We’re already only nine days away from Survivor Series, which just goes to further prove how quick time flies. Tonight: Rey Mysterio vs. Finlay and Great Khali vs. Undertaker in a No Holds Barred Match.
Opening Contest: Tag Team Battle Royal: Jesse and Festus vs. Major Brothers vs. Drew McIntyre and Dave Taylor vs. Deuce and Domino w/ Cherry vs. Shannon Moore and Jimmy Wang Yang
Usual opening brawl to start, with Festus dominating until everyone teams up to eliminate him. Wow, they were eliminated first?! Intyre and Taylor almost eliminate Yang, but he lands on the apron. Nothing important happens for a while, outside of Yang and Moore getting a double dropkick to Intyre. Nothing happens for another while until Taylor eliminates Yang.
Commercials.
We’re back and nothing seems to have changed. Taylor gets eliminated by one of the Major Brothers. Deuce and Domino beat down the Majors, while Intyre and Taylor continue to get a good crowd reaction at ringside. Deuce gets a leg scissors on one of the Majors, while Domino tries to eliminate him, but the other Major makes the save. Domino and Deuce hit a nice Doomsday Suplex, if you want to call it that. Deuce and Domino charge at one of the Majors, but he lowers the top rope and both Deuce and Domino are eliminated.
Winners and Number One Contenders: The Major Brothers
A whole bunch of nothing for about fifteen minutes. -Five out of Ten.
Torrie Wilson and Michelle McCool are backstage, talking about Chuck Palumbo. Chuck hugs Michelle from behind, while Victoria and Kenny Dykstra make their way into the scene. Michelle shoves Victoria and the men hold the women back. And that’s two segments full of nothing so far.
Commercials. I still can’t believe they have Kahmal advertising WWE. Kahmal of all people.
Recap of Khali’s debut a long time ago. It’s almost, like, two years right?
Second Contest: Michelle McCool w/ Chuck Palumbo vs. Victoria w/ Kenny Dykstra
Lock up and Mc gets a headlock to start. Mc off the ropes with a shoulder for a one count over Victoria. Mc with an arm lock, but Victoria slams her down using the hair. Victoria works the arm of Mc, but Mc gets a nice flip out of it. Clothesline and sweep by Mc, giving her a two count over Victoria. Victoria sends Mc outside, where she spears Mc into the barricade. Back in the ring, Victoria covers for a one count. Victoria pulls the hair of Mc. Suplex by Victoria for a two count. Mc off the ropes with a clothesline, then a pair of dropkicks to Victoria. Mc with chops to Victoria, and Victoria comes off the ropes into a big boot by Mc, giving Mc a three count. Mc goes for a kick, but Dykstra drags Victoria outside of the ring. Palumbo and Dykstra fight on the outside while Victoria hits Mc with a flowing DDT for the three count.
Winner: Victoria
Good SmackDown Diva stuff here. Five out of Ten. SmackDown Diva Standards. I still enjoy these two and their work together. When Mc gets anywhere near her full potential, I think she and Victoria should have some really good matches.
Rey Mysterio is backstage on the microphone with Anastasia Rose. Nice to see an interviewer who looks like they’re paying attention during the interview. Mysterio says he’ll be beating Finlay for his people.
Commercials.
CM Punk and Vickie Guerrero are backstage. Jamie Noble walks in and thanks Vickie for the Rey Mysterio DVD. Dude, Punk looks massive compared to Noble and Guerrero. Noble made a personal video for Vickie, complete with personal footage for Vickie. Punk calls Jamie’s recent matches awesome, so Jamie gets pissy and says that beating Punk would be easier than pie. Vickie says everyone loves pie, before booking the pair in a match. Jamie storms out, taking his best of video back. Pictures on Vickie’s wall: Condoleezza Rice and Oprah Winfrey. Incase you were curious.
Third Contest: Rey Mysterio vs. Finlay
Lock up and Finlay pulls at the mask of Mysterio. Finlay shoves Mysterio and we get nothing for a little while. Finlay gets the shoulder claw on Mysterio, nailing an elbow to Mysterio. Mysterio gets punches to Finlay, but Finlay gets in a short arm clothesline for a one count. Finlay returns to the shoulder claw and nails the elbow again. Finlay with forearms to the chest of Mysterio in the corner. Mysterio gets a boot to the face of Finlay, and Mysterio jumps on Finlay’s shoulders before sending Finlay to the outside. Mysterio with a springboard moonsault to the outside, which connects with Finlay.
Commercials.
We’re back and Mysterio has the upper hand. Mysterio with a sliding dropkick to the gut of Finlay. Finlay regains the upper hand surprisingly easy. Short arm clothesline and butt thump drop gets Finlay a failed pinfall attempt. Mysterio gets some shots in, but Finlay sends Mysterio face first into the second turnbuckle. Mysterio jumps on the shoulders of Finlay and goes for a hurricanrana, but Finlay power bombs Mysterio into the corner. Finlay with a knee to the spine of Mysterio, which gets Finlay a two count. Finlay with a scoop slam to Mysterio. Finlay locks in a Boston Crab. Mysterio almost gets to the ropes, but Finlay drags Mysterio back into the middle of the ring and tightens the hold. Finlay lets go of the hold and drops a knee to Mysterio.
Finlay sends Mysterio to the outside, before sending Mysterio back first into the barricade. Back in the ring, Mysterio kicks Finlay in the head but Finlay quickly regains the upper hand and locks in the Boston Crab. Mysterio quickly gets to the bottom rope. Finlay sends Mysterio into the corner, Mysterio flips over Finlay and gets a school boy on Finlay for a two count. Mysterio goes for the ten count punches but Finlay drops Mysterio face first on the top rope. Finlay begins removing the turnbuckle padding and grabs the Shillelagh, but turns into a dropkick by Mysterio! Mysterio with a springboard cross body and low dropkick to the head of Finlay. Mysterio with the seated senton! Mysterio off the ropes into a big clothesline by Finlay, but Finlay only gets a two count! Mysterio sets Finlay up for the 619, Finlay ducks but Mysterio connects with a kick. Mysterio with a seated senton for another two count over Finlay. Mysterio sets up and connects with the 619, but Finlay knocks the top rope just as Mysterio goes for the seated senton! Celtic Cross ends it!
Winner: Finlay
This was good, and just stepped up when Mysterio got control. Not their best work, however. Six out of Ten. Post match, Finlay slams a laptop over the head of Mysterio before sending him gut first into a steel post.
Recap of Kane vs. Khali, with Khali taking Kane out with the Vice Grip.
Commercials.
Fourth Contest: CM Punk vs. Jamie Noble
Lock up and Noble gets a headlock takedown on Punk. Punk with the martial arts kicks on Noble, but Noble trips Punk. Punk with a springboard dropkick to Noble, following up with a suicide dive. Noble with a spinning neck breaker on Punk. Noble locks in a camel clutch, nailing a Russian Leg Sweep variation while keeping the hold locked. Punk escapes the hold and kicks Noble down. Exploder Suplex by Punk for a two count. Noble with knees to the head of Punk, and Punk then gets some knees to the head of Noble. Punk sets up for the GTS, but Miz attacks Punk!
Winner: CM Punk
Punk takes Miz down with a enziguri. John Morrison attacks, but Punk nails Morrison with the GTS! Noble attacks Punk from behind and nails the Gutbuster on Punk Of all four wrestlers, the three men in the ECW title match at Survivor Series, it’s Jamie Noble left standing. I’m sure the IWC will have a field day over that one. Good enough match, anyways. Two out of Ten.
Batista is headed out to the ring.
Commercials.
Video for Hell In A Cell.
Batista makes his way on out, and JBL hightails it. Batista wishes Undertaker luck against Khali tonight, since he wants Undertaker at full strength for Survivor Series. And that’s practically all he says.
Up next: Montel Vontavious Porter and Matt Hardy defend against The Major Brothers.
Commercials.
Fifth Contest: Tag Team Championship: The Major Brothers vs. Montel Vontavious Porter and Matt Hardy (Champions)
Hardy and Brian start. Brett is quickly tagged in and comes in with a sunset flip on Hardy for a two count. Hardy connects with the clothesline bulldog combo for a two. Hardy with the yodel elbow drop to Brett. Side effect to Brett. Porter tags himself in while Hardy was signalling for the Twist of Fate. Snap suplex gets Porter a two count. Porter teases a tag out, but remains in the ring. Brett elbows Porter, gets a boot to Porter’s face before nailing a senton to Porter. Porter big boots Brian off the apron and nails Brett with the Playmaker for the three count.
Winners and Still Champions: Matt Hardy and Montel Vontavious Porter
Hardy and Porter argue post match, and that match was surprisingly short. -Three out of Ten.
Video of Batista applying the grip to Batista.
Video for Fabulous Moolah. It’s amazing she died, especially right out of nowhere. Her and Mae were always fun.
Commercials.
Survivor Series card rundown. I really do hate the stipulation on the WWE Championship Match.
Main Event: No Holds Barred: The Great Khali w/ Runjin Singh vs. The Undertaker
Speaking of Khali, RAW’s opening segment would have been made perfect if he’d shouted one of the DX slogans. Anyways. Taker with punches to Khali right away. Taker connects with Old School early on. Taker hit’s the Chokeslam! Taker covers for a two count.
Commercials.
Khali has the advantage, and is kicking away at Taker in the corner. Taker tries fighting back but Khali regains control quickly. Khali head butts Taker down. Short arm clothesline by Khali for a two count. Taker fights back but Khali head butts Taker away before taking him down with a clothesline. Khali puts the shoulder claw on Taker, but Taker escapes and sends Khali into the corner. Taker charges at Khali but Khali gets his elbow up and slams it into Taker. Khali locks Taker in the Vice Grip, but my Foxtel screws up and next thing I know, Taker hits Khali with the choke slam. Taker tries for the Tombstone but Khali stops it and nails the Double Handed Chokebomb. Khali stands over Taker, but Taker sits up and locks Khali in the Triangle Choke! Khali taps!
Winner: The Undertaker
Really what you’d expect from these two. No Holds Barred came into effect a total of zero times. I’ll be generous. One out of Ten.
The Inside Pulse
Tag Team Battle Royal: -5/10
Victoria defeats Michelle McCool: 5/10
Finlay defeated Rey Mysterio: 6/10
CM Punk defeated Jamie Noble: 2/10
Matt Hardy and MVP defeat The Major Brothers: -3/10
Undertaker defeats The Great Khali: 1/10
SmackDown 09/11/07: 6/60
I have only one thing to say before I head off. This is the sort of show which apathy was made for, since the bad really out weighed the goodness of Finlay / Mysterio. Until next week, have a good one.
