We begin SmackDown number 11 of the year 2007 with Miz TV… Fortunately in this terrible early-day period of a segment that would go on to shine just like its star (although it took a while lol…); the guest this time is World Heavyweight Champion Batista. Batista got a mixed reaction coming out, and any mention of Undertaker during the interview got a cheer. Miz quoted an article from WWE Magazine where Batista said he was ‘unstoppable’.Miz played this down and said Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak was more unstoppable. He added if Undertaker wanted to he could come out here and kick Batista’s ass. The lights then went out, but came back on and Miz was laughing saying he had paid ‘some dude in the back’ and played this prank on Batista, The World Champion didn’t respond too kindly and soon enough he hit Miz with the Batista Bomb. 5 minute opening segment, what a concept, job done, good stuff, maybe modern day WWE should take note…
Matt Hardy defeated Mr Kennedy
Update: I’m still bored of Mr Kennedy… This was a match between two of the eight men in the Money In The Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 23. They went even early on, with the crowd again behind Matt Hardy. Hardy seemed to target Kennedy’s arm early on, before Kennedy pushed him into the corner and struck away, backing him into another corner and hammering away, then smashing Hardy’s head into the top turnbuckle. Hardy eventually came back and hit a running clothesline off the ropes. And later Hardy tackled Kennedy through the ropes and to the outside. After the ad break Kennedy soon hit a suplex to Matt Hardy for a nearfall. Kennedy got Hardy in a rest hold on his neck, with Hardy eventually fighting out of it, kicking Kennedy in the face and then hitting his elbow to the back of the head off the second rope, but seemed to tweak his knee as he landed. Hardy tried to bulldog but Kennedy managed to block it and hit a chop block to Hardy’s hurt knee. Kennedy then targeted the knee after, as much as Hardy tried to fight back. He slammed Hardy from up high knee first onto him for another nearfall. Kennedy rammed Hardy’s knee against the apron, then used his elbow and knee to hurt Hardy’s knee more, then he attacked Hardy more before smashing his knee against the ringpost. Kennedy got another nearfall after a clothesline, he then took Hardy to the top and pulled him down so he was trapped upside down as Kennedy went more at the knee. With both men up high, Kennedy launched Hardy back first to the floor below, but only got another two count. Kennedy then locked in an Indian Death Lock to put more pressure on Matt Hardy’s knee, Hardy tried to fight out with right hands and he eventually reversed the pressure making Kennedy reach the ropes. Kennedy stomped away on Hardy then went up high looking for the Kenton Bomb, but Hardy rolled out the way in time. Hardy on one good leg hit multiple clothesline then a side russian leg sweep, then hit a second rope leg drop for a nearfall. The crowd were into Hardy’s comeback here. Hardy then got a side effect for another nearfall after reversing Kennedy’s move. Hardy tried to pull Kennedy down for a pin attempt but Kennedy stayed on his feet and then fell down on Hardy to try and pin him, even using the ropes for extra leverage but it wasn’t enough… Kennedy dropkicked Hardy in the knee to take him down, then hit a big kick to the face for another nearfall. Kennedy then picked Hardy up and tried for his finish, but with a great counter Hardy got out of it and hit the Twist of Fate (or more of an RKO or Diamond Cutter in this instance) and this got him somewhat of a surprise win. Crowd were delighted Matt Hardy got the win here, and he builds momentum heading to WrestleMania 23. Maybe not the most exciting match of all time, but a fine watch nonetheless.
Kristal spoke to Kennedy backstage. He said his loss tonight doesn’t affect him at all, and he will walk into WrestleMania and grab that briefcase. He said April 1st he walks into Ford Field as Mr Kennedy and walks out as Mr Money In The Bank… Bank…
MVP defeated ‘El Grande Latte’
MVP wanted the US title shot at Mania and asked Teddy Long for the shot last week. This was due to be against the US Champion but MVP took the mic and announced his opponent as the Honduran heavyweight champion who weighed in at 254 pounds and was undefeated… out came a pale guy in a mask who Michael Cole was unsure even weighed 150 pounds… MVP humiliated and dominated him very quickly. He beat him with his finish. MVP then cut a promo that brought out the US Champion.
Apparently on Raw the next Monday, after an agreement between SmackDown GM Teddy Long and Raw’s executive Jonathan Coachman there will now be a ‘WrestleMania reversal night’ were Opponents for Mania 23 will take on past opponents of eachother from previous WrestleMania’s; WWE Champion John Cena will be in action, as well as Shawn Michaels VS JBL… Hmmm… JBL said he had a little something special for Shawn Michaels come Monday night. A little convoluted an idea, but cool.
The WWE Slam of the week was a recap of the Miz TV; Melina – Ashley segment to set up their Mania Women’s title match.
MNM (Joey Mercury & Johnny Nitro and WWE Women’s Champion Melina) defeated SmackDown Tag Team Champions Paul London & Brian Kendrick and Ashley
A tribute video aired to Earnie Ladd who passed away around the time of this show airing.
Maryse ‘speaks seductively in French’ (that’s a direct quote from the WWE Network annotations for this show)… we’re on week ELEVEN of this… and you thought Emmalina had a big build up…
King Booker and Queen Sharmell were backstage, with Finlay. It appears they were looking for the ‘luck of the irish’… basically Booker wanted to form an alliance again with Finlay ahead of his match with The Undertaker later… Finlay was looking for Hornswoggle, but Booker stopped Finlay before he left and asked for advice on facing The Undertaker, Finlay just said ‘RUN’ and Booker tried to catch up as Finlay walked off. Sharmell stayed and filed her nails… when Hornswoggle appeared and terrorised her. He said Happy St Patrick’s day and asked Sharmell for a kiss. She ran off and he drank some Guinness.
Another Battle of the Billionaires promo aired with more celebs mainly saying they wanted to see Trump bald.
On Raw monday we were shown Trump and McMahon and their representatives signing the WrestleMania contract. During which Stone Cold cut a promo on Trump and then Vince, it was so so good. Stone Cold is the man. Trump put an imagine on the screen of Vince if he was bald. Trump also shoved Vince over the contract table.
The WWE ‘smack of the night’ was Khali destroying Jeff Hardy in a match on Raw before Kane came out with his hook his character uses in his movie ‘See No Evil’. Khali wanted none of that and retreated. A not so subtle promotional bit their from WWE Movies…
Kane vs Daivari
Daivari was in the ring after the break cutting a promo in Punjab before Kane came out. Kane battered Daivari, in a complete squash lasting a few minutes finishing with a Chokeslam onto the steel steps on the outside, he then went under the ring to get his signature hook, which he choked Daivari with before dragging him up the ramp, and then to the back where he pushed him against a wall backstage, he then dragged him behind a door that closed saying he wanted him to send this as a message to Khali from him… So yeah we didn’t really have a finish… This of course is building more to Kane’s eventual match with The Great Khali at WrestleMania 23. Daivari was the man who first brought Khali to the WWE the year prior.
Legendary manager Mr Fuji was announced as the latest inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame class for 2007.
Royal Rumble Winner The Undertaker defeated King Booker with Queen Sharmell
This wasn’t quite of the level of last week’s show, which was the best of 2007 so far, but I still had a lot of fun watching and writing about it. Just a couple more weeks now until WrestleMania. A reminder that I will be covering next week’s SmackDown, the week after as well as normal on a Friday, and then the weekend after that I will be doing a full review of WrestleMania 23. And not just the SmackDown matches, but the full show as it’s one of the ones I remember most well from my childhood so it should be a fun watch. I just hope it looks as good to me in 2020 as it was to younger me in 2007.
Josh.
NobodyisReady.com 