By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
SEPTEMBER 4, 2009
TAPED IN CLEVELAND, OHIO
AIRED ON MY NETWORK TV



WHAT HAPPENED

[Q1]

-The show opened with clips of C.M. Punk defeating Jeff Hardy last week on Smackdown. It included a montage of him saying farewell to the fans. They sure are playing up his departure as if they expect him to make a triumphant return at some point. Then the tone changed as they showed Punk attacking him.

-They went to a wideshot of the arena and then Jeff Hardy's ring entrance. The crowd popped and they showed kids celebrating like Christmas morning. The cheers turned to boos as those close enough to tell could recognize it was Punk doing a spoof of hard. A hilarious spoof, actually, if only because he wasn't trying to do anything but imitate Hardy as perfectly as possible. They showed kids in the crowd scowling at him and women just shaking their heads.

Punk then said, "Awwwww. Did you expect somebody else? Well, he's gone. LIke a junkie waiting for his or her next fix, I suggest ou all soak this up while you can because this is the last chance you will ever see a trace of Jeff Hardy on Smackdown ever again." He then took off the "ridiculous facepaint" and "stupid armbands." He said it also means no more excuses. He said the fans now have a champion they can be proud of, a Straight Edge World Champion.

He turned to Undertaker, calling him a legend, but no longer the solitary icon on Smackdown. He touted his own resume, such as retiring Hardy and being the only back-to-back Money in the Bank winner. He said if Taker wants to test his breaking point, he'll be waiting. He said he knows Taker is there right now, "so Undertaker, if you want to come down here and face me man to man, like I said, I'll be waiting." He paused and there was no sign of him. He said it's not in Taker's best interest to face him in the ring. He'd rather lurk in shadows and play psychological games, "which is what you people fall for each and every time." The crowd chanted, "We want Hardy." He said fans who smoke illegal substances may be fascinated by his games and tricks, but his mind is clear, so he isn't impressed. He said it'll be a fight to the finish at Breaking Point. He said, "I have no breaking point" because he has experience resisting temptation and peer pressure. As Punk was about to say what his one vice is, Matt Hardy's music interrupted. Jim Ross spoke for the first time and said, "Punk may resemble the joker, but Matt Hardy doesn't find him funny at all." Hardy jumped Punk in the ring and the crowd chanted, "Hardy, Hardy." Punk rolled out of the ring and returned to the back, staring down Hardy as he did so.

-Ross plugged that Undertaker returns tonight as clips of Taker were shown.

[Q2] [c]

-WWE Fact: More adults 18-34 watched Smackdown last Friday night than any other entertainment program on broadcast TV.

-Todd Grisham hyped the Rey Mysterio vs. John Morrison IC Title match.

-Punk went into rant backstage at Teddy Long complaining of Matt Hardy attacking him. He said he's probably hopped up on what Jeff is hopped up on. Long suggested they settle it in the ring. Punk nodded and told Long he'll be down one more Superstar after it's over.

1 -- THE GREAT KHALI (w/Ranjin Singh) & FINLAY vs. KANE & MIKE KNOX

Ross and Grisham hyped the Singapore Cane match between Khali and Kane at Breaking Point. Knox hit an early powerslam on Finlay. Khali tagged in and gave Knox a vice grip to his head. Kane yanked Knox to the floor and they cut to a break. [c]

[Q3]

Finlay ducked a charging Kane after hot-tagging in. Khali went after Kane when Kane went after Singh. Finlay then KO'd Knox with a shillelagh as the ref was distracted, which led to the pin.

WINNERS: Finlay & Khali in 10:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2

-Vince McMahon approached Long backstage who was watching "The Rise & Fall of WCW." He said he was there, mostly for rise of it. McMahon was wearing a pink sports coat. He talked to Long about the matches he's putting together for Breaking Point. Vince gave Long a hard time about dressing conservatively. Long said he's the general manager. McMahon took offense and asked, "Are you saying this jacket looks like Pepto Bismol?" Long said he wasn't. Vince said he'd let him wear that pink jacket one day if he's lucky. Vince asked if he's ever been lucky before. Long said, "Yes, I work for you." Vince said, "Good answer."

-Ross plugged Punk vs. Hardy. Grisham hyped the return of Undertaker. [c]

-As footage aired of Cleveland, Grisham pointed out that the city hasn't had a championship since 1964 in any sport. Ross said it won't happen to the Indians this year. Grisham said the Cavs might step up.

-Maria and Eve chatted backstage. Michelle McCool walked in and said her outfits are hideous. She said no matter how much make-up she wears, he boyfriend Dolph Ziggler won't stop looking at women like him. She said Maria is Ziggler's "flavor of the week." Maria said McCool is the most egotistical Diva who doesn't know what to do when the spotlight isn't on her. Melina walked into the picture and got in her face. McCool threatened to have her arrested if she put a finger on her. Melina asked Maria if she's talked to Ziggler. Maria said she's a big girl and can take care of herself, so she asked her to stay out of her business. She didn't tell Melina that the women she saw Ziggler with was Ziggler's sister.

-They showed Ross and Grisham at ringside for the first time all show. Ring intros then aired for both Rey and Morrison.

[Q4] [c]

2 -- REY MYSTERIO vs. JOHN MORRISON -- Intercontinental Title match

After three minutes of a back and forth chain of spots in center-ring, they cut to an early break. [c] Rey took Morrison to the floor with a head scissors. Both tumbled to the floor. Back in the ring, Rey spun around Morrison's head and body two full revolutions in a nice spot that Grisham said was a case of Rey using Morrison's body like a Slip 'n' Slide. After a near fall by Rey, Grisham said Rey has made a career of winning the leverage battle. After some very nice moves by Morrison, he hit a standing Shooting Star Press for a near fall.

[Q5]

At 13:00 Morrison was in control and scoring two counts. Rey came back at 15:00 with a head scissors setting up a 19. Morrison came back and collided with Rey mid-ring with crossbody blocks. [c] Morrison had Rey in a body scissors center-ring after the break. After Rey scored a near fall out of nowhere at 21:00, Morrison scored a two count after a running knee to the face. Morrison went for Starship Pain, but Rey moved and hit the seated senton. He then set up a 619 again and this time he hit it. The announcers continued to sell the quality of the match. Morrison, though, came back with a springboard roundkick off the middle rope for a near fall. They showed a group of fans chanting, "This is awesome!" It's rare fans chant that at a WWE show as WWE just isn't built around matches that elicit that chant typically. Rey went for a top rope head scissors, but Morrison held onto the top turnbuckle and then Morrison hit Starship Pain for the win. Morrison and Rey hugged afterward. Morrison seemed a little choked up as he held the belt in the air and absorbed cheers from the crowd, much of which was standing.

WINNER: Morrison in 25:00 to win the IC Title.

STAR RATING: ****1/4 -- Very very good TV match. For me, it was a small notch short of being a Match of the Year Contender, but it was about as good of a TV match as you'll see this year anywhere.

[Q6] [c]

-R-Truth sang himself to the ring for a match. Drew McIntire attacked him from behind. He said he decided to make a statement because last week he was "over-licked" (that's what he said). He said it's a crime that a "dancing fool" is on the show and he's not. He said he will ruin everyone's party every week until he is recognized as the superstar that he is. [c]

-WWE Fact: WWE will create more original TV hours this year than Showtime and HBO combined.

[Q7]

3 -- EVE TORRES & MARIA vs. LAYLA & NATALYA

At 3:00 Eve got a hot-tag and went on a rapid-fire sequence of exchanges with Layla and eventually scored a win.

WINNERS: Eve & Maria in 4:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4

-Josh Matthews interviewed Matt Hardy backstage. He asked if he's going to bring the same intensity from earlier to his match later. Hardy said he knows Punk is concerned about Undertaker, but he should also be concerned about him. He said he's not after his soul, he's after his livelihood. He said Punk took his brother's career, so he wants to take Punk's career. [c]

4 -- C.M. PUNK vs. MATT HARDY

During Punk's ring intro, Ross and Grisham hyped his match against Taker at Breaking Point. Hardy's movements early in the match seem a little off. Ross said he is returning from serious abdominal surgery, but he was medically cleared to return already. Hardy got in sustained offense at first. Punk made a brief comeback. Punk suplexed Hardy and Hardy came up gripping his abdomen in pain. Grisham wondered if his medical clearance meant he was ready to main event Smackdown or if he should be easing back into action. Ross said he's sure Jeff is watching tonight's show. Punk charged at Hardy and speared him off the apron to the floor.

[Q8] [c]

Punk remained in control in center-ring after the break with a body scissors, slowing the pace of the match considerably. Punk shifted to an abdominal stretch. As Hardy attempted a comeback, Ross said there was something wrong with him and he hoped it wasn't a recurrence of his injury. Hardy hit a legdrop off the second rope. He went for a cover, but was unable to hook Punk's leg. Grisham said he was too tired. Ross said he was too hurt. They battled over a backslide. Hardy powered it into an inside cradle for a two count at 15:00. Punk countered with a roundkick to the face for a believable near fall. Hardy countered with a Side Effect for a two count. They fought to ringside where Punk dropped Hardy over the security railing. Punk then grabbed a chair and bashed Matt in the abdomen and then the back. Punk set up the chair as he smiled and then placed it over Matt's head. With less than two minutes left in the show, this had to be when Taker showed up. The gong sounded, the lights flickered, and Taker appeared at ringside. He grabbed Punk and chokeslammed him through the announce table. He didn't bother to move the monitors, but Punk landed away from them.

WINNER: No decision was announced as the show ended with Taker's music playing.

STAR RATING: *** -- Good match, short of a lack of a clear-cut finish or at least a formal announcement that Hardy won via DQ, which is a safe assumption.

QUOTEBOOK

C.M. Punk: "Now that the Charismatic Enabler is gone, I can see it on your faces. You are wondering if his living in the moment life of excesses was the answer. The clear answer is it wasn't."


C.M. Punk: "I am built to last and I am here to stay. If you are going to emulate any WWE superstar, th choice is certainly clear. It's a choice of a new generation and his name is C.M. Punk."

C.M. Punk: "I certainly won't ever miss a show because of an incident at an airport. I certainly won't skip a WrestleMania because I failed a test."

C.M. Punk: "I can imagine you all sitting on your couch vegging out, smoking your illegal substances, hanging on Undertaker's every magical trick, ohhing and ahhing all of his spooky powers."

C.M. Punk: "I have laughed in the face of temptation time and time again. I have never tapped out to societies schoolyard attempts at peer pressure."

C.M. Punk: "I'm harder than any alcohol you can drink. I'm straighter than any line you can snort up your nose. I certainly can hurt you faster than any pill you put on your tongue."

Mike Knox: "The average human body shrinks one or two inches over its existence. This is due to the compression of bones. Kane, Finlay, size is relative when Mike Knox is the variable."

Jim Ross: "Kane's style is not a Norman Rockwell painting."

Todd Grisham on Mysterio-Morrison: "This will be a five star, high voltage match."

Jim Ross: "Maria did a Lou Thesz press. I'm not sure Maria knows who Lou Thesz is, but it was a nice move."

Todd Grisham on kindergarden: "It was Alabama, so it really didn't count."

Jim Ross in response: "I didn't pass (kindergarden), I just outgrew the desk."

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