Batista vs. Matt Hardy: Two weeks ago Dave beat the crap out of Matt but lost the match after getting disqualified; I guess they are having this rematch so that he can get his win back. Batista is over aggressive to start and Matt is able to briefly use that to his advantage. But after a power slam, that brief advantage ends and Dave takes control for a bit. Hardy halts an attack in the corner with a kick to the face and then hits an elbow from the second rope. Matt then foolishly dances around before going for the Twist of Fate which is reversed into a Batista Bomb attempt which is then reversed into a ddt. Hardy tries to follow with a Side Effect but is unable to connect. After an exchange in the corner, Batista nails 3 consecutive spinebusters before nailing the Batista Bomb for the win via pinfall.
After the match, we get a video package replaying the contract signing between Rey and Dave from last week’s show. Then Josh Matthews gets a few comments from Batista backstage so that he can tell us things we already knew by watching the video that was just shown.
Todd Grisham introduces a video package for the Brothers of Destruction by segueing from being in Philadelphia to telling us that neither man is capable of showing love. The video package then lets us know that their bond is actually forged from fearful souls of men. All good info to have. Meanwhile in Teddy Long’s office, Vickie stops by to tell him he is doing a terrible job and to let her boyfriend to say his last name. Teddy tries to kick them out of his office but Vince enters to also trash Teddy and he then makes Vickie his consultant. You know because Teddy is still on probation. Vickie starts jumping around and screaming with “delight†and it becomes clear that I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.
Fit Finlay vs. Drew McIntyre: So I think this is the third time these two have had a scheduled match on Smackdown and the first two exchanges both ended with no one winning. Just as with their match last week, Finlay bashes his way to an early advantage before McIntyre uses a thumb to the eye to slow his assault. Drew then grabs Finlay and hits his double armed ddt and pins him for the victory.
CM Punk joins the show joins the show for a promo and to stage a “Straight Edge Intervention†in the ring with the use of some props. After asking the crowd to stand and participate, Punk tells the people at home that they should put their hands on the television screen if they feel the need. Punk (using the props) reminds of the perils of cigarettes, drugs and alcohol and then throws each in a trashcan. R-Truth comes down to ask “what’s up†and tell us the “truthâ€. After speaking his piece, Truth ddt’s Punk and then dumps the trash can out on him. That was another great promo by Punk that is wasted on this nothing program with R-Truth or for that matter anyone else from the WWE that can’t give a better response as the “good guy†than what has been offered lately.
John Morrison vs. Dolph Ziggler: This is a rematch for the IC title after last week when these two battled to a double count-out. This match is scheduled to be best of three falls. Ziggler pounds on Morrison to start and quickly goes for a couple of pin attempts. John fights back with a barrage of quick strikes and also goes for an early pin attempt. Morrison sets up for but misses Starship Pain as Dolph slides outside of the ring but quickly follows him out by nails him with a springboard senton. John gets him back inside the ring and again goes for Starship Pain but Ziggler gets the knees up. Dolph goes for the pin but Morrison rolls him up to earn the first fall.
After a brief rest period and commercial break, Dolph nails Morrison with the perfect neck-snap and tries to wear him down with a chinlock. John fights back despite still selling an injured midsection and gets a roll-up for two. He tries for but misses on a follow-up kick and Ziggler nails him with the Zig-Zag and gets the pinfall to even the match at one fall apiece.
Dolph wants to attack immediately but the ref delays the action to check on Morrison who is still favoring his ribs. As soon as the ref clears his path Ziggler nails Morrison with a clothesline and gets a long two count as a result. Dolph continues to attack the midsection of his opponent even using the ringpost as a partner. But Morrison is able to reverse a slam attempt into a ddt and goes up for Starship Pain which connects and he retains the Intercontinental Championship 2 falls to 1.
Mickie James vs. Layla: We get a replay of the recent actions of Layla and Michelle McCool towards Micike before the match starts. Layla starts very loudly but doesn’t offer much of a challenge as James turns a reversal into a pin attempt to get the quick win. Post match, Layla grabs a mic and tells Mickie she should pause her celebration to have a look at Michelle McCool as she appears on the Titan Tron (do they still call it that?). McCool has done a little video package to make fun of Mickie by putting her face on a pig and calling her “Piggie Jamesâ€. Mickie slowly starts to tear up before beginning to cry and leaving the ring. Man this is some great WWE styled “PG = family friendly†entertainment this episode is offering.
Tyson Kidd vs. Rey Mysterio: Batista is at the announce table to offer some silent commentary on this match and Natalya is accompanying Kidd to ringside. Tyson takes control in the early going with a couple of hard tosses into the corners and a series of kicks. Rey makes a comeback and after a nice reversal sequence in the corner nails a sharp kick of his own for a two count. Rey uses a hurricanrana to set-up the 619 but Kidd slides out of the ring to stop the attempt. As Rey climbs the turnbuckle to follow him out, Batista gets up from his seat and tosses Tyson out of the way and the ref calls for the disqualification. Rey then nails Dave with a flying senton off the announce table to send Batista falling over his chair and he heads for the hills as Batista turns green. I understand why we got that finish but I hope we get an extended match between Kidd and Mysterio at some point in the near future.
Meanwhile in the Jeri-Show locker room, Chris tries to get Show to focus on tonight and their team instead of on Survivor Series. Show would rather think about the World Title and makes fun of Jericho for being afraid of the Undertaker. We also get another look at the MSG video package from Raw this week.
The Undertaker & Kane vs. Chris Jericho & The Big Show: The BOD get an extra fancy entrance complete with burning symbols and a lot of flaming pyro. Jericho and Kane start the match and Chris is on the attack early before eating an uppercut that turns the tide. After a clothesline in the corner, Kane tags in his brother who starts to get his shots in but Jericho heads for the first available daylight and quickly tags in his partner. The big men have a long stare down before throwing hands and Taker is able to floor Show with a flying clothesline. Kane joins in on the fun and the brothers hit Show with a double clothesline that sends him over the ropes. The Bros stand tall in the ring and the show takes a commercial break.
When we return to action, Jericho briefly has control of Taker in the corner but it does not last long and UT is able to connect with Old School before tagging his brother back in. Big Show is also able to tag in and hits an unsuspecting Kane with a spear as he re-enters the fray. After some mashing and double team tactics, Chris tags back in and he continues to try to wear Kane down. Jericho nails a bulldog but celebrates too long and his Lionsault attempt only hits knees. Both men reach for tags but only Jericho makes it and Show continues to work over Kane. He tries to set-up him up for a super-plex but gets slugged off and Kane hits him with a flying clothesline. Both men are then able to crawl to their corners and make tags. Taker quickly lays waste to Jericho with his snake eyes, big boot, leg drop combo and gets a long two count as a result. He motions for the chokeslam but Jericho reverses to the Walls of Jericho and just like last week Taker reverses that into Hells Gate.
Show is able to break up the hold and that brings Kane into the ring and turns the match into a pier six affair (and a no contest) with all four men battling in and out of the ring. The brothers try to chokeslam Show thru the announce table but Jericho stops them which leads to them tossing him back into the ring for some abuse. Kane nails him with a chokeslam and then gets taken out of the match and ring by the Big Show as Taker looks for the Tombstone. Show chokeslams Taker but as he picks up his partner, Jericho nails him with the Codebreaker, grabs the World Title and celebrates a the top of the ramp as the last man standing.
