Friday Night Smackdown!

Manchester, England
November 21, 2008
results thanks to pwtorch.com

-WWE Open.

-They showed clips of the new, extreme Jeff Hardy, including his match last week with Undertaker.

-Smackdown Open.

-JR welcomed viewers to the show and noted that Triple H will face Jeff Hardy, plus Undertaker will give Big Show his Last Rites tonight.

1- R-TRUTH & MATT HARDY vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN & MARK HENRY

Benjamin and Truth traded right hands until Truth got the advantage, and then Hardy tagged in. Truth came back in and grounded Benjamin. This match looks like it’s going in slow-motion, especially Benjamin. Shelton elbowed Truth down, but the former K-Kwik got a one-count off a dropkick. Some double-teaming by the faces led to a clothesline of Shelton over the top rope and to the outside.

[Commercial Break]

Shelton Benjamin one-upped Hardy thanks to Mark Henry’s interference. The big man then tagged in to do some legal damage. Shelton and Henry continued to do harm to the ECW Champion. Henry missed an Earthquake-like butt splash in the corner, and Hardy was able to tag R-Truth. Shelton also tagged in, but R-Truth was cleaning house. Henry broke up a pin attempt and both men were down. Truth danced right into a Samoan drop. Hardy got involved, taking out Tony Atlas and Henry. Benjamin missed the Blinger splash and Truth connected with the flying forearm. Axe kick finished it.

WINNERS: Truth & Hardy, at 12:34. Fine TV match, but seemed to miss a second gear.

-This week’s John Cena hype video aired.

[Commercial Break]

-JR plugged Hardy vs. Triple H tonight. Eve Torres was backstage with Triple H. He couldn’t concentrate at first, as Eve seems to have had breast enhancement surgery. HHH then asked her if they were real. He then asked to touch them. Eve said he could, and he touched the pearls on her necklace, so THAT’S what he was talking about. Triple H finally got around to cutting the promo on Kozlov and Hardy. Kozlov walked in and told Triple H that his days as champion were numbered. HHH told Eve that Kozlov couldn’t take his eyes off them either.

-Maria and Festus were backstage. She said she was disappointed in her match with Michelle McCool last week and that Festus is a good listener. John Morrison and The Miz walked in and wished Festus luck in his match later. Morrison said he saw some pictures of Maria on WWE.com this week and said it’s amazing what airbrushing can do. Miz kept patting Festus hard on the chest and shoulder as Festus stood there an took it.

[Commercial Break]

2- JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ vs. JESSE & FESTUS

Miz provided the distraction for Festus at the bell while Morrison got some offense in. That didn’t last too long, as Festus cornered Morrison and made the tag to Jesse. Springboard spin-kick by Morrison, and a nice one at that. Festus tagged in and took it to Miz and Morrison. As he was about to hit a big splash, Morrison got the bell and rang it. Miz through Jesse out of the ring. He slapped Festus and hit his finisher for three. After that, Morrison hit the Moonlight Drive on Jesse.

WINNERS: Morrison & Miz, at 2:47. Not much of a match, seems to have been done solely for storyline purposes.

-Jeff Hardy vs. Triple H is next.

[Commercial Break]

-Smackdown’s overseas tour was shown in pictures.

3- JEFF HARDY vs. TRIPLE H

Jeff had the racoon look going this week. Jeff extended his hand in sportsmanship, but then opened up right hands right on Triple H. Head-scissors take-over by Hardy. Hardy hit Trips, who was on the outside, with a loose clothesline off the apron. Low dropkick got two for Hardy. He’s been all offense two minutes in. Hardy missed his corner dropkick and both men were down. Triple H got up and went for a Pedigree, but Hardy got out and turned it into a monkey-flip. HHH dodged a Hardy cross-body attempt, and Jeff rolled all the way to the floor.

[Commercial Break]

HHH was applying his knee directly to the forehead (and back of the head) of Jeff Hardy upon return from break. Trips whipped Jeff hard into the turnbuckle, and that got The Game a near fall. Jeff briefly fought back, only to be downed by a clothesline. Abdominal Stretch by HHH. Triple H uses the knee, as per his usual, and got a two-count. Big-time spinebuster by Triple H. Another Pedigree attempt, but Hardy back-dropped out of it. Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind for two. I don’t think the crowd is mic’d well or something, as I can only hear them react to high-spots. The rest of the time there’s not even a buzz, it’s just silence. HHH took his dumb whip into the turnbuckle and over to the outside. Front suplex slam by Hardy, who then went to the top. Hardy missed the Swanton and as both men were down, Vladimir Kozlov came out. HHH knocked him off the apron. Hardy ran toward HHH, who ducked, and Hardy jumped onto Kozlov on the outside. HHH suplexed Hardy back in, but Jeff rolled him up for three.

WINNER: Hardy, at 15:42. Why am I not surprised Hardy didn’t win with one of his finishers, or at least a credible move? Especially after all his losses to The Game, it wouldn’t hurt to get a semi-decent win against him under his belt; instead, it’s a fluke roll-up.

After the match, Kozlov beat up both Hardy and HHH.

-Undertaker gives Big Show his Last Rites, tonight.

[Commercial Break]

-Ezekiel and The Brian Kendrick were walking down a hallway when they were stopped by a stage-hand. He told Kendrick he couldn’t go down that way, and that he had to back-track and go around. Kendrick knocked the drink out of his hand and laughed as they continued walking. Well that was a whole ‘lotta nothing.

4- PRIMO & CARLITO vs. THE BRIAN KENDRICK & EZEKIEL JACKSON

Hurricane made his first Hurrapop of the show, asking if Kendrick told Koko B. Ware he was doin’ the bird. The Colons now have matching tights. Primo trash-talked Zeke a bit, giving Kendrick the chance to take over. He even headbutted Primo in the chest. Tag in to Carlito, who pounded away on Kendrick in the corner. Kendrick did a back-crawl to his corner to tage Zeke. The muscle behind Kendrick’s success just ran right over Carlito with a shoulderblock. Running knee to the head by Kendrick after tagging in. Carlito tagged Primo in and he cleaned house on Kendrick, and even took it to Zeke on the outside. Primo with a big monkey-flip out of the corner on Kendrick. Primo went for a pin but it was broken up by Zeke. All four men in the ring as Jackson dumped Carlito to the outside on a press slam. He dragged Kendrick to their corner and tagged himself in. Uranage for three on Primo.

WINNERS: Jackson & Kendrick, at 3:48. Just a match to give Jackson more in-ring credibility and perhaps lead to them challenging for the titles down the road.

-Taker gives Show his Last Rites tonight.

[Commercial Break]

-Kizarny this week, with a man who swung a bowling ball with his ears. He IS Kizarny.

-A video package aired on the Undertaker-Big Show feud.

-JR and Tazz previewed the Survivor Series card.

-Hardy was backstage, yelling at the camera about Kozlov and HHH while the camera was moving back and forth, making me sea-sick.

[Commercial Break]

5- MVP vs. JAMES MASON

MVP offered Mason a chance to back out of the match, but he didn’t take it. Tazz commented on Mason’s ugly tights. He has a point. MVP toyed with Mason, including landing a running kick. As he was going for a cover, Khali’s music hit and he and Rajin Singh came out. MVP clotheslined Mason down in the ring. Mason got the roll-up and the victory! MASON WINS! MASON WINS!

WINNER: Mason, at 1:14. I expect MVP to lose in a woman’s match next week. Khali chopped MVP in the head after the match.

[Commercial Break]

-The Raw Rebound aired.

6- NIKKI & BRIE BELLA vs. VICTORIA & NATALYA

Victoria worked the arm of one of the twins. Somehow, Tazz figured out it was Nikki. Blind tag by Brie, and they did a rolling leg-lock. Nattie tagged in, but got slapped in the face by Brie. Roll-up for two. Quick tags by the faces, but as Nikki was running the ropes, Victoria kicked her in the back. Brie charged and attacked Victoria, only to be returned to her corner by referee Kevin Keenan. Victoria hit her spinning side slam for two. Hot tag to Brie as she took out Victoria and Natalya. Crowd didn’t seem to be into the girls. Widow’s Peak was hit on Brie, but Nikki dropkicked Victoria. Natalya tried to get involved, but the ref held her back. The twins switched and when Victoria’s back was turned, she was rolled up for three.

WINNERS: The Bella Twins, at 3:45. Not great, but could’ve been much worse. The twins don’t seem to bad in the ring thus far.

-Undertaker gives the Last Rites to Big Show next!

[Commercial Break]

-The arena was dark and the casket set up in the ring. Undertaker came out to his usual pomp and circumstance. Taker said at Survivor Series, he and Big Show will settle their differences in a Casket Match. Taker said that the casket would be Show’s final resting place on earth. Yikes. Undertaker said Show’s sins against mankind would be paid in full. Then Big Show himself came out. Show looked slightly intimidated as Chavo and Vickie (in her wheelchair) joined him out on the entranceway. Show said he has already beaten Taker plenty of times and has the power of the punch behind them. Taker opened the casket, distracting Big Show. The lights went out, and Taker had Vickie by the throat in the ring when they turned back on. He lifter her and put her in the coffin and shut the lid. Chavo was yelling at Show to get into the ring and help, but he was very hesitant. Show threw Chavo into the ring an d Taker picked him up and pounded away at him. Show then got in the ring while Taker was distracted and released Vickie from the casket. Chavo got Tombstoned in the ring, then put in the casket. Show and Vickie looked on from the aisle, and Show looked none too enthused about having to fight Taker in a Casket Match this Sunday.