Friday Night Smackdown!

Albany, New York
August 31, 2007 
thanks to: wwe.com

Conquests and champions
By Lennie DiFino
August 31, 2007

ALBANY, N.Y. – Rey Mysterio’s return to Friday Night SmackDown saw the high-flying Superstar take part in the Championship Competition to name the No. 1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship held by The Great Khali. Also participating were Finlay, Kane and Rey’s longtime friend Batista. Finlay defeated Kane in controversial fashion and then interrupted the match between The Animal and Mysterio, giving Rey the victory via disqualification. In the final match, The Irishman took on the Master of the 619, with Rey managing to come out on top to earn a championship match at Unforgiven. The Great Khali made his way to the ring, and the two SmackDown Superstars had the most lopsided stare down in the history of sports-entertainment.

From bitter rivals in the ring to a formidable tag team, United States Champion MVP and Matt Hardy took on the WWE Tag Team Champions Deuce & Domino. The champions attacked both MVP and Matt last week during the One-on-One Basketball Challenge, and the U.S. Champion and Hardy looked for retribution. While the young North Carolinian fought his hardest, MVP concentrated on Deuce’s girl Cherry outside the ring. When Hardy tagged in his partner in a highly unorthodox manner, the cocky MVP retaliated and then picked up the victory to crown new WWE Tag Team Champions.

Hoping to shake off the embarrassment of this past Monday night on Raw, Mr. McMahon was in Albany as the search for his illegitimate son continued. Jonathan Coachman paraded out a host of women he believed could be behind the paternity suit, and the Chairman was taken down memory lane once again. The women spoke of their experiences with Mr. McMahon and our fans saw the Chairman in an opposite light from the picture painted on Monday by Triple H. Mr. McMahon then had stern warnings for the rest of the McMahon family –words of warning that will play out Monday on Raw when Linda, Stephanie and Shane return to WWE – with their lawyers.

Warnings should be issued every time Mark Henry enters an arena and the self-proclaimed silverback once again proved that case. Henry made his colossal presence felt as Eugene interacted with our fans in Albany, demolishing the happy-go-lucky Superstar. After the destruction that has become accustomed to any Superstar in Henry’s path, another video played that showcased the return of Undertaker. Has the confidence of the World’s Strongest Man placed him directly in the path of The Phenom?

One Superstar who has returned to SmackDown with a new fire is Chuck Palumbo. The revved-up Superstar took the Masterlock Challenge issued by Chris Masters, but Masters attacked Palumbo before the challenge could happen. Palumbo managed to fight off Masters, and the two exchanged glares and words as the Masterpiece exited the arena.

Hoping to offer his own challenge to a championship is cruiserweight Jamie Noble. The No. 1 contender to Hornswoggle’s Cruiserweight Championship told Shannon Moore that he will challenge SmackDown’s leprechaun when he is ready. After humiliation in his first few encounters with Hornswoggle, Noble may want to rethink his strategy before he ends up on the short end of another Hornswoggle embarrassment.

 Matches

Finaly def. Kane

United States Champion MVP and Matt Hardy def. Deuce & Domino to become WWE Tag Team Champions

Rey Mysterio def. Batista (Disqualification)

Masterlock Challenge - Chris Masters vs. Chuch Palumbo (No Contest)

Rey Mysterio def. Finlay to become No. 1 contender to World Heavyweight Championship