The SmackDown Report

Reviews, Shows, TV Shows

Ah, clip shows. They get me all nostalgic for Velocity. Makes me cry.

Nice opening video highlighting Mysterio, JBL retiring, Chavo Guerrero, the Brothers, Boogeyman, Finlay, the Royals, Batista as Champion.

Michael Cole and JBL welcomes us to this year’s SmackDown clip show. Cole says later on we’ll look at the three main events of Armageddon, but first we’ll take a look at the Royal Rumble. Man, I haven’t watched this show since I saw it live, but then again – not like I’m missing anything. It’s weird to not see Triple H in the DX mode, just as weird as it is seeing Simon Dean and Psicosis in the same ring as him even if it is the Rumble. So, there’s a commercial break somewhere in between the Rumble clips, and this really should’ve just been a video montage instead of all these clips. The final four are Rey Mysterio, Rob Van Dam, Triple H, and Randy Orton. Of course, as we all should remember, Rey Mysterio ends up the victor. JBL calls it the story of the decade, and Cole then introduces the Triple Threat Match.

Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle video plays, pretty much summing the entire match up in a few seconds. Way to make the match seem important, guys.

Meanwhile, I love the New Year’s Revolution commercial.

Recap of Layla El being named the new Diva. I still think Jennifer should’ve won it (how said is it that I actually remember her name?), but Layla El is doing a pretty good job considering. I’m surprised that they had her wrestling so early on.

For some reason, we get a bikini contest on a clip show. McCool refuses to strip, and Ashley Massaro of course wins. Well, that was pointless. The thing ends up just being Playboy Cover Girl hype. I wonder who her opponent will be: Torrie, Candice (she was in it, right? I don’t know Playboy very well), or do you think they’ll try and bring back Sable? Hm, smart money’s on Torrie since she’s in every WrestleMania based Playboy match.

Footage of “JBL’s Bad Night”, when he lost the United States Championship to Bobby Lashley and was then retired by Rey Mysterio. I still don’t think Bobby Lashley should’ve held the United States title so early, I think they should have waited a long time before they actually gave him a title. Never mind the fact that he lost the title not long after he won it. JBL puts a great spin on it; saying instead of being the greatest wrestler, he became the greatest commentator. Always nice to see someone looking positive.

A pretty damned good video for the Tribute to the Troops plays.

Footage of Vickie Guerrero turning on Rey Mysterio. I don’t get how people hate this storyline with Vickie: it’s not supposed to be real or anything, and if she can agree to do it then why the hell are some people getting so annoyed about it? Anyways, this leads to the ‘I Quit’ Match between these two. I think I gave this match a Seven or something like that.

It’s time for Theodore Long’s announcement re: the title. Long announces that next week we’ll see the First Ever … SmackDown Sprint. It’s a series of timed matches; the man with the quickest winning time will get the title match against Batista at the Royal Rumble. Should be interesting to see who gets put up against a jobber, and who doesn’t. Smart money’s on King Booker winning, although I’d prefer to see Kane winning – and it’d make sense to have some Batista and Kane interaction if they’re still going for Batista and Taker at WrestleMania.

Footage from one of the Brothers vs. MVP and Mr. Kennedy matches, the one in which Long keeps reversing the decision, which leads to about thirty seconds worth of footage from Armageddon of their individual matches.

Footage of The Little Bastard’s debut. Man, remember how much people hated this idea when it was suggested? Now it’s become pretty damned cool. JBL still thinks that there is a “gaggle of leprechauns” under the ring.

Judgment Day! Chris Benoit vs. Finlay! One of the best matches of the year, and now I want to find my copy of Judgment Day and watch this PPV again.

The Moment of 2006: Gregory Helms as Cruiser Weight Champion.
The Misunderstood of 2006: Jimmy Wang Yang.
The Mole of 2006: Boogeyman bites it off of Jillian Hall.
The Moves of 2006: Everyone’s favorite twinks, Paul London and Brian Kendrick.
The … Miz’s Birthday of 2006: That fat stripper at No Mercy.
The Man in the Dress of 2006: Vito.

Exclusive Footage of December 8th 2006, when Vito … kissed Michael Cole. JBL and Vito drag him out from under the announcer’s table and Vito gives him the Panty Stain. Done because Cole’s Parents were in attendance.

More footage from the Tribute to the Troops.

Video package of King Booker leads us into Batista which then ends up leading us into their Survivor Series title match. After clips of that match, we get some photos of the Armageddon tag team match event and that’s all she wrote. Show over.

As far as Clip Shows go, this was pretty tame. I would’ve preferred it if instead of a generic clip show they showed the entire match; there are at least some SmackDown matches which deserved to be shown fully (Chris Benoit vs. William Regal from Velocity, Finlay vs. Chris Benoit from Judgment Day, and of course a few Paul London and Brian Kendricks wouldn’t have hurt), and that would’ve made for a perfectly good clip show. But then again, can’t expect much from clip shows can I? I’m incredibly surprised that there was zero mention of The Great Khali, Daivari, or Mark Henry (who, like it or not, have all been pretty big players on SmackDown this year), yet an entire random bikini contest gets shown. Sigh. Until next week, celebrate New Years Eve, I won’t. I’ll be asleep since my sleeping habit is beyond screwed right now. Matter of fact, I woke up at Ten PM last night and right now it’s almost 3 PM, and I intend to go to sleep at 6. Yeah, totally screwed. But until next week, happy New Year from all of us here at Inside Pulse!