By Greg Parks, PWTorch Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
January 25, 2008
Taped 1/22/08 at the University of Virgina
Aired on The CW
Report by Greg Parks, Torch Team Contributor


-WWE Open.

-A video introducing Smackdown in WWE HD aired.

-Fireworks brought us to the campus of the University of Virginia. They went right to the first match.

1- REY MYSTERIO vs. CURT HAWKINS & ZACK RYDER

Rey got a quick spurt of offense before a tag was made. A blind tag led to a double-team to put the EdgeHeads on offense. Edge was shown watching the match backstage. An enziguiri by Rey gave him a breather. Springboard splash got him a near-fall. Rey hit a cross-body on Hawkins on the outside, then a seated “senton” on Ryder. Hawkins came in with a chair, drawing a DQ. Rey dropkicked it into Hawkins’ skull.

WINNER: Rey by DQ at 5:34.

-Taker vs. Big Daddy V is still to come.

[Commercial Break]

-Jesse, in a backstage interview, said Festus is at the doctor getting checked out for his “condition” that causes him to go crazy at the bell. That explains why they haven’t been on TV lately.

2- DOMINO vs. JIMMY WANG YANG

Hurricanrana by Yang, who then whiffed on a baseball slide. Domino came off the top with a forearm to the back of Yang’s head while he was hung up on the top rope. Domino to the middle rope, but Yang allegedly got a boot to the ribs to stop him- it looked like Yang didn’t get his foot up in time or something, as it looked like he barely moved out of the way and Domino just had to come down and land on his feet selling. Crossbody from the top for two. Cherry got on the apron to distract the ref while Deuce nailed Yang. That only got two. Shannon Moore took out Deuce and Yang hit the moonsault for three.

WINNER: Yang at 6:26.

-Jamie Noble was stretching backstage when he was approached by Chuck Palumbo. The two started arguing but stopped when Michelle McCool came up to them. They’re in a six-person tag match next!

[Commercial Break]

-The Jeff Hardy video package aired.

3- CHUCK PALUMBO & MICHELLE MCCOOL & JAMIE NOBLE vs. JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ & LAYLA

Coach doesn’t know if a guy and girl can be “just friends.” What, is he in high school? Noble tagged himself in just as Chuck was getting hot. Thesz press by Noble after a blind Palumbo tag. The two started arguing and Chuck shoved Jamie into Michelle, who was on the apron. McCool took a hard fall to the outside. The match stopped at this point and Jamie checked on Michelle. He called for a medic. After they arrived, Palumbo took out his frustrations on Noble, beating the crap out of him. “You suck” chants for Chuck. Michelle tried to intervene, but Chuck pushed her to the mat. It was ambiguous enough that it looked a bit like an accident.

WINNERS: No Contest, about 2:00. Good angle.

[Commercial Break]

-MVP came out, looking quite sullen. He said that last week, he stated the truth- he was better than Flair. He even said Flair cheap-shotted him and ran away last week. MVP then showed what his career would look like in the future, compared to Flair will be, thanks to some photoshopped images on the Titan-Tron. Flair came out and said MVP is entertaining, but he isn’t ready to go home yet. Flair claimed he’d beat MVP at the Rumble. Criminally short response from Flair.

[Commercial Break]

4- FINLAY vs. GREAT KHALI- BELFAST BRAWL

Ranjin Singh threw a chair into the ring for Khali, but he didn’t use it. Instead, he pounded away at Finlay. Khali bent over to pick up the chair and Finlay gave him a low-blow followed by chair-shots to the back. That didn’t faze Khali though. Khali picked up Horny to drive him through the announce table, but Finlay assaulted Khali with the shillaleigh and fists. Khali was busted open and Finlay continued the beating with chair-shots. I don’t think the ref stopped the match, but Finlay walked away and his music played. Seriously, if they didn’t want to put one over the other, why didn’t they just have the ref stop the match and call for the bell?

WINNER: No Contest (no bell), around 6:00.

-Big Daddy V vs. Undertaker is on tap for later on tonight.

[Commercial Break]

-Finlay and Hornswoggle were walking backstage when they came upon Vince McMahon. He thanked Finlay for saving Hornswoggle. Vince said Khali would be coming after Fnilay in the Rumble. Vince had a one-on-one with chant with Horny after shooing Finlay away. He told Hornswoggle what could happen in the Rumble and said he couldn’t trust anyone- even Finlay.

-Batista came out for an interview. He said he was fired up and wished Rey good luck in his match with Edge on Sunday. Batista said he won his first title via the Rumble and would do it again.

[Commercial Break]

-Earlier tonight, Chuck & Jamie’s problems escalated, leading to Michelle taking a spill. They showed Michelle being loaded into the ambulance and Jamie limping up to her to apologize and saying he’d get Palumbo for this.

5- BIG DADDY V vs. UNDERTAKER

Taker came out of the blocks quickly, but was stopped with a headbutt. Big splash on Taker in the corner. DDT by Taker. A clubbing blow from V sent Taker to the outside, allowing Striker to get in a cheap-shot in. Back in, Taker pounded away and hit two splashes in the corner, then a boot to the face. Chokeslam by Taker, though I don’t think V left his feet. V kicked out of a pin. Taker hit Old School, but was caught and side-slammed by V. Triangle choke by Taker, but V fought out. After pounding away on Taker, the Dead Man caught V in another submission and V quickly tapped, producing blood from his mouth in the process.

WINNER: Taker at 11:10. Good story told about Taker having to adapt to V’s size to win.

Mark Henry hit the ring after the match to aid Big Daddy V, telling Taker he went too far this time.

[Commercial Break]

-We got the Rumble stats video package that aired on ECW this past Tuesday.

-Cole & Coach previewed the Rumble lineup.

-CM Punk came to the ring for his match with Edge, and was accompanied by Rey Mysterio. The main event is next.

[Commercial Break]

6- CM PUNK vs. EDGE

The Edgeheads joined Edge for the match. Rey sat in on commentary. Punk was on offense to start, taunting Edge by saying, “C’mon Goldilocks!” Pretty funny. This could be a big-money match down the line. Boot to the face by the World Champ. Edge went to the top, but was slammed off by Punk. Right afterward, Edge sent Punk to the outside and we took our final break.

[Commercial Break]

Back to the show, Edge was in control. He came off the middle rope and Punk hit him with a spinning heel kick. Edge had Punk up for the electric chair, but Punk rolled forward into a roll-up for two. Punk went to springboard onto Edge, but Edge caught him and slammed him. Punk went to springboard again, but this time, slipped on the top rope and fell into the ring face-first. After Edge countered the Go To Sleep, he set up for the spear. Punk dodged it and hit his running knee in the corner and rolled Edge up for two. Edge was knocked off the top rope and Punk tried the GTS from the top. Edge jumped down and Punk jumped down too to avoid Edge’s attack. As he turned around, Edge hit the spear and got the three-count.

WINNER: Edge at 10:07.

Rey hit the ring right after the three so Edge’s goons couldn’t do more damage. Edge raised the belt in victory in the aisle to end the show.

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