by Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
March 27, 2009
Taped 3/17/09 in Corpus Christi, Tex.
Aired on MyNetwork TV


-Smackdown Open.

1- CM PUNK & MARK HENRY & MVP & KOFI KINGSTON vs. KANE & FINLAY & CHRISTIAN & SHELTON BENJAMIN

Wow, there’s a shocker, another tag match with these guys. Different pairings at least. CM Punk was the only one to get an entrance. Kingston and Christian started the match off. They went back-and-forth, with Christian hitting a reverse DDT for two. Hard uppercut from Kingston, who made the tag to Punk. Punk hit a high cross-body off the top for two. Finlay then came in and brought some physicality to the match. Punk set Finlay up for a GTS, but Kane booted him in the face. Kane grabbed Finlay by the throat and pushed him into the buckle, even though they’re on the same team. JR sounded about as un-enthused as could be from the opening of the show to this point.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Punk was straining to make a tag and finally did, to Mark Henry. Then Shelton tagged Kane. They sized each other up and Kane hit him with a few thunderous right hands (thanks, JR). Henry ended up getting the better of the exchange and tagging MVP. Shelton and MVP worked over their differences in the ring, and they plugged (with a graphic!) Shelton vs. MVP for the US Title next week. These eight are going to be sick of each other by the time Wrestlemania rolls around. MVP took the brunt of Shelton’s punishment, then took some more from The Big Red Machine. A facebuster allowed MVP to tag Punk. He hit a beautiful kick to the side of Kane’s head (no easy feat when both are standing). A flying clothesline was blocked by Kane, who chokeslammed Punk for the victory.

WINNERS: Kane, Finlay, Christian and Benjamin at 10:55. I wouldn’t read too much into the result, with WWE no doubt wanting to give the impression that anyone can win at WM.

Things broke down after the match into an all-out brawl. Christian got a ladder from under the ring and tried to climb it to reach the briefcase above the ring. Finlay came into the ring and pushed him off, into the waiting arms of the other participants on the outside.

-Tonight, we’ll have footage of Orton’s Law from this past Monday night.

[Commercial Break]

-Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls plugged her appearance at Wrestlemania in a pre-taped segment.

2- JESSE & FESTUS vs. THE BIG SHOW- HANDI-CAP MATCH

Big Show stopped Festus in his tracks. How long has it been since we’ve seen Jesse and Festus? Show put Jesse away but Festus came from behind. His attack didn’t last long as Show even kicked him as Festus was coming off the ropes. Show continued his beat-down of Festus. Jesse came off the ropes but a shoulderblock did nothing to Show. He knocked out Festus, then Jesse with his right hand and pinned Jesse.

WINNER: Show, at 2:27. I’d complain about the mis-treatment of another tag team, but Jesse and Festus haven’t meant much for a while now.

-A special look at “12 Rounds” aired.

-Tonight, we’ll hear from Jeff Hardy about facing Matt at WM.

[Commercial Break]

-Video highlights showed how the Matt vs. Jeff feud has reached the point that it has.

-Backstage, Matt sat with a dog. He said there’s always been a black cloud over Jeff but not everyone has known it. He said Jeff lost everything in the fire, including his Jack Russell Terrier. I’ll assume that’s the kind of dog Matt has. I....don’t know much about dogs. Matt said at Wrestlemania, he’s going to take Jeff to the extreme. He said everyone would realize that Jeff is a selfish child once he beats him at WM. Matt was all lovey-dovey with the dog, kissing it and everything throughout the interview.

-Rey Mysterio came out for his match, which is next.

[Commercial Break]

3- REY MYSTERIO vs. CHAVO GUERRERO

Chavo took Rey to the mat, but Rey turned the tables with a flying mare. Chavo put Rey on the top rope and took him down with a hurricanrana, which only got a near-fall. Chin-lock by Chavo as JR and Tazz talked about JBL “making history” and they wondered what that could mean. Chavo hung Rey up on the top rope by his legs, but Chavo missed a running shoulderblock. Seated senton by Rey, then a springboard cross-body for two. Another near-fall from Rey. Chavo hit the Gory Bomb for just two. Rey missed a 619 and Chavo landed Two Amigos, but not the third. Instead, he countered Mysterio’s counter with a back suplex. He went to the top, but missed a frogsplash. 619-> splash off the top->pin.

WINNER: Rey, at 5:28. Surprised they gave Chavo so much offense.

After the match, JBL came in and hit the Clothesline from Hell on Rey.

-They showed Cena reading his get-well card to Vickie on Raw. Cena is coming out next.


[Commercial Break]

-John Cena made his entrance into the arena. He was in serious mode as he plugged Wrestlemania and his match. He said Vickie and Edge have done everything to keep him away from the title and from Wrestlemania. He apologized to resorting to blackmail to get onto the show but said there was no way he was missing Wrestlemania. He said he was going to Wrestlemania to be the World Heavyweight Champion.

It seemed Cena was finished, but Big Show came out. Show said Vickie’s love makes him stronger. Awwww. He told Cena to find out how strong he really is this Monday night, so he can shut Cena’s mouth for good. Cena, shockingly using common sense, said it doesn’t make any sense to put himself in danger before WM. Oh, but then he said “you’re on.” Well, that was a quick moment of sanity. As Big Show climbed over the top rope to leave, Cena caught one of his feet and pushed him to the floor. Good hard-sell Cena promo there.

-Still to come, clips of Orton’s Law from Monday night.

[Commercial Break]

4- R-TRUTH vs. MATT HARDY

They fought over a lock-up, but Matt took Truth down to gain the advantage. Elbow across the back of the neck by Matt for two. Truth fought back with rights and a clothesline. Dropkick to the sternum of Hardy for two. Matt came back and set up for the Twist of Fate, but Truth blocked it and kicked Matt in the face. Another near-fall. Axe kick by Truth missed and Hardy landed the Twist for the win.

WINNER: Hardy, at 3:05. Jeff gets hardcore match warm-ups but Matt doesn’t?

-JR, calling it “abstractly confrontational,” sent it to the video from Monday of HBK in the graveyard, confronting Undertaker, who was on Raw. A Shawn Michaels “tribute” to the Undertaker will air on Smackdown tonight.

-Carlito, Primo and A Bella came out for a match, coming up after the break.

[Commercial Break]

5- PRIMO & CARLITO & BRIE BELLA vs. JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ & NIKKI BELLA

Miz worked over Primo to start the match, after the twins went nose-to-nose before the match. Morrison landed a sweet running knee to Primo’s noggin. Carlito ended up tagging in and cleaning house on Morrison. The Bellas went at it on the outside as confusion ensued, but in the ring, Carlito hit the Backstabber on Morrison for the win.

WINNERS: Carlito, Primo and Brie, at 2:27. I’m surprised the number of pinfall victories the Colons have gotten over Miz & Morrison, even though I’d presume the heels will win at WM.

-Orton’s Law from Monday night is up next.

[Commercial Break]

-Jeff Hardy was in a dark room with a black background. He appeared quite distraught. He talked quite philosophically, with his head down, about his situation. He brought his head up and said Matt has taken everything away from him, now he’s going to take something from him. He said they’re not brothers anymore.

-JR and Tazz previewed the Wrestlemania card.

-They showed what happened with Randy Orton, Triple H and Stephanie this past week on Raw.

[Commercial Break]

6- MARYSE vs. MICHELLE MCCOOL- DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Wow, no plugs at all during the show for this? Long lock-up that actually went to the outside, through the ropes. They came to a stalemate at ringside. Neither took their eyes off the other heading back into the ring. Michelle finally took down Maryse and choked her. Abdominal stretch into a take-down by Michelle. Maryse came up grabbing her knee and McCool went after it. Maryse fought with Michelle on the outside, with Maryse getting the best of it. Michelle took Maryse down but then Gail Kim, making her return, took out Michelle with a dropkick off the top rope, drawing the DQ. She then hit Maryse with a neck-breaker.

WINNER: Maryse, at 3:00. Ah, Gail’s awesome old music is no more.

-Another trailer for “12 Rounds” aired.

-Up next, HBK’s tribute to the Undertaker.

[Commercial Break]

-Druids, dressed all in white, came out while some chanting came on over the speakers. They surrounded the ring, which itself was surrounded by smoke. Finally, HBK, all in white, but dressed like The Undertaker, came out with some awesomely dramatic music. He did all of Taker’s mannerisms, from raising the hands to turn on the lights, to taking off the hat- when he did he had a huge grin on his face. I felt like he was going to start dancing to “Thriller.” He said, “In the beginning, God created Heaven and the earth.” He continued reading from scripture, and even quoted it from Genesis, chapter one. He said he and Taker represent darkness and light. He said he and Taker have been in WWE nearly 20 years and they’ve taken similar roads to where they are now. But that’s where the similarities end. He compared and contrasted himself with Taker. He said he has eternal life, but the same can’t be said for Taker’s undefeated streak. He told Undertaker that his undefeated streak will come to a very grisly end. In front of 70,000 people, HBK said he’d ascend victorious. HBK put his head down as the music came back on. Then it broke into HBK’s normal music and he started dancing in the ring, taking off all the gear he had on. All of a sudden, Undertaker came up through the ring and tried to drag HBK down (to hell?) with him. Instead, he settled for a chokeslam. More like a chokeslam attempt, as HBK escaped over the top rope and up the ramp. HBK continued dancing on the stage. I liked this!

Greg Parks has been covering Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. You can also hear him every-other-week in the post-Raw audio show in the Torch VIP audio section and read his all-new blog in the VIP forum. Check out his column each week in the PDF-exclusive version of the Torch Newsletter. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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