411’s WWE Smackdown Report 8.01.08
Posted by Larry Csonka on 08.01.2008
Mick Foley should be careful what he asks for, because he got it tonight.
WWE Smackdown: 8.01.08
-We get a video package of last week. Damn, I thought those crazy kids would make it too.
-JR and Mick Foley welcome us to the show and hype the Cutting Edge. Edge will indeed have a special guest tonight on the show.
-Jeff Hardy makes his way to the ring, grabs himself a chair and sits down in front of the announce table.
-MVP is now out with a mic and says that he is glad Jeff is out here. Last week he tried to enlighten Jeff, and how it hurts him and his possessions, the people around him and Jeff will never be WWE Champion. Last week Jeff did the same risky behavior and lost his chance to face HHH at Summerslam. That's not how a champion operates, he'll show us now how one performs.
MVP vs. Jimmy Wang Yang
Yang gets no entrance music, making him more of a jobber than usual. Yang uses his speed to avoid contact, gets some forearms but them eats a flapjack, Mmmmm, flapjacks. MVP lays the boots to Yang, works a butterfly lock by Yang knees out. Snap mare by MVP, kick to the back and a cover for 2. Yang counters a snap mare, levels MVP with a kick and covers for 1. An Irish whip and Yang with a spin kick in the corner. Up top and a high cross body try end up with MVP getting a gut buster. MVP's variation of the shining wizard finishes it.
Winner: MVP @ 3:00 via pin
A fine extended squash for MVP.
RATING: *
-Jeff is in the ring now and says that MVP got real personal with him, and he took it like a man. If MVP ever mentions any of those things again Jeff will prove to him what kind of a man he is. After a failed cheap shot, Jeff drops MVP with the twist of fate, lays a few boots in, tosses the mic down and leaves. SUPER SERIAL BUSINESS!
-Chavo wheels in Vickie and says he doesn't know who Edge's special guest is. They run into Krystal II, which doesn't please Vickie.
They lock up, side headlock by Benjamin and a cover for 1. Back to the headlock, off the ropes and a shoulder block by Benjamin levels Kennedy. Off the ropes again, back elbow by Kennedy, looks for the mic check and Benjamin bails to the floor. Benjamin back in, they lock up and Kennedy works the arm. Shoulder rams by Kennedy to the arm, beats Benjamin down but Benjamin is up and breaks the hold. Knees by Benjamin, a snap suplex follows and a cover for 2. To the corner they go, rights by Benjamin, Benjamin answers back but Benjamin shoots him off the ropes, reversal and a clothesline by Kennedy gets 2. Kennedy back to the arm, knee drops to the shoulder and Benjamin tries an arm bar, but Kennedy holds on. A slam by Benjamin, but Kennedy holds on again. Benjamin works to his feet, forearm strikes break the hold, knees follow and ff the ropes and Kennedy lands the jumping spin kick. Goes for the running face wash but Benjamin kicks the leg out from under him and slams Kennedy to the steel post. We head to a commercial @ 4:45.
Back from commercial @ 7:45 with Benjamin in control of the arm, Kennedy escapes but eats a knee to the gut and Benjamin covers for 2. A shoulder breaker by Benjamin gets a cover for 2. Benjamin lays the boots to Kennedy, and then just beats him down with rights. Benjamin works the arm triangle, Kennedy tries to roll him and gets a cover for 2. Benjamin transitions to more of a cross arm breaker now, but Kennedy rolls him for another cover of 2 only for Benjamin to keep the hold. Benjamin to his feet and tries to break the hold again, turns Benjamin into a leg hold and Benjamin gets the ropes. Benjamin tosses Kennedy to the floor, follows and tosses Kennedy shoulder first into the ring apron. Kennedy gets a kick to the knee, they trade rights from their knees and get to their feet. A knee by Kennedy gets a cover for 2. To the corner, back elbow by Benjamin and up top he goes…cross body connects and covers for a CLOSE 2. Pay dirt countered by Kennedy, back slide try stopped and off the ropes, a boot by Kennedy and MIC CHECK! 1…2…3.
Winner: Mr. Kennedy @ 13:30 via pin
A really good match here. Slow in parts, but they seem to have some good chemistry. I would expect a rematch for Summerslam.
RATING: **½
-Benjamin is in the ring and is NOT a happy panda. Eve tries to interview him and he says he won't make excuses, to tell you the truth he should not have been out there, he has bronchitis and is not feeling well.
-THOSE EDGE GUYS talk and Chavo asks why Krystal II is there. They don't know and don't know who the special guest is either. Chavo makes them promise to tell them if they find out. They then discuss the possibility of getting action figures.
-THE Brian Kendrick is on the mic, and says there has been no attitude change, he has ALWAYS been THE Brian Kendrick. When he said he was the most intelligent he meant it. He got Paul London, put on a phony smile and got his foot in the door. He never has nor will he ever care about any of us. But of course, if you have a problem, take it up with his man ZEKE.
Stevie Richards vs. The Brian Kendrick w/Ezekiel
Knees and rights by Kendrick to begin. A boot to the head after some leg kicks take Stevie down. A running boot by Kendrick and a cover for 1. Dragon clutch by Kendrick into the camel clutch, some forearm shots follow. Another running boot by Kendrick, to the 2nd rope and levels Stevie, and that gets a cover for 2. A Boston Crab by Kendrick keeps the control, Stevie escapes and Kendrick just kicks him in the face. He'll cover again for 2. To the corner they go, Kendrick chokes out Stevie and he backs off…and then misses a corner clothesline. Kicks by Stevie, snap mare and a kick to the back follows. One to the face and a cover for 2. Sit out powerbomb by Stevie gets 2! Kendrick to the apron, Stevie KILLS him with a kick and ZEKE catches Kendrick. Stevie to the floor, Kendrick beats him in, stun guns him over the top rope and THE KENDRICK finishes it.
Winner: The Brian Kendrick @ 3:45 via pin
Another fun performance for THE KENDRICK. Stevie got enough offense to make it interesting, but not too much to overshadow Kendrick. I also appreciate that they continue to give him promo time.
RATING: *½
-After the match ZEKE racks Stevie for good measure.
-Edge arrives and walks.
Jeff Hardy vs. The Great Khali w/Runjin Singh
Jeff tries to communicate with the giant, which fails. Jeff jumps at him a few times and gets leveled by a clothesline. Jeff slammed to the corner and Khali kicks at him in the corner. Khali works the Kevin Nash trademark corner offense, celebrates a bit and then tosses him back to the corner. More Nash-like offense with the back elbows, a slam follows. Another slam by Khali, followed by head butts. More corner elbows by Khali, chops and Jeff is down. Jesus more back elbows by Khali, Jeff finally fights back and as he goes up top is CHOPPED to the floor. We'll go to commercial @ 4:00.
Back from commercial @ 7:00 as Khali takes Jeff down with a clothesline. Vulcan Neck Pinch by Khali, Jeff tries to fight back, fails and takes another neck pinch. Jeff escapes again, whisper in the wind and Khali is DOWN! SWANTON by Jeff! MVP is out, Jeff gets a baseball slide and a PLANCHA onto him. They brawl, Khali grabs Jeff and pulls him up to the ring and clotheslines him on the way in. That had to suck. SOOTHING SKULL MASSAGE BY KHALI and that is all.
Winner: The Great Khali @ 11:10 via submission
The whole first half was boring as piss, but thankfully the second half was watchable and not too bad. Khali gets a win over a string face heading into Summerslam, and we continue the build to Jeff vs. MVP.
RATING: *
-MVP poses over Jeff after Khali leaves.
-We get another video package for R-TRUTH, where he discusses his prison stay and the bad choices he made in his life.
Victoria vs. Maria
They talk trash, Victoria tosses her down and works the MUTA LOCK! She then just beats her down, slams Maria to the corner and mocks her some. Maria battles back but Victoria gets the fireman's carry into the side slam. Maria is tossed to the floor, back in and she gets a dropkick to Victoria. Victoria back in and shoots her off the ropes, head scissors by Maria. Off the ropes and a powerslam by Victoria gets 2. Full nelson applied by Victoria, Maria escapes but Victoria gets the hold right back. Maria works to escape again, does and fires back on Victoria. A kick by Maria, sunset flip by Maria gets 2. Maria to the second rope, gets a clothesline and that is all.
Winner: Maria @ 3:01 via pin
Fucking criminal. Seriously, was Maryse too busy tonight to do the job? I know that they love Maria and that she did Playboy and all, but does Victoria constantly have to make these chicks look good AND lose? I will admit that Maria is improving, but I feel Victoria continues to be used very poorly.
RATING: *½
-Edge meets with Krystal II, and says she has to leave. He got her a ticket to watch tonight's Cutting Edge. Edge says it will be huge, and she says she understands.
-We get a HHH video package.
-JR and Foley talk about Summerslam and HHH. They then mock The Adamle.
A go behind by Domino, Show then just tosses him to the floor. Domino gets serious now, lock up and Show tosses him down. Domino throws his short at Show, and then eats a big boot. Chops by Show, a short armed clothesline follows and then the chokeslam.
Winner: The Big Show @ 1:00 via pin
-YOU-MAN-GA now makes his way to the ring. They stare down and circle…and that is all.
-Chavo and Bam tell Vickie that they don't know who Edge's guest is. We'll find out soon.
~THE CUTTING EDGE~
Edge makes his way out to the ring for the Cutting Edge. The ring is filled with a ladder, table and a chair. He has a seat and says that all week he has been searching for inner peace. His marriage is going through a rough patch, but in two weeks he steps into Hell in a Cell against the Undertaker. He has watched all of the footage, which was a mistake because he has seen all of the cruelty and the pain. He has seen the suffering and the Undertaker doing evil. Every time he closes his eyes, that is all he sees. But tonight he will find the inner peace, he has HIS instruments of destruction. Tables, ladders and chairs. The things that helped him banish the Undertaker. He also found the one person that can help him against the Undertaker. The person that will help him thrive and survive. The person that knows the Undertaker better than anyone else in wrestling history, and that person will be the guest tonight on the Cutting Edge. That person is MICK FOLEY! This surprises Foley, and Edge invites him into the ring.
Foley rises from the announce table and enters the ring. Edge thanks him, and Foley accepts that. Edge says they have history, a lot of it, but he is a changed man. He knows that Foley can look past the history and he knows that something eats away at Foley, he sees it. In case he forgot, Edge has a special video package to remind him.
We get a video from 1998, the Attitude era and most importantly the Hell in a Cell match between Taker and Mankind.
Huge cheers for Foley after that, and Edge says that was 10-years ago and we all remember. But his body feels the match like it was yesterday. Edge then says after that brutality, Foley walked away on his own. But he saw Foley walk before the match and try to walk properly since that match, and he can't do it. The Undertaker did that to him. Edge says it burns in his heart everyday, and if he helps Edge, he can exercise the demon of the Undertaker and get rid of the pain in his heart. Maybe, maybe all of that will all wash away.
Foley says he brings up good points and that he was never the same. There is part of him that wants to help, but over the last several months, Edge has hurt his credibility. The one thing he has going for him is his word and bond with the fans. And for weeks, months and years; he has said Edge is the greatest superstar in the WWE. Even when it hasn't been popular to say. But unless the fans have a long memory, they think you suck. They see an that takes short cuts, that plays the numbers game, relying on his wife. Foley won't help him and he just can't help him. But he knows who can, Edge. Edge. You need to look in your heart, soul and mind and find the man that Foley praised up and down. Remember the Edge that shattered the glass ceiling? FIND THAT EDGE! The Edge that made TLC mean something. The Edge that smelt his own flesh burning and loved it. They had the greatest Hardcore match in WrestleMania history, and he needs to find that Edge. If he does, he and JR will call the greatest and innovative, violent match in WWE history. Find that Edge, bring him to Summerslam. Because if the cell door slams shut on this Edge, the tuxedo wearing Edge, the sponge bathing Edge, the teeter totter riding Edge, the asking for forgiveness Edge, if you do, the Undertaker will tear you apart! AM I UNDERSTOOD?
Edge says he understands and NAILS Foley with the mic! He tosses him to the floor yelling that he understands and they brawl! Foley slams Edge off of the announce table, looks for toys and gets a chair! Unfortunately Edge kicks it into his face and the SPEARS HIM INTO THE STEEL STEPS! Edge sets up the ladder in the corner as Foley battles to his feet and the crowd chants for the Undertaker. Foley make sit into the ring, Edge says he understand and Foley gets the CLAW, but Edge low blows him, lays him on the table and grabs a chair. He then climbs the ladder and DIVES OFF WITH THE CHAIR AND PUTS FOLEY THROUGH THE TABLE!
I wonder if WWE has some way of monitoring the noise of the fans on the internet. Because Mick Foley took a real pot-shot at Adamle no longer being an announcer, he said something along the lines of "Adamle may not have been Jim Ross-esque behind the mic".
Posted By: FoleyisGood (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 01:22 AM
Maryse was probably too busy doing another type of job. BA-ZING!
Posted By: Brian (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Rating for the final segment: Awesome
Posted By: Guest#7933 (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 10:17 PM
I like the story of Mick Foley helping Edge snap
Posted By: Jamal (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 10:24 PM
So is it going to be like a TLC match inside of the cell or what?
Posted By: Foolio (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 10:26 PM
"Fucking criminal. Seriously, was Maryse too busy tonight to do the job? I know that they love Maria and that she did Playboy and all, but does Victoria constantly have to make these chicks look good AND lose?"
Hey, I'd take Maria/Victoria any day over Maria/Maryse, even if Victoria has to lose all the time.
Posted By: Steve (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 10:28 PM
That Cutting Edge was godly!
Or dare I said... GOODLY
Posted By: Westen (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Summerslam should be pretty damn good. They've got a lot of good little feuds that are brewing (logically) and HITC should be a **** match.
Smackdown is a way better wrestling program than Raw right now.
Posted By: Patrick (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 10:50 PM
I love Kendrick's character, but I have a bad feeling it is all a setup to get ZEKE over and Kendrick will be jobbing after.
Posted By: Armando Rodriguez (Registered) on August 01, 2008 at 11:00 PM
That may have been the promo of the year. All made better that the guys actually talked and the use of video was great here. Edge is my favorite wrestler in the WWE. He makes fans want to see someone beat the shit out of him. This mya be the promo of the year here. See this is where WWE does well JR never talked through the whole promo he let Edge and Foley say what they had to say.
Posted By: Kyle (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Foley on the mike tonight ripping into Edge was awesome. The "loofa bath tub" Edge, hilarious. That whole segment was well written and incredibly acted, major kudos to Foley and Edge.
Posted By: Matty (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 11:41 PM
The Cutting Edge was the best segment I've seen all year truely awesome... Foley is right when he says Edge has his 'edge' he is the best in the business. Foley is still the god of promo's though. Fantastic.
Posted By: Andrew Barbarash (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 12:00 AM
I thought Jeff Hardy showed good intensity tonight on the mike and in his beatdown on MVP. Too bad he had to sucker job to the most boring piece of monkey crap in the history of WWE, Khali.
Posted By: Laura (Guest) on August 01, 2008 at 11:53 PM
I think mick turns and wacks taker with the chair and edges gets the win so edge gets his title rematch at the next PPV because he didnt have won
Posted By: Guest#8291 (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 12:08 AM
Outstanding how both HHH and the Undertaker are both in high profile matches at Summerslam, yet I can't remember the last time I saw either of them on TV.
Posted By: Johny (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 12:24 AM
"Outstanding how both HHH and the Undertaker are both in high profile matches at Summerslam, yet I can't remember the last time I saw either of them on TV."
Triple H was on Smackdown last week.
Posted By: Guest#5714 (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 01:41 AM
Triple H like the guy before me said was on Smackdown last week staring down the great Khali. He took this week off because his wife had a baby. So Logically he wants to be there.
Posted By: Kyle (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 01:47 AM
Well seems smackdown has gone back to its roots ans the wrestling was pretty damn good. 2 long matches and 3 squashes and 2 that continued a fued/push. Then the sports entertaiment ending worked out well. Dunno if anyone has noticed or not but they arent utilizing HHH as much and the show is STILL managing to do pretty good. And thats good for 2 reason. 1. HHH is already over so he doesnt need to be squshing the rest of the card, gives more time for other superstars as well as creating a ppv match just as good if not better as the mai nevent title scene. So i gtta say the way theyre are using HHH whether by booking choice or hhh personal business is working out pretty well. How long will it last? who knows. Unfortunatly i see HHH being champ for a while until they create some more main event stars. HHH not as champ on smackdown us a HUGE step down from not being champ on raw.
Posted By: rellik kram (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 03:39 AM
I guess Foley will be the special ref, to recreate that moment of Foley and Taker together in the cell.
Posted By: Wesley (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 06:58 AM
Hmmm after tonights promo, I have a feeling we might be seeing some CRAZY shit inside HIAC at Summer Slam. I doubt anyone would be going to the top thanks to the awful new cage design but I have a feeling that tables, ladders and chairs might come into play
Posted By: natedoggcata (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 08:26 AM
Benjamin vs Kennedy was GOLD and will be GIGA GOLD at SummerSlam
Can't wait for this us championship opening Slam 08 with a bang and the ULTRA OVER MIIIIIIIISTER KEEEEEENNEEEEEDY KEEEENEEEEEDY going OVER CLEAN as the NEW US CHAMP !
M.V.P is bound to do the job again , this guy has been just doing that this year
Jobbing and jobbing and jobbing out .
At least his feud with Mattitude was GREAT, this one looks like a very poor old man's of the former .
Hell and Jeff Hardy fuckin sucks with a mic !
Is it me or there ARE PEOPLE COMPLAINING about THE ABSENCE of HHH while the very SAME PEOPLE were COMPLAINING ABOUT HIM being TOO MUCH On SD ! and burying the brand ?
Same for TAKER ?
Smell the IRONY here.....
Posted By: Mr Freeze (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 08:38 AM
didn't like much but i did like the shelton and kennedy match but i didn't like that they had that interview right after it....as for mick foley, you know we seem to forget how GREAT some of these old-school wrestlers were on the mic, when he got on edge that was some awesome stuff. Outside of a select few, there aren't many wrestlers that can get close to or on that level of cutting a promo.
Posted By: cj (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 09:36 AM
I caught The Kendrick, who is fucking awesome and the end, which was ultra fucking awesome. Then I ordered ROH and saw some fucking sweetly awesome wrestling.
Posted By: Jboy1307 (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 09:41 AM
Finally they've got the Edge/Taker angle right. That repetitive garbage with the stacking the odds and #1 contender's garbage was totally crapped on by foley lastnight, and thankfully so.
Brilliant segment. Foley's not reffing though.
Posted By: Brett (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 10:58 AM
I wonder where the Shelton thing is going. Is that going to be a part of his gimmick. I'm not looking foward the TRUTH. It sounds like it could get VERY preachy and annoying.
Posted By: Capt. Smooth (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Seeing Jeff Hardy and Victoria lose to people who shouldn't be allowed to wrestle on TV is very disheartening, however Mick Foley/Edge promo was by far the best of the year in my opinion and more than made up for it.
Posted By: 17 (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 11:39 AM
''Jeff sucks with a mic''
MVP said last week that he is the CHARISMATIC ENIGMA!!!!!!! Awesome line!!
''Smackdown is a better show than RAW!''
Damn right!!
Posted By: Steven (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 11:52 AM
The R-Truth character might not seem very original to a seasoned fan, but the younger audience could take to him. He is a redeemed man getting a second chance in life. Very PG-esque, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
And I loved Shelton Benjamin's brief interview after his loss to Kennedy. For some reason he reminded me of Terrel Owens. If they can allow Benjamin to give short and concise promos, much in the vein of Batista, The Gold Standard's character could develop significantly.
Posted By: Kris (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 02:58 PM
Jeff Hardy does just fine on the mic.
I hate that he had to lose to The Great Khali.
I absolutly loved the Edge and Foley promo. But if they going to make a point of having Edge tell "Krystal II" to go find a seat for the propmo, they could have at least showed her watching him during the promo.
Posted By: jamie (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 03:01 PM
"Fucking criminal. Seriously, was Maryse too busy tonight to do the job? I know that they love Maria and that she did Playboy and all, but does Victoria constantly have to make these chicks look good AND lose? I will admit that Maria is improving, but I feel Victoria continues to be used very poorly."
Glad to hear I'm not the only one that thinks using Victoria was a bad idea. They need to bring back the psycho Victoria.
When she pose for playboy, thats when I'll buy one.
Posted By: TWilliams (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 03:58 PM
Fucking Edge and Foley...BANG BANG! That was def a promo of the year by Foley, and Edge I really think was close to shedding a couple there. Edge really is the best guy in WWE, and I think he felt honored being called that by a ledgend in front of all those people. Wow, I might have to order Summerslam now.
Posted By: Jay Smith (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 04:07 PM
Mr.Kennedy vs Shelton Benjamin was awesome. I'd like to see them go at it for about ...I dunno, "20 minutes?" on ppv for the US-Title, that'd be cool as hell.
MVP/JeffHardy interaction-segment was pretty cool.
Edge/Foley promo OWNEDALL!
Posted By: Jake (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 07:50 PM
Mick may be past it as a wrestler, but I'm glad that some of the newer fans got to see why Foley WAS and still IS God! That promo tonight was just freakin' awesome. It's nice to see the company allowing Mick to do what he does best.
And kudos for the writers for putting that "grey" area into the whole segment. Do you feel sorry for Foley for what Edge did to him? Or do you feel uncomfortable watching him being destroyed but think "Well Mick, YOU are the one who told him to find the old Edge?". Both men were GOLD. The old Foley promo style and the class of promo that Edge has been showing us he can put out for so long now.
Pure F'N GOLD!
Posted By: The Bionic Eyebrow (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 08:56 PM
To those who think that Victoria deserves to be in her current position because she "had her time in the sun," I have only one thing to say. What time? Even when she was champion, they didn't believe in her, as they gave other divas more screen time. And she's been stuck in this position for 4 years.
To see someone with the talent and charisma of Victoria being used in this way is just sad. Shame there's nothing we can do about it.
Posted By: Rupper (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 09:15 PM
Kendrick/Ezekiel=HBK/Nash 2008
Posted By: Matthew (Guest) on August 02, 2008 at 10:29 PM
oh man, Foley is STILL awesome. And Edge working with someone who's at his level of talent is pure gold. No wonder Paul Heyman calls him the WWE-Franchise.
That makes me sad tho, because there is no one coming up who can deliver a promo quite like these two, somewhere along the line Vince & Co forgot "The Promo", instead they went with the factory built, cookie-cutter, +6"2' +290lb ubermensch who ALL failed in the long run, (and the short for that matter), and behold, the ratings went straight to the toilet.
It's a sport (of sorts), so the better athlete may come out on top at the end, but the BEST (who put the ass in every 18 inches consistently year after year) have ALWAYS been good on the mic, or had that elusive *something* about their personality that made them bigger than life.
Posted By: casual_monday_mayhem (Guest) on August 03, 2008 at 07:39 AM
The end promo setting up HitC may convince me to order Summerslam. Takes a lot these days to justify me throwing down the money being charged for them these days.
Posted By: Dave (Guest) on August 04, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Anyone else in here think Baby Face Big Show is just silly? He comes out all smiling and waving like he's the grand marshall of a parade. He should be mean and vicious...Never ever smiling unless it's some sadistic smile. Thank goodness they finally made Kane a heel again. He was never a good fit as a face either. Just opinions here...
Posted By: Sammy (Guest) on August 04, 2008 at 04:10 PM
