By Greg Parks, PWTorch Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
July 11, 2008
Taped 7/8/08 in Baton Rouge, La..
Aired on the CW
Report by Greg Parks, Torch Team Contributor

-WWE Open.

-Clips from last Friday of Edge: Agitated aired.

-Smackdown opened with Edge coming out. He stood, surveying things before talking. Edge said he’s had a week to think about calling off the wedding....and he stands by his decision. He said he didn’t like Vickie giving him orders. Oh boy Edge, then you really are NOT prepared for marriage. He then said Vickie wasn’t good enough for him. Edge said he’d prove his critics wrong at Great American Bash, by beating Triple H.

Vickie was then wheeled out by Hawkins & Ryder. She put Edge in a match to help prepare him for Triple H. It’s a no-DQ match against Big Show for tonight. “Good luck, baby” she said sarcastically. Edge said by the end of the show, Show would be just like her- a loser. Vickie had audio turn off his mic.

[Commercial Break]

-Maria, coming to Smackdown.

1- MATT HARDY vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN

Mick Foley called Shelton the Mickey Mantle of WWE, thanks to his combination of speed and strength. Still not an apt comparison, no matter how you explain it. Shelton grabbed Matt’s trunks and threw him head-first into the middle turnbuckle. Shelton hit his big splash in the corner, but Matt dodged the second one. Bulldog by Matt. Shelton blocked the first Twist of Fate attempt and hit an exploder suplex for two. Out of nowhere, Shelton hit his finisher for the win.

WINNER: Benjamin, at 5:03. The first minute of the match paced like they were going ten. A decent 5-minute match.

-Backstage, Ryder & Hawkins complained to Vickie about Edge. Hawkins segued into asking for a match with Jesse & Festus for tonight. Ryder said Vickie deserves someone much better than Edge. Their words brought tears to her eyes. Awwwww.

[Commercial Break]

-Big Show vs. Edge in a no-DQ match is still to come tonight.

-MVP joined the announcers for the next match.

2- MR. KENNEDY vs. DOMINO

Kennedy called himself more valuable than MVP during his pre-match mic work. I love Domino jawing with his opponent (or the crowd) during his matches. Domino exited the ring on Kennedy’s running kick attempt, so KK went after him. Kennedy’s roundhouse kick got two. He then hit the running kick, but missed a splash. Seconds later, he recovered for the Mic Check and pin.

WINNER: Kennedy, at 3:00.

As Kennedy and MVP had a stare-down after the match, Umaga came out and hit Kennedy with a crescent kick and a Samoan Spike. At ringside, MVP laughed.

-Chavo and Bam Nelly gave a pep-talk to Edge. Chavo said he was going to straighten the situation out with Vickie. He told Edge they’re brothers and will always be family. Remember when he used to say that to Eddy?

[Commercial Break]

-Vickie was on her phone backstage when Chavo interrupted. He said he couldn’t believe what Edge did to her, calling him a liar and questioned if Edge ever loved her. Chavo told her they’d stick together because they’re family. She told him to cut the crap and put him in a match with Triple H tonight. Does that mean Vickie was watching backstage what happened with Chavo and Edge? Can she do that, even if the show isn’t airing live?

3- JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ vs. FINLAY & HORNSWOGGLE

Really? Again? Non-title, much like the Shelton vs. Matt match was. Finlay cleaned house on both men, then torpedoed Horny at them. Hornswoggle gave each the Stunner, but they double-dropkicked him (even though maybe one leg connected). The heels got to have their way with Hornswoggle, but an enziguiri by the little man led to a tag to Finlay. This looks like the same match as at Night of Champions. Miz interrupted a pin after a Celtic Cross. With the ref’s back turned, Finlay hit Miz with a shillaleigh, then Horny landed the Tadpole splash for three.

WINNERS: Finlay & Hornswoggle, at 3:12. I just can’t get excited about this Finlay & Hornswoggle team.

[Commercial Break]

-Clips aired from the Jeff Hardy WWE Magazine photoshoot.

4- TRIPLE H vs. CHAVO GUERRERO

Trips worked the left arm of Chavo early on. Neely tripped HHH as Chavo distracted the ref. Side-suplex by Chavo for two. High knee by Trips and a face-buster followed. High spinebuster by The Game. Neely was taken out, then Trips hit the Pedigree for the win.

WINNER: Triple H, at 3:52. HHH was on complete auto-pilot here, looking more annoyed when Chavo was on offense rather than hurt.

-Edge vs. Show, no DQ, still to come.

[Commercial Break]

-JR and Foley discussed the crowning of the first Divas Champion.

5- MARYSE & NATALYA vs. CHERRY & MICHELLE MCCOOL

Michelle took it to Maryse early on, then tagged Cherry. Natalya tagged in and Cherry got some offense until Natalya caught a cross-body attempt. Natalya ended up locking in the Sharpshooter and Cherry immediately tapped.

WINNERS: Maryse & Natalya, at 2:14.

Natalya attacked Michelle after the match, including hitting a snap-suplex on the mats at ringside.

[Commercial Break]

6- JESSE & FESTUS vs. HAWKINS & RYDER

Jesse went wild on Hawkins to start. After a tag to Ryder, Festus was tagged in. He dominated until missing a splash. The heels strategized and then left the ring. They stood at ringside and got counted out.

WINNERS: Jesse & Festus, at 2:12.

Hawkins & Ryder then attacked, dumping Jesse, then clobbering the comatose Festus. Jesse regained composure and rang the bell at ringside, and the faces went to work, finishing off the heels.

-Edge, Big Show, no-DQ, still to come.

[Commercial Break]

7- STEVIE RICHARDS vs. VLADIMIR KOZLOV

Nice to see them drag Stevie out of the mothballs for this one. Vlad finally has music, but it isn’t much. Stevie’s kicks had little effect until a dropkick put Kozlov on his back. Kozlov applied a body-scissors. Enziguiri by Stevie for just one. Headbutt to the back of the head by Vlad for three.

WINNER: Kozlov, at 2:45. Stevie got a decent amount of offense, and the finish didn’t look great.

-Backstage, Edge, Chavo, Bam, Ryder and Hawkins all argued. Edge calmed them down and then suggested they help him in his no-DQ match. That started the arguing again. Vickie rolled in and said if anyone one of them interferes in Edge’s match, they’re fired. Also, if Edge walked out on the match, he’d be fired.

[Commercial Break]

-The Raw Rebound aired.

-The Great American Bash was previewed (well, the top three matches anyway).

8- BIG SHOW vs. EDGE

Vickie was wheeled out to get a closer look at this one. Show dismantled Edge, throwing him into the security wall at ringside. Before he could use the announce table though, Show was speared by Edge. They then went to break.

[Commercial Break]

Edge weasled out of a press slam, then tried to high-tail it through the crowd. Show threw Edge into the stairs. Edge hit a desperation bulldog. He popped Show in the head with a Singapore Cane, then used a sleeper-like maneuver to get Show down to one knee. Show countered with a side-slam. Edge got out of a chokeslam with a DDT for two. Edge got two chairs from ringside, but Show pounded Edge in the face through the chair. Edge, though, low-blowed Show to get the advantage back. Chair to the back by Edge. He set up for the Conchairto, but Show grabbed Edge and chokeslammed him. He was about to hit his own conchairto when Vickie ordered the match stopped.

WINNER: No Contest, at 11:27.

Vickie got in the ring and laid over Edge, her head on his. Edge sat up and Vickie consoled him and apologized. They then made out as the show ended. I knew those two kids would make it.

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