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WWE Smackdown- Apr. 11, 2008
by Sassy

Friday Night Smackdown is being broadcast from Boston, MA on the CW network.

Ringside announcers: Michael Cole & Jonathan Coachman

Ring announcer: Justin Roberts

Backstage interview: Eve Torres

Michael Cole informs the audience that tonight The Undertaker, WWE World Heavyweight Champion, will face Festus in one on one competition.

The Great Khali is having a Punjabi peace offering for Big Show. Khali is in the ring with Indian dancers and a sort of a translator. In the midst of Khali speaking into the mic, the audience hears Big Show’s entrance theme and Big Show enters the arena. The Indian dancers clear out of the ring as Big Show approaches. Khali continues speaking to Big Show and his translator tells Big Show that Khali has brought him special water. Big Show smells the water and hands it back. Khali’s translator hands Big Show a decanter, I think they said it was wine. Big show takes a sip, makes a face and hands it back. Khali’s translator hands Big Show a chicken. Big Show smiles and hands it back. Khali’s translators bring out a goat and hands the leash to Big Show telling him that he will always have goat’s milk and will never be thirsty. Big Show pets the goat and hands the leash back. Cole tells the audience it was scotch in the decanter, not wine.

Big Show says that words can’t describe the way he feels right now. He said he could show Khali how he feels and he holds out his hand and shakes Khali’s hand. Big Show then sends a right fist into Khali’s jaw, dropping him to the canvas. I take it from the reaction of the Indian dancers on the floor outside the ring that was not the reaction they were hoping for.

Coach tells the audience that Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels and The Animal Batista will be face to face tonight. On Monday Night Raw, the audience voted whether or not they thought Michaels did the right thing via text votes and they did agree that he did the right thing – 65%. They are having the same text voting tonight for the Smackdown audience.

Non-title Tag Team Match:
John Morrison from Los Angles, CA, weighing 219 lbs.
&
The Miz from Cleveland, OH, weighing 231 lbs.
WWE Tag Team Champions
Vs.
Shannon Moore
&
Jimmy Wang Yang
At a combined weight of 410 lbs.

Didn’t these four just face each other last week? It appears WWE, for all of their roster, has a shortage of tag teams competing in the ring.

The bell rings and it is Morrison facing Moore in the ring. Morrison is busy running his mouth before they lock up and Morrison seems more interested in swinging his hips than practicing his wrestling moves. Morrison finally warms up and you can hear his mouth as he tells Yang “that’s why you’re still a virgin”. Moore has Morrison in a roll up and goes for another cover before tagging in Yang. Yang delivers a dropkick and goes for the cover. He doesn’t get the three count. Yang delivers a suplex and goes for the cover. He gets a two count. Morrison comes off the ropes and nails Yang with a clothesline before tagging in Miz and they do a little double-teaming before the ref breaks it up. Miz goes for a cover and doesn’t get the win to the chants of “you suck” from the audience. Yang tags in Moore and Moore goes for a cover but he only gets a two count. Moore, Morrison and Yang all do very well developed highflying maneuvers in the ring. Miz is out of place with the other three even though he has shown some improvement. Morrison and Miz are known for playing a little outside the rules and this match is no exception. Yang and Moore work very well as a tag team and I am surprised this isn’t a title match. Yang is trying to get a tag but Morrison in the center of the ring ties up Moore. Morrison body slams Yang to the mat and then shows off for the crowd allowing Moore to get the drop on him. Moore tags in Yang and Yang uses high kicks to send Morrison down to the mat. Suffice it to say that Miz manages to come in and break up a cover attempt by Yang, Moore gets sent over the top rope, Yang sends Morrison over the top rope, Miz comes in for a roll up, gets the three count and wins the match.

Time: 8 minutes

Winners: The Miz With a neck breaker & John Morrison WWE Tag Team champions

I had to rewind three times to finally find out when Morrison tagged in Miz. Morrison didn’t tag, Miz slapped Morrison in the back when Morrison came off the ropes. In fact, WWE was kind enough to play back the tag and the fact that the referee saw the tag.

Theodore Long is somewhere in a spa. It appears Vickie Guerrero and The Rated R Superstar Edge are getting a massage. Teddy is holding the towels. I am not going to bore you with the details of the massage or the conversation.

Finlay from Belfast, Northern Ireland, weighing 233 lbs.
Accompanied to the ring by Hornswoggle
Vs.
Matt Stryker from NY, weighing 221 lbs.

Hornswoggle and Finlay, now known as father and son, receive a warm welcome from the audience. They have not been on Smackdown since Hornswoggle was injured at the hands of John Bradshaw Layfield. I was a little surprised to see Matt Stryker as Finlay’s opponent. I didn’t know Stryker was going to be back in the ring on a permanent basis.

After the bell rings, Finlay drops his favorite weapon on the ring apron and Hornswoggle crawls under the ring. I have always liked seeing Finlay in the ring and would have liked to have seen him before his WWE career. Hornswoggle comes out from under the ring with a squirt gun and catches Stryker in the face with a nice spray of water. Finlay doesn’t need any help against Stryker in the ring but Stryker comes back with a few illegal maneuvers that has the ref arguing with Stryker. Stryker goes for a pin but only gets a one count before Finlay powers out. Stryker knocks Finlay out of the ring and tries for a baseball slide. Finlay catches him in the cover outside the ring until the ref makes Finlay stop pounding on Stryker. In the meantime, Hornswoggle shows up outside the ring with a bucket. He throws confetti at Stryker and then tries to hand Stryker an umbrella. Stryker declines the umbrella, turns around and Finlay catches him with a real bucket of water. Back in the ring, Hornswoggle sneaks in and hits Stryker in the back with a blow up toy of some kind, Stryker turns around and takes it away from Hornswoggle. The ref turns around and catches Stryker with the toy, takes it away and hands it through the ropes and as the ref’s back is turned, Finlay picks up his weapon of choice from the ring apron, nails Stryker with it, throws the weapon back, goes for the cover and gets the win.

Time: 5 minutes

Winner: Finlay. With his favorite weapon to the side of Stryker’s head behind the ref’s back And a lot of help from Hornswoggle.

After the match, Hornswoggle and Finlay play it up for the audience with the cameras showing the children in the audience waving at Hornswoggle. Finlay then sets up Stryker and Hornswoggle delivers a tadpole splash.

I know why WWE does this type of match up. The audience loves Hornswoggle and because Finlay was his “protector” and is now his “father”, the audience loves Finlay. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see much of the abilities of the wrestlers in the ring because of the comedy routines throughout the match. The times that I have seen Hornswoggle actually wrestle against men his size, he appeared to be quite knowledgeable about wrestling.

The audience sees a video of last week’s Smackdown when Michelle won the best Diva contest and Nattie Neidhart made her debut by attacking Michelle.

Victoria from Los Angeles, CA
Accompanied to the ring by Natalya Neidhart
Vs.
Michelle McCool from FL

Before the match, Victoria introduces a video clip of Neidhart’s father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and then introduces Natalya Neidhart as her friend and new co-worker.

Before the bell rings, McCool goes after Neidhart who jumps off the ring apron. Everyone knows I am not overly fond of diva wrestling but Victoria is one of my favorites and if Neidhart follows in her family’s footsteps, she will be great in the ring. McCool has gotten better since her first appearance in WWE. Victoria delivers a superplex off the top rope and goes for the cover but McCool kicks out at the count of two. Neidhart delivers a distraction, Victoria goes for the roll up, grabs the tights and gets the three count.

Time: 3 minutes Winner: Victoria with a roll up and the tights

Cole is in the ring. He announces that at Backlash it will be Batista versus Shawn Michaels and introduces a video of the feud between the two wrestlers. On the off chance that you have missed any of this, Batista is angry with Michaels because he defeated Flair at Wrestlemania XXIV. Batista said Michaels should have laid down for Flair. Cole then introduces The Animal Batista who enters the ring and then Cole introduces Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels who enters the ring. Batista may be angry with Michaels but the audience does not appear to feel the same way. Batista sends Cole out of the ring so that Batista and Michaels can talk one on one. Michaels says it isn’t about Flair and Wrestlemania. Michaels says that Batista has a problem with Michaels. Batista says that Michaels is right, that it isn’t all about Flair. Batista says that after Michaels beat Flair, Batista realized that he is the same Shawn Michaels and that Michaels hasn’t changed a bit. Batista calls Michaels a back stabber. Michael says that he doesn’t get the same luxury as Batista because Michaels is smaller than Batista. Michaels says he will defeat Batista at Backlash. Michaels teases with an attempt at a super kick, Batista teases with an attempt at a Batista bomb and Michaels rolls out of the ring and backs up the entrance ramp.

Vladimir Kozlov from Russia, weighing 300 lbs.
Vs.
Matt Logan from Boston, MA, weighing 208 lbs. (already in the ring)

With all of the larger guys in the WWE locker room, I am having trouble understanding why WWE considers it entertaining to have a much larger guy in a squash match against a much smaller guy.

Kozlov is a big man and he looks mean without even trying. Logan doesn’t stand a chance but he does try. A neck breaker and a cover, Kozlov gets the three count.

Time: 1 minute

Winner: Vladimir Kozlov

Back to the spa and this must be why the DVR and fast forward button were invented.

Montel Motavious Porter (M.V.P.) enters the ring, dressed in his suit and tie with his WWE United States Championship belt around his waist. MVP takes a seat at the announcer’s table with Cole and Coach in order to observe the next match.

Matt Hardy from Cameron, NC, weighing 236 lbs.
Vs.
Chuck Palumbo from San Diego, CA, weighing 280 lbs.
With his motorcycle

The applause for Matt was deafening. Does anyone else wonder why Palumbo wasn’t up against Kozlov in the previous match?

Cole tells the audience that when Palumbo rode his motorcycle in front of the announcer’s table, Palumbo said to MVP “you’re going to owe me one after this”. In the ring, Palumbo has Matt down on the canvas with Matt fighting to get back to his feet. Matt does get up but Palumbo takes him back down with a shoulder block. Matt works well in the ring and is certainly more likely to use high-risk maneuvers than Palumbo but Palumbo does have the size advantage. At the announcer’s table, Cole is arguing with MVP about whether or not MVP could beat Matt Hardy in a match. In the ring, Matt delivers a clothesline that sends Matt and Palumbo to the floor in front of the announcer’s table. As Matt gets back to his feet, he is watching MVP who has stood up on the other side of the announcer’s table, but it’s enough of a distraction for Palumbo to deliver a forearm to the back of Matt’s head, knocking him back down to the floor and we go to

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

Back in the ring, Palumbo sends Matt over his head to the mat and goes for a cover. Matt powers out before the count of three. Palumbo resorts to a little hair pulling before again sending Matt to the canvas. Palumbo nearly gets a three count before Matt gets a shoulder off the mat. Palumbo tries for another cover and again Matt kicks out. Matt sends Palumbo into the ropes, Palumbo comes off with a boot to Matt’s face, goes for the pin and gets a two count. Matt manages to use the ropes to deliver a boot to Palumbo’s face. Matt nails Palumbo with the side effect and goes for the cover. Matt gets a two count. Palumbo runs shoulder first into the corner post when Matt steps out of the way. Mat goes up on the second rope and comes off with an elbow. Matt goes back up to the second rope and drops a leg before going for the cover. Matt gets a two count. Matt tries for the twist of fate but Palumbo picks Matt up and drops him to the canvas, goes for the pin, Matt kicks out. Matt hits the twist of fate, goes for the cover and gets the win.

Time: 3 minutes before commercial break, 7 minutes after commercial break, 10 minutes total.

Winner: Matt Hardy with a twist of fate

After the match, MVP throws down his headset and holds up his title belt but does not get in the ring with Matt. Instead, MVP backs up the entrance ramp, holding his title belt in the air.

Eve Torres is backstage, knocking on the dressing room door of Jesse and Festus.

Torres is backstage with Jesse and Festus. She asks Jesse how Festus is feeling going into such a high profile match. Jesse says he has never seen Festus like this. Jesse says this is the biggest match of Festus’ career and that is the face of a man about to go toe to toe with The Undertaker.

The Undertaker from Death Valley, weighing 299 lbs.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion
Vs.
Festus, weighing 271 lbs.
With Jesse

Commercial break before Festus is introduced. I think Undertaker’s entrance was longer than Kozlov’s match. And we have another Edge and Vickie segment before the match begins that I again fast-forwarded right through it. Jesse looks a little nervous as he leads Festus to the ring.

The bell rings and Festus does what Festus always does but Undertaker nails Festus with a boot to the face. Undertaker sends Festus into the ropes and delivers another boot to the face. Festus fights back and Undertaker has to battle to get him down to the mat. Undertaker goes up to the top turnbuckle and delivers his old school slam from the top rope. Festus sends Undertaker into the ropes and body slams him into the mat. Undertaker hasn’t actually wrestled in many matches but he is an imposing presence in the ring. Festus doesn’t wrestle either; he just bulldozes his way through everyone. Undertaker is a little tough to bulldoze through as Festus soon discovers. Festus sends Undertaker over the top rope with a clothesline; Undertaker grabs Festus by the legs and pulls him outside the ring. The two men brawl on the floor until Festus rolls Undertaker back inside the ring. Jesse is the one I really enjoy watching in the ring. He does show have wrestling talent. Undertaker is back out on the floor and Festus comes out after him. Undertaker sends Festus into the steel steps, rolls back into the ring to break the ref’s count out, and then goes back out to the floor after Festus. Undertaker puts Festus back in the ring and delivers a kick to the head from the floor and then an arm across the chest. Undertaker delivers a leg drop on the ring apron. Festus fights back and now the two men are back in the ring. Festus resorts to a little choking to get the upper hand. Undertaker delivers a DDT and goes for the cover. Undertaker barely gets a two count before Festus kicks out. The two have a punching contest in the middle of the ring, Undertaker sends Festus into the ropes and takes him down to the mat with a clothesline. Festus uses a flying shoulder block off the ropes to nail Undertaker. Festus goes for a cover but can’t get the three count. Undertaker delivers a choke slam, goes for the cover but Festus gets a boot on the bottom rope. Festus rolls outside the ring and Undertaker goes out after him, chasing away Jesse who has come around to see about Festus. Undertaker sends Festus back into the ring; Festus drops Undertaker with a clothesline. Festus continues to pummel Undertaker with fists and then Undertaker nearly nails the ref who is backed up against the corner post. Festus does squash the referee. Festus has Undertaker down on the mat but when Festus turns his back, Undertaker sits up. As Festus comes back toward Undertaker, Undertaker has Festus in the submission hold Undertaker has been using in the ring lately. Outside on the floor, Jesse is trying to get the ref up and yelling for Festus to fight out. Another ref comes running to the ring, checks on Festus and rings the bell. Jesse bails into the ring to protect Festus from Undertaker.

Time: 10 minutes
Winner: The Undertaker via submission hold
It may not have been a wrestling match but it was good match for television. I’m not used to seeing Undertaker work this hard in a regular televised match. He did a good job and Festus did a great job as his opponent. Jesse is very believable as Festus’ friend and protector.

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