Friday Night Smackdown!

Bridgeport, Connecticut
December 12, 2008
results thanks to pwtorch.com

[Q1]

-They show opened with Jeff Hardy jumping Triple H in the aisle. Ross said the main event hadn't started officially yet, but the two scheduled to be involved were already getting into it. Vickie Guerrero stepped out ands creamed for the wrestlers to listen to her and stop. Several referees and Chavo Guerrero separated them. Triple H broke free and knocked ref Charles Robinson into Vickie, knocking her down. Chavo burst out in laughter, then showed concern for her. Ross said it was chaotic.

[Commercial Break]

-They went to a replay of what happened at the start the show between Hardy and Triple H, plus Vickie's spill. They showed Jim Ross and Tazz at ringside. Ross said they've confirmed that the main event will still officially take place. Gee, the one time the main event was scheduled to be first on the show it now has to be rescheduled until later.

1 -- MVP vs. R-TRUTH

MVP made an abbreviated ring intro. R-Truth then rapped his way through the crowd. Ross plugged the WWE Kids magazine showing a page featuring R-Truth's workout tips. Truth carried his Slammy trophy to the ring. Tazz said it was given to him for Best Musical Performance. I'm not saying rapping while working your through a crowd is easy, but boy does he make it look difficult. R-Truth did some Elaine Bennis dance moves before locking up. Ross said MVP says his next win will begin a dynasty. Ross added: "Which proves MVP is the master of the overstatement." Ross said MVP laments his loss of his signing bonus due to his losing streak. Tazz said he feels a little sorry for him. MVP went for a powerslam. Truth had something else in mind. MVP shifted it into an awkward powerslam. Tazz said: "It does not have to be pretty to be effective." Ross said: "You and I are proof of that." (Tazz secretly thought: "Speak for yourself.") Truth sunset flipped MVP for the leverage pin.

WINNER: Truth in 3:00.

-Afterward MVP grabbed the mic and asked the crowd if they enjoyed his misery and misfortune. He bragged about being the longest-reigning U.S. Champion in WWE history, but said he now has almost nothing. He said this is supposed to be the happiest time of the year. He said he still has his pride and more money than any of the fans. He said he is and always will be better than all of the fans.

[Q2]

Mr. Kennedy's music played. As Kennedy walked out onto the stage. Truth asked what he was doing there. Kennedy got in position for the mic to lower into his hand. MVP's mic was cut. Kennedy said he's disappointed in MVP. He said MVP should be filled with holiday cheer. Mr. Kennedy snuck in a plug for his movie's DVD release, and then did his loud drawn out "Miiisssttter Kennnedddyy" bit as MVP protested and the fans cheered.

-Ross plugged that Matt Hardy specifically requested to be Edge's guest. He wondered why.

[Commercial Break]

-After showing the exterior of the arena, clips aired of the Slammy Awards and other highlights from Raw. The screen went to snowy static and then a vignette aired for a new wrestler saying he has studied the industry his whole life. He continued talking with lines right out of Raven's and Christopher Daniels' playbook. They produced it like it was an unauthorized interruption as they cut back to the Bella Twins talking to each other. Brian Kendrick walked up to them. Carlito and Primo Colon walked up and asked if there was a problem. The Bellas said Kendrick was hitting on them. Ezekiel walked out and asked if Carlito and Primo had a problem. Kendrick went from backing down to being cocky. Primo said, "If you're feeling froggy, jump." Carlito gave him a hard time for that line being lame.

[Commercial Break]

[Q3]

2 -- BRIAN KENDRICK (w/Ezekiel Jackson) vs. PRIMO COLON (w/Carlito)

Tazz said Kendrick is like the little guy in high school who's friends with the captain of the football team. Kendrick celebrated an early armdrag. Ezekiel cut off Primo at ringside as he chased after bratty and pesky Kendrick. Back in the ring, Kendrick dropkicked Primo to the floor. As Ezekiel approached, Carlito stepped up to slow that down. Primo came back at 600 with a flurry of offense. He hit a springboard crossbody block off the middle rope for a two count. When Primo climbed to the top rope, Ezekiel shoved Carlito into the ringside steps. Primo turned to Ezekiel. Kendrick blindsided Primo with a kick for the win.

WINNER: Kendrick in 7:00.

STAR RATING: **

-They went back to a clip of the Hardy-Triple H brawl at ringside, then plugged the main event again.

[Commercial Break]

[Q3]

3 -- HURRICANE HELMS vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN

Helms hit a blockbuster early, but Shelton soon took over, kicking Helms to the floor. Back in the ring he barely got a two count, then settled into a standing chinlock. At 4:00 Helms made a comeback and went for the Shining Wizard. Shelton ducked and hit a backbreaker for a two count. Helms scored a two count with what Ross called a Jack Brisco Roll-up. Helms then climbed to the top rope. Shelton jumped to the top rope to meet him. Helms shoved him down, then dove at him. Shelton caught him and slammed him face-first into the mat - or so it appeared. Instead, it was just a botched move, as Shelton basically hugged Helms and pulled him on top of him for the three count. It looked pretty bad.

WINNER: Helms in 5:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Surprising to see Helms get the win. It shows they're looking to give some new names a chance to freshen things up.

-Tazz interviewed Helms mid-ring afterward. He said he's been literally popping up lately. He asked him how he feels to back back on Smackdown. Helms said it's time for a new United States Campion. "And I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'." That was too short. Give us a little more to humanize Helms and help us relate to him beyond his catchphrase. But that was better than nothing, I supposed.

[Commercial Break]

-Edge stood in the ring at the tail end of his ring intro. He said his two opponents are tearing each other apart, but it seems everyone is pointing the fingers of blame at him. He said his guest is among those, and threw in that he's facing Vladimir Kozlov on Sunday. Ross and Edge both alluded to the history between Hardy and Edge. Hardy came out to his full intro.

[Q5]

-Hardy told Edge that no matter what spin he tries to put on things, Triple H didn't "take out" his brother. "It was you," he said. Edge said he's tired of people blaming him. "All I did was step up to the plate when Jeff couldn't do it," said Edge, adding that he won the title for the love of his life, Vickie Guerrero. Hardy said he knows what Edge is capable of. He called him the "ultimate opportunist." He said he knows more than anyone that he's the "scummiest person on the face of the planet." Edge told Hardy to quit looking at him. He said there are a lot of people in WWE who want his brother Jeff out of the business. He told him to quit being so myopic and look at the big picture. He suggested Orton, Miz & John Morrison, or Undertaker. He listed reasons they'd want revenge on Hardy. Hardy demanded the truth. Edge said he had some truth for him. "The only reason that you're getting involved in your brother's business is because nobody cares about you." The crowd booed. Hardy stood up from the stool in mid-ring. Edge said if Matt got attacked the night before a big PPV, they wouldn't be out there having that discussion. Edge said people actually care about his brother, but nobody gives a damn about him. Matt hung his head as if that stung a little. Then he punched Edge off of his stool. Kozlov walked out wearing a t-shirt that would fit in with the selection at the Tapout shop at the Mall of America. He attacked Hardy, slamming him hard mid-ring, with Edge long gone. He left Hardy lying mid-ring and returned to the back. Tazz called him frightening. Ross called him big and powerful and mean.

-They again plugged the Triple H vs. Hardy main event. Good job with the constant reminders, something they've lacked in recent weeks before other marquee main events.

[Commercial Break]

4 -- THE GREAT KHALI vs. ZACH RYDER & CURT HAWKINS

Ross called Khali "a romantic at heart." Tazz said the Khali Kiss Cam is one of his favorite features ever. Oh, Tazz, please say it isn't so.

WINNER: Khali in 2:00. Decisive and quick, with a double standing pin.

[Q6]

-Eve asked Triple H backstage for his response to the accusation that he was responsible for the Hardy attack before Survivor Series. Triple H said apparently Jeff believes it, too. He told Jeff not to flatter himself by thinking he was a big enough blip on his radar to be worth attacking him in a hotel stairwell. He said if he did, he wouldn't be standing today. He said now that Jeff has put himself in his path, he will run him down. He said at Armageddon, he doesn't care if he shows up or not, when all is said and done, he will walk out of there as the WWE champion.

[Commercial Break]

5 -- THE BELLA TWINS vs. NATALYA & MARYSE

Ross touted Natalya as being more technically sound than anyone in WWE. One Bella Twin dropkicked the other onto Natalya during a bodyslam attempt, leading to the three count.

WINNERS: Bella Twins in 5:00.

-Eve interviewed Vladimir backstage about attacking Hardy in retaliation for him winning the Beat the Clock challenge. Kozlov said he'd beat him anytime like he did earlier tonight, and then he'll go after the winner of the championship, and he doesn't care who the champion is after the PPV. "I have lost my tolerance; everyone must fall," he said.

-Ross plugged Triple H vs. Hardy again. He said it was up next.

[Q7]

[Commercial Break]

-Ross and Tazz were shown on camera at ringside. They plugged Armageddon's complete line-up.

-Ring intros began with 25 minutes left in the show. During Triple H's ring intro Ross said, "Let's try this one - more - time."

[Commercial Break]

6 -- TRIPLE H vs. JEFF HARDY

They brawled at ringside in the opening minute. Within a minute of returning to the ring, they ended up at ringside again. Hardy dove off the ring apron at Hunter, then whipped him into the steps. He followed with a running leaping kick at Hunter into the security barrier. Hunter knocked Hardy down back in the ring. Both were down and slow to get up, so they cut to a break.

[Q8]

[Commercial Break]

Triple H was on the offensive after the break. Ross said MyNetwork TV has never seen a main event this intense. They ended up on the floor again, with Hardy knocking Hunter down with a springboard bodyblock at 8:00. Tazz wondered what kind of condition both men would be in come Sunday. Ross said this match was booked by Edge's wife, Vickie. Hardy charged Hunter in the corner, but Hunter moved and Hard hit the turnbuckle hard. Hunter scored a two count. Hunter hit a Harley Race style kneedrop for a near fall on Hardy at 10:00. Triple H poked his knee into Hardy's back and applied a chinlock, then shifted to a headlock on the mat. Ross and Tazz did a nice job with commentary, both in content and inflection, appropriate to the stature and context of the match. At 14:00, after several minutes of grueling, grinding action, Triple H hit the Spinebuster for a very near fall. Triple H followed up with a Pedigree attempt. Hardy escaped and hit a Whisper in the Wind. Both me were down and slow to move. Hardy crawled over to make the cover. Triple H caught Hardy with a boot to the face. Hardy came back with a facebuster, then whipped off his shirt and began climbing the ropes. Hunter cut him off and again set up a Pedigree. Hardy backdropped out of it and went for a Swanton, but Triple H moved and Hardy landed hard. "Crash and burn," said Tazz in the most overused phrase in pro wrestling. Edge then ran to the ring and speared Triple H and then Hardy. Ross closed with a final plug for Armageddon as Edge retreated up the ramp to the back holding his cherished title belt.

WINNER: No contest in 17:00.

STAR RATING: ***3/4 -- Really good match. The interference by Edge couldn't be called disappointing because (a) it was about as predictable as anything in wrestling, and (b) it was totally the right finish two days before a PPV with all three.