WWE Superstars TV Report
March 18, 2010 - Week 49
Taped the Week of March 15
Report by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The WWE show started with some good old fashioned Hellfire and Brimstone to bring out Kane for the opening singles match on the show. Smackdown announcers Todd Grisham and Matt Striker were shown in the darkened arena covered in red lighting as Kane completed his intro. Shelton Benjamin then came out as they spotlighted the Money in the Bank briefcase hanging above the ring. Striker was so excited that his voice cracked talking about the ladder to be used in the MITB match at WrestleMania.

1 -- KANE vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN

Kane started on the offensive as Striker interjected that this match is important due to the wrestlers trying to feel each other out to scout their tendencies for MITB. I'll take it. Shelton made a comeback and hit a cross-body splash for a two count. Kane then teased the chokeslam, but Shelton blocked. Kane then tried a top rope move, but Shelton crotched him and knocked him to the floor. Shelton suddenly took a page out of RVD's book with split-legged springboard moonsault off the middle rope to the floor, crashing into Kane. Shelton showing something new from the repertoire on a Thursday night. Let's grab a break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Shelton and Kane battled back and forth, then Shelton hit a bulldog from the middle rope on Kane for a two count. Kane then came back with a sidewalk slam for a two count of his own. Lots of back-and-forth in the match tonight. Kane then went up top and landed a flying clothesline. He called for the end, but Shelton grabbed the ropes to block the chokeslam. Kane then hit a boot to the gut before Shelton bounced off the ropes and floated over Kane into a DDT for another close count. Kane tried to comeback with the chokeslam again, but Shelton blocked and hit a step-up kick to the head. Kane suddenly met him with an uppercut before grappling Shelton for another chokeslam attempt, this time connecting center ring. Kane with the cover and the win on the way to WrestleMania.

WINNER: Kane in 11:00. Nice back-and-forth match with Shelton getting in plenty of good offense (including the split-legged moonsault) to still look good in defeat. One of these days, WWE is going to get behind Shelton if he continues to have solid performances that make management take notice. Well done. (**)

Main event to come: Christian & Mark Henry & Yoshi Tatsu vs. Jack Swagger & William Regal & Zack Ryder.

WrestleMania plug: The Undertaker. Shawn Michaels. WrestleMania 26. Johnny Cash. That's all you need to know.

[Q2]

[Commercial Break. Nice "Damage" DVD plug.]

WrestleMania Recall: Back to 1998 for WrestleMania 14 with Pete Rose taking the Tombstone from Kane. ... Raw announcers: Michael Cole plugged Pete Rose hosting the final Raw before WrestleMania on Monday night. Jillian Hall's music then hit to bring out Hall and Katie Lea Burchill, who cut a heel pre-match promo before Jillian started singing awfully to set up the Bella Twins for a babyface reaction in their hometown of San Diego.

2 -- JILLIAN HALL & KATIE LEA BURCHILL vs. BELLA TWINS

The match followed the usual script of the heels in control to start the match. They showed the Bellas's mom on the front row watching the action as Brie tried to warm up the crowd for a hot tag. Jillian eventually lost control and in came Nikki with a flurry of offense. The action broke down and Katie Lea was bounced to the floor, creating a two-on-one situation for the Bellas to take advantage of setting up a pin on Jillian for the win. Momma Bella looked on approvingly from ringside as the Bellas celebrated the victory.

WINNERS: Bellas in 5:00. Pretty rough around the edges in-ring, as the women on the Raw brand aren't afforded many opportunities to have actual TV matches and develop in-ring skills. The result was a no-brainer with WWE giving the Bellas their shine in their hometown.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

Superstars profile: Chris Jericho. The video marched through Jericho's heel run, while also including some old-school footage of baby-faced, long-haired Jericho clutching his past title belts, including the Undisputed Title. Nice video.

Announcers: Cole and Lawler were shown on-camera talking about Jericho having his hands full with Edge at WrestleMania 26. ... Raw Rebound: The announcers fed to the Raw recap on Bret Hart's Big Reveal at the contract signing officiated by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin after Vince McMahon signed on the dotted line for a WrestleMania match. "Bret Hart is 100 percent," was Lawler's line echoing in the video recap.

In-ring: Jack Swagger came out first for the six-man tag main event finishing off the show. They cut to break with Swagger doing his loud, in-your-face ring intro.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Back from break, William Regal was in the ring as Zack Ryder and Rosa Mendes their ring entrance to round out the heel trio. The ECW Brand Reunion match continued with Mark Henry coming out first for the babyfaces, followed by Yoshi Tatsu, then Christian. It's odd not seeing Christian holding a title belt anymore. The announcers plugged the sponsors of the show, including the cast from the "Hot Tub Time Machine" movie. Cole slipped in that they'll be hosting Raw coming up. That was a rare un-official guest host plug on WWE TV.

[Q4]

3 -- CHRISTIAN & YOSHI TATSU & MARK HENRY vs. JACK SWAGGER & WILLIAM REGAL & ZACK RYDER (w/Rosa Mendes)

The match started with Ryder in there with Yoshi, then Christian tagged in and Ryder ran over to the heel corner to bring in Swagger. Swagger showboated, so Christian brought in Henry and Swagger licked his lips ready for a fight. Henry was then distracted by Ryder, so Henry yanked him into the ring and suplexed both Ryder and Swagger. Christian and Yoshi then clotheslined Swagger to the floor before Henry press-slammed Ryder over the top rope onto Swagger. Babyfaces in control going to break.

[Commercial Break. Prior to cutting break, they rolled a preview of the new Shawn Michaels DVD. All they need to do on the final Raw before Mania is play the five-minute video package that begins the HBK DVD and they'll get tears flowing and PPV buys rolling in. It's one of the better videos I've seen WWE produce in a long time.]

Back from break, Christian and Regal were opposite each other before locking up center-ring. Regal absorbed a quick two count, then landed a knee strike and brought in Jack Swagger, who busted out a sweet-looking standing powerslam. That was worth the price of admission. Yoshi then tagged in for Christian and landed elbow strikes on Swagger before Swagger yanked him down across the middle rope. Lawler said he hung out with Yoshi the other day after lunch. He said Yoshi knew he was lost because he ordered sushi well-done. Oh, King. Ryder tagged in and worked over Yoshi before tagging in Regal, who landed a kick to the gut.

Swagger then re-entered and worked over Yoshi before missing with his running Vader bomb out of the corner when Yoshi got his knees up. Christian took a hot tag and entered with a flapjack on Ryder. He then gave a shout-out to Rosa before delivering an uppercut. The action broke down momentarily before Christian airballed a cross-body block from the top rope and Ryder hit a neckbreaker for a two count. Ryder tried a move off the ropes, but Christian countered with a sit-out slam. The action completely broke down at this point and Christian hid a pendulum kick on Ryder before coming off the second rope with a flying European uppercut. Christian then snapped off the Killswitch with emphasis and Christian picked up the win on Ryder for the win.

Post-match: And now, everyone dance. Christian, Yoshi, and Henry stood tall with Yoshi jumping up and down happy with the win. The heels retreated up the ramp and Christian surveyed the crowd looking for Peeps as they wrapped the show.

WINNERS: Team Christian in 15:00. Based on this show, WWE sure is presenting Christian as the favorite for Money in the Bank. Swagger is a close second based on the emphasis on him pre-match and during the match. Kane would have to be third based on the earlier victory in the show. Of course, Drew McIntyre has to be the overall favorite, but this show put the emphasis on Christian. Overall, a fine six-man tag match with a good in & out flow and mix of stars. (**)

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