WWE Superstars TV Report
August 20, 2009 - Week 19
Taped the Week of August 17
Report by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The WWE show started with Raw announcers Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler welcoming us to the show. The Raw brand is starting with Divas action. Kelly Kelly came out first, then Beth Phoenix without the services of Rosa Mendes ringside for our opening match. Apparently WWE is splitting off Beth and Rosa. Her services were no longer needed.

1 -- KELLY KELLY vs. BETH PHOENIX

Kelly surprisingly knocked Beth to the outside early in the match. She then rolled Beth back into the ring, but Beth smashed her on the way back in. Beth then went to work on Kelly before Kelly came back with a trademark spinning head scissors. Kelly smashed Beth in the corner with two feet, then went up top and connected with a high cross-body block for a two count. Kelly wanted a running handstand elbow, but Beth ducked and put her in the electric chair. Kelly rolled through, though, and scored a close two count. Beth then smashed her with a clothesline. After that, it was all over with the double underhook facebuster for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Beth Phoenix in 5:00. Nice Divas match. Two close nearfalls at the end for Kelly gave her a good showing prior to taking the loss. Beth gave Kelly a lot of offense, but WWE hasn't built up Beth as a serious act despite her size as a Divas giant in some time. After all, she spent seemingly eight years doing comedy with Santino. (*1/2)

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Time for ECW's contribution to the show with Shelton Benjamin coming to the ring. What is he this week - heel or face? Crowd reaction was confusion. Shelton appeared to have a heel strut. They showed some kids booing and delivering a "thumbs down" in the crowd. One week he's heel insulting a country, then he's who-knows-what doing Karaoke on Washington's show, then he's babyface for no reason vs. Ryder, and now he's heel against Tyler Reks. Anyways, Reks came to the ring and the match was on.

[Q2]

2 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. TYLER REKS

Aggressive Shelton was in the ring tonight, as he blasted Reks into the corner turnbuckles with multiple hard whips. Shelton then put Reks on the mat and put a knee in his back as he stretched him out. Josh Mathews and Matt Striker talked quietly about the Summerslam activities in Los Angeles this weekend, as if they didn't want to disturb the quiet crowd. Reks then came to life with a powerslam for a two count. He went up top and nailed a cross-body block, but Shelton rolled through into a two count. Shelton followed up with a spin kick they carefully edited with a quick camera cut, then he dropped Reks with the Pay Dirt in center ring for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Shelton in 4:00. I'm guessing next week on ECW, Shelton is feuding against Sheamus as a babyface. Match was okay. We need to know more about Reks. I dare say put him on Washington's show. I might regret that, but we need some information on who Reks is. (3/4*)

WCW DVD: They aired a new video trailer on the "Rise and Fall" of WCW DVD. Funny clip where they showed Kevin Nash and Jeff Jarrett walking down the hall in NWO t-shirts and the voice-over man said "it all came crashing down." Goldberg interviewed. Chris Jericho on the "Three stooges" - Vince Russo, Eric Bischoff, and Kevin Nash. Apparently WWE is painting Russo, Bischoff, and Nash as the three biggest villains in this story.

[Commercial Break]

Announcers: Smackdown's Jim Ross and Todd Grisham were shown on-camera. They hyped the TLC match between World Hvt. champion Jeff Hardy and C.M. Punk at Summerslam. After a video package aired on the match, Ross and Grisham plugged tomorrow night's big six-man tag match in the main event: Hardys & Morrison vs. Punk & Hart Dynasty.

Backstage: They showed R-Truth walking down the hallway. He's up next.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Charlie Haas was already in the ring out of the break. He's being billed from Dallas, Tex. instead of Oklahoma. R-Truth then came out through the standard ring entrance and rapped to the ring. Bounce 'til those wheels fall off. Once in the ring, Truth asked Kansas City "what's up?" Grisham asked Ross the same question. "Oh, the traffic on WWE.com," Ross said. Nicely done.

3 -- R-TRUTH vs. CHARLIE HAAS

Haas now sporting full-length black ring tights instead of the biker short trunks or singlet he typically wears. Haas blasted Truth with a clothesline, then sat down on his back with a modified Crossface. Truth slipped out, then dropped Haas to the mat with a hip toss for a two count. Haas missed with an elbow drop, then Truth nailed the Lie Detector - his spinning right hand blow - for the pin and the win. Finish seemed to come out of nowhere. That's easily explainable: his finisher doesn't look like a finisher. Looks like a transition move. Truth celebrated with the crowd for a few moments to conclude the segment.

WINNER: R-Truth in 3:00. Basic mid-card match from the Smackdown brand. Haas's character is without direction right now. He'll probably hang around for a while, get traded to another brand, re-start a push, then drift back to the mid-card. It's an unfortunate pattern when Haas could offer something tangible if given the right program or storyline to work with. (3/4*)

Up next: Mark Henry vs. Chris Masters in the TV main event.

[Commercial Break]

Superstars profile: John Morrison. Some heavy guitar riffs were the soundtrack for the highlight reel video package. Half-expected Voodoo Child to start playing to continue the WCW theme.

Announcers: Cole and Lawler hyped Morrison, then talked about the final Raw leading to Summerslam on Monday. Cue it up. You know you love it every Thursday night. Raw Rebound Recapped DX Reunion Ruined by Rhodes and RiBiase. (I tried.)

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

In-ring: Mark Henry came to the ring in his bright red suit with a bright smile for the kids. Cole told us not to let the smile fool us. When the bell rings, he turns into Festus. Henry high-fived Lilian before they cut to break. Main event next.

[Commercial Beak]

In-ring: Mark Henry was still smiling coming back from break. Cole made some comment about "whadda know, yet another Superstars and yet another main event provided by Raw." I'd put money on Smackdown having more main events on WGN through 19 weeks. We'll crunch the numbers on that soon. Chris Masters then came to the ring and posed. Henry just smiled. He wasn't a big fan of the Paul Roma version of the Four Horsemen.

4 -- MARK HENRY vs. CHRIS MASTERS

Early on, Henry blocked a suplex that Masters tried to execute on the big man and countered with a suplex of his own. Henry then tossed Masters half-way across the ring before running into a big boot in the corner. Masters tried the Masterlock, but he sold that he couldn't get his arms anywhere close to around Henry's neck to apply the hold. Henry escaped, hit a clothesline, but missed with the Big Splash. Masters then stomped on Henry and went to work on Hornswoggle's big buddy. Masters applied a reverse chinlock as Henry was down on one knee. Crowd rallied behind Henry, who blocked the Masterlock and rammed Masters into the corner turnbuckle.

Henry threw up a big roadblock with his chest bump, but Masters came back with a third Masterlock attempt. No dice, then Masters ran into the World's Strongest Slam. Henry delivered it too close to the ropes, though, and Masters grabbed the bottom rope to block the pin. Masters then rolled to the outside and crawled on his knees across the guardrail. Masters wanted nothing to do with Henry, so he walked away and lived to fight another day. Henry wins by count-out. He's happy. What was Jim Ross's line? Pay is the same. They replayed the finish, then showed Henry talking to the fans ringside. Henry smiled and raised his arms in victory to close the show.

WINNER: Henry via count-out in 8:00. Fine big man match-up. Both men spent a little too much time on the mat instead of having a more stand-up match where they both looked tough. As soon as Henry hits the mat in a match, he looks weak. Then again, he's usually sporting a mini green Derby on his head. Henry stands tall, Masters plays the Jack Swagger card, and it's a wash. Just a chance to showcase both men in a main event situation. (*1/4)

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