So Rock Star Supernova finished yesterday .. Lukas sucks, Dilana and Toby rocked. The moment that Ryan went home the show pretty much tied it’s own noose.
Usual opening and we’re a week away from SmackDown debuting on CW, and to open SmackDown Finlay comes out with The Little Bastard .. under a sheet? Cute. Video footage of him attacking Batista with the shillelagh, and says that he doesn’t expect Batista to make it tonight but rather be in a hole, licking his wounds, or at a hospital eating through a straw. Finlay say he knocked his teeth down, or mugged him in American slang, and talks down Batista only for Bobby Lashley make his way out. Lashley says his name is Finlay and his a bastard. Lashley says he’s Irish, but his luck just ran out. Theodore Long comes out and announces that he is looking for a new Challenger for the World Heavy Weight Championship since Finlay took out Batista, so he sets up Finlay vs Lashley with the winner getting a title shot against King Booker at No Mercy! Lashley threatens the Little Bastard before he pushes Finlay over, knocking the Little Bastard down as well. The Little Bastard attacks Finlay by accident, Finlay knocks him off but continues to attack him before he throws him back under the ring. Considering these two aren’t known for their promo skills, this wasn’t that bad. And even though Finlay man handles the Little Bastard all the time, it’ll be interesting to see if this goes anywhere .. but we’ll be lucky if it doesn’t, since it would mean The Little Bastard will enter singles competition.
Tonight: Mr Kennedy vs Rey Mysterio!
Commercials.
Finlay is wandering the backstage halls before he runs into Regal. Regal reminds him of the situation and says that if Finlay wins he will face their King, the King who knighted us etc, but Finlay just walks off. Should be interesting to see where this goes.
Opening Contest: Gregory Helms vs Matt Hardy
Hardy comes through the crowd before hand and attacks Helms to start the match off. Hardy comes of the ropes with a clothesline and gets a Side Effect, Helms rolls outside and looks to go for the title but Hardy again attacks from behind, but Helms kicks Hardy into the steel steps back first before he takes it back into the ring. Helms gets spears in the corner, followed by a snapmare and elbow drop. Helms gets a one count. Hardy gets some right hands and a kick to the gut but Helms gets a neckbreaker for a two count. Helms hooks the leg for a half boston on Hardy, but Hardy escapes by getting to the ropes. Hardy off the ropes into an elbow by Helms. Helms gets a blatant choke on Hardy, but let’s it go before the five count and pulls on Hardy’s face, but then lets it go before the five count also. Snapmare by Helms, who follows up with what’s almost a cobra clutch but Hardy escapes with elbows, only to be slammed down by Helms for a two count. Helms gets a weird headlock on Hardy, but Hardy gets a suplex when Helms looks to try for something different. Hardy gets punches on Helms, clothesline and elbow, before he sends Helms into the corner for a clothesline bulldog combo which gets Hardy a two. Hardy comes off the turnbuckles with a leg drop for another two count. Hardy goes for the Twist Of Fate, but Helms turns it around into a low blow for the three count!
Winner: Gregory Helms
Jumped right into the meat of the match psychology wise, instead of easing into it .. but, I’ll give them credit. Two out of Ten.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio takes his son Dominic around and they run into Dean Malenko. Apparently Mysterio’s using Dominic as a lucky charm tonight.
Commercials.
Another Jimmy Wang Yang promo. This time insulting the Asian people .. Michael Cole calls him a real cowboy. Cough.
Second Contest: Mike Mizanin vs Scotty Too Hotty
Lock up and Hotty gets Miz in a headlock, Miz sends Hotty off the ropes and that eventually leads to Miz hip tossing Hotty. Another lock up and Hotty goes behind Miz, Miz goes behind Hotty and goes for a backdrop but Hotty flips over and nails an arm drag and poses. Miz and Hotty exchanges hip tosses before Miz poses at the turnbuckles. Miz kicks away at Hotty in the corner before he nails a neckbreaker and chokes away at Hotty. Miz with a spinning sideslam on Hotty for a two count. Miz with a sleeper hold on Hotty, but the crowd gets a ‘Hotty’ chant; Hotty gets some elbows but Miz knocks him down. Hotty gets a boot up to the face of Miz and begins punching away at Miz before he gets sent off the ropes and comes back with an elbow to Miz’s forehead. Hotty misses the bulldog, but nails it when he comes back off the ropes! W-O-R-M .. misses when Miz simply rolls under the rope. Smart move. Hotty tries to drag Miz back in the ring but Miz drops Hotty throat first on the top rope, before he rolls back inside and nails a Swinging Neckbreaker for the victory. Apparently that is called the Mizard Of Oz .. what in gay hell?!
Winner: Mike Mizanin
Certainly should have been our opening match. Short and sweet, and seeing Hotty realize how annoying Mizanin is was kind of ironic – and I love my irony. Three out of Ten.
Still to come: Number One Contendership for the World Heavyweight Championship, Lashley vs Finlay!
Commercials.
Third Contest: Brian Kendrick w/ Paul London and Ashley Massaro vs Kid Kash w/ Jamie Noble vs Idol Stevens w/ KC James and Michelle McCool
Why don’t the Pitbulls get a valet? Seems kind of unfair, doesn’t it? Start off by Kash attacking Kendrick from behind, Stevens forces Kash off and gets a few shots in on Kendrick. Kash and Stevens begin to exchange blows, but Kendrick knocks them both down with a split legged dropkick. Elbows by Kendrick before he nails Stevens with a headscissors takedown, and Kash with a hip toss and then one to Stevens. Jumping heel kick to Kash gets Kendrick almost a two count, broken up by Stevens. Stevens whips Kendrick into the corner for a failed pinfall attempted. Kash with a backdrop to Kendrick, but Stevens pulls Kash off during the pin attempt and goes for one of his own which Kash breaks up. Stevens and Kash shove each other around, Kendrick gets a school boy on Stevens but it’s broken by Kash. Stevens with a swinging neckbreaker to Kendrick, gets a kick to the chest by Kash, who nails the flipping suplex on Kendrick. Kash up top but gets powerbombed by Stevens! Kendrick gets a Tornado DDT on Kash for .. the three count?
Winner: Brian Kendrick
Well that was sudden. Match was too quick, disjointed, and .. well .. I believe ‘meh’ makes it sound a lot better than it was. One out of Ten.
Backstage, Regal is talking to the Royalty before Finlay comes and interrupts. Booker thanks him for taking out Batista, in much fancier words of course, but says they need to talk about the match tonight as he doesn’t want his court to be disrupted by Theodore Long. Finlay says he’ll fight, before he walks off.
Also backstage, Rey Mysterio sets up Dominic to watch his match tonight in his own private room.
Commercials.
Mysterio makes his entrance and, of course, Chavo and Vickie come and say hello to Dominic.
Fourth Contest: Rey Mysterio vs Mr Kennedy
No microphone shenanigans this week, surprisingly. Circling to start before the two lock up and Kennedy forces Mysterio into the corner. Another lock up and Kennedy gets Mysterio with a takedown and goes to get a headlock, but Mysterio gets a hammerlock and begins to work the arm of Kennedy before Kennedy forces Mysterio into the corner for knees. Kennedy slams Mysterio face first into the top turnbuckle but Mysterio returns the favor. Mysterio off the ropes with a Headscissors to Kennedy, and shortly gets a springboard crossbody but Kennedy rolls through and nails a rib breaker which gets Kennedy a two. Kennedy drops the knee into the back of Mysterio and pulls on Mysterio’s jaw. Mysterio escapes with high kicks to Kennedy but is sent into the turnbuckles by Kennedy, getting him a two count. Kennedy with a high back drop on Mysterio for another two count.
Kennedy gets mounted punches on Mysterio. Kennedy gets knees to the midsection of Kennedy. In the corner Kennedy runs into boots, but Mysterio runs right into a spinebuster for another two. Elbow drops by Kennedy, who follows up by hooking the arm of Mysterio. Mysterio kicks Kennedy off but Kennedy shortly looks to have the advantage again, he whips Mysterio into the corner and charges but runs into the turnbuckles! Mysterio off the ropes with a bodyscissors DDT! Mysterio with a drop toe hold and kick to the head of Kennedy for a two count. Kennedy trips Mysterio and flips him face first into the second turnbuckle, before he chokes Mysterio using the second rope and gets a splash on the back of Mysterio. Mysterio gets some elbows in and drop toe holds Kennedy onto the second rope! He gets 619, but it sends Kennedy outside of the ring – stopping Mysterio from nailing the West Coast Pop. Mysterio gets a corckscrew onto Kennedy, who is on the outside.
Commercials.
We’re back and Mysterio gets a ten count punch on Kennedy in the corner, before Kennedy trips him onto the ropes. Kennedy slides Mysterio back first into the steel pole, before he uses the steel pole in a bow and arrow variation. Kennedy drives Mysterio into the ring apron before he rolls him back into the ring for a two count. Kennedy gets a pinning bridge for a two count, almost a three count. Kennedy stomps away at Mysterio before he picks him up and gets an abdominal stretch. Kennedy pulls on the ropes when the referee is distracted, and gets caught the second time before Mysterio reverses it with a headscissors! Kennedy gets a rolling samoan and goes up top for the Kenton Bomb but misses! Mysterio and Kennedy exchange blows with Mysterio getting the better. Mysterio off the ropes with alow dropkick, before he gets a seated senton! Bridge cover gets Mysterio a two count. Mysterio gets boots to Kennedy and goes for a springboard, but Vickie and Chavo bring Dominic out! Kennedy gets a school boy, pulling the tights, for the victory!
Winner: Mr Kennedy
Much like last week’s Mysterio match, I liked this. I can totally see how other people wouldn’t like this, of course, but I enjoyed it. Six out of Ten.
Still to come: Lashley vs Finlay
Commercials.
The following has been paid for by M.V.P’s world fanbase. M.V.P says that he wants to sign a contract but Long is stopping him from signing it and that he needs to bring M.V.P to SmackDown.
Fifth Contest: Vito vs Sir William Regal
Regal starts by attacking Vito and locking on a headlock. Vito gets a headlock of his own but is sent into the ropes, back with a elbow for a quick count. Vito gets a headlock on Regal which results in a good three pinfall attempts total. Vito flashes Regal, who keeps his calm and rolls out of the ring. Vito is sent into the steel pole face first and kicked down by Regal. Regal sends Vito back into the ring and gets high knees to the face of Vito followed by an elbow, Vito sent of the ropes and back into a dropkick (!!) by Regal. Regal nails a few elbow shots and gets a two count on Vito. Regal drops Vito face first onto the top rope before he forces his knee into the throat of Vito. Regal with more elbows to Vito before he locks on a headlock, Vito forces Regal off and nails a shoulder body toss. Vito goes for the Panty Stain but Regal gets a shot to the midsection of Vito! Regal knees Vito down and clubs away on Vito. Vito gets a high kick to the chest of Regal and the two exchange blows, with Vito getting the better of him before he elbows Regal out of the ring. Regal gets a shoulder to the gut of Vito and gets a sunset flip, but Vito lifts up his dress and hooks Regal’s legs and gets the three count!
Winner: Vito
Another enjoyable match from Vito. JBL’s rants just keep making his matches more interesting, and with Regal getting a lot more offense in than usual Vito opponents .. well .. that’s a recipe for a good match. Six out of Ten.
Commercials.
King Booker storms nto Long’s office, annoyed about tonight’s main event. King Booker says he is wise beyond Long’s imagination; the trojan horse did not work on the spot and Long’s plan shall not work on the SmackDown Royals, as he is the king of the world. Vito comes in and Booker is, of course, shocked at what he is dressed like – especially in his kingdom – before Vito challenges to try him some time. Long announces King Booker vs Vito next week! I’m oddly looking forward to that!
Elijah Burke introduces Sylvester Turkay. I rented a UFC DVD last night so I should have a better idea of this style of wrestling soon.
Sixth Contest: Sylvester Turkay w/ Elijah Burke vs Todd Smith
Smith gets a headlock to start but Turkay trips him down with force. Smith gets another headlock on but, again, Turkay sends him down with force. Turkay gets knees on Smith. Turkay spinebusters Smith into the corner and follows up with spears before he sends Smith shoulder first into the steel pole. Backdrop by Turkay. Smith gets some punches in but Turkay quickly knocks Smith down for the Arm Hook, which gets the submission victory.
Winner: Sylvester Turkay
Hm, well .. he’s still impressive at least. I’ll say that. -Five out of Ten.
Up next! Lashley vs Finlay! Title Shot For No Mercy!
Commercials.
Next week: King Booker vs Vito, and Rey Mysterio vs Chavo Guerrero!
King Booker, Queen Sharmell, and William Regal make their way out to ringside for tonight’s main event.
Main Event: Number One Contendership To The World Heavy Weight Championship: Finlay vs Bobby Lashley
Lock up and Lashley forces Finlay into the corner but is told to get off by the referee. (Cole: “We hear you’ve been invited to ECW next week by Paul Heyman?” “JBL: “Don’t take a cheque”. Classic!) Finlay gets a headlock on Lashley but gets pushed off, off the ropes with an elbow. Finlay off the ropes, Lashley jumps over, and Finlay comes back into a toss by Lashley for a quick pinfall attempt. Finlay gathers himself outside. Tie up and Lashley forces Finlay into the corner, but Finlay takes it back into the corner and tries to trip Lashley but Lashley gets the better of Finlay and tries for a headlock it seems but Finlay escapes it. More circling and the two look to tie up but Lashley punches Finlay, before Finlay sends Lashley outside. Lashley gets a shoulder body toss to Finlay on the outside, before we head to a commercial.
Commercials.
We’re back and Finlay has Lashley’s leg hooked. Finlay takes Lashley to the steel pole and slams Lashley’s leg into it. Finlay rolls inside, and Lashley gets back in at the six count. Finlay gets in a half boston crab on Lashley, but drives his knee into Lashley’s back as well. Finlay continues to work the leg but Lashley kicks him off, Finlay tries to continue but Lashley knees him off. Lashley with clotheslines and he clubs Finlay down for a two count. Lashley puts Finlay in a torture rack and drops down onto his knees, hitting Finlay with a gut buster variation, and gets a two count. Finlay kicks the chest of Lashley and Regal slides a chair in the ring! The chair slides upto the referee, who tosses it outside, but Finlay gets the shillelagh! Finlay misses Lashley and Lashley punches away at Finlay, sends him into the corner but runs into a high boot. Belly to Belly by Lashley! Lashley sends Finlay into the ropes and he comes back into a military press into the knee! Regal trips Lashley from behind, and The Little Bastard tosses Finlay the shillelagh! Finlay hits Lashley with it across the leg .. and the referee disqualifies him!
Winner and Number One Contender: Bobby Lashley
Post match King Booker attacks Lashley, with Regal joining in as Finlay just looks – unsure whether he’ll attack of not – when we cut to the backstage arena .. where Batista is here! Batista comes out with a steel pole and he knocks down the referee! Finlay runs to the backstage arena, Batista giving chase! Back in the ring Regal holds up Lashley for Booker to attack him! Booker dismisses Regal and sends Lashley off the ropes, but Lashley reverses it and Booker comes back into a spear! Lashley stands tall as SmackDown fades out. Obviously our main event tonight was enjoyable; certainly not their best match so far, but it was great to see just how far Lashley’s come in about a year. Should have gone for longer however. Six out of Ten.
So this week’s SmackDown stands at;
Matt Hardy vs Gregory Helms: 2/10
Mike Mizanin vs Scotty Too Hotty: 3/10
Brian Kendrick vs Idol Stevens vs Kid Kash: 1/10
Rey Mysterio vs Mr Kennedy: 6/10
Vito vs Sir William Regal: 6/10
Sylvester Turkay vs Todd Smith: -5/10
Bobby Lashley vs Finlay: 6/10
SmackDown 15 / 08 / 06: 19/70
Nothing really stood out. Even the good stuff, now that I think about it, wasn’t up to what it could have been. Alas it was a so so show. Great to see that Lashley and Finlay may finally be getting the chance to be main event wrestlers, even if it is just a trial period .. didn’t think I’d see Finlay getting the chance along with Lashley when he returned last year, mind you. Yet another episode for SmackDown where all storylines are carried along nicely so it’s good enough for me, I only had one problem though: why is Turkay still getting random jobber fodder? And before I finish up here, I’d like to apologize if today’s recap sucked. Got my ear pierced last night and it is absolutely killing me, tried my best to work through it but oh well.. Anyways, until next week, laters!
