By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
FEBRUARY 22, 2008
AIRED ON THE CW

WHAT HAPPENED: 1ST HOUR

-Edge came to the ring with Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder. He bragged about retaining the World Hvt. Title at No Way Out. He said he and his cohorts - Ryder and Hawkins - weakened Rey in Chile the week before the PPV, then he finished him off at the PPV. He said he is a champion and a predator. He said now he must go on to face Undertaker at WrestleMania. He spoke of Taker's undefeated record. He said ending his winning streak is like winning a world title. The asked the camera to zoom in on him as he said he will not fall to Taker. He said for years people have wondered who would end that streak, and "I am that man." The lights the went out and Undertaker's bell rang. The lights came on with Taker in the ring with Edge by the throat. Hawkins and Ryder saved Edge. Taker threw them aside, then went after Edge again. He chokeslammed Ryder as Edge fled the ring. Edge looked at Taker in the ring in fear as Taker glared back at him and did the throat-slice motion with his thumb.

[Commercial Break]

-Michael Cole plugged the WWE.com streaming of the WrestleMania press conference scheduled for Monday.

1 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. JIMMY WANG YANG - Money in the Bank Qualifier

Shelton yelled, "Ain't no stoppin' me nooooowwwwww!" The first thought viewers had was: One of these two will actually be in the MITB match? Shelton dominated early, working over Yang's back. When Yang made a comeback and climbed to the top rope, Shelton leaped up to the top rope and overhead suplexed him to the mat. Wang rolled out of the ring. Shelton went after him and scored a two count inside the ring. At 5:00 Wang flipped Benjamin over to avoid a powerbomb. It was an awkward landing and the ref moved in to check on Shelton's condition. He was fine, but when he got up, Wang nailed him with a solid drop spin wheel kick for a two count. Wang hit a crossbody off the top rope at 6:00 leading to a near fall. They exchanged some near falls. Shelton finished Wang after he missed a moonsault.

WINNER: Shelton in 7:00 to qualify for MITB.

STAR RATING: **

-Maryse actually made a TV appearance that wasn't a pointless vignette. She approached Teddy Long and said she had a question to ask him and wanted to speak to him for five minutes. He was eager to go into a private room with her.

[Commercial Break]

-After a brief clip aired of Hornswoggle getting beaten up on Raw, Cole said they'd bring extended footage from the disturbing attack later on the show.

2 -- JESSE & FESTUS vs. DEUCE & DOMINO (w/Cherry)

Coach: "It's seems like they've been seemingly together forever." Jesse took a beating early. When the action went to ringside, Jesse made a comeback, but Deuce used Cherry as a blocker. At 3:00 Jesse hot-tagged Festus who overpowered Deuce and Domino. He used his brutish offense to beat up the heels, then tagged a groggy Jesse back into the ring. Festus launched him into Domino for the win.

WINNERS: Jesse & Festus in 5:00.

STAR RATING: *

-A video package aired on Big Show's apology to Floyd Mayweather on Raw followed by his challenge. It was produced to make it seem like Mayweather was cheered more than he was.

[Commercial Break]

-A video package aired on WWE's tour of South America for the first time. Rey Mysterio, C.M. Punk, and Matt Striker talked about the tour. Striker said the were so happy to see WWE, "they even cheered me." Shelton and Michelle McCool joined in to talk about site seeing they did.

3 -- BIG DADDY V (w/Matt Striker) vs. SHANNON MOORE

Cole said wrestlers from the tour have told him they were the most respectful fans they have performed in front of. Daddy V dominated for two minutes until Moore avoided a corner splash. He hit Daddy V with two top rope dropkicks. After a few more kicks, he dropped Daddy V to one knee. Daddy V, though, caught Moore in the air and dropped him with a Samoan Drop, followed by a big elbowdrop for the win.

WINNER: Daddy V in 3:00.

[Commercial Break]

4 -- MVP vs. BATISTA

MVP was in control of most of the early minutes, knocking Batista to the floor a couple of times, then settling into a standing front chancery. At 7:00 Coach added he following insight: "What a competitive match this turned out to be." Thanks, Coach. We MVP set up a Playmaker, Batista escaped and hit a sudden Spinebuster. He hit another Spinebuster, and another, followed by the Batista Bomb for the win.

WINNER: Batista in 8:00.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- Some decent action, but nothing memorable and a bit slow in the middle.

WHAT HAPPENED: 2ND HOUR

[Commercial Break]

-Cole and Coach were shown on camera. Cole solemnly said that Hornswoggle was suffering from brain swelling stemming from the beating he took on Raw. He said he's at a medical facility being watched closely. The drama of the presentation made the beating seem much worse than it was. Being tossed into a cage like that, with all of the give of the cage and the solid landing, just wouldn't normally be perceived as so brutal. The music and production of this package made it seem ten times worse than live on Raw including Finlay crying as he carried Hornswoggle to the back.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed Erik Morales, former WBC Featherweight Champion sitting in the crowd.

5 -- THE GREAT KHALI vs. KANE

Settle in. This should be good. No Runjin Singh. Cole talked about Singh ending up with a shattered kneecap in three places as a result of the bump he took during the Elimination Chamber. Ouch. Coach provided this insight: "This isn't going to be a finesse match. It's all about power, strength." Khali gave Kane a big boot at 1:00. Khali applied a nerve hold. Kane escaped and gave Khali a big boot. Khali countered with his big chop, then he applied the vice grip. Kane struggled to escape, then pushed of the middle turnbuckle and bridged backward, leveraging Khali's shoulders down. The counted the pin. Khali took a while to release the grip, and he seemed a big confused about the finish.

WINNER: Kane in 3:00.

STAR RATING: 1/2* -- Oh. Not pretty. But give them credit for keeping short.

-Cole and Coach plugged Edge vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania, then went to the video of all of Undertaker's WrestleMania wins.

[Commercial Break]

6 -- CHUCK PALUMBO vs. MATT JACKSON

Palumbo rode his motorcycle to the ring. Palumbo nailed Jackson with an aggressive elbow to the face as the bell rang. Jackson came right back with a dropkick. Palumbo nailed him with a clothesline, then tossed him over the top rope to the floor. Just to shake things up, one of these days they ought to have a match end during the commercial break after cutting away with a guy on the floor. This would have been one of those opportunities. Palumbo rammed Jackson back-first into the ringpost, then clotheslined him hard to the mat. He lifted Jackson's shoulders before the ref counted three, then gave him his Full Throttle for the three count. Cole said Palumbo's demeanor is disturbing lately. He called him jealous and bitter. They showed Michelle McCool watching on a monitor backstage a couple times during the match.

WINNER: Palumbo in 2:00.

-They showed Rey getting ready to head to the ring to address his future.

[Commercial Break]

-Rey Mysterio walked to the ring to his full ring intro. He said he had bad news, he wouldn't be able to compete at WrestleMania due to his torn bicep. Vickie Guerrero interrupted. Teddy Long wheeled her toward the ring. She said she knows he's hurt, but she doesn't give a damn. She said what she cares about is what he did to her. A clip aired of Rey knocking her out of her wheelchair. Vickie said that was intentional. Rey told her she had it all wrong. She screeched for him to shut up because she was talking to him. She said she won't apologize for what she's about to do to him. She said he has no choice but to compete. It did seem strange there was no announced main event. She called for a referee. A ref ran to the ring, looking confused. Vickie announced Chavo Guerrero was his opponent. Chavo's ring entrance aired.

7 -- CHAVO GUERRERO vs. REY MYSTERIO

Chavo went on the attack, concentrating on Rey's arm. A few seconds into the match, as the ref checked on Rey writing in pain on the mat, they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Chavo had Rey in an armlock after the break. Rey kicked to escape, but Chavo went right back on the attack. Rey held his arm in close to his body as he tried to maneuver around the ring and take bumps. Cole said the ref could stop the match at anytime, but he likely fears being fired by the G.M. Cole said Rey can draw from fighting as an underdog his entire career in this type of circumstance. He made a comeback at 7:00 and hit a 619. He paused in pain, then went for a springboard, but he didn't have the strength in his arm to get himself to the top rope. When he instead climbed to the top rope, Chavo knocked him off balance and went into the Three Amigos. Chavo then went for a frog splash, but Rey moved. Rey then rolled up Chavo for a surprise leverage pin.

WINNER: Rey in 9:00.

STAR RATING: *3/4 -- Acceptable match, circumstances taken into consideration.

-Vickie said since Rey hurt her, she's going to hurt him. She called The Big Show out to the ring to take on Rey. Rey stood his ground, adjusting his mask and waiting for Show. Show was sporting a taped nose and black eye. Show threw Ray into the corner, then crushed him there with a charge into the corner. Show then stood on Rey's arm as Rey screamed in agony. He switched to twisting and squeezing Rey's arm, then chokeslamming him. The announcers went silent during this beating. Show stared at the camera as the show ended. Good angle to send Rey away and get strong heel heat on Big Show.

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