By Greg Parks, PWTorch Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
December 19, 2008
Taped 12/16/08 in Baltimore, Md.
Aired on MyNetwork TV
Report by Greg Parks, Torch Team Contributor

-WWE Open.

-A music video introduced viewers to their new WWE Champion, Jeff Hardy.

-Hardy was backstage with the belt, and told viewers he was coming.

-Smackdown Open.

-Jeff Hardy's WWE Title celebration took place, with much pomp, circumstance and confetti. After the initial celebration died down, Hardy took the mic to speak. He said reality was about to change and that he was WWE Champ. He told all the fans at home and at the arnea to get a little crazy and scream. Most at the arena did.

Edge interrupted, quite pissed. He said it takes a lifetime of dedication to be a champion and that representing the company takes sacrifice. Apparently, Edge doesn't believe in destiny or fate, as he ridiculed those buzzwords of Jeff's. Hardy called Edge a liar. Well, more like he chanted it. Edge said he was better than Jeff and that he was always better. Edge name-dropped his wife and man, even Vickie's name gets huge heat. Edge announced two matches tonight, per Vickie: Matt Hardy vs. Edge and Jeff vs. Vladimir Kozlov. Edge told Jeff he'd always be a screw-up. Jeff asked if he was done and before Edge could answer, Jeff gave him the Twist of Fate. Jeff still isn't smooth on the mic and WWE clearly doesn't trust him for a long promo, but he has found his footing, showing more emotion and getting his character across enough to get by.

[Commercial Break]

1- MVP & SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. HURRICANE HELMS & R-TRUTH

They announced Shelton vs. Helms for the U.S. Title next week. I can't understand half of what Truth says during his entrance. Uh-oh, a fan with an ROH t-shirt was caught on camera in a relative close-up shot.

Truth went for a quick roll-up on MVP, but that didn't go anywhere. Helms tagged in and MVP went on offense. Blind tag by Shelton and he and MVP argued a bit over it. Shelton snap-mared Truth into the corner. Shetlon worked the chinlock on Truth. Shelton missed the Blinger splash, but blocked a tag with a slam, and both men were down. Helms got the tag and hit a, well, hurricane of offense. Cross-body off the top by Helms, but the pin was broken up by MVP. Backslide by Helms was blocked and MVP accidentally hit Shelton. Helms then made the pin.

WINNERS: Helms & Truth, at 5:59. It's a shame Truth has already gotten a bad rap with his in-ring work; he's got a unique style that is fun to watch. Perhaps that's part of the problem.

-Vickie Guerrero, in her office, was unhappy with the coffee Chavo brought her (which was brewed himself!), then threw it on him and screamed at him. Edge barged in in a craze over the Hardys. He said he was tired of them and wanted to take Jeff out tonight. Vickie told him that it's a step-by-step process, starting with Matt.

[Commercial Break]

2- FESTUS vs. JOHN MORRISON

A replay showed what happened three weeks ago, when Miz and Morrison had fun at Festus' expense. Jesse realized Miz was going for the bell before the match began, cut him off and took the bell himself.

Festus got in a lot of offense early on, as per his usual. Morrison came back and put Festus down with some offense of his own. Festus broke out of a full-nelson and went back on the warpath. Festus caught Morrison in mid-air and hit a fall-away slam. Jesse tried to hit Miz with the bell, but accidentally slammed it against the post. That was enough for Festus to go back to being calm. Morrison took advantage, hitting the Moonlight Drive for the win.

WINNER: Morrison, at 2:42.

After the match, Miz pretended to fart standing over the subdued Festus. I never thought I'd have to write that in a report. Miz then pinned Festus to get a "win" of his own.

-They plugged Jeff Hardy vs. Kozlov for later tonight.

[Commercial Break]

-The latest DX ad aired. HHH threatened viewers that they'd have to spend time with their family during the Holidays. His solution? WWE DVDs to watch! The two argued over title reigns, then about Shawn's screw-ups when plugging the SummerSlam Anthology. The two did some play-fighting, but still managed to get in a final plug. Now those are professionals.

-Eve Torres was backstage with Matt Hardy. She asked what it was like to see Jeff win the title. He gave the usual line about Jeff proving the doubters wrong. Then he said he'd embarrass Edge tonight.

[Commercial Break]

3- MATT HARDY vs. EDGE

The two traded wrestling holds in the early going. Hardy punched Edge, who cowered back to the ropes. Matt threw Edge out of the ring, where he re-grouped as the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

Edge fought for control after the break and got it with a knee-lift. Matt went ouf of the ring and Egde caught him with a baseball slide, then directed him to the steel steps. Edge started to work over Matt's left arm. Matt tried to reverse Edge into a Side Effect, but Edge countered with an arm-bar take-down. Matt made a comeback with a back suplex and swinging neck-breaker. That sequence got a two count. He went for a moonsault but Edge crotched him on the top. Matt knocked Edge off as the Rated R Superstar went for a suplex, and Matt hit the moonsault for two. Twist-of-Fate was blocked into a full-nelson slam, shades of the great Tom Brandi. Hardy hit a Side Effect but Edge got his foot on the ropes on a pin try. Couple of roll-ups led to a double-clothesline. Edge blocked a Twist-of-Fate and thew Hardy shoulder-first into the ring post, then speared Matt for the win.

WINNER: Edge, at 13:03. Good match. Technically sound.

-Still to come: Hardy vs. Kozlov.

[Commercial Break]

-Hardy vs. Vlad was plugged again.

4- CARLITO vs. EZEKIEL JACKSON

Jackson caught Carlito in a bear-hug early on. Carlito tried some offense, but had trouble getting Zeke off his feet. The Brian Kendrick interfered at ringside, but that didn't give Jackson much of an advantage. Jackson eventually finished it with a modified chokeslam.

WINNER: Jackson, at 4:00. Still don't see a lot in Zeke yet, but these tag matches should be entertaining.

[Commercial Break]

-Michelle McCool came to ringside to observe the next match, which was for a future Divas title shot. I guess that's different from being #1 Contender?

5- MARIA vs. MARYSE

Maria got the fans behind her early. The two traded slaps, and Maryse began to toy with Maria. DDT got the win for Maryse.

WINNER: Maryse, at 4:00. Surprising to me, as I thought they'd continue the break-down of Maria and Michelle's relationship.

After the match, Maryse taunted Michelle at ringside, but when Maryse put her hands on the title, Michelle slapped her. Are they going back on McCool's heel turn? Or was that just a tease?

-Mr. Kennedy took a seat next to a distraught MVP backstage. Kennedy offered a figuritive shoulder to cry on and tried to encourage MVP. Kennedy tried to slyly plug his movie, but MVP wasn't having any of that. KK thanked MVP for the movie plug and then shouted his name into MVP's ear.

-Vlad vs. Jeff is coming up.

[Commercial Break]

-The Raw Rebound aired.

-JR and Tazz updated us on the status of Batista, who suffered a severe concussion this past week on Raw, with no timetable for a return.

-Eve was joined backstage by Great Khali and Ranjin Singh. She asked Khali about his interaction with Mae Young at Armageddon, then helpfully cued up the footage for those who haven't seen it. Singh spoke for Khali, saying he (Khali) found is soulemate in Mae Young, who has the most succulent lips in WWE. Khali stared into space as Singh spoke.

-Vladimir Kozlov made his entrance for the main event, which would take place after the break.

[Commercial Break]

6- VLADIMIR KOZLOV vs. JEFF HARDY

Kozlov sported a nice cut under his left eye. I know the spinner belt is a big merchandise seller, but is there a storyline reason to still have it around? I looks so cheap.

Kozlov immediately took Jeff down in a waist-lock. Hardy ran into a shoulderblock, then was elbow-dropped. Jeff got thrown through the ropes to the outside. Jeff went back in as Kozlov came out, and Jeff hit a dropkick through the ropes into Vlad.

[Commercial Break]

Bakc in the ring out of break, Kozlov was mauling his opponent. He threw Hardy shoulder-first into the post via the mat. The Russian powerslammed Jeff for two. Kozlov applied an arm-bar on the champ. He then headbutted Jff in the chest and landed and belly-to-belly suplex for two. He missed a corner charge and Jeff hit the Whisper in the Wind. He did the same from another corner. As he went for the pin, Edge interfered, drawing a DQ.

WINNER: Hardy, at 7:42.

The heels double-teamed Jeff after the match. Edge went to ringside for a chair. HHH came out and ran them off before Edge could use it. Trips Pedigreed Edge, then took Kozlov down. They brawled at ringside with Trips getting the better of the exchanges. HHH retrieved a sledgehammer as Kozlov ran off. In the ring, Jeff hit a Swanton on Edge.

What was your opinion of tonight’s show? Share your thoughts below in our new instant reader comment section!

Greg Parks has been covering Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. You can also hear him every-other-week in the post-Raw audio show Monday nights in the Torch VIP audio section. Check out his column each week in the PDF-exclusive version of the Torch Newsletter. Comments, questions and feedback is welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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