WWE Smackdown- Apr. 4, 2008
by Sassy
Friday Night Smackdown is being broadcast from Miami, FL on the CW network.
Ringside announcers: Michael Cole & Jonathan Coachman
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
The Rated R Superstar Edge, Chavo Guerrero, Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder, Assistant General Manger Theodore Long and General Manager Vickie Guerrero enter the arena. Edge lost his WWE World Heavyweight title to The Undertaker at Wrestlemania XXIV. Chavo Guerrero lost his WWE ECW Championship to The Big Red Machine Kane at Wrestlemania XXIV. This Vickie in the wheelchair thing has gone beyond stupid. Last week she not only stood up, she ran – in heels – up the entrance ramp to get away from The Undertaker.
Edge has the mic and tells the audience that he is angry. Edge says he feels like he let himself and everyone else down when he lost to The Undertaker. Of course, most importantly, and he looks at Vickie to the chant of “you suck” from the audience, he feels like he let Vickie down. Edge tells her that very soon, once again, he will be the World Heavyweight Champion.
Chavo takes the mic and he says he feels like the let the familia down, like he let the entire Guerrero family. Chavo says that Kane cheated and that Kane doesn’t have the guts to face him face to face. Chavo promises everyone that he will once again become the WWE ECW Champion, to the hisses and boos of the live audience. Vickie takes the mic and says as General Manager of Smackdown, to the even louder boos and hisses of the audience, it is her pleasure to announce to Chavo and Edge that they will get their opportunity to get their titles back at the next pay per view, Backlash. Kane and Undertaker will face each other tonight on Smackdown, champion versus champion, brother versus brother.
Commercial break.
The audience sees the return of Matt Hardy at Wrestlemania when he entered the ring during the Money in thee Bank Ladder Match to ruin M.V.P.’s chances of snagging the briefcase. Matt delivered a twist of fate to M.V.P. off of the ladder.
M.V.P., weighing 248 lbs.
WWE United States Champion
Vs.
Matt Hardy, weighing 236 lbs.
I think the weight is correct. I couldn’t hear because the live audience was so loud when Matt Hardy entered the arena. This feud has been going on since MVP and Matt were partners and continued after Matt had his surgery. It will be interesting to see them go one on one.
We aren’t exactly seeing the beginning of a wrestling match since everyone has fists up and ready. Coach says that the referee is going to be allowing a lot of latitude in this match and I think Coach may be correct. They roll out onto the floor and ref starts the count out on the floor. The audience is all pro Matt Hardy and they let him know it. MVP decides he needs a break and rolls out onto the floor but Matt follows him out and brings him back into the ring. That was a mistake as MVP catches Matt trying to get back into the ring. MVP has Matt down and the ref gets down to count but he decides to pound Matt’s head on the canvas instead. MVP takes the full count by the ref when the ref tries to get him to break holds. MVP sends Matt through the ropes and down to the floor and then goes out to slam Matt’s head into the announcer’s table. The ref starts the count out on the floor as MVP stops to yell at a few fans. MVP rolls Matt into the ring, delivers numerous elbow drops and then applies a chin lock. Matt makes it back to his feet, picks up MVP and slams him onto the mat. MVP delivers a big kick to the side of Matt’s head and then adds a few fists before trying to go for a cover but Matt gets a shoulder up before the ref can count to one. MVP continues to pummel Matt using fists and boots. MVP goes up on the ropes to dive off, but Matt gets out of the way. Matt comes up with a slam to the back of MVP’s knee and then goes to work on MVP’s left knee. Cole reminds the audience that MVP did the same thing to Matt before Matt was out of action for six months. Matt works MVP’s knee and uses the corner post to inflict more damage. The ref convinces Matt to get back in the ring. Matt delivers a bulldog and goes for the pin. Matt gets a two count before MVP kicks out. Matt goes back to work on MVP’s knee. Matt hooks MVP’s knee over the rope and then stands on MVP’s lower leg. They end up out on the floor again and MVP sends Matt’s head into the guardrail before rolling him back into the ring. MVP goes for the cover and gets a two count before Matt powers out. Matt delivers the side effect and goes up on the second rope to deliver a blow to the back of MVP’s head. MVP manages to deliver a short clothesline and sends Matt down to the canvas. Matt again takes MVP down by delivering a kick to the knee. Matt delivers the twist of fate, goes for the cover and gets the three count.
Winner: Matt Hardy
Matt doesn’t seem to have lost any of his momentum while he was out of action. The audience still loves him and he did a great job in this match. M.V.P. gets better every time I see him in the ring and this match was no exception. The two men worked well against each other and there were some good counters in this match.
Commercial break.
Zach Ryder from Long Island, NY, weighing 211 lbs.
Accompanied to the ring by Curt Hawkins
Vs.
Festus, weighing 291 lbs.
Accompanied to the ring by Jesse
There is more than a slight weight difference in this match.
The bell rings and Ryder gets out of the ring and out of the way of the changed Festus. Hawkins tries to interfere and Festus slams him to the floor before going after Ryder. Ryder comes off the ring apron and Festus slams him down to the floor. Festus rolls Ryder back into the ring and introduces Ryder’s face to the top turnbuckle. Ryder spends a few seconds getting tossed across the ring before Festus sends him down to the canvas. Festus sends Ryder across the ring and into the corner post, sending Ryder back down to the mat. Festus goes for a cover but only gets a two count before Ryder gets a shoulder off the mat. Ryder keeps getting up and Festus keeps dropping him with big fists. Festus picks Ryder up and sends him up and over and down to the mat. Festus comes off the ropes and lands on Ryder’s abdomen. Festus delivers a splash to Ryder, Hawkins gets up on the ring apron and Festus uses a boot to send Hawkins knock Hawkins off the ring apron. Festus sets Ryder up on the top turnbuckle, delivers a fist, takes him up on his shoulder and slams him face first into the mat. Festus goes for the cover and gets the win.
Winner: Festus
Ryder did try a few wrestling moves but against Festus who really isn’t wrestling but power housing his way through the match, it didn’t do any good. Festus is fun to watch although I’m not sure Zack Ryder or Curt Hawkins would agree with me. Not a bad match although I would like to see how Festus does in a wrestling match. Ryder and Hawkins worked well as a tag team under the Major Brothers personalities. They have not been as active in the ring since they became Edgeheads.
Commercial break.
Coach tells the audience he has gotten word that if The Undertaker or The Big Red Machine Kane refuses to face each other in their match tonight, they will be stripped of their championships.
The audience sees the Farewell Speech Ric Flair made on Monday Night Raw. Nature Boy Ric Flair lost his Career Threatening Match to Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XXIV. Never fear, Flair fans, he is still working for WWE, just not in the ring.
Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels is heading toward the arena to address wrestling fans.
Commercial break.
HBK Shawn Michaels enters the ring, dressed in street clothes. Michaels tells the audience that last Monday night, he addressed the Raw audience and tried to put in words the emotions he has been feeling since his match with Ric Flair at Wrestlemania. He says that during the Farewell Address of Ric Flair when he went to the ring and stood face to face with his boyhood idol, he got a hug from Flair and that gave him some closure. His speech is cut short as Batista’s theme music begins.
Batista, also dressed in street clothes, enters the ring. Batista looks a little angry. Batista tells Michaels that he is glad that he found closure but he doesn’t think anyone else has. Batista said that Wrestlemania was one of the toughest nights of his career because that was the last time he was ever going to see Nature Boy Ric Flair compete in the ring again and Batista says that he is taking it a little personal. Batista says that Michaels took Flair’s career away. Batista says that Michaels had a decision to make and that deep down Michaels knows he made the wrong decision. Michaels says that he did not make the wrong decision; he gave Flair exactly what he asked for. Michaels says that Batista would have done the same thing. Batista says he would not have done the same thing; he wouldn’t have let his ego get in the way of his friendship with Ric. Batista says that he had a job to do but he didn’t do it. Then he said, oh, that’s right, Shawn Michaels doesn’t do jobs. Batista said he thought Michaels was a stand up guy but he was wrong. Batista said that Michaels is the most selfish man he knows and he should have laid down for Flair. Michaels says he is sorry that Batista feels that way but Batista says that it doesn’t matter whether or not Michaels is sorry because Batista will never see Flair in a match again. Batista reminds Michaels that he called Flair “Old Yeller”. Batista accuses Michaels of treating Flair like a dog. Hey! I resent that! Obviously Batista has no canine companions. Batista throws down the mic and leaves the ring.
The audience is booing but I don’t know if they are booing at Batista or at Michaels. One loud guy in the audience is trying to get the audience to do an HBK chant but it doesn’t seem to be working.
Commercial break.
Kane and Undertaker are backstage staring each other down. Undertaker walks away. I’m not sure what that was all about.
Vladimir Kozlov from Russia, weighing 300 lbs.
Vs.
Matt Bentley from Miami, FL, weighing 215 lbs.
There is another significant weight difference in this match and although I don’t have the stats in front of me, I’m certain there is a significant height difference. I have seen Matt Bentley in action before. He is related to HBK Shawn Michaels and was trained by him at his wrestling school Bentley previously worked with Ring of Honor and Total Nonstop Action wrestling.
Kozlov doesn’t appear to be doing much in the way of wrestling. This is a guy that should be up against Festus, or maybe Kane. Bentley isn’t doing anything but getting beat up. Bentley does comes back with a couple of fists and a boot but Kozlov delivers a slam and goes for the cover, getting the win.
Winner: Vladimir Kozlov
A total squash match, which may be vying for the shortest match on record. Kozlov is a brute; I’ll give him that. The live audience doesn’t seem to be fond of him and he seems to feel the same about the live audience.
Commercial break.
Tag Team Match
John Morrison from Los Angeles, CA, weighing 219 lbs.
&
The Miz from Cleveland, OH, weighing 231 lbs.
WWE Tag Team Champions
Vs.
Shannon Moore
&
Jimmy Wang Yang
At a combined weight of 410 lbs.
Shannon Moore and Jimmy Wang Yang need to be close to grabbing those WWE tag team titles. They work so well together in the ring and the audience likes their style. I feel that Morison has abilities but I have never been impressed by Miz and was surprised that WWE put these two together as a tag team.
Yang starts the match against Miz. Miz works for an audience reaction and he gets one – but it’s negative. Yang speed wrestles his way around Miz, tags in Moore and together they send Miz down to the canvas. Miz tags in Morrison. Morrison delivers a slap to Yang on the ring apron. Yang grabs Morrison by the hair and as the ref gets involved, Miz runs in and nails Moore. Morrison turns around and delivers a swinging neck breaker, goes for the cover and gets the three count.
Winners: John Morrison & The Miz
That was the worst match of the night, worse than the match between Kozlov and Bentley. I won’t even comment on the abilities of any of the wrestlers in the ring. They didn’t have enough time to do anything.
The theme music of The Great Khali begins and Morrison and Miz look concerned, but they don’t bail out of the ring. Morrison gets a little mouthy, charges at Khali and he grabs him by the throat, takes down Miz, Morrison, Yang and finally Moore. I’m not sure what all that was about and since Khali is minus his interpreter, we won’t know what it was about.
The Big Show comes out into the arena and heads to the ring. The two men stand toe to toe and Khali starts to say something but Big Show shoves the mic down. Big Show says that Monday night Khali got in his face and tonight Big Show is getting in Khali’s face. Khali bails out of the ring and heads up the entrance ramp and out of the arena. I guess that means Big Show wins.
Commercial break.
Cole tells the audience that Finlay and Hornswoggle will return to Smackdown next week.
Teddy Long is in the ring. Teddy tells the audience that tonight the winning diva will win a special chopper and the owners of the chopper dealership are in the ring. The last two competing divas are Cherry and Michelle McCool. The winner of the diva contest is Michelle McCool. Victoria appears and tells the audience that the contest was a complete joke and she can tell that by the fans that voted. Victoria says that she is the number one diva on Smackdown. We have a fight on the floor with Victoria getting the worst of the action. Michelle is attacked by a blonde who tries to pull Michelle in the ring. Cherry comes in for the save but the blonde takes out Cherry.
I believe the blonde is Nattie Neidhart, daughter of Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, who is making her Smackdown debut. I am not certain how she will be billed on the show.
Commercial break.
Main Event
The Big Red Machine Kane, weighing 323 lbs.
WWE ECW Champion
Vs.
The Undertaker from Death Valley, weighing 299 lbs.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion
Cole said earlier it had been four years since Undertaker and Kane had faced each other in the ring. This should be interesting.
Kane does have a slight weight advantage.
This may be a wrestling match but it could be more of a show of power between these two wrestlers. We do have a wrestling match and Kane goes for a pin but Undertaker kicks out. Kane puts the brakes on when Undertaker tries to go old school. Kane decides to get a little rough and Undertaker comes back with a fist to the jaw. Kane slaps Undertaker and Undertaker responds with a fist. Now we have an exchange of fists in the ring. Kane sends Undertaker into the ropes and then delivers a boot to the face as Undertaker comes off the ropes. Undertaker sends Kane over the top rope and out to the floor then goes out after him. Undertaker introduces Kane’s head to the guardrail twice before Kane returns the favor. Kane sends Undertaker back into the ring and the two men battle it out on their knees. Undertaker hits the mat first. Undertaker sets Kane up for the choke slam but Kane applies a choke slam to the Undertaker. The deliver double boots and both men hit the canvas. The ref starts the count out and gets to seven and two brothers sit up together.
No one wins. They didn’t’ get to finish the match.
Edge, Chavo, Hawkins and Ryder hit the ring and start a beat down on Undertaker and Kane. The four men are standing around in the ring as again the two brothers sit up and get up to clear the ring of their attackers. Hawkins and Ryder are sent over the top rope and down to the floor as Undertaker choke slams Edge and Kane choke slams Chavo. They then deliver simultaneous pile drivers and Undertaker and Kane are the only men standing in – or out of – the ring.
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