Edge stood in the
spotlight of the 1st Mariner Arena and retold his personal account of triumph – his ascent to the top of
sports-entertainment. Though Batista ultimately doused the celebratory parade of the Rated-R Superstar and shared words
the champion would have much difficulty swallowing, Edge still managed to be as insulting, offensive and scandalous as
ever on SmackDown. Reliving his achievement one week earlier, the renegade champion cited being the only man in history to
take titles from both John Cena and Undertaker, arguably the greatest legend in WWE history. The Rated-R Superstar also
boldly declared that he did in three seconds what Batista couldn’t do in three months: defeat The Deadman. Albeit riddled
in controversy, the Rated-R Superstar’s championship snare was of unbelievable plotting and brewing, paired of course,
with perfectly timed execution. It is unquestionable that the new World Heavyweight Champion is the ultimate opportunist.
However, the title as well as the Money in the Bank opportunity Edge essentially stole from Mr. Kennedy could prove to be a
matter of fate for the Rated-R Superstar. Could he regret this play of a finely contrived hand when he meets a wrathful
and driven Batista on Sunday? After The Animal took The Phenom to a second straight draw at the conclusion of an
extraordinarily physical Steel Cage Match last week, Edge capitalized on Batista’s efforts (and Mark Henry’s as well) to
seize the gold from Undertaker. Many in the WWE locker room say that Batista should have been had the opportunity to face
The Deadman to settle their unmatched rivalry once and for all. Instead, one of the greatest competitive rivalries in
recent SmackDown history was ended curtailed indecisively at the hands of the Rated-R Superstar. As he alluded to on
Friday night, Batista will have his chance to unleash a ravenous zeal upon the individual that thieved the World
Heavyweight Championship. Will Edge, the self-proclaimed master of mental chess, have yet another plan in the works to
retain his prize? What more does The Animal have to say about this championship contest? Check back with WWE.com on
Saturday for an exclusive interview with Batista, as he talks in-depth about Judgment Day and Edge.
Just 48 hours away from their 2-out-of-3 Falls Match at Judgment Day, both the United States Champion Chris Benoit and the
challenger to his title, MVP, were in action on SmackDown, with each looking to gain some important momentum for their
match Sunday on pay-per-view. The brash MVP squared off against the red-hot Matt Hardy, who has been rolling ever since he
and his brother Jeff recaptured the World Tag Team Championship. Both Porter and Matt Hardy are looking to step up on
SmackDown, and on this night, MVP was able to score the victory. After the match, SmackDown announcer Michael Cole
interviewed MVP, and the up-and-coming Superstar assured our fans, “I will overcome the politics and the nations of playa
haters that doubt me. And then I will most certainly be ballin’.” The focused newcomer seems desperate in his pursuit of
championship gold, but his cockiness has concealed any doubts the challenger may have. MVP’s promise received a bit more
of a boost when later in the night his Judgment Day opponent, the U.S. Champion Benoit, battled Finlay. As the champion
seized control of the physical match, Finlay turned the tables, injuring the Rabid Wolverine’s knee. Despite the immense
pain, Benoit continued to fight, and as he locked Finlay in the Crossface, the opportunistic MVP attacked. Porter and
Finlay dissected Benoit, and the Irishman delivered a devastating shillelagh blow to the already injured knee of the
champion. MVP then nearly decapitated Benoit, taking full advantage of the injury. As MVP pummeled Benoit, he only helped
his cause heading into Sunday’s encounter. Unable to capitalize the first two times he faced Benoit in the ring for the
title, the ballin’ Superstar may be on a gold rush after leaving a wounded Wolverine in the ring.
SmackDown Diva Ashley made her first appearance on SmackDown in weeks when she introduced rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, who
performed the official theme song of Judgment Day – “I Don’t Wanna Stop” – live for our fans. Ozzy will also be part of
the next installment of Superstar to Superstar, exclusively on WWE.com. Osbourne narrowly escaped an encounter with the
wannabe pop princess Jillian, who tried to sing her way into Ozzy’s good graces, but to no avail.
After returning to SmackDown last week and destroying Undertaker, Mark Henry is living up to his words of creating a path
of destruction. Funaki was the unfortunate soul who drew the task of facing the World’s Strongest Man, as the
self-proclaimed silverback once again demolished a Superstar to prove he may be the king of the SmackDown jungle.
One SmackDown Superstar who is also no stranger to destruction is Kane, who continued his rivalry with William Regal when
they went one-on-one. The Big Red Monster was able to get the victory with a little help from Boogeyman and Little
Boogeyman, who were once again in the corner of Kane.
From the corner to the Other Side of the Tracks, the WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino teamed with the Cruiserweight
Champion Chavo Guerrero to take on Paul London, Brian Kendrick & Jimmy Wang Yang in a Six-Man Tag Team Match. The team of
London, Kendrick & Yang were victorious when SmackDown’s resident redneck pinned the Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero.
General Manager Theodore Long welcomed Vickie Guerrero into his office for an interview to be his assistant after a little
push from his girlfriend Kristal. Vickie claims she has changed her ways and is living positive, but will that put her in
the good graces of SmackDown’s GM?
MATCHES:
M.V.P. defeated Matt Hardy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Paul London, Brian Kendrick
&
Jimmy Wang Yang
defeated
WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino
&
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero
Mark Henry defeated Funaki
- NON TITLE MATCH -
United States Champion Chris Benoit defeated Fit Finlay
via a disqualification
Kane defeated William Regal
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 406
5-25-07 Taped 5-22-07
Wells Fargo Arena
Des Moines, Iowa
In a contest involving four of SmackDown’s premiere athletes, Batista literally speared his way through Finlay, Kane and
Mark Henry to secure a rematch with World Heavyweight Champion Edge. This time, however, their meeting grounds will be
within a 15-foot steel cage on an evening purely consisting of Extreme Rules confrontations at One Night Stand. If it’s
one thing that was clear from Edge’s expression at ringside Friday night, it’s that the Rated-R Superstar is not pleased
that The Animal emerged from the Fatal Four Way Match as the No. 1 contender to his gold. Heading into SmackDown, anxiety
was undeniably forming a well within the World Heavyweight Champion’s Rated-R stomach. Edge knew that at One Night Stand,
he would be defending his newly snared championship against either the Silverback, the Irishman who loves to fight, the
Big Red Monster or The Animal. What he did not know, however, was that in the interest of our fans, SmackDown General
Manager decided to make the fast approaching World Heavyweight Championship Match take place within the lethal walls of a
steel cage. The Rated-R Superstar contended that he is a resilient champion and continued his rant about being the
supposed greatest of all time. Later, the ultimate opportunist began the execution of his next master plan by sitting at
the commentator’s booth for the Fatal Four Way Match itself where he scouted his potential opponents. The ring centered in
the Wells Fargo Arena could barely contain the quartet of gold-envisioning SmackDown Superstars. Ultimately, The Animal
landed a succession of high-impact spears on each of his opponents – including one that literally lifted the massive,
400-pound Silverback off the mat – only for Batista to score the pin. Then, as the newly established No. 1 contender stood
triumphant in the ring, the scheming World Heavyweight Champion looked on from just 10 feet away — forging a moment where
the Rated-R prey connected eyes with the predator, The Animal. With his right leg still heavily taped, The Animal was
arguably dominant in a physically taxing encounter with three heavy-hitting Superstars. Though hurt, Batista is certainly
aware that this may be his last opportunity to reclaim the title that he lost to the (un)living legend, Undertaker, at
WrestleMania 23. Batista is undoubtedly focused and intent on not only becoming a three-time champion, but also
permanently adjusting the overconfident Edge’s attitude. Based on The Animal’s performance on Friday night, it seems that
One Night Stand could be one night the Rated-R Superstar may not be able to withstand as World Heavyweight Champion.
The new United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter arrived at SmackDown to celebrate his newly won title, and the
brazen Superstar couldn’t pass up the opportunity to rub his victory in the faces of our fans or the former champion –
Chris Benoit. “I told you I would change Friday nights,” MVP said. “I told you that I would be a champion, and that when I
signed the most lucrative contract in sports-entertainment history, that I would be worth every penny – and you all doubted
me.” MVP continued to berate all his naysayers, “when I challenged Chris Benoit for the US Title, you all said I was out of
my league. It’s not my style to say I told you so. But, I am the United States Champion – and I told you so.” Porter then
decided to call out the Rabid Wolverine, the man he defeated with two straight falls at Judgment Day in a 2-out-of-3 Falls
Match. The former champion Benoit made his way to the ring, where he stood face-to-face with MVP for the first time since
losing the title. When he put his hand out to offer congratulations to the new champion, MVP shook the hand of Chris
Benoit, perhaps signifying he would carry the U.S. Championship with the same honor and class that Benoit had. The
Wolverine, never one to make excuses for a loss, shook the hand of MVP, realizing he was beat fairly at Judgment Day. The
former champion then looked to leave the ring and let the new champ have his moment in the spotlight. But Montel
Vontavious Porter could not leave well enough alone. He had the chance in Des Moines to become as honorable a champion as
all the great competitors to wear the United States Championship, but he dropped the ball, opting instead to play his own
game and shun tradition. As Benoit exited the ring, MVP crowed, “I don’t think a handshake is enough. Benoit, I didn’t
just beat you, I dominated you, and I think you should acknowledge the fact that I am SmackDown’s MVP.” As he shoved his
bling into Benoit’s face, MVP declared, “I am the future, you are the past. So raise my hand, Benoit.” The questionable
move by the overconfident Superstar backfired, and Benoit went on the offensive, delivering three German suplexes before
chasing Porter out of the ring. It is apparent that Chris Benoit is not going to go away so easily, and that the ballin’
Superstar MVP is in for the game of his life.
In other SmackDown action, Paul London & Brian Kendrick stepped into the ring against the ever-dangerous duo of William
Regal and Dave Taylor, with each team hoping to become the next challengers to Deuce & Domino’s WWE Tag Team
Championships. London & Kendrick picked up the victory by disqualification when the boys from the Other Side of the Tracks
interfered. All three teams then brawled, which has led to a Triple Threat Match first announced here on WWE.com for the
WWE Tag Team Championship Friday on SmackDown.
Another SmackDown Superstar with tag team gold around his waist is Matt Hardy, who took on The Miz in one-on-one action.
Despite perhaps one of his best performances to date, Miz was unable to get the pinfall, instead losing when Matt Hardy
delivered the Twist of Fate. Hardy continues his impressive streak, as he continues to climb the SmackDown ladder.
SmackDown’s resident redneck Jimmy Wang Yang defeated Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero in a non-title match. Yang
appears to have the number of the Cruiserweight Champion, having pinned him in two straight weeks.
Moving from one Guerrero to another, General Manager Theodore Long has named Vickie Guerrero the Assistant General Manager
of SmackDown, so that he can spend more time with his girl Kristal. Vickie told her new boss, “I promise I won’t let our
fans down.” While Vickie seems to have turned over a new leaf, even Long has his reservations.
One Diva who is used to letting our fans down, or rather, making them duck for cover is Jillian. The wannabe pop princess
debuted her new song “Jill & Tonic,” and the results are the same – a toxic mix. The tone-deaf Diva caught the ire of
Boogeyman, and as she tried to escape, Michelle McCool threw her into the ring, leaving Jillian to a foul worming by
Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman.
MATCHES:
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
defeated
William Regal & Dave Taylor
via a disqualification
Matt Hardy
defeated
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Jimmy Wang Yang
defeated
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guererro
- NUMBER ONE CONTENDER`S MATCH -
"The Animal" Dave Batista
defeated
Mark Henry, Fit Finlay and Kane
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 407
6-1-07 Taped 5-29-07
John Labatt Center
London, Ontario, Canada
In a highly tumultuous week for sports-entertainment, the Superstars of SmackDown headed toward Saturday Night’s Main
Event and then One Night Stand with the imminent tri-branded draft circling their thoughts. Championships and rivalries
may all have to take a back seat after the blockbuster announcement of the draft and no Superstar, Diva or leprechaun is
safe when the draft takes place in less than two weeks on Raw.
The World Heavyweight Champion Edge brought his controversial talk show The Cutting Edge to SmackDown for the very first
time, hoping to assure the fans and himself that Batista did not intimidate him. By the end of the interview, however, the
psychological games backfired, and The Animal sent Edge down to the canvas with a right hook. The Rated-R Superstar called
out his guest, the man who will challenge him for the title at One Night Stand in a 15-foot high steel cage – Batista. The
overconfident World Champion looked to verbally tear down his challenger, telling Batista he was not afraid of him. The
ultimate opportunist then saw an opening to rub in the face of The Animal – their most recent in-ring encounter. “The last
time we were in the ring together was at Judgment Day,” he said, “and if memory serves me, I beat you that night.” As Edge
attempted to remind Batista, “I did in three seconds,” the champ was abruptly cut off. The Animal mocked, “what I couldn’t
do in three months, steal the title from Undertaker.” He continued, “we have all heard it before, Edge. You’re the World
Heavyweight Champion, but wait until One Night Stand.” With that warning from Batista, the Rated-R Superstar sneered back,
“at One Night Stand a steel cage won’t be the only thing hanging above your head.” Now, with the title planted firmly on
his shoulder, Edge taunted his challenger, “I know the thought of you choking in another world title match will be hanging
over your head.” As champion and challenger glared each other in the eyes, they began the schoolyard game of one-upping,
first playfully and then much more serious. A good luck wish from Edge to Batista turned into a playful pat on the cheek,
and then a shove. As the Rated-R Superstar slapped the challenger, The Animal punched him, leaving Edge on the mat as
SmackDown went off the air. The former champ has never looked better heading into the Steel Cage encounter, but he may
still be nursing the leg injury that has plagued him the past few weeks. When the two men step into the confines of the
steel cage at One Night Stand, Batista may have the advantage with his pure power and unmatchable strength. While that may
be the case, Edge is the champion, and he has always managed to find a way to win when he has been on top of the world.
The animosity has boiled into a heated rivalry, and on Sunday, the steel cage may be the only way to hold in the tension
between Edge and Batista – because neither competitor is willing to settle for anything less than the richest prize in the
game – the World Heavyweight Championship.
The self-proclaimed King of the Jungle may have won the battle on SmackDown, but the jungle may be set ablaze at One Night
Stand when the war between he and Kane reignites in a Lumberjack Match. In the Fatal Four Way collision the previous week
on SmackDown, Kane and Henry exchanged a barrage of big blows in hopes of becoming the No.1 contender to face Edge this
Sunday. Batista emerged victorious, the two behemoths blamed each other for their missed opportunity and a new rivalry was
birthed. The beef between these men brewed heavily leading into Friday night and both the Big Red Monster and the World’s
Strongest Man were anxious to expunge one another’s name from the SmackDown roster – and quite possibly the face of London,
Ontario, Canada. It was slobberknocker in the truest sense – though J.R. was nowhere nearby to call it such – as Kane
traded countless high-impact attacks with the 400-pound mastodon, Mark Henry. The Big Red Monster seemed relentless,
enduring the World’s Strongest Man’s most damaging slams – possibly connecting with his fallen brother, Undertaker. In a
retributive return attack, Kane blasted the man who decimated The Phenom weeks ago and attempted to match Henry’s
immeasurable power. Ultimately, the power of the World’s Strongest Man proved critical to the match as Kane launched
himself at Henry on the outside. Not only did Henry catch the flying 300-pound human napalm in his enormous arms, but he
then kept Kane jammed in those arms with a bearhug. As the referee counted to 10, Henry intelligently kept his opponent
locked in the squeeze to drain Kane and allow the count to proceed. With just enough time to get back in the ring, the
King of the Jungle drove the Big Red Monster’s flame-scarred body into the steel ringpost and earned a victory by
count-out. Henry celebrated briefly and before he could shuffle his massive frame up the aisle, Kane had already risen to
his feet. The fiery former WWE Champion then called out to his rival from the ring, assuring our fans that this battle of
the beasts is not over yet. Instantly, Assistant General Manager Vickie Guerrero – in her very first official duty on
SmackDown – penned a Lumberjack Match to take place at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view on Sunday. Kane will participate in
the contest of the “strangest” at Saturday Night’s Main Event and go on to compete against Mark Henry with the ring
flanked by droves of WWE Superstars. Again, it remains to be seen if these men can be contained by any number of athletes.
Can the city of Jacksonville contain these monsters at One Night Stand? Or will the destruction run far beyond Henry’s
jungles into the sizzling fires of hell itself?
Making her mark felt on SmackDown is the new Assistant General Manager Vickie Guerrero. On her first day on the job,
Vickie was instrumental in making the Lumberjack Match between Kane and Mark Henry. General Manager Theodore Long praised
Vickie for her efforts, and then addressed the worries of his girlfriend, Kristal. Long eased Kristal’s concerns of being
drafted away from her boyfriend by telling her that he would “give up everything to be with her.”
Deuce & Domino successfully defended their WWE Tag Team Championship in a Triple Threat Tag Match, defeating Paul London &
Brian Kendrick and William Regal & Dave Taylor. Triple threat rules were in effect, as only two competitors were allowed
in the ring at one time, although they could tag anyone they chose. The win for the men from the Other Side of the Tracks
did not come without controversy, as Deuce’s girlfriend and Domino’s sister Cherry got involved just when it seemed it was
London & Kendrick’s night, helping secure the win for her boys.
When it comes to securing victories, nobody has been hotter than Matt Hardy. He teamed with Chris Benoit to take on the
team of the United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter and The Miz. Benoit’s issues with MVP have not ended, and the
Wolverine took his hostility out on The Miz, forcing the recently aggressive youngster to tap to the Crossface. The U. S.
Champ MVP and Benoit will stare across the ring at each other again tomorrow night at Saturday Night’s Main Event in more
tag action, when Benoit teams with Batista to take on Porter & World Heavyweight Champion Edge.
One Diva who is feeling the thrill of success is Michelle McCool, who arrived at SmackDown after winning the Memorial Day
Bikini Beach Blast Battle Royal on Raw. The rivalry between McCool and Jillian has been brewing since the tone-deaf Diva
attacked Ashley, and McCool was able to pick up another victory over the wannabe pop princess when Ashley distracted
Jillian.
Two Superstars who won’t give each other an inch of breathing room are Hornswoggle and Little Boogeyman. The two will
participate at Saturday Night’s Main Event as part of “the smallest” attraction when Hornswoggle teams with Finlay, and
Little Boogeyman teams with Boogeyman. As a warm-up, the two squared off in singles action, with Finlay’s leprechaun using
the Tadpole Splash after a shillelagh shot from the Irishman to win the match with Boogeyman’s mini-sized minion. But
looking beyond Saturday night, given Shane McMahon’s claims that no one is safe from the draft; could Finlay & Hornswoggle
be headed separate ways?
MATCHES:
Chris Benoit & Matt Hardy
defeated
United States Champion MVP & The Miz
Michelle McCool defeated Jillian Hall
Hornswoggle defeated Little Boogeyman
Mark Henry defeated Kane
via countout
" WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino
defeated
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
and
William Regal & Dave Taylor
retaining the titles
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 408
6-8-07 Taped 6-5-07
Amway Arena
Orlando, Florida
The World Heavyweight Champion Edge had one of the most eventful nights in SmackDown history, taking our fans on a roller
coaster ride of emotion with one goal – gaining momentum as he heads toward a Do or Die showdown at Vengeance: Night of
Champions with Batista. After Assistant General Manager Vickie Guerrero announced the two huge main events to take place
on SmackDown – Edge versus Chris Benoit and Batista versus United States Champ MVP – Edge showed our fans the lows he is
willing to go to remain the champion. Ultimately, Batista countered by leaving the champion on his back after a spear,
thwarting any attempts to break him down. The Rated-R Superstar’s night began sour when he invited Mr. McMahon to be a
guest on The Cutting Edge. Edge had words of encouragement for the former ECW World Champion, and the delusional Chairman
took Edge’s praise as a mocking of his current title-less condition. McMahon told Edge he would defend his title at
Vengeance: Night of Champions in a Do or Die Match against Batista. If Edge defeats The Animal on June 24, the former
champion will never again face Edge for the gold. Looking to gain any momentum heading into that Night of Champions
encounter, Edge entered his first action on SmackDown since cashing in his Money in the Bank and winning the title from
Undertaker. As the Rated-R Superstar took on Chris Benoit in an instant classic, he proved again that he can find a way to
win. The champion had his arm raised in the non-title affair despite an incredible performance from Chris Benoit. Edge’s
Night of Champions opponent Batista was also in action, taking on the United States Champion MVP in a one-on-one contest.
MVP claimed prior to the match that, “I am better than you Batista in every way conceivable.” Porter even went as far as
taunting Batista, saying, “I am something you are not Batista – a champion.” He continued, “when I am in the ring, I am
straight up…ballin’.” Though the brazen Porter had all the confidence in his abilities going into the match, the power of
The Animal is enough to make any man’s ego dissolve. Seeing the match between Porter and Batista as an opening, the
Ultimate Opportunist Edge acted against Batista, perhaps paranoid over losing his title. Hoping to soften The Animal before
their Do or Die Match at Vengeance: Night of Champions, the Rated-R Superstar attacked. As it appeared Edge had Batista
where he wanted him, The Animal exploded, delivering a thunderous spear of his own to the champion, sending the clear
message that he will not be the hunted. Less than two weeks from the very first pay-per-view to feature every WWE title up
for grabs, desperation has become the motivation for Edge. As he furiously tries to rid himself of Batista week after
week, the Rated-R Superstar may very well be painting himself into a corner. When you try to corner an animal, it fights
even harder for its survival, much like Batista has been doing in his pursuit of the richest prize in sports-entertainment.
With Mr. McMahon Appreciation Day approaching very quickly this coming Monday night on a special three-hour Raw, the WWE
Chairman’s apparent descent into madness reached a new dark depth on Friday Night SmackDown. And unfortunately for the
SmackDown Superstars, no one was safe. The Chairman’s night of nervous prostration began on his first-ever appearance on
the World Heavyweight Champion’s controversial talk segment, The Cutting Edge. The Rated-R Superstar appeared a little
uneasy about his guest selection as Mr. McMahon began speaking in bizarre tongues of “evil” and “valleys of the shadow.”
Nonetheless, the patronizing, sycophantic host sided with the Chairman and stroked his billion-dollar ego. “The reason I
am in this ring is because of you…You still have your empire. You still have all your money. In the squared circle of life,
Mr. McMahon, you…are a World Champion,” Edge stated as he strew the World Heavyweight Championship onto the boss’ suited
lap. The Chairman then seemed to tweak out a bit as his face grimaced and he rose to his feet. “You’re no better,” Mr.
McMahon muttered. “Vengeance is mine.” Much to the Rated-R Superstar’s deep chagrin, the perturbed Chairman then decreed
that Edge will defend his title against Batista in a Do or Die Match at Vengeance: Night of Champions. The Animal will
meet the Rated-R Superstar again for the gold in Houston, regardless of the tri-branded Draft that will take place this
week on Raw. By Chairman’s orders, this will be his last opportunity as long as Edge is World Heavyweight Champion. Will
this one last chance be the only chance Batista needs to reclaim the World Heavyweight Title? The maniacal McMahon’s rain
over the SmackDown parade would continue as the Chairman dropped by the General Manager’s office to congratulate Vickie
Guerrero on her first major announcement as Assistant GM. While the babbling billionaire praised Vickie, the Chairman
expressed that he is repulsed by Theodore Long’s relationship with Kristal. An enraged Long was beside himself by Mr.
McMahon’s rude comments and his direct undermining of the General Manager’s authority. Clearly, the Chairman’s lunacy is
unbiased and unrestrained; perhaps no one on the WWE roster is safe. Perhaps the most appalling display of his increasing
dementia was his encounter with Ashley in the locker room area. Moments before Matt Hardy’s Handicap Match against WWE Tag
Team Champion Deuce & Domino, Mr. McMahon spoke with Hardy about the former World Tag Team Champion’s strenuous week
(thanks to the Chairman). Mid-conversation, the coffee-sipping Chairman was accidentally crashed into by Ashley as she
attempted to chase rival Diva Jillian in the halls of the Amway Center. “I feel terrible,” Ashley repeated as she offered
to even get the mad billionaire’s clothes dry cleaned. Despite Ashley’s incessant apologies, this locker room collision
sent the scalded, java-stained Chairman into an inexorable frenzy. Mr. McMahon argued that she “meant to do it” and after
mocking the tear-filled plea of the SmackDown Diva, he suspended her indefinitely. From valiant champions to top officials
to gorgeous Divas, none are exempt from Mr. McMahon’s irrational behavior.
Mark Henry has made the thrill of victory a permanent feeling since returning to SmackDown, and his path of glory has
meant a path of pain for anyone who has stepped in his way. After wearing down and dominating Kane at One Night Stand in a
Lumberjack Match, Henry was faced with taking on Boogeyman on SmackDown. The “self-proclaimed Silverback” dominated the
worm-eating Superstar en route to another impressive win. Henry then made sure that it was known that not even the
smallest of animals was safe in his jungle when he brutally attacked and annihilated Little Boogeyman.
Coming off of losing the World Tag Team Championship with his brother Jeff, Matt Hardy was thrust into a Handicap Match
against the WWE Tag Team Champions at the behest of Mr. McMahon. The courageous Hardy fought with everything he had,
pushing the tag champs to the limits, and when it seemed Matt had the match won after a Twist of Fate, Deuce delivered a
vicious Crack em’ in da’ Mouth to get the pin.
In Six-Man Tag Team action, Paul London & Brian Kendrick teamed with Jimmy Wang Yang to defeat Cruiserweight
Champion Chavo Guerrero, Daivari & Jamie Noble. With the Draft approaching, could this be the last time London & Kendrick
stand together as a team in a SmackDown ring?
MATCHES:
Mark Henry defeated The Boogeyman
Paul London, Brian Kendrick & Jimmy Wang Yang
defeated
Daivari, Jamie Noble & Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion Edge
defeated
Chris Benoit
- HANDICAP MATCH -
Deuce & Domino defeated Matt Hardy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Dave Batista
defeated
United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter
via a dsiqualification
Run Time: 1:59:34
SMACKDOWN
# 409
6-15-07 Taped 6-12-07
Wachovia Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
After the devastation of Monday’s Raw, the Superstars of SmackDown and the new draftees paid tribute to Mr. McMahon
throughout the night. As questions swirl around the tragic events that befell the Chairman, SmackDown carried on the show,
hoping to relieve some of the emotional stress that haunts them in the wake of the horrendous limo explosion.
A mere handful of days without the WWE Chairman felt like an eternity for the SmackDown roster who mourned the presumed
death of Mr. McMahon on Friday night. As the investigation continues by forensics specialists and explosives experts at
the crime scene miles away, the Superstars of SmackDown gathered for a Friday night vigil of their own in Philadelphia’s
Wachovia Center. From The Animal to the Rated-R World Heavyweight Champion himself, the entire locker room of friends,
rivals and bitter enemies stood side-by-side for a reverential and symbolic 10-time ring of the bell. With many Divas and
even monsters such as Mark Henry standing wrought with grief, tears were not uncommon in the opening moments of SmackDown.
Their minds inundated with questions about the events of Raw and the immediate future of WWE, the Superstars later
vocalized their most internal feelings. Still, as Ed Kaufman, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for WWE, Inc.
stated on behalf of the McMahon family on WWE.com (and again on Friday night), the show must go on. So, amid replays of
Monday night’s shocking limousine explosion, the action continued as usual on SmackDown. But to continue the memorial,
throughout the evening, former enemies of the maniacal Chairman and his greatest sycophants all shared their thoughts on
his apparent demise. William Regal, the very first member of the Mr. McMahon Kiss My Ass Club, shared some very fond
memories of his experience with the Chairman – and of course, his billion-dollar posterior. According to the pugnacious
Englishman, he feels like “a part of [his] life is gone.” “[Mr. McMahon] was the only American person that I truly
respected,” added a morose Regal, “and now he’s gone.” Despite the blatant manner in which Mr. McMahon undermined the
SmackDown General Manager’s authority one week earlier, Theodore Long also expressed his deep regret for
sports-entertainment’s most tragic loss. Likening the Chairman to a visionary much like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Long
described his deep appreciation for the opportunities Mr. McMahon offered him on SmackDown – a chance for Long to shine
when nobody else would give him a shot. Perhaps the most poignant message came from WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter who
claimed it was a sad day in WWE. Describing Mr. McMahon as “no ordinary general,” Slaughter spoke metaphorically of his
fallen leader. “WWE has lost its commanding officer,” explained the militant WWE Legend. “There’s an old saying that
generals start wars and the sergeants fight and finish them… I’m going to keep fighting.” The venerable former WWE Champion
then raised his hand to his legendary brow and uttered an emotional salutation to the Chairman. “Mr. McMahon, I salute
you,” said Slaughter with the appropriate gesture, “and I’m going to miss you.”
On Friday night, the Rated-R Superstar continued to play mental chess when he took on the veteran Flair in a non-title
match. Uniquely, Flair was appearing for the first time in nearly five years on SmackDown, and he has already made an
impact, challenging Montel Vontavious Porter to a match at Vengeance: Night of Champions for the U.S. Title. The move
certainly has sent Porter reeling, and during the contest, MVP interfered and the two champions looked to dismantle the
“Nature Boy”. Flair’s protégé and former Evolution partner, Batista, came to the ring to assist, but the ever-opportunistic
Edge was able to spear his challenger to return the favor from last Friday night. Heading into Vengeance: Night of
Champions, Edge has gained momentum in this rivalry for the time being.
Earlier in the night, Batista had built up steam in non-title action against the U.S. Champ MVP, picking up the victory
over the ballin’ Superstar. The Animal’s quest to regain the World Heavyweight Championship has been ongoing since his
loss to Undertaker at WrestleMania 23, and he will need to be in top form when he faces Edge in a Last Chance Match for
the title. If Batista is unable to defeat Edge on June 24, he will never have another title match while the Rated-R
Superstar has the gold around his waist. Since the announcement of the Last Chance Match, Edge has done everything in his
power to sidetrack Batista, hoping to soften his opponent before this epic match takes place. The champion has seemingly
smelled blood in the water, just waiting for the right moments to attack and weaken Batista. But with his back against the
wall, The Animal has never been more dangerous, knowing this may truly be his last chance to capture the championship.
While Batista and World Heavyweight Champion Edge both are acting out of desperation, United States Champion MVP has
always acted on the belief that he is better than the rest. The young Superstar may find himself without the title after
Vengeance: Night of Champions when he defends the gold against the 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, who has held the U.S.
Title a record five times. And while the ego-driven MVP stayed true to his words about being destined to wear a
championship, no event in WWE history has been more suited for the Dirtiest Player in the Game to take that destiny away.
The WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino defeated Paul London & Brian Kendrick. The boys from the Other
Side of the Tracks used their powerful, in-your-face style to pick up the win in what could be their last appearance on
SmackDown together. With the Supplemental Draft scheduled for Sunday at noon ET exclusively on WWE.com, Deuce & Domino, as
well as every other SmackDown Superstar, are still in danger of moving from Friday nights.
One Superstar who thrives on danger is Matt Hardy, who took on William Regal in one-on-one action. Hardy has been one of
the hottest Superstars in all of WWE lately, on a winning streak unmatched in recent memory before catching the ire of the
presumed dead Chairman. Regal, however, began the night with a heartfelt address over the events involving Mr. McMahon,
and he couldn’t find a way to overcome both Hardy and his emotions. Matt Hardy can certainly feel on track after the win
on SmackDown.
Jimmy Wang Yang became the No. 1 contender to Cruiserweight Champion of the World Chavo Guerrero and his title.
Yang was able to defeat Shannon Moore, Jamie Noble and Daivari in a Fatal Four Way match to decide who would take on
Guerrero at Vengeance: Night of Champions. Yang has had major success in non-title matches against the champion, but
Guerrero is a veteran who always shines brightest in the big moment. Can SmackDown’s resident redneck find the key to
success once more at Vengeance: Night of Champions?
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino
defeated
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
Matt Hardy defeated William Regal
- NON TITLE MATCH -
"The Animal" Dave Batista
defeated
United States Champion M.V.P.
- FATAL FOUR WAY MATCH -
Jimmy Wang Yang
defeated
Jamie Noble, Shannon Moore and Daivari
- NON TITLE MATCH -
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
defeated
World Heavyweight Champion Edge
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 410
6-22-07 Taped 6-19-07
Bobcats Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina
For Edge & MVP, SmackDown was perhaps a sneak preview and a lesson that they might have their hands full at Vengeance:
Night of Champions. For World Heavyweight Champion Edge, Friday night ended with a great view of Batista, as The Animal
stood over the incumbent title holder, raising two fingers to signal a two-day countdown to Vengeance: Night of Champions.
After what had just transpired in the Charlotte Bobcats Arena when Batista and Ric Flair earned a tag team victory over
Edge & Montel Vontavious Porter, The Animal had every reason to consider himself two days away from reclaiming the gold.
It was Edge’s own show that led to Theodore Long and Vickie Guerrero scheduling the tag team main event. After The Cutting
Edge’s host suggested Torrie Wilson as a prime suspect for Mr. McMahon’s limo explosion, Ric Flair quickly came to her
aid. When Montel Vontavious Porter joined to help the Rated-R Superstar with Flair, Batista rushed into the ring and
chased the two champions out. Despite taking control early in the match, Edge & MVP found themselves disarrayed in the
night’s waning moments. Just as a four-way brawl ensued, the “Nature Boy” cast MVP out of the ring, leaving Batista to
surprise a running Edge with a spinebuster, followed by a Batista Bomb and a cover. Batista has been counting down the
minutes to Vengeance: Night of Champions. The pay-per-view marks his last chance at the gold. If he doesn’t regain the
championship that he continues to insist belongs to him, Batista will have to wait until somebody other than Edge reigns
as World Heavyweight Champion before he can get another opportunity. In many sports, athletes often talk of a curse that
comes with third meetings. A team will beat their rivals twice, only to lose to them in the playoffs. If that curse rings
true for WWE, luck is on The Animal’s side. Judging from the tag team victory on SmackDown, however, luck is not something
Batista needs. The two-time World Heavyweight Champion looked ready to gain another term with the title, which in his mind
is simply a matter of time.
Since his assignment to the case of Mr. McMahon’s limousine explosion, federal investigator Daniel Beck has been sending
tsunami-sized waves throughout the world of sports-entertainment. But perhaps the most shocking facet of the
investigation’s findings came Friday night on SmackDown when Beck announced that in addition to Mr. McMahon and the limo
driver, the DNA of a “well-known personality” – a third party – has also been discovered in the remains of the vehicle.
“Forensics has confirmed the presence of DNA from Mr. McMahon, limousine driver Thomas Pagliaro and one other well-known
personality,” Beck announced. “At this juncture, our investigation continues to widen.” All week long, rumors were rampant
within WWE that Beck was prepared to make an announcement. Still, no one could have anticipated the federal agent’s
statement would include a revelation of such magnitude – not even the self-touted “master of mental chess,” Edge. The
apparent fiery demise of Mr. McMahon has affected each and every Superstar on the roster, including the World Heavyweight
Champion. To kick-off SmackDown, the Rated-R Superstar hosted his own investigation of sorts on his controversial talk
segment, The Cutting Edge. Perhaps a bit mentally tweaked heading into his title defense against Batista at Vengeance:
Night of Champions, Edge was simply wild in his accusations on Friday Night SmackDown. Introducing his guest, Torrie
Wilson, the Rated-R Superstar heatedly berated, castigated and even accused the Diva of being the individual behind the
Chairman’s explosive departure. As Beck explained later in the night, all “WWE Superstars, office personnel, and former
friends and associates of Mr. McMahon” will continue to be questioned until the case has been solved – that certainly
includes Torrie, with or without the claims of the Rated-R Superstar. But of that pool of associates, personnel and
Superstars (past and present), could one of them share a comparable genetic code to the DNA found by forensics specialists
in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.? Who could that “well-known personality” be? Of course, DNA doesn’t mean they did it. The
spiral-shaped genetic blueprint found within the vehicle could merely be that of another media mogul conducting business
with Mr. McMahon. Or, it may have been some Superstar selected by the Chairman to take out his enemy, Lashley, once and
for all. But say the DNA does link investigators directly to the person or persons involved. The list of possibilities is
quite literally endless. Might it be someone who had a public, well-documented issue with the Chairman such as
sportswriter and McMahon critic Phil Mushnick or sportscaster Bob Costas? In addition to current Superstars such as Bobby
Lashley and Triple H, could the DNA match with that of Bret Hart, The Rock, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, The
Ultimate Warrior – Superstars of times gone by, left with a foul taste in their mouth from Mr. McMahon’s maniacal ways?
Considering the past, one can’t discount the possibility of former WWE employees that have been abruptly terminated by Mr.
McMahon. Paul Heyman, Eric Bischoff and countless others have heard the words, “You’re fired!” uttered by the late
impresario. Speaking of moguls, might there be some credence in the possibility that another top media giant may have
played his or her hand in an attempt to hinder the “entertainment juggernaut” known as WWE? Might rivals of Mr. McMahon’s
like Donald Trump, Ted Turner, or other names of status like Rosie O’Donnell or Bill Gates be to blame? Who else might
look to deflate the Chairman’s billion-dollar business by taking out its top official and overlord? Revenge couldn’t be
sweeter for Jim Crockett or Verne Gagne (and son, Greg), whose defunct promotions fell at the feet of Mr. McMahon’s
empire. Let’s not omit those sharing their namesake with the presumably deceased Chairman: Shane, Linda and even the
tear-filled Stephanie McMahon. Could the third DNA sample found at the scene bear an overwhelmingly striking similarity to
that of the McMahon family patriarch?
While SmackDown marked a night of momentum and confidence for many Superstars heading into Vengeance: Night of Champions,
Theodore Long had the biggest Friday night. In light of Mr. McMahon’s presumed death and Long’s realization that life can
be filled with unexpected events, SmackDown’s General Manager asked Kristal to marry him. Taken aback, the Diva left the
ring in tears, but moments later composed herself and accepted Long’s proposal in the locker room area.
Chavo Guerrero hopes the main event tag team match on SmackDown wasn’t the only sign of things to come. Along with Jamie
Noble, he was able to defeat Shannon Moore and his Vengeance: Night of Champions opponent Jimmy Wang Yang. The
Cruiserweight Champion was able to gain momentum and get the three-count over Moore. Though Yang watched his team lose on
SmackDown, he has yet to be pinned in recent weeks and remains a threat to Guerrero’s gold on Sunday.
Matt Hardy got a match in as well, preparing for his chance to regain the World Tag Team Championship with his brother on
Sunday. His win over Finlay came at a high price, however, as the Irish brawler removed the protection from Hardy’s knee
and repeatedly blasted it like a punching bag.
Mark Henry rolled through Funaki, further establishing that he is truly King of the Jungle.
One of SmackDown’s newest Superstars, Chris Masters, earned a win with his devastating Masterlock.
MATCHES:
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero & Jamie Noble
defeated
Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore
Mark Henry defeated Funaki
Matt Hardy defeated Finlay
Chris Masters defeated Danny Shenley
Batista & Ric Flair
defeated
World Heavyweight Champion Edge & United States Champion M.V.P.
Run Time: 1:59:56
FOX
NEWS CHANNEL
6-26-07 LIVE
Benoit`s Home
Fayettville, Georgia
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his 7-year-old son, placing bibles at their sides,
before hanging himself from a pulley in his weight room, authorities said Tuesday.
Police ruled the death a double homicide-suicide and are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the
deaths. Authorities said they found prescription anabolic steroids in the home among other legal prescriptions. Steroid
abuse has been linked to depression, paranoia, and aggressive behavior or angry outbursts known as "roid rage." "There was
a lot of prescription medication that he had received from doctors with what we believed to be at this time legal
prescriptions," said Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. Police said that Nancy Benoit died of
asphyxiation on Friday, said Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard. She was found in an upstairs family room with
her legs and wrists bound and blood under her head, perhaps indicating a struggle, he said. The Benoits' son, Daniel, died
of asphyxiation sometime Saturday morning, Ballard said. He was found in his bed upstairs. Both mother and son had bibles
placed at their sides. Authorities found the pro wrestler dead in the basement, hanging from the pulley of a weight
machine. He died sometime late Saturday or Sunday, Ballard said. "In a community like this, it's bizarre just to have a
murder suicide -- certainly involving the death of a 7-year-old child," Ballard said. Nancy Benoit filed for a divorce in
May 2003, saying their three-year union was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment." But she later dropped the
complaint, as well as a request for a restraining order in which she charged that Benoit had threatened her and had broken
furniture in their home. In the divorce filing, she said Benoit made more than $500,000 a year as a professional wrestler
and asked for permanent custody of Daniel and child support. In his response, Benoit sought joint custody.
"He was like the dad you always wanted to have," Bill Apter, a pro-wresting writer and friend of Benoit, told FOX News.
"I just don't get this." Apter called Benoit pensive and quiet, adding: "Chris Benoit was not the type of guy that you
would profile to do anything of what is being alleged to have happened."
The World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler canceled a pay-per-view appearance at the "Vengeance" event in Houston because
of "personal reasons" a day before the trio were found dead. The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three separate
rooms of the house, off a gravel road about two miles from the Whitewater Country Club.
Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle. "We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasn't
rude, but he wasn't really outwardly warm," said Alaina Jones, who lives across the street. Jimmy Baswell, who was
Benoit's driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at the Benoits' gate. "They always seemed like they were
the happiest people," he said.
Whiteside said toxicology tests could take up to a week or longer to complete. Text messages from the wrestler seem to
have prompted the police to visit the home. "The sheriff's department will only confirm that he sent one text message
sometime around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, and I know that the WWE is saying that he sent several others, which is what prompted
them to contact the sheriff's office to go do a welfare check at the house," Saeed Ahmed of the Journal-Constitution told
FOX News.
World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being
alerted by friends who received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning." The WWE, based in
Stamford, Conn., said it had been asked by authorities not to release further information on the deaths.
Benoit was born in Montreal. He was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several
tag-team titles over his career. He was known by several names including "The Canadian Crippler." "WWE extends its
sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the company said
in a statement on its Web site. Benoit had maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct
World Championship Wrestling.The Fayette County Tax Assessors Office lists the value of the house, situated on more than
8.5 acres, at nearly $900,000. The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network
aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast on June 25.
Benoit's wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name "Woman," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
They met when her then-husband, Kevin Sullivan, drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of an
ongoing story line on World Championship Wrestling. Sullivan spoke to FOXNews.com late Tuesday and expressed shock and
sadness over the death of his ex-wife, who he married in 1985. From his home in Tavernier, Fla., Sullivan said he had not
spoken to his ex-wife since their split. “It’s surreal,” said Sullivan, who did not have children with Nancy Benoit. “She
was a nice person. We just went our separate ways. She was nice and very loving and I’m sure she was a good mother.”
Sullivan said he did not know Benoit well outside the ring. “I never associated with him, so I really don’t know his
personality,” he said. … “[But] I’m sad for all three, especially the child.”
Benoit, who has two other children from a prior relationship, became a standout at an early age among wrestling prospects
who trained in the dungeon basement of the house where fellow Canadians and professional wrestlers Owen and Bret Hart
trained. Owen Hart was killed during a wrestling event in 1999. "He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my
family is taking it real hard," said Bret Hart, a five-time champion with the now-defunct World Wrestling Federation.
Run Time: 26:28
SMACKDOWN
# 411
6-29-07 Taped 6-26-07
AT&T Center
San Antonio, Texas
Last Sunday may have been Vengeance: Night of Champions, but this week’s SmackDown was truly a night for revenge. Much to
his disappointment, Edge was forced by acting General Manager Vickie Guerrero to face Batista in a Night of Champions
rematch. Even though he is not eligible to win the World Heavyweight Championship, The Animal ran wild on Edge in the main
event. After punishing the Rated-R Superstar throughout much of the contest, Batista foiled his plans for a spear when he
turned it into a setup for an earth-shaking Batista Bomb, following by a three-count. As Edge lay on his back, Batista
raised the World Heavyweight Championship and then dropped it on the still body of the titleholder. The Ultimate
Opportunist still has the gold, but does The Animal have his number?
In one of the night’s inter-promotional matches, WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino had their hands full with Cryme
Tyme. Raw’s notorious thieves tripped Domino and popped him in the kisser, breaking his nose before Domino was able to
roll up Shad for the pin. Cryme Tyme may have lost, but revenge was theirs when they drove out of the arena in Deuce &
Domino’s ride. WWE Tag Team Champion Domino suffered a broken nose and a possible broken orbital socket. Domino and his partner, Deuce,
met the thieving Raw tandem on the greasers’ Friday night turf with heavy bragging rights at stake. Though the leather-
coated champions scored the victory after Domino rolled up Shad for the pin, it wasn’t an easy night for the guys from the
Other Side of the Tracks. During the match, JTG tripped up Domino, driving him face-first into the mat and instantly
drawing blood from the tag champ’s nose. Following the match – and Cryme Tyme’s robbery of Deuce & Domino’s car – WWE
medical staff tended to Domino where he was diagnosed with the injury.
Montel Vontavious Porter didn’t look as sharp as he did when he retained the United States Championship against Ric Flair
at Vengeance: Night of Champions. Capitalizing off of a missed kick by MVP, Kane sent the prosperous Superstar to the mat
with a chokeslam. Fortunately for MVP, the title is still his and his contest with Kane wasn’t an Inferno Match like the
last time they met at Armageddon.
Flair didn’t have the chance to get revenge on the United States Champion this week, though he was able to teach a lesson
to his other young, disrespectful rival, Carlito. Raw’s self-proclaimed coolest Superstar suffered the infamous Figure
Four Leg Lock before tapping out to his former mentor.
The Cruiserweight Championship was once again on the line when Chavo Guerrero faced Jamie Noble and Funaki in a Triple
Threat Match. Proving once again that he deserves the gold, Chavo covered Funaki to earn the win. Perhaps nobody is quite
on his level when it comes to SmackDown’s cruiserweight division.
Another chance for vengeance came when Matt Hardy took on one half the World Tag Team Champions, Lance Cade. Hardy hit him
with a Twist of Fate out of nowhere and covered Cade, who didn’t have his partner in crime this time around to help him
bend the rules.
The Great Khali turned Eugene into his personal ragdoll and Mickie James spoiled Victoria’s
first night in action as a member of the SmackDown roster.
MATCHES:
Ric Flair defeated Carlito
Matt Hardy defeated Lance Cade
" CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP "
- TRIPLE THREAT MATCH -
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero
defeated
Funaki and Jamie Noble
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino
defeated
"Cryme Tyme" Shad & JTG
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Kane defeated United States Champion M.V.P.
Mickie James defeated Victoria
The Great Khali defeated Eugene
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Batista defeated World Heavyweight Champion Edge
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 412
7-6-07 Taped 7-2-07
American Airlines Center
Dallas, Texas
When Edge began hosting The Cutting Edge, you can be sure he didn’t have the latest edition in mind. After asking Theodore
Long for the night off from action, the SmackDown General Manager promised the Rated-R Superstar his biggest guest in The
Cutting Edge’s history… and he delivered. Kane surprised the World Heavyweight Champion, tossing the host out of the ring
and earning himself a title opportunity at The Great American Bash.
Edge held his aching jaw and paced, muttering to himself and shaking his head. The World Heavyweight Champion’s teeth were
rattled by a right uppercut from Kane, his surprise guest on The Cutting Edge. Earlier that night, SmackDown General
Manager Theodore Long had granted Edge’s request to have the night off from in-ring action, but told him that he would
have his “biggest guest ever” on his talk show. Long refused to tell an intrigued Edge who his guest was, and the champion
was stunned when Kane’s pyro erupted and the Big Red Machine lumbered down to the ring. Edge’s fortune only went from bad
to worse when Long announced that he would defend his championship against the Big Red Machine at The Great American Bash
on July 22. The Rated-R Superstar could only mutter some Rated-R words to himself as he thought about his looming
championship defense. Given his recent success against Batista, he doesn’t even think he should have to get in the ring
with Kane. “Obviously, somebody is out to get me – Teddy Long, maybe Vickie Guerrero, maybe Kristal, for that matter,”
Edge told WWE.com. “I don’t know what else I can do. I just got through a hellacious trilogy with Batista. I defeated
Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship, and now you’re throwing Kane at me? Kane, who I actually have a long
history with, and who’s not exactly fond of me. So, from the Big Red Machine [and on], what else could you possibly do to
me?” Edge clearly hasn’t forgotten about the battles he and Kane had in 2005, and neither has the sadistic monster. He
said only four words during his appearance on The Cutting Edge – “I – DON’T – LIKE – YOU” – before sending the Rated-R
Superstar scurrying with a thunderous right hand. Back in 2005, Edge and Kane waged a personal war that revolved around
Lita, former Women’s Champion and one-time paramour of both men. When the red-headed Diva betrayed Kane and left him for
Edge, that launched a series of Street Fights, Cage Matches, and other encounters that left a trail of blood and broken
bones. Though Kane overwhelmed Edge with his power, the Rated-R Superstar seemed to always find a way to outsmart him. And
Edge continued to follow that pattern after he eked past Kane, winning the WWE Championship twice and then the World
Heavyweight Championship. This time around with Kane, the stakes are higher. However, Edge believes the outcome will be
the same. “I must survive this – I will survive this,” he said. “Kane may be 7 feet tall, he may be 326 pounds. He may be
this disfigured tortured monster. He may be all these things. But I am the Rated-R Superstar. You can call me the Ultimate
Opportunist; I may be that, too. What that means is I will outsmart Kane.” Edge heard our fans roar – and could envision
Long doing his trademark shimmy-shimmy – when his Great American Bash match was announced. His eyes widened as the Big Red
Monster laughed upon learning about his championship opportunity. He is aware that many people will enjoy seeing Kane
bounce him around the ring. Edge has one message for his doubters: Get ready to eat your words. “Everyone will doubt me.
Everyone will think that Kane will eat my lunch,” Edge said, massaging his World Heavyweight Championship. “But when the
match is over, I will walk out with my World Heavyweight Championship, continuing the Rated-R era, and everyone will have
to eat crow.” Edge better be careful – he could end up eating crow himself. Since his return after a brief absence, Kane
has seemed more focused. When he pinned MVP in a non-title match, some insiders thought he would target the United States
Champion. But the Big Red Machine has his eyes on a bigger prize. Behind his sadistic tendencies and demented laugh, it is
easy to forget that Kane is one of WWE’s most decorated Superstars. In his nearly 10 years in WWE, Undertaker’s younger
brother has held the WWE Championship, Intercontinental Championship and the World Tag Team Championship multiple times
with several different partners. That’s okay, says Edge. Kane’s championship résumé will only make the Rated-R Superstar’s
victory at The Great American Bash that much sweeter. The World Heavyweight Champion is out to silence his naysayers and
prove that he is the best. And if you don’t believe it, just ask him. “I’ve defeated every top name there is to beat in
this industry,” he said. “You can go down the list: I’ve defeated Triple H. I’ve defeated Shawn Michaels. I’ve defeated
Randy Orton. I’ve defeated John Cena. I’ve defeated Undertaker. I’ve defeated Batista. I’ve defeated Ric Flair. Look at
the history books. … Let me ask you this: How does one win 12 World Tag Team Championships (which is a record, by the way),
five Intercontinental Championships, a U.S. Championship, [be a] two-time Money in the Bank? You don’t do that by
accident. You don’t do that by just being the smartest. You do that by being the best.”
Looking for a Bash invitation of his own, The Great Khali terrorized everybody in his path, promising not to stop until
somebody accepts his open challenge for a match at the pay-per-view. After several of Khali’s attacks, Batista marched to
the squared circle and stood eye-to-chest with the Indian giant. The Animal’s acceptance came too late for some, though.
Jimmy Wang Yang suffered a double-handed chokeslam, Deuce and Eugene’s match was interrupted as both were attacked, and
even a producer was thrown almost through a wall.
Matt Hardy kicked off the night with a victory over United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter. The win was anything
but easy as both men contributed to one of the most athletic contests our fans have ever seen. With his victory, Hardy may
have taken a step closer to becoming a contender for the United States Championship.
In their first match against each other in each of their illustrious careers, Finlay found a way to pick up the win
against Ric Flair, beating him at his own dirty game. Hornswoggle tried to interfere and the “Nature Boy” hit him with a
vicious chop. When the referee examined the injured leprechaun, however, Finlay struck Flair in the back of the knee with
his Shillelagh. Moments later, Flair tapped out to the Celtic Cross.
Jimmy Wang Yang has enjoyed success in the past few months, winning match after match and coming close to earning the
Cruiserweight Championship at Vengeance: Night of Champions. When he faced Chris Masters, though, it looked like time for
him to ride off into the sunset. The Masterpiece had his way with the redneck rebel, capping the contest with the
virtually inescapable Masterlock.
The Major Brothers made their SmackDown debut with a convincing win. Chuck Palumbo also had success in his first Friday
night match when he silenced the cocky Kenny Dykstra.
During a photo shoot, Torrie Wilson told Victoria exactly what she thought of her: the Diva is crazy. The brawling
beauties destroyed the set as they clawed at each other until they were pried away, but the rivalry is sure to heat up
further.
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Matt Hardy defeated United States Champion M.V.P.
Chris Masters defeated Jimmy Wang Yang
The Major Brothers defeated Two Locals
Fit Finlay defeated Ric Flair
Chuck Palumbo defeated Kenny Dykstra
Eugene vs Deuce
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:52
LARRY KING LIVE
7-9-07 LIVE
CNN Studios
Los Angeles, California
Why did wrestling star Chris Benoit kill his family then himself?
As mysteries multiply around his indicted doctor and his murdered son's health,
his closest wrestler friends try to make sense of it all.
Larry`s guests include:
John Cena, Chris Jericho, Bret Hart, Ted Dibiasi & Steve Blackman
John Cena gives the first interview since the Benoit tragedy --
he is the first Current WWE Superstar to speak outside the WWE tribute.
Comments from:
Konan, Lex Luger, Bruno Sammartino, C.M. Punk, Steve Austin & Stephanie McMahon.
Run Time: 60:00
SMACKDOWN
# 413
7-13-07 Taped 7-10-07
New Orleans Arena
New Orleans, Louisiana
Whether or not Batista truly knows what he is doing by accepting The Great Khali’s open challenge, their match at The
Great American Bash is now official. The Animal couldn’t wait to put the ink on the paper when he sat across from the
giant for a contract signing. When he wrote his name, he made a statement: he is certain and he is confident, despite
Khali's impressive resume and massive size. The Great Khali didn’t come to the table with the same enthusiasm as his
pay-per-view opponent. Translator Ranjin Singh called Batista an animal who belongs in a cage rather than in the ring with
a competitor like Khali, seemingly stalling the inevitable signing. After some thunderous words from The Great Khali
himself, he signed and formally closed his open challenge. Batista offered a handshake when the two Superstars rose from
their seats, but when The Great Khali refused it, The Animal slapped him across the face. Batista may not be quite as tall
as his opponent, but he is big enough to strike fear in the giant, who fled the ring. Displaying his power, The Great
Khali tore the stairs away from ringside and threw them into the squared circle, only to have them returned via airmail
along with every chair and a table.
Naturally, it will be a sizzling summer night in late July for The Great American Bash, but with the Big Red Monster
pursuing Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship, the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., may roast in hell’s flames.
After uttering four very strong words to the Rated-R Superstar last week on SmackDown – “I don’t like you” – Kane has the
opportunity to torture the disliked champion and claim the World Heavyweight Title. “I don’t like him. I really, really,
really don’t like [Edge],” Kane reiterated, his brow lowering to forge a hostile glare. “It’s not unique amongst anybody
here at WWE because nobody really likes him, but I have a special loathing for Edge because over the years, our
relationship has become very personal.” The Big Red Monster certainly demonstrated his disdain for the Rated-R Superstar
on Friday Night SmackDown as he crashed the champion’s Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. Brazenly parading to the
ring to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching in,” Edge tried to overcome the mind games of his Bash opponent with a
mid-ring masquerade. The party, however, soon turned to bedlam as Kane – well disguised in an oversized king suit – laid
to waste a gaggle of Edge’s costumed Cajuns. The Ultimate Opportunist escaped, but will be unable to run as he draws
closer to his showdown next Sunday. Amid the many scars tattooed on the wounded body of the Big Red Monster, within the
mind of the challenger lay ill memories of past encounters with the Rated-R Superstar. In 2004, the scalded fiend finally
found love in the many-times-conquered Diva, Lita, and even wed the former Women’s Champion. However, Kane’s ephemeral
bond with the former Diva ended, as she turned her back on her husband and ran to the opportunistically open arms of Edge.
The sordid, tangled pasts of both competitors meet their immediate futures in just more than one week at The Great
American Bash. According to the Big Red Monster, his deep abhorrence for the World Heavyweight Champion will not supersede
his intent to maim Edge and achieve the SmackDown brand’s golden prize. “The match is still going to be about the World
Heavyweight Championship,” explained the charred leviathan. “But, I will take pleasure in dishing out as much pain as I
can along the way to winning the match and the title.” When pain is on the mind of Kane – a man who has battled multiple
times in the Elimination Chamber, competed in the morbid, foreboding contest known as the Casket Match and walked through
flames in Inferno Matches – the level of the intended torture is near immeasurable. At The Bash, Edge will need to protect
his title as always, but he must also be certain to prepare to enter the depths of physical torment and hope he can
survive at best. “I have so many different ideas floating around in my mind,” said the sinister seven-footer as he
contemplated his methods for dissecting the Rated-R Superstar. “Whatever twisted thing pops into my mind at that
particular moment, that’s what I’m going to do.” Could the scent of sulfur and brimstone signify doom for the Ultimate
Opportunist at The Great American Bash? Has Edge merely secured an opportunity to be brutalized? Can mental chess contend
with physical butchery? Find out at The Great American Bash.
SmackDown kicked off with a hard-fought match between Matt Hardy and Chris Masters that could have gone to either
Superstar. Hardy found his way to a victory, however, with a Twist of Fate as his opponent at The Great American Bash
Montel Vontavious Porter looked on. When the bell sounded, MVP came to ringside and exchanged taunts, distracting Hardy
and setting him up for Masters to apply the dreaded Master Lock from behind. MVP had his fun with the trapped Superstar,
hitting him with elbows and the Playmaker and taking the mental advantage just nine days before they face.
Mark Henry had his way with a Superstar, as well. The World’s Strongest Man was initially slated to take on Deuce, but the
greaser pulled a fast one and convinced Eugene to take on his opponent in exchange for a ride in their hot rod. Eugene
quickly regretted the deal when he saw Henry pound toward the ring. Deuce, Domino and Cherry laughed as they watched
Eugene submit, ending a quick contest.
Jimmy Wang Yang also regretted stepping into the ring when he faced Finlay. The Irish brawler gave the redneck Superstar a
taste of the Celtic Cross, leading to his victory, but that was only the beginning. Hornswoggle fired out from under the
ring and donated his body to be used as a weapon as Finlay drove the leprechaun into Yang’s stomach.
The Major Brothers picked up an upset victory against Chavo Guerrero & Jamie Noble when Brett
Major pinned Chavo after a dropkick off the turnbuckle. Chuck Palumbo also earned his second win on SmackDown in quick,
convincing fashion.
Victoria and Torrie Wilson faced to settle their differences after last week’s brawl
during a photo shoot. The match took the beauties out of the ring as the two pounded each other, but Torrie took control
and hit Victoria with two boots to the chest, leaving the former two-time Women’s Champion to be counted out.
MATCHES:
Matt Hardy defeated "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
Fit Finlay defeated Jimmy Wang Yang
"The Major Brothers" Bret & Brian
defeated
Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero & Jamie Noble
Chuck Palumbo defeated Luke Hawks
"The Silverback" Mark Henry defeated "The Special" Eugene
Torrie Wilson defeated Victoria
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 414
7-20-07 Taped 7-17-07
Laredo Entertainment Center
Laredo, Texas
In the course of two hours, our fans saw Edge relinquish the World Heavyweight Championship, The Great Khali win it in a
Battle Royal, and perhaps the most epic Triple Threat Match in WWE history made for The Great American Bash. As the show
opened, General Manager Theodore Long brought Edge to the ring. The Rated-R Superstar announced to our fans that he had
suffered a torn pectoral muscle the previous week, an injury that will keep him out of action for four months. Since the
WWE rulebook states that all champions must defend their title once every thirty days, Long ordered Edge (who obviously
can’t fulfill that obligation) to surrender the gold. “I’ve overcome many injuries before, and I could accept those
because they happened on the field of battle. But this one didn’t; I was the innocent victim of a seven-foot psychotic
monster,” Edge said about his injury. “But even though Kane has robbed you of the joy of seeing me in action, I left you a
little something to remember me by.” With that, the Rated-R Superstar proved that his pride hadn’t been damaged by
unveiling a tribute video to himself. Once that ended, Edge relinquished the gold to Long, ending the Rated-R Era for
now.
The General Manager moved quickly however, announcing that a 20-Man Battle Royal would be held to determine a new
champion. Looking for an opportunity at gold, 17 men did their best to make it to the end (17-and-a-half if you count
Hornswoggle’s momentary involvement), but the final moments saw Batista, Kane and The Great Khali as the last three men
standing. With Batista and Kane battling perilously close to the ropes, Khali swooped in and dumped both big men over the
top rope, winning the Battle Royal to become the new World Heavyweight Champion, much to the shock of our fans in Laredo.
Immediately following the victory, Khali (through interpreter Ranjin Singh) said that people all over India were
celebrating the first Indian World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history. Meanwhile, elsewhere inside the Laredo
Entertainment Center, Long and Assistant GM Vickie Guerrero were forced to rework SmackDown’s contributions to The Great
American Bash. Long decided that Batista and Kane would meet in the main event of SmackDown, with the winner facing Khali
for the title at The Bash.
It must have been an ecstatic moment for Batista, who was getting a second chance to make good on an opportunity he didn’t
know he would ever get; after all, thanks to his loss to Edge at Vengeance, The Animal couldn’t challenge for the World
Heavyweight Championship as long as the Rated-R Superstar held it. For Kane, meanwhile, it meant he had to fight to get
back something he had already earned once; a doubly taxing thought when Edge made it clear that it was the Big Red
Monster’s own fault that he lost it in the first place. Once again, however, The Great Khali made his presence felt.
Moments after Kane nearly won a hard-fought bout with a thunderous chokeslam, Batista regained full control and looked
ready to move on to The Bash. It wasn’t to be, however, as Khali made his way to ringside and attacked The Animal, forcing
referee Mickie Henson to call for the bell and end the match. Kane interjected himself, helping the man he was just
battling fight off the attack of the 7-foot-3 Indian powerhouse. The threat was averted, but there was one problem:
because of Khali’s interference, the match had been thrown out and no one had become the No. 1 contender.
Quickly, Theodore Long saved the day, making an announcement that would shake the very foundation of SmackDown for the
third time that night. Long’s edict said that The Great American Bash would see The Great Khali vs. Kane (the original No.
1 contender) vs. Batista (Khali’s original Bash opponent) in a Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight
Championship. In the span of two hours, the entire SmackDown world was turned upside down and a new king ascended the
SmackDown mountain. The Great Khali might have been dancing on the ceiling out of sheer excitement after winning the gold,
but he must now get past the onslaught of two former World Champions at The Bash to keep the title.
After competing in the 20-Man Battle Royal, Matt Hardy defeated Kenny Dykstra to continue
his hot streak heading into his match with United States Champion MVP at The Great American Bash. Will Hardy’s string of
successes in 2007 translate into his first major singles title in WWE? Also, Victoria defeated Torrie in a Divas Match.
MATCHES:
Victoria defeated Torrie
" WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP "
- 20 MAN OVER THE TOP BATTLE ROYAL -
The Great Khali
defeated
Mark Henry, Eugene, Kane, Chris Masters
Matt Hardy, Duece, Domino, Bret & Brian Majors
Jimmy Wang Yang, Chavo Guerrero, Shannon Moore
Jamie Noble, Kenny Dykstra, Dave Taylor, M.V.P.
Funaki, Fit Finlay & Dave Batista
becoming new World Heavyweight Champion
Matt Hardy defeated Kenny Dykstra
Batista vs Kane
endded in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 415
7-27-07 Taped 7-24-07
Save Mart Center
Fresno, California
The Great Khali had reason to hold a “Championship Celebration” on SmackDown Friday night. In just over a week, he
established his monstrous dominance in a 20-Man Battle Royal to win the World Heavyweight Title, then defeated two of
WWE’s mightiest Superstars at The Great American Bash. Therefore, Khali stood in the ring and allowed himself to be
adorned by translator Ranjin Singh, as well as dancers and worshippers who bowed before his colossal presence. Truly, it
was to be a night of festivity, Punjabi-style, for a champion whom SmackDown commentator John Bradshaw Layfield referred
to as “the unstoppable giant.” Apparently, JBL’s words went unheeded by Batista, who stopped the jubilant celebration, the
dancing and bowing, and most incredibly, the giant himself. Batista crashed the Punjabi-style party with a definite
intent, and it wasn’t to dispute Singh’s favor-currying comparisons of The Great Khali to Indian pioneers like Mother
Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi and M. Night Shyamalan. It was evident that he still seethed with pent-up Animal rage over Khali
pinning Kane at The Bash’s Triple Threat Match, thereby also depriving him of the World Heavyweight Title. In fact,
Batista’s emotions seemed to be running especially high Friday night, judging from the brute-forceful manner in which he
dispensed with one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, Deuce, earlier in the evening. It’s almost inconceivable that a
6-foot-6 powerhouse like Batista could look like an undersized underdog in anyone’s presence. But The Great Khali isn’t
just anyone; at 7-foot-3 and 420 pounds, the largest World Champion in WWE history dwarfed even the unimpressed Animal,
who stood before him with a proposition: “I want to challenge you to a one-on-one match against me for the World
Heavyweight Title. And if you’re so great, you’ll accept.” Our fans in Fresno’s Save Mart Center were all for it, judging
from the ovation that accompanied Batista’s words. Having witnessed his unforgettable several-month odyssey to reclaim the
World Heavyweight Title from Undertaker, then Edge and, most recently Khali, they could certainly appreciate Batista’s
relentless devotion toward sports-entertainment’s biggest prize – a prize that now laid on the massive shoulder of an
unstoppable giant. The Great Khali replied in his native tongue, though our fans heard the one word they needed to
understand, and condemn, his answer: An emphatic “No! No!” At that moment, Batista no longer viewed Khali as some
unconquerable T-Rex, or a World Champion who held victories over himself, Kane, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and John Cena.
Instead, he saw a seemingly-immovable Goliath falter for the briefest of instants. And that’s when The Animal struck.
Unloading a series of punches that could topple even the strongest wall, Batista actually made The Great Khali stagger.
The shocked World Champion tried grabbing his challenger by the throat, almost defensively, but The Animal quickly broke
the hold. Propelling himself off the ropes, Batista then dropped Khali with a spear that would have impaled any lesser
being. Our fans in Fresno erupted as the so-called unstoppable giant practically free-fell to the canvas (trust us – at
his size, he free-fell), then rolled to the outside floor, clearly in pain. As The Animal continued roaring in the ring,
the World Heavyweight Champion and his underhanded underling retreated up the SmackDown ramp. For them, the party was
over. More important, a message was delivered: However difficult it might be, The Great Khali, the unstoppable giant,
could be stopped…and, provided he gets the title opportunity that he demands, Batista may well be the man to do it. “Make
no bones about it,” Michael Cole announced as the disrupted Championship Celebration ended and SmackDown went off the
air. “Batista wants his championship back, and he’s going to stop at nothing to get it!”
Well, that didn’t quite work out like Jamie Noble expected. Earlier this week, Noble told WWE.com that he planned to get
revenge on Hornswoggle for pinning him and “stealing” the Cruiserweight Championship at The Great American Bash. Come
Friday night, Noble was deemed the No. 1 contender for the gold and got his chance; but when SmackDown invaded the Save
Mart Center, Noble was once again on the short end of the stick, losing via count-out to the pint-size pugilist. The mind
games began before the match even started, as Hornswoggle didn’t come to the ring when announced. Growing frustrated,
Noble stormed out of the ring, searching high and (very, very) low for the new champion. After a few minutes of futility,
Noble turned to see the leprechaun and his band of gold standing…err, tall in the squared circle. What ensued from there
was the most mismatched game of cat and mouse our fans could ever dream of. Hornswoggle channeled Forrest Gump and just
kept running and running — even making a brief stop at home, under the ring — before actually gaining a small upper hand
over Noble with a flurry of punches and a Little Boot to the face. The mini-onslaught was short-lived, though, as Noble’s
size advantage finally helped him get control of the leprechaun. Unfortunately, he made a huge mistake, as he once again
tossed Hornswoggle to the outside floor. After another chase that would make Tom & Jerry proud, Noble caught the champion
as he tried to scamper up the steps. Just then, the Luck of the Irish smiled upon the little warrior. As Hornswoggle
kicked at Noble, his shoe came off in the challenger’s grasp, sending him crashing into the barricade. The champion
slithered back into the ring as referee Charles Robinson counted to 10; Robinson called for the bell and Hornswoggle was
declared the winner by count-out, making his first title defense a successful one. The looks on the faces of both champion
and challenger told the story; Noble couldn’t believe he lost to the leprechaun again, while the vertically-challenged
champion seemed surprised that he still held the gold. Regardless, a celebration erupted, and a visibly enraged challenger
chucked Hornswoggle’s shoe back at the giddy champion. It remains to be seen whether Noble will get another chance at
revenge, but until then, the pointing and whispering that has been directed at him since The Bash may continue. One thing
is for sure, though: Hornswoggle’s win all but ensured him that his reign as Cruiserweight Champion won’t be the shortest
on record.
Fellow North Carolinians Matt Hardy and Ric Flair were Ballin’ after defeating Montel
Vontavious Porter and Chris Masters in tag-team action. After the loss, MVP pointed out that since he wasn’t the one who
was actually pinned by Matt, he still is better than him. The frustrated Hardy then made some demands of his own, telling
SmackDown’s Franchise Playa to put his money where his mouth is and grant him a rematch for the United States
Championship. When the hotshot champion insisted that his title was off the table, Matt proposed another challenge: “I'll
name the game, and I’ll beat you…again and again and again and again…. I’ll beat you so bad, you’ll have to defend the
United States Championship against me. And when you do, I will prove I’m better than you.”
Dressed head-to-toe in cowboy boots, tight jeans and cowboy hats, the beautiful Torrie Wilson teamed up with SmackDown’s
resident redneck, Jimmy Wang Yang, for intergender tag action against Victoria and Kenny Dykstra. Catapulted to victory
after an impressive moonsault by Yang, the two Superstars “yee-hawed” all the way to the locker room area.
Even though former Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero couldn’t retain his title at The Great American Bash, he still
had a mean streak, judging from the way he handled Eugene. Despite SmackDown’s wrestling savant displaying some impressive
in-ring maneuvers, in the end it wasn’t enough to stop the methodically malicious Guerrero from scoring the pinfall.
Kane showed our fans and Dave Taylor just how much he relishes inflicting pain, defeating the brash Brit in a
matter of minutes with an emphatic chokeslam.
Mark Henry picked up an even quicker victory, however, by viciously destroying Joey Blalock with one of his brutal
bearhugs. The self-proclaimed “king of the SmackDown jungle” then roared to the crowd that no Superstar on the SmackDown
roster could beat him.
MATCHES:
Batista defeated Deuce
" CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP "
Hornswoggle defeated Jamie Noble
via a countout, retaining the title
Chavo Guerrero defeated Eugene
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Matt Hardy
defeated
M.V.P. & "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
Mark Henry defeated Joey Blalock
Kane defeated Dave Taylor
Jimmy Wang Yang & Torrie Wilson
defeated
"The Dyke" Kenny Dykstra & Victoria
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 416
8-3-07 Taped 7-31-07
U.S. Airways Center
Phoenix, Arizona
SmackDown kicked off on a happy note Friday night, when General Manager Theodore Long and his sexy fiancée, Kristal,
announced in the ring that on September 21, they will declare their vows on the show that’s changed Friday nights, and all
our fans are invited to attend. But then “Teddylicious” and Kristal were interrupted by The Great Khali and his
translator, Ranjin Singh, who stormed out to complain how his Punjabi “Championship Celebration” had been ruined the week
before by Batista. An irate Long put his managerial foot down, ordering the giant World Heavyweight Champion to put his
title on the line against The Animal at SummerSlam. So the angered 7-foot-3 monster later took his frustrations out by
disrupting Batista & Ric Flair’s non-title match against WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino. And the “Nature Boy” would
feel the frightening fury of the colossal champion and his newest hand-weapon, a devastating claw to the skull.
Determined to prove he’s better than the brash and cocky Montel Vontavious Porter, Matt Hardy declared his first challenge
against the United States Champion: An arm wrestling competition. Despite MVP’s stalling tactics, a focused Matt
eventually forced the Franchise Playa’s arm down on the table for the win. The aggravated hotshot claimed that he’s still
better than Matt because he wasn’t ready, and he can still beat him where it counts: Wrestling. Yet when it looked like he
might lose the intense non-title match that immediately took place, the United States Champion bailed with the gold,
resulting in a count-out win for Hardy.
Frustration certainly was the recurring theme of the evening, and Jamie Noble’s night proved no different. After Funaki
and Shannon Moore’s arena hallway taunts of how Noble lost to the only Superstar shorter than him, the cruiserweight
physically vented his outrage on Moore inside the squared circle, utilizing a ferocious gutbuster to score the pinfall.
Shortly after the victory, Noble’s worst nightmare popped out from beneath the ring. Hornswoggle, the miniature
Cruiserweight Champion of the World, taunted Noble with the gold and laughed in his face…before slamming it with a huge
cream pie.
Former Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero had also been in a taunting mood, expressing to Vickie Guerrero how much he
was looking forward to Rey Mysterio’s return at SummerSlam – as a one-legged wrestler. SmackDown’s Assistant G.M. wasn’t
in a laughing mood, however, so she put her nephew-in-law in equally poor humor -- by naming Chavo as Rey’s opponent at
The Biggest Party of the Summer.
Mark Henry “explained” to unfortunate opponent Nate Nickerson why he thinks he rules the SmackDown jungle. Vehemently
taking out the local wrestler with an excruciating bear hug, Henry then showed our fans why no one has answered his open
challenge to step into the ring with him, presenting footage of his vicious assault on Undertaker last May, which cost The
Phenom his World Heavyweight Title and placed him on the shelf indefinitely.
Kane – a monster who’s eager to accept anyone’s challenge – squared off against Chris Masters. While The Masterpiece
nearly pulled off the upset by clamping Kane in his powerful Master Lock, the Big Red Machine escaped the hold and sealed
Masters’ fate with an emphatic chokeslam.
Jimmy Wang Yang, accompanied down the ramp by Torrie Wilson, went one-on-one with Kenny Dykstra, who was joined by
Victoria at ringside. After hitting his top-rope moonsault for the victory, SmackDown’s resident redneck and the beautiful
Diva “yee-haw’ed” all the way to the locker room area, leaving an audibly heated Dykstra and Victoria in the ring.
MATCHES:
Kane defeated "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
Mark Henry defeated Nate Nickerson
- ARM WRESTLING CONTEST -
Matt Hardy defeated United States Champion M.V.P.
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Matt Hardy defeated M.V.P.
Jamie Noble defeated Shannon Moore
Jimmy Wang Yang defeated "The Dyke"Kenny Dykstra
"The Animal" Dave Batista & "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
vs
WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 417
8-10-07 Taped 8-7-07
Chevrolet Centre
Youngstown, Ohio
Before a capacity crowd at the Chevrolet Centre, fury and aggression dominated SmackDown Friday night, building momentum
to the Biggest Party of the Summer. A fired-up Batista started things off by taking his rage out on co-WWE Tag Team
Champion Domino in one-on-one action, hitting Batista Bombs to score the pinfall and to punish his opponent’s interfering
accomplice, Deuce. A video message from World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali then appeared, warning The Animal that
he would fall victim to the Claw at SummerSlam, just like Ric Flair did on SmackDown a week before. Later that night, the
“Nature Boy” had his mind set on revenge for that previous vicious attack attack by Khali; however, despite a valiant
effort, even the 16-time World Champion couldn’t stop the newest weapon in the Punjabi giant’s awesome arsenal. After The
Great Khali’s enormous hand forcefully clutched onto Flair’s skull and forced him to the canvas, The Animal sprinted to
his mentor’s aid. Amazingly, though, even The Animal seemed unable to halt the champion’s powerful vice-like grip, and
ended up lying beside his fallen friend.
Inflicting pain on Matt Hardy, meanwhile, had been part of Finlay’s agenda Friday night, which also saw Horswoggle
offering a little ringside support for the Fighting Irishman. But then the miniature Cruiserweight Champion of the World’s
fun was nearly cut short by Jamie Noble, who chased him back to the locker room area. Following right behind them – and
thereby giving Hardy a count-out win in the ring – Finlay threatened Noble to stay away from his condensed-sized comrade.
Unfortunately, in the process he accidentally knocked scalding hot coffee onto a red-hot Kane, who in return tossed Finlay
onto a table, knocking him to the ground. Minutes later, Kane doled out more pain inside the ring with a vehement
chokeslam on Sylvan for the victory. But then the Fighting Irishman got his payback, surprising the Big Red Monster from
behind and laying him out with his shillelagh.
Our fans in Youngstown originally believed Matt Hardy might face United States Champion MVP in another challenge to prove
who the better man is. But the Ballin’ Superstar, speaking from WWE’s studios in Stamford, Conn., informed everyone of a
medical condition that resulted in him losing not only last week’s Arm Wrestling Contest to Matt, but nearly his life. The
Franchise Playa said he had notified SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long of his Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a
potentially lethal condition that causes his heart speed up to over 250 beats per minute, yet he was still forced to
compete in last week’s challenge. As a result, following the competition, he required life-threatening heart surgery that
would have put normal men on the shelf for at least a year. Yet as the Ballin’ Superstar himself reminded our fans, he is
“half a man, half a-mazing,” and he has been cleared by doctors to return to ring action next week, where he will
challenge Hardy to a competition of his own design.
Mark Henry showed no sympathy for Sterling Keenan, obliterating his opponent with ease before finishing him off in a
crushing bear hug. Continuing to show our fans why no one on the SmackDown roster wants to challenge him, the
self-proclaimed Silverback proudly showed more footage of his vicious assault on Undertaker last May. But the World’s
Strongest Man seemed taken aback as Druid music suddenly filled the arena, and a dark figure slowly walked away from the
ring area, leaving only a trail of sand and footprints behind him.
Another surprise that had our fans erupting into cheers was the apparent return of Rey Mysterio – that is, until everyone
realized that it was only an unfunny prank by Chavo Guerrero. In his tasteless attempt to literally mask his contempt for
his former friend, the Mysterio-clad Chavo begged himself to take it easy on him when they meet at the Biggest Party of
the Summer. But there was no mercy from Guerrero during his match with Eugene, especially after his embarrassingly bad
attempt at a 619 through the ropes. A frustrated Chavo pulled off the mask and took his aggravations out on his opponent
Eugene, finishing him off with a Frog Splash for the three-count.
Back in the GM’s office, Assistant GM Vickie Guerrero gave Long an early wedding present for himself and his fiancée,
Kristal: a tiny blue pill to help the GM rise to the occasion and spice up their love life.
Chris Masters decided to spice up his evening with an Open Master Lock Challenge to “anyone with the guts” to try and
break it. One intense fan claiming to be a three-time All-State football player, captain of his high school wrestling team
and someone who just got out of prison for manslaughter, seemed a little too willing for The Masterpiece’s liking. So
Masters found another member of the Chevrolet Centre crowd, then clamped on the Master Lock and shook the fan like a rag
doll.
Back in the locker room area, Michelle McCool let Victoria and Kenny Dykstra know that she wasn’t enjoying their excessive
smooching session. Trading barbs with Michelle would only set the already unstable Diva off further when she later squared
off in a match against Torrie Wilson; even after a Widow’s Peak and a three-count, Victoria continued pummeling away at
the blonde beauty, right before our fans and Torrie’s ringside partner, Jimmy Wang Yang. Suddenly, Michelle raced down to
the ring and came to Torrie’s aid, launching an attack that made Victoria retreat back up the SmackDown ramp. Needless to
say, SmackDown’s All-American Girl didn’t love Victoria’s behavior that night… but she is loving life.
MATCHES:
Batista defeated Domino
Chavo Guerrero defeated Eugene
Mark Henry defeated Sterling Keenan
Victoria defeated Torrie Wilson
Matt Hardy defeated Fit Finlay
via a countout
Kane defeated Sylvan
- MASTERLOCK CHALLENGE -
Chris Masters defeated A local fan
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali
defeated
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 418
8-17-07 Taped 8-14-07
Mohegan Sun Arena
Uncasville, Connecticut
Our fans at the Mohegan Sun Arena hit the jackpot when they witnessed a WrestleMania 23 rematch on Friday Night SmackDown:
Kane versus the World Heavyweight Champion, The Great Khali, in non-title action. Despite having a battered rib cage, the
Big Red Machine fought hard. Unfortunately, his attempt to chokeslam the 7-foot-3 colossus was stopped short as his skull
was forcefully clutched in Khali’s Vise Grip. With Kane on his knees, Finlay found a golden opportunity for revenge
against his attack earlier that night, and attacked the Big Red Monster’s ribs. Already irritated from the humiliation he
endured at the hands of Khali last week, The Animal ran out to stop the Irishman and the giant, only to again fall to the
Khali Vise Grip.
A little VIP treatment awaited Matt Hardy Friday night when he and our fans joined the flashy United States Champion in
“MVP’s VIP Lounge.” Matt arrived at the Ballin’ lounge, prepared for anything that the Franchise Playa could throw at
him…or so he thought. Reiterating that he couldn’t compete in their next challenge, a Boxing Match at Saturday Night’s
Main Event, due to his recently treated heart condition, the swaggering Superstar assured that his replacement – boxing’s
only four-time Heavyweight Champion of the World, Evander Holyfield – would get the job done. MVP had an additional
surprise contest in store for Hardy this night: Chris Masters and his Master Lock Challenge. Matt looked like he might
have been up to the challenge and actually break Masters’ hold, until MVP repeatedly kicked Hardy’s exposed mid-section
and laid him out with the Playmaker.
A week ago, Jamie Noble had cost Finlay a match against Matt Hardy when he tried to attack the fighting Irishman’s
miniature comrade and Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Hornswoggle. On Friday night, Finlay made Noble pay dearly for
his actions, working his knee and nearly ending the contest with a Celtic Cross -- until Kane suddenly appeared to deliver
some week-old payback of his own. But while Kane attacked the Irishman, Noble unexpectedly got shoved into the Big Red
Machine by Hornswoggle. In return, an incensed Kane handed Noble a hellacious chokeslam.
Chavo Guerrero made an example of what he plans to do to Rey Mysterio when he makes his big return at the Biggest Party of
the Summer one week from Sunday. Aggressively manhandling and defeating Shannon Moore with a brainbuster wasn’t enough for
Chavo to end his Friday night fun, however. Instead, the former Cruiserweight Champion, hoping Rey was watching at home,
mocked the Master of the 619 by putting a replica mask over Moore’s head, then hitting the Frog Splash to injure his
downed opponent’s knee.
Mark Henry also provided his own entertainment Friday night, by obliterating Brad Cardona and finishing him off with a
catastrophic bear hug. But as the self-proclaimed Silverback once again showed video footage of his attack on Undertaker
last May, disturbing footage from Death Valley suddenly aired on the TitanTron, the lights flickered and a familiar death
knell sounded. The World’s Strongest Man looked increasingly uneasy as two Druids stood outside the ring, then vanished
after a flash of light, leaving a mound of sand with footprints inside.
Raw’s Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman wasn’t exactly following footprints so much as he was trying to help Mr.
McMahon uncover which Superstar could be Mr. McMahon’s illegitimate child. The search brought them to Uncasville Friday
night, but the Chairman’s past “indiscretions” could have been linked to anyone, from The Great Khali to Kane to Funaki to
even Big Dick Johnson. Could one of the SmackDown Superstars have the Chairman in their blood? As Coachman told Mr.
McMahon on Raw the other night, he may have an answer come Saturday Night’s Main Event; until then, the WWE locker rooms
will remain abuzz.
A much happier conversation took place within the SmackDown General Manager’s confines, as glowing bride-to-be Kristal
asked Torrie Wilson and Michelle McCool to be her bridesmaids when she and GM Theodore Long say “I do” on SmackDown Sept.
21. Victoria, accompanied by boy toy Kenny Dykstra, entered the room and expressed her disappointment that she wasn’t
included in the bridal party, while Michelle countered that the best gift they could give would be if they didn’t show up
at the wedding. After Victoria and Michelle furiously clawed each other, Long ordered the feisty vixens to take their
frustrations out in the ring. It was apparent that the deranged Diva didn’t want Michelle loving life anymore, as she
trash-talked and pounded mercilessly at the sexy Diva. Amazingly, SmackDown’s All-American Girl quickly turned things
around with a authoritative kick to the head and a top-rope clothesline to score the pinfall.
The Major Brothers faced WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino in a non-title match. The contest could have gone either
way until Brian Major’s attempted crossbody for the victory missed Deuce, allowing the hot-headed Superstar to quickly
take advantage with the pinfall.
MATCHES:
- V.I.P LOUNGE -
Chris Masters defeated Matt Hardy
via the "Master Lock Challenge"
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino defeated The Major Brothers
Fit Finlay vs Jamie Noble
ended in a no contest
Chavo Guerrero defeated Shannon Moore
Mark Henry defeated Brad Cardona
Michelle McCool defeated Victoria
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali defeated Kane
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 419
8-24-07 Taped 8-21-07
Colonial Center
Columbia, South Carolina
Just 48 hours before he challenges The Great Khali for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam, Batista stepped
into the ring to face Finlay on SmackDown Friday night. The Animal and the fighting Irishman – who will also be at
SummerSlam, as Kane demanded of Mr. McMahon a one-on-one encounter with Finlay at the Biggest Party of the Summer –
physically decimated each other throughout the match until the World Heavyweight Champion made his way to ringside. When
Batista seemingly had the match in his favor, Khali interfered and the two behemoths collided. As Khali attempted to apply
his vicious Khali Vise Grip, Batista blocked the clutches and then unleashed an assault on the champion, sending a strong
message before SummerSlam.
The United States Champion, Montel Vontavious Porter, had hoped the fists of Evander Holyfield would send a clear message
to Matt Hardy at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Instead, it was MVP who was left in a heap after he got in “The Real Deal’s”
face. Dissatisfied with that outcome, Porter issued a new challenge to back up his claims that he is better than Hardy –
a One-on-One Basketball Challenge. The contest, however, came on the heels of General Manager Theodore Long’s announcement
that next week on SmackDown, MVP must team with Matt and compete against Deuce & Domino for the WWE Tag Team Titles. As a
result, the champions took full advantage of the basketball challenge, and left both Hardy and the Ballin’ Superstar laid
out.
While the investigation into his paternity suit continues, Mr. McMahon was on SmackDown Friday night with the hopes of
finding any clues to the identity of his illegitimate son. Instead, the Chairman encountered a slew of Superstars claiming
to be his offspring, including Kane. At first, he insisted that there was no way “this monster” could be his offspring,
but after granting a match with Finlay for SummerSlam, it looked as if Mr. McMahon was warming to the idea. That is, until
Chris Masters made his way to the ring and declared he had proof that he was the true son of the Chairman: A photo of the
two from The Masterpiece’s childhood. Masters’ may have been overreaching, though, especially when he challenged Kane to
take the Master Lock Challenge. Instead, he was Chokeslammed by the Big Red Monster, much to the disappointment of Mr.
McMahon. As if Masters’ night hadn’t been bad enough, then Chuck Palumbo made his way to the ring and dismantled the
Masterpiece. Palumbo’s return to SmackDown has been successful as the high-octane Superstar continued his winning ways.
No stranger to victory, the impressive Mark Henry demolished Brad Allen, only to again encounter the same presence that
has haunted him throughout his path of destruction over the past several weeks – Undertaker. The World’s Strongest Man
keeps insisting that he’s the ruler of the SmackDown jungle… but has he stepped into the domain that has for years been
known as the yard of The Phenom?
Another SmackDown Superstar laying out his own share of devastation of late is Chavo Guerrero. In further preparing
himself for his SummerSlam encounter against the man he injured 10 months ago, Rey Mysterio, Chavo annihilated Funaki.
But instead of simply settling for the win, Guerrero instead opted to make an example out of his prone opponent, slamming
a steel chair onto Funaki’s knee. Will Chavo’s aggressive ways help him defeat the returning Rey Mysterio this Sunday at
SummerSlam?
Anger and aggression also seemed to follow Jamie Noble around as he continued his pursuit of Hornswoggle and the
Cruiserweight Championship of the World. And he may have found it Friday night after defeating Jimmy Wang Yang in a No. 1
Contender’s Match. Having capitalized on this great opportunity, Noble has earned himself another match with Hornswoggle
for the title. Can he capitalize this time, or will he fall short once more against SmackDown’s leprechaun?
It wouldn’t be summer without the Sexiest Women on Television. Thankfully, the Divas of SmackDown know this, so they
treated our fans to a Biggest Party of the Summer Bikini Contest, only 48 hours before they all take part in SummerSlam’s
Divas Battle Royal, the winner of which will become the No. 1 contender against Women’s Champion Candice. Torrie,
Victoria, Kristal and Michelle McCool thought they were the only Divas competing in the contest, until SmackDown announcer
Michael Cole revealed a surprise for our fans at the University of South Carolina. With that, he called out South
Carolina’s own Mae Young, who at 84 years young thrilled our fans in her home state and actually won the contest.
MATCHES:
Chuck Palumbo
defeated
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters
Chavo Guerrero
defeated
"Smackdown Number One Announcer" Funaki
- #1 CRUISERWEIGHT CONTENDER`S MATCH -
Jamie Noble defeated Jimmy Wang Yang
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino
defeated
Eugene & Shannon Moore
- ONE ON ONE BASKETBALL CHALLENGE -
Matt Hardy vs United States Champion M.V.P.
ended in a no contest
"The Silverback" Mark Henry
defeated
Local Wrestler, Brad Allen
- BIGGEST PARTY OF THE SUMMER BIKINI CONTEST -
Mae Young
defeated
Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool, Kristal & Victoria
"The Animal" Dave Batista vs Fit Finlay
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:58:23
SMACKDOWN
# 420
8-31-07 Taped 8-28-07
Times Union Center
Albany, New York
Rey Mysterio’s return to Friday Night SmackDown saw the high-flying Superstar take part in the Championship Competition to
name the No. 1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship held by The Great Khali. Also participating were Finlay,
Kane and Rey’s longtime friend Batista. Finlay defeated Kane in controversial fashion and then interrupted the match
between The Animal and Mysterio, giving Rey the victory via disqualification. In the final match, The Irishman took on the
Master of the 619, with Rey managing to come out on top to earn a championship match at Unforgiven. The Great Khali made
his way to the ring, and the two SmackDown Superstars had the most lopsided stare down in the history of
sports-entertainment.
From bitter rivals in the ring to a formidable tag team, United States Champion MVP and Matt Hardy took on the WWE Tag
Team Champions Deuce & Domino. The champions attacked both MVP and Matt last week during the One-on-One Basketball
Challenge, and the U.S. Champion and Hardy looked for retribution. While the young North Carolinian fought his hardest,
MVP concentrated on Deuce’s girl Cherry outside the ring. When Hardy tagged in his partner in a highly unorthodox manner,
the cocky MVP retaliated and then picked up the victory to crown new WWE Tag Team Champions.
Hoping to shake off the embarrassment of this past Monday night on Raw, Mr. McMahon was in Albany as the search for his
illegitimate son continued. Jonathan Coachman paraded out a host of women he believed could be behind the paternity suit,
and the Chairman was taken down memory lane once again. The women spoke of their experiences with Mr. McMahon and our fans
saw the Chairman in an opposite light from the picture painted on Monday by Triple H. Mr. McMahon then had stern warnings
for the rest of the McMahon family –words of warning that will play out Monday on Raw when Linda, Stephanie and Shane
return to WWE – with their lawyers.
Warnings should be issued every time Mark Henry enters an arena and the self-proclaimed silverback once again proved that
case. Henry made his colossal presence felt as Eugene interacted with our fans in Albany, demolishing the happy-go-lucky
Superstar. After the destruction that has become accustomed to any Superstar in Henry’s path, another video played that
showcased the return of Undertaker. Has the confidence of the World’s Strongest Man placed him directly in the path of The
Phenom?
One Superstar who has returned to SmackDown with a new fire is Chuck Palumbo. The revved-up Superstar took the Masterlock
Challenge issued by Chris Masters, but Masters attacked Palumbo before the challenge could happen. Palumbo managed to
fight off Masters, and the two exchanged glares and words as the Masterpiece exited the arena.
Hoping to offer his own challenge to a championship is cruiserweight Jamie Noble. The No. 1 contender to Hornswoggle’s
Cruiserweight Championship told Shannon Moore that he will challenge SmackDown’s leprechaun when he is ready. After
humiliation in his first few encounters with Hornswoggle, Noble may want to rethink his strategy before he ends up on the
short end of another Hornswoggle embarrassment.
MATCHES:
- CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION MATCH -
Fit Finaly defeated Kane
" WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
United States Champion M.V.P. & Matt Hardy
defeated
Deuce & Domino
becoming new WWE Tag Team Champions
Mark Henry beat up "The Special" Eugene
- CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION MATCH -
Rey Mysterio
defeated
"The Animal" Dave Batista
via a disqualification
- MASTERLOCK CHALLENGE -
Chris Masters vs Chuch Palumbo
ended in a no contest
- CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION FINAL MATCH -
Rey Mysterio defeated Fit Finlay
becoming No. 1 contender to World Heavyweight Championship
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 421
9-7-07 Taped 9-1-07
U.S. Bank Arena
Cincinnati, Ohio
Summer may be unofficially over after Labor Day, but the first Friday Night SmackDown after the holiday weekend proved
that tensions remain hotter than ever as Unforgiven approaches. What started with a main-event pair of grudge rematches in
the Queen City this week ended with a potential harbinger of what lies ahead at the pay-per-view extravaganza on Sept.
16. In the first of the grudge rematches, Batista & Kane once again defeated World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali &
Finlay, just as they did last month at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Little did the champion and The Animal know, however,
that they would come face-to-face once more at the end of the second rematch.
In that battle, Rey Mysterio furthered his quest for revenge on Chavo Guerrero, defeating his bitter rival in a brutal “I
Quit” Match. Rey took a page out of the Guerrero playbook, forcing Chavo to quit by hanging him upside-down from the
turnbuckles and repeatedly bashing his knee with a steel chair – the same tactic Chavo used last October, when he put Rey
out of commission during their first “I Quit” Match on SmackDown. That’s when the fireworks truly began, as The Great
Khali came out to confront his Unforgiven challenger. Rey attacked, but the massive champion retaliated and nearly
squashed Rey’s head like a grape with the Khali Vise Grip. The Animal came to the aid of his fallen friend, but the damage
had been done; Rey was beaten and badly bleeding from the mouth, a ghastly visual that even Batista’s thunderous spear on
Khali couldn’t erase from our fans’ minds. There was something General Manager Theodore Long could do about it, however:
He changed Unforgiven’s World Heavyweight Championship Match from Khali against Mysterio to a Triple Threat Match between
Khali, Mysterio and The Animal.
In another Unforgiven stunner, Matt Hardy earned a championship match for the pay-per-view, but not exactly the one he
wanted. While he challenged MVP to a United States Title clash, Hardy found out that he and his new partner would instead
defend their WWE Tag Team Championship against former champs Deuce & Domino. As “team captain,” MVP then graciously set
Matt up in an impromptu match against Deuce, a bout MVP helped his partner win with some timely outside interference.
When a druid appeared in the ring moments after a video played trumpeting Undertaker’s return, Mark Henry thought he had
his chance to begin punishing The Phenom and his minions. Unfortunately, as soon as Henry got his hands on the druid, the
lights went out; when they returned, Undertaker’s minion was gone and all the self-proclaimed Silverback had to hold on to
was his black cloak. While the World’s Strongest Man may have left Cincinnati disappointed, he hopes to sing a different
tune when he finally meets Undertaker in Music City, U.S.A. – Memphis, Tenn. – at Unforgiven.
Friday night was another bad one for Jamie Noble. With a match against Cruiserweight Champion Hornswoggle on tap, the No.
1 contender formulated a plan to use Lucky Charms as bait to capture the Leprechaun underneath a heavy box before their
bout. Sadly, his Wile E. Coyote-esque scheme didn’t quite come to fruition; like many of the less-than-cunning Looney
Tunes canine’s plans to capture Road Runner, Noble’s plan ended with him on the business end of a backfire, as the clever
Cruiserweight Champion trapped his challenger inside the box instead. Making matters worse, neither Shannon Moore, who
watched Noble’s wacky plan unfold, nor Jesse & Festus – who finally made it to SmackDown, but were too amazed by the
“talking box” to realize what (or who) was inside – helped Noble out. The match began without him, and while he finally
freed himself, he wasn’t able to get to the ring to beat referee Charles Robinson’s 10-count, giving the champion a
count-out victory. Once the No. 1 contender finally got in the ring, some well-placed marbles took him down long enough
for the pint-sized prankster to scamper away.
Michelle McCool once again got the best of Victoria when Chuck Palumbo defeated Victoria’s boy toy, Kenny Dykstra. McCool,
who came to ringside with Palumbo on his motorcycle, later thwarted Victoria’s attempt to ride away on Chuck’s chopper. A
big kick from JBL’s favorite Diva floored the multiple-time former Women’s Champion, allowing Palumbo to take care of
business inside the squared circle and finish Dykstra with the Full Throttle.
Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer, but the season doesn’t truly end until after Sept. 21. Be sure to save
that date, as SmackDown will celebrate the close of one season and the dawn of another with a bang – the marriage of
Theodore Long & Kristal Marshall on the season premiere of SmackDown in Atlanta. As the bride and groom revealed this
week, Atlanta-based R&B sensations Jagged Edge will be on hand to sing “their song” at the ceremony, and perhaps do some
thuggin’ and buggin’ with Mr. and Mrs. Long. One thing is for sure: It’s going to be steamy in Hotlanta on the final day
of summer. Holla!
MATCHES:
Matt Hardy defeated Deuce
Chuck Palumbo defeated Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
Dave "The Animal" Batista & Kane
defeated
World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali & Fit Finlay
" CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP "
Cruiserweight Champion Hornswoggle
defeated
Jamie Noble
via a count out
- I QUIT MATCH -
Rey Mysterio defeated Chavo Guerrero
Run Time: 1:59:48
SMACKDOWN
# 422
9-14-07 Taped 9-9-07
Target Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
While the SmackDown match between Batista and The Great Khali may have been a network television first, the end result was
one that our fans – and The Animal – have unfortunately seen before. Less than 48 hours before Unforgiven, The Great Khali
once again used his devastating Vise Grip to crush Batista’s skull, leaving one of his pay-per-view challengers destroyed
for the second week in a row. While questions still abound about Rey Mysterio’s condition and whether or not he will make
it to Unforgiven’s Triple Threat Match, The Animal was rip-roaring and ready to go for his non-title clash with Khali.
Batista was so ready, in fact, that he gave the World Heavyweight Champion another taste of his spear on Raw Monday
night. All that meant nothing once the bell rang for their SmackDown match, the first time Batista and The Great Khali
went one-on-one on network television. The Punjabi powerhouse physically dominated The Animal and pounded him at will, a
scene our fans have rarely witnessed. However, even after facing Khali’s non-stop onslaught, Batista found a way to block
the champion’s first attempt to lock on the Khali Vise Grip. The Animal then somehow hoisted up and nailed the 7-foot-3
giant with a thunderous spinebuster that shook the ring. Batista appeared to be moments from finishing off his opponent,
but just as he went for his Batista Bomb, the wheels fell off the proverbial apple cart once more. Khali escaped the
Batista Bomb predicament, clobbering The Animal with a massive chop. Moments later, the Khali Vise Grip was locked in.
Batista fought valiantly, finally getting to the ropes to force the referee to call for a break. That didn’t seem to
matter to the World Heavyweight Champion, who continued to squeeze Batista’s cranium. The referee counted to five and
Khali still didn’t break the hold, resulting in the champion being disqualified. Again, none of that mattered to him; the
more important mission was to put Batista on the shelf, just like he had with Rey Mysterio a week earlier. Finally, after
a few minutes that must have seemed like an eternity to Batista, Khali released his grip, letting The Animal fall to the
mat like a deflated balloon. For the second straight week, one of Khali’s Unforgiven challengers was left crumpled in a
heap, thanks to the awesome power of the World Heavyweight Champion.
They say it is bad luck for a groom to see his bride-to-be the night before their wedding, and when it comes to the
bachelor and bachelorette parties beforehand, it’s usually a good idea to keep that same separation. On SmackDown,
however, Theodore Long & Kristal found out what happens when those two parties convene: An even bigger bash! With Long &
Kristal’s wedding only one week away, best man Ron Simmons and maid of honor Vickie Guerrero decided to honor the
nearly-weds with a bachelor and bachelorette party, respectively. Little did the bride-and-groom-to-be – or Simmons and
Vickie, for that matter – know that the parties would end up with everyone dancing in the hallways of the Target Center.
The festivities got well underway when Long found out that Simmons had left SmackDown newcomers Jesse & Festus in charge
of the entertainment. Luckily for Long, Festus’ face truly is that of a ladies’ man, as nearly a dozen beauties filed into
the General Manager’s office. Of course, those ladies were closely followed by the rest of the groom’s wedding party –
Long’s son Antoine and former protégé Butch Reed – as well as several invited guests, including the Major Brothers, Sgt.
Slaughter, multiple WWE.com staffers and others. And although the expression on Festus’ face never changed, needless to
say, he looked like he was having as good a time as everyone else. Meanwhile, with Kristal stressing out over last-minute
details, Vickie Guerrero had to trick the bride into going to her own party. Kristal thought she was going to look at
Vickie’s maid of honor dress; instead, she walked into a room filled with fellow Divas Mickie James, Extreme Expose, and
bridesmaids Torrie Wilson and Michelle McCool. To top it all off, the Divas gave Kristal a special bachelorette party
ensemble: Some frilly lingerie…in wedding white, of course. That wasn’t the only surprise for the blushing bride, as the
Divas hired some entertainment as well. A large package was wheeled into the room had Kristal wondering what could be
inside. Just then, Big Dick Johnson popped out – almost literally, as his bulbous body was covered by only the skimpiest
of thongs. But as he began to get funky with the bridal party, the world’s largest Chippendales reject proved what many
have surmised in the past: That the ladies love Johnson. While the Superstars, wedding party members and WWE.com staffers
in attendance are still hesitant to share any extra-juicy details with non-partygoers, our fans nearly got to see a
tenuous moment when Teddy and Kristal happened upon each other in the hallway. As Long – clad in nothing but his tie and
boxer shorts – went to look for Ron Simmons, he came upon his future wife, who was still in her frilly lingerie. As each
of them tried to explain their situation, the remainder of both parties spilled into the hallway, and an awkward silence
broke out. Who better to describe the situation than the best man, who only needed one word to sum up the scenario:
“DAMN!” With that, the bachelor and bachelorette parties took a cue from Big Dick, dancing up a storm in the arena
hallways.
Before they defend their WWE Tag Team Titles this Sunday against former champions Deuce & Domino, Matt Hardy & MVP tried
to one-up each other on SmackDown in a chess match. After MVP “sneezed” and prematurely ended their latest one-on-one
contest, Hardy informed the Ballin’ Superstar that he would be in action that night against Domino. Matt assured that he
would indeed be in his unwilling partner’s corner -- much like MVP had been when he helped Hardy to victory over Deuce
last week – and he was vocally true to his word. Fashioning himself as the U.S. Champion’s biggest fan for most of the
contest, Hardy lead the Minneapolis crowd in “M-V-P,” chants while the brazen Superstar – still wearing most of a rather
expensive suit – engaged in a slugfest with Domino. When Deuce tried to interfere, Matt knocked him to the ground – but in
the process also angered his own partner. As MVP scolded Hardy, Domino rolled him up in a small package to steal the win.
Can the bomber-jacketed duo carry that momentum into Unforgiven as they attempt to regain the WWE Tag Team Championship,
or will Matt Hardy & MVP figure out how to work together and keep the gold?
Before his encounter with Undertaker at Sunday’s Unforgiven, Mark Henry came to SmackDown dressed as a druid and telling
our fans, “Undertaker’s powers pale in comparison to mine.” But as Henry showed a video of his vicious attack on The
Deadman back in May, another Undertaker video suddenly aired on the TitanTron. Afterward, a bolt of lightning flashed in
the arena, hitting the stage and setting aflame a huge Undertaker symbol. Then came a final warning for the
self-proclaimed Silverback: “Mark Henry…. Unforgiven…. You will rest in peace.” Are Mark Henry’s days of domination coming
to an end at the hands of The Phenom?
One Superstar who knows Undertaker well is his brother Kane, who was in action against Finlay in WWE’s first-ever Belfast
Brawl. The brutal rivalry between these two Superstars reached a whole new level Friday night, as the Big Red Monster and
the Irishman, quite frankly, beat the living hell out of each other. Late in the grueling contest, Kane seemed to gain the
advantage and readied himself to use the steel steps as a weapon. But Finlay would neutralize the threat with a steel
chair to the monster’s ribs, then picked up the victory with a devastating Celtic Cross.
Chuck Palumbo and Kenny Dykstra both became involved in Michelle McCool’s match against Victoria, causing a double
disqualification. But then General Manager Theodore Long ordered that a Mixed Tag Team Match take place, and the budding
rivalries between all four individuals heated up once more. Palumbo’s dominant streak continued to roll forward as he
nearly decapitated Dykstra with a clothesline that sent him flying over the top rope. It also gave Michelle the opening
she needed to nail the deranged Victoria with a kick to the head for the victory.
Shannon Moore defeated Jamie Noble after outsmarting his fellow cruiserweight. As the match progressed, Moore screamed
that the little bastard son of Mr. McMahon, Hornswoggle, was under the ring. As an incensed Noble went looking for the
Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Moore rolled him up for the pin instead, once again giving Noble the short end of the
stick.
MATCHES:
Michelle McCool vs Victoria
ended in a double disqualification
Michelle McCool & Chuck Palumbo
defeated
Victoria & Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
Shannon Moore defeated Jamie Noble
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Domino defeated United States Champion M.V.P.
- BELFAST BRAWL -
( no disqualifications, no countouts )
Fit Finlay
defeated
"The Big Red Machine" Kane
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Dave "The Animal" Batista
defeated
The Great Khali
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 423
9-21-07 Taped 9-18-07
Philips Arena
Atlanta, Georgia
The season premiere of Friday Night SmackDown was expected to be its biggest ever, and in that respect, it did not
disappoint. However, by the end of the evening, our fans in the Philips Arena and at home watched as rivalries both recent
and past were brutally rekindled, while a couple’s vow to love and cherish each other was doused by tragedy.
Rey Mysterio wasn’t able to recapture the World Title at Unforgiven’s Triple Threat Match with Khali and Batista, but the
high-flying former champion granted his first SmackDown interview since returning from injury. However, when JBL felt
Michael Cole was being “too soft” with his line of questioning, the SmackDown commentator began berating the Superstar who
forced him to retire from the ring last year. Rey challenged JBL to a fight, but the self-proclaimed “wrestling god”
introduced the man who loves to fight, Finlay. The Irishman attacked, leaving Rey down and out in the center of the ring.
It looked as if WWE Tag Team Champions MVP & Matt Hardy might finally be on the same page as a team, but the latest
chapter in their title reign took a turn for the worse Friday when Deuce & Domino defeated them in non-title action. The
Ballin’ Superstar took both tag titles as well as his United States Championship when he walked out Atlanta’s Philips
Arena in. These rivals-turned-partners have already been skating on thin ice for weeks; will this loss to the former
champions be the thing to break it?
Jamie Noble has had no luck since losing a series of matches against Cruiserweight Champion of the World Hornswoggle. In
fact, his ring losses have been second only to his personal embarrassments at the hands of Mr. McMahon’s “li’llegitimate”
son, and his troubles only grew on SmackDown Friday night. While facing Jimmy Wang Yang, Noble exited the ring when he saw
what he believed to be Hornswoggle’s hat. Instead, he found Shannon Moore donning the hat and laughing at Noble. The lapse
in judgment soon cost Noble the match, as Yang capitalized to get the victory.
Batista arrived in “Hot-lanta” for SmackDown with the World Heavyweight gold over his shoulder and a face that emanated
sheer excitement over once again being champion. But wherever there is light, darkness is cast. And with the shadow of The
Great Khali hanging over Batista’s head as they near their Punjabi Prison Match showdown at No Mercy, The Animal couldn’t
see the former champion’s brutality coming on SmackDown. An exuberant Batista kicked off Friday Night SmackDown by
celebrating his victory at Unforgiven in the ring and telling our fans, “You have no idea how good I feel….I am once again
the World Heavyweight Champion.” After talking about the looming challenge he faces two weeks from Sunday, he also offered
some kind words for his Unforgiven Triple Threat Match opponent and good friend, Rey Mysterio. Unfortunately, the good
mood changed completely as Mark Henry made his way to the ring with a mission all his own. “I could care less about this
celebration of yours,” Henry said, launching into a heated exchange before challenging Batista. The new champion gladly
accepted, telling him, “You’ve had a Batista beatdown coming for a long time.” During Batista’s non-title match with the
World’s Strongest Man later that night, The Great Khali came down to inflict pain on the Superstar who defeated him for
the World Heavyweight Title at Unforgiven. The Animal attacked first, hoping to stave off the colossal threat, but the
powerful Punjab quickly incapacitated the champion, subjecting him to his vicious Vise Grip. Khali stood and watched as
Mark Henry capitalized on the opening to deliver a powerful splash to Batista. What started as a night of celebration for
the new champion quickly transformed into one of disaster. Batista’s incredible journey back to the top of the SmackDown
mountain came full circle when he won the World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven. During his mission to reclaim the
gold he lost at WrestleMania 23, The Animal faced obstacles that would have forced any ordinary man to surrender long ago.
His relentless pursuit, however, brought the championship back to where he believes it has always belonged – around his
waist. But now he faces perhaps his greatest challenge to date: Defending his newly won title against The Great Khali in a
Punjabi Prison Match, a contest that is considered to be the challenger’s specialty. In the meantime, Batista must recover
from the Friday night beatdown he had intended specifically for Henry. But The Great Khali better realize something, too.
The combination of his Vise Grip and Henry’s splash has backed The Animal into a corner, up against the odds – a position
where he is most dangerous.
It was supposed to be the biggest season premiere ever on Friday Night SmackDown, and the happiest night in the lives of
SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long and Kristal Marshall. Tragically, only one of those expectations was realized
inside the Philips Arena…and it wasn’t the latter. After months of planning, Long and Kristal were ready to say their “I
do’s” before family, friends and fans on the biggest sports-entertainment stage on network television. Emanating from his
hometown, the SmackDown GM joked before the wedding ceremony that Kristal would “holla-holla-holla” by the end of the
night. How ironically prophetic those words would soon become, though not for the reason he envisioned. The ceremony
itself was a star-studded affair, featuring invited Superstars and Divas from SmackDown, Raw and ECW. Sitting up front was
none other than WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, Raw Executive Assistant Jonathan Coachman – and Mr. McMahon’s “li’llegitimate”
son Hornswoggle, who popped out from under the ring, then planted himself down with a phone book-assisted ringside seat
next to Coachman and “Daddy.” Also on hand were a slew of hometown celebrity guests, including popular rap duo Kaine &
D-Roc, The Ying Yang Twins; Coming to the Stage host Bruce Bruce, who presided over the ceremony; and special musical
artists Jagged Edge, who would perform live for the happy couple their No. 1 hit “Let’s Get Married.” Flanked inside a
spectacular ring-transformed altar by his son Antoine, former protégé Butch Reed and best man Ron Simmons, Long’s features
emitted sheer elation as his lovely bride, dressed in white, walked down the aisle. Despite slipping on the steel steps –
which Bruce Bruce eased with a comment about how she “fell for her love” – Kristal took her side between the groom and her
bridal party, maid of honor and Assistant GM Vickie Guerrero, plus bridesmaids Michelle McCool and Torrie Wilson. Perhaps
there were some warning signs before the tragedy that was to unfold that Friday night. Raw’s screeching siren, Jillian,
and her wedding “gift” – a song to commemorate the lovebirds’ special day – had to be literally carried away by Women’s
Champion Candice and Mickie James. The Godfather came out and failed to convince Long to take one last ride “in the dirty
South” on his “’Ho Train,” though he chugged out of “Hot-lanta” with a majority of the male Superstars (and SmackDown
commentator John Bradshaw Layfield). And Hornswoggle relentlessly tormented Coachman with tiny taunts and slaps, to the
point that a Benny Hill-style chase ensued under the bride’s gown, around the wedding decorations and all the way out of
the Philips Arena. Though Kristal was visibly upset, Long refused to let the matrimonial hi-jinx ruin their special day.
In fact, it seemed nothing could take the smile off his face, or ever would as he heard his beloved say “I do” to loving
him, in sickness and in health. That is, until Bruce Bruce asked if Long would do the same. “I… I…” said the groom, unable
to finish uttering his lifelong commitment as beads of sweat suddenly poured from his now-pale face. Long then clutched at
his chest and collapsed. Kristal, sobbing hysterically, screamed for her intended to wake up, but without success. Vickie
and the bridesmaids tended to her while Long’s groomsmen urged for medical assistance. Dr. Rios and EMT’s rushed to the
side of the unresponsive GM, opening his shirt and covering his mouth with an oxygen mask. The wedding guests consisting
of Superstars, Divas and our fans could only stand and watch, their stunned, horrified expressions painting a
frighteningly grim description of what had just transpired. As Friday Night SmackDown went off the air and its GM was
rushed to a medical facility, the questions began to surface: What happened to Theodore Long? What’s his condition, and
how will it affect the Friday night brand? Granted, all these questions will require answers. But not now. Out of respect,
we should allow Kristal her privacy, and let her watch over the man she had sworn to love…till death do they part.
Hopefully, Theodore Long will soon recover and respond in kind.
MATCHES:
Jimmy Wang Yang
defeated
Jamie Noble
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Deuce & Domino
defeated
WWE Tag Team Champions
Matt Hardy & United States Champion M.V.P.
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion
Dave "The Animal' Batista
vs
"The Silverback" Mark Henry
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 424
9-28-07 Taped 9-25-07
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, Indiana
The “half-man, half-amazing, one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champions,” MVP, celebrated his one-year anniversary as a
SmackDown Superstar by throwing a party in his VIP Lounge. Matt Hardy visited his
co-champion and the United States Champion bearing several gifts – a music video commemorating the Ballin’ Superstar’s
less-than-greatest ring moments; an insulting toast over a bottle of Cristal; and the gift of competition, in the
formidable form of Kane. A shocked MVP entered the match with his own game plan, and when Kane looked for the chokeslam to
seal the victory, the Franchise Playa kicked the Big Red Monster in the family bling, resulting in a life-saving
disqualification.
After being attacked verbally by JBL and physically by Finlay last week, Rey Mysterio entered Conseco Fieldhouse intent on
setting the record straight with SmackDown’s color commentator. During another face-to-face interview in the ring, an
irate JBL began to bully and push Mysterio. This time, though, Rey pushed back, delivering the 619 to the man whom he
forced into retirement more than a year ago. Finlay suddenly entered the ring and unleashed an attack of his own,
clobbering Mysterio in the skull with his shillelagh. For two consecutive weeks, the Irishman’s vicious, calculated
actions left Mysterio laid out in the ring.
Hopefully, Rey Mysterio will have fully recovered when SmackDown rolls into Dayton, Ohio next week, as it was revealed
last Friday that he’ll face The Great Khali in ring action. During an interview with the Punjabi goliath, translator
Ranjin Singh brought up the contest as more of a warning for the World Heavyweight Champion, Batista, whom Khali will meet
inside a Punjabi Prison Match at No Mercy. On Khali’s behalf, Singh noted that Rey Mysterio could conceivably run away
next week. “You, Batista, on the other hand, have no such option inside the Punjabi Prison…. Inside the Punjabi Prison,
The Great Khali will show no fear. The Great Khali will have no remorse. The Great Khali will have no mercy.”
Earlier in the evening, the World Heavyweight Champion admitted to SmackDown announcers Michael Cole and JBL that he had
no real strategy going into the Punjabi Prison Match. But he welcomed the insurmountable challenge that awaited him. As he
pointed out, “It’s dangerous locking me in a cage. It’s dangerous backing me into a corner…. When you back me into a
corner, I lash out. And when I lash out, people get hurt. If he wants this World Heavyweight Title back, he’ll have to pry
it out of my dead hands.”
Last Friday, Chuck Palumbo continued what’s shaping up to be an impressive winning streak with another decisive victory
over Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra. Palumbo has been on a tear since rejoining SmackDown, and his Full Throttle offense has
kept "The Dyke" on the down side of their encounters. Will the competitive hunger of the young lion Palumbo ride on past
"The Dyke", or can the self-proclaimed “future Hall of Famer” find a way to break through eventually?
Jamie Noble ended his own recent streak of embarrassments when he defeated Shannon Moore on SmackDown. But there was much
bigger Cruiserweight news afoot Friday night, coming from the office of Vickie Guerrero, who Mr. McMahon appointed as
SmackDown’s Acting General Manager earlier that evening. Shouldering the responsibilities of Theodore Long – who remains
in a coma in an Atlanta medical facility, following the massive heart attack he suffered at his wedding a week earlier –
Vickie voiced deep concerns for Hornswoggle’s wellbeing, pointing out that being Mr. McMahon’s illegitimate son and
Cruiserweight Champion of the World made him too large a target. Therefore, she ordered the poor leprechaun champion to
abdicate the Cruiserweight Title. How will Mr. McMahon’s “li’llegitimate” son fare without his gold?
SmackDown’s Torrie Wilson endured a trying Friday night In her own right. First, she was unable to find a way to match
Victoria’s viciousness in the squared circle, losing their one-on-one match. Moments later, a mystery woman appeared in
the ring and absolutely brutalized the SmackDown Diva. Who is this mystery woman, and why did she attack Torrie?
Undertaker made his long-awaited return to Friday Night SmackDown in frighteningly dominant fashion. Mark Henry, on the
other hand, left Friday Night SmackDown in a manner that no one – particularly he – could ever envision: Flat on his back.
The World’s Strongest Man hadn’t appeared intimidated as he entered Conseco Fieldhouse’s squared circle for his return
match with Undertaker. He even kept mouthing off to our fans at ringside, “Not this time,” as he waited for his opponent,
The Phenom who had bested him less than two weeks before at Unforgiven. Still perceiving himself as the “king of the
SmackDown jungle,” Henry would be damned before he allowed any competitor to prove otherwise. But then the death knell
sounded, a hauntingly familiar insignia was set ablaze, and thick, ominous smoke rose from the ground – all signaling the
return of the man who can’t be destroyed. Our fans erupted to their feet as Undertaker slowly stepped through the ropes,
removed his coat and hat, and revealed the cold, lifeless eyes rolling up in his head. And upon seeing The Deadman’s
bone-chilling visage, Henry’s face instantly revealed alarm and realization. The alarm that he was, in fact, damned this
night...and the realization that there was nothing he could do to save himself. Undertaker had not appeared on SmackDown
in over four months due to injuries sustained mostly at the hands of his adversary. And even though he had already
garnered his pound of flesh from the strongman who took him out of action and cost him his World Heavyweight Championship
last May, it became immediately clear that he wanted more last Friday in Indianapolis. He wanted Henry’s soul. Despite his
noticeable dread, Henry quickly took the offensive, almost mauling Undertaker with the power from his sequoia-sized arms.
For several moments, it looked like if the self-proclaimed Silverback might remind our fans exactly why they, the entire
SmackDown roster or anyone else who crosses his path should fear him. But The Deadman who fears nothing, like he had
foretold Henry and his legion of followers through numerous omens in the weeks prior to his return, just kept coming
back. The best pure striker in sports-entertainment proceeded with a barrage of fists that made even the
seemingly-immovable Henry stagger backwards. Then, with a supernatural strength that could well rival the World’s
Strongest Man, Undertaker chokeslammed the 400-pounder to the canvas, almost down to the very depths of Hell itself. By
that point, the referee’s three-count appeared almost excessive; he could have counted to three, 10, even 50, and still
Henry would not have stirred. As ring announcer Justin Roberts officially declared Undertaker the victor, The Phenom
remained on one knee and stared endlessly into the worshipping crowd. Undertaker was back on Friday Night SmackDown, and
he had just served notice to those who might be foolish enough to follow Mark Henry’s example. Should they try, then like
him, they too will rest in peace.
MATCHES:
Victoria defeated Torrie Wilson
Chuck Palumbo defeated Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Kane defeated United States Champion M.V.P.
via a disqualification
Jamie Noble defeated Shannon Moore
"The Phenom" The Undertaker
defeated
"The Silverback" Mark Henry
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 425
10-5-07 Taped 10-2-07
Nutter Center
Dayton, Ohio
Motorcycle enthusiast Chuck Palumbo is usually the one building a masterpiece in his garage; on Friday Night SmackDown,
however, “The Masterpiece” took apart the powerful Californian. Moments after Palumbo stayed undefeated with an impressive
Full Throttle win over Ace Steele, Chris Masters came from out of nowhere and blindsided Chuck. The extra-powerful
“Masterpiece” then applied his dreaded Master Lock, a hold that has only ever been broken once. Palumbo tried to fight his
way out of Masters’ strong grip, but just like 99.9 percent of Masters’ other victims, he eventually found himself down
and out on the mat, thanks to “The Masterpiece’s” punishing full nelson. Once the damage was done, Masters repeatedly
yelled, “you shouldn’t have messed with me Chuck, because that’s what happens!” It was the first time since his arrival on
SmackDown that Palumbo has found himself in this position, and there’s no telling what will happen if and when these two
powerhouses from southern California next hook up inside the ring.
After weeks of introductions to our fans, Jesse & Festus finally made their long-awaited SmackDown in-ring debut in
Dayton. Just as Jesse promised, Festus was all business inside the squared circle; the seemingly placid and harmless
country boy went from bumpkin to wrecking ball once the bell rang, finishing off the team Mike Tolar & Chad Collyer by
nailing Collyer with an impressive looking drop-slam. Once the bell rang again, though, Festus returned to his seemingly
hypnotic state as Jesse praised his efforts.
Jamie Noble also continued his winning ways, defeating Jimmy Wang Yang in an exciting cruiserweight battle. Both men
battled back and forth, but Noble was able to catch the high-flying redneck in his signature gutbuster for the pinfall.
Noble is now 2-for-2 since Acting SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero made Hornswoggle abdicate the Cruiserweight
Championship two weeks ago, and his latest victory may put him in the driver’s seat on the road to crowning a new
champion.
Kane was also on the winning track this week, dominating the self-proclaimed “Future Hall of Famer” Kenny Dykstra. Even
the presence of his girlfriend, Victoria, outside the ring couldn’t help poor Dykstra, whose recent hard luck continued
when he succumbed to a vicious chokeslam. Moments after the match ended, our fans saw Vickie Guerrero make a blockbuster
tag team match for next week, pitting MVP & Matt Hardy against Kane & Undertaker.
Our fans finally heard some good news on the condition of General Manager Theodore Long this week. While talking to the
mystery woman who attacked Torrie Wilson last week, Acting GM Vickie Guerrero revealed that Long is finally out of his
coma. However, he’s still in no condition to return to work, so Vickie will remain in charge of SmackDown for the
foreseeable future. Surely, however, Vickie joins our fans and everyone in WWE in sending their best wishes to Long for a
quick and full recovery.
On SmackDown Friday night, David looked Goliath square in the eye – chest, actually – and, like the figure of biblical
yore, amazed the masses with his unwavering skill and resolve. Then the Irishman charged the ring and ruined everything.
No, this is not some flat punchline to a lame joke. There was nothing funny about the way Finlay had tried to incapacitate
Rey Mysterio – the “David” of that evening’s epic, and the interfering Irishman’s opponent at No Mercy this Sunday. And
certainly no one in the Nutter Center would dare laugh at WWE’s “Goliath,” the 7-foot-3, 420-pound Punjabi colossus known
as The Great Khali. On any kind of paper, Mysterio-Khali appeared to be a mismatch of biblical proportions. And from the
very start of SmackDown that night, it was immediately clear to our fans that the giant had been looking past his
main-event opponent, and more than in a literal sense. Both Khali and his translator, Ranjin Singh, believed that
Mysterio’s seemingly inevitable downfall would send a message to the World Heavyweight Champion, Batista, with whom he
would be locked in a “chamber of horrors” at No Mercy this Sunday – the Punjabi Prison. One could understand why Khali’s
arrogance knew no boundaries, seeing as he had nearly two more feet and 250 extra pounds to his benefit. Yet Mysterio,
just as David had done long before him, refused to back down in the shadow of this Goliath’s towering presence. From the
instant their match began, Rey relied on speed, quickness and sharp kicks to Khali’s legs, hoping to cut down the giant’s
vertical base. But Jack himself had an easier time cutting down the beanstalk; Khali quickly ended Mysterio’s offense with
a single blow, and in the process nearly dominated the remainder of the contest. Even SmackDown commentator JBL – a man
who in recent weeks has voiced venomous dislike for the masked Superstar – admitted to feeling sorry for Rey (though “not
very much”) as the Punjabi colossus slowly, methodically punished him. Being cast to the outside floor offered no
reprieve, either – that is, until a Khali Chop missed Mysterio and caught the ringside steps. At that moment, the ultimate
underdog – as he has done throughout his entire career – mounted a 619-charged offense that forced even the giant to
stagger on the outside. Unfortunately, just when it seemed Rey might once more be able to pull off the impossible and
bring the colossus to his knees, Finlay ran down and attacked. The referee instantly called for the bell, giving Mysterio
the win via disqualification, but Rey was understandably more concerned about self-preservation. He quickly disarmed the
shillelagh-wielding Irishman, but before he could take any more fight out of him, Khali –still outside the ring – struck
the Master of the 619’s head with a vicious chop from behind. Finlay then further softened up his No Mercy adversary,
leaving him completely helpless as Khali locked the Vise Grip around his skull. The Nutter Center crowd cringed in unison,
as if they suddenly realized that they were witnessing a repeat of the bloody, brutal suffering Khali had inflicted on
Mysterio only a month before. But just as the Punjabi Goliath was about to crush SmackDown’s David, an enraged Animal
charged the ring to save his friend. Batista’s spinebuster instantly eradicated any threat from the motioning Finlay,
while a spear to the midsection nearly folded The Great Khali in half. Earlier that night, Batista had warned that The
Great Khali would have no idea what to expect from being locked inside the Punjabi Prison with a caged Animal at No Mercy.
Yet the monster’s back received a pretty good idea as The Animal unleashed his fury with a steel chair. Forced to exit the
ring, The Great Khali could only watch as the World Heavyweight Champion stood watch over the recovering Rey Mysterio,
staring back at the giant all the while. Thanks to Batista, “David” had survived another SmackDown encounter with
“Goliath.” But this Sunday, The Animal must enter the belly of the giant’s lair – a chamber of horrors from which there
will be, fittingly enough, No Mercy.
If WWE Tag Team C hampions Matt Hardy & Montel Vontavious Porter had to pick a team theme song, a version of “Anything You
Can Do, I Can Do Better” might be a good choice. Their quest to determine who’s better than who continued in Dayton, as
MVP challenged Matt to a push-up contest before their scheduled title defense against Deuce & Domino. But being the great
guy that he is, “team captain” MVP, always looking out for his partner, offered Matt the chance to forfeit right before
the contest. “Hey, I don’t want to wear you out for our match,” the cocky United States Champion graciously revealed.
“You’re sure you want to do this?” Matt was sure, but had he known how MVP would score the victory, he might have
reconsidered. The rules stated that the first man’s chest to hit the ground would be the loser; sure enough, as they
headed northward of 30, Porter quickly swiped Hardy’s arm out from under him, causing Matt to fall face-first onto the
canvas. MVP was quickly declared the winner and the two bickered, but had little time to resolve the dispute before a
classic car carrying the trio from the Other Side of the Tracks rolled down to the ring. Despite all the bickering,
however, once the bell rings Hardy & Porter have shown themselves to be remarkably cohesive at times. Against Deuce &
Domino, a little bit of division showed through as both men seemed to try to one-up the other, but in the end, the result
was one they were both happy with. As all four men battled in the ring, the referee turned to get Deuce back to his
corner. Domino quickly removed his belt, looking to whip Hardy like he was a canine from Surry County. Instead, it was MVP
who once again stole a page from Jesse “The Body” Ventura’s playbook – win if you can, lose if you must, but always
cheat – by nailing Domino with a low blow. Neither Hardy nor the referee saw it, so Matt quickly followed up with a Twist
of Fate for the pinfall. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of the champions’ night. As they headed to the locker room,
their victorious walk was interrupted by Kane. As the Big Red Machine made his entrance to the ring, MVP scurried as far
away as possible; Kane looked at both men, but continued on his journey with a wicked smile. Later, while talking to
Acting GM Vickie Guerrero, MVP tried to convince her that Matt should battle Undertaker. Instead, Vickie came up with a
better match for next week: Undertaker & Kane vs. Hardy & MVP. The look on Hardy’s face – and MVP’s, for that matter –
said all they needed to about the captain’s bargaining prowess. Still, the question remains: Can the Felix and Oscar of
WWE dismantle the Brothers of Destruction next week?
MATCHES:
Chuck Palumbo defeated Ace Steele
Jamie Noble defeated Jimmy Wang Yang
" WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
Matt Hardy & M.V.P.
defeated
Deuce & Domino
retaining the titles
Kane
defeated
Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
Jesse & Festus
defeated
Mike Tolar & Chad Collyer
Rey Mysterio defeated The Great Khali
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 426
10-12-07 Taped 10-9-07
Joe Louis Arena
Detroit, Michigan
Jamie Noble certainly enjoyed the beginning of his Friday night as he sucked up to SmackDown’s Acting General Manager,
Vickie Guerrero. Vickie was in good spirits after a phone call from Kristal had informed her that GM Theodore Long – who
suffered a massive heart attack during his wedding ceremony last month – was getting stronger and could even return home
by next week. But when Noble mistakenly compared the way she assumed Long’s responsibilities to the trick he played
earlier on fellow cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang, Vickie decided to put an end to the self-proclaimed elite opportunist’s
fun – by placing him in a match with The Great Khali. Coming off a monumental loss to Batista in the Punjabi Prison Match,
the 7-foot-3 Punjabi Goliath showed his much smaller opponent no mercy whatsoever, dominating Noble before applying the
vicious Khali Vise Grip for the victory.
Chuck Palumbo has managed to remain undefeated since returning to SmackDown, and the revved-up Superstar kept his streak
intact Friday with a huge victory over Chris Masters. Never one to be outdone, though, "The Masterpiece" jumped the
motorcycle enthusiast before he and Michelle McCool could ride off into the sunset, then trapped Palumbo his signature
Master Lock. Try as he could, the powerful Palumbo could not free himself, instead becoming victim to Masters’ unbreakable
hold for the second consecutive week.
SmackDown’s newest tag team, Jesse & Festus, took part in more exciting tandem action Friday night after making their
wildly successful debut last week. Jesse told our fans in the Joe Louis Arena that whenever Festus hears the bell, he
transforms from his “normal, effervescent self” to a fierce tiger. It seemed young Jesse was right, because once the match
started, Festus…well, that was a man who was all business, powering the duo to another impressive SmackDown win.
After Jamie Noble told Deuce & Domino that Jimmy Wang Yang allegedly had some not-so-nice things to say about Cherry, the
two men from the Other Side of the Tracks became incensed. Cherry’s boyfriend Deuce confronted SmackDown’s resident
redneck in the ring, but when Yang picked up the victory, Domino attacked immediately after the match. Unable to fight
back, Yang was subjected to a humiliating series of slaps across the face from the usually neutral Cherry. Injury was then
added to insult when he felt the brutality of a decapitating Crack 'em in da Mouth from the bomber-clad duo.
Friday Night SmackDown introduced our fans to its newest Superstar, Drew McIntyre, who faced Brett Major in his first
match on The CW Network. Accompanied to the ring by Dave Taylor, McIntyre declared he is looking for dual citizenship and
implored our fans to cheer for him with chants of “U-S-A.” McIntyre’s ring debut was a successful one, as a little outside
distraction from Taylor enabled him to pick up a rollup win over Major. Our fans, however, weren’t so quick to comply with
the Scotsman’s wishes.
For the Brothers of Destruction, teaming with each other is like riding a bicycle; they may not do it often, but they
never forget how good the ride can feel…especially when it means running down the competition. Before Friday night, it had
been nearly a year since Kane & Undertaker last teamed up inside a WWE ring. Still, WWE Tag Team Champions Matt Hardy &
MVP thought they knew what they were up against in facing the brothers on SmackDown. None of that mattered, though, once
those four men hit the ring at Joe Louis Arena and the Brothers of Destruction celebrated a successful reunion by downing
the “odd couple” champions in a non-title tilt. Before the bout, the WWE Tag Team Champions actually seemed to gel and
join up on the same page, as they finally agreed that to compete with – rather than against – each other. The two even
exchanged a handshake and the “team captain” reminded Hardy to “follow my lead out there.” Unfortunately for the champs,
if that was MVP’s best motivational speech, poor Matt might want to seek guidance elsewhere in the future. From the
opening bell, the Brothers of Destruction practically dominated the bout. Despite an unusually cohesive effort from Hardy
& MVP – one that didn’t surprise JBL – Undertaker & Kane went out and proved what SmackDown’s color commentator said about
them: “[The Brothers of Destruction] are the most dominant tag team I have ever seen in that ring.” Hardy & MVP did manage
to create one solid chance to steal the victory when Matt hit the Twist of Fate on Kane; however, MVP, ever the
opportunist, made a blind tag to Hardy and tried to pick the bones of Kane’s carcass. Instead, the Big Red Machine kicked
out of his pinfall, and that was the beginning of the end for the champions. After Undertaker got involved and took Hardy
out of the equation, the Brothers took turns pummeling the United States Champion. Following a moment of back-and-forth
that made it look like his “P” stood for “ping-pong ball” instead of Porter, MVP felt the power of Undertaker’s Tombstone
piledriver. Three seconds later, the match was over. Thankfully for MVP & Hardy, the bout was a non-title match, so the
gold stays around their waists. However, as JBL put it best, the champions might be in trouble: “I don’t know if the [WWE
Tag Team Championship] is in their future,” the self-proclaimed wrestling god crowed. “Hell, I don’t know what they want.
But whatever it is, they can just go out and get it.”
With World Heavyweight Champion Batista watching from ringside, Finlay and Rey Mysterio faced off on SmackDown last
Friday, battling for the right to be named No. 1 contender to The Animal’s gold at Cyber Sunday. But the ring could not
contain the tension that erupted between the Irishman and Mysterio – nor could it ultimately keep out another threat to
Batista’s reign as champion. A threat that had already bested The Animal earlier this year. The physically brutal Finlay
did all he could to ground the high-flying Master of the 619, but the ever-resilient Mysterio refused to let the Irishman
just walk through him to the title match. A frustrated Finlay, unable to keep his cool, shoved referee Mickie Henson out
of the way so that he could deliver further punishment to Rey with his preferred weapon of choice, his trusty shillelagh.
It was then that our fans in Joe Louis Arena, as well as the World Heavyweight Champion, heard the familiar sound of
Undertaker’s gong and watched the arena go dark. Moments later, when the lights came back on, The Phenom stood in the
center of the ring, over an incapacitated Finlay and Mysterio. The former World Heavyweight Champion next turned his
attention to Batista and motioned for the gold. The Animal, never one to back down, stood up from the announce table as he
and Undertaker stared each other down, in a scene reminiscent of their other historical showdown in Detroit, at
WrestleMania 23. It was announced before Mysterio and Finlay squared off that, beginning Saturday at noon ET, our fans can
log onto WWE.com and vote on one of three individuals to be the guest referee at Cyber Sunday’s World Heavyweight Title
Match – Mick Foley, SmackDown announcer JBL or “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. But since Undertaker’s involvement resulted in
no clear winner in the match, another question must be asked: Who is the No. 1 contender to Batista’s championship?
MATCHES:
Chuck Palumbo defeated Chris Masters
Jesse & Festus defeated Conrad Carnes & Jay Adams
Drew McIntyre defeated Brett Major
- NON TITLE MATCH -
The Undertaker & Kane
defeated
WWE Tag Team Champions
Matt Hardy & M.V.P.
The Great Khali defeated Jamie Noble
Jimmy Wang Yang defeated Deuce
Rey Mysterio vs Fit Finlay
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 427
10-19-07 Taped 10-16-07
Birmingham National Indoor Arena
Birmingham, England
After invading the Land of the Extreme earlier in the week, Kane returned to Friday Night SmackDown to face The Great
Khali. Wasting little time, The Punjab Giant gave the Big Red Monster a not-so-warm welcome back, getting disqualified for
using a cable to try and decimate Kane. As Kane recovered from the attack by Khali, ECW’s Big Daddy V made his way to the
ring, looking for retribution against the Big Red Monster for his involvement as CM Punk’s partner on ECW on Sci Fi. The
Dominating Force in WWE laid waste to Kane, and made it known that the working partnership between SmackDown’s Acting GM
Vickie Guerrero and ECW’s man in charge, Armando Estrada, has opened the gates for his personal path of destruction.
After griping to GM Vickie Guerrero about having to face Khali last week, and stating that if Theodore Long were in charge
he would never have had to face the Punjab Giant, Jamie Noble was given another worthy opponent – Undertaker. The young
cruiserweight pleaded his case, hoping to avoid a confrontation with The Deadman, but to no avail. As The Phenom heads
toward his Cyber Sunday showdown with Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship, he dominated Noble, sending another
message to The Animal. When Undertaker and Batista step into the ring at Cyber Sunday, you have the power to decide who
will be the special guest referee. But will JBL, Stone Cold Steve Austin or Mick Foley be able to control the two
behemoths when the gold is on the line?
For the first time since returning to SmackDown, Chuck Palumbo tasted defeat. The rivalry between Palumbo and Masters has
been building for weeks as their contempt for one another grows. In a controversial match with Chris Masters, Palumbo lost
when Victoria distracted the revved-up Superstar by attacking Michelle McCool. Masters took advantage and rolled Chuck up
for the win.
The cruiserweight tandem of Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore managed to fly high together to defeat Deuce & Domino. Yang
enlisted Moore’s help to watch his back after Domino attacked Yang following his victory over Deuce last week. The boys
from the Other Side of the Tracks have had their problems lately, unable to find success either together or on their own.
While they claim to be “all about cool,” Deuce & Domino have been anything but cool since losing the WWE Tag Team
Championship.
The pride of Scotland, Drew McIntyre, was in singles action once again on SmackDown, taking on Brian Major. The young
Scottish Superstar picked up his second consecutive victory since his debut last week, and he owes both wins to his
mentor, Dave Taylor. McIntyre has taken full advantage of Taylor’s helping hand at the expense of the Major Brothers, and
the young up-and-comer hopes to continue those winning ways.
You know the old saying “You can’t tell the players without a scorecard”? Well, when it comes to SmackDown’s involvement
at Cyber Sunday, not even a scoreboard will help you remember who’s going after whom. While together they are the WWE Tag
Team Champions, Matt Hardy & MVP are seemingly anything but friends, and they will battle against one another at Cyber
Sunday in a match of your choosing – Wrestling, Boxing or Mixed Martial Arts. On SmackDown, Matt and MVP were slated for
singles action against another pair of Cyber Sunday opponents: Finlay and Rey Mysterio, respectively. You also get to
choose what kind of match Rey and Finlay do battle in at Cyber Sunday: A Stretcher Match, Shillelagh on a Pole Match or No
Disqualification Match. Hardy and Finlay were up first, and before the bout, MVP tried to make peace with his partner,
comparing their connection to that of several successful sports tandems like Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr – or perhaps
Tiger Woods and his caddy. Whether or not that fired up Matt is unknown, but he did tell MVP that he thought the United
States Champion was better than a caddy. Funny he said that, because unlike how a caddy helps a golfer select the right
club, the Ballin’ Superstar prevented Finlay from selecting his. Using one of his signature tricks, the Celtic combatant
pulled off a turnbuckle pad to distract the referee and grab his trusty shillelagh. But as he went for it, MVP appeared
out of nowhere and knocked it away. This allowed Matt to nail the Twist of Fate for the victory, but the true cause and
effect wouldn’t be known until later. That “later” turned out to be MVP’s match against Mysterio in SmackDown’s main
event. The two men, battling for the first time ever, threw everything they had at one another. In the end, Mysterio made
one small mistake and MVP capitalized; the Ballin’ Superstar set up for The Playmaker, but at that very moment, Finlay
returned the earlier favor, pulling MVP out of the ring and brutalizing the United States Champion. The interference was a
two-fold screwjob, as Finlay’s appearance – and subsequent attack of MVP – also got Mysterio disqualified. Rey eventually
joined in the fracas and sent Finlay scurrying from the ring, but the damage had already been done. So to recap: Hardy &
MVP are the WWE Tag Team Champions, but aren’t always on the same page and will face each other at Cyber Sunday; MVP
helped his partner defeat Finlay, who later returned the favor by attacking the U.S. Champion during his match with
Mysterio; and Rey then attacked Finlay, who is his Cyber Sunday opponent.
More than a century ago, G.F. Northall’s Folk Phrases of Four Counties listed the familiar English children’s taunt,
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Thankfully, neither Mr. Northall nor his junior
associates lived to utter inflammatory comments in the way of the World Heavyweight Champion, Batista – especially ones
that concern his Cyber Sunday opponent, Undertaker. John “Bradshaw” Layfield, SmackDown’s color commentator and potential
guest referee for the World Heavyweight Title Match at Cyber Sunday, wasn’t so fortunate when the Friday night brand
pond-hopped over to Birmingham, England, this past week. Granted, he definitely got what was coming to him following his
less-than-objective in-ring interview with SmackDown’s Animal. But that isn’t to say JBL’s words were entirely false,
which is perhaps what provoked Batista into making a possible tactical error that could backfire on him come Cyber
Sunday. At first, our fans in the National Indoor Arena (NIA) wondered if JBL would ever shut up about himself, or his
claims that he currently leads “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Mick Foley in the guest referee Internet voting for the Oct.
28 pay-per-view. Yet even the egomaniacal “wrestling god” acknowledged that Batista-Undertaker IV would be every bit the
epic confrontation as its three predecessors earlier this year. “It’s a rivalry that rivals Ali-Frazier, Gotti-Ward,
Cowboys-Steelers, England-…well, you never could make your penalty kicks,” he said, eliciting an avalanche of jeers from
the sold-out crowd. Moving away from his callous reference to England’s 2006 World Cup quarter-final loss to Portugal, JBL
returned to his favorite topic – himself. That is, until he was suddenly interrupted by Batista’s entrance theme, much to
the delight of our fans. With the World Heavyweight Championship proudly slung over his shoulder, The Animal entered the
ring and snarled back a warning for his possible guest official: “When I face Undertaker at Cyber Sunday, I’m going to
tell anyone who’s chosen to ref the match the same thing I’m going to tell you right now: Stay. Out. Of my way.” Instead,
the longest reigning champion in SmackDown television history chose to poke a sharp stick of reality into Batista’s side.
“The problem is not going to be with me, Champ. The problem is going to be with yourself,” he said, reminding The Animal
that despite going pillar to post with Undertaker at WrestleMania 23 last April, he lost his championship to The Phenom on
sports-entertainment’s grandest stage. “In fact, you’ve never beaten Undertaker, have you?” Batista wanted to know what
JBL’s point was – other than the one under his 10-gallon hat. That’s when Layfield held up a copy of Batista Unleashed,
The Animal’s autobiography that became available everywhere last Tuesday, and stated his case. “You wrote something in
here about Undertaker that’s very telling about your soul,” JBL explained. “It said – and I quote – ‘I wanted people to
know I could stand up to him.’ You didn’t say, ‘I want people to know I can beat him,’ or ‘I want people to know that I’m
better than him.’ All you wanted to do was be in the same room with him, because quite frankly, you’re afraid of The
Undertaker, and you know damn good and well you can’t beat him.” Batista tried laughing off the accusation, calmly
insisting that he wasn’t afraid of The Deadman, or anyone for that matter. JBL, knowing that he had landed a solid verbal
blow, answered, “OK, we’ll see at Cyber Sunday,” and began motioning away from the champion. But as Batista began exiting
the ring, his potential guest official uttered one final word that drew a collective “Whooaaa” from the sold-out NIA
crowd: “Coward.” If you were home watching SmackDown on The CW Network Friday night, rest assured that there was nothing
wrong with your TV’s volume. You really could hear a pin drop as Batista turned back toward Layfield with a glare in his
eyes that could pierce through steel. Then, after several interminable moments of deafening silence, The Animal speared
his antagonistic interviewer nearly out of his boots. JBL rolled his crumpled self out of the ring, while the visibly
incensed champion held his title high for all to see. There’s no question that Batista is a worthy champion; his
incredible six-month odyssey back to the World Heavyweight Title is testament of that. However, with Cyber Sunday only a
week away, perhaps our fans should ask what really infuriated The Animal last week – JBL’s taunts about not being able to
beat Undertaker…or the possibility that JBL is right? Think about it. After their WrestleMania 23 classic, Batista and
Undertaker’s respective follow-up confrontations – a Last Man Standing Match at Backlash, then a Steel Cage Match on
SmackDown – were amazingly brutal battles that ended in stalemates, with The Phenom remaining as champion. On those two
occasions, despite coming incredibly close, The Animal simply couldn’t land the final blow that spelled victory as well as
validation. Now, when he is once again World Heavyweight Champion, Batista must again go toe-to-toe with The Deadman who
bested him. How can it not weigh on his mind? Judging from the way he folded JBL in half last Friday, it’s increasingly
apparent that he can’t. And like the SmackDown commentator pointed out, that may be The Animal’s biggest problem to
overcome at Cyber Sunday.
MATCHES:
Kane defeated The Great Khali
via a disqualification
Chris Masters defeated Chuck Palumbo
WWE Tag Team Champion Matt Hardy
defeated
Fit Finlay
Drew McIntyre defeated Brian Major
Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore
defeated
Deuce & Domino
The Undertaker defeated Jamie Noble
- NON TITLE MATCH -
United States Champion & WWE Tag Team Champion M.V.P.
defeated
Rey Mysterio
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 428
10-26-07 Taped 10-23-07
Sprint Center
Kansas City, Missouri
SmackDown’s Kane and Mark Henry faced off last Friday, in Henry’s first action since his loss to Undertaker four weeks
ago. The Big Red Monster, meanwhile, was coming off his second appearance on ECW on Sci Fi, when the World’s Strongest Man
and The Great Khali interrupted his match with Big Daddy V. Kane defeated the self-proclaimed Silverback with a chokeslam,
and the fiery Superstar hopes to carry that momentum when he again invades the Land of the Extreme this Tuesday night. The
four behemoths are set to meet in a Monster Mash Battle Royal with each hoping to be named the true monster of
sports-entertainment on the eve of Halloween.
After facing The Great Khali and Undertaker in consecutive weeks, cruiserweight Jamie Noble hoped that his sweet-talking
ways would soften Acting General Manager Vickie Guerrero’s decision-making. Noble’s attempts appeared to be working, until
Guerrero informed him he had a match with the World Heavyweight Champion, Batista. The distraught Noble reluctantly made
his way to the ring to face the champion, and The Animal wasted little time in decimating his overmatched opponent.
Delivering a vicious Batista Bomb to Noble for the victory, the World Heavyweight Champion now heads toward his Cyber
Sunday showdown with Undertaker.
Jesse & Festus continued their remarkable streak since debuting on SmackDown, defeating the team of Joe Hennig & Steve
Fender. Once again, when the bell sounded to begin the match, Festus transformed from the reserved Superstar our fans are
accustomed to seeing, into a monstrously intense in-ring competitor. Picking up another impressive win, the “Biscuits ‘n’
Gravy” tandem keeps their undefeated streak alive on SmackDown.
The 2007 WWE Diva Search Finalists Brooke and Eve made a very special appearance on SmackDown, and each took the
opportunity to tell our fans why they shouldn’t vote for the other. The 2007 Diva Search winner will be announced Monday
on Raw.
As part of the new working partnership between SmackDown’s Acting GM Vickie Guerrero and ECW’s Armando Estrada, the three
ECW Superstars who you can vote to be CM Punk’s opponent at Cyber Sunday were in a Triple Threat Match on SmackDown. Big
Daddy V, John Morrison and The Miz all hope to be part of the ECW Championship Match this Sunday, and Friday night was
their last chance to campaign for your votes. The Dominating Force in WWE defeated Morrison and Miz to claim the victory,
but will that translate into a golden opportunity for Big Daddy V?
Partnered up for the very first time, Cyber Sunday opponents Rey Mysterio & Finlay seemed to momentarily put aside their
differences when they faced the WWE Tag Team Champions (and Cyber Sunday opponents) Matt Hardy & MVP. But as Mysterio was
about to pick up the victory, the Irishman showed his true intentions and double-crossed the Master of the 619, allowing
the Ballin’ Superstar to take full advantage of the opening.
Last week, JBL found himself the recipient of a spear from World Heavyweight Champion Batista after calling The Animal a
coward. This week, the SmackDown commentator looked to interview The Phenom about the Batista-Undertaker showdown at Cyber
Sunday, a match in which you choose JBL, Mick Foley or “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as the special guest referee. Instead,
the former champion JBL berated The Deadman, reminding him of their rivalry from JBL’s in-ring days. Undertaker
chokeslammed the self-proclaimed “Wrestling God,” but then his Cyber Sunday opponent Batista came out to deliver a message
of his own to Undertaker.
MATCHES:
Kane defeated Mark Henry
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Tag Team Champions Matt Hardy & United States Champion M.V.P.
defeated
Fit Finlay & Rey Mysterio
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion Dave Batista
defeated
Jamie Noble
- ECW TRIPLE THREAT MATCH -
Big Daddy V
defeated
John "Nobody" Morrison & Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
Jesse & Festus
defeated
Joe Hennig & Steve Fender
Run Time: 1:59:55
SMACKDOWN
# 429
11-2-07 Taped 10-30-07
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Long Island, New York
After three consecutive weeks of facing the biggest Superstars on SmackDown in The Great Khali, Undertaker and World
Heavyweight Champion Batista, Jamie Noble finally got to pick on someone closer to his own size – Rey Mysterio. Actually,
that was only made possible by Acting SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero, who has “tormented” Noble by putting him
in the ring with giants. This week, Noble thought Guerrero had taken mercy on him and he looked to get back on the winning
track.
However, Mysterio had a plan all his own. With Rey’s rival, Finlay, observing things from ringside, the high-flying Master
of the 619 defeated Noble. Next week, in a Cyber Sunday rematch, Mysterio will take flight once more when he faces the
Irishman in what has become one of WWE’s hottest rivalries.
Last Monday on Raw, Jonathan Coachman was once again embarrassed at the hands of Hornswoggle, this time with Mick Foley as
the special guest referee. Coach demanded a match in Foley’s home of Long Island, and when “Mr. McMahon” was announced as
a guest referee, Coachman thought he had the upper hand. To Coach’s chagrin, Vincent Kennedy was not the McMahon in his
match – it was Hornswoggle. Displaying some of the “hate” that his dear old dad advised him to embrace on Raw, the
leprechaun helped Mrs. Foley’s baby boy defeat Coachman. Is this the side of Hornswoggle that the Chairman wants to see or
is the little guy bucking the McMahon way in favor of his own?
Festus has been a force in the tag team division since debuting with his partner Jesse, but on SmackDown he was in singles
action against Domino. When the match began, the normally benign Festus transformed and became a Superstar possessed,
defeating Domino as Jesse made sure Deuce didn’t interfere. With the loss to the red-hot “Biscuits ‘n’ Gravy” big man, the
boys from the Other Side of the Tracks continued to falter without the gold around their waists.
After suffering his first SmackDown loss a few weeks ago, Chuck Palumbo returned to his winning ways when he defeated
Kenny Dykstra. The revved-up Superstar’s rivalry with the ever-game Dykstra has yet to see the self-proclaimed future Hall
of Famer create any speed bumps. But will Palumbo continue to ride the open road to victory on SmackDown?
Unable to compete on SmackDown because of the injury to his head, WWE Tag Team Champion Matt Hardy made sure that he kept
his “friend” and fellow champion MVP warmed up for the next time they team together. Matt informed his cocky partner that
he would compete in one-on-one action against Kane – the one man who seems to have the Ballin’ Superstar’s number in the
ring. The United States Champion MVP unenthusiastically made his way to the ring for the non-title contest against the man
who set him on fire last December at Armageddon, while the Big Red Machine waited to gain revenge from Cyber Sunday. At
the interactive pay-per-view, MVP slithered his way out of the ring and lost the match by count-out, keeping his bling
secure but igniting the fires of Kane’s anger. On SmackDown, however, MVP couldn’t run from Kane. The Big Red Monster
physically dominated his reluctant opponent. As Kane chokeslammed the Franchise Playa to get the victory, the presence of
an even bigger Superstar was unmistakable as Kane’s newest rival, Big Daddy V, made his way into Nassau Coliseum and
headed for the Big Red Monster. The two behemoths have clashed over recent weeks as part of the working partnership
between SmackDown’s Acting General Manager Vickie Guerrero and ECW’s GM Armando Estrada. After neither was able to win the
Monster Mash Battle Royal this past Tuesday on ECW on Sci Fi, their worlds collided once more as The Dominating Force in
WWE viciously attacked Kane, leaving the Big Red Monster down in the center of the ring. As the partnership between
SmackDown and ECW continues, the gates of hell have opened for Kane, who now has to watch his back at all times for the
gigantic shadow of Big Daddy V. But that also means that The Dominating Force in WWE will have to prepare himself to face
the same reality MVP faced on SmackDown: If you anger Kane, you will have nowhere to run from the sadistic,
pain-inflicting Big Red Machine. The warning for Big Daddy V is simple: If you play with fire, you will get burned. MVP
found that out once again on SmackDown. And if The Dominating Force in WWE ignores the past, he is doomed to repeat it.
Maybe Big Daddy V should take a lesson from his associate Matt Striker; he knows a thing or two about history.
Undertaker and Batista promised to have each other’s backs against the combo of Mark Henry & The Great Khali on Friday
night; unfortunately, thanks to a little interference, it was their fronts that got exploited. As SmackDown began, Batista
recounted his Cyber Sunday victory over The Phenom – one which tied the rivalry that The Animal called “a war” at one win
apiece – as something he never thought he would accomplish. He then called on The Phenom for their later tag team match:
“Undertaker, we haven’t settled our differences,” Batista said, “but tonight, I will have your back. But will you have
mine?” When Undertaker appeared in the ring, Batista wasn’t fazed, at least until The Deadman spoke. “Rest assured, I will
have your back … because you still have the one thing I want,” Undertaker quipped. Immediately Batista asked if he was
looking for a rematch, and before The Phenom could answer, The Animal accepted the challenge. Considering he was the
victor at Cyber Sunday, Batista did not have to make that offer; however, the World Heavyweight Champion never backs down
from a challenge, even the one Undertaker punctuated the acceptance with: “Batista … Hell in a Cell!” With that looming
over their heads, Batista & Undertaker headed into battle against Henry & Khali, who believed they would conquer the
already divided duo. That wasn’t the case early in the bout, however, as The Animal & The Phenom showed amazing
cohesiveness in dominating the self-proclaimed Silverback. That quickly ended though, as The World’s Strongest Man and his
7-foot-3 Punjabi partner isolated Undertaker, then did the same to Batista once The Phenom was able to escape their
clutches. In the end, the bout degenerated into a four-man slugfest. It looked like Batista & Undertaker were on the path
to victory after The Animal dropped Henry with a spinebuster, but that’s when disaster struck. As Batista set The World’s
Strongest Man up for a Batista Bomb, JBL left his ringside commentary position and clobbered the World Heavyweight
Champion. The bell rang immediately, with the referee disqualifying Henry & Khali, but that didn’t stop the disgruntled
color commentator. Both Batista & Undertaker felt the wrath of JBL’s Clothesline from Hell, and as both were locked in
their opponents’ signature moves – Undertaker in the Khali Vise Grip and Batista in Henry’s bear hug – our fans at home
got to hear JBL’s vitriolic diatribe against them. “Those two want to mess with me?” JBL spewed hatefully to Michael Cole.
“They want to put their hands on me? Well look at them, Michael! Look what’s happening to them now! Undertaker and Batista
are getting destroyed!” Apparently, the combination of being assaulted by both Batista and Undertaker over the last few
weeks – along with only garnering 10 percent of your vote at Cyber Sunday – has driven JBL to his boiling point. But with
Henry & Khali intent on destroying both men already, and their upcoming Hell in a Cell battle against each other looming,
will The Animal or The Phenom even be able to do anything about it?
MATCHES:
Festus defeated Domino
Rey Mysterio defeated Jamie Noble
- NON TITLE MATCH -
"The Big Red Machine" Kane defeated United States Champion M.V.P.
Mick Foley defeated Jonathan "The Coach" Coachman
Chuck Palumbo defeated Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
"The Silverback" Mark Henry & The Great Khali
vs
World Heavyweight Champion Dave "The Animal" Batista & "The Phenom" The Undertaker
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:24
SMACKDOWN
# 430
11-9-07 Taped 11-6-07
Robobank Arena
Bakersfield, California
As the partnership between Acting SmackDownGeneral Manager Vickie Guerrero and ECW’s GM Armando Estrada continues, Friday
night saw ECW’s brightest star shine when its champion, CM Punk, visited SmackDown. As Punk traded greetings with
Guerrero, they were interrupted by Jamie Noble. The cruiserweight offered a gift to Vickie, and the Straightedge Superstar
took the opportunity to have some fun at Noble’s expense. However, the ECW Champion’s humor was not well received by
Noble, who exclaimed he could defeat Punk in the ring. SmackDown’s GM agreed that a match between Punk and Noble would be
a delight to our fans, and the two made their way to the ring to compete. Noble held his own against the top of the ECW
chain, until John Morrison and The Miz interfered, leading to a no contest. Morrison and Miz are both hoping to become the
next ECW Champion at Survivor Series, and each was hoping to make a strong statement by attacking CM Punk. The champion
would not go down without a fight, though, and he found a way to incapacitate both the self-proclaimed Shaman of Sexy and
The Miz. Noble, seeing an opening, delivered a devastating gut-buster to Punk, leaving the ECW Champion in the center of
the ring.
Michelle McCool and her friend Chuck Palumbo were chatting with Torrie Wilson in the locker room when Victoria and Kenny
Dykstra showed up and insulted the duo, insinuating there was more than friendship between Michelle and Palumbo. McCool
headed to the ring seeking a measure of revenge on Victoria for the comments, but she was unsuccessful as the dangerous
Diva picked up the win. The hotly contested rivalry between Victoria and Michelle McCool has run rampant in the women’s
division, with each able to claim a victory over the other. Will the two Divas continue to bring their battles to the
ring – and will their confrontations continue to rev-up Palumbo and Dykstra?
The World Heavyweight Champion Batista came to Bakersfield Friday night with a stern message for Mark Henry.
Brett & Brian Major prevailed in a spectacular 10-Man Battle Royal, earning a title opportunity that same night against
WWE Tag Team Champions Matt Hardy & MVP. However, while blood may be thicker than water and the brothers put forth a
tremendous effort in the tag contest, they’d ultimately fall short of defeating the most functional dysfunctional tag team
in WWE. In addition to the Major Brothers, the teams of Jesse & Festus, Deuce & Domino, Drew McIntyre & Dave Taylor and
Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore all stepped into the ring with hopes of eliminating the competition and getting an
opportunity at tag gold. When the match came down to the boys from the Other Side of the Tracks and the Majors, Deuce &
Domino seemed perfectly poised to gain a chance at the gold they lost months ago. Yet their literal momentum would cost
them that opportunity moments later, when Brett pulled down the top rope and sent both charging bruisers all the way to
the outside floor. As much as the brothers were united for Friday’s tag title contest, Matt Hardy & MVP seemed even
further apart than usual. The tension between the champions has escalated ever since it was announced that MVP and Hardy
will stand on opposing teams in a Traditional Elimination Match at Survivor Series. The strain of that upcoming
confrontation became even more evident Friday night when Matt returned from injury to help the Franchise Playa defend the
titles against the Majors. Instead, the duo constantly argued between themselves, and their in-ring fluidity suffered for
it. The Major Brothers looked to capitalize on the opening left by the tag champs’ widening rift, and gave it their all
with the gold on the line. But the U.S. Champion, intent on not losing his tag team bling, put Brett & Brian’s dreams to
rest when he tagged himself into the match and found a way to seal the victory for himself and Hardy. With the win, the
self-proclaimed “Team Captain” and Matt Hardy remain WWE Tag Team Champions going into Survivor Series. But what will
happen if SmackDown’s odd couple must oppose each other in the ring a week from Sunday? And how will the loss in their
first title fight affect the young upstart Major Brothers? Will the duo be able to bounce back and stay in the hunt for
the gold, or will their defeat at the hands of MVP & Matt Hardy have negative repercussions as their careers blossom?
Finlay, hell-bent on avenging his Cyber Sunday loss to Rey Mysterio, had been claiming that the masked Superstar’s
weakness and compassion made him a loser, and that he would capitalize on his supposed fear of the Irishman. All of these
points remain highly debatable even after the two squared off on SmackDown Friday night. Unfortunately for Mysterio,
Finlay left him in no condition to dispute them, or the outcome of their match. During his interview with Anastasia
earlier that evening, the former World Champion had assured our fans, “Rey Mysterio fears no man, and certainly not
Finlay…. I was raised to win.” Carrying that attitude into his match with the Rabobank Arena crowd firmly behind him, the
unorthodox high-flyer would surprise our fans – and, more significantly, the Belfast brawler – with an unusually
aggressive offense from the onset. To our fans, if the assertive Mysterio seemed afraid of anything Friday night, it was
that he might not get his hands on Finlay again at their upcoming Survivor Series contest, when the two join opposing
teams for the pay-per-view’s Traditional Elimination Match. Then, just like that, Finlay demonstrated once again why he is
one of the most dangerous individuals inside the squared circle. His smashmouth offense, arguably the most original in
sports-entertainment, enabled him to take control of the match – at the expense of Mysterio’s back and skull. Utilizing
all four corners (plus the outside barricade) to toss the masked Master of the 619 around like a sack of potatoes, even
the usually dour Irishman couldn’t stop from cracking a sick, twisted smile. Though Rey clearly favored his back
throughout the last half of the battle, it looked like he swung momentum back in his favor after countering Finlay’s
attempted shillelagh assault and connecting with the 619. But the Celtic combatant, always aware of his surroundings,
grabbed hold of the top rope just before Mysterio could launch into a West Coast Pop, forcing the masked Superstar to
crash sickeningly hard onto the canvas. Hoisting the visibly hurt Mysterio up onto his shoulders, Finlay then executed a
devastating Celtic Cross that made pinning his opponent seem almost excessive. Unfortunately, the Northern Irishman didn’t
see it that way, even after picking up the victory. Hurling the beaten Mysterio halfway across the ring to the outside
floor, Finlay grabbed a laptop from the SmackDown announcers’ table and, in a very un-“P.C.” manner, used it to whack Rey
across the skull. Seeing that the near-unconscious Mysterio was absolutely defenseless, the bruiser then lifted and rammed
him directly across the steel ring post. Needless to say, the assault was brutal and merciless – exactly the way Finlay
loves to fight. The look on our fans’ faces illustrated grave concern for their home state hero, especially while Finlay
again reached for his blackthorn-wooded club. Thankfully, the referee interjected, protecting the fallen Mysterio before
the Celtic combatant could inflict any further damage. Finlay had gotten his point across, however. On this night, he
backed up exactly what he promised to do a week before – he beat Rey Mysterio. And if Finlay has his way, the beatings
will continue until he finally convinces Mysterio why he should be fearful of him.
At Survivor Series, Undertaker meets Batista inside Hell in a Cell for the World Heavyweight Championship. So when word
was released that The Phenom would face The Great Khali in a No Holds Barred Match this week on SmackDown, many –
including color commentator JBL – wondered why The Deadman would jeopardize his chance at the gold. Fear not, SmackDown
faithful, because on Friday night, Undertaker proved he may be more ready than ever for Batista. The Deadman became only
the second man ever to force Khali to tap out, submitting him with a Triangle Choke to win the No Holds Barred battle.
Throughout the show, our fans at home got to see several “Great Khali Moments,” past instances of the Punjabi colossus
wreaking havoc on his opponents – Undertaker included. None of that seemed to faze The Phenom, however, as he was
rip-roaring and ready to go from the opening bell. Often called the Best Pure Striker in WWE by Michael Cole, Undertaker
backed up that claim by battering the Punjabi powerhouse early in the bout. And even when Khali took control, locking
Undertaker in his devastating Vise Grip after a massive chop, The Phenom showed the resilience that has made him a
five-time World Champion. While the move has put away some of WWE’s biggest Superstars – including The Phenom, who felt
its wrath last week – Undertaker somehow found a way out, becoming the first Superstar to break the Vise Grip. That wasn’t
the end of the monster’s onslaught, however. Moments after The Phenom delivered a chokeslam, Khali recovered and assaulted
him, dropping Undertaker with a Choke Bomb. Once again Undertaker adapted quickly. When Khali went in for another Vise
Grip, The Phenom grabbed his long left arm, wrapped his legs around Khali’s head and cinched in a Triangle Choke. As JBL
noted on commentary, Undertaker has recently become leaner – he is weighing in under 300 pounds for the first time in many
years – and begun to sprinkle in a technical aspect to his already impressive striking game. In this case, the new game
plan worked, as the Triangle Choke forced Khali to submit, a feat that only John Cena’s STFU had accomplished until then.
Just over a week away from one of the biggest matches if his career, Undertaker felled a 7-foot-3 giant and looks more
dangerous than ever. With that renewed focus – plus plenty of potential fallout from next week’s scheduled Batista vs.
Mark Henry clash, for which you can see Batista’s exclusive comments here – will The Phenom be able to walk through Hell
(in a Cell) and walk out of Survivor Series once again the World Heavyweight Champion?
MATCHES:
- TAG TEAM BATTLE ROYAL -
"The Major Brothers" Bret & Brian
defeated
Deuce & Domino, Jesse & Festus,
Drew McIntyre & Dave Taylor
and
Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore
Victoria defeated Michelle McCool
Fit Finlay defeated Rey Mysterio
- NON TITLE MATCH -
ECW Champion C.M. Punk vs Jamie Noble
ended in a no contest
" TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
Matt Hardy & M.V.P.
defeated
"The Major Brothers" Bret & Brian
retaining the titles
- NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH -
The Undertaker
defeated
The Great Khali
via his triangle choke
Run Time: 1:59:55
SMACKDOWN
# 431
11-16-07 Taped 11-13-07
Kansas Coliseum
Wichita, Kansas
Just two days before they both take part in the 10-Man Traditional Survivor Series Match, Finlay took on Raw Superstar and
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy in a non-title contest. The Irishman and two of his Survivor Series partners were on
the losing end of a Six-Man Tag Match to Hardy and two of his teammates this past Monday on Raw, and he still hoped to
make one last impression before the battle on Sunday. Hardy’s speed and agility gave him an early advantage, but on this
night, the ever-physical Finlay resorted to using his trusted shillelagh, giving Jeff the win via disqualification. After
the match, Jeff informed his brother Matt that he was leaving the arena because he had plans, and Jeff’s absence would
lead to severe consequences for his sibling.
This past Monday on Raw, The Hardys teamed up with Rey Mysterio. On SmackDown, the Master of the 619, a member of
Triple H’s team this Sunday, was in one-on-one action against Mr. Kennedy, who will be part of Umaga’s team at Survivor
Series. The high-flying style of Mysterio kept Kennedy at bay for the majority of the match, and when it looked as if
Raw’s loudmouth was going to steal a victory, Mysterio once again showed the heart he possesses when he pinned and
defeated Mr. Kennedy. Will Rey’s success on SmackDown carry over to this Sunday on pay-per-view?
Also on SmackDown, Hornswoggle reluctantly took part in the official weigh-in for his match Sunday against The Great
Khali. The usually fun-natured li’llegitimate son of Mr. McMahon was all frowns as he came face-to-leg with the largest
man in sports-entertainment. (See photos from the weigh-in) Khali sent a strong message to Hornswoggle when he crushed the
hat of the happy-go-lucky Superstar. If Khali applies his Vise Grip at Survivor Series, he may literally crush the
laughter out of the Chairman’s bastard child.
The evolution of Beth Phoenix continued on SmackDown when the Women’s Champion teamed with Victoria to take on Torrie
Wilson & Mickie James. The dominant Phoenix devastated Wilson to get the victory, and there appears to be no slowing down
the Glamazon. Will Beth Phoenix and her Diva team destroy the competition on Sunday or will one of her opponents step up
and try to thwart all of the Glamazon’s plans?
Before Friday Night SmackDown, Hardy and tag team partner MVP were WWE Tag Team Champions and – according to the Ballin’
Superstar at least – good friends. By the end of the night, however, the gold was gone, and any beliefs about their
relationship being a positive one was shattered – just like poor Hardy’s left knee might be. Hardy’s rough night started
when he was MVP’s guest in the VIP Lounge. While MVP “lamented” that he and his partner would be Survivor Series
opponents, Hardy had a much different agenda. Calling out the United States Champion for ducking him, Matt issued a
challenge to his “friend” and partner: “You’re dodging me, and I want to become United States Champion,” Hardy accused.
“So let’s do it right now, right here tonight!” When MVP balked at taking on his friend, Hardy quickly dismissed that
notion. “We’re not friends. We never have been, and we never will be!” he exclaimed. “This is about the United States
Championship, and I want it!” MVP had a different idea, instead informing Hardy that they had a scheduled WWE Tag Team
Championship defense. ECW Superstars John Morrison & The Miz then strode to the ring; although Survivor Series opponents
themselves – both will face ECW Champion CM Punk in a Triple Threat Match – Miz & Morrison looked focused on claiming
SmackDown gold first. Soon enough, they would do so, but not without a little controversy. Early in the match, MVP
appeared to tweak his ankle, immediately tagging out to Hardy. He would not re-enter the bout after that, instead leaving
Hardy to do the legwork. Unfortunately for the champs, the ECW duo did a little “leg work” of their own, punishing Hardy’s
left knee. Matt fought them off, but when he went for a Twist of Fate on The Miz, Morrison snuck in with a vicious chop
block to drop Hardy. Miz then made the cover, and two new WWE Tag Team Champions were crowned. MVP quickly checked on his
partner, but before the new champions could leave ringside, the Ballin’ Superstar immediately cashed in his and Hardy’s
rematch clause. While it looked like just another moment of bravado from a perhaps embarrassed MVP – which was
extra-questionable due to both he and Hardy being injured –, the truth was soon revealed. Once again, MVP and Miz began
the rematch, and once again, MVP tweaked his ankle. Without a second thought, he immediately tagged in Hardy, leaving his
partner to the ECW-branded wolves while he recuperated on the outside. A valiant Hardy tried his best – living up to his
motto that he will not die – but enough was eventually enough, as Morrison forced Hardy to tap out to a brutal leg
submission before further damage was done. A frustrated MVP once again checked on his partner, even helping him up and
raising his arm. But in that moment, four months of facades came crashing down in one fell swoop, as the U.S. Champion
savagely kicked Hardy’s injured left knee. From there, SmackDown’s “odd couple” was a team no more. MVP viciously attacked
Hardy’s knee, putting an exclamation point on his assault by wedging Hardy’s leg in between the ring post and steel stairs
and kicking them together like a clamp. After finally dropping Hardy knee-first onto said stairs, MVP squatted down and
gave his former partner an update on their friendship. “I’ve been waiting four months to do this, and it’s because I’m
better than you!” the U.S. Champion shouted. “I’ve always been better than you and I always will be!” As the cocky MVP
left ringside – perhaps to a bigger selection of jeers than he’s ever heard – officials came out to check on the severely
injured Hardy. Immediately, questions were raised by Michael Cole and JBL on commentary about how this will affect Hardy’s
scheduled participation in Survivor Series. He has four partners – brother Jeff, Triple H, Kane and Rey Mysterio – to
support him in this Sunday’s Traditional Survivor Series Match, but how can he possibly stand on his own, especially if
his former partner is there on the opposing side ready to further harm him? Perhaps the bigger question is what made MVP
snap? Has this partnership with Hardy been exactly what Matt suspected – a way to keep them busy so Hardy doesn’t
challenge for the U.S. Title? Did MVP see an unexpected escape clause once Hardy got injured, and did he utilize it to the
fullest in an attempt to rid himself of Matt’s challenge once and for all? Only MVP knows the answers to those questions,
but what the SmackDown faithful do know is this: John Morrison & The Miz are now the WWE Tag Team Champions – as well as
the first Superstars to cash in on the SmackDown/ECW working agreement and claim gold on their adopted brand – and the
days of Matt Hardy & MVP being an odd couple are officially dead.
On SmackDown Friday night, with only hours to go before meeting Batista at Survivor Series, Undertaker imparted a message
for the World Heavyweight Champion: “You will not survive Hell in a Cell…but you will rest…in…peace.” The Animal, in turn,
countered with a more volatile declaration, by physically dissecting Mark Henry in their No Disqualification Match – in
less than five minutes. Batista’s message certainly couldn’t have been stated any clearer for Undertaker – or more painful
for Henry. From the wild look in his eyes throughout Friday’s battle, it’s evident that stepping into “The Deadman’s
playground” is playing mind games with The Animal. Though judging by his domination of the World’s Strongest Man, it’s
also apparent that he’s extremely focused on doing whatever it takes to survive the hellish steel structure Sunday night,
and remain World Heavyweight Champion. Of course, our fans might have been a lot more doubtful of the champion’s mindset
earlier in the week. Those in attendance at the Kansas Coliseum certainly must have wondered what had possessed Batista to
challenge Henry to a No Disqualification Match, especially with The Deadman and “Hell” awaiting him less than 48 hours
away. The reality is that when it comes to Mark Henry, one can practically guarantee that Batista will make time for
him. As The Animal had mentioned in a WWE.com exclusive one week prior, he hadn’t forgotten Henry’s recent beatdown, or
that he had caused a triceps injury which forced Batista to relinquish his first World Heavyweight Title back in January
2006. In his own right, the self-proclaimed Silverback was determined to raise Hell a few days early for the champion. His
already mean streak had been exceptionally great of late, especially after establishing himself as a “king of the
monsters” during a recent SmackDown-ECW Monster Mash. Once the bell rang and the match started, however, the outcome was
never in doubt. When was the last time anyone remembers seeing Mark Henry so brutally tossed around? The answer to that
question is never – until this past Friday. Batista was absolutely relentless in making an example of the behemoth, and he
made damn sure to take full advantage of the No Disqualification stipulation that he had requested days earlier. After
delivering a canvas-rattling spinebuster to the 400-pound Superstar, The Animal gave Henry a close look at his coveted
World Heavyweight Title – by smashing it, full-force, into his face. It’s a miracle that the title’s markings, or its
“Batista” nameplate, aren’t imprinted onto Henry’s forehead. After such a blow to the skull, it’s not surprising that
Henry wouldn’t kick out of a three-count. What was surprising, however, was that the victorious champion was far from
finished. On the outside floor, The Animal vented his full rage as he launched Henry into the steel ring steps, wrapped a
camera cable around his windpipe, nearly speared right through him, and unloaded seemingly-countless chair blasts across
his enemy’s massive back. And our fans’ cheers of approval were fully behind him every step of the way. Leaving Mark Henry
a crumpled heap on the outside, Batista returned to the ring, looking like a man possessed by – and actually embracing –
his hellish challenge at Survivor Series. He screamed Undertaker’s name aloud, as if in sheer defiance to The Phenom’s
comments that evening. But even The Animal’s fury – and the entire crowd’s cheers – was suddenly silenced by The Deadman’s
knell. Outraged, as if anticipating an attack from his Survivor Series foe, Batista turned his attention toward the
ramp……And saw Undertaker’s lifeless, eye-rolling gaze staring right back at him through the TitanTron. Batista will never
admit it, but it’s quite possible that he may have witnessed something other than The Deadman Friday night. Perhaps he
also saw a glimpse of this Sunday’s confrontation inside Hell in a Cell – and the demise of his World Heavyweight Title
reign.
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
defeated
Fit Finlay
via a disqualification
Women's Champion Beth Phoenix & Victoria
defeated
Torrie Wilson & Mickie James
" WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin & John "Nobody" Morrison
defeated
Matt Hardy & M.V.P.
becoming new WWE Tag Team Champions
" WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin & John "Nobody" Morrison
defeated
Matt Hardy & M.V.P.
retaining the titles
Rey Mysterio defeated Mr. Kennedy
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion Batista
defeated
"The Silverback" Mark Henry
via a no disqualification match
Run Time: 1:59:55
SMACKDOWN
# 432
11-23-07 Taped 11-20-07
St. Pete Times Forum
Tampa, Florida
The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest retail shopping day of the year, earning it the nickname “Black Friday.” On
SmackDown, however, Black Friday took on a new meaning, as Superstars from the Land of the Extreme made their presence
felt against the Blue Crew.
The monstrous rivalry between Kane and Big Daddy V exploded once again on SmackDown, as the two monsters met in singles
action. Kane was looking for payback for ECW on Sci Fi, when he defeated Big Daddy V & Matt Striker in a Handicap Match.
Kane was victorious again on SmackDown, this time by disqualification. As the Big Red Monster was seemingly on the road to
victory, Striker got involved with a steel chair – getting his protégé disqualified in the process. However, Kane thwarted
Striker’s attempted chicanery, clobbering him with a clothesline before smashing the chair across Big Daddy V’s ample back.
As another act of “tough love,” Mr. McMahon put son Hornswoggle into a match with another massive opponent – this time,
the World’s Strongest Man, Mark Henry. Finlay, however, had a problem with that, telling McMahon that this wasn’t part of
their “deal.” Instead, the WWE Chairman set up a Handicap Match – Finlay & Hornswoggle vs. Henry. Thanks to a little help
from their trusty shillelaghs, the Irish duo picked up the victory. After the bout, however, Finlay’s past of helping
Hornswoggle finally caught up with him. As The Great Khali – who the ornery Irishman assaulted with a shillelagh during
his Survivor Series Match with the lil’ leprechaun – approached ringside, the World’s Strongest Man assaulted Finlay from
behind. Khali then added a devastating choke bomb to the Irishman’s misery, as poor, frightened Hornswoggle could only
look on in horror from the corner.
WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison made the second defense of their newly won gold, taking on The Major
Brothers. Brett & Brian Major had hoped their second WWE Tag Team Title Match would end better than the first, but
unfortunately, once again, they came up just short. The brothers from Long Island fought valiantly, though, even with Brett
Major busted wide open by John Morrison. Miz & Morrison seemed to show no ill effects from being opponents at Survivor
Series, retaining their gold after Miz gave Brian Major a Reality Check.
Jamie Noble may have put his foot in his mouth once again on SmackDown, but this time, he ended up getting the last laugh.
Prior to Noble’s match with Chuck Palumbo, Michelle McCool caught him straddling Palumbo’s chopper. Noble tried to sweet
talk the beautiful blond Diva, but his advances were quickly spurned. No matter for Noble, who survived a tough match and
pulled out a surprising victory, using the motorcycle enthusiast’s size against him to gain the pinfall with a roll-up.
After being on the winning side of a 10-Divas Tag Team Match at Survivor Series, Torrie Wilson once again found the
winner’s circle on SmackDown. This time, the blond bombshell from Boise showed off her ring prowess in solo action against
Victoria, one of the Divas on the losing end at Survivor Series. Moments after escaping Victoria’s dreaded Widow’s Peak,
Torrie dropped her opponent with a neckbreaker to seal the victory.
Jesse & Festus also made a SmackDown appearance, but not in the ring. Instead, they came as fans … well, fans and perhaps
merchandisers, as Jesse extolled the virtues of the new John Cena – My Life DVD with his big buddy Festus in tow – dressed
to the nines in Cena gear, of course. Unfortunately, their time was cut short thanks to Festus’ insistence of another DVD
viewing, but before leaving, the burly country boy made it known that if you don’t follow The Champ’s virtues of hustle,
loyalty and respect, then perhaps you can’t see him.
The night after Thanksgiving marked Edge’s return to SmackDown, and his presence alone was enough to ensure that chaos
would ensue. That said, however, no one could have expected the chain of events that occurred on Friday night. The Rated-R
Superstar promised in a WWE Mobile on AT&T exclusive video that he would answer all questions about why he screwed
Undertaker at Survivor Series once SmackDown rolled around. The night promised the return of The Cutting Edge – with none
other than World Heavyweight Champion Batista as the guest – and the anticipation of Edge’s explanation was high. Our fans
did not have to wait long, however, as they and SmackDown Superstars alike found out everything they needed to know just
minutes into the broadcast. Acting General Manager Vickie Guerrero had the Rated-R Superstar in her office to review the
events of Survivor Series, and she sternly punished him for ruining Undertaker’s final championship opportunity … by
granting him a World Heavyweight Championship Match against Edge next week? Yes, folks, you read that right; that was
indeed what happened. And moments later, the jig was up as Edge and Vickie laughed together, revealing that it was all a
plot and they were in cahoots all along. Stomachs then churned as the Rated-R Superstar and Acting GM shared a passionate
kiss to cement their alliance. Later, a disgusted Batista accosted Vickie in her office, calling Edge “slime” and wanting
one good reason why he deserved a World Championship Match. The leader of the Blue Crew offered two: “He deserves it … and
I love him,” leaving the rest for later in the night. Finally, it was time for The Cutting Edge, where the Rated-R
Superstar and his new main squeeze continued their mutual admiration society. “It feels great to stand here as your new No.
1 Contender,” Edge crowed. “And there’s someone I’d like to thank: The love of my life, Vickie Guerrero.” As our fans in
Tampa – and most likely those watching around the globe at home – groaned in disbelief, Edge further revealed his alliance
with Ms. Guerrero. “What you see here is the product of four months of careful planning,” Edge said. “The culmination is
next week when I become the new World Heavyweight Champion!” With that, he brought out his guest, the “soon to be former”
champion, Batista. The Animal, however, wasn’t in the mood to be interviewed, quickly cutting off his next opponent in a
very un-Batista-esque manner. “SHUT UP!” The Animal commanded. “You make me sick!” Edge tried to interject his feelings,
claiming how Batista doesn’t deserve to hold “his” World Heavyweight Championship, but The Animal wasn’t hearing it. “You
don’t deserve a World Title match … but you deserve every ounce of the ass whooping I’m going to give you!” Batista then
shoved Edge down and stormed out of the ring, setting a very domineering tone for their future confrontation. Unfortunately
for the Rated-R Superstar, things only got worse from there. As he stared back in The Animal’s direction, a gong chimed
and the lights went out in the arena, something that could only signify the presence of one (dead) man: Undertaker. When
the lights returned, The Phenom was in the ring behind Edge and Vickie. The Rated-R Superstar quickly fled when Undertaker
reached for him, running like Gorilla Monsoon’s proverbial thief in the night. However, he forgot one important thing: His
girlfriend. Poor Vickie was left alone with The Phenom, and left with the choice of internalizing his hostilities or
lashing out at the Acting General Manager. Let’s just say The Deadman wasn’t shy about broadcasting his feelings. Edge
looked on in horror, but there was nothing he could do as Undertaker scooped Vickie up and dropped her with a vicious
Tombstone Piledriver – executed very methodically perhaps for reasons of further destroying any sanity Edge may have. The
battle lines have clearly been drawn, and it looks like Edge is on the business end of all of them. However, after seeing
the “love of his life” removed from the arena on a stretcher – will he go into battle against Batista next week without his top ally? And what about The Phenom? He
seemingly said all he needed to by dropping Vickie Guerrero with a Tombstone – or did he? Will he be lurking next week?
The only thing for sure about this combustible situation is that it’s just getting started.
Showing his true colors when he attacked his former tag team partner Matt Hardy last week on SmackDown, after the duo lost
the WWE Tag Team Championship, the United States Champion MVP arrived in Tampa to receive a special gift from JBL. The
high-flying Rey Mysterio had something to say, however, and he spoiled the ceremony. In the event, hosted by SmackDown’s
color commentator John Bradshaw Layfield, MVP was awarded the very first United States Championship ring. JBL claimed the
gift was from the United Nations and a representation of the Ballin’ Superstar being the future of sports-entertainment.
The former World Heavyweight & U.S. Champion JBL then promised the cocky Franchise Playa that he would one day become a
World Champion. Later in the night, Mysterio faced MVP one-on-one, and the Master of the 619 seemed on the brink of a
victory over Porter. But MVP resorted to cheap tricks and managed to steal the victory when he used the ropes for
leverage, defeating the biggest underdog in WWE history. On a night that should have been about MVP atoning for taking
advantage of Matt Hardy’s injured knee last week, instead focused the spotlight right where Porter likes it best – on
him. As MVP flashed the bling that is draped around his waist, neck and now finger, the egotistical love fest was cut short
when Rey Mysterio made his way to the ring. The former World Champion had a simple message for the brazen MVP: “You ain’t
nothing but a punk and you are scared of Matt Hardy.” The U.S. Champ had heard enough and delivered a cheap shot to
Mysterio, but he was chased off by the fast-paced Master of the 619, leading to the aforementioned match. With Matt Hardy
having underwent an emergency appendectomy earlier in the week, MVP seems to have momentarily avoided the backlash of his
actions from last week. But Matt Hardy has proven time and time again that he will not stop in his pursuit of the United
States Championship; the question now is when will Matt find his way back to the ring?
MATCHES:
" WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP "
John "Nobody" Morrison & Mike "The Miz" Mizanin
defeated
"The Major Brothers" Brian & Bret
retaining the titles
"The Big Red Machine" Kane
defeated
Big Daddy V
via a disqualification
- NON TITLE MATCH -
U.S. Champion M.V.P.
defeated
Rey Mysterio
Hornswoggle speaks:
Saying Thank You to Finlay
while on their way to the ring
- 2 ON 1 HANDICAP MATCH -
Hornswoggle & Fit Finlay
defeated
"The Silverback" Mark Henry
Jamie Noble
defeated
Chuck Palumbo
Torrie Wilson
defeated
Victoria
Run Time: 1:59:52
SMACKDOWN
# 433
11-30-07 Taped 11-27-07
Roanoke Civic Center Coliseum
Roanoke, Virginia
It turns out that all Rey Mysterio & Kane needed was a little help from an associate – in this case, each other – to take
down the threat of MVP & Big Daddy V on Friday night. Last week on SmackDown, Mysterio fell to MVP in a non-title match,
thanks to the United States Champion’s use of the top rope. As for Kane, it was an appearance by Mark Henry that cost him
an Extreme Rules Match against Big Daddy V Tuesday night on ECW. Having presumably seen what had happened to the other,
both Mysterio & Kane certainly had reason to watch each other’s backs once their huge tag team opportunity rolled around
this week. The United States Champion and his 500-pound partner looked downright dominant at times, but in the end, the
Master of the 619 and the Big Red Monster got the duke. With the two monsters occupying each other outside the ring,
Mysterio flattened MVP with a 619 and springboard splash to claim the victory. Rey’s budding rivalry with the Ballin’
Superstar seems to have picked up a big head of steam. With Friday’s pinfall over MVP, is an opportunity at the United
States Championship potentially in Rey’s future?
Jamie Noble also seems to be on a roll, as for the second straight week, he scored a pinfall victory over Chuck Palumbo.
Once again, Noble tried to use his Southern charm on Michelle McCool earlier in the night. This time, however, he wasn’t
just blown off by the beautiful blonde; Noble was also accosted by Palumbo, who brushed aside last week’s match as a
“fluke” in Noble’s favor. That may have been an oversight on Palumbo’s part, as the motorcycle enthusiast once again
wheeled home with the loser’s share of the purse this week. Just like in their previous encounter, Noble was able to take
advantage of one tiny mistake in the corner of the ring; when Chuck got hung up after missing a kick, Noble rolled him up
for the 1-2-3.
While it’s unclear whether Belfast, Northern Ireland or the Other Side of the Tracks is a tougher neighborhood, our fans
got a glimpse of resolution when Finlay & Hornswoggle took on Deuce & Domino. Michael Cole & JBL wondered on commentary
whether or not having the littlest McMahon as his partner made Finlay an underdog against the former WWE Tag Team
Champions – but as they have quite often in the past, the Irishmen proved that they make one dangerous team. Late in the
bout, things looked bleak for Hornswoggle when Deuce & Domino ditched Finlay and cornered the little man. But when they
attempted to whip the pint-sized prankster with their belts, the referee confiscated the leather lashers. That allowed
Finlay to grab his shillelagh, and with the ref’s back turned, the ornery Irishman gave Deuce a crack in his own mouth
with the wooden weapon. One Tadpole Splash later, Finlay & Hornswoggle were victorious. After witnessing his son’s victory,
WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon met with Ranjin Singh later in the night. After making Singh act out some impressions – including
one of Hornswoggle and one of Singh’s own client, The Great Khali – the Chairman and the translator made sure that Khali
was ready for his big match with Finlay at Armageddon.
ECW Champion CM Punk made another appearance on Friday Night SmackDown, battling Kenny Dykstra in a non-title match. Punk
gutted out a tough victory when these two met in the Land of the Extreme two weeks ago, but the self-proclaimed “future
Hall of Famer” hoped things would be different on his home turf. The Straightedge Superstar had other plans, however.
Despite putting up a valiant effort, Dykstra hit another speed bump on road to the Hall of Fame; this time, he got to Go
to Sleep in his own bed – or ring, as it were – as the ECW Champion made it 2-for-2 against the 21-year-old.
Love, hate, resentment and pent-up frustration were the rage Friday night on SmackDown, particularly for Edge, World
Heavyweight Champion Batista, and The Undertaker. In fact, The Phenom’s surprise interruption during The Animal’s title
defense against Edge that evening, coupled with the unexpected return of Theodore Long, resulted in an announced
three-for-all at Armageddon – and left our fans wondering who will walk away with the championship two weeks from
Sunday. Rather than defend why he, rather than Undertaker, deserved a World Title opportunity that night, the Rated-R
Superstar kicked off SmackDown in the Roanoke Civic Center by championing his love for Vickie Guerrero. After recalling
how an injury had forced him to relinquish the World Heavyweight Title last July, he confessed that a lack of appreciation
from fans and colleagues had him contemplating retirement. That is, until he received a phone call two months ago from
SmackDown’s General Manager, who’d become the motivating force for his return to the ring – and the eventual love of his
life. Edge explained that his newly amorous relationship with Vickie ultimately empowered him to interfere in Batista and
Undertaker’s Hell in a Cell classic at Survivor Series, where he used a chair on The Deadman’s skull to cheat him of a
sixth World Title. “Four months of frustration came pouring out, and it felt so good,” he said, “though not as good as it
felt last week to finally, publicly, proclaim my love for Vickie.” Outrage replaced passion from the Ultimate Opportunist’s
voice, however, as he recounted how the “sick, twisted” Phenom Tombstoned Vickie on “The Cutting Edge” a week ago. Sadly,
that anger must have also affected his memory; Edge made no mention that Undertaker’s attack was based not only on what
the Rated-R Superstar did to him at Survivor Series, but on the fact that he stole The Deadman’s World Heavyweight Title
on SmackDown last May. He also neglected to remind our fans that by narrowly escaping the ring last week, an understandably
frustrated Undertaker directed his wrath toward “defenseless” Vickie while he watched from a safe distance. Regardless,
Edge made sure he got one point across to The Phenom: “Undertaker, I make a vow to you right now…I will destroy you!” As
for Batista and SmackDown’s World Title Match, his comments weren’t for an Animal whom he “knew” he could beat, but to the
fallen object of his affections, who was convalescing from her hospital bed: “Tonight, I dedicate my match to you, baby,”
Edge asserted. “Tonight, I will be your hero. I will be your knight in shining armor. I will be your World Heavyweight
Champion.” Edge’s words may have touched Vickie, though they didn’t seem to phase Batista. Neither did The Animal’s
conversation with Anastacia, who reminded him that he has never beaten the Rated-R Superstar any time the gold has been on
the line. “I’m not thinking about four or five months ago,” a very positive Batista replied. “I’m focused on tonight. And
if Edge loves Vickie Guerrero so much, he can join her in the hospital and they can recuperate together. Me? I'm walking
out of here World Heavyweight Champion.” For a good portion of his title defense Friday night, the champion had no problem
backing up his statement. Literally kicking the hell out of Edge, it was more apparent than ever that Batista’s
extraordinary accomplishments in recent months – defeating The Great Khali for the title at Unforgiven, then exorcising
his personal demon and beating Undertaker at Cyber Sunday – have made him a more aggressive, more confident breed of
Animal. Edge would eventually mount an offense and nearly claim victory several times during the match, until Batista
countered his spear and primed the Ultimate Opportunist for one of his own. That’s when the lights went out, the gong
sounded and all hell broke loose. No sooner had the lights come back on than our fans erupted at the sight of Undertaker
now in the ring, his right hand clenched firmly around Edge’s throat. That didn’t stop Batista from spearing the Ultimate
Opportunist, who’d somehow have the wherewithal to roll out of the ring before The Phenom could grab hold of him again.
One can only speculate as to what transpired next, but from the look on Undertaker’s face, it was evident to our fans that
The Animal’s instincts, however natural, had deprived The Deadman of his retribution. Unable to vent the months of pure
frustration caused by his Rated-R source, Undertaker lashed out at whatever – actually, whoever – was within his ungodly
grasp, like he had last week with Vickie Guerrero. In this instance, the wrong person, in the wrong place and at the wrong
time, was the World Heavyweight Champion, who momentarily shared our fans’ look of disbelief before being planted to the
canvas by a devastating chokeslam. Seconds later, our fans in Roanoke learned that in addition to being frustrated, The
Phenom can also be surprised. That’s the best way to describe the change in Undertaker’s usually cold, detached features
as he witnessed Theodore Long walking halfway toward ringside. Not seen since last September, Long wasted no time shaking
things up in the SmackDown kingdom, starting with the writhing Rated-R Superstar who was practically crawling toward the
back on his belly. “I know what you’re thinking,” he told Edge. “You’re thinking that you deserve a rematch for the World
Title. Well, you’re right; you do deserve a rematch.” Turning his attention toward The Phenom standing in the ring, Long
then removed a piece of paper from his jacket…and paraphrased the very words Vickie Guerrero had spoken to Edge only a
week before. “‘Undertaker, I’m going to punish you,’” he read aloud. “‘That’s right – I’m going to give you a World Title
Match.’” Amid deafening cheers from our fans, Long spoke up as he declared, “At Armageddon, it’s going to be a Triple
Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Title! It’s going to be Edge…versus Batista…versus The Undertaker!” Our fans
certainly sounded pleased with Long’s proclamation, though reactions from the three Superstars were mixed. Batista likely
would have been fine with the announcement, had he not been busy recovering from Undertaker’s chokeslam at ringside. Edge,
not surprisingly, was distraught, almost beside himself – especially once the death knell sounded again, and Undertaker’s
terrifying stare was directed right at him. Without question, The Deadman is hell-bent on having his revenge; whether or
not it outweighs winning a World Heavyweight Title, however, is a question that can only be answered at Armageddon.
MATCHES:
Finlay & Hornswoggle
defeated
Deuce & Domino
- NON TITLE MATCH -
ECW Champion C.M. Punk
defeated
Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
Rey Mysterio & Kane
defeated
United States Champion M.V.P. & Big Daddy V
Jamie Noble defeated Chuck Palumbo
" WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP "
World Heavyweight Champion Dave "The Animal" Batista
vs
"The R-Rated Superstar" Edge
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 434
12-7-07 Taped 12-2-07
Florence Civic Center Coliseum
Florence, South Carolina
The legendary Michael “P.S.” Hayes may have been a VIP for one night, but all he got for his trouble was a world-class
beat down from United States Champion MVP. The Ballin’ Superstar brought the former Fabulous Freebird into the VIP Lounge
to talk about the upcoming Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling DVD, available everywhere on Tuesday,
Dec. 11. But as one of WCCW’s biggest stars tried to tell the story of one of sports-entertainment’s most successful
territories, the disrespectful MVP only wanted to talk about two things: How great he is, and how great it is that he put
Matt Hardy – a former protégé of Hayes’ – on the shelf just prior to Survivor Series. Hayes, not taking the disrespect
lightly, vowed to teach MVP some respect by “kicking your ass right now.” But before P.S. could even take off his jacket,
the U.S. Champion blindsided him. Hayes launched a brief counter-offensive, but fell victim to The Playmaker and some
taunting from the brash Porter. At that point, Rey Mysterio – who earlier in the night was named as MVP’s opponent for the
U.S. Championship at Armageddon by Assistant General Manager Theodore Long – rushed to the ring. The Master of the 619 got
some retribution for the fallen Freebird by attacking MVP, and after the two crashed through parts of the VIP Lounge, the
Ballin’ Superstar finally bailed from the ring to escape the onslaught. It’s clear that the issue between Mysterio and MVP
is far from over; but now that Rey has his title opportunity, what else will happen on the road to Armageddon?
That’s exactly what Jamie Noble did Friday night, as he defeated Chuck Palumbo for the third consecutive time to earn a
date with Chuck’s beautiful blond buddy Michelle McCool. For the third week in a row, Noble hit on McCool before the
match, but this time he made the repulsed Diva an offer: “If I beat Palumbo, you go on a date with me.” Having all the
confidence in the world in her associate, Michelle told Noble he was on. That perhaps was only the second biggest mistake
McCool made that night – at least according to Palumbo. With Noble on a path to his third-straight victory, she climbed
the apron and removed her shirt, giving the love-struck Southerner a good look at his potential future. Palumbo moved in
to strike, but Noble moved away quickly. While the revved-up Superstar stopped short of accidentally slamming into his
friend, that gave the wily Noble a chance to roll him up for the surprise three-count, making it 3-for-3 against Palumbo.
Perhaps only Noble himself knows what will happen now that he has the one thing he wants … and the one thing Michelle
dreads. There may be even more trouble on her horizon, as following SmackDown, WWE Mobile cameras caught a furious Palumbo
fuming backstage; when Michelle rushed in to calm Chuck, he uncharacteristically dressed her down.
Finlay was also a winner on Friday night. Thanks to some shenanigans from his little Leprechaun buddy Hornswoggle, the
ornery Irishman defeated Deuce in singles action. Deuce & Domino were still fuming over last week’s tag team loss to the
Irishmen, but instead of avenging that defeat, the former WWE Tag Team Champions got another taste of stiff Irish medicine.
Before the match even started, Hornswoggle got under their skin by breaking the antenna off Deuce & Domino’s car. Later,
as Deuce had Finlay in a seemingly compromised position, Hornswoggle was outside the ring spraying Domino & Cherry with a
fire extinguisher. Deuce managed to confiscate the contraband from the pint-size prankster, but when the referee took it
away from him, it gave Finlay the chance to grab his own weapon – his trusty shillelagh. The Irishman cracked Deuce in the
head behind the referee’s back, and that was enough to gain the three count. After the match, however, Finlay ended up
wilted like a neglected four-leaf clover. Distracted by the sight of his Armageddon opponent, The Great Khali, making his
way to the ring, the Irishman fell victim to a 2-on-1 sneak attack by the boys from the Other Side of the Tracks. Khali
then swatted away poor Hornswoggle, who could only watch in horror as the Punjabi giant crushed Finlay’s head with his
devastating Vise Grip. The ornery Irishman says he’s always up for a fight, but after what happened on Friday, will Finlay
even be able to make it to Armageddon?
WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison kept rolling, winning their second match in two days by defeating Jesse &
Festus. The ECW Superstars, despite coming off a tough win over The Major Brothers in the Land of the Extreme Thursday
night, were able to overcome and conquer the Blue Crew’s country boys in the back end of a two-night stand. Jesse & Festus
came up just short against Miz & Morrison on ECW last week in a non-title match, and were hoping that facing the champions
on SmackDown soil would lead to a better result. Unfortunately, it didn’t, as a timely swat by Morrison knocked Jesse off
the top rope, leaving him easy prey for the Shaman of Sexy to finish off with a vicious corkscrew neckbreaker.
Another Superstar from the Land of the Extreme, Elijah Burke, didn’t fare as well on Friday night, as World Heavyweight
Champion Batista thrashed him in a non-title clash. The Animal had said Burke was the “furthest thing” from his mind
earlier in the week on WWE.com – a slight that the self-proclaimed Guiding Light took to heart. Burke promised to take
down Batista, but his word was about as good as the infamous “Dewey defeats Truman” headline back in 1945. Though Burke
put up a fight, the World Heavyweight Champion showed why he is the top dog on Friday nights, derailing the Elijah Express
with a punishing Batista Bomb.
Only two things are clear about the situation surrounding Batista, Edge, Undertaker and the World Heavyweight
Championship: Everybody hates everybody, and their building tensions will all come to a head at Armageddon. Nine nights
before he tries to reclaim the gold, however, Edge had a chance at retribution of a different kind. When the Rated-R
Superstar interrupted Theodore Long’s show-opening address to remind him that he was now SmackDown’s Assistant General
Manager and complain about Long’s recent matchmaking, little did he know that Long would give him something he craved: A
match with Kane, the Superstar who put him out of action with a torn pectoral muscle back in July. The stage was set, but
just before the bout, Edge took the chance to address the love of his life, Vickie Guerrero, who remains incapacitated
thanks to Undertaker’s Tombstone-powered attack two weeks ago. With guest commentator Batista – who had defeated Elijah
Burke earlier in the night – looking on from the announcers’ desk, Edge told Vickie he loved her and that she was in his
heart. When the Big Red Monster made his way to the ring, he didn’t seem to have any heart – or sympathy – for Edge’s
plight. Kane wisely focused his attack on Edge’s left arm and pectoral area, the same that had been injured back in July.
Late in the match, after Kane’s flying clothesline sent him hurtling to the arena floor, a seemingly fed-up Rated-R
Superstar reached for some reinforcement. He introduced a chair into the action, prompting the referee to call for the
bell and throw the match out. Kane and Edge fought over the steel seat, with the Big Red Monster twice whacking Edge with
it. When the Big Red Monster tried to bring more steel – this time the ring stairs – into play, the Ultimate Opportunist
seized the advantage and speared the seven-footer. But when he set up for a Con-Chair-To using the stairs as a base,
Batista decided he’d seen enough and bolted into the ring to halt Edge’s assault. That’s when things really got out of
hand. The lights went out at the sound of the familiar gong, and when they reset, Undertaker was in the ring holding Edge
by the throat. For the second consecutive week, however, the Rated-R Superstar squirmed out of trouble, again proving to
our fans why he is aptly known as the “Ultimate Opportunist.” Seeing The Phenom in the ring – and a chance to get some
payback of his own for last week’s chokeslam – Batista charged and dropped Undertaker with a vicious spear. Meanwhile,
Edge hightailed it out of Dodge, once again escaping trouble while leaving Undertaker and Batista “holding the bag,” so to
speak. Despite two brutal battles in a row against Batista and Kane, the Rated-R Superstar may be in the best position of
all heading into Armageddon; two weeks in a row, the Ultimate Opportunist has picked his spot to escape while The Animal
and The Phenom destroy each other instead. This time, both Brothers of Destruction were left prone on the mat as the angry
World Heavyweight Champion glared at the retreating Edge. With that said, does Edge truly have the advantage heading into
the ultimate showdown at Armageddon? It seems that the more he gets involved with Undertaker or Batista, the more those
two actually build tension between themselves, leaving the Rated-R Superstar to opportunistically pick up the pieces – and
potentially the World Heavyweight Championship to boot. Armageddon means the end of days. Will Dec. 16 be the final
curtain for The Animal era, and the dawn of a Rated-R New Year?
MATCHES:
- NON TITLE MATCH -
WWE Tag Team Champions
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin & John "Nobody" Morrison
defeated
Jesse & Festus
- NON TITLE MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion "The Animal" Dave Batista
defeated
Elijah "The Dope from No Hope" Burke
- WIN A DATE MATCH -
Jamie Noble defeated Chuck Palumbo
winning a date with Michelle McCool
Fit Finlay defeated Deuce
Kane vs Edge
ended in a no contest
Run Time: 1:59:54
SMACKDOWN
# 435
12-14-07 Taped 12-11-07
TD Banknorth Garden
Boston, Massachusetts
The city of Boston’s “Beantown” moniker accurately describes what happened to Rey Mysterio on Friday Night SmackDown. With
his Armageddon opponent, United States Champion MVP, looking on as a guest commentator, Mysterio took on Kenny Dykstra.
SmackDown’s self-proclaimed “future Hall of Famer” put up a valiant fight against Mysterio, but the Master of the 619 was
able to Drop the Dime on Dykstra for the victory. After the bout, MVP entered the ring, congratulating Rey on his
impressive win. While he had called Mysterio “half a man” on commentary only minutes earlier, the Ballin’ Superstar told
Rey that he is an “amazing” competitor and requested a handshake; Mysterio was understandably leery, but the champion
brushed it off, as if he understood. Moments later, however, Mysterio understood just how heavy the U.S. Championship
truly is. Mid-sentence, MVP reacted to Dykstra staggering to his feet behind Rey, and when the Master of the 619 turned to
see what spooked MVP, the Ballin’ Superstar took the opportunity to clobber him in the back of the head with the gold. The
champion then cockily walked away, smirking as Mysterio lay prone in the ring.
Boston has a high population of Irish-Americans, but Friday was a bad night in Beantown for pure-bred Irishman, Finlay. As
ordered, Assistant General Manager Theodore Long announced a Raw – and Survivor Series – rematch between Hornswoggle and
The Great Khali. Once again, however, the match never reached its conclusion. This time, Finlay made his way out – with
shillelagh in hand – to protect his little buddy. His onslaught was effective momentarily, but a quick-thinking Ranjin
Singh would be his undoing. Khali’s translator grabbed a hold of Hornswoggle, threatening to hurt the littlest McMahon if
Finlay didn’t stop his assault on Khali. The ornery Irishman quickly took care of that threat – clobbering Singh and
tossing him out of the ring – but that gave the Punjabi giant time to recover and crack Finlay with a giant chop to the
head. He then nailed Finlay with a Khali Bomb, leaving him decimated for the second straight week.
Michelle McCool wouldn’t have to come to Kelly Kelly’s aid on SmackDown like she did Tuesday night on ECW; this time, the
Divas were side-by-side as they took on Victoria & Layla in tag team action. Unfortunately, much like last week’s contest
between Michelle’s friend, Chuck Palumbo, and Jamie Noble, an accidental distraction cost the beautiful blondes the match.
When Kenny Dykstra – who was at ringside with Victoria & Layla – tripped McCool, Palumbo roared out on his motorcycle to
chase Dykstra. However, this distracted Michelle momentarily, allowing Victoria to roll her up from behind and score the
pinfall. Moments later, Michelle caught up with an again-furious Palumbo in the locker room; she tried to calm him down,
but after lamenting over his recent streak of bad luck, the motorcycle enthusiast punched a hole through the wall before
stomping away, still mad. The revved-up Superstar couldn’t have been any happier after seeing what Noble did for McCool
later in the night. As she and Kelly entered their locker room, they happened upon quite an array of roses and gifts left
by Noble in preparation for next week’s date. Michelle actually seemed flattered by Noble’s advances; what will happen
when they finally have their date?
Jesse & Festus finally got the upper hand on WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison this week, as Festus defeated
Miz in singles action. Jesse & Festus had lost two straight tag team matches to the Extreme champions in recent weeks, but
it was a different story when the self-proclaimed “chick magnet” had to fly solo. While Festus had Miz up in a fireman’s
carry, Morrison tried to help his partner. Instead, the burly “grizzly bear” (as color commentator JBL called him) used
Miz to knock the Shaman of Sexy down to the arena floor before dropping to the mat with a flapjack to pick up the victory.
General Manager Vickie Guerrero’s return to SmackDown Friday night certainly made a tremendous impact – one that was felt
by all three of the Triple Threat Match combatants heading into Armageddon this Sunday. World Heavyweight Champion Batista
and Undertaker suffered the brunt of that emphatic impact, however, while the apple of Vickie’s eye, Edge, appears to have
positioned himself for a golden “ultimate opportunity” at the pay-per-view. For a moment, Edge must have thought it was
raining on the ramp inside Boston’s BankNorth Garden, for he was showered with boos from the moment he came out and urged
our fans to warmly welcome back the love of his life. Wheeled out in a chair by her none-too-happy Assistant GM, Theodore
Long, an obviously-pained Vickie kept one hand close to her neck brace while Edge selectively recalled her “vicious
attack” at the hands of an understandably frustrated Undertaker three weeks before. (That Undertaker Tombstoned Vickie
only because her lover escaped his grasp had conveniently been removed from the Rated-R Superstar’s account of the facts.)
Despite weakly expressing injuries to her neck and back – plus being “mentally scarred” and “emotionally distraught” –
Vickie’s tone hardened as she resumed her General Manager duties with a startling proclamation: With the World Heavyweight
Title hanging in the balance this Sunday, all Triple Threat Match participants would see ring action on SmackDown. That
included Edge, whose face took on a look of apprehension over her decision – until he discovered that his opponent was
Funaki. Though a competitor through and through, the former Cruiserweight Champion was ultimately no match for a spear
from the Ultimate Opportunist. Vickie, clapping and blowing kisses to her lover from the ramp area, urged fans to applaud
Edge’s “hard-fought” victory, then focused her undivided attention toward his Armageddon adversaries with a pair of
startling match-ups: “Batista will go one-on-one with Kane in a Last Man Standing Match,” she announced, prompting a
collective gasp from our fans, “and The Undertaker will take on both Mark Henry and Big Daddy V in a Handicap Match.”
Certainly, our fans may question if amore has made Vickie Guerrero a somewhat-biased General Manager. Batista and
Undertaker, on the other hand, were in no position to question anything after Friday night. In fact, after The Animal’s
Last Man Standing contest with the Big Red Machine, it’s a wonder that he’s in any shape to stand, much less defend his
championship at Armageddon. With the sole objective of incapacitating an opponent to the point that they can no longer
stand and answer a referee’s 10-count, Kane unleashed a veritable onslaught that would have toppled almost anyone else.
But Batista isn’t “anyone else.” Somehow enduring chokeslams, steel chairs and ring steps on the outside floor, The Animal
again demonstrated his unconquerable intensity, forged from months of persevering in hellacious stipulation matches.
Fighting his way out of a chokeslam on the ring stairs that would have guaranteed Kane top contender status, Batista
flattened the 7-foot behemoth with a spinebuster onto the SmackDown announcers’ table. Even then, victory was nearly
stolen away when out of nowhere, Edge surprised Batista with a spear that folded the champion in half. It was all The
Animal could do to struggle back to his feet just before the referee counted 10, while Kane remained motionless across the
announcers’ table. Though victorious, Batista couldn’t even savor the moment of being the Last Man Standing; again the
vindictive Rated-R Superstar attacked, laying him out with a chair across the base of his spine, and leaving our fans to
worry over what kind of shape Batista will be in come Armageddon. Content with the punishment he had inflicted on The
Animal, Edge smiled all the way back to Vickie Guerrero’s office, where he was greeted with congratulations and kisses from
the General Manager. Neither Theodore Long nor our fans seemed impressed by the cooing couple’s behavior, especially once
the evening’s Handicap Match got underway. Under Matt Striker’s direction, the ECW tandem of “Henry-V” has been more
noteworthy and remarkable than any Shakespearean effort of a similar name. And on SmackDown Friday night, they’d show The
Phenom precisely why, mounting a well-planned offensive fueled by their combined 900 pounds of rage. But The Phenom has
spent a lifetime – and beyond – overcoming such insurmountable obstacles. Inexplicably surviving every kick, punch, Samoan
Drop or life-squeezing bearhug the half-ton tandem could muster, Undertaker fired back equally potent responses. Even
those legions supporting The Deadman couldn’t believe it when he stunned V long enough to catch Henry off-guard and
chokeslam him for the Extreme-ly improbable victory. Unfortunately, neither could the furious V nor Henry, who
“congratulated” Undertaker with a despicable double-teaming after the match. Dropping 900 pounds of elbows and splashes
across their foe’s sternum over and over, it’s little wonder that even Undertaker, the man who cannot be destroyed, looked
almost lifeless on the canvas. It’s certainly no wonder that, after the carnage, the Ultimate Opportunist would come out
to the ring, just so he could gloat over Undertaker’s prone form. Adding insult to injury, a smiling Edge got down on one
knee and mocked Undertaker’s signature pose. Our fans jeered at his vile gesture, but there was more to it than that. They
were jeering that on SmackDown Friday night, the Ultimate Opportunist played both Batista and Undertaker. They were also
jeering at the possibility that if he does so again mere hours from now, at Armageddon, it could net him the ultimate prize.
MATCHES:
Edge defeated Funaki
Victoria & Layla
defeated
Michelle McCool & Kelly Kelly
Rey Mysterio
defeated
Kenny "The Dyke" Dykstra
- LAST MAN STANDING MATCH -
( NON TITLE )
World Heavyweight Champion "The Animal" Batista
defeated
"The Big Red Machine" Kane
Festus defeated The Miz
Hornswoggle vs The Great Khali
ended in a no contest
- HANDICAP MATCH -
The Undertaker
defeated
Mark Henry & Big Daddy V
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 436
12-21-07 Taped 12-18-07
Blue Cross Arena
Rochester, New York
As 2007 cools down, WWE Superstars continued to heat things up in Upstate New York. Rey Mysterio teamed with ECW Champion
CM Punk & Kane to defeat Big Daddy V, Mark Henry & United States Champion MVP on SmackDown. Both Punk and Mysterio were
looking for retribution against the Franchise Playa; Punk from this past Tuesday on ECW on Sci Fi, when MVP attacked him
after their match, and Mysterio after MVP was counted out of their bout at Armageddon. Teammate Kane also was hoping to
continue the rivalry between him and Big Daddy V. On SmackDown, the Straightedge Superstar had the Master of the 619 and
the Big Red Machine by his side, and the trio was able to overcome the Dominant Force in WWE, the World’s Strongest Man &
the U.S. Champion.
JBL’s Farewell Address to Friday Night SmackDown showed that the self-proclaimed “wrestling god” is still full of the fire
that made him one of WWE’s most controversial (and successful) Superstars. (WATCH) The former WWE Champion has jumped out
of retirement and will head to Raw to resurrect his in-ring career, leaving SmackDown without the musings of “the man who
single-handedly changed the face of The CW Network.”
Continuing the rivalry between The Great Khali and Finlay, the Punjabi giant teamed with his translator Ranjin Singh,
making his in-ring debut, in a tag match against the Irishman & Hornswoggle. The antics of Mr. McMahon’s li’llegitimate
son seemed to rub off on Finlay Friday night as the two green-clad Superstars made Singh’s SmackDown debut an
unforgettable one. The Irishman & his pint-sized partner defeated the duo of Khali & Singh, but our fans were left to
wonder why Khali watched from outside the ring as the Irish tandem had their way with his translator.
Ric Flair’s unparalleled career has spanned 35 years in sports-entertainment, but this New Year’s Eve on Raw, that calling
may come to an end when Flair faces longtime friend Triple H in a Career Threatening Match. In what may be his last
appearance on Friday Night SmackDown, the “Nature Boy” assured our fans in Rochester, “If I’m going to have one last
fight, there is no competitor I would rather face than The Game.” When Ric Flair steps into the ring on New Year’s Eve
with his livelihood on the line; will the mutual respect he and Triple H have for each other help or hinder the 16-time
World Champion’s quest to continue his career?
In a special Santa Match, “Santa” Festus fought “Santa” Deuce just days before Christmas. When the bell rang, Festus
transformed from nice to naughty, and he dismantled Deuce to get the win. While Festus and his “biscuits ‘n’ gravy”
partner hope the holidays will bring them closer to tag gold, Deuce & Domino are still in search of a holiday miracle, or
at least a victory to get them back on the road to tag supremacy.
The date between Jamie Noble & Michelle McCool happened on Friday Night SmackDown, and the ever-fiery Superstar made sure
that the All-American Diva would have a night to remember. Noble treated the beauty to some fine-dining, and then showered
her with a gift to commemorate the occasion. Will McCool and Noble head out on the town again?
For months, one could liken Batista to the Energizer Bunny; no matter what was thrown in his path, he just kept going and
going and going. On Friday night, however, our fans finally found out what it takes to drain The Animal’s battery: Three
men, a wheelchair-bound General Manager, two steel chairs … and a lot of stroke. With Batista invoking his rematch clause
for a return World Heavyweight Championship Match right away, our fans knew they were in for another heated battle between
The Animal and new World Heavyweight Champion Edge on Friday night. But first, the Rated-R Superstar had some other
business to attend to – namely, the official presentation of his newly-won gold and a “Major” announcement. SmackDown’s
General Manager, Vickie Guerrero – still wheelchair-bound, but valiantly soldiering on in her duties – and her boyfriend
kicked off the broadcast with their official presentation before welcoming the newest members of their inner circle … Curt
Hawkins and Zack Ryder? The former Brett & Brian Major, now going by their respective given names of Hawkins & Ryder, were
officially thanked and welcomed into the fold by the new World Heavyweight Champion, who explained their alliance at
Armageddon in one simple phrase: “They saw greatness and flocked to it!” Most importantly, however, he thanked the love of
his life, Vickie Guerrero, for her support in bringing him back to being a champion. While Edge had all the confidence in
the world at the start of SmackDown, little did he know that it would take more of Vickie’s benevolence and an assist from
his two “Edge-heads” to keep the kingdom from crashing down by the end of the night. Just before the World Heavyweight
Championship Match, the General Manager threw the first curveball of the night at Batista – instead of a one-on-one
rematch, it would be The Animal against Edge, Hawkins & Ryder in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match. Despite the disadvantage – and
the poor timing of its revelation – The Animal seemingly would not be denied. While the power of numbers kept the Rated-R
trio in control for a good portion of the match, Batista roared back with the fire of a thousand suns. After dispatching
the Ultimate Opportunist and young Master Hawkins, our fans in Rochester erupted in jubilation as The Animal planted Ryder
with a thunderous spinebuster and recorded the pinfall to once again become World Heavyweight Champion. Almost. See, before
Batista could celebrate his victory, Vickie Guerrero brought the proceedings – and our fans’ frenzied celebration – to a
screeching halt, announcing that The Animal could only become World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Edge himself. She
did, however, give Batista that chance by ordering the match to begin again. Obviously frustrated and flowing with
adrenaline, The Animal manhandled the Rated-R trio, but just as he had Edge set up for the Batista Bomb, a little H&R
block prevented him from fulfilling his destiny. Hawkins smashed a steel chair into Batista’s knee, drawing a
disqualification – but more importantly, saving Edge’s title. That wasn’t all, however, as The Animal felt the steel twice
more. Moments after Hawkins & Ryder gave Batista a double implant DDT on the chair, the Rated-R Superstar further
tranquilized The Animal with a skull-rattling Con-Chair-To to cap off the night. For the second time in a row, Edge and
his army celebrated as the broadcast came to a close while Batista was left incapacitated in the squared circle and our
fans were left shocked and disappointed at the scene they had just witnessed. It’s obvious that with the General Manager
and a pair of devoted Edge-heads on his side, the World Heavyweight Champion is more powerful than ever. Armageddon has
come for Batista twice in the span of six days … but will 2008 mean the end of days for SmackDown as we know it?
MATCHES:
Hornswoggle & Fit Finlay
defeated
The Great Khali & Ranjin Singh
C.M. Punk, Rey Mysterio & Kane
defeated
Big Daddy V, Mark Henry & M.V.P.
- SANTA MATCH -
Santa Festus defeated Santa Deuce
" WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP "
- HANDICAP MATCH -
World Heavyweight Champion Edge,
Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder
defeated
Dave "The Animal" Batista
via a disqualification
Run Time: 1:59:53
SMACKDOWN
# 437
Greatest Matches of 2007
12-28-07 Taped
The final SmackDown of 2007 showcased the best matches of all of sports-entertainment throughout the year, as voted on by
our fans. The matches included Superstars from Raw, SmackDown and ECW, and the title bout from WrestleMania 23 between
SmackDown’s own Batista and Undertaker was voted the No. 1 match of the year. The show also highlighted Edge’s return to
the top of the world with his World Heavyweight Championship win at Armageddon three weeks ago.
The first SmackDown of 2008 could lead to a very Happy New Year for one of its Superstars. General Manager Vickie Guerrero
has announced a Beat the Clock Challenge for this Friday night. The Superstar who defeats their opponent in the shortest
time will earn a World Heavyweight Championship Match against Edge at Royal Rumble. Who will our fans see vying for the
ultimate opportunity against the Ultimate Opportunist?
MATCHES:
( all matches are edited )
- WRESTLEMANIA 23 -
( MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH )
Mr. Kennedy
defeated
Edge, Matt & Jeff Hardy,
Booker T, Fit Finlay,
C.M. Punk & Randy Orton
- NO MERCY -
" WWE CHAMPIONSHIP "
( LAST MAN STANDING MATCH )
Randy Orton
defeated
Triple H
winning the title
- RAW 4-23-07 -
John Cena
defeated
Shawn Michaels
- SURVIVOR SERIES -
( 5 ON 4 ELIMINATION MATCH )
Triple H, Kane
Rey Mysterio & Jeff Hardy
defeated
Umaga, Big Daddy V,
Fit Finlay, Mr. Kennedy & M.V.P.
- WRESTLEMANIA 23 -
" WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE "
The Undertaker
defeated
Batista
winning the title
Run Time: 1:57:46
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THIS PAGE CREATED ON 1-5-07