WWE Smackdown- July 25, 2008
by Sassy
Smackdown is broadcast on the CW Network from Philadelphia, PA.
Ringside announcers: Jim Ross & Mick Foley
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
Unfortunately, part of the wedding reception is played before tonight’s Smackdown begins. It appears Edge couldn’t keep his lips (that’s just gross!) off of the wedding planner? And, The Game Triple H appeared to make sure everyone, including the New Mrs. Edge, were made aware of what went on prior to the wedding. To add insult to injury – or would that be injury to insult? --, Edge managed to spear Guerrero during his match against HHH at GAB last Sunday.
We begin with MVP’s VIP Lounge and Jeff Hardy is the guest. I realize that MVP most likely doesn’t write his own stuff but whoever wrote this particular sketch should be taken out back and flogged. Not only did MVP bring up Jeff losing his house to a fire, he brought up Jeff losing his canine companion in that fire. Losing your canine companion should never be used as fodder for entertainment and I was not “entertained”. I was waiting for Jeff to bring up MVP’s former life in the jailhouse but fortunately they skirted around it. I usually enjoy MVP on the mic and the banter during the VIP Lounge segment. This was one that should have found it’s way to the shredder before airtime. We go to commercial break.
Jim Ross informs the audience that they are awaiting the arrival of Smackdown Genera Manager Vickie Guerrero.
The Gold Standard Shelton Benjamin from Orangeburg, SC
WWE United States Champion
Vs.
Jimmy Wang Yang from GA
Matt Hardy lost the US Championship to Benjamin at Great American Bash. Benjamin has a mic and he brags about his win at GAB. Yang has just come back from a suspension for a violation of the wellness policy. Benjamin isn’t using his wrestling skills in this match and he’s doing a good job of keeping Yang on the mat and out of the air. Yang’s strength lies in his ability to work off the ropes and the top turnbuckle. Yang makes it back to his feet and goes for the kicks that he does so well. Benjamin hits the face plant and gets the three count. Time: 2 minutes.
Winner: The Gold Standard Shelton Benjamin
There was great countermove action going on but the match was too short to showcase either man’s ability in the ring.
The Rated R Superstar Edge is backstage and is approached by Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder who are the new WWE Tag Team Champions. Edge congratulates them on their win and tries to apologize for last week but they tell him it was his business. We go to commercial break.
WWE Slam of the Week – GAB tag team championship match last Sunday with Hawkins & Ryder taking home the gold.
Curt Hawkins
One half of the WWE Tag Team Championship
With Zack Ryder
The other half of the WWE Tag Team Champions
Vs.
Festus
With Jesse
Jesse & Festus were one of the tag teams Hawkins & Ryder faced at GAB with Jesse being pinned for them to get the win. The bell rings and Hawkins finds himself facing one mad Festus. Hawkins comes back and tries to take out Festus’ legs but it doesn’t have much effect. Festus sends Hawkins out to the floor with a shoulder block and Ryder was trying to get to the ring bell but Jesse takes Ryder out. Festus has Hawkins back in the ring; Festus slams Hawkins face first into the mat, goes for the cover and gets the win. Time: 2 minutes.
Winner: Festus with a face plant
The matches are short tonight. Festus has yet to show any wrestling ability but he does do a great job as a powerhouse. Jesse does seem to have a lot of wrestling talent but he is never in the ring long enough for anyone to see how good he is. After the bell has rung, Ryder takes out Jesse and goes after a docile Festus who is still in the ring. Hawkins & Ryder deliver a double DDT before the referee manages to get them out of the ring. We go to commercial break.
Edge is backstage pouring out his heart to the wedding planner. Edge wants her to blend into the woodwork but Bam Neely is lurking in the hallway as Edge says the two of them can talk about it later.
Stevie Richards from Philadelphia, PA weighing 230 lbs.
Vs.
Vladimir Kolzov from Moscow weighing 302 lbs.
According to JR, Richards requested this match with Koslov. Richards needs to stay out of Kozlov’s way but Richards manages to take Kozlov down and gets a one count before Kozlov powers out. Kozlov delivers a boot to the chest, then sends Richards over to the mat and applies an arm bar. Richards doesn’t give up. Richards delivers a couple of kicks to back up Kozlov then sends him out to the floor. Richards delivers a standing drop kick and again goes for a cover to get a one count. Kozlov goes for a shoulder block but Richards catches him with a knee. Kozlov misses a kick but catches Richards coming off the ropes, goes for the cover and gets the win. Time: 3 minutes.
It wasn’t one of Richards' better matches but he did do a nice job of keeping Kozlov on the defense during most of the match. It appears Kozlov can think on his feet and he did take more hits in this match than he has taken before in any WWE match. We go to commercial break.
The audience again sees a repeat of HHH spilling the beans to Guerrero about Edge’s behavior. JR reminds the audience that Guerrero was speared by Edge during GAB.
Battle Royal
For a WWE Championship Match at Summerslam
Mr. Kennedy from Green Bay, WI weighing 235 lbs.
Kennedy has the live audience eating out of his hands when he has the mic
Vs.
The Great Khali from India 7’0” weighing 420 lbs.
With Ranjin Singh
Vs.
Montel Vontavious Porter from FL weighing 248 lbs.
Vs.
Umaga from the Isle of Samoa weighing 350 lbs.
Vs.
Jeff Hardy from Cameron, NC
Vs.
The Big Show 7’0” weighing 441 lbs.
MVP bails out of the ring as Hardy goes after him. He tries to roll back in but Hardy sends a kick his way. Battle royals are difficult to call but MVP who ran from Hardy, goes after Khali. Khali takes him down with one hand. Show and Khali face off but Umaga takes both of them down and we go to commercial break. Back to the action, Hardy takes down Umaga as Kennedy goes after Show. Hardy finally gets his hands on MVP and MVP goes over the top rope.
MVP eliminated by Jeff Hardy.
Umaga sends Hardy over the top rope but Hardy’s feet don’t touch the floor. Show and Umaga face off in the center of the ring. Show drops him with a shoulder block and then sends him over the top rope.
Umaga eliminated by Big Show.
Hardy & Kennedy go after Show but Show takes them both down. Kennedy goes back after Show and Show sends Kennedy over the top rope.
Mr. Kennedy eliminated by Big Show.
Khali goes after Show as Hardy is laying on the ring apron. Show delivers a choke slam to Khali but Umaga delivers the Samoan spike to Show. Hardy comes off the top, Show catches him, tries to send him over the top rope but Hardy hangs on.
Big Show eliminated by Jeff Hardy.
Hardy is back in the ring and he delivers the Swanton bomb to Khali. He can’t get the cover and now Khali is back to his feet. Hardy delivers a low blow to Khali and Khali shoves him across the ring. Khali takes down Hardy and sends him over the top rope.
Jeff Hardy eliminated by The Great Khali
Time: 7 minutes.
Winner: The Great Khali
Khali will face the WWE Champion at Summerslam.
HHH appears at the top of the entrance ramp with his title belt. He walks down the ramp and toward the ring, enters the ring and stares down, or in this case, up at Khali. We go to commercial break.
The audience sees a video of the new WWE roster member, R Truth (formerly Ron “The Truth” Killings of TNA and AAA fame).
Michelle McCool from FL
Diva’s Champion (whatever that is)
Vs.
Maryse from Canada
That has to be one of the goofiest looking title belts I have ever seen. Maybe it’s a good thing Natalya didn’t win. Maryse is too busy trying to get the audience’s attention to pay attention to the match. Maryse does manage to go for a cover but she can’t get the three count. McCool delivers a submission leg hold and Maryse taps out. I forgot to time the match and I am not going back to watch it again. Suffice it to say it was as short as the first two matches of the night.
Winner: Michelle McCool
We go to commercial break.
Raw Rebound: CM Punk defends his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Batista. Batista has to battle Kane before the match but JBL interferes in the match instead. John Cena appears to help out, nails Batista when JBL ducks out of the way and Batista and Cena get into it.
Chavo Guerrero is wheeling Vicky Guerrero into the building and Neely appears and wants to know if Chavo told her what Edge said. Chavo says they will talk in her office. We go to commercial break.
Edge is backstage with Neely. Neely says he is wanted in Vicky’s office. Edge says he needs to apologize to Vicky but he needs to do it in public.
Brian Kendrick from CA weighing 184 lbs.
Vs.
Shannon Moore from NC weighing 204 lbs.
Kendrick has a new “look” and a big bodyguard – I’m not sure who that is in the ring with Kendrick. Kendrick takes the mic to tell the audience that he is the best wrestler in the WWE. Ezekiel appears to be the new guy’s name – or Zeke as Kendrick calls him. Along with Kendrick’s new outfit, a nasty personality has emerged. Kendrick goes for a cover and gets a two count before Moore gets a shoulder off the mat. Kendrick comes off the top turnbuckle but Moore gets out of the way and Kendrick meets the mat. Moore goes out on the ring apron but is distracted by Zeke. Kendrick delivers a neck breaker and goes for the cover getting the three count and the win. Time: 2 minutes.
Winner: Brian Kendrick with a neck breaker.
Kendrick is good in the ring and he may just make a great heel. I can also assume that this new valet/bodyguard Ezekiel will be an important part of Kendrick’s matches from now on. Moore is good in the ring as well but once again we have such a short match no one sees the good stuff from these two competitors. We go to commercial break.
Edge enters the ring. There are signs in the audience calling HHH “The Wedding Crasher”. It appears that Edge can’t even get audience approval by cheating on Vicky before the wedding. He says he wants to apologize publicly to his wife. He asks Vicky to come to the ring. ENOUGH already! Get the divorce and get to rasslin’! Vicky enters the arena with Chavo and Neely. I can’t tell if Neely is helping Chavo push the wheelchair or if Neely and Chavo are holding hands. Chavo assists Vicky into the ring while Neely takes in her wheelchair. She sends Chavo & Neely out of the ring. Edge gets down on one knee – don’t we have time for another match? Edge says the video HHH had didn’t show how many times he tried to say no. Have I asked who writes this crap before? Edge says he couldn’t just leave because he wanted to hammer out, he changed this to ironed out, and the wedding plans because he knew how important the wedding was to her. He tells her he can’t live without her love – are the writers stealing words from songs now? Vicky tells Edge she understands and they hug – but she won’t kiss him. She says hell hath no fury over a woman scorned. She says when she was really mad at him, she did something he might not like but Edge says he understands and then asks her what she did. Vicky says that she reinstated The Undertaker. This may be the first time the audience has ever cheered Vicky. Edge says that it’s okay and that he understands that it is a business decision. Edge says that they can go on their honeymoon and Undertaker and HHH can tear each other apart. When they get back from their honeymoon, Edge can get his title back. Vicky says she’s already picked an opponent to face Undertaker at Summerslam – Edge and the match is Hell in a Cell. That’s twice the audience has cheered at Vicky.
Please notice that the last segment of the show was longer than any match that we saw on Smackdown tonight. Is there a point to no matches and all talk?
Sound Off!Comment about this article on Da' Wrestling Boards!
back to WWE Smackdown reviews Index