By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
MAY 15, 2009
AIRED ON MY NETWORK TV

[Q1]

-They opened with Jim Ross introducing the show as John Morrison's ring intro took place. Ross said Morrison got to pick a partner for the opening tag match. Out came C.M. Punk. Ross was surprised and said at least it's not The Miz. They went to ringside where Todd Grisham and Ross previewed the show briefly.

1 -- C.M. PUNK & JOHN MORRISON vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN & CHARLIE HAAS

Grisham said Morrison gave tips on having abs like his: fruit the morning, protein at night, and about a thousand sit-ups in between. Back and forth action in the early minutes. Morrison and Punk fended off a double-team attempt by the heels and knocked them to the floor as they cut to a break at 5:00.

[Commercial Break]

The heels settled into offense after the break. Morrison made a comeback with elbows and then hot-tagged Punk at 12:00.

[Q2]

Punk threw a barrage of kicks and clotheslines at Shelton. He grazed Benjamin with a kick, but Haas tagged in and overhead suplexed Punk from behind. Haas settled into a chinlock. Ross said this is the best version of Haas & Benjamin he's ever seen. When Shelton tagged in, Ross said he shouldn't go into cruise control. That may have been more than a storyline-oriented comment. Shelton stayed in control and then tagged in Haas quickly. He settled into a chinlock. Punk broke out of it by elbowing Haas, even though a ton of light was showing before he threw the elbows and he could have just backed out of it. Really lazy looking application. The pace picked up as Morrison got a hot-tag. Morrison gave Hass a knee to the head and then climbed to the top. Shelton met him at the top, but Morrison shoved him down. Punk clotheslined him to the floor and then Morrison finished Haas with a springboard corkscrew moonsault.

WINNERS: Morrison & Punk in 16:00.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- Should have been better. Haas and Benjamin just aren't sharp or flashy relative to the more motivated, contemporary styles of Morrison and Punk. They wrestle like it's a 1992 house show.

[Commercial Break]

-Chris Jericho walked out and cut a promo about Judgment Day. He talked about how the hypocrites in the crowd are terrified of Judgment Day, but since he is an honest man of virtue who is pure-hearted, he has nothing to fear. He said he always does what he says he is going to do. He said ever since he came to Smackdown, he's been lied to and disrespected. He realizes it's a conspiracy against him, referring to himself by name in the third person. He said it's perpetuated by the parasitic tapeworms in the crowd, the inept G.M. Teddy Long, and the envious Superstars in the locker room. He said Sunday the conspiracy will end and his rapture will end. He said if he has to go through the entire Smackdown locker room and embarrass and eradicate them one by one, that's what he will do. He said: "I am the destroyer of hopes and dreams, I am the modern day conquerer, I am the best at what I do, and Smackdown is my show." He said the first victim in his quest to prove it is his show is that "miniscule piece of trash, Rey Mysterio."

He said Rey took something important away from him, his opportunity to become the World Heavyweight Champion on Smackdown. He said he's going to beat him and become the Intercontinental Champion for an unprecedented ninth time. He said in the process he will take something away from the fans, which is the joy and delight they feel when Rey hits his 619 and wins. He promised the fans they won't see the 619 on Sunday, but they will see a new IC Champion named Chris Jericho. He declared he calls the shots and runs the show. He said he doesn't want to wait until Judgment Day. He commanded Rey to come to the ring right now. Instead, Edge's music played.

[Q3]

Ross said that clearly isn't Rey. Edge entered the ring and said it's only taken three weeks since he came to Smackdown for him to get sick and tired of his voice. He said he is the World Champion, so the entire locker room is out to get him, not Jericho. He said when he was on Raw getting beat by John Cena, he owned Smackdown. He said he's a nine-time World Champion. He told him it's not even his time to be out there. He said it's his time. He said Jericho may want to call out Rey, but he'd rather call out his opponent, Jeff Hardy. Jericho said this is his show and he called out Rey first. He told him to wait in line for his turn. Edge said he doesn't care if he came out there first. Long said he has news for them - it's not either one of their show. He said it's the WWE Universe's show. He said if they want action, he's going to give it to them. He booked Jericho vs. Edge tonight. Grisham called it a blockbuster main event. Ross called it "groundbreaking" and "historic."

-They showed Jeff heading toward the entrance tunnel backstage.

[Commercial Break]

2 -- JEFF HARDY vs. RICKY ORTIZ

During his ring intro, Ortiz said you beat half of your opponents through hard work, the other half through believing in yourself. He said to beat Hardy, he needs the crowd to "Rally Up!" for him. Ross said he sounds like a motivational speaker. Ortiz headbutted Hardy to the mat early, then went for an early pin after checking him to the mat. He got a one count. He followed with a couple flying knees and scored a two count. Ortiz settled into a chinlock. Ross said Ortiz will really be sounding his own horn if he beats Hardy tonight. Hardy caught Ortiz with an elbow as he charged at him, then hit a quick Twist of Fate and the Swanton. It was a sudden turnaround for the win.

WINNER: Hardy in 3:00.

STAR RATING: * -- Short, but good. Ortiz looked good on offense, and the sudden decisive comeback was well done.

-Ross plugged the EgoBowl later between Edge and Jericho.

[Q4]

[Commercial Break]

-Josh Matthews (from ECW, technically a brand crossover) interviewed Hardy. He said Edge is a creature of habit. He says he has a tendency to win a title on a PPV, then lose it a month later, then win, then lose. When some fans cheered him, he stopped and said they're the greatest. He then said at Judgment Day, Edge will lose again. He said it won't be just for him, it'll be for everyone who supported him through thick and thin and stood up for him being himself. Good straight-forward babyface interview. That's all Hardy has to do to connect with fans and sell his matches.

-Raw clips aired of the Batista-Randy Orton feud.

-They showed Alicia Fox and Michelle McCool warming up backstage.

[Commercial Break]

-A clip aired of McCool pinning Gail Kim last week.

[Q5]

3 -- ALICIA FOX & MICHELLE MCCOOL vs. GAIL KIM & MELINA

Has there ever been a WWE women's tag match with a Caucasian, Asian-American, African-America, and Hispanic all in the match at once. At 3:00 McCool interfered by yanking Kim off the ring apron and banging her head against the apron. The ref didn't see it. Fox broke up Melina's attempt to finish of McCool at 5:00. Kip shoved Fox into the ringside barrier. Kim powerbombed and cradled McCool center-ring for the win.

WINNER: Melina & Kim in 6:00.

STTAR RATING: *1/4

-Grisham plugged the Jericho-Edge main event.

[Commercial Break]

4 -- JIMMY WANG YANG vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER

Ross said Wang is his favorite Asian redneck. Grisham agreed. Wang wouldn't shake Ziggler's hand, so he shoved him. Wang retaliated with a snap armdrag into an armlock. Ziggler came back with a gut-wrench slam and then a headlock. Ziggler dominated for a couple minutes, including a full nelson. He predicted Wang would tap out. He's really vocal in his matches, something Ross noted. At 4:00 Wang came back and hit a spin hook hook. He flipped off the top rope, but Ziggler moved. Wang landed on his feet, but Ziggler gave him his finisher for the win.

WINNER: Ziggler in 5:00

STAR RATING: *

[Q6]

-The Great Khali walked out for revenge for Ziggler hitting him with a chair last week. Ziggler charged at Khali when he climbed onto the ring apron. Khali easily tossed Ziggler to the floor. Ziggler retreated and Khali pursued, looking upset. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

-Cryme Tyme chatted up Eve Torres backstage. They got her worked up about Layla. She walked up to her backstage as she was being made up. She poured powder over her head. A pullapart brawl broke out and J.T.G. and Shad pulled them apart.

5 -- R-TRUTH vs. MIKE KNOX

Ross again said Knox is a different kind of WWE athlete. He said he wears glasses and is a different person in the back and transforms in the ring. Not sure where they're going with this, if anywhere. Truth slingshot himself onto Knox on the floor at 1:00. He threw Knox back into the ring. Grisham said Truth wants championships in WWE is looking to stack up some victories. You don't hear talk of mid-carders winning matches for the purpose of earning title shots often enough. It is a little touch that gives meaning to a match like this beyond the "personal rivalry" angle. At 3:00 he scored a clean win over Knox with a spinning corkscrew elbow.

WINNER: Truth in 3:00.

STAR RATING: * -- Not a lot to the match, but what there was was solid. An interesting finish; certainly it was a vote for Truth over Knox on the totem pole of mid-carders on the rise. It's tough to push Knox as a rising killer heel if he's doing a three minute clean job to Truth. He's instead in that Snitsky category.

-They plugged Jericho vs. Edge one more time.

[Q7]

[Commercial Break]

-WWE Fact: I addition to over 1,000,000 females - more males watched Smackdown last week than any other show on NBC, Fox, CW, or ABC.

-Matthews interviewed Rey backstage. Rey said Jericho is arrogant, egotistical, and deceitful. He said it in Spanish, then English. He said Jericho believes there's a conspiracy against him, but he doesn't get that in order to receive respect you have to earn it. He said he won't let Jericho walk all over him. He said at Judgment Day, he won't have to worry about a conspiracy. Instead, he just has to worry about the 619.

-Jim Ross and Todd Grisham stood mid-ring to promote the Judgment Day line-up.

-Edge's ring intro took place.

[Commercial Break]

-Chris Jericho's full ring intro aired.

6 -- CHRIS JERICHO vs. EDGE

Ross said all roads on Smackdown should lead to the World Title. If that's not where you're trying to go as a wrestler, why are you even around, he said. At 3:00 Jericho tossed Edge to the floor and celebrated as if it were just a matter of time to victory.

[Q8]

[Commercial Break]

When Jericho pursued Edge, Edge reversed him into the ringside steps. Ross said the match is a battle of egos and momentum. Edge dropped Jericho over the security wall and then rolled him into the ring and scored a two count. Jericho climbed to the top rope. Edge met him. They fought and knocked each other to the floor. They cut to a break at 5:00.

[Commercial Break]

Edge scored a near fall as they returned from the break. Jericho came back and settled into a keylock into a hammerlock. Jericho slammed Edge into his arm Tully Blanchard style. Jericho shouted, "Who's show is it? Come on!" Jericho tried to score a pin with his feet on the middle rope for leverage. The ref saw it. Jericho argued with the ref for stopping his count. Edge scooped Jericho into a pin and put his lets on the middle rope, too. The ref saw that, too. Edge applied a sharpshooter. Jericho reached the bottom rope to force a break at 12:00. Jericho came back with a Boston Crab mid-ring. Ross wondered if Edge would decide to save himself for his title match on Sunday. He managed to grab the bottom rope. As Jericho argued with the ref, Edge speared him and Jericho tumbled to the floor. The ref counted to six before Jericho rolled back into the ring. Jericho grabbed a chair seconds later and brought it into the ring. Edge kicked the chair into Jericho's face. The ref called for the bell, DQing Jericho for bringing it into the ring.

WINNER: Edge via DQ in 14:00.

STAR RATING: **3/4

-Edge then picked up the chair. Jeff Hardy charged to the ring and ducked an Edge chairshot. He gave Edge a Twist of Fate onto a chair. Then he climbed to the top rope and dove onto Jericho on the floor. C.M. Punk then walked out with his briefcase and decided to cash in his briefcase. Umaga, though, went after Punk again before the bell rang. Punk knocked him out of the ring with two briefcase chots, then slingshot himself onto Umaga on the floor. Punk showed fire on the floor, but Umaga got up and gave him a chop to the throat. Hardy then went after Edge in the ring again with a spear. Edge rolled to the floor. Hardy followed and tore off his shirt as he pursued him into the crowd. Meanwhile, Jericho stood on the stage looking on. Rey attacked him from behind and pounded on his head and kicked him in the face. Grisham and Ross tried to call the chaos as they plugged that these wrestlers would all be facing each other on Sunday night. Good finish to the show, really giving a sense of intensity to the key Smackdown matches at Judgment Day.

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