By Greg Parks, PWTorch Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
March 14, 2008
Taped 3/11/08 in Chicago, Ill.
Aired on the CW
Report by Greg Parks, Torch Team Contributor

So something is definitely wrong with my cable....the local CW channel is completely black, and so are a few channels in the 50s and 60s.....hopefully things get settled soon and we can get back on track tonight.

-The picture finally returned with a recap of the Big Show/Floyd feud. Check out Jason Powell’s report at www.prowrestling.net to see what happened in the first 15 minutes.

1- JIMMY WANG YANG & SHANNON MOORE vs. BIG SHOW- HANDICAP MATCH

Show shoved the tag team out of the corner after a brief attack. The screen occasionally scrambles here, so I’m hoping it doesn’t go back to black. Show just tossed Yang and Moore around like rag dolls. He caught Yang on a moonsault attempt, then just ran Yang over. Closed fist right to the face of Moore, and that got the pin.

WINNER: Show, at 2:05. I thought they were giving Yang and Moore a semi-decent push. Why not squash the Greasers here? To answer my own question, I’m guessing they wanted two opponents of Floyd’s size.

-Coming up next, the final Money In The Bank qualifying match....the tag champs will vie for that spot, as The Miz takes on John Morrison.

[Commercial Break]

2- JOHN MORRISON vs. THE MIZ- MONEY IN THE BANK QUALIFYING MATCH

Michael Cole announced that next week, the tag champs would put their titles on the line against Jesse & Festus. A quick pin attempt by Morrison on Miz. Clothesline off the middle rope by Mizanin for two. Morrison took a breather on the outside. I’m about to throw this friggin’ TV out the window, as it keeps going from black to back to the show, so my PBP may be a bit choppy. Side headlock by Miz, but Morrison reversed with a back-breaker. Half-crab by the former Tough Enough winner. After an extended blackout, the next thing I saw was the Carlito/Maria commercial. Apparently, Morrison won.

WINNER: Morrison. I would’ve thought this match would’ve gone a little longer, actually.

[Commercial Break]

-Michael Cole and Jonathon Coachman discussed Vickie Guerrero putting Shawn Michaels in the steel cage match tonight with Ric Flair and Edge’s squad. That segued into a discussion and highlight package on the Hornswoggle angle.

-Finlay was backstage, interviewed by Cole. He had trouble verbalizing what has happened the past few weeks. He said Hornswoggle is getting better, but he’ll never be the same. He said JBL will have to live with this the rest of his life. And the beating he’ll give JBL at WrestleMania is something you can’t put into words. As good a heel as Finlay was, he’s really settling into this face role. They’ve written this face role very well for him, as he’s not a traditional good guy.

-MVP came out for his battle with Batista...that bout is next.

[Commercial Break]

3- MVP vs. BATISTA- NO HOLDS BARRED FOR THE U.S. TITLE

On the plus side, the screen seems to have stabilized. MVP tried to stay low to the ground and went after the leg of Batista to take him down. Front face-lock by MVP as the crowd was solidly behind The Animal. After Batista broke out, MVP took a powder. But remember, no count-outs. The feeling-out process continued until Batista got the advantage and hit a running kick to the face of a seated Montel Vontavious Porter. MVP missed a running kick of his own and Batista nailed him with a forearm to the back of the head. Overhead throw by MVP that showed quite a bit of light. The champ was able to hit the kick to the head the second time and sent Batista out of the ring. However, Batista drove MVP into the guardrail. Back in the ring, MVP took off his chain and punched Batista in the grill. Choking by Porter ensued. Batista came back with a corner clothesline. He appeared to try another one when MVP drop-toe held(?) him into the middle buckle. MVP took the covering off the second turnbuckle, but he couldn’t take advantage as Batista blocked a shot. Powerslam by Batista for two. Spinebuster, but MVP escaped a Batista Bomb attempt. He used a steel chair at ringside, ramming it into Batista’s ribs. Batista blocked another shot and sent MVP head-first into the announce table. Two more times, in fact. The former Evolution member pounded away at MVP’s skull. The champ came back and sent Batista into the steel post. Another shot off the announce table though evened things back up. Low blow by MVP dropped Batista to his knees. Running kick to the temple connected for MVP. Break time.

[Commercial Break]

Both men were still on the outside of the ring upon return. MVP grabbed a chair, but Batista speared him as he was about to use it. Back in the ring, Batista got 2 ½ on a pin. Cole reiterated that it’s not falls-count-anywhere and that a pin needs to be made in the ring. Another spear by Batista. On the outside again, MVP was desperately looking for a weapon under the ring. He found a chair, and used it on Batista’s knee. MVP pulled up the padding at ringside, but Batista turned the tables and back-dropped MVP. Batista used the chair on the back of the champion. Another very near fall from Batista. MVP, in desperation, sent Batista head-first into the exposed buckle. As Batista and MVP fought over a steel chair, Umaga came out of nowhere and delivered the Samoan Spike. MVP crawled over and made the cover for the win.

WINNER: MVP at 12:38. Pretty good match between these two. It was helped, no doubt, by the stipulations.

[Commercial Break]

-Clips of what just happened aired.

-A recap/preview of the Show vs. Mayweather feud aired.

-Kane came out for a tag match, which is next.

[Commercial Break]

4- KANE & JAMIE NOBLE vs. CHUCK PALUMBO & GREAT KHALI

Palumbo and Kane started things out. Sidewalk slam by Kane. Noble screamed for a tag at ringside. Hard shots from Kane. Noble made the tag and hit a cross-body off the top. But that further injured his taped ribs, and allowed Chucky to go to work. Palumbo tagged Khali and held Noble for Khali to chop. After some posing by Khali, Noble got back up and headbutted Khali in the gut. That worked about as well as you’d think. Kane got frustrated at ringside and came in attempting to clean house. He took out Chuck on the apron and as he did that, Khali hit the two-handed chokeslam for the pin.

WINNERS: Khali & Palumbo, at 2:50. Strange ending, as Kane beat up Palumbo on the outside while his partner was getting pinned inside.

-Up next, Shawn Michaels & Ric Flair are in a 3-on-2 handicap match against Ryder, Hawkins and Edge in a steel cage.

[Commercial Break]

-Michael Cole went down the list of Hall-of-Famers for this year. We then saw the video package on the Briscos, the newest inductees.

5- RIC FLAIR & SHAWN MICHAELS vs. ZACH RYDER & CURT HAWKINS & EDGE- HANDICAP STEEL CAGE MATCH

I can’t remember the last time HBK was on Smackdown. Vickie Guerrero was wheeled out by Teddy Long before the match started. She said the heel team would be joined by Chavo Guerrero. And the screen goes black again.

[Commercial Break]

Perfect timing, as I saw a few commercials, then blank again. Reading over the spoilers, the heels won the match after the Undertaker made an appearance. Edge was able to escape the cage. Again, check out Jason Powell’s report for a more detailed review.

WINNERS: Ryder, Hawkins & Edge.

I really do apologize for the report tonight....I’m actually surprised this black-out hasn’t happened on a Friday before, because I have noticed it during other times of the day/week. Hopefully we’ll be back to normal next week.

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