WWE Smackdown- December 26, 2008
by SamoaRowe

-From Toronto, Ontario, with Jim Ross and Tazz on commentary.

-The show immediately kicks off with Triple H coming to the ring, wielding a sledgehammer. He is angry that Vladimir Kozlov cost him the WWE title at Armageddon and calls him out. Chavo Guerrero comes out instead and says that Vickie Guerrero isn’t happy that Triple H interfered in a Jeff Hardy/Kozlov match last week. If Triple H interferes in another match, he’s out of the Royal Rumble and won’t be getting any more WWE title matches. Triple H finds time to make fun of Vickie’s weight and mocks Chavo for not living up to the Guerrero name. Chavo considers heading to the ring for a fight but backs off. Vickie joins him on the stage and says she won’t allow Triple H to disrespect her family. Much to Chavo’s dismay, she calls out a referee and Triple H vs. Chavo Guerrero begins NOW!

Triple H vs. Chavo Guerrero
Chavo corners HHH early, but gets pummeled away. Triple H tosses Chavo to ringside and drives him into the barricade. Triple H turns his back to threaten Vickie and eats a baseball slide. Chavo directs Triple H back to the ring and connects with some shots. HHH rebounds with a face buster but runs into a rolling heel kick. Chavo uncovers a steel turnbuckle and grabs a chair while the referee tries to fix it. Chavo tries to steal one of Eddie’s tricks by tossing the chair at HHH and faking injury. It doesn’t work, as Triple H removes the chair before the referee can notice. Spinebuster by HHH and a Pedigree finishes it at 2:20. Short, yet entertaining, *.
Winner: Triple H

-After the match, Vickie looks on in horror as Triple H lays out Chavo with the sledgehammer.

-Another Kizarny hype video. Is this guy ever going to debut? Apparently, he will next week. Finally.

-Shelton Benjamin is in the ring and puts himself over as U.S. Champion.

United States Championship:
Shelton Benjamin © vs. Hurricane Helms
Benjamin targets the back. Armdrag by Helms. Benjamin works on the back, but Helms slugs him off. Shoulder block by Helms, and some taunting. Benjamin skins the cat, but Helms drop-kicks him to the floor and connects with a flying cross body from the top. Pinning combination by Helms gets 2. Another try comes up short. Senton splash by Helms gets 2. Helms goes top rope, but Benjamin crawls away. Catapult by Benjamin, but Helms lands on his feet. Benjamin catches Helms in mid-air and power bombs him into the turnbuckles. Cover by Benjamin gets 2.5. Time for a commercial.

After the break, Benjamin is busting out the rest holds. Benjamin is targeting the neck. Helms comes back with a double leg takedown and kicks the lower gut. Helms fights out of the corner and nails a lariat. Helms misses a shining wizard and Benjamin surprises him with a roll-up for 2.5. After a series of reversals, Helms hit’s the Nightmare on Helms Street, and only gets 2.5 on the cover. Benjamin counters the shining wizard, but Helms counters back with a head scissors for 2.5. Benjamin elbows and goes high risk, missing a somersault. Helms connects with the shining wizard and gets yet another near fall. Everyone in the building thought that was it. Now that Benjamin has kicked out of at least three finishers, who knows how this will end. Benjamin connects with the Pay Dirt and that’s enough for the win at 8:30. I hope they don’t give up on Helms, because he came across as a star here, **¾.
Winner and still United States Champion: Shelton Benjamin

-Video package highlighting Jeff Hardy’s WWE Championship victory at Armageddon. The crowd reaction to his win was amazing. This transitions into an eerie promo by Hardy, who isn’t backing down to a disapproving Vickie Guerrero. Tonight, he will take down the Big Show.

-The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson are in the ring. Backstage, Carlito and Primo pick up Brie and Nikki Bella and seem to be heading to the ring. Primo asks Carlito if he’s going to win this time.

The Brian Kendrick (with Ezekiel Jackson) vs. Carlito (with Primo Colon, and Brie and Nikki Bella)
After taking some shots, Carlito connects with a reverse elbow and connects with some offense. Kendrick is sly and reverses the momentum, choking Carlito on the ropes. This should be short, as Kendrick is already going for the wear down moves. Carlito fights Kendrick off and nails a running knee lift and clothesline. Springboard elbow by Carlito sends Kendrick to ringside to regroup. Carlito goes high risk, while Ezekiel shoves down Primo. Carlito gets down to check on his brother and the distraction allows Kendrick to kick the head. Carlito blocks The Kendrick and nails the Backstabber to pick up the win at 2:18. Yep, it was short, *.
Winner: Carlito

-Video package congratulating themselves for entertaining the troops.

-Backstage, Edge is ranting to Vickie about Jeff Hardy being the WWE Champion. Big Show barges in. Show explains to Edge that in his absence, Show’s relationship with Vickie was strictly business. Edge accepts this, but expects Show to take out Hardy permanently. Show says if he does that favor, he wants a shot at the WWE title. Much to Edge’s anger, Vickie accepts.

-Michelle McCool sucks up to the guest referee in her Divas title match, Maria. Maria makes it clear that she’s going to call the match down the middle. Michelle tells Maria that she’s messed up a lot of things lately, so she better not screw her in the match. Divas Championship:
Michelle McCool © vs. Maryse
Maria is the guest referee. Maryse gets a good pop from her fellow Canadians during her entrance. Michelle gets an early near fall after a leg drop. They trade wristlocks. Michelle flips around to escape. Maryse blocks a slam and hits a legsweep for a near fall. Michelle rolls through a sunset flip and drop-kicks the head. Maryse pummels Michelle into the corner, and Maria asks for a break. Another legsweep by Maryse, cover gets 2. Camel clutch by Maryse. Michelle snapmares Maryse off her and kicks the face. Cover by Michelle gets 2.5. Maryse clotheslines but misses an elbow drop. They trade shots. Michelle picks up the momentum with some drop-kicks and a Neckbreaker. Maria is a bit slow making the count, so Maryse kicks out at 2. Maryse gets a pinning combination for 2. Michelle argues with Maria and walks into a hard kick. That gives Maryse the win for the title at 4:35. Looks like Maria “messed up” again. Match was nothing you haven’t seen a million times before from the divas, ¾*.
Winner and new Divas Champion: Maryse

-Maria checks on Michelle, who appears to be outraged. As Maria goes to leave, Michelle loses her temper and beats up poor Maria. I bet you can’t wait to see the series of matches these two will put on.

MVP vs. The Great Khali (with Ranjin Singh)
Khali has new entrance music to represent his new Punjabi Playboy persona. MVP rolls out of the ring to stall for time. MVP returns and nails some shots that Khali no-sells. Standing clothesline by Khali, who stomps MVP into the corner. Khali gets caught in the ropes, allowing MVP to get some kicks in. Khali rebounds, but MVP hangs him up in the ropes. Drive-by kick by MVP, but he runs into Khali’s fist. Double chokeslam by Khali finishes the match at 2:37. About what you’d expect, ¼*.
Winner: The Great Khali

-With MVP still laid out in the ring, Mr. Kennedy comes out to the stage. Kennedy asks Justin Roberts to hand a mic to MVP so he can talk about his match. MVP is still out cold, so Kennedy imitates what MVP might be saying (some jive about losing all the time). Kennedy plugs his new DVD, Behind Enemy Lines: Columbia. Kennedy dedicates this portion of the program to MVP and yells his own name (what a catchphrase).

-Vladimir Kozlov is storming around backstage.

Jimmy Wang Yang vs. Vladimir Kozlov
Kozlov goes right to work on taking down Yang by the arm. Overhead suplex by Kozlov is the coolest thing I’ve seen this guy do yet. Yang connects with some kicks and goes high risk. Kozlov blocks the flying cross body and plants Yang for the win at 0:58. At least he’s not using an inverted DDT as his finisher anymore. Lively squash, ¼*.
Winner: Vladimir Kozlov

-Kozlov cuts a promo in Russian. To all those watching, he uses Yang as an example of what will happen to anyone who gets in his way in the Royal Rumble.

-Big Show is getting ready for his match when Edge comes in to wish him luck. Show sees through Edge’s BS and calls him out on it. Show tells Edge to watch the match so he can see him to do Jeff Hardy what Edge can’t.

Big Show vs. Jeff Hardy
Hardy’s WWE title is not on the line. Vickie and Edge are watching the match from backstage, bickering over Vickie’s business decisions. Hardy is ridiculously over with the live crowd. Show catches Hardy with some smashes and open hand chops him into the corner. Hardy fights back, but Show blocks the Twist of Fate, and tosses the champion to the floor. Time for another commercial.

After the break, Show is stretching the arm. Hardy fights back, but gets dropped with a head butt and stepped on. Show continues to work over the arm. Cover by Big Show gets 2. Show goes to work on the shoulder with a vice grip. Hammerlock slam by Show but he misses an elbow drop. Hardy attempts a comeback but dives into a bear hug. Hardy nails Whisper in the Wind twice. Hardy goes top rope and connects with the swanton bomb. Cover by Hardy gets 2. Your finishers don’t work if they’re the ONLY moves you’ve hit all match. Hardy counters a chokeslam with a DDT. Drop-kick to the head sends Show tumbling to ringside. Hardy kicks Show into the barricade and wipes himself out on top of the big man. Hardy returns to the ring as Big Show is counted out at 7:27 (shown). Well, that was unsatisfying, *½.
Winner : Jeff Hardy

-Matt Hardy joins Jeff on the stage and they celebrate their greatness.

-Backstage, Edge is pleased that he won’t have to face Big Show next week since Show didn’t beat Jeff. Vickie decides to team Edge up with Big Show next week to face the Hardy’s. Edge isn’t pleased with this news.

Final Thoughts: Another decent, yet completely forgettable show. It’s sad how useless the Divas Championship is since absolutely no one in the crowd gave a damn about that match or the title change. Seriously, the Women’s title on Raw seems like the WWE title by comparison. The Helms/Benjamin match was very good by television standards, it would be nice to see more effort put into pushing both men. Otherwise, there wasn’t much to brag about this week, aside from how successful Jeff Hardy is these days.

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