Friday Night Smackdown!
Reading, Pennsylvania
January 25, 2008
Chamber mates
By Lennie DiFino
February 1, 2008
READING, Pa. – With General Manager Vickie
Guerrero sidelined this week after being injured while protecting her lover Edge
at Royal Rumble, Theodore Long was given the power on Friday Night SmackDown,
and the Assistant GM wasted little time in making big moves involving No Way
Out.
Claiming SmackDown would not be outdone by Raw, Long announced to our fans that
there would be an unprecedented second Elimination Chamber Match on pay-per-view
involving Superstars from SmackDown and ECW: Batista, Big Daddy V, MVP, The
Great Khali, Finlay and Undertaker. (WATCH) The prize for the Superstar who
comes out of the Chamber victorious at No Way Out: An opportunity at the World
Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXIV. All six Chamber competitors saw
action on Friday night, hoping to gain early momentum two weeks before the
showdown in the sadistic structure.
To hell and back
Undertaker reunited with his brother Kane on SmackDown to defeat the team of Big
Daddy V & Mark Henry. The Most Dominant Force in WWE and the World’s Strongest
Man were looking for revenge after last week when The Phenom took down Big Daddy
V with a new submission maneuver — a move Henry said had “gone too far.” Both
Kane and The Deadman have had their difficulties with the dangerous duo of Big
Daddy V & Henry in 2-on-1 assaults, but on SmackDown, the Brothers of
Destruction evened the odds.
Unleashing the brutality they have exhibited repeatedly, the “Brothers Grimm”
proved why they are one of the most intimidating duos in WWE history. Once more,
Undertaker used his new submission maneuver, this time forcing Mark Henry to
bleed from his mouth and submit, reminiscent of Big Daddy V last week.
If you can't beat ‘em, really beat ‘em
In a Royal Rumble rematch, United States Champion and Chamber participant MVP
looked to once again end the career of Ric Flair in a Career Threatening Match.
This past Sunday, MVP was unsuccessful in his bid to be the man who beat “the
man” into retirement. In his second opportunity to cement his place in
sports-entertainment history, MVP again failed when he refused to break his
reversal of Flair’s Figure Four Leglock, causing the disqualification.
The Franchise Playa then delivered a vicious assault to the “Nature Boy,”
leaving the 16-time World Champion injured. Will the Ballin’ Superstar’s beating
put Flair’s career in jeopardy when he faces Mr. Kennedy at No Way Out, or will
“Naitch” show the resilience he has shown throughout his 35 years in
sports-entertainment and keep “wooing” our fans?
True loyalty?
After protecting Hornswoggle from harm in the Royal Rumble Match this past
Sunday, Finlay, one of the six Superstars competing in the Elimination Chamber
at No Way Out, teamed up with his pint-sized partner to defeat the reeling Deuce
& Domino. Hornswoggle spent most of this past Sunday under the ring, but as Big
Daddy V & Mark Henry prepared to destroy him, Finlay saved the little guy. When
confronted by Mr. McMahon on SmackDown for his Rumble motives, the Irishman told
the Chairman that his reasons were his “loyalty and friendship” to Hornswoggle.
Eve’s debut
2007 Diva Search Winner Eve made her debut on SmackDown, and the newest Diva’s
first task was interviewing Batista about the upcoming Elimination Chamber Match
at No Way Out. The Animal told Eve and our fans that he would win the match and
go on to WrestleMania XXIV to challenge for the title.
Broken bonds
One week after causing injury to his “best friend,” Chuck Palumbo’s apology to
Michelle McCool seemed sincere, until Palumbo began blaming Jamie Noble for his
actions last week. Chuck’s words weren’t what McCool wanted to hear, and the
SmackDown Diva decided to make a statement of her own, slapping the revved-up
Superstar across the face in the middle of the wrong and rejecting his apology.
(WATCH)
Streak stopped
Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore had been on an impressive winning streak over
the past few weeks, but it ended at the hands of Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder on
SmackDown. Yang & Moore have quickly become one of the top tag teams in WWE, but
Hawkins & Ryder have designs of their own to take over the tag division.
This is the face of a returning Superstar
Jesse told our fans that next week, he and Festus will return to SmackDown.
Festus has been out of action while receiving treatment for his bizarre
personality condition. What will the duo do in their return to Friday nights and
will Festus be cured? WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison speak out
on Jesse & Festus' return.
Guerrero Family matters
World Heavyweight Champion Edge was informed earlier in the night by Assistant
GM Theodore Long that he would face Rey Mysterio at No Way Out in a rematch for
the title. The Rated-R Superstar then teamed with ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero to
take on Mysterio & CM Punk. This past Tuesday on ECW on Sci Fi, Punk attacked
Guerrero during the ECW Champion’s fiesta, furthering their rivalry in the Land
of the Extreme. The Master of the 619 & the Straightedge Superstar showed Edge &
Chavo that their dreams of taking the gold from the respective champions have
only intensified.
Matches
Ric Flair def. United States Champion MVP (Career Threatening Match, Non-title,
Disqualification)
Rey Mysterio & CM Punk def. World Heavyweight Champion Edge & ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero
Finlay & Hornswoggle def. Deuce & Domino
Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder def. Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore
Undertaker & Kane def. Big Daddy V & Mark Henry