411’s WWE Smackdown Report 10.10.08

Posted by Scott Rutherford on 10.10.2008

Big Show gloats, Koslov just wants to hurt people and HHH defends the big one in the main event.

Welcome all. I'm your interim Smackdown! recapper Scott. For those who have read me before know what they're in for, for those who haven't…I am not a great play-by-play man so be forewarned of the sucktitude. So why I am recapping SD? Well, we're short a warm body for the job.

So if any one is interested in becoming 411's full-time recapper, drop us a sample via email and I will forward it on to the proper authorities. Anyone looking to give it a go much has full intentions of doing this every week and has a review up within an hour of shows end.

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Highlights of No Mercy and The Big Show handing The Undertake his ass.

JR and Tazz welcome us and pimp tonight's main event title match between HHH and The Big Show.

- Vicki Guerrero is in the ring. Two weeks ago she was savagely attacked by The Undertaker putting her back into the wheelchair and neck brace. She can still hear the vertebrae compressing. She gloats about the demise of The Undertaker at the hands of The Big Show. TBS makes his way out and he's almost whistling a happy tune as he walks down the aisle. "I told you so," he states. He told us exactly what was going to happen and he delivered. More highlights of the big blows from No Mercy. He claims his fist is the equalizer and says the while people say you never knew what hit them, HHH knows what's coming and TBS while be the champ by the end of the night.

Vladimir Kozlov is now out. He throws down a challenge to the winner. Show thinks that's ill advised because #1 Show is a giant and #2 he's an American…..rrrrright.

Match #1 – "Brie" "Bella" vs. Natalie Neidhardt w/Victoria
Catfight to start. Nattie takes control but misses a charge to the corner, BB hits a sloppy cross body from the top rope (JR tries to sell it as a foot slipping) which gets a quick one count. They both fight over a backslide which BB wins and gets a two count. Nattie charges BB in the corner again and misses for the second time be turns it around into a big clothesline to take control and applies the sleeper. BB works out into a cover on Nattie for a surprise 2 count, Nattie clotheslines again but misses an elbow drop and BB attempts to go under the ring but Victoria ain't having that and goes underneath to get her. She comes back out with a shocked look on her face and it's HORNSWOGGLE! Horny does the mini Thesz Press and either tries to eat Victoria or stuck his tongue up her nose. Vic runs for the hills and BB pulls the slight of hand and gets the roll up win.

(This match has been repeated for weeks now. People know what's happening with Brie Bella and they need to pay it off soon. Match itself was quick and sloppy thanks to BB. ½*)

- Funaki appearance backstage! He lets us know he's still Smackdown's #1 announcer. R-Truth interrupts and he wants to know what Funaki's full name is. Kung Fu Naki. R-T thinks this is the greatest thing he's ever heard and co-ops "Kung Fu Fighting" and drops about 15 Japanese clichés in 30 seconds.

- HHH is voting on the special guest ref for Cyber Sunday. He's having a hard time deciding between Stone Cold and HBK ya know. Jeff Hardy joins him and says he was the man at No Mercy and gives him props for the win. Jeff wishes HHH luck for the nights title match and he's out. But wait, he's back and wants to challenge the winner….which he doubts will be HHH.

- Shelton Benjamin informs us that despite the current economic woes, there's always on thing you can bet on and that's the Gold Standard.

Match #2 Shelton Benjamin vs. R-Truth – Non Title Match
Brawl to start and Shelton dominates and beats R-T down. Nasty kick to the back of Truths head and then he throws him to the floor and runs him into the barricade. Truth rolls back in and catches Benjamin with a spear and returns the violence from the start of the match. Shelton counters a whip into the ropes with a clothesline and hits a rear chin lock. Ron powers out with a side suplex. Big right hands by R-T and nails the corkscrew forearm for a 2 count. Shelton regains control but an attempted tilt-a-whirl gets reversed into a 3 count for R-Truth.

(While a little short, this match was fast and full of nice move/counter-move. Shelton needs to get some sort of ascendancy or else he'll start looking like a jobber again after building him back up for months. **1/2)

Match #3: Jeff Hardy vs. MVP
JR lets us know that MVP needs one more win to get his performance bonus.

Lock-up to start. MVP gets a quick 2 off an inside cradle and then another 2 count off a roll-up. Hardy comes back with some right hands, falls forward on a vertical suplex and heads up too the top rope for the swanton and MVP rolls out as we go to a break…

…we're back as MVP takes control. He gets some knees into Hardy's mid-section, bodyslam and a knee drop gets a 2 count. MVP applies a seated abdominal stretch, Jeff fights up with a few kicks but MVP quickly gets back on top and applied a reverse bear hug on the mat. Jeff fights up and nails a face buster for a two count but MVP gets right back to the reverse bear hug. Jeff fights out with the knees again but MVP cuts him off by running him into the corner turnbuckle. He attempts a side suplex, which Hardy blocks and he starts throwing the big right hands. Whisper in the wind gets 2, then a standing drop kick seats MVP down in the corner. Hardy hits the top rope assisted boots to the face and then again to the back. MVP is prone, swanton finishes off MVP for the three count.

(Great free to air match between these two. Hardy has stepped it up a notch in the past couple weeks as he grows into his main vent spot. MVP was game and the results showed. Only complaints are MVP working the back didn't come back into the play when hitting the swanton would have left Hardy hurt more than usual. ***3/4)

- Kozlov is back down and Jeff is all "bring it Ruskie" and promptly gets owned of big Vlad.

- Maria is out as your guest ring announcer.

Match #4 – Jesse, Festus, Carlito & Primo vs. Ryder, Hawkins, Braddock & Dykstra

Slow Festus is a little horny for Maria.

Bell rings and Festus cleans house, Carlito starts proper and gets a quick moonsalt on Ryder. He then gets caught in the heel corner and gets worked over. Hawkins tags himself in and hits a snapping neck breaker for 2, In tags Kenny and gets the double axe handle form the top rope for 2. Kenny works over Carlito and applies a chin lock. Carlito hits the jawbreaker to get out and nails a hurricunrana on Kenny and tags in Festus who promptly turn Kenny into his bitch. Festus clears the heel corner, big boot on Dykstra and the pin gets broken up by Braddock. Carlito takes care of him while Jesse and Primo hit stereo plancha's on Ryder & Hawkins on the floor. Festus hits his big F5-type slam (do we have a name for this?) and we have our winners. After the bell, Festus tries to mack on Maria again.

(Short and not really worth anything. Nice to see some undercard guys get face time but if your going to do a big six or eight-man match, give them 10-15 minutes to work the crowd who has been hot all night. *1/2)

The Great Khali is in the ring. We get clips from his appearance on Jackass where Johnny Knoxville asks if he has a big dick. Khali acts all offended…which is lost when we come back to the ring and see the big goof smiling. We're then treated to the Raw Kiss Cam from Monday as we see Khali lay the moves on Lillian. We are going to get a repeat performance after his fantastic match against three men!

Match #5: The Great Khali vs. Three Jobbers
Two of the jobbers run away, the other one dies when Khali give him the big chop to the head.

(Dud. N/R)

We get a few tasty selections for the Kiss Cam but the big fatty is selected. Khali seems not that keen, but does the job….much quicker than when he kissed Lillian.

Match #6: HHH vs. The Big Show – WWE Title Match
Man, they're certainly hyping this big. Let's hope they deliver.

Show tries to corner HHH to start but Trips is too quick and lands a few rights in the process. TBS is having none of that and rams HHH into the turnbuckle, the force of which send HHH over the top rope to the floor. Show follows but HHH manages to evade and ram TBS into the post. Show rolls back in the ring and takes out Hunter as he tries to enter. Second entry attempt by HHH and TBS tries to take him out again but The Cerebral Assassin manages to guillotine him on the top rope and makes his way back in only to get hit by a big side walk slam.

Weird edit here as the SD symbol appears and we cut to HHH caught in a head vice. Would be interested to know if the WWE made that edit or was it Fox8 here in Australia.

Back to the action, HHH fights up but Show keeps control with the vice. Finally HHH fights back but Show nails the spinning leg drop and gets a close two count. Charge by Big Show to the corner misses and tries again only for HHH to jump on his back and hit the sleeper. TBS flips over his shoulder and but misses an elbow drop. HHH tees off with the big right hands, face buster and tries to hit the pedigree but he can't lock it in as Show picks him up on his back and drops HHH with all his weight on top.

Both men are down but Show beats the count first and makes for the big right hand, HHH ducks and slugs away but runs into a chokeslam. HHH is down but TBS doesn't go for the cover but instead he tries for the Undertaker Killer Rabbit Punch…gong…lights down…lights up and UT is here and shit is on! ‘Taker unleashes with the soup bones and Show can't get a lick in and he heads for the back…gong…lights out…lights on and UT is standing behind him in the aisle and this time Undertaker fights him to the back…

…and Kozlov makes his way to the ring. HHH tries to trade blows but eats the big head butt to the chest. In runs Jeff Hardy and he promptly eats a big shoulder block. Finally HHH and Hardy buy a clue and double team the Russian as he retreats up the aisle to a big USA chant.

The faces stand tall and then kick, wham Twist of Fate, Jeff shows he ain't no ones fool and take out HHH as we close the show with Hardy staring down Vlad.

(This was working before the run-ins. HHH sold more for TBS than any time they have previously met letting The Big Show dominate like all big men should in matches. I would have liked more of the psychology of Trips avoiding the big right hand since it's been drilled into us how dangerous it is. I also would have liked Show to get the big head punch in before the UT interference because it would have driven home even more how deadly the punch was. ***1/4)


The 411: Two really good matches, things are moving in the main event, R-Truth is being brought along nicely although the rest of the undercard is treading water. Strong show this week and it's the first time in a long while where I'm looking forward to next weeks show.