Smackdown Report July 4 2008

SMACKDOWN

Well Well Well....The RatedR Superstar takes an un-characteristic trip to Raw last Monday and leaves without his World Title...and Smackdown is left with just one....ONE...champion on the show in the shape of HHH. Despite that, Im anticapating an explosive show tonight...Edge will be on a war path and may target HHH and the WWE title straight away (Ive already stated this show aint big enough for the 2 of their egos)...The Chimp continues to abuse her GM position in the build-up to the dreaded wedding.....And also tonight, we see the Smackdown returns of Jeff Hardy and Missssssster.Kennedy! So enough of the small talk...

(opening video)

*A whole new Intro Video including all the new faces!.......VERY Smooth.*

*Smackdown begins this week with a patriotic vignette for the fourth of July.*

Lights, Camera, Action! VIP Lounge Time. Although MVP is a smooth talker on the mic, his promos have always, in my opinion at least, carried minor substance. Tonight, however, his guest is HHH, and The Game brings out the best in MVP during this segment. HHH receives a loud pop from the Oklahoma audience upon making his entrance. Eventually, he takes a seat on MVP’s leather sofa. MVP congratulates HHH on the successful defence of his title at Night Of Champs and both exchange ass kissing comments for a bit until HHH has a go at MVP about the Power Ranger outfit he wrestles in! This stirs MVP but HHH defends his comment by claiming that it was a compliment cause all the kids love him for it (he uses this gag on Cena all the time and its very true!).HHH then proves that he truly is on his game tonight (no pun intended) as he makes the hilarious insider reference by saying that MVP’s Power Ranger suit is like "a performance enhancer" and that he "might get a call from Dr. Black and that means 30 days off! (Dr.Black drug tests the WWE guys and if they show positive results they get a 30 day suspension....(See Hardy, Jeff or Regal, William for examples)

The insider comments continue as the champ jokes with MVP, saying, "I came out here to get a rub off you kid!" Brilliant.

Footage is then shown of CM Punk cashing in his MITB briefcase on Edge. Afterwards, both HHH and MVP rip on Edge for losing his title in such surprise fashion. This brings out The Chimp, who recieves the now commonplace reception of hell from the fans. However, HHH continues with the fabulous insider comments, saying in reference to Edge’s on-screen love affair with Vickie, "That fiancé of yours is some kind of genius! Marrying the boss to get ahead in business? Honestly, who thinks up that kinda stuff?!" Then Trips makes another reference to Stephanie McMahon, as well as to his classic angle on RAW where he married Steph at a Vegas drive-through! The Chimp responds by hyping her fiance, to which HHH calls her a "big step up" from the girls Edge usually dates! Vickie retorts by proclaiming that Edge will win the WWE Title off HHH at the Great American Bash two weeks from Sunday...the jokes stop after this comment and the segment ends (Im likin the idea of a HHH-Edge title feud...their promo exchanges are definitly worth looking forward to)

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*Apparently, after commercial breaks now the WWE host "Did You Know" trivia questions. Vince sure does love his game shows doesn’t he? In this case, though, I actually like the added touch:)

This match is described as being a match to determine who will face Natalya for the vacant WWE Diva’s Title. The new Diva’s Title is shown and I like it as well. The belt is very untraditional, but for a brand new belt there is no history for it to live up to anyway. And besides, the pink butterfly motif is perfect for a Diva Title, seeing as how the Divas are supposed to be more feminine than their male counterparts anyway. And this belt captures that. Natalya comes out to help do commentary for the next match. She's dyed her hair red now....nice:) Just a curtain jerker match really with only one or two moments...

Superplex by Cherry on Victoria in the corner.Double-Electric Chair on Maryse by Cherry and Kelly Kelly. Over-the-top-rope 360 leg drop by Victoria! McCool wins very anti-climatically, by just climbing up and grabbing the star very quickly when nobody was looking.

Winner via grabbing the star: Michelle McCool

Natalya-McCool for the Divas Title (At 'Great American Bash' I presume...)

*Cameras cut to the GM’s office where The Chimp demands an apology for what transpired on RAW from the Edge-Heads. Vickie says that she is "so disgusted" with Ryder and Hawkins so proceeds to book them into a match against Jesse and Festus...wow she sure showed them.

*Edge arrives....empty handed. Edge looks furious and staff and crew giggle as he walks into the arena without his World Title. Naked indeed.

*We are shown A Vladimir Kozlov Vignette showing him squashing all cruiserweights and jobbers. JR refers to Kozlov as "the Moscow mauler," giving him an instantly recognizable moniker.

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Festus comes out dressed as Uncle Sam, in lieu of the American holiday. Festus and Hawkins start off for their respective teams. Jesse is tagged in early and proceeds to do what he does best – be isolated in the heel’s corner. Hawkins and Ryder cut the ring in half, working Jesse into the mat. Hot tag to Festus, who corkscrew shoulder-charges Ryder down to the canvas. A "flying biscuit" followed by a flapjack seals the win.

After the match Edge comes out to a chorus of boos and looks genuinely pissed off. The Edge-Heads attack Jesse from behind while Festus stands alone, completely unaware of his current surroundings after the ring bell sounded again to end the match. Edge jumps into the ring, spears Festus, and then beats the docile wrestler to within an inch of his life! Edge takes out his frustrations on the passive Festus further, with the aid of a steel chair, thus increasing his heat with the crowd to near nuclear levels!

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We see Edge having a mental break-down in the back, with The Chimp trying to comfort him. The two of them try to place the blame of losing the World Title on the other, with Vickie saying Edge didn’t "have permission" to be on RAW in the first place (This drives Edge crazy...as it would any alpha male). Vickie says that she’s still Edge’s boss and that he can’t talk to her that way, then finishes by saying that Edge only has himself to blame for losing the title because he’s "a fool." (great choice of wording chimp) Edge storms off...and the first cracks in their relationship have been made...

Now this is a match that captures the imagination....Welcome to Friday Nights Jeff! We begin, and Jeff reverses an over-head arm-lock by flipping himself over 360 degrees! Cross-body by Hardy from the apron onto his opponent on the outside! Back in the ring Morrison gets two near-falls in a row. Whisper In The Wind by Jeff, but no, he misses! 1-2-no! Morrison almost stole one! Morrison starts targeting the left arm of his rival, twisting and contorting it through various submission holds and impact manoeuvres. Morrison goes for a top rope drop kick but Hardy catches his rival and then drops him with a sit down powerbomb! Whisper In The Wind, and this time Jeff nails it! 1-2-no...close though. Bicycle kick by Morrison on Jeff in the corner for another near-fall. Face-buster by Jeff Hardy followed by a Swanton Bomb. 1-2-3! Dusted!

A good match but these two have the potential to have a classic together and there were plenty of signs that there is indeed chemistry between the two as the match progressed. This was a meaningless match really but with Jeff Hardy now a permanent fixture on Smackdown, a possible feud between these two in imminent...and this writer is lovin that prospect..

*Maria coming to Smackdown Soon........Oh Yessss!*

Welcome to Smackdown Umaga! Here’s dinner. It’s Japanese!

Just a glorified squash match...the beginning of Umagas destruction on Smackdown! Oh and by the way, why the hell is Funaki still around? What is the deal with this little guy? He has overstayed his welcome by years...

*Backstage and Edge is trying to get support for his cause from The Edgeheads when he is "summoned" by The Chimp. A seething Edge enters the GM’s office and then tells his fiancé that it’s because of him that she’s even in the position she’s in and that he is the true General Manager of Smackdown! The Chimp retaliates by telling Edge that it’s because of him she’s confined to a wheelchair now (Oh please). Edge tells his fiancé to shut up and then Vickie screams at him to get out (Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!) Edge leaves but then has second thoughts. However, when he turns to go back inside her office the door is locked and Vickie refuses to open it.....

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The Maaaaaain Event!: US Title Fatale 4 Way: Matt Hardy vrs Chavo vrs Shelton vrs Missssster.Kennedy

Kennedy cuts a babyface promo before the match saying that although he’s from Green Bay, Wisconsin, tonight he’s "come home" to Smackdown. The ring bell sounds and all four men lock up. Matt Hardy and Kennedy are spotlighted first in the ring, with Kennedy hitting Matt with a spinning kick and then working him over in the corner. Shelty comes in and takes Kennedy out with an awesome kick of his own! Spinning head-scissors by Chavoon Shelty! Near-fall! The pace of this match so far is fantastic. Side-Effect and Rolling Forward Samoan Drop at the same time by Hardy and Kennedy! Vertical suplex/powerbomb combo by Shelty, Kennedy and Matt Hardy off the turnbuckle! T-Bone Suplex by Shelty on Chavo.Gets a close near fall! 3 Amigos by Chavo, which garners a light booing from the Tulsa audience due to the move’s association with Eddie Guerrero (why its booed I dont know because Chavo does the move as tribute to his late uncle). Frog Splash off the top rope onto Matt Hardy! Kennedy makes a last second save! Twist-Of-Fate out of nowhere by Matt Hardy on Chavo Guerrero! Cover and a kick out, though, by Chavito..Hardy back-body-drops Kennedy over the top rope and onto Bam "The one man fence" Neely on the outside, taking the enforcer out. Twist-Of-Fate on Shelty, who lands right on Chavito..Cover by Matt! 1-2-3! The US Title is retained..

*The Night is not over yet though....Edge comes out on his own without any music and grabs a mic.He rants about what his shafting on Raw and how he was the victim of not one but two cowardly attacks, first by Batista and the second by CM Punk, the latter of which you all know by now....cost him his World Title...

The Rated R Superstar goes on to call the MITB briefcase match for his World Title a "cowardly match" (even though Edge has used this method to win the Title on 2 occassions) He goes on to have a huge moan about the fans, his fiancé, and basically everyone in the entire world.

The Chimp comes walking out without the aid of her wheelchair, holding her back in pain and asking why Edge is airing their dirty laundry in public. The GM asks what Edge is doing, to which Edge responds "that’s a really good question."

The Canadian walks ominously up the ramp and approaches The Chimp, then announces to the delight of every man, woman and child on the planet....that "THE WEDDING IS OFF"...Vickie screams in sorrow and then throws away her engagement ring as Smackdown goes off the air. One word of warning to Edge, though; there’s nothing worse than the wrath of a woman scorned...especially when that woman is the General manager....

A good show with a very dramatic conclusion....im interested to see how this angle is gonna play off now...I get the feeling it could be a public sharade, just another scheme from The "Ultimate Opportunist" but on the other hand, there was a degree of realism that the end of the most unholy of alliances is genuine. Only time will tell...The main event as well as Jeff H -Morrison were pleasing....the divas title situation has been cleared up...Umaga and Kozlov continue their billing as unstoppable monsters...and we got a few jokes from The Champ...so this show was entertaining as well as accompishing what it set out to do...

Thats it for another edition of The Smackdown Re-Bound with me, Curtis Kash. Hope you all took the chance to read my report as well as enjoy it. Im hoping to keep delivering reports and articles on smackdown like this every week so your feedback is essential and comments are much appreciated, be they positive or negative!

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