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.