by Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
June 26, 2009
Taped 6/23/09 in Milwaukee, Wisc.
Aired on MyNetwork TV


-Smackdown Open.

-Fireworks shot off from Milwaukee as Jim Ross plugged Rage in the Cage, Jeff Hardy vs. Rey Mysterio against Chris Jericho and Edge slated for later tonight.

-Ring announcer Justin Roberts introduced Mr. McMahon. Vinnie Mac then strutted out to the ring for a rare appearance on Friday nights. Of course, the first thing he said was that it was good to be back on Smackdown. McMahon took a long pause and then made some weird faces, asking what smelled so bad. He said it’s because they were in cheese country and someone no doubt cut the cheese. OK then. That wasn’t it, he said, as he noted there was an overwhelming stench in the arena. He said it was the smell of fear and that the fans are afraid of him. He said they were afraid of powerful people like him. “You suck” chants began. He accused people of being afraid of their bosses and being afraid of losing their jobs. A referee made his way down the aisle, so there must be something going on here. Vince segued into showing what happened on Monday night. They only showed him giving the “you’re fired” to Trump. Vince said this led to him being there tonight, and he called out Teddy Long. That’s not a good sign for Theodore, but it didn’t stop Long from coming to the ring with his usual smile.

Long welcomed McMahon to Smackdown, but Vince didn’t shake his hand and told Long to wipe that smile off his face. McMahon said before he says what he has to say, he wanted to know what Long had in store for him and the fans tonight. He said it better be good. Long said he was excited about what’s been going on on Smackdown. Maybe he’s getting promoted to Raw as a SWERVE! Long plugged the main event tag match. Vince said it might be good enough for the fans, but it’s not good enough for him. Long said it wasn’t going to be any kind of match, but a Rage in the Cage match. McMahon asked Long to give him one more thing, or he knows the consequences. Teddy said in that match, there would be a special guest referee: C.M. Punk. Vince said that rather than firing Teddy on the spot, he was going to do what everyone else’s boss has done to them: Put Long on probation. Clearly, he’s doing too good a job on Smackdown, since it has been awesome the last few months and has made Raw look even worse that it actually has been, in comparison.

R-truth came out as Long and McMahon walked to the back. Long did the “what’s up” when Truth put the mic in his face, but Vince stayed silent when he gave McMahon a chance for the “what’s up.” Truth is in action next.

[Commercial Break]

-Shelton Benjamin came out with a mic. He said he had a little truth of his own: People like Truth, who claim to have been from the school of hard knocks, use that as a line to make them feel better about the underachiever they really are. Benjamin said he went to college and was in the top of his class. He said the only thing Truth has going for him is the skipping and jumping he talks about in his songs. Benjamin then gave Truth a lesson in the English language. He said after he beats Truth tonight, Truth should leave WWE and get out of Shelton’s life.

1- R-TRUTH vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN

Truth, angry from Shelton’s comments, was quite aggressive. After whipping Shelton into the ropes, Benjamin fled the ring before Truth could do any more damage. JR and Todd Grisham questioned whether Benjamin actually graduated the top of his class. Benjamin caught Truth with a knee to the gut as Truth tried to get back into the ring. Jumping side kick from Truth. Benjamin landed a Samoan drop on Truth, who was wearing one white glove in the ring. A little eerie, considering the timing of Michael Jackson passing away yesterday. Truth got knocked to ringside as the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

When the show returned, Benjamin had Truth in a rest-hold. He choked Truth in the middle rope and continued his assault. Truth connected with a few punches, but Shelton hit a back-body drop to take the former K-Kwik to the mat. Sidewalk slam into a back-breaker by Benjamin. Rear waist-lock applied by the Gold Standard as Truth once again attempted to break out of it. I wonder when the last time was that Truth had a singles match that got this much time. Benjamin took his time to suplex Truth, allowing Truth to block the move. He went over the back and hit a side Russian leg-sweep (has anyone seen a front Russian leg sweep? Or back Russian leg-sweep?). Roll-up got two for the North Carolina native. Truth landed right on Shelton’s shoulder, but Truth was powerslammed and was on the receiving end of a two-count. German suplex into a pin for two by Benjamin. Shelton missed a kick and Truth hit his corkscrew forearm for the win.

WINNER: Truth, at 11:20. I liked that better as part of his finishing sequence where he ended things with the axe kick. Grisham said Truth calls it “The Lie Detector.” Surprising result here.

-Vince walked up to Rey Mysterio in his locker room and made fun of his height. He wished Rey luck and said he’ll need it. Vince called Rey’s mask stupid and said Jericho could be doing him a favor if he loses this Sunday. Mysterio spoke Spanish and walked away. I caught “boss” and maybe “brother” in there. McMahon warned that everyone should only speak English on Smackdown.

-C.M. Punk faces John Morrison later tonight. Really, they couldn’t advertise the champion wrestling ahead of time?

[Commercial Break]

-They showed the cage hanging above the ring and JR briefly touched on the main event.

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


Fox and Melina began the match. Interesting roll-up from Melina for one. Running boot to the face of A. Fox. She tagged out to McCool. McCool kicked Melina out of the corner and Melina feigned catching it right in the face. Referee (name redacted) checked on her and held McCool back. Running knee from Michelle as she continued to try and take Melina down a notch before their PPV match. Russian leg-sweep from McCool for a near-fal as Melina screamed in pain. Fox, who is being mentored by McCool, applied a head-lock. She stretched the lower back of Melina. Melina finally fought back and made the tag to Gail Kim. Kim hit a pair of clotheslines and brought Fox out to the apron. Cross-body from the top got two. Kim nailed McCool, who was attempting to come in. McCool made a blind tag and as Kim was working on Fox, and she snuck in and hit the Faith Breaker (after awkwardly trying to position Kim into it).

WINNERS: McCool and Fox, at 5:13. Boy, Kim has really become a non-factor in the division quite quickly.

-Punk was backstage getting loosened up when Vince and Teddy walked up to him. Vince tried to do the wrist roll thing. McMahon asked Punk how he came upon his success. Punk said he just lives a clean life and stuff. McMahon asked if his straight-edge lifestyle was all an act. Punk said it wasn’t; he just gets high on competition. McMahon accused Teddy of thinking Punk’s personality was all an act. I have no idea what brought on this McMahon vs. Long thing tonight. It’s kinda strange.

-Rage in the Cage is still to come tonight.

[Commercial Break]

-Grisham and Ross talked about the Khali vs. Dolph Ziggler match at The Bash.

-Cryme Tyme’s “Word Up,” their WWE.com show, aired. This was their first Smackdown-exclusive “Word Up,” I think. Eve made an appearance and the word of the week was jackin’, to steal from someone I guess. Jesse, dressed a bit like Cryme Tyme, stormed in and started rhyming, but Cryme Tyme wasn’t having it. CT jacked Jesse’s necklace and reminded us of the word of the week. I have a feeling this is going to be the weekly “get people who have nothing else to do on TV” segment.

-John Morrison came out to face C.M. Punk. It’s next.

[Commercial Break]

3- JOHN MORRISON vs. C.M. PUNK

Both men shook hands prior to the match. Clean break in the corner from Morrison. I wonder if the announcers will mention their feud over the ECW Championship. Head-scissors applied by Punk on the mat. Morrison got out and arm-dragged the champion down as things started slowly, indicating a longer match. JR dissected what the fans were thinking when they were booing Punk in previous weeks. After some chain wrestling, Punk missed a kick and Morrison countered with one of his own. Punk was driven hard chest-first into the buckle, but Morrison missed a spring-board and Punk slammed him to the canvas. Jumping heel kick by Punk, then a knee in the corner and a bulldog for two. He set Morrison up for a GTS, but Morrison fought out. Overhead suplex with a bridge, but Morrison kicked out at two. At this point, the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

JR noted that Punk was working on Morrison’s head and neck during the commercial break. Punk applied a bit of a head-scissor, and then once again after Morrison got out and Punk put him back down. “C.M Punk” chant, which was met with a few boos. With Morrison on the apron, Punk tried to sunset flip him to the outside. Morrison kicked Punk in the throat, and Punk then tripped him, landing Morrison back-first on the apron. Morrison then came back with a moonsault. He threw Punk back into the ring and got a two-count. Dropsault by Morrison as he built momentum in the match. Punk grabbed Morrison’s leg on a running knee attempt and turned it into a half-crab. That was so smooth, a strength of both men’s in-ring work. Morrison jumped over the top rope and onto Punk, but C.M. caught him for the GTS. Morrison got out and hit the Flying Chuck for a very near-fall. Wow that was close. He set Punk up for Starship Pain, but Punk nailed him on the back. Off the top, he hit a reverse suplex for only two. He grasped Morrison for the GTS, but Morrison rolled Punk up for two. Counter and Punk got two, then Morrison turned that into another roll-up for the win.

WINNER: Morrison, at 16:09. Superb match. Good win for Morrison and a good sign that he’s in for a big push sooner rather than later. I liked the finishing sequence as well and how he won it. JR’s announcing gave it a big-match feel, too.

Punk took his title and talked to Morrison a bit after the match. As it appeared they’d shake hands again, Punk grabbed him and gave him a GTS. Punk looked upset about what just happened, conflicted if you will. He didn’t look happy with himself and held his head in frustration. Interesting development.

-They showed replays of some high-impact moments of the match, as well as Punk turning on Morrison.

-Chris Jericho was backstage with Josh Mathews. When asked why he was so obsessed with unmasking Mysterio, Jericho said it wasn’t an obsession but an intervention. He said Rey is an addict who needs to be brought kicking and screaming to his salvation, which would be provided by Jericho himself. He said eventually, the fans and Rey will thank Jericho, the true savior. This whole Rey mask thing as a metaphor for being an addict is a bit of a stretch for me.

-Another plug for Rage in the Cage.

[Commercial Break]

-Todd Grisham and JR were in the ring to preview The Bash.

-The cage, with that ominous music that always seems to accompany it, was lowered.

-Jeff Hardy ran into Teddy Long and Vince McMahon backstage. Long wished him luck at The Bash and Vince said he didn’t wish Jeff good luck, saying he didn’t want him to win. McMahon talked about Hardy’s checkered past, and said he didn’t want him representing Smackdown as champion. Hardy suggested McMahon ask the fans who they want as champion and said he didn’t need McMahon’s luck. McMahon made fun of the face he was making and yelled at him. Strange stuff.

-Another look at the cage and a plug for the main event, which is next.

[Commercial Break]

-C.M. Punk made his entrance as special guest referee.

4- JEFF HARDY & REY MYSTERIO vs. CHRIS JERICHO & EDGE- STEEL CAGE MATCH

Punk clapped for Hardy when he came out. Jeff leaped off Rey’s back and onto Edge within the first minute. Right after, they went to break.

[Commercial Break]

Edge was in there with Rey upon return and Rey head-scissored Edge into position for the 619. Instead though, Rey climbed up Edge’s back and tried to climb over the top. Edge caught him, but Rey jumped on him for a two-count. Edge took control when Hardy came in and he back-dropped him into the fence. Jericho came in and got to Hardy, but things were turned on their head when Rey came in and he got the best of Jericho. A double-team sent Edge’s head into Jericho’s crotch as Jericho sat on the top rope. Hurricanrana by Rey for two on Jericho. Jericho tossed Rey face-first into the steel cage. Both men were down as the camera focused on Punk heading to break.

[Commercial Break]

Rey was getting flattened by the heels and Jericho worked to keep him away from Jeff. Head-scissors by Mysterio on Edge after Edge whipped him into the turnbuckle. He made the tag before Rey could, and Jericho cut off his attempt to tag Hardy. Mysterio and Jericho found themselves battling on the top rope. Mysterio elbowed him down but Jericho dropkicked Rey as he came off the top. Again, Edge came in to halt Mysterio’s momentum. He sent Rey’s head into the steel fencing, but Rey ended up planting Edge with a DDT. Jericho came in and shouted at Rey about taking that mask off forever. Jericho tossed Rey up onto the cage and Rey climbed to the top. Jericho realized his mistake fast enough to stop Rey. Both men made tags and Hardy worked over Edge to quicken the pace. Edge went for a spear on Hardy, but Jeff moved and the Rated R Superstar speared Punk. Whisper in the Wind on Edge, but the ref was still down. He finally came to and registered a near-fall. Jeff wasn’t happy with what he perceived as a slow count. It was, but only because Punk was injured. Edge took Rey out, but a Twist of Fate was blocked, Hardy turned his attention to Punk for a brief second and that cost him: Edge hit the spear and got the pinfall.

WINNERS: Edge & Jericho, at 19:50. A formula tag match, only inside a cage. There wasn’t a lot of climbing. I don’t know if they announced it and I missed it, but I wasn’t sure if both men or just one man needed to climb out for the win.

Punk got the mic after the match and told the fans to give a round of applause for the number one contender to his title, a man who fought his heart out tonight, Jeff Hardy. JR wasn’t sure what to make of that, other than detecting a hint of sarcasm.

-McMahon and Long were backstage watching the proceedings. McMahon said he expected big things out of Long on Sunday and wanted him to perform as if his job depended on it. Well, with all the matches announced, there’s only so much Long can do Sunday (other than add stipulations I guess). They went back to the ring where Jeff and Punk had a final stare-down.

Greg Parks has been covering Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. You can also 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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