WWE Superstars TV Report
April 22, 2010 - Year 2, Week 2
Taped the Week of April 19
Report by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The WWE show started with the new music of Shad Gaspard. Gaspard, with a new character playing a serious heel, came out sporting a black strap around his neck. Hence, the strap match against JTG at the Extreme Rules PPV on Sunday. Shad has an "exploding flames" design on his ring trunks now, which is a little too close to the High Voltage look from WCW. Goldust then walked out to oppose Shad in the opening match tonight.

1 -- SHAD GASPARD vs. GOLDUST

Goldust knocked Shad to the outside early on, but Shad blocked a baseball slide attempt and rammed Goldust back-first into the ring steps. Smackdown announcers Todd Grisham and Matt Striker talked up Shad's new persona breaking away from the Cryme Tyme unit before Shad rolled Goldust into the ring for a two count on a pin attempt. Shad settled into a standard big-man heel chinlock before Goldust fought to his feet and landed a swinging bulldog off the ropes for a two count. Shad then cut off Goldust's offensive attack before talking some trash. Goldust responded with a sudden small package, but Shad kicked out and rammed Goldust into the ringpost. Shad followed with a big STO for the pin and the win. Post-match: Shad pointed to himself repeatedly to say it's his time. Shad then grabbed the strap and clutched in with his eyes on Extreme Rules.

WINNER: Shad in 5:00. Standard Superstars match. I like the new serious, focused heel Shad and there's definitely potential with the character. What happens after the Draft could determine how far they take him, but it seems like he's in line for a decent push. (*)

NXT video: They replayed the "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em" tournament from NXT on Tuesday. Cue up the focus on Skip Sheffield.

Still to come: John Morrison vs. Mr. Thursday night Carlito. Grisham calling it a "battle of former Intercontinental champions," which sure seems like a long, long time ago for Carlito.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

In-ring: Raw's portion of the show started with Yoshi Tatsu coming out as Raw announcers Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler hyped the Draft on Monday. Zack Ryder was out next with Rosa Mendes to deliver the "haven't I seen this before?" match-up on the show. Cole noted the WWE Draft on Monday is live from Richmond, Virginia, which is the hometown area for the now-former WWE Diva Mickie James.

2 -- ZACK RYDER (w/Rosa Mendes) vs. YOSHI TATSU

Cole and Lawler talked up the European Tour headaches as the match started with some basic back-and-forth action. Yoshi slapped on a nice rolling arm bar, but Ryder reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Ryder then avoided a spin kick by ducking out to the floor. Yoshi tried to follow with a baseball slide kick, but Ryder flung him into the barricade. Cut to break with Ryder in control.

[Commercial Break. During the break, they aired a Ryder profile video that included a clip of Shelton Benjamin. One final look in WWE at the ol' Gold Standard.]

Back from break, Lawler plugged Miz's Twitter comments during the European Tour. Prior to the commercial, Lawler and Cole suggested Miz's next step with Twitter would be to Tweet during a match. I believe D-Lo Brown has cornered that market. As for Ryder and Yoshi, Rosa became involved by slapping Yoshi as he was near the ropes. Yoshi then hit the Rough Ryder, but Yoshi kicked out in time. Yoshi then absorbed an elbow smash as Cole said the words "Japanese strong style" on a WWE broadcast. Yoshi tried to score a pin with a spin kick, but Ryder kicked out this time. Nice back-and-forth.

Yoshi back-dropped Ryder off the ropes and splashed Ryder in the corner. He attempted a move from the second rope, but Ryder blocked and hit a neckbreaker for a two count. Yoshi and Ryder battled to the corner and Yoshi nailed an enziguiri from the corner. Yoshi then went up top and hit a spinning heel kick for the pin and the win. Cole plugged the Smackdown brand possibly having a chance to get a star like Yoshi on Monday night.

WINNER: Yoshi in 12:00. Nice, stand-out singles match that continued Ryder's losing ways on TV. The story of his WWE career has been ten-plus-minute TV matches, nearfalls, and eventual losses. He just needs to stick around and continue to be featured on TV. Meanwhile, Yoshi continues to look like a star, but WWE doesn't have a storyline to plug him into. (**)

Still to come: Morrison vs. Carlito.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

Superstars profile: Edge. Spear. Spear. Spear. ... Extreme Rules plug: They marched through the John Cena vs. Batista build-up for one of the main events at the PPV on Sunday. It's Last Man Standing for the WWE Title. ... In-ring: Carlito and Michael Tarver came out first for tonight's main event.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Carlito was on the mic coming from break. Carlito said he was one of the only Raw wrestlers not overseas...and he still couldn't get on Raw. He said he's sick and tired of the guest-hosts disrespecting him and he's going to make sure he ends up on Raw every week going forward. John Morrison's music interrupted to bring out Morrison. Cole plugged his entrance could be on Monday nights after the Draft.

[Q4]

3 -- JOHN MORRISON vs. CARLITO (w/Michael Tarver)

Carlito started on the offensive with a headlock as Tarver looked on from ringside. Morrison pushed Carlito to his feet and ate a shoulder block before catching Carlito with a flapjack. Morrison posed, then hit a standing press for a two count. The action moved to the corner and Carlito went for a double springboard cannonball splash, which he connected with after looking a little shaky for a second. Carlito in control going to break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Carlito was working over Morrison to pick up where he left off. Morrison then ducked a clothesline and hit a dropkick for a two count. Morrison then teased the Starship Pain, but Carlito kicked Morrison's legs out from under him in the corner. Carlito made a cover, but Morrison kicked out. Carlito went back to work on Morrison, including a big standing boot and settled back into a chinlock. Morrison made another comeback with a leg whip, but Carlito cut him off again with an elbow in the corner before hitting a nice spinning neckbreaker for another two count. Carlito tried to follow with a sunset flip, but Morrison blocked and hit a crescent kick. Morrison tried to follow with Starship Pain, but Carlito moved and scored another two count.

At 10:00, both men came to their feet and traded blows, then pin attempts. Carlito then tried a springboard moonsault, but Morrison blocked and hit an elbow smash into a standing enziguiri kick. Morrison with another cover and another kickout by Carlito. Tarver decided it would be a good time to interject himself into the match as Carlito had Morrison pinned with a small package. The ref occupied himself with Tarver, then Carlito screamed at Tarver to get off the apron. In the confusion, Morrison caught Carlito with the Flying Chuck and scored the pin for the win to end a very competitive match. Afterward, the focus was on Tarver screwing up again as Morrison posed in the ring. Cole gave a final plug for Extreme Rules on Sunday, then the Draft on Monday to close the show.

WINNER: Morrison in 12:00. A very nice TV match with good counters and nearfalls. There was a time when Carlito seemed to have potential to be a future star in WWE and this match was a throwback to that time. Carlito has quietly delivered some strong performances on Superstars lately to audition for a legitimate look on either Raw or Smackdown going forward. Meanwhile, this wasn't exactly a strong endorsement of Morrison needing Tarver's "help" to secure a win, but the match was fine. (**1/2)

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