Tonight the WWE tries to celebrate a decade of Smackdown while also trying to convince you to spend $40 on their Hell In A Cell pay-per-view this Sunday. Will they accomplish either?
Before we get the debut of Smackdown’s new theme song and entrance video, we get an opening video that is supposed to be a cavalcade of Smackdown’s most memorable moments. The video features frequent shots of Austin, the Rock, Eddie, Cena, Batista and a slew of special and not so special moments. After both videos Jim Ross and Todd Grisham are in the ring to get us started. They show us a very brief clip of all of the WWE Superstars backstage partying it up and we quickly head to our first match.
Batista vs. Kane: Pre-match highlight clip shows us Rey Mysterio and Batista winning the tag-titles against MNM. Rey and Dave are going to challenge for the tag-titles this Sunday as well despite Mysterio supposedly being suspended. After an early stand-off to start the match, Kane takes control of things by trying to work over Batista’s recently injured arm. But Batista makes his way back into a dominant position and pushes Kane over the top rope and the audience to a commercial break.
We return to Kane back in a dominant position and via video replay we see this was a result of a big boot over the top rope by the Big Red Machine. Speaking of big boots, both men hit them simultaneously and even though both competitors go down, Batista uses it as a springboard for a comeback. But it does not last long and after a flying clothesline, Kane is looking for the chokeslam but instead runs into a spinebuster by Dave that garners a two count. Batista looks for the Batista Bomb but Kane fights out of it and into the corner. Batista goes to the top rope and jumps into another chokeslam attempt but escapes again and the fight again goes to the corner. Kane tries to attain an elevated and dominant position but Batista turns it into another Batista Bomb attempt that connects and is good enough for the pinfall victory.
We get a scene from the party backstage featuring Michael Cole being a dork and Hornswoggle slapping Maria on the ass. Finlay joins Teddy Long and Cole at the bar and as they start a toast CM Punk joins us to prevent Teddy from drinking and remind all in attendance of the wrong they are doing. Long also runs into Vickie Guerrero who has brought along her new boyfriend Eric that Vince McMahon just signed to a Smackdown contract. Santino spooks Teddy with his Undertaker impression and finally the segment ends.
Of course when we return from commercial break we go right back to the party so that we can see Hornswoggle kick Michael Cole. MVP has his own roped off section at the party and everyone (including the Iron Sheik and Sgt. Slaughter) is allowed in but Zack Ryder. We then get a video package for the late Eddie Guerrero. No offense but he is far from the only WWE Superstar or person to have appeared on Smackdown to have died in the last 10 years. It is great that they pay tribute to him but when he is the only one you wonder if it is just because they can and still do profit from doing so.
The Miz and Dolph Ziggler vs. John Morrison and Kofi Kingston: This serves as a mini-preview of sorts for both the IC and US title matches for this Sunday as Jack Swagger joins us on commentary. Kofi defeated the Miz last night on Superstars in a pretty decent match. Miz and Morrison start the match and I wonder if they have faced each other since their team broke up? Miz takes a brief advantage as both he and Ziggler trash talk but it does not last very long and as he takes a break outside the ring we head to a break of the commercial variety.
We return to action with Kofi and Dolph in the ring. Kingston is in control until he gets distracted by Swagger allowing Ziggler to hit a high flying maneuver dropping Kofi neck first on the top rope. The heels control the US Champ for a bit before the Miz delays too long with an attack and Kofi makes the hot tag to Morrison. John comes in on the attack and is quickly in control of Ziggler who also got a tag into the match. After a distraction by the Miz, Morrison tries for a springboard maneuver off the ropes but Dolph crotches him on the top rope and hits the Zig-Zag for the pinfall victory.
Back to the party we go as Jillian, Yoshi and Funaki are singing HBK’s theme song on the karaoke stage. Hurricane then saves the Iron Sheik from choking and Michael Cole is still partying with Finlay and his midget. Jericho and Show interrupt things to remind us how awesome they are and we get a vomit joke. That party really sucks.
We get the Rock’s pre-taped video package and he starts off acting stiff and calling himself Dwayne. He cracks on Dolph Ziggler and finally breaks into full character and says that he’s finally come back to Smackdown. He runs thru some of his old catchphrases and trademarks while claiming to have changed the English language forever. He picks on CM Punk, gives props to Taker and tries to use the camera man as a stand-in for Coach. He closes by saying Smackdown will always belong to him and that he should guest host Raw before inquiring if anyone can smell his cooking. If you really want to see the Rock’s promo video here it is and you can get info on the possible time table for him to guest host Raw here.
WWE Women’s Champion Michelle McCool vs. Melina: This is a lumber-jill match and is for the title. All the divas that were mingling at the party backstage fill the ringside area and JR lets us know that all of the Divas are too responsible to drink and drive following the night’s big party. Melina makes a nice counter using a split by the ropes but McCool kicks her to the outside but near the “good girlsâ€. Once back in the ring Melina hits a flapjack and looks to take control of the match but takes exception to actions by Jillian and jumps on her from the apron starting a ringside evening gown riot. Beth Phoenix uses the distraction to hit Melina from behind and McCool hits the Styles Clash to retain her title.
The Undertaker has some pre-taped comments for CM Punk concerning their Hell In A Cell match. Taker says that he will knock the champion off his “black horse of self-righteousness†and that Punk will need the alcohol and pills he despises after their match this Sunday. You can scope out the full card for the pay-per-view here and remember to check back at the Pulse this weekend for various PPV updates.
Drew McIntyre interrupts the party to remind the locker room how awesome he thinks he is but R-Truth attacks him and I guess (hope) that’s it for the backstage antics. WWE.com has some special and not so special features on their site to commemorate this special edition of Smackdown and the show’s 10 year anniversary. If you are interested in desktops, videos, moments and other highlights you should peep their special section.
The Undertaker, John Cena & DX vs. CM Punk, Randy Orton & Legacy: A pre-match clip during Cena’s entrance takes us back to the birth of the spinner belt look for the WWE title. I understand why they keep that belt around but holy crap do I hate that thing. During Taker’s entrance we get to see him giving Vickie Guerrero a Tombstone. DX does not get a video moment, but they should have shown Shawn super kicking the Rock to help Triple H retain the WWE title Orton, Dibiase and Rhodes enter together and they nor Punk get Smackdown video memories either.
Cody and Cena start the match and John scores early with a bulldog before tagging in the Game. Rhodes is able to escape to his corner and Ted tags in but he fares no better as Trips controls things hitting his neckbreaker and working over the arm before tagging in HBK. Shawn stays in control of the match but hesitates as he goes to make a tag. Eventually he seems to choose Taker and offers his hand but UT also delays and this allows Dibiase to prevent it. But after a rope running exchange, Taker makes the blind tag on Shawn and he is in the match anyway. HBK and the Undertaker have a stare down moment and that leads us to a commercial break.
We return to action with Taker in control of Cody Rhodes before tagging in HHH who hits a long delayed vertical suplex before tagging Shawn back into the match. Finally Cody shows some fight and is able to tag in Ted who lays into HBK with a flurry of punches before tagging in randy Orton for more of the same. Orton then tags in Punk who stomps away on Shawn in the corner before hitting a delayed back suplex and tagging Orton back into the match. I would LOVE to see a Punk vs HBK feud. Randy tries to control Michaels with a headlock but HBK uses a back suplex to end the hold. Rhodes is in to relieve Orton but he takes an enziguri while trying to prevent the tag which is eventually made to Cena. John lays waste to both members of Legacy and tries to FU both of them at once but they escape and high-low him and we go to another break.
We return to Punk getting a two count on Cena before tagging in Orton who starts pounding on the chest of the WWE champion. Cena gets Randy up for the Attitude Adjustment out of nowhere but Orton slides out and nails a ddt before tagging Ted Jr back in. Dibiase nails a vicious clothesline and hits two of his dad’s trademarked fist drops before whiffing on a third attempt. Punk and Triple H are both tagged in and HHH lays waste to the world champion with his knee and a spinebuster. Trips tags in Taker and Punk scurries out of the ring after tagging in Orton. The match quickly falls apart and everyone starts to get involved. Dibiase looks to hit Dream Street on Triple H but Shawn stops it with Sweet Chin Music that gets followed by a Pedigree. Punk halts future action by Michaels with a swift kick but Cena lifts him up and FU’s him outside of the ring onto Legacy. That leaves Orton alone and surrounded which eventually leads to him getting Tombstoned and pinned to give the faces the victory and end the show. That was a really entertaining 8 man tag match that was easily the best part of the show and really the only reason to watch.
