Friday Night Smackdown!
Phoenix, Arizona
August 28, 2009
results thanks to pwtorch.com
-WWE Open.
-Smackdown Open.
-JR welcomed fans to the desert as he plugged C.M. Punk vs. Jeff Hardy in a
Steel Cage Match later tonight for the World Heavyweight Championship.
-Justin Roberts introduced “the new, and only, straight edge champion in WWE
history, C.M. Punk.” Punk limped out from the back, with the World Title around
his waist. Punk had a look of smug self-satisfaction on his face. In fact, the
first thing he said was, “I told you so.” In case we were too intoxicated to
remember, he showed highlights of his match from Summerslam. The dramatic music
and Hardy falling off the ladder in slo-mo was kind of funny. Punk said he never
felt so alive than he did at that very moment. He talked about the pain he felt
from the match and called it the most brutal match of his entire career. And
naturally, he said he hasn’t taken a thing for the pain. Punk accused the fans
of reaching for their extra-strength medication at even the smallest headache.
Physical pain wasn’t the only kind he felt at Summerslam, he said, as everyone
was robbed of his moment by the evil Undertaker. Then we saw footage of Taker’s
reappearance at Summerslam.
Punk whined that he has to fight in a Steel Cage Match tonight after the pain
he’s in. Punk cried conspiracy from the higher-ups, because everyone fears what
they don’t understand. He said he’s a pioneer and he’s the role model this world
needs. Once again, he reminded fans that “straight edge” is better than everyone
else. Then Jeff Hardy’s music interrupted and the former World Champion came out
with a little less of a pronounced limp than Punk. He got in the ring and soaked
in the cheers of his faithful. Hardy said Punk’s reign as straight-edge champion
would end tonight. Hardy reminded Punk of the steel cage match that will decide
the champion later on. Punk said he knows Hardy is probably intoxicated right
now, but just how intoxicated is he that he would get the guts to come out and
face him in the ring? He said he was sick and tired of hearing fans boo him;
seeing young, impressionable children cheering a guy like Hardy. He said he was
fed up with the fans and with Hardy. He told Jeff one of them doesn’t belong in
WWE anymore. A stipulation was brought up by Punk, that being the loser leaves
WWE. He went through what it’ll mean if Hardy wins and if he wins.
Hardy took his time, walking back and forth, and looking at the fans for an
answer. Kinda like the contestants do on “The Price is Right.” Hardy said it was
risky and crazy, but said it’s on. Then Teddy Long came on. Long OK’d the match
and said the loser of the match will no longer be in WWE, but the winner would
defend the World Title at Breaking Point. He said it would be a Submission match
against The Undertaker. What has he done to earn the shot since his return? I
guess at this point, they’d be looking at his entire body of work. Small gripe
aside, very good segment.
[Commercial Break]
-They showed some Arizona Cardinals sitting at ringside for the show.
1- JOHN MORRISON & MATT HARDY vs. THE HART DYNASTY
Short-arm clothesline by Hardy, shades of Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Morrison
then tagged in and did his fancy hand-spring legdrop. The faces double-teamed
Tyson Kidd, resulting in a two-count. Natalya got on the apron long enough to
break Hardy’s concentration, and Kidd took advantage. Grisham noted that David
Hart Smith had “great wrestling DNA.” He went to work on Hardy, but Matt dodged
a neck-breaker and landed a reverse DDT. Morrison tagged in and hit a standing
dropkick. Standing shooting-star press (that didn’t catch much of Smith) got a
two count. Kidd tried to get involved but was sent to ringside by Hardy, who
followed up with a clothesline off the apron. Enziguiri-like kick by Morrison,
followed by Starship Pain on Smith for the win.
WINNERS: Morrison and Hardy, at 3:32. JR said he doesn’t think any less of the
Harts after this match, but it’s hard not to. Only three-and-a-half minutes?
They just beat Jeff Hardy, got some rub from that match, and this is how they
capitalize?
-A lot on the line in the main event steel cage match. Loser leaves WWE, winner
walks out as World Champion. It’s still to come.
[Commercial Break]
-Melina was backstage with Maria and Melina seemed concerned about her dating
Dolph Ziggler. Maria asked why everyone just can’t be happy for her. Apparently,
after Summerslam, Dolph was cavorting around with another woman, and Melina saw
it. Melina said she wished she hadn’t seen it. Maria said that maybe Melina is
jealous of her. Does she have a boyfriend that cares about her? Melina told
Maria she should ask herself that question. Nice. Then Ziggler walked up as
Melina walked away. Ziggler asked what that was about and Maria told Ziggler.
Dolph admitted he was with another woman- his sister, who was in town for
Summerslam. Ziggler said he’d never hurt Maria.
2- DREW MCINTYRE vs. R-TRUTH
McIntyre had Phil Collins-like theme music. He was “currently in the ring.” As
Truth sang his way into the ring, McIntyre assaulted him before he could finish.
He gave some knees to the chest of Truth, then a double-arm DDT it appeared.
McIntyre got the mic and told everyone that he’s sorry to ruin everyone’s party.
He said the people may like to be entertained, but he’s Drew McIntyre, and the
party is over.
WINNER: No Match.
[Commercial Break]
-They showed a replay of McIntyre’s attack before the break.
-Michelle McCool was at ringside, on crutches, sitting ringside this week
instead of doing guest commentary. McCool got a mic and said the people paid
good money to see her fight tonight, but after Melina’s brutal attack last week
(her words), she has an injured knee and isn’t medically cleared. She said
Melina ruined the night for everyone. She introduced Melina’s opponent, Layla.
That’s intimidating.
2- LAYLA vs. MELINA
Layla grabbed the arm and kicked at Melina’s upper back. Melina got her feet up
on a corner charge, then hit a back elbow and a clothesline. Melina favored her
ankle a bit and Layla went after it with a low dropkick. Melina’s comeback
consisted simply of her catching Layla coming off the ropes and hitting her
finisher, then making the pinfall.
WINNER: Melina, at 1:30.
Melina went right to ringside after the match and shoved a helpless McCool over
the chair that was behind her. What a bully! First she tries to break up Ziggler
and Maria, then she shoves McCool over for just standing there. In WWE world,
this makes you a face.
[Commercial Break]
-Grisham thanked Aerosmith for allowing them to use “You Gotta Move” as the
Summerslam theme. JR the plugged WWE.com.
-They showed a video package of WWE’s weekend events leading up to Summerslam in
Southern California.
-Rey Mysterio came out for his match with Kane. They showed clips of the I.C.
Title match from Summerslam during Rey’s entrance. They also showed the match-up
of Mysterio vs. Ziggler at Breaking Point. The match is next.
[Commercial Break]
3- REY MYSTERIO vs. KANE
The match started after Kane made his entrance. Kane started off hot (no pun
intended), kicking away at Rey while he was on the ground. Rey fought back,
including sliding under Kane’s legs, but Kane clotheslined him down hard.
Sidewalk slam for two by the big man. Rey fought out of a bearhug on the mat,
but succumbed to a low dropkick from Kane for two. Kane tried another slam, but
a headscissors took Kane down face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Seated
senton, then Rey jumped on Kane, who fell on his back for two. Off the top, Rey
ran right into a right handed thrust to the throat for a two-count. Rey
dropkicked the knee of Kane into the 619 position, but Kane grabbed him in a
choke. A second time, this time Rey put him on the middle rope with a
hurricanrana. Kane dodged Rey trying to hit him on the outside and Rey ran into
a big boot. He picked Rey up and slammed him into the ring post chest-first. The
ref warned him to get Rey into the ring or he’ll disqualify him. Kane did it
anyway, and subsequently was DQ’d.
WINNER: Rey, via DQ, at 4:50. Not bad for what it was. I’ve seen worse from
these two.
Great Khali came out after the match to attack Kane. Khali tried a Punjabi
Plunge, but Kane jumped over the top rope. He landed like he was thrown over
though, but Khali released him as soon as Kane left his feet. Ranjin Singh hit
Kane with a Singapore Cane on the outside, then Kane did as well. Khali kept
hitting Kane with it as he chased him to the back. Then Ziggler came out and hit
Rey with his finisher. He was very intense, yelling that he should be champion
to Rey and the fans.
-The main event steel cage match for the World Title is still to come- loser
leaves WWE.
[Commercial Break]
-After a shot of the big cage hanging over the ring, Chris Jericho and Big Show
came out. Oh, Jericho has a match. But he got the mic first. He called he and
Show the most powerful team in sports today. He reminded everyone that Floyd
Mayweather cheated to help MVP and Mark Henry win on Raw this past week. Jericho
said he’s going to do what great teams do: Prevail and be victorious, like great
teams do. What, no mention of the Cards choking in the Super Bowl yet? Jericho
said he and Show are men of principle and honesty. “Unified....tag
team....champions” was Show’s only contribution.
4- CHRIS JERICHO vs. SHAD GASPARD
Jericho had a nice raspberry on the side of his jaw, perhaps from this Monday.
Shad mixed some offensive firepower and some taunting of Jericho into the
opening minute. High knee-lift from Shad. He press-slammed one half of the tag
champions, then just dropped him down. Shad caught Jericho trying a cross-body,
and slammed him down. Jericho got pulled out of the ring by Show on the pin
attempt. That led to JTG attacking Big Show on the outside. Shad came to help
him, then Jericho got involved. That led to Teddy Long coming out and making it
a tag match that will continue after the break. Eerie, since TNA did the exact
same thing last night (except they re-started it later in the show).
WINNER: No Contest, about 1:45 (no bell).
[Commercial Break]
5- CHRIS JERICHO & BIG SHOW vs. CRYME TYME
Match had already been re-started out of break. JTG was sent to the outside by
Jericho, where Show slapped him hard in the chest. Show tagged in as Jericho
proclaimed him a destroyer. Show worked the leg and knee of JTG. Jericho, back
in, missed a charge and went shoulder-first into the post, allowing JTG to make
the tag to Shad. Shad continued where he left off, taking the fight to Jericho.
He got a side slam, but Show made the blind tag. By the time Shad realized what
had happened, he was already on the mat after one solid right hand to the face
by Big Show. End match.
WINNERS: Jericho & Big Show, at 2:33. Neither of these matches had time to get
going. Did JR just call Big Show’s punch a “carcinogenic right hand”?
-JR mentioned, and a graphic showed, that the University of Phoenix Stadium
would host Wrestlemania in 2010.
-Stills of Undertaker’s return at Summerslam were shown. He returns to Smackdown
next week in Cleveland.
-Jeff Hardy was applying his face-paint backstage. Matt was right there with him
and wished him good luck tonight. He said Jeff has always been a gambler, and he
can respect that. He said he respects Jeff and told him to win back his World
Heavyweight Title. He said in the future, it’ll be time for the Hardys to take
over Smackdown. Jeff said he lives for the moment, and the moment is now.
-The cage began to lower in the arena. I’m presuming that entrances will take
place next.
[Commercial Break]
-During Hardy’s entrance (and curiously, they didn’t wait ‘til both men got in
the ring to do announcements), Punk attacked him and catapulted him into the
steel cage. That explains the lack of in-ring introductions. Punk had his left
shoulder taped. He hip-tossed Hardy onto the mat outside the ring. Punk finally
threw Hardy into the ring and the match officially began.
6- JEFF HARDY vs. C.M. PUNK- STEEL CAGE MATCH FOR THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP- LOSER LEAVES WWE
Punk went to climb the cage as soon as he got in, but Hardy wasn’t having it. He
was able to pull Punk back in, but couldn’t capitalize with offense. Suplex in
the middle of the ring by Punk after he was thwarted on another attempt to
leave. He went up a third time in the first two minutes, but again, Hardy was
able to reach him. Punk slammed Hardy’s head against the top of the cage, and
Hardy fell down. Punk registered a two-count. Grisham tried to get in some deep
word-play about the match that he probably stayed up late at night thinking of,
but hilariously, JR interrupted him by calling the match. Punk tried to send
Hardy head-first into the cage, but Hardy turned it around and did the same with
Punk. Jeff landed Whisper in the Wind for two. After he couldn’t get the pin,
they went to break.
[Commercial Break]
Hardy kicked Punk off of him as he tried to leave the cage, then jumped onto
Punk in the ring. Hardy tried to leave through the door, but Punk wouldn’t let
him take the easy way out, like he does by taking pills and alcohol every day.
Sorry, Punk’s promos seeped into my subconscious there. Another catapult, but
this time Jeff grabbed the links of the cage and tried to climb out. They both
ended up walking the top rope. Hardy punched Punk, who crotched himself, then
fell to the mat. Hardy saw the opening and landed the Swanton. Hardy struggled
to follow up but did, to the tune of a two-count. Punk was back to his feet
first and tried to climb the turnbuckle. Jeff snuck over to the opposite corner
and tried to sneak out via the door. Punk saw this and ran over to stop Hardy.
He grabbed Jeff’s foot, only to be shot backward thanks to a heel kick. Jeff
cross-bodied Punk into the cage. Both men were down, and we got a close-up of
Punk and the agony on his face, when they went to break about shy of 11:00 into
the match.
[Commercial Break]
Back with Punk getting his upper torso out through the cage, but Hardy holding
on. Punk’s hands even touched the ground as he screamed, “I’m out! I’m out!” But
he wasn’t, by the rulebook here. The two exchanged punches to the “boo, yay!” of
the crowd. GTS was turned into a backslide from Hardy for two. Punk came up
holding his shoulder after a pin attempt. Punk again got Hardy up for the GTS,
but he countered it into a Twist of Fate. Hardy chose to climb the cage, and
straddled the top, but Punk grabbed a leg to stop the challenger. Hardy kicked
and punched at Punk and even got to the other side of his cage, hanging out. JR
suggested he drop from there and pay the price. But Punk dragged him over to the
other side in a headlock, then superplexed him off the top. Crowd was lapping
this up, as you’d expect. Punk climbed to the top rope and attempted to escape.
He straddled the top this time, but Hardy chased him down. Hardy tried to pull
him back over by the head as Punk got all the way over. He poked Hardy in the
eye, then slammed his head off the top of the cage. Hardy went falling to the
mat, hitting the top rope on the way down, and Punk skulked down off the cage to
win.
WINNER: Punk, at 20:52. The more gimmicks, the better for these two it appears.
Just as good as any of their other confrontations, though the finish felt a bit
anti-climactic. Not Punk winning, but how he did it.
Punk waved goodbye to Hardy as he clutched the World Title to his chest outside
the ring. The cage lifted off the ring as the copyright logo showed up with five
minutes still left in the show. Jeff sat up in the ring as there was a
smattering of “Thank You Jeff” chants. Yes, a shot of someone crying in the
crowd! Ah, I love it. Hardy clapped walking around the ring. He got the mic and
apologized for letting anyone down. He said he was sorry that people will be
seeing Punk instead of him on Smackdown. He did admit that it’s been one hell of
a ride. Hardy said this is not goodbye forever, but only goodbye for now. He
said if the time is right, he’ll see them in the future. He thanked them again.
Matt is back on his side, he said, so there’s still a Hardy on the show. He
ended things from “yours truly,” then shook hands with fans at ringside as he
headed up the ramp. He threw some of his gear to the fans. He acknowledged
everyone from the top of the ramp, then to throw salt into the wounds, C.M. Punk
came from behind and nailed Hardy with the belt to the back of his head. He
said, in a truly heel voice as the crowd reigned boos down upon him, “come on,
you can do better than that...this man is gone forever!” He stayed with the belt
over his head as the show ended. Wow. Good stuff.