WWE Superstars TV Report
August 27, 2009 - Week 20
Taped the Week of August 24
Report by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The WWE show started with Raw announcers Michael Cole and Jerry "I'm also debating on Memphis TV right now" Lawler announcing tonight's main event of a three-way match from the Smackdown brand to determine the #1 contender to the IC Title at Breaking Point. Winner gets IC champ Rey Mysterio, who will be suspended from WWE next Wednesday.

In-ring: Jack Swagger came to the ring for the opening Raw brand match. Swagger has been pushed down the card and even his pre-match routine has that feeling of being a basic mid-card heel without much punch. Primo came out to face Swagger.

1 -- JACK SWAGGER vs. PRIMO

Swagger started with some mat holds on Primo, who came back with kick strikes. Lawler said Swagger doesn't have many friends in the locker room, but he heard Swagger is hanging out with Carlito. Cole said Swagger got his Jerk of the Month club membership in the latest WWE Magazine. Swagger reversed a whip to the corner, then hit the running Vader Bomb. He channeled Scott Steiner and did some mid-match push-ups before grabbing a rear waistlock. Crowd rallied with a "Primo, Primo" chant. Meanwhile, Lawler with some Univ. of Oklahoma jokes to rib Swagger and former co-host Jim Ross while Swagger kept the hold locked in. Primo broke out of the waistlock, but Swagger elbowed him off the apron to the floor. Swagger in control - and he let the crow know about it - going to break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Swagger was still in control and strutting around the ring to continue letting everyone know about it. Swagger applied a modified Rings of Saturn stretch. Swagger then took his time going for another running Vader Bomb, but Primo rolled out of the way this time. Primo then went to the apron and nailed a springboard chop before firing off a round of dropkicks. He followed with a springboard cross body press for a two count. Primo with a Bret Hart-esque Russian legsweep, but another two count only. Swagger then spun him around with a belly-to-belly suplex. Swagger called for the end and wanted the gutwrench, but Primo blocked and hooked Swagger leg for a small package and a two count. Swagger was sucking air at this point. Primo tried a springboard move, but Swagger ducked and Primo sold a knee injury. Swagger then blasted him with a left-arm lariat and followed with the gutwrench powerbomb for the win.

Post-match: Swagger yanked the mic away from Lilian Garcia and called out U.S. champion Kofi Kingston. He told him to forget about everyone else because the only person he should be worried about is the two-time All-American American Jack Swaggah. Cole said Miz already threw his name in the ring for a shot at Kofi. Hooray for even the most basic focus on Raw's secondary title.

WINNER: Swagger in 13:00. Okay match. Swagger is in a weird position right now. He was red hot on ECW, then cooled off Raw, and booked to lose clean to MVP at Summerslam. This match was just there for Swagger. It seems like WWE is testing his resolve a little right now to make sure he's a little more humble when and if he gets that big push. It's like they said here's 13 minutes of TV time, you're picking up a win, but we're not putting much emphasis on the match because it's Superstars. What are you going to do to prove you deserve a higher place on the card? Interesting to see where they go with Swagger in the U.S. Title picture. (*1/2)

[Q2]

Backstage: After an Ask the Divas segment aired, they showed Gregory Helms in a suit. He cautiously approached the boiler room as if to make sure 1.0 million people weren't watching, then slowly slipped into the room. They did a quick transition cut to show The Hurricane emerging right away after the door closed on Helms. Basic character build aimed at the younger demo.

[Commercial Break]

WCW DVD: They plugged the Rise and Fall of WCW DVD. More focus on the three big villains of Vince Russo, Eric Bischoff, and Kevin Nash.

Vignette: He's Strong, Lightning Fast, and Unyielding in his Fight for Good. ... It's The Hurricane. Cue up Hurricane's music, leading to the ECW announcers Josh Mathews and Matt Striker talking up Hurricane returning to WWE. Paul Burchill then came out. He's a heel because he doesn't like people like The Hurricane who put smiles on people's faces and make them believe in fantasy. Yeah, he's like those nasty wrestling writers who expose the biz. Darn them.

2 -- THE HURRICANE vs. PAUL BURCHILL (w/Katie Lea)

Match started off as an opportunity for Striker to get in his quick-tongued alliterations and comic book references. Hurricane sent Burchill to the floor early on and wanted a dive, but Burchill moved and Hurricane ate the floor. Back in the ring, Hurricane blocked a corner splash with a European Uppercut. He kept his arm extended for an extra moment to emphasize the move. Hurricane teased the Shining Wizard, but Burchill rolled to the outside. Hurricane followed, not wanting Burchill to take the easy way out via count-out. He rolled Burch back into the ring, but Katie grabbed his foot to run distraction. Burchill then rolled up Hurricane with a small package for a three count. Whoa! Burchill won a singles match. It's been a long time since that sentence was written. Afterward, Hurricane sold shock at taking the loss, but then pointed toward a celebratory Burchill to say he's got him figured out now.

WINNER: Burchill in 5:00. Fine match. They're even at 1-1. Very common theme for WWE mid-card feuds recently - split two matches, then set up the rubber match. I'm hoping we get a Best of Seven series down the road from two wrestlers who can really go and make each match seem unique or different. Goldust-Sheamus seems to have the most potential (*)

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

Did You Know: WWE will create...interrupt...more original programming...interrupt...than HBO this year. Cue up an Undertaker video package to serve as the "interruption" of the DYK. They ran a Superstars video on Taker after he returned at Summerslam. Nice change of pace for the DYK feature.

Announcers: Smackdown's Jim Ross and Todd Grisham were shown on camera. They hyped tomorrow night's Smackdown with World champ C.M. Punk vs. Jeff Hardy in a steel cage match. Ross rhymed: "Tomorrow night on MyNetworkTV is the place to be."

In-ring: Dolph Ziggler came out first for the #1 contender match to the IC Title. Dolph took the mic and teased speaking, which drew boos. Ziggler waited them out, then called Rey Mysterio's win at Summerslam a fluke. He said he's winning tonight, then going on to Breaking Point to become the new IC champ. Or else his name isn't Dolph Ziggler. More boos. Good presentation setting up the main event.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Mike Knox was half-way to the ring out of the break. Announcers plugged the WrestleMania 25 special on NBC airing on Saturday, then Finlay came out to start the match.

3 -- DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. MIKE KNOX vs. FINLAY -- #1 contender match to IC Title

Typical start to a three-way match with Ziggler being knocked down on the floor, leading to a Finlay vs. Knox exchange to start. Ziggler then re-entered to break up the first pin attempt of the match. Ziggler and Finlay knocked Knox to the floor, then they battled in the ring. Finlay got the best of Ziggler initially with a hard clothesline. They battled up top, but Knox re-entered and dropped Finlay with an electric chair. Dolph tried to follow right up with a top rope leg drop on Knox, but he moved and all three men were down. Who's going to Breaking Point?

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Knox was working over Dolph before Finlay tried to re-enter, but he received a driving boot to the throat for his trouble. Dolph and Finlay suddenly hooked up to double suplex Knox. Of course, that working agreement was quickly ended when they couldn't decide who should pin Knox. Finlay then discarded Dolph to the outside to end the disagreement. Dolph kept trying to get involved, but he was cut off repeatedly. Finlay had enough and gave him the Rolling Hills drop for a two count. Finlay with another nearfall, this time against Knox. Setting up Finlay for being "that close" to a victory. Crowd screamed as Knox tried to attack Finlay from behind with the shillelagh, but Finlay ducked a shot and connected with the Celtic Cross drop. Impressive. Knox was out, but but Dolph entered the ring and threw Finlay into the corner ringpost. Dolph then covered Knox's lifeless body and scored the pin for the win. Afterward, they showed Finlay exasperated being "that close" to winning. Dolph celebrated on stage after scoring the heady win. They closed with a plug for Smackdown tomorrow night.

WINNER: Dolph in 14:00 to become #1 contender. Good match for a three-way. Good interaction between all three participants and the match was booked to make Ziggler look smart, Finlay look like a fighting babyface worth rooting for, and to make Knox look tough. Dolph plays that classic under-sized WWE heel so well. He needs to be sneaky to score wins and he pulls it off very well. Finlay probably stood out the most based on the amount of offense he had and the crowd reacting to everything he was doing. Everyone seemed to come out of this match elevated even though it was on the D-Level show, so there wasn't too much elevating that could happen. (**1/2)

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