by Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
June 5, 2009
Taped 6/2/09 in Memphis, Tenn.
Aired on MyNetwork TV


-WWE Open.

-Smackdown Open.

-Tonight, Edge takes on Rey Mysterio in a champion vs. champion match in the main event.

-Also, CM Punk and Umaga, two days before their Samoan Strap Match Sunday, face-off in a one-on-one match tonight.

-Ladders adorned the side of the ramp and the outside of the ring as Edge made his way out for The Cutting Edge. Edge said the focus of the show would be his Ladder Match at Extreme Rules, and his guest is his opponent in said match, Jeff Hardy. Hardy then came out to a good ovation. Two ladders were set up in the middle of the ring. Hardy said if Edge wanted to speak with him, he’d be atop the ladder. And so he climbed up there. Hardy said he was comfortable up there and come Sunday, he’d be comfortable as new World Heavyweight Champion. Edge accused Hardy of pandering to the “sheep,” taking a page out of Chris Jericho’s playbook. Sunday, Edge said, every time Jeff will try to climb the ladder, he’ll be there to knock him back down. Edge kept telling Hardy that no matter how high he gets up the ladder, Edge will be there to send him back to earth. Then he climbed that ladder, as he said he will on Sunday, to grab the World Heavyweight Championship. Both men were staring at each other on the ladder, with the title hanging between them. Hardy interrupted Edge, tired of his talk. He said he doesn’t care what Edge thinks and that people will talk about this Ladder Match until the end of time, long after they’re both gone. Jeff said he is proud of what and who he is right now. He said he’ll be living for the moment at Extreme Rules. Edge told him he’d need the salvation he expects on Sunday. Then he knocked Jeff a couple times with the belt to get him off balance, then shoved him the rest of the way, as Hardy fell chest-first onto the top rope. These two have certainly set the bar high for Sunday. They showed a replay, then Edge as he walked to the back, posing for the fans as Jeff laid at ringside in pain.

[Commercial Break]

-After some shots of downtown Memphis, they showed a replay of what happened moments ago.

1- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. JOHN MORRISON

Morrison tripped up Benjamin in the corner, then appeared to attempt a split-legged moonsault, but Shelton crotched him on the top and got a dragon-screw leg-whip. Benjamin continued to work the left leg of Morrison. Morrison fired back at the 3:00 mark with a sudden enziguiri. Jumping heel kick by Morrison for two as he continued to sell the leg/knee area. He ran over Benjamin with a knee to the face that got a two-count. Springboard kick missed and Benjamin capitalized with a half-crab. Tilt-a-whirl DDT by Morrison and the move, which can look clunky, looked silky smooth. Starship Pain ended it.

WINNER: Morrison, at 4:51. Fine five minute match, but doesn’t really advance this feud at all. It’s been treading water lately, it seems.

-Still to come, in a first-ever meeting (at least billed that way), Rey Mysterio takes on Edge.

-Also, CM Punk faces Umaga in singles competition.

-Chris Jericho was walking backstage. We’ll hear from him next.

[Commercial Break]

-Chris Jericho came out for a match, but first, some mic work. He told Rey he should be afraid because Jericho promised to reveal Mysterio’s true identity on Sunday. He worked the fans, saying they follow Rey like “a mindless group of zombies.” Jericho said it’s No Holds Barred on Sunday, meaning he can do whatever he likes to Rey. He said taking off the mask would ruin Rey’s life forever and to top it off, he’ll become Intercontinental Champion for the unprecedented ninth time. R-Truth’s music interrupted.

Truth rapped to the ring and in the end, after asking the fans “What’s up?,” he asked Jericho. Jericho had a great look on his face. He then scolded Truth for coming out and pandering to the people. He wouldn’t let Truth’s interruption stop him from saying what he wants to say, but Truth said he was done. R-Truth then said Jericho was the biggest hypocrite he’s heard in his life. Truth said talking down to the fans doesn’t make Jericho bad. But things are about to get real bad. Truth’s most extensive mic work to date I believe, save for all the rapping of course. Their match is next.

[Commercial Break]

2- CHRIS JERICHO vs. R-TRUTH

Truth got the best of Jericho off the bat, so Jericho went to ringside. Truth came over the top with a suicide dive. Truth went to the top, but Jericho hit the ropes to crotch him. Jericho then dropkicked him to the mat on the outside. Back in the ring, he started kicking Truth in the upper part of the body. Jericho taunted Truth in a rest-hold, yelling “What’s up now, huh?” and also demanding the ref “Ask him what’s up!” Lionsault missed from Y2J, but Truth’s kick missed as well. Roll-up from Truth for two. Jericho tried to turn him for the Walls of Jericho but Truth got monkey-flipped onto the second rope. He came off but dove right into a Codebreaker (not a great one either) for the pin.

WINNER: Jericho, at 3:47.

As Jericho walked to the back, Rey Mysterio attacked him from behind. WWE referees had to come out and hold Rey back. Rey then hit a seated senton on Jericho at the side of the ramp.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed a replay of Rey’s attack on Jericho.

3- CM PUNK vs. UMAGA

This has to be one of the least-interesting feuds in quite some time. Punk tried to take Umaga down by the leg, but Umaga shoved him off. Punk still went to work on the leg and threw Umaga shoulder-first into the ring post, then came off the top with a cross-body (as Umaga was half-way down to the mat when Punk landed on him) for a two count. Show then went to break.

[Commercial Break]

Punk was continuing work on the leg out of break, and hit an enziguiri that sent Umaga out of the ring. Punk tried to catch Umaga napping, but he came off the top and Umaga got him with a Samoan Spike, then was thrown into the barricade in a nasty move. Back in the ring, time for an arm-bar by Umaga. He also dug his fingers into Punk’s gut. Hard into the turnbuckle went Punk, then down on both knees and Umaga clotheslined him down. More stretching from the Samoan. Punk used his vaunted strikes to break out, but then was put back down with a superkick. Punk came off the top again, and again Umaga was half-way down when Umaga got to him. Foolishly, CM Punk tried a cross-body and Umaga caught him, then slammed him down with that swinging tree slam. The big man dragged Punk into the corner and gave him a few punches to the head. Umaga missed a running butt charge and Punk landed the running knee in the corner, but Umaga shoved him away. Umaga grabbed the straps, but the ref stopped him from using them. He turned around and right into a GTS (the camera switched angles at the last second as Umaga got his hands and arms up to protect himself from a clean shot) and a pinfall.

WINNER: Punk, at 12:27. I hope this doesn’t mean Punk is losing on Sunday. Match had its moments.

-Still to come, champion vs. champion, Rey Mysterio vs. Edge.

[Commercial Break]

-Todd Grisham and Jim Ross were in the ring to preview the Extreme Rules card.

-Maria came out to be the special guest referee for the next match.

4- MELINA & GAIL KIM & EVE TORRES vs. MICHELLE MCCOOL & ALICIA FOX & LAYLA

The faces worked Alicia’s arm, but Fox jumped over Kim in the corner. She celebrated too long though and Kim hit a hurricanrana. Dive into the stomach by Kim, then a cross-body off the top for two. Fox tagged out to McCool. Kim was up for a hurricanrana, but McCool tossed her over her head and to the mat. Then she pounded away at Gail’s face until Maria broke it up. Layla was the victim of a drop-toe hold in the corner. Melina tagged in and cleaned house on Layla. Dobule-knee to the gut of Layla in the corner. Face-plant for a two-count. Fox distracted Melina coming off the ropes and the rest of the faces went over to the opposite corner to fight it out. McCool took the opportunity to get a free kick in on Melina, then Layla hit her unique neck-breaker and picked up the surprise win for her team.

WINNERS: McCool, Fox & Layla, at 3:16. Interesting decision there. I thought they’d tease more of a Maria feud with one of the heels.

-Great Khali was walking backstage....he faces Dolph Ziggler next.

[Commercial Break]

-Grisham thanked Sick Puppies for lending their song to WWE for the official Extreme Rules theme.

-More shots of the Memphis downtown area.

5- THE GREAT KHALI vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER

They showed what happened last month when the two met in singles competition. Khali pounded away on Ziggler in the corner. The fight went to the outside, where Khali had the advantage until he missed a chop on Ziggler and his hand collided with the ring post. But he was able to chop Ziggler back into the ring. Ziggler broke out of a choke and dropkicked Khali into the corner. He got frustrated when he couldn’t deal with Khali, then was elbowed and booted down. Khali set up and hit the Punjabi Plunge. Lights out.

WINNER: Khali, at 2:49. At least JR still thinks Ziggler will be a “big time player” on Smackdown. That’s gotta count for something.

-Highlights of Edge’s attack on Jeff Hardy earlier tonight aired.

-Rey vs. Edge is next.

[Commercial Break]

-Ring announcer Justin Roberts introduced Hall-of-Famer Koko B. Ware, who was sitting at ringside. They played his theme and he did the bird and danced around.

6- REY MYSTERIO vs. EDGE

Rey was very cautious while greeting fans on his way to the ring. An elbow by Edge dropped Mysterio, then he ptu the boots to him in the corner. Edge flung Rey through the bottom rope, but Rey as usual flipped and got back to his feet. Why do people keep trying that with him? Edge tried whipping him into the steel steps, but Rey somersaulted over them and landed on his feet, kicking the steps into Edge’s legs. He then landed a seated senton on the Rated R Superstar. The show went to break with both guys still on the outside.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break and back in the ring, Rey still had control of the match-up. JR said Rey’s “physical hysteria” is what has led to him staying on offense through the break. Just as I type that, Edge side-stepped a Rey charge and ran his shoulder into the ringpost. Hard Irish whip into the turnbuckle by Edge and Rey collapsed face-first into the mat. Crowd chanted “619" as Edge stalked Rey in the ring. Rey went into the buckle again but got his feet up on an Edge charge. After a headscissor take-over, Edge tried sunset flip unsuccessfully, then Rey kicked him in the face and got a two-count. Rey rolled up Edge after Edge tried an Electric Chair and Rey had him down for the three, but the ref only counted two as Edge was late flipping things over. Did not look good. After exchanging another series of roll-ups, Edge sent Rey face-first into the mat. Both men stayed down as the show went to the final break.

[Commercial Break]

Edge jumped on Rey’s back with Rey hung throat-first over the middle rope and got a two-count off of it. Edge sent Rey in the air, but Rey came down with a face-buster. Both men were on the top rope and Rey knocked Edge off, then came down with a hurricanrana on Edge, who rolled back out to ringside. Rey then bounced off the ropes and dove through the ropes and onto Edge. The World Champ was thrown back into the ring. Springboard legrdop by Mysterio for two. Springboard cross-body for another near-fall. Edge got Rey on his shoulder, but Rey countered into a DDT for two. Springboard hurricanrana attempt, but Edge blocked it and locked in a Sharpshooter. Mysterio was able to get to the ropes. Rey kicked Edge into position for a 619, but Edge got out of it and was positioned again. Edge caught him and turned it into a backbreaker. Schoolboy though for Rey got another two-count. This is tiring me just watching it. Finally he set him back up and hit a 619. Edge got out of the way- Rey landed on his feet, turned around and got speared. Fin.

WINNER: Edge, at 19:09. Well, what can you say. Just a great match between two pros who know how to put on a 20-minute TV match.

Edge went under the ring and got a ladder. He brought it into the ring, but Jeff Hardy came out with a chair and wailed it against the ladder, sending it into Edge. Twist of Fate on Edge, then Jeff set up the Ladder and hit a legdrop on the champ. Jeff celebrated as they showed a replay of his legdrop. The final image was Jeff on the ladder, holding the belt over his head.

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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