411's WWE Smackdown Report 4.18.08

Posted by Brad Borchardt on 04.18.2008

Batista and the Undertaker battle it out!

We kick the show off tonight with Chris Jericho and his Special Edition Smackdown Highlight Reel. Jericho informs the fans he will offically be the special guest referee at Backlash for Shawn Michaels vs. his guest on the Highlight Reel tonight….Batista! Out comes Batista and Jericho wishes him luck against Undertaker tonight. He also wanted to talk about Shawn Michaels and Jericho says he is right when he said Michaels is a phony and enjoyed retiring Ric Flair. Jericho says by hitting him with Sweet Chin Music, he basically agreed. Batista tells Jericho that he never asked him to speak on his behalf and he will confront his problems. Batista does not want Jericho getting into his buisness and does not want to deal with Jericho as referee at Backlash. Jericho says he never asked to be referee but he is anyway. He also finds it odd that Batista is so upset about Flair retiring. Jericho acuses Batista wanting to be the man who retired Flair so he could get the passing of the torch. Jericho brings up their past and says it must of hurt Batista that Flair picked Michaels over him. Jericho saw the emotion between Flair and HBK during Flair's retirment ceremony and says Batista was too "cool" to show his emotion that night. He asks the audience if Batista wanted to retire Flair himself and other questions about Batista being selfish causing Batista to nail the Batista Bomb on Jericho!

-Commercial-

We're back and out comes Matt Hardy for some special commentary!

Match #1: WWE United States Champion MVP vs. Tommy Dreamer (ECW) (non title)

MVP mocks Dreamer to begin the match so Dreamer shoves him. Dreamer hit a few shots and then a couple of arm drags. Dreamer tries to lock on an armbar but MVP gets to the ropes. Dreamer argues with the ref so MVP hangs Dreamer out to dry on the ropes. Reverse neckbreaker by MVP for two and then a few kicks to the back. MVP drags Dreamer to the ropes and catipults him into the ropes. Snapmare takedown and a chin lock by MVP but Dreamer gets out and hits a few rights. MVP fights back and hits the running big boot for a two count. MVP locks in a modified abdominal stretch and then a face buster with the knee. BALLIN' elbow drop by MVP for two. I think it's been a while since he did that. MVP goes to the top but Dreamer meets him on the way down and hits a few clothesline and a bulldog. Dreamer hits a swinging neckbreaker for two. MVP gets back on track with some elbows but Dreamer counters the Playmaker with a DDT! One….two...MVP grabs the bottom rope before the three. Dreamer goes for the Dreamer Driver but MVP shoves him into the turnbuckle and hits another running big boot for the win.*1/2 Nothing special but nothing bad either. Just there to give Hardy his chance at commentary and help make MVP look strong for Backlash.

Winner: MVP via pin fall

In the back, Finlay is getting Hornswoggle ready for his match.

-Commercial-

Match #2: Hornswoggle w/Finlay vs. Matt Striker

Horny pulls out some tennis balls and juggles them…then whips them at Striker. Finlay trips Striker and Horny hits a dropkick. Horny starts squirting Striker with some water guns. Everytime Striker breaks one, Finlay gets Horny another. Striker then attacks Finlay but Finlay fights back as Horny distracts the ref. Finlay throws Horny at Striker but Striker finally shoves down Horny. He starts slapping Hornswoggle and stomps him. Striker grabs the shillelagh but the ref stops him. The ref gets rid of it, Finlay rolls in, and hits Striker with a different shillleagh. Hornswoggle hits the Tadpole Splash for the win! 1/2* Well the crowd was into it so I'll give them that. Same fun as last week but I hope Finlay gets some sort of push after Backlash. Watching this, I doubt it.

Winner: Hornswoggle via pinfall

They show footage of Great Khali's peace offering to Big Show and Show taking him down. Big Show says he isn't interested in making peace with Khali. At Backlash, he will finish what he started. Tonight, Mark Henry is going to need all his strength to take him out.

-Commercial-

Match #3: Chavo Guerrero (ECW) w/ Bam Neely vs. Jaime Noble

They lock up and Chavo gets a wasite lock. Noble counters with a take down but Chavo counters back with a side headlock. Chavo hits a headlock takedown but Noble fights back with an arm drag and a wrist lock. Chavo gets to the ropes but then Noble gets a roll up for two. Another pin by Noble for two. Chavo hits a Gory Bomb on Noble into the ropes and then choke him with the bottom rope. Chavo locks in a modified arm bar and then a knee to the gut as soon as Noble broke the hold. Chavo gets a chin lock but releases to get a few shots. Chavo reapplies the chin lock until Noble gets to his feet and hits a back body drop. Noble gets a few forearm smashes and a NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX! Love that move. Noble gets some knees to the head of Chavo but misses a running knee. Chavo hits the Two Out of Three Amigos as Noble couters the third into a swinging neckbreaker for two. Noble goes for a Texas Cloverleaf butChavo kicks him away. Chavo hangs Nobleoff the ropes and hits the Frog Splash for the win. *3/4 It was a decent match, but a disapointment considering who was in the ring. Also, if Chavo had this much trouble with Noble, who is going to think he can beat Kane?

Winner: Chavo Guerrero via pin fall

After the match, Bam Neely hits a full nelson slam on Noble and Cole and Coachman are devasted. Ok. I mean, yeah, it could of hurt….but it isn't something that Kane hasn't kicked out of before or anything.

-Commercial-

Match #4: Big Show vs. Mark Henry

Both men lock up and it's a stalemate. They do it again and same result. Henry and Show then exchange shots and headbuts. Clothesline by Show and a few jabs/ He gets Henry in the corner and nails a big chop. Henry picks up the Big Show and locks in a bearhug! Show is able to break it after a minute or so and hit a big boot. Chokeslam to Henry but Khali comes out and he hits Show with a chop. Khali shoves Show into the steps. He rolls Show in the ring and locks in a shoulder version of the Khali Vice Grip and then hits a Khali Bomb! Khali walks away and taunts Big Show. 1/4* Nothing really there or entertaining but a match with those two for that amount of time has no right being good.

Winner: Big Show via disqualification

-Commercial-

Match #5: Cherry w/Michelle McCool vs. Victoria w/ Natalya Neidhart

Victoria shoves Cherry down and then gets a headlock takedown. Victoria dominates Cherry. Cherry tries to fight back but Victoria catches a kick and hits a clothesline. Victoria misses with a charge and Cherry gets a roll up for two. Victoria locks in a camel clutch. Victoria slams Cherry around but McCool distracts Victoria and Cherry gets a roll up out of nowhere for the win! 1/2* Victoria dominated but Cherry showed shades of ability (not too much) but I have heard good things about her in the indy scene.

-Commercial-

Match #6: Leroy Kecave? Vs. Vladmir Kozlov

I have no idea about the jobber name. My bad. Vlad takes Leroy down with a big arm drag and then hits a fireman's carry. Armbar by Vladimir and then a big running shoulder block. Vlad slams him into the turnbuckle but Leroy gets a few uppercuts. Vlad rams his head into Leroy's gut and nails an over head belly to belly. Big stomp by Vladimir and reverse DDT for the win. ¼* Nothing really there. The reverse DDT does not look devastating as Cole make it sound. Sorry, still not buying him.

-Commercial-

Match #7: Batista vs. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker (non title)

Edge and the Edgeheads are watching from ringside. Taker and Batista lock up and Taker gets some jabs. Batista hits an Irish whip (HE's NOT EVEN FINLAY) but Taker hits a clothesline. Batista battles back with some shoulder thrusts. Batista hits a high elbow for two. Taker out of nowhere gets the running DDT and then works on the shoulder of Batista. He slams the shoulder into the turnbuckle and then Taker beats down Batista in the corner. Batista counters Old School and hits a clothesline for two. They both run off the ropes and hit each other with clotheslines as we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

We're back with Batista and Taker fighting on the top rope. Batista hits a superplex for two. Taker gets a choke hold right after the count and then a few headbuts. Old School by Taker and then Taker works on Batista off the ring apron. Taker goes for a Tombstone but Batista falls back and hits a Spear for two. Both men get to their feet and brawl outside the ring until the ref counts both men out. They continue to brawl despite the match being over. Taker attacks Edge and then Hawkins and Ryder jump both men. Taker and Batista take them out and brawl with each other. Edge then is in the ring with both Taker and Batista. Taker and Batista takes out the Edgeheads and then Chavo and Bam hit the ring and get destroyed as Edge leaves. Vicky comes out and then punishes both Taker and Batista for attacking Edge, Ryder and Hawkins as they were just fans tonight. So Vicky announces that both men will have a rematch next week for the World Heavyweight Championship! ** Not bad but again, not enough time and we got the bullshit ending. Overall, not a great show tonight.

Sorry about the lackluster review, I was an hour late in my traveling and have to be somewhere else as well. Everything with points will be updated next week. Have a good week everybody!