By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
APRIL 17, 2009
UNVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
AIRED ON MY NETWORK TV

[Q1]

-The opening is updated. Let's look at the order of who's included and how often they appear: Rey Mysterio, Edge, Undertaker, Maria, C.M. Punk, Jeff Hardy, Melina, Chris Jericho, Undertaker again, Rey again, Michelle McCool, Umaga, John Morrison, Kane, Edge again, R-Truth, Great Khali, Punk again, Shelton, Gail Kim, Edge again, Undertaker again. So they gave multiple shots of Edge and Taker, Smackdown regulars, and newcomers Rey and Punk, but only shot of newcomer Jericho, Morrison, and Kane, seemingly favoring the babyfaces. Also, only one shot of Jeff Hardy, though, which goes against that formula.

-Todd Grisham introduced the show and threw to Jim Ross. It sounds strange to not have Ross introducing a show he's on. That might have happened way back with Tony Schiavone in the WCW days, but otherwise he's been the lead announcer on any show he's been on.

1 -- JEFF HARDY vs. THE BIG SHOW

Hardy came out first. The announcers talked about Jeff taking one chance too many last week as clips aired of his loss to Matt Hardy last week. They showed Grisham and Ross on camera during Show's trip to the ring. Ross said he's now property of Raw so this will be one of the last chances they have to see him. Why is he on this show at all if he was drafted to Raw? Not even addressed. Show outpowered Hardy in the early minutes with his signature methodical offense including headbutts and a legdrop for a nearfall. Show got cocky and let out a big smile as he moved in for a big boot. Hardy moved and Show straddled he top rope. When Hardy charged at Show, though, Show side-stepped him and threw him to the floor at 6:00. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Show held Hardy on the mat with a double grip nerve hold. Show set up a corner swing splash at 11:00. Hardy moved and Show crashed on the mat. Ross said the door has been cracked open. Jeff hit a DDT. Matt ran out and distracted Jeff. Jeff launched off of Show's back and dove onto brother Matt at ringside. Jeff rolled into the ring and flipped at Show. Show caught caught him, then KO'd him with his big punch for the win. Grisham and Ross agreed Matt's distraction was a huge factor in the finish.

WINNER: Show in 12:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4

[Q2]

-Matt leaned over Jeff and slapped him, then legdropped his throat and face seven times in rapid-fire fashion. He then put one of his boots on his chest and raised his arm. Ross said it wasn't a classy moment on Smackdown. Why are they promoting and furthering a feud that can't go on if WWE has any intent of honoring the brand split?

-Grisham hyped that Triple H and Randy Orton will face off later. Ross hyped that Batista would face Ted DiBiase in his first singles match since returning from his injury.

[Commercial Break]

-A recap aired of Great Khali beating Santino Marella, forcing Santina to take part in the Kiss Cam.

-Great Khali stood in the ring with Ranjin Singh. Singh said Khali can't wait to have Santina as his special guest on the Kiss Cam next week. Singh spoke with admiration as he described a picture of Santina. "Khali, she's all yours!" he said. Singh said to prepare himself for this heavenly moment next week, he wants to lock lips with one of the finest lady volunteers from the University of Tennessee. They picked a woman from the crowd and he kissed her. Santina's going to be jealous! Singh seemed to have a thing for her. He asked her the euphoria she just went through. She said it was the most romantic, passionate kiss she ever experienced. Khali then reacted. He apparently said she is incredible and amazing, but there's only one woman who holds the key to his giant heart, Santina Marella.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

2 -- GAIL KIM vs. MARYSE

Ross and Grisham said they're looking forward to Melina's ring entrances. Maryse tossed a charging Kim through the ropes to the floor early. She continued to dominate, including rubbing Kim's face into hte mat and then attempting a camel clutch. Kim powered out of it and hit a leg sweep for a one count. Kim made a full comeback and hit a few clotheslines. Kim countered a DDT attempt by Maryse with her finisher for the win.

WINNER: Kim in 3:00.

STAR RATING: * -- Kim is already appearing to be the class of the division. Her crisp moves and self-assured athleticism is unmatched in the U.S. women's scene right now.

-Grisham and Ross hyped the Triple vs. Randy Orton match on Raw, but first their face-to-face later on this show.

-R-Truth rapped his way to the ring

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

3 -- R-TRUTH vs. JOHN MORRISON

Truth stood mid-ring and asked Tennessee, "What's up?" They aired a clip of Miz turning on Morrison on Raw. At 3:00 Truth hit a scissors kick for a near fall. Morrison ducked a spin wheel kick, but Truth punched hm in he corner. Morrison shoved him to the mat and hit the Moonlight Drive for the win. Ross said 2009 is going to be a massive year for Morrison. He said we won't see him lose many times on Smackdown.

WINNER: Morrison in 4:00.

STAR RATING: *

-Triple H was shown heading toward the entrance tunnel. Smile check: Nope. Mood check: Pissy.

[Commercial Break]

-Triple H's full ring intro took place. Randy Orton's music played next. No sign of Orton, though. He second time his music played, Orton appeared on the big screen. He told him if he was expecting him to show up in person with Backlash next Sunday? He said he's too close to getting the WWE Championship, so why jeopardize that with a mistake. He said he prides himself on being smarter than everyone else, one step ahead of everyone else, but not this time. Music oddly played as Orton spoke. He said he's not worried about their match on Monday because five minutes won't go by before he blows up and gets himself disqualified. Triple H smiled. Orton looked to the side at a monitor, noticed it, and said, "So you think that's funny?" He asked if he thought it was funny when he DDT'd his wife. He brought up how he didn't just DDT her, but he also kissed her. He said the kiss keeps him up most nights. He described her warm, soft lips. He asked if that's what he thinks about when he kisses his wife. He asked if his children got the Easter basket he he sent them.

[Q5]

Orton got more intense and asked Triple H what was so funny. Triple H smiled again and said it's the fact that he knows something Orton doesn't. He said that little match on Monday is no-DQ, no countout, no rules, no titles, no bogus stipulations for him to hide behind. "Just you and me," Triple H said as Orton tried to keep his composure. Triple H said Orton started it, and this Monday he plans to finish it.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed the exterior of the University of Tennessee. Then they replayed the Matt-Jeff angle from earlier. Then backstage Teddy Long told Matt at Backlash he will face Jeff in an I-Quit match. Matt said that's great because Jeff's fans will hear the words that will cause them to give up on him. Matt said he's up 2-0 and at Backlash he'll complete the clean sweep.

4 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. UNDERTAKER

Shelton stood in the ring without a ring intro. Taker made his full ring intro. Shelton flipped out of an Undertaker vertical suplex and hit a neckbreaker as they cut to a break. Grisham asked if Shelton was about to score the biggest win of his career.

[Q6]

[Commercial Break]

Shelton remained on offense after the break. Ross said eventually Ross has to get on a roll. "We talk about his physical gifts. At some point that's going to stop buying you groceries." Good line from Ross. It needed to be said, too. Taker made a comeback at 8:00 with some punches. Shelton caught a charging Taker with a boot, but when he dove at Taker, Taker caught him by the throat and went for a chokeslam. Shelton countered with a DDT. Shelton scored a two count with a back suplex. Shelton went for an apparent Tombstone on Taker, but Taker reversed it, hit the move, and scored the three count.

WINNER: Undertaker in 10:00.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- Good match.

-Backstage Dolph Ziggler began to introduce himself to MVP. Long walked in and wished MVP luck over on Raw. MVP thanked Long for signing him. Long said he was a pain in his behind all this time, but it was worth it. Long said he was going to hook him up on a date with Sherri Shepherd from "The View." I think she's the one who didn't know that the Earth was flat because she never thought about it before. We learned that MVP loves the "The View." That's a surprising fact.

[Commercial Break]

[Q7]

-WWE Fact: Almost twice as many men watched Smackdown last Friday as watched The Masters on ESPN.

5 -- MVP vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER

Ross said Dolph introduced himself to him three times already today. Ross said he's only seen him a few times in the ring, but each time he's been impressed. He says his colleagues accuse him of being a narcissist. Ziggler dominated the early minutes. At 4:00 MVP hit a kneelift to drop Ziggler. He dropped a showy elbow and scored a two count. Ziggler shot MVP into the middle turnbuckle and held onto MVP's tights to score a three count. After his win, Ziggler grabbed the mic and said, "My name is Dolph Ziggler!"

WINNER: Ziggler in 5:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Solid five minute TV match.

-Grisham plugged the Batista vs. Ted DiBiase match - a match they hadn't mentioned since the start of the show and provided not interviews or pre-match perspective for, losing an opportunity to build anticipation for it.

[Commercial Break]

-Grisham and Ross hyped the Backlash line-up.

[Q8]

6 -- BATISTA vs. TED DIBIASE

The match began 47 minutes into the final hour. No Cody Rhodes with DiBiase for this match. Batista controlled early, but DiBiase attacked Batista's legs to turn momentum at 2:00 as they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

DiBiase continued to concentrate on Batista's leg, including a chop block at ringside. DiBiase hit a double stomp on Batista's chest leaping off the second rope. He went back to the second rope and double stomped his back. He then scored a two count. Batista surprised DiBiase with a small package attempt. Ross said it's not a typical move for Batista, but he just did it. Batista made a comeback with punches, but DiBiase used a drop toe hold to take him to the mat. He applied a leglock on the mat, then set up a potential figure-four. Batista kicked DBiase off of him and hit a spinebuster. He followed with a backdrop and clothesline. DiBiase caught a charging Batista with a boot. Batista countered with a spear. He then went into his finishing sequence including the Batista Bomb for the clean pin.

WINNER: Batista in 11:00.

STAR RATING: ** -- Ted DiBiase showed more in that match than anything he's done on Raw. He took Batista to another level just in terms of the actual chain wrestling and got a smooth match out of the often clunky Batista, more impressive since it's Batista's return from injury. It wasn't a great match by any means, but DiBiase looked like he was as comfortable as a ten year ring general out there. And he had a presence about him, too, that doesn't come across when he's standing next to Orton and Rhodes on Raw.

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