By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMAKDOWN REPORT
AUGUST 29, 2008
AIRED ON THE CW

[Q1]

-Undertaker's ring entrance kicked off the show. They went backstage where Chavo Guerrero, Bam Neely, Zach Ryder, Curt Hawkins, and Vickie Guerrero were watching on a monitor. Jim Ross and Tazz then introduced the show and recapped last week's happenings with the above parties. Undertaker then said into the mic, "Vickie... Guerrero... you want me to forgive you of all of your sins? There is something I need to tell you. I'm not the forgiving kind." The crowd cheered. He said he will be coming for her and her soul. "Once I take it, you will burn... burn in hell." Vickie twiddled her thumbs nervously backstage. Taker kneeled and pryo blasted. They cut backstage where Vickie was suddenly alone. She panicked and tried to leave the room, but the door was locked. She pounded on the door, then turned back to the monitor to watch Taker slowly return to the back.

-Ross plugged MVP vs. Jeff Hardy. Tazz plugged WWE Champion Triple H vs. U.S. Champion Shelton Benjamin, which Tazz called a "high-level preview" of the Scramble match.

[Commercial Break]

-A vignette aired on R-Truth. "I learned the truth the hard way," he said, adding that you have to learn who you really are, which is what you say when people aren't listening and what you do when people aren't watching. "It's knowing the best parts of yourself and the worst, but at the same time respecting who you are. It's about getting better every day." He said he's been at the bottom and now he's headed for the top.

1 -- R-TRUTH vs. KENNY DYKSTRA

R-Truth came out doing that really dorky dance he does. It's like Elaine Benes in Seinfeld. Dyktra came out and said he's done everything he can to get respect and attention from WWE. He said he's a 22 year old hot prospect. "Yet, on the other hand, take a look at yourself. You are nothing but a convict," he said. "Now I didn't have no vignettes, I didn't have no big interview time." He said he hasn't been in jail, but maybe he should have. "This company needs to build around people like me, not people like you. Now that is the truth." That was not a main event promo nor did it seem to have much promise of developing into one. The double-negatives didn't do no good for him, either. Truth jump-started the match, but Dykstra came back and controlled early. Ross said Dykstra has talent or he wouldn't be on Smackdown. Truth came back with a scissors kick for the win.

WINNER: Truth in 2:00. Not much to the match. Just a few glimpses of what makes his in-ring style unique. The chains on his ring pants have to go, too. There's little more annoying in a wrestling match than constant jingling being picked up by the ring mics.

[Q2]

-Maryse interrupted a Michelle McCool photo shoot backstage. Maryse told her to enjoy her time as Diva's Champion because it could be coming to an end soon. Michelle said she is arrogant and she'll never become Diva's Champion because she has no talent. Maryse said, "Jealousy is so ugly."

[Commercial Break]

2 -- MICHELLE MCCOOL & MARIA vs. MARYSE & NATALYA

Tazz called McCool a role model. Tazz said Natalya is a power wrestler, "all about power." Ross asked if she reminds Tazz of himself. He said no, her father, Jim Neidhart. Ross said, "Thank god she doesn't have the same goatee." And genitals, for the matter. Natalya reacted to interference from the ring apron by Natalya, which opened the door for Natalya to pin her after a DDT. Maryse shoved Maria's face as she got up from the pin. Maryse celebrated at ringside, then returned to the ring and brawled with McCool.

WINNER: Maryse & Natalya in 3:00.

[Q3]

-Ross threw to a video package on the Hardy-MVP feud.

-Eve interviewed Hardy backstage. He said MVP is trying to make his life a living hell lately by criticizing everything about him and his way of life. He said he won't throw him off his game. He said at the end of the night he'll be knocked flat on his back with his ego and his attitude and that's it. Short and to the point.

[Commercial Break]

-Vickie rubbed her temples backstage and paced nervously. She tried to make a phone call, but it didn't work. She yanked on the phone and threw it against the wall. Maybe the guy holding the camera could help her. Maybe he has a cell phone or something.

3 -- JEFF HARDY vs. MVP

Once Hardy made an early comeback, MVP bailed out to ringside. Hardy dove onto him. Then they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

Back live, MVP was in control. He beat up Hardy at ringside for a minute, then went for a pin in center-ring. He settled into a sitting abdominal stretch center-ring at 10:00. Hardy stood, but MVP held the hold. Hardy eventually flipped out of it. Hardy made a full comeback and went for a top rope Swanton, but MVP lifted his knees. MVP then went on sustained offense, scoring several near falls over several minutes. MVP took Hardy t the top rope and went for a back suplex, but Hardy turned in mid-air and landed on MVP. He scored a two count. Hardy hit a Swanton a minute later for a clean win.

WINNER: Jeff Hardy in 19:00.

STAR RATING: *** -- Good match.

[Q5]

-Afterward, Shelton Benjamin interrupted Hardy's celebration, slamming him to the mat hard. As MVP congratulated Shelton, Shelton did the same to him. Ross and Tazz plugged the Shelton vs. Triple H main event coming up later.

[Commercial Break]

-Ross and Tazz threw to a video of Josh Matthews and Candice Michelle hobnobbing at the Democratic National Convention in Denver and pushing the "Smackdown Your Vote" campaign.

4 -- FESTUS & JESSE vs. CURT HAWKINS & ZACH RYDER

When the bell rang, Festus went on a rampage tossing Ryder and Hawkins around. The heel duo bailed out to ringside. The Big Show then came out and attacked Ryder and Hawkins. Festus was at ringside watching, calmed by the bell ringing and turning is aggression switch off. Show called for a mic.

WINNERS: No contest in 1:00.

-Big Show said, "Hi!" He smiled. He said there's a little confusion on Smackdown. He said he wanted Vickie to listen to him. He said he will never, ever be overlooked again. He looked around the the ring at the fallen bodies and said, "My bad. Oops. Let's just call it an oversight."

[Commercial Break]

[Q6]

-Vickie continued to stand "alone" and frightened trapped in her own office. Alone, not counting the cameraman.

5 -- VICTORIA vs. BRIE BELLA

Tazz said, "It's only about eight bucks a month, J.R." I thought he was talking about a PWTorch VIP membership for a second there, but I supposed it was "WWE 24/7" he was plugging. Ross and Tazz almost seemed at a loss for what to say in the match, as there is no feud between these two and they didn't provide any background details on Bella for some reason. Bella surprised Victoria with a small package for the upset win out of nowhere. Nothing too bad from Bella, but it felt like a model play-wrestling instead of a trained athlete trying to win a fight.

WINNER: Bella in 3:00.

-A video package aired on the John Cena injury. Clips aired of Cena before and after surgery and his doctor commenting on the injury. Then a clip aired of Mike Adamle adding Rey Mysterio to the Scramble match in Cena's place.

-Ross plugged Triple H vs. Shelton.

[Commercial Break]

-Backstage, The Brian Kendrick was in the foreground reading a book while Ezekiel read another book on a bench in the background. Kendrick then said he is resting before the Scramble match while his opponents fight each other. He said he's smart enough to know it's not about who gets the most wins, but rather who gets the last pin. He said there's a fine line between genius and insanity, "but if you know how to walk that line, no one can stand in your way." He went back to reading.

-Ross and Tazz were finally shown on camera. Ross bragged that they are the thee place on Friday nights. Tazz bragged that they had double the audience of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race, making Smackdown the no. 1 entertainment program on TV this month on Friday nights. They shifted to hyping the line-up for Unforgiven.

[Q7]

6 -- TRIPLE H vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN

Triple H's ring intro was concluding as they returned from the break. They cut to a soundbite with Shelton saying he is the Gold Standard. Pretty rudimentary and not much a glimpse into whether he's an actual human being or a robot repeating gimmicky one-liners. They showed Shelton attacking Hardy earlier. Tazz talked about loving the Scramble match concept and explained the rules in the midst of gushing about the format. The match began 37 minutes into the second hour. Triple H opened with a headlock. Shelton came back, hit a couple armdrags, and then applied an armbar. A fan held up a sign that said, "Big Show has puffy eyes." Triple H took back control and worked over Shelton's arms. Shelton came back at 5:00 with some kicks and stomps. When Triple H surprised with him a Pedigree attempt, Shelton bailed out to ringside. They cut to a break.

[Q8]

[Commercial Break]

Shelton gave Triple H a neckbreaker to take control after the break. At 14:00 Shelton settled into a chinlock, well-applied as if he was really trying to restrain a squirming opponent. Triple H caught Shelton charging at him in the corner with a boot to the face. Shelton surprised Triple H by yanking him by the tights head-first into the top turnbuckle. Then Shelton corner-splashed Triple H in the back. Triple H avoided another charge, then nailed Shelton on the back of the head with a forearm. Both men were slow to get up as the ref began a count. He got to nine before both men stood up just before ten at 16:00. Triple H hit Shelton with a high-knee, then hit a powerslam for a near fall. He followed with a DDT for a near fall. At 17:00 Shelton surprised Triple H with a boot to the face. Triple H countered with a spinebuster as Shelton ran the ropes. Triple H went for a Pedigree, but Shelton escaped and hit a backbreaker for a two count. Nobody believes Shelton was going to win, which is one of the problems with how Triple H is booked and reflects the lack of build-up of Shelton into someone on the brink of top tier status. Triple H gave Shelton a knee lift to the face. The Great Khali's music played; Khali and Runjin Sing stepped out onto the stage. Shelton jumped Triple H from behind. Triple H brushed him off and hit a sloppy Pedigree for the win.

WINNER: Triple H in 19:00.

STAR RATING: *** -- Good match.

-Afterward, Shelton hit Triple H with his U.S. Title belt as Triple H stared at Khali. He then stood over Triple H with his belt in hand, then held it in the air and smiled. Triple H lay face down on the mat as Khali walked up to him. Khali entered the ring and chokeslammed Triple H. Then he stood over him, yelled, and held his arms in the air.

-They went backstage to Vickie shaking in fear and pacing alone. Then the lights went out and she screamed as the show ended.

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