Friday Night Smackdown!
Manchester, New Hampshire
January 2, 2009
results thanks to pwtorch.com
-WWE Open.
-Smackdown Open.
-JR and Tazz opened the show and plugged the main event tag match.
-Vickie Guerrero was introduced. No wheelchair! It's a Christmas miracle! She
was in a very good mood and wished everyone a happy New Year. She noted that
Jeff Hardy would face Edge for the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble. She said some
competitors would be announced tonight. Then, as she was leaving, Triple H came
out. HHH said he couldn't wait to hear his name at the top of the list of
competitors in the Rumble match and Vickie said he'd have to wait 'til later.
HHH got the fans to play along with him and noted the crowd can get unruly if
they don't get what they want but Vickie threatened to leave Trips out of the
Rumble if he kept this up. Triple H used mind games to convince her that he
needs to be in the Rumble. He even showed off the Vickie Guerrero action
figure....he said the figure looks exactly like her, then he made fun of her
weight. Vickie conceded and admitted he was in the Rumble. Trips said he was
playing with her doll earlier and the clothes came off. He took the clothes off
the doll (leaving just the bra) and said her action figure was hot. Then he said
he went on the internet looking for "information." He whispered that he found
nude photos of her. He said they were on Ebay and said the bidding expired in
nine minutes, and someone named "ChavoG2009" was also a high bidder. Trips then
did his "excuse me!" impression with the figure as Vickie ran backstage. I found
that funnier than the usual HHH comedy segment.
-Finlay, Hornswoggle, Ranjin Singh and Great Khali were messing around during a
photo shoot backstage....the two wrestlers are tagging next!
[Commercial Break]
-An "Umaga returns" video aired.
1- CURT HAWKINS & ZACK RYDER vs. FINLAY & THE GREAT KHALI
Khali immediately took out both men and did the double noggin-knocker. With the
ref distracted, Hornswoggle got involved too. Finlay tagged in and dished out
some punishment to Hawkins. He then clotheslined Ryder on the outside. That
distraction led to some yelling from Hawkins and he took over on offense as
well. It's hard to believe how far these two have fallen in the last year; I
thought for sure they were destined to be something worth investing in as the
EdgeHeads. They're in desperate need of some character advancement though.
Finlay came back to make a tag and Khali did some more attacking of both.
Punjabi Plunge on Ryder for three.
WINNER: Finlay & Khali, at 4:06. I could see Finlay & Khali becoming a
semi-permanent "odd couple" face team.
After the match, Finlay gave the Celtic Cross to Hawkins and Hornswoggle hit the
Tadpole Splash.
-Still to come, Big Show & Edge face Matt & Jeff Hardy.
[Commercial Break]
-Backstage, Eve Torres was joined by Michelle McCool as we got a clip of what
happened to cause McCool to snap last week. Michelle said she and Maria used to
be friends but Maria got jealous and cost her the title last week. Eve tried to
play peacemaker but Michelle just insulted her.
-Edge and Vickie were backstage where Edge was raging about Vickie's pictures
being on Ebay. Big Show, also in the room, said he saw the pictures. Vickie got
up and left as Edge took issue with Show talking about his wife. Show said Edge
should be embarrassed, but about hiding behind Vickie. Edge said Show should be
embarrassed about being knocked out by a flyweight at WrestleMania. He told Show
to knock out Jeff Hardy tonight.
-Jesse and Festus came out and will be in action next.
[Commercial Break]
2- JESSE & FESTUS vs. EZEKIEL JACKSON & THE BRIAN KENDRICK
Oh c'mon, now Ezekiel has the red tights; now he's inviting MORE comparisons to
Ahmed Johnson. Some teamwork by the faces cleaned house on the heels. Jesse
worked over Kendrick and tagged in Festus. Festus missed a charge but caught
Kendrick on a cross-body attempt. But Festus tweaked his knee and Kendrick, then
Ezekiel after a tag, honed in on that body part. Festus recovered enough to tag
Jesse, who was all over Kendrick. Not much crowd heat for the faces. Eventually,
Festus and Zeke got involved. Zeke made a blind tag when Jesse was on offense
and surprised the country boy with a uranage to finish them off.
WINNERS: Jackson & Kendrick, at 4:42. And the heels are back on track. This was
a bit more energetic than I expected.
-A third tag match is coming up tonight, but this one is the main event.
[Commercial Break]
3- VLADIMIR KOZLOV vs. HURRICANE HELMS
Kozlov dodged a few Hurri-kicks and went to work on Helms' left arm. Jeez, right
off the bat he went for a mat-hold. Helms tried to fight out and came back until
Kozlov locked his arms and gave some headbutts to the chest of Helms. Kozlov
took Helms down again with the arm. Helms slammed Helms across the top rope,
then hit the fallaway slam. Helms got Kozlov down to one knee and attempted the
Shining Wizard, but Vlad met him with a headbutt, then his finisher for the win.
WINNER: Kozlov, at 4:18. Got Kozlov more over as a machine, but it wasn't
particularly entertaining.
-Coming up next, the Royal Rumble entrants from Smackdown will be announced. I
wonder why they decided to forego qualifying matches this year?
-A behind the scenes look at Behind Enemy Lines Colombia aired.
[Commercial Break]
-Jim Ross was in the ring to present the Smackdown Royal Rumble participants.
Oh, it's only "some" of them. First is Triple H. The Big Show, Vladimir Kozlov
and Shelton Benjamin. As JR was going to announce something (or someone) else,
Shelton and his music interrupted. He took umbrage with JR simply introducing
him as a "participant," rather than the odds-on-favorite he should've been
announced as. He told JR to get out of the ring then showed off his US Title and
bragged about his title reign thus far. He said no one in the Rumble match can
compare with his talents. The Undertaker's voice came over the PA system, the
lights went out, and when they came on, he was in the ring. He then chokeslammed
Shelton. He was the other participant JR was about to mention.
[Commercial Break]
-What was likely the final Kizarny promo aired- same one from last week.
-Michelle McCool came to the ring. God, she's getting MORE mic time? She said a
friend said something to her earlier that made her think, and she wanted to
apologize to Maria. Maria wasn't in the building because of what happened last
week. Michelle said she hoped Maria would accept her apology. Michelle said she
had one more person to apologize to and that was Eve Torres, who she called to
the ring. McCool said she took out her anger on Eve earlier and wanted to
apologize. Eve accepted and they hugged. Even then left the ring. Out of nowhere
and from behind, Michelle nailed her good into the barricade. She did some
damage to the facial region, then kneed her right in the face. Michelle grabbed
her hair for the "crazy" look then slammed Eve into the ring apron. She kept
beating on Eve until a few refs came down to break it up.
-Backstage, Vickie complimented Chavo for an unheard idea he had but she was
still distraught about the pictures. Chavo claimed he hadn't seen them. Triple H
walked in. She demanded an apology from him but he said she should apologize to
him. She put him in three matches next week- a tables match, handicap match and
Last Man Standing match. Apparently, it's called "Triple Jeopardy." Couldn't
they think of a better pun using "Triple" since it's in his name too?
[Commercial Break]
4- MVP vs. KIZARNY
Before the match, MVP was so down-trodden he just wanted them to bring out
whoever his opponent is and to get it over with. No bragging, no nothing. Crowd
was chanting for "MVP" at the start, but Kizarny did get a decent pop coming
out. Kizarny got some offense then baseball slid MVP to the outside. He dove
through the ropes and onto MVP. Cross-body from the second rope got one. MVP
headbutted Kizarny in the gut and threw Kizarny to the outside. He hung Kizarny
out to dry on the barricade. In the ring, he got a two-count. Waist-lock applied
by MVP. MVP stayed on the offense and face-planted him into the mat. Back to the
waist-lock. Belly-to-belly throw by MVP, but Kizarny came back with a
jaw-breaker. Dropkick to MVP's leg, then a running seated dropkick. Kizarny
bounced MVP's head off the three turnbuckles in the corner then made a unique
cover on MVP. It only got two. Playmaker was countered with a double-arm roll-up
for the pin.
WINNER: Kizarny, at 6:29. I don't know if the finisher was botched or what, but
it looked weak. Didn't seem to me to be an impressive debut from the carny.
Mr. Kennedy came out after the match to make fun of MVP and also plug his
straight-to-DVD movie.
-Coming up next, The Hardy Boys re-united to face Edge and Big Show.
[Commercial Break]
-JR and Tazz discussed the Triple Jeopardy situation Triple H got him in for
next week. Also, the WWE Tag Titles are on the line when Carlito & Primo defend
against Kendrick & Ezekiel.
-Edge came out for the main event and demanded that the fans respect he and his
wife. He also said that he would be a seven-time champion after Royal Rumble.
Edge said the fans blame him for everything like hitting on the lonely Vickie
Guerrero and taking out Jeff Hardy. He said the two of them are still in love
(he and Vickie) and that he didn't injure Jeff. He said when Hardy's reign comes
to an end, then blame him.
[Commercial Break]
5- EDGE & BIG SHOW vs. MATT & JEFF HARDY
Edge and Matt Hardy started the match off and then Jeff tagged in and the
brothers took out Edge and Show. They tried to throw Edge onto Show,but the big
man simply caught him. The heels tried to re-group going into break.
[Commercial Break]
Edge was in control of the WWE Champion out of break. Jeff hit a Whisper in the
Wind then Matt came in and missed a moonsault. Edge tagged Big Show who did some
damage to Matt. Edge tagged in as the match slowed a bit. He worked the arm and
rib area of Matt. Show lifted Matt by the arm and slammed him down. JR compared
Show's fingers to railroad spikes and Tazz said they were as thick as sausages.
Show and Edge cut off the ring as they worked Matt over. Matt back-dropped Edge
but couldn't make the tag as Edge rolled him up for two. Show, unprovoked,
walked away from the match and went backstage, just like on the Tribute to the
Troops show (only he was provoked by Jericho then). Edge looked confused, but
set up to spear Matt. Matt got the boot up then hit a Side Effect and both men
were down. Tag was made to Jeff, who hit his usual offense on Edge. Poetry in
Motion was hit by the brothers and Matt hit a bulldog. Then he landed the Twist
of Fate and tagged Jeff, who hit the Swanton and made the pin.
WINNERS: Matt & Jeff Hardy, at 14:06. Solid main event that set up some things
with Edge and Big Show but I hope they don't turn Show face again already.