After the WWE’s last pay-per-view, changes are afoot tonight on Smackdown! What will Teddy Long have to say about his actions at Breaking Point involving the match between CM Punk and the Undertaker? And what about the WWE’s latest roster move with Batista moving to Friday Nights? Let’s find out!
We open the show with a brief video of the ending of the World Title match at Breaking Point and then see Smackdown GM Teddy Long arrive via limo and with a large selection of body guards. Then after the normal show opening, Batista comes down to the ring to let the people who didn’t watch Raw know that he is back. Batista says he choose to be on Smackdown because it is the “A†show and then Chris Jericho joins us to offer his opinion. Jericho is unimpressed with Dave’s big return and wants to let him know that Y2J is the face of Smackdown. Dave announces that they have a match tonight against each other and then gives Jericho a spinebuster.
Backstage, Chris inquires to his partner why he did not assist him with Batista. Big Show reminds him that Jericho instructed him to stay in their locker room because he wanted to handle Dave himself. Jericho reminds us all that he beat Batista the last time they had a match and that he’ll do so again tonight alone. We are also told that we’ll have an interview with the referee Scott Armstrong tonight about his controversial call at Breaking Point.
John Morrison vs Mike Knox: Dolph Ziggler joins Todd and JR on commentary for this match and we are shown that Ziggler and Morison will meet for the Intercontinental Championship at the next pay-per-view. We also get another “creepy†pre-match promo from Knox in the form of some taped comments. Knox tries to pound on Morrison to start but John is able to counter with his normal array of kicks. Big Mike takes a spill over the top rope and Morrison follows him out with a springboard moonsault and we go to a commercial break.
We return with Knox in control of the match and his opponent down on the mat. A video replay shows us that John got sent into the ring post to establish where we are now. Knox continues to control the action with a series of backbreakers but Morrison is able to reverse a third attempt into a ddt. Ziggler; “I hope the Palace of Wisdom has a big ice machine for his back.†After getting hit with Knox’s big crossbody, Morrison rebounds from the ropes and hits his springboard kick and then the Starship Pain for the pinfall victory. Post match John gets on the mic and tries to get the crowd to chant “Mr. Ziggles†at Dolph Ziggler.
We get clips from the finish of the World Championship match at Breaking Point and are taken backstage to listen to Josh and ref of that match. Armstrong tells us that he knows what he did was wrong but that he did what he needed to do to keep his job.
Melina vs Michelle McCool: I guess at least with both of them in the ring I don’t have to listen to either speak. McCool is still selling her leg injury by limping to the ring. Michelle seems to quickly regain full use of her leg once in control of the match and she takes control of the match with a dragon sleeper among other rough tactics. Melina makes a screaming comeback and JR and I both think she watches way too much women’s tennis. McCool hits a big boot and lifts her up for a big move but Melina reverses to hit her flipping pinning maneuver and it is enough to pin the WWE Women’s Champion.
Backstage Vince chats with Teddy Long and congratulates him on bringing Batista to Smackdown. Mr. McMahon also wants to know why Teddy would double cross the Undertaker. Teddy seems to want to point a finger at Vince for his actions but each time he does, Vince cuts him off. Eventually McMahon tells him he wants an answer from him, the right answer from him, and he wants him to give it to everyone in the ring.
Teddy Long and his ten bodyguards come down to the ring and we are shown the same video package that opened the show. Teddy starts by welcoming Batista back to Smackdown. Then he pauses for a moment before telling us that everything that happened was preplanned to prevent the Undertaker from becoming champion. Teddy says he’s not proud of what he did, he also says that he is afraid of Taker and that’s why he has the security force. Long tries to push a bit of the blame off on Scott Armstrong and CM Punk and makes the same sort of trying to keep his job excuse that Armstrong used. Before leaving Teddy apologizes to the fans and the Undertaker, saying that he hopes Taker can find it in his heart to forgive him.
Long makes his way back to his limo, excuses his security detail and tells the driver to take off. Of course, his driver is actually the Undertaker who eventually drives away with Teddy after filling the limo with spooky red light and smoke. Have you seen the just announced roster for the upcoming Smackdown vs Raw 2010 video game? Not only can you can see the roster list right here on the Pulse but we are also giving a copy away!
Our World Heavyweight Champion takes this opportunity to joins us in the ring for a few thoughts of his own about the recently discussed events. Punk has come out tonight not to tell us he told you so (but he does) and not to brag (but he will). What he really wanted to do was to call out the Undertaker and face him in his ring. Since Taker isn’t around he uses his promo time to talk to the crowd about how they spend their lives as a “legion of inebriated zombiesâ€. CM Punk again calls himself the choice of a new generation and I wonder if anyone from Pepsi is considering a lawsuit for him using that every week. He also drops “straight edge means I’m better than you†which I think might be the first time he’s used that in the WWE.
Cryme Tyme vs The Hart Dynasty: Eve accompanies her buddies to ringside and Natalya does the same for the Dynasty. Shad and Smith get us started and DH soon gets the better of this battle of the big men. After a celebratory pause, Shad is able to answer back and make a tag to JTG for some tandem offense in the corner. Smith gets dumped outside the ring and Kidd gets treated to a press slam that also sends him outside and the viewers to a commercial break.
We return with Kidd and Shad in the ring but Smith is quickly tagged in and he tries to take control by pounding Shad down to the mat. Hart is soon back in and the Dynasty hits some tandem offense of their own. Smith back in and they again go for some tandem offense seemingly inspired by Mr. Perfect. David eats a big boot from Shad but it is not enough to turn the tide and we get another bit of teamwork in the corner by the HD as Tyson Kidd tags in. But the advantage does not last as he runs into a big clothesline from Shad who is finally able to make the hot tag to his partner. JTG gets the hot tag and comes in with a flurry of offense and a celebration after each move. After Smith breaks up a pinfall attempt all four men are briefly in the ring but Shad is quickly dumped outside. A distraction by Natalya leads to a double team and a move I am unsure how to describe from Kidd and he pins JTG for the win.
Melina enters Maria’s locker room to find it covered in pictures from last week’s backstage antics between Michelle McCool and Dolph Ziggler. As she tries to take down the pictures fearing how her friend would react, Maria enters and blames her for the pics and then ends their friendship. We get a video package of Orton vs Cena from Breaking Point and a rundown of the featured Hell in the Cell matches Raw has announced so far for the upcoming Hell In A Cell pay-per-view.
Kane vs Khali: Khali dominates the early going inside the ring but the action quickly spills outside allowing Kane to blast his opponent with a steel chair. That ends the match with a DQ win for Khali but Kane continues his attack seemingly crushing TGK’s leg with the ring steps. Kane seems pleased with the results and takes his leave.
Charlie Haas vs R-Truth: We get a video recap of the recent events in the building R-Truth/McIntyre feud. Truth does not come out when his music hits instead Drew McIntyre walks down to the ring. He tells us all that Truth had an accident backstage and will be unable to compete so Haas wins by forfeit. Drew shakes Charlie’s hand and then gives him a double armed ddt to congratulate him on his victory. I am starting to really like this Drew McIntyre guy.
Chris Jericho vs Batista: Jericho tries a flying crossbody off the ropes and gets power slammed for his efforts. But he does not let Batista capitalize as he goes low with a series of dropkicks that send Dave outside the ring. Chris takes time to introduce him to the Smackdown announce table before send him back into the ring. Jericho again tries for a maneuver off the ropes and eats another slam as a result. Batista tries to attack in the corner but eats a boot instead allowing Chris to his bulldog but he misses with the Lionsault. Jericho for the third time tries to attack by running the ropes and fails again eating a spinebuster. Batista signals for the Batista Bomb but Jericho escapes and hits an enziguri for a two count. Chris tries to attack from the top rope but eats a clothesline instead. Batista misses a charge and Jericho gets a roll up with the ropes for a two count. Batista tries for the Batista Bomb again but Jericho reverse to the Walls of Jericho. Batista powers out and Chris goes for the Codebreaker but Dave catches him and finally hits his finisher on the third attempt and it is enough to get him the pinfall victory.
We close the show backstage with Josh asking for Big Show’s thoughts on the match and he says Batista got lucky and challenges him to a match next week.
