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WWE Smackdown review
November 9, 2007
Taped 11/6/07 in Bakersfield, CA.
Aired on The CW
Report by Greg Parks, Torch Team Contributor
-Smackdown Open (no WWE open?).
-It’s only NINE DAYS until Survivor Series? It feels like Cyber Sunday was last Sunday. Yeesh.
-Tonight, Rey Mysterio faces Finlay and Undertaker takes on Great Khali in a No-Holds Barred Match.
1- TAG TEAM BATTLE ROYAL- JESSE & FESTUS, THE MAJOR BROTHERS, DAVE TAYLOR & DREW MCINTYRE, DEUCE ‘N DOMINO, JIMMY YANG & SHANNON MOORE
The winners face MVP & Hardy later tonight for the titles. When one man is eliminated, the team must go. Festus cleaned house on most of the guys. Jesse got sent shoulder-first into the post by Deuce, and landed on the outside. The combatants started ganging up on Festus, and they tossed him at 1:03. Yang and Moore used some double-teaming to beat up Taylor. This match really shows how shallow the tag division is. McIntyre and Taylor almost eliminated Yang, but he slid back in under the bottom rope. Deuce and Domino worked over one of the Major brothers. Lots of punching and kicking at this point. Yang was eliminated at 5:40 when he went for a high-risk move and Taylor pushed him off the top rope and out. Right after that, they went to break.
[Commercial Break]
The three teams that were in when they went to break were still in. Taylor was clotheslined over the top at 9:31 by a Major brother. It’s the Majors vs. Deuce ‘N Domino. I think they’re going for an underdog story here, but no one knows anything or cares about the Majors at this point I don’t think. Deuce landed on the apron and then applied the head-scissors. The greasers whipped one of the Majors against the ropes, he held on, and the former champs charged, but Major ducked low and both men went over. The Majors are the new number one contenders.
WINNERS: The Major Brothers at 11:56. This would be a good place for an interviewer to come down and talk to the Major Brothers, let them show some personality or something.
-Backstage, Torrie was talking to Michelle McCool about Chuck Palumbo. Michelle was trying to convince Torrie they were just friends. Chuck came onto the scene, but so did Victoria and Dykstra. After a rude joke, Michelle nailed Victoria. They go one-on-one next.
-Later tonight, Rey Mysterio faces Finlay.
[Commercial Break]
-A clip of The Great Khali’s “shocking” debut aired, to preview his match tonight with Undertaker.
2- MICHELLE MCCOOL VS. VICTORIA
Both women were seconded by their men. Shoulderblock and quick cover by Michelle. Another one, to no avail. Victoria used the hair to take Michelle down. She worked a wrist-lock but Michelle showed some great athleticism and flipped out of it using the turnbuckle. Victoria got the advantage soon after and hit a suplex. Michelle came back with a dropkick and some chops. Big boot caught Victoria coming off the ropes. She missed a spinning side kick, as Kenny pulled Victoria out of harms way. Palumbo took care of him, but Victoria DDT’d Michelle back in the ring and got the victory.
WINNER: Victoria at 2:58. Michelle looked pretty decent in there tonight.
-Anastasia Rose was backstage with Rey Mysterio. She asked him about facing Finlay again tonight. Rey said he fears no one, certainly not Finlay. He basically rebutted Finlay’s comments from last week. I think he even threw out a Konnan catchphrase at the end (or part of it).
[Commercial Break]
-The “Save_Us” commercial from Raw aired.
-CM Punk was talking with Vickie Guerrero backstage when Jamie Noble barged in. He decided to bring a gift to her this week. It’s a VHS tape, I think, titled “Jamie Noble: The GREATEST little man.” He sounded like he was hitting on Vickie. Punk made fun of the tape, calling it “retro” and saying he didn’t know they made VHS anymore. CM said Vickie has done an awesome job thus far and Noble took exception. He said beating Punk would be easier than pie. Vickie made a match between them for tonight. You’d think by now that Noble would learn to stay away from Vickie’s office. Noble said Guerrero finally crossed the line tonight.
3- FINLAY VS. REY MYSTERIO
Finlay tried to bully and intimidate Rey early on. Mysterio pummeled Finlay, who tried to cover up, in the corner. Crowd was all over Finlay. Rey came off the top and headscissored Finlay over the top. Springboard moonsault, perfectly executed onto Finlay on the outside as they went to break.
[Commercial Break]
Rey was kicking at Finlay in the corner and Michael Cole informed us he had been the aggressor throughout the break. Finlay got in some offense, but not for long. Rey countered a move by jumping on Finlay like he was going to hurricanrana him, but Finlay instead threw him off and into the turnbuckle in a brutal-looking move. Finlay bodyslammed Rey, with Mysterio’s legs hitting the ropes on the way down. Boston crab was applied by Finlay. Rey went to the outside again, and Finlay threw him into the barricade. Back to the crab inside the ring. Rey got to the ropes to force a break. Rey would start coming back, but Finlay would go right after the back. This happened a couple times. Rey got a roll-up for a near-fall. The turnbuckle came off somehow and Finlay bounced Rey off the exposed steel when he tried ten punches in the corner. Finlay tried to get the Shillalieigh, but Rey neutralized him. Seated senton by Rey as he started his comeback. But he got put back down with a hard clothesline. Rey came back though, he missed a 619. He got a kick to the back of Finlay’s head however. Another seated senton, another two-count. Dropkick to the back followed by a 619 for Mysterio. Rey went for another senton (or the hurricanrana off the ropes) but Finlay hit the ropes and knocked Rey off. Celtic Cross finished it for Finlay.
WINNER: Finlay at 18:38. Very good match. Told a solid story. The moves were very crisp from both guys.
-Finlay wasn’t done though. He took a laptop from the announce table and rapped Rey in the head with it. He then rammed Rey ribs-first into the steel post on the outside. The Irishman picked up the Shillaleigh, but referee Jim Korderas made sure Finlay didn’t use it post-match. Good heat for Finlay.
-Another Khali moment, as he felled the Big Red Machine with the vice grip.
[Commercial Break]
4- CM PUNK VS. JAMIE NOBLE
Noble got the advantage with a headlock take-over, but Punk came back with some kicks. Punk dove through the middle rope onto Noble on the outside and came up holding his knee. Back in the ring, Noble hit a swinging neckbreaker. Punk got an overhead throw for a near fall. Noble connected with some knees to the head of Punk, and Punk did just the same. Running knee to the jaw followed by the bulldog by Punk. Punk got Noble up for his finisher when The Miz ran in for the DQ.
WINNER: Punk by DQ at 3:41. Just a glimpse of what these two could do against each other in the ring.
-Batista was walking backstage, on his way to the ring, next.
[Commercial Break]
-A video package hyping Hell in a Cell aired.
-Batista made his way out for an interview segment. JBL pretended to talk on his cell phone to avoid Batista. Batista stated right off that he and Undertaker are not friends and they don’t get along. But he does hope he beats Khali tonight, because Batista wants Taker at his best. Batista said he was laying it all on the line at Survivor Series. Short and to the point.
-Coming up, Matt Hardy & MVP defend their tag titles against the Major Brothers. In fact, it’s next.
[Commercial Break]
5- MVP & MATT HARDY VS. THE MAJOR BROTHERS- WWE TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
MVP is wearing a “C” on his suit, for “captain.” A quick roll-up by Brett on Matt got a near-fall. Bulldog out of the corner by Matt for a two-count. Matt then hit the elbow off the middle rope and side effect. MVP tagged himself in as Hardy was setting up for the Twist of Fate. Snap suplex for two by MVP on Brett Major. Both men went down and Brett tried to make a tag. MVP was able to get up and knock Brian off the apron. Playmaker by MVP and that gets the pin.
WINNERS: MVP & Hardy at 2:50. Well that was quick. Strange that they’d put the Majors in that position.
-The two champs argued after the match.
-Another Khali moment: Applying the vice grip to Batista. He faces Undertaker next.
-On camera, Michael Cole and JBL discussed the passing of The Fabulous Moolah. Then the video package from Raw aired.
[Commercial Break]
-Cole and JBL previewed Survivor Series.
6- THE GREAT KHALI VS. THE UNDERTAKER- NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH
Undertaker worked the body, but it had pretty much no effect on Khali. Taker hit Old School like, less than 30 seconds in. He chokeslammed the big man and only got a two-count.
[Commercial Break]
Khali was kicking away at Taker in the corner. Headbutt by Khali. JBL said Taker came out tonight listed at 299 pounds, the first time ever he’s been listed under 300. Taker fought back with punches that looked like Khali was blocking. Khali applied a nerve hold on Taker. Taker fought out with more body shots. He got caught with a back elbow from Khali though. Khali put the vice grip on Undertaker. Taker made it back to his feet and broke the vice grip, first time ever. Another chokeslam for Khali. Another kick-out though. Taker gave the throat-slash gesture, so its over. Khali countered with a blow to the back of the neck. Khali picked Taker up for a two-handed chokeslam and put him down. As Khali was going for the vice grip again, Taker sat up and put Khali in the triangle choke. After being in a for a few seconds, Khali tapped.
WINNER: Undertaker at 9:47. Good way to win for Taker, as it gives that triangle choke more legitimacy.
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