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KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN TAKE
JUNE 12, 2009
AIRED ON MY NETWORK

BOX SCORE BASICS

-Todd Grisham and Jim Ross introduced the show. C.M. Punk came to the ring and said he did to Jeff Hardy what he did to Edge. He said he doesn't agree with critics of his way of winning the title each time. He said he earned the right to cash in on an opportunity that stares him right in the face. He said it doesn't make him a bad guy. He said that's the point of the contract that's in the briefcase in the first place. He said it's not the most popular decision in the world. He said he's never done what's popular, he's done what's best for him. He then held the title belt over his head and vowed to bring respectability back to the championship. Jeff Hardy's music interrupted.

Ross said nobody knows how Hardy feels but Hardy. He noted that Hardy got a great crowd reaction. He said Punk is a favorite, but Hardy is a "sentimental favorite." He said it's not his style to complain, but he doesn't think Punk earned the title. He asked the crowd if they thought he earned it. The crowd shouted no. Hardy said he cashed in on his Money in the Bank on the wrong guy. Punk asked Hardy to try to understand where he's coming from. A loud "Hardy, Hardy" chant broke out. No signs of a Punk match. Punk said Hardy chose to put himself in a ladder match. He said the night he did that, he decided that was his night to cash in the briefcase no matter who won because he knew the winner would be weakened. Hardy said he sensed selfishness. He asked if he cared about his fans. Another Hardy chant broke out. Hardy said he hasn't walked the same path as Punk and never will, but he wants his rematch tonight. Edge's music then interrupted.

Edge walked out and said if anyone is getting a rematch, it's him. Hardy pointed out he beat him. He said he didn't belong out there because this is between he and Punk. Punk agreed with Hardy and told Edge to "beat it." Edge said Hardy got lucky at Extreme Rules. Edge said he's figured out that Punk wants to be him. He said he named his Straight Edge lifestyle after him. He said he never has been and never will be him. He said if anyone is getting a title rematch, it's him. "Get it, got it, good!" he said. Hardy then jumped Edge and knocked hi out of the ring, and then gave Punk a Twist of Fate and a Swanton Bomb and played to the crowd.

Teddy Long walked onto the stage and said Punk will defend his title for the first time on Monday's Raw against the winner of tonight's Edge-Hardy match. "That's one way to settle things," said Grisham.

-Jericho asked Long why he's denying him his chance at the World Title by not making him the no. 1 contender. He claimed he unmasked Rey Mysterio for the first ever and is a five-time champion, so he deserves it. He said he's dressed and ready to compete, so he needs to make things right. Long said he can't make a good argument against him. He said he will give him a match against Punk tonight to show if he's up to the task. They didn't overtly say it's a non-title match. Ross and Grisham called it a great opportunity for Jericho.

(1) Dolph Ziggler beat The Great Khali (w/Ranjin Singh) via countout at 3:00. Ross said Ziggler must have a new strategy after how things went last time for him. Khali overpowered Ziggler early, but by 2:00 Ziggler went after Khali's legs and then applied a front chancery. Khali powered out and hit Ziggler with a big boot. Ziggler bailed out and grabbed Singh. Khali pursued him. At the count of nine, Ziggler rolled into the ring and Khali was counted out.

(2) Michelle McCool & Layla (w/Alicia Fox) beat Maria & Melina (w/Eve Torres) in 3:00. Melina finished McCool with a facebreaker after Alicia interfered.

WWE Fact: "More women watched SmackDown last Friday than any show on Oxygen, CW, or Lifetime."

(3) The Truth & John Morrison beat Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas when Morrison pinned Haas in 10:00. Before the match, after singing his way to the ring, Truth did some mic work insulting Haas and Benjamin. Ross called them inflammatory remarks. Morrison and Benjamin worked two minutes, then they cut to a break. The heels isolated Truth for a few minutes. At 8:00 he hot-tagged Morrison. Morrison hit a Pele kick on Haas and then finished Haas with the Moonlight Drive and Starship Pain. (**1/4)

-Jericho cut a mid-ring promo. He said in time Rey may feel ashamed after being unmasked, but he'll soon realize he is his savior. He said he has exposed Rey as a fraud and he'll let the world know the same thing about Punk.

(4) C.M. Punk pinned Chris Jericho in 14:00. Ross defended Punk against critics. He said all WWE Superstars should be itching to get in the Money in the Bank match next year to earn themselves the same opportunity Punk got this year. Jericho bailed out to ringside to avoid a Go To Sleep at 2:00 after a somewhat clumsy exchange where Jericho was supposedly propelled into the corner and then bounced back into Punk's arms, but Jericho obviously propelled himself into the corner and then fake-bounced his way back into Punk's arms. At 10:00 Jericho hit a Lionsault for a two count and then applied a Walls of Jericho. Punk came back and hit a superplex. Punk then finished Jericho a minute later clean with a Go To Sleep. Good match, verging on very good. (***1/4)

-The Raw Rebound aired.

(5) Edge beat Jeff Hardy via DQ in 22:00. Punk joined Ross and Grisham on commentary. He was good in defending his actions, saying he appreciates the fans who appreciate him, but understands not everyone is going to be his biggest fan. He said the Straight Edge lifestyle didn't always make him popular in school. Punk said he can't who he'd rather face because he's defeated Edge before but Hardy takes a lot of chances he can capitalize on. Punk predicted he'd beat Hardy as quickly on Monday as he did last Sunday given the condition of Hardy's leg. Ross acknowledged that this match wasn't at the usual face because both men were slowed by being just five days removed from their ladder match. It was still good, but mostly a steady second gear pace. At 15:00 they collided mid-ring with clotheslines. Hardy moved into a series of two counts after big moves late. Edge went for a spear, but Hardy moved. Hardy went for a schoolboy for a near fall. Ross said who could have blamed Hardy if he used the tights there. Hardy climbed to the top for a Swanton, but Edge bailed to ringside. Hardy dove onto Edge on the floor with a clothesline. Edge tossed Hardy into Punk on the floor. An enraged Punk ran into the ring and attacked Edge. The ref called for the DQ. (***1/2)

-Afterward, Hardy charged into the ring and attacked Punk, then gave Edge a Twist of Fate. Punk then gave Hardy a Go To Sleep.

-Backstage they showed Long and Tiffany watching the match on a monitor. Tiffany announced Christian vs. Tommy Dreamer for the ECW Title. Long announced a Triple Threat match on Raw for the World Hvt. Title.

THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, AND NITPICKS

-PUNK-HARDY-EDGE: Punk did a good job playing a tweener role, defending his actions with the best case that can be made (and it's rational) while also teasing a heelish role by saying he looks out for himself first and always has. Hardy also complained without seeming whiny. I especially liked Punk saying he decided to cash in the briefcase no matter who won as soon as he heard it was a ladder match, knowing the winner would be beaten and battered and vulnerable... Edge and Hardy also did a nice job selling the effects of the ladder match, showing aches and pains...

-JERICHO VS. PUNK: Jericho's pre-match promo was great, explaining that by demasking Rey Mysterio, he's saved him from having to live his life in the shadows and worry about whether the mailman knows who he truly is, something like that. I love the premise that Rey only has one mask... A Champion vs. Champion match means more when it's between two wrestlers who seven days earlier were champions. Not that it was a bad match for this show, but in a general sense the match-up of the two top singles champions, if done rarely, can mean a lot if the two have been champs for a long time and not crossed paths...

-HARDY VS. EDGE: Glad to hear Punk on color commentary for the Edge-Hardy match. It's a glimpse for WWE fans who didn't see his ROH work of another side of his personality, even just hints of being an arrogant heel, but not a cookie-cutter cliched version. There are very few superstars in pro wrestling over the years who weren't very smart. Punk's one of those wrestlers who is clearly a smart person who is also a dedicated life-long student of pro wrestling, and those two factors in a fair environment give someone of Punk's size a chance to be a true centerpiece headliner. It's why someone so south of six feet tall as Jericho has made it to the top tier and stayed there...


-OTHER THOUGHTS: It helps the stature of the Intercontinental Title to have Chris Jericho holding the belt. He's a top tier star and so often in recent years top tier stars haven't bothered with the belt...

FINAL THOUGHTS (7.5): Very much a theme show, with a solid focus throughout on Smackdown's four top stars (with Rey and Undertaker not on the show). Punk's character was handled with the right nuance coming out of Sunday, neither ignoring that his seizing of an opportunity was being criticized and seen as a cheap win, nor failing to acknowledge that he did what he had every legal and fair right to do by winning a grueling MITB match. Ross had the line of the night in pointing out that all WWE wrestlers should be focusing on next year's MITB match because it presents such an opportunity to seize another chance to win the title when the champ is worn out and vulnerable. Punk was good in playing a tweener role who neither panders to fans nor antagonizes them. It's the right role now, but once he's past the Edge-Hardy situation, it's best for him to choose a solid direction as either a face or heel and go with it. The fact that they matched him against Jericho shows WWE is at the moment classifying hm as a babyface... The rest of the show was decent mid-card filler, but this was the week to focus on the World Title situation and it worked. Two good matches with ramifications and big stars made this a very good edition of Smackdown...

QUOTEBOOK

Edge: "You call this unique lifestyle you live Straight Edge. Hello! You named it after me."

Jim Ross to Todd Grisham: "Somewhere along the way you're going to listen to me. You gotta buy stock in Dolph Ziggler."

Jim Ross on Dolph Ziggler: "I like this guy. He only introduced himself to me six times today."

Jim Ross: "I think Khali has Ziggler by the sideburns."

R-Truth on Haas & Benjamin: "The World's Greatest Tag Team back together again. That's about like Vanilla Ice and M.C. Hammer teaming up to do a rap song. Nobody wants to hear him and nobody wants to see you. That's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the..." (crowd fills in the final "truth.")

Chris Jericho: "I believe I am an honest man, while 99 percent of you are liars and cheaters. I believe I am a true success, whereas 99.9 percent of you have failed in everything you've ever accomplished in trying to do [sic]."

Jim Ross: "Jericho has been drinking a lot of self-righteous Kool-Aid lately."

C.M. Punk in response to fans who are upset with him: "I can't say I'm surprised, but to me I hope it's something the fans can overcome."

C.M. Punk: "Don't get me wrong, I do want to face Jeff when he's 100 percent. But opportunity knocks, you gotta open the door. Jeff at 100 percent against C.M. Punk would be a great match."

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