by Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
August 21, 2009
Taped 8/18/09 in Kansas City, Mo.
Aired on MyNetwork TV


-WWE Open.

-Smackdown Open.

-JR opened the show by plugging an exclusive interview with Matt Hardy that will air tonight. Also, Grisham talked about the six-man tag main-event, CM Punk & The Hart Dynasty vs. Matt and Jeff Hardy & John Morrison.

1- REY MYSTERIO & CRYME TYME vs. BIG SHOW & CHRIS JERICHO & DOLPH ZIGGLER

This must be the night of six-man tags. That re-mix of Show and Jericho’s theme is just awful. Jericho and Rey kicked off the match. Jericho picked Rey up and slammed him right on his stomach. He controlled much of the early action until Rey landed a knee-lift and tagged in JTG, who owns a pinfall victory over Jericho. Ziggler tagged in and kicked away at JTG in a neutral corner. JTG recovered and slammed Ziggler face-first into the mat from the second rope. The faces had control as they went to break three minutes into the match.

[Commercial Break]

It was still Ziggler and JTG as the show returned from break. And Ziggler was still dominating. After Jericho tagged in, JTG made his comeback with a cross-body and Cryme Tyme both got their fair share of offense in. Show tagged in for the first time 8:00 into the match, and he went to work on JTG. Jericho even worked in a cheap shot while referee Chad Patton was distracted. As the fans taunted Jericho, JTG began to fight back against him. Jericho barely kicked out of a cover, but an enziguiri made sure JTG wouldn’t make the tag. Shad tagged in 11:00 into the match, and went so far as to knock Big Show off the apron. It looks like Shad and Jericho both went for cross-bodies, but only Jericho sold it. Rey climbed on Shad’s shoulders and splashed Jericho. Ziggler broke up the pin and Shad threw him out of the ring. Show clotheslined Shad out, propelling himself over in the process. Rey bulldogged Jericho for two. Rey hurricanrana’d Jericho into the ropes and he hit the 619. But Show used the power of the punch to knock Rey out from outside the ring. Y2J tagged Ziggler, who made the pin.

WINNERS: Ziggler, Show & Jericho, at 12:59. Fine preview for Summerslam that was able to plug two matches in one.

-An exclusive interview with Matt Hardy is up next.

[Commercial Break]


-Grisham and JR talked on camera about Matt Hardy saving his brother Jeff last week. They showed what happened two weeks ago, when Punk unloaded on Jeff after a match- then, last week, when Jeff fought in a two-on-one handicap match and Punk again attacked.

-Backstage, Josh Mathews conducted a sit-down interview with Matt Hardy. Josh asked him about his change of heart. Matt talked about always defending his younger brother and wanted to explain spending 2009 keeping Jeff from the World Title. Matt said it’s tough going from the bigger brother to seeing your younger brother win over a global audience and the World Title. He said his competitiveness got the best of him and everything he did was a huge mistake. Matt said all that stuff was the biggest mistake he’s made in his entire life. He said he didn’t know if he’d be able to live with himself, but Jeff appears willing to forgive him. He said they’d move past all that stuff and tonight, nothing will feel better than standing in a ring with his brother again. He said the Hardys will ride again tonight. I didn’t like Matt’s turn at first, but that explanation will do.

[Commercial Break]

-Kane came out. As he did, they showed clips of two weeks ago when Kane dragged Ranjin Singh out of the arena. Kane said that last week, he proved there is only one dominant giant on Smackdown. He said the mark of a true monster was him putting the fear of God into Khali’s brother, Singh, last week. Kane said the look Khali gave him last week as he was lying on the ground was weakness. He said the source of Khali’s weakness is his compassion. Kane told Khali that he better be afraid of him. Then Khali’s music came on and he walked to the ring with a purpose (I think). Kane grabbed a chair from ringside but once both men were in the ring, Khali punched the chair out of Kane’s hand and went on a rampage, kicking a mudhole in him in the corner. Kane escaped before Khali could use the chair on him. Hey, at least now they’ve put something behind this feud: Kane wants to prove he’s the true giant on the brand.

-Later tonight, a six-man tag is the main event, featuring the two men in the World Title match at Summerslam.

[Commercial Break]

2- MIKE KNOX vs. FINLAY

Knox did an inset interview, wearing glasses, talking about what fear is doing to Finlay. Knox got the best of Finlay in the corner until the Irishman fought out. They went to the outside, where both men worked each other over. JR called Knox an intelligent, complex individual. Knox worked the back of Finlay, the lower lumbar region as Gorilla Monsoon would say. Knox stretched out Finlay’s back with a few different moves. Forearms to the back for good measure. Finlay made a comeback, which included a sit-down splash on Knox’s gut for a near-fall. He put Knox up on his back, but the back gave out. He tried it again, and did a forward roll for two. Finlay missed a shoulder charge in the corner, and Knox rolled him up for two. Knox mounted Finlay and pounded away, ignoring the count of the referee and drawing the DQ.

WINNER: Finlay, via DQ, at 5:26. A good mid-card feud extended here. I like Knox, but I hope they get behind his character a bit more. The inset interview tonight actually helped.

After the match, Knox continued the attack and took apart the stairs on the outside. Finlay got a shillaleigh shot in, but Knox landed a bicycle kick, then drove the stairs into the skull of Finlay. Knox smiled as he walked away.

-Jeff, Matt and Morrison shook hands backstage, then Jeff walked away, headed toward the ring. We’ll hear from him about his match against Punk at Summerslam next.

[Commercial Break]

-Tables, ladders and chairs surrounded (and were in) the ring, as Jeff Hardy was introduced to the live crowd. Jeff said he was happy to have his brother back with him and the he and Matt are innovators of the TLC match. Jeff said his doctor last week told him it would be best to not compete in any physical activities. They even suggested Jeff retire, “before it’s too late.” Jeff said he’s not one to follow doctor’s orders. Jeff climbed to the top of the ladder, where the World Title was hung. He said the space between the ground and the top of the ladder is his. Good line. He also said he loves the sound of tables breaking. Jeff said it’d take a lot more than a steel chair shot to stop him from competing on Sunday. Then C.M. Punk’s music hit and the straight-edge superstar came to the ring.

Punk asked if Jeff was nervous, being up there so......high. He asked if it was a good idea to be up there in the condition he’s in, which he assumes is drunk, just like all the people in the arena. To my surprise, most booed. Punk asked what living in the moment ever got Jeff. He said it got him a night in the hospital, but for what? One brief moment of attention? Punk said he didn’t know what was worse, the people in the crowd or Jeff himself, their “leader.” He said that TLC might be Jeff’s match....his last match. When he beats Jeff at Summerslam, Punk said it will validate everything he’s said in the past. He said he has to get rid of Jeff to teach the people the difference between right and wrong. He told Jeff that there’s no turning back now and he warned Jeff that he’ll hurt him at Summerslam. He said he’d remove Jeff and his stain of bad examples, from WWE forever. Hardy said Punk can’t destroy everything he has created in ten years in WWE. Punk said Jeff wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the fans; he needs them to enable him. He scolded the people for following Jeff, someone who thinks he can fly. “I don’t think I can fly, my spirit knows I can!” OK, that was kinda cheesy. Punk said “let’s find out,” and started to push the ladder over, but Hardy got down first and gave the Twist of Fate to Punk. Really good segment that planted the seeds for Jeff leaving.

[Commercial Break]

-Michelle McCool joined the commentary team for the next match.

3- MARIA & MELINA vs. NATALYA & LAYLA

Arm-drag into a pin by Layla for two. Maria with a weak clothesline, then a dropkick for a two of her own. Melina came in and chased Layla out of the ring. Melina went after McCool at ringside, tackling her (nearly into JR’s lap), but that allowed Layla to take over and slam Melina’s head off the announce table. Natalya tagged in and put Melina in a surfboard. Natalya still had her legs hooked, and she pulled back on Melina’s neck and hair. Out of nowhere, Melina got a roll-up on Natalya and got the win.

WINNERS: Maria and Melina, at 2:42. I can’t wait ‘til a face gets the title so Natalya can feud with them over the belt. I’m hoping they aren’t completely ignoring her in-ring skills that are so far ahead of every other woman.

-During “Word Up,” Eve was consoling Cryme Tyme backstage after their loss. Slam Master J came in and CT told them to cool it. He even gave us the word of the day: “suspect”: a term used to describe a noun as being “suspicious.” J tried to pump up Cryme Tyme. Wow, I really needed to see a picture of Jericho dressed as a woman. Wait, no I didn’t.

[Commercial Break]

-After Grisham dropped some knowledge on us (did you know Kansas City has more fountains than any city in the world?), they sent it backstage to Josh Mathews, who was with Rey Mysterio. Rey said Ziggler got lucky tonight, but he does respect his ability in the ring. Rey said if Ziggler wants Summerslam to be his night, he better bring it on Sunday, because he always does.

-JR and Grisham were in the ring to plug the Summerslam card. Oh, and to send it to a video of DX returning on Raw this past Monday. “That damn DX!” is a great Vince McMahon quote.

-As C.M. Punk came to the ring for the main event, they showed what happened earlier with him knocking Jeff of the ladder. The Hart Dynasty also made their entrance- the match is next.

[Commercial Break]

4- C.M. PUNK & THE HART DYNASTY vs. JOHN MORRISON & THE HARDY BOYZ

Morrison and Tyson Kidd did battle to start. Matt tagged in and Kidd got the better of him, enough so to take in D.H. Smith. Punk came in and soon after, Matt made the tag to Jeff. Jeff leapt off Matt’s back and hit Poetry in Motion. The three faces cleared the ring as they went to break about 2:40 into the match.

[Commercial Break]

The Hardys double-teamed Kidd out of break, with Matt gaining only a two-count. Morrison with a side headlock take-over on his rival. Another quick tag for the faces, with Jeff coming in hitting his split-legged double leg-drop. Matt missed an elbowdrop, allowing Kidd to tag Smith. Morrison came in and got a cover on Smith for two after a standing shooting star press (called correctly this week by JR). Punk broke up the pin and Smith took over on offense. Morrison went for a Flying Chuck kick, but Punk pushed him over the top rope and to the floor. Out there, David Hart Smith nailed Morrison with a running kick to the chest. JR wondered if Morrison would be able to fight back into the match as they went to another break, about 10:00 in.

[Commercial Break]

Kidd had Morrison grounded in a side headlock as the show returned from its final break. Smith cut off a tag attempt by Morrison. Morrison came back and landed the Flying Chuck kick, but he was too injured to capitalize. Smith tagged in Kidd, and while he stopped Morrison at first from making a tag of his own, a few seconds later, Morrison was able to get the upper hand and tag out. Jeff Hardy cleaned house on all three members of the opposing team. Swanton attempt by Jeff, but Smith pulled Kidd out of harm’s way. Punk tagged in and you could tell he could smell blood. A series of legdrops led to a two-count. Whisper in the Wind connected on his Summerslam opponent, but again, both men were down. Jeff tagged Matt in and he took it to Punk with clotheslines and a bulldog out of the corner. Side Effect for one, as Smith broke it up. Things broke loose as Morrison back-dropped Kidd onto Smith on the outside, then dove onto both of them. After a hangman by Jeff on C.M., Twist of Fate on Punk by Matt for the win.

WINNERS: Hardys and Morrison, at 19:12. Good main event, and an interesting result. Guess they wanted to put Matt over big in his return. That’s a good sign for his future.

The faces celebrated in the ring as Punk was on the outside, trying to comprehend what happened as the show faded out.

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