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KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
NOVEMBER 23, 2007
TAPED TUESDAY
AIRED ON THE CW

WHAT HAPPENED: 1ST HOUR

-After clips of Edge inferring in the Survivor Series main event, Vickie Guerrero scolded Edge backstage for ruining a great main event. She said she was going to punish him by forcing him to wrestle Batista in a World Hvt. Title match on Smackdown next week. Vickie stood up with her back turned. Edge stood up and asked her if that meant he was the new no. 1 contender and Undertaker now has to take a back seat to him. She said yes. They both smiled and Edge said he couldn't have done it without her. Vickie and Edge faced each other then had one of those Edge-Lita-like makeout sessions. It just felt like too much too fast as far as Vickie complete turn-about.

-The Smackdown opening aired. Michael Cole said he was disgusted with what he just saw. He plugged that The Cutting Edge would feature Batista as Edge's guest. Also, Mr. McMahon had booked his son Hornswoggle in another "tough love" match against Mark Henry. "Everything's out of control!" declared Cole.

-JBL stood in the ring and introduced "your U.S. Champion, MVP." MVP came out, looking dapper in a suit, some bling, and his U.S. Title belt around his waist. Cole said due to MVP's actions, Hardy is out of the ring indefinitely with a knee injury. WWE.com readers must be confused since that reported that Hardy had his appendix taken out in emergency surgery and will be miss time due to that. JBL said he wanted to bestow upon him the first U.S. Title ring. But first, he introduced a clip showing one of the reasons he is getting such an honor. It showed MVP turning on Hardy and attacking him. MVP thanked JBL for showing him love and being one of his biggest supporter. He said the people need to understand why he did what he did to his former tag partner, Matt Hardy. MVP cited how JBL dropped a tag partner once and went on to become the WWE Champion. He said he is feeling relieved not to have to carry Hardy anymore. JBL had two security guards, amazingly expressionless, display the ring. JBL said it's the only thing in the ring that might be as bright his future. JBL said he was honored to bestow upon him the ring. He put it on his right middle finger. JBL said it's time the people acknowledge his greatness.

As MVP bragged himself up, Rey Mysterio's music interrupted. Rey walked out with a serious look on his face. MVP asked Rey if he had something to tell him. Rey said, "Look at me when I'm talking to you, rookie." He then called MVP a punk and said he realizes now why he's been ducking Matt Hardy. He said that's because he's scared. MVP punched Rey, knocking him to the mat. Rey fired right back with a couple forearms and a dropkick. Rey danced and asked MVP to bring it. Rey then went for a 619, but MVP rolled out of the ring. Good segment. JBL is always good to fill some time. MVP, as always, carried himself like a pro. And Rey put on one of his better mic performances in a long time. He didn't say much, but his delivery was spot on. Rey needed something significant to do, and feuding with MVP is a good spot for him.

-They showed Miz and John Morrison with their tag belts backstage.

[Commercial Break]

1 -- MIZ & JOHN MORRISON vs. BRETT & BRIAN MAJOR

Cole noted that Rey was booked against MVP late on Smackdown by Vickie Guerrero. JBL complained about Rey's lack of respect for MVP, a champion. "Maybe that's why Mysterio isn't a champion anymore." Talk about a tough choice of who to boo harder? They had an inset interview during the Majors ring intro right out of a 1986 WWF Superstars. They said Miz may be from reality TV, but they'll be teaching them what reality is all about. JBL said he actually likes the Major Brothers. He said they quit college to pursue their dream of being wrestlers. Morrison had blood on chest after the match.

WINNERS: Miz & Morrison in 3:00 when Miz hit his Reality Check.

STAR RATING: 1/2*

-Vince McMahon approached Finlay backstage. He said Finlay's catch phrase: "My name is Finlay and I love to fight!" Vince said he must be concerned about Hornswoggle. Finlay said he was curious what was going on with the Mark Henry match. Finlay said it wasn't part of their arrangement. Vince asked why Finlay was at Raw. Finlay said that was a surprise. Vince then proposed that Finlay could team with Hornswoggle against Henry. Finlay said that's the type of surprise he likes. Vince wished him luck. The Vince-Finlay dynamic is fun because it's a fresh situation for Vince's character in that he seems to want to befriend and be liked by Finlay, and seemed a little intimidated by him. It's not often Vince is trying to win someone else's approval.

[Commercial Break]

2 -- KANE vs. BIG DADDY V (w/Matt Striker)

A clip aired before the mach of Kane pinning Striker in a two-on-one match with Daddy V. Kane pinned Striker, but Daddy V beat up Kane afterward. Daddy V crushed Kane in the corner in the opening minute. Daddy V took Kane down face-first on the mat and lay on him, smothering him almost literally. Back on their feet, Daddy V went for a headbutt, but Kane moved. He followed with a low dropkick for a two count. As Kane went to the top rope, Striker entered the ring with a chair. The ref called for the bell. Kane then used the chair to bash Daddy V across the back. Striker bailed out.

WINNER: Kane via DQ in 2:00.

STAR RATING: 1/4* -- They tried hard, but it's not going to be pretty or graceful with those two.

-They showed Rey getting prepped backstage for his match against MVP up next.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed Wade Boggs in the crowd.

3 -- REY MYSTERIO vs. MVP

Cole said the match is all about respect. JBL said, "Yeah, Rey Mysterio not having any." Cole referred to Rey several times as "the biggest underdog in WWE history." Cole acknowledged the appendectomy and said Hardy wouldn't comment, when asked, on whether MVP's attack had anything to do with that. It's good they acknowledged that to try to have some semblance of cohesion between TV and the website. After some nice exchanges for two minutes, MVP bailed out in frustration.

[Commercial Break]

MVP took control after the break. When he hit Rey with a big boot, JBL compared it to a "young Frank Brody." At 9:00 they slowed down, with MVP settling into an armbar. Rey kicked out of it, then reversed MVP into a DDT at 10:00. Both men were slow to get up. Both stood at the count of nine.

WHAT HAPPENED: 2ND HOUR

Rey then went on a string of offense for three minutes. When he went for his West Coast Pop, MVP moved. Rey, though, landed the 619 seconds later. "Dammit!" exclaimed JBL. MVP caught Rey mid-flight on a West Coast Pop attempt, powerbombed him to the mat, held the ropes, and scored a tainted three count.

WINNER: MVP in 14:00.

STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Really good TV match. Well-paced, disciplined, sharply executed, and realistic. Not one that knocked you out of your chair, but still more than solid all-around.

-Backstage, Batista met with Vickie. Batista asked why Edge is getting the title shot. "He doesn't deserve it," he said. "He's slime." He asked for one good reason why. Vickie said she has two reasons. "One, he deserves it. Two, I love him," she said. "Now get out." Either Vickie is going to stay heel and be confronted when the never-mentioned Teddy Long returns (if he does; and he was told he would be brought back after the heart attack angle) or Edge is using Vickie and she'll end up being a sympathetic figure for being "played" by Edge.

-A commercial aired hyping the "Shawn Michaels: Heartbreak and Triumph" DVD chronicling his career "from his most electrifying matches to his most personal pain." It's available this coming Tuesday.

[Commercial Break]

-A highlight package aired on Survivor Series pushing the encore presentations.

-Jesse and Festus plugged the John Cena CD. Festus was dressed as Cena, but otherwise striking his usual pose with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Festus said, "That is a face of a man who knows when the Champ is Here." Jesse waved Festus's hand in front of his face like Cena's "You Can't See Me." The crowd laughed.

-Backstage, Jamie Noble walked up to Michelle McCool. McCool asked if she could help him. He said there's a lot she could help him with. She called him "shorty." When Noble brought up "her boyfriend" Chuck Palumbo, she said they're just friend. When he whispered something to her, she slapped him. Noble said she'll want to have "a cold one" with him after he impresses her in his match later.

-Finlay and Hornswoggle walked backstage. Hornswoggle told Finlay, "Thank you."

[Commercial Break]

-A clip aired of the Great Khali vs. Hornswoggle match at Survivor Series with Finlay running in to save Hornswoggle from the vice grip.

4 -- MARK HENRY vs. FINLAY & HORNSWOGGLE

Cole said when he got in trouble at school (yeah, Michael Cole ever got in trouble at school), his father took his car keys away or grounded him, he didn't put him in the ring against someone like Mark Henry. Finlay kicked Henry onto all fours. Hornswoggle rode him like a bucking bronco. Henry swatted him away and then went for a corner splash against Finlay. Finlay moved, then catapulted Hornswoggle head-first into Henry's crotch. He then threw him into Henry's arms, but Henry caught him. Finlay kicked Henry to the mat, then tossed Hornswoggle onto him for a two count. Finlay and Hornswoggle traded elbow drops and double foot stomps. "Mark Henry's like a big waterbed," said JBL. Henry chased Hornswoggle under the ring and yanked him out. Hornswoggle came out with the shillelagh, but when Henry chased him into the ring, Finlay KO'd Henry with the stick. Finlay then tossed Hornswoggle off the top rope onto Henry. Finlay pressed on Hornswoggle's back as the ref counted to three.

WINNERS: Finlay & Hornswoggle in 3:00.

STAR RATING: 3/4* -- You know, it wasn't bad. They made the most of the situation, swiftly moving through the match.

-As Finlay and Hornswoggle celebrated, Khali's music played. As they were distracted by Khali walking to the ring, Henry attacked Finlay from behind. Khali then slammed Finlay. Hornswoggle ducked to the edge of the ring and looked concerned. They've actually done a nice job transitioning Finlay into a babyface role, with the subtle relationship he has with Vince, and defending the likable Hornswoggle against monsters, such as Henry and now Khali. Finlay vs. Khali is about as good a way to use those two right now as anything, as Khali didn't have any obvious opponents left and Finlay's heel character had played it self out.

[Commercial Break]

-Clips aired of Chris Jericho's return as part of a Raw commercial.

-Cole and JBL wondered if the surprise that Vince McMahon was talking about was Great Khali attacking Finlay after the match. They showed a clip of Hornswoggle during the break checking on Finlay's condition.

5 -- CHUCK PALUMBO vs. JAMIE NOBLE

Short match. Decent action. Noble scored the pin with a leverage roll-up. Then he blew a kiss to McCool afterward.

WINNER: Noble in 3:00.

STAR RATING: 3/4* - Nice little storyline here. The McCool-Palumbo dynamic almost seems like a riff on Dawn Marie and Chuck Palumbo relationship years ago. Noble trying to win the heart of McCool is entertaining because Noble's so good at his character.

[Commercial Break]

-The Raw Rebound aired focused, of course, on Randy Orton and Jericho. Jericho looked like he was in a psychedelic tooth whitening commercial the way that video was edited with slo-mo shots of him showing off his teeth with that wide smile constantly while his vest glittered in every frame.

6 - VICTORIA vs. TORRIE WILSON

Cole noted that both were fitness trainers before getting into WWE. Torrie moved out of the path of a Victoria top rope moonsault attempt. Torrie fired back with a flying clothesline, a suplex, a dropkick, and a top rope bodypress for a two count. Torrie dropped Torrie throat-first over the bottom rope and went for a powerbomb, but Torrie slipped out and gave Victoria a neckbreaker for the win. Torrie did a nice job looking like she won the bottle toss at the State Fair afterward, as shocked as she was happy.

WINNER: Torrie Wilson in 3:00.

STAR RATING: 1/2* -- There weren't any spots where you feared for the safety of either, so that's a victory in and of itself lately for a WWE women's match.

[Commercial Break]

-A commercial aired hyping Edge vs. Batista next week. Then clips aired of Edge interfering in the Undertaker vs. Batista Hell in a Cell match at last Sunday's PPV.

Edge [artist Grant Gould (c) PWTorch]

-Edge came out with Vickie Guerrero for a "Cutting Edge" show in the ring. Good to hear Edge's music again. His song and Randy Orton's took a long time to grow on me, but now they've stood the test of time and actually grown better over time - in part because they stand out more now because WWE has otherwise diversified their intro music. When Edge and Orton debuted their songs, they sounded like several others. Edge told the crowd, "It's great to see me again, isn't it. Admit it." He said it's great to stand in front of them as their no. 1 contender. He said as much as he made it all happen, he also wanted to thank Vickie Guerrero. He said: "She's the general manager of Smackdown and she's the love of my life." He nuzzled noses with her and batted index fingers playful. He said what they're witnessing is the culmination of a several month plan. He said he will become the new World Heavyweight Champion again next week when the plan plays out completely. He introduced his guest, Batista, as the soon-to-be former heavyweight champion, Batista.

Edge began to welcome Batista to the show. Batista interrupted with a stern "shut up!" He said he didn't know what was going on with them, but it disgusted him. Edge said what was disgusting was watching him hold his title belt for months while he was home recovering. Batista shoved Edge and said he'd get an ass kicking next week. Vickie bent over to check on her man. Batista left the ring with his belt, then held it in the air and looked back on Edge from the stage. Edge stood. The lights went out. Undertaker's bell sounded. When the lights came back on, Taker went for a clothesline. Edge fled the ring immediately. Taker grabbed Vickie by the throat. Edge signalled for him not to hurt her. "Please don't do that; don't hurt her, please," he said. Taker drew it for 30 seconds, then lifted her for a Tombstone. Edge couldn't watch. He turned away, but eventually turned back. Taker lowered Vickie's head. Edge turned again. Taker dropped her on her head. Edge held his head in agony at what he just heard. He began crying as Taker shook in the ring. With all due respect, it seemed Taker may have slightly overreacted. Vickie is love-struck and doesn't know what she's doing. Giving her a Tombstone seemed a bit heavy-handed for a babyface.

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