By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
OCTOBER 19, 2009
TAPED IN LEXINGTON, KY.
AIRED ON MY NETWORK TV

[Q1]

-The show opened with a screen graphic acknowledging the death of "Captain" Lou Albano, 1933-2009.

-The Smackdown opening aired, followed by Todd Grisham introducing the program without Jim Ross. He hyped Batista vs. Rey Mysterio one-on-one in the main event, plus John Morrison vs. Miz. They saddled Grisham with Michael Cole rather than a guest commentator or two. I think everyone would have liked to hear a series of guest color commentators (or just one) instead of Cole.

-Teddy Long stepped onto the stage and announced the format of Bragging Rights. He said there will be a seven-on-seven match that will (somehow) determine which is the dominant show. He said he had to make a tough decision to counter Raw's team of DX & Kofi Kingston & Mark Henry & Cody Rhodes & Jack Swagger & The Big Show. He introduced Team Smackdown captain, Chris Jericho. Cole noted that Jericho and Show will be on opposite sides at Bragging Rights.

-Jericho came out and said Long finally made a wise decision by naming him the captain. He said he needs to address first the possibility of John Cena returning to Smackdown should Orton defeat him. He said things have changed since Cena left Smackdown. He said he is the man around there now so to return to the show, he'll have to go through him. He said he has led the locker room by example and integrity. He said as Team Captain it is his responsibility to assemble a team that will do exactly as he says and allow him to lead them to the promised land. He then held up the DX book and complained about DX. He said all they do is pander to the hypocrites and push the merchandise "that all of you mindless sheep are more than happy to purchase." He pointed at t-shirts and glow sticks in the crowd, then tore up the DX book. He said he will do the same thing to DX at Bragging Rights. Kane's music then interrupted and he walked onto the stage. Grisham lamely said, "Maybe Kane's not a fan of censorship."

Kane said he is there to announce that he is co-captain. Jericho said of course he is, and he was just about to announce that. He patronized Kane. Kane said he wants DX to go up in flames. Kane talks just like Kevin Malone on "The Office." Cole said they have certainly "gathered the attention of DX and Team Raw." Who says "gathered the attention?"

-Grisham plugged Rey vs. Batista. [c]

[Q2]

-A commercial plugged Snoop Dogg guest hosting Raw on Monday.

1 -- FINLAY vs. MIKE KNOX vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER - Qualifying Match

Cole said Jericho is responsible for setting up these qualifying matches. Cole said Bragging Rights is about determining which show is better, and he said he thinks Raw is better. He said all of the Smackdown stars have told him today that they want to be on this team so they can show they're the dominant show in WWE. Grisham said he is very familiar with Smackdown and knows he brand well. Cole said DX is loving the fact that they're running the team. He said it's like they have a new "lease on life." Ziggler tried to befriend Knox at the start, but after a hand shake, Knox clotheslined him. Finlay clotheslined Knox over the top rope seconds later. They fought at ringside for a minute. Ziggler scored a two count after a top rope splash on Finlay, but it was broken up by Knox. Knox splashed both Finlay and Ziggler in the corner, then hit Ziggler with a big boot. Finlay grabbed his shillelagh, so when Knox flew into him, he hit the weapon and was knocked out. Finlay broke up the pin, shoved Finlay to the floor, and then covered Knox for the win.

WINNER: Ziggler in 7:00.

STAR RATING: *

-Cole plugged the Dirt Sheet coming up later. [c]

-WWE Fact: As Smackdown celebrates its ten year anniversary, did you know that Smackdown has broadcast more shows than E.R., Law & Order, Cheers, and The Simpsons. How many Smackdown viewers even know what Cheers was?

[Q3]

2 -- CRYME TYME vs. THE HART DYNASTY (David Hart Smith & Tyson Kidd w/Natalya) - Qualifying Match

As C.T. came out, Cole declared, "I love these guys!" Doesn't that pretty much kill their cool factor? They showed Long and Jericho watching the match on a monitor backstage. Smith went for an early standing anklelock on Shad. Kidd and J.T.G. both tagged in at 2:00. J.T.G. pinned Kidd a minute later. Grisham called it the biggest win of C.T.'s career.

WINNERS: Cryme Tyme in 3:00.

-Grisham ran down the Smackdown Team so far: Jericho, Cryme Tyme, Kane, and Ziggler. [c]

-Jericho told Michelle McCool he's captain of the Smackdown Team. Long interjected, "Chris, co-captain." He told McCool that Team Smackdown will beat Raw, but he wanted to know if he can count on McCool. She said he may be the best at what he does, but she makes history since she was the first to win both the Divas Title and Women's Title in WWE. She said she can beat any woman in WWE at any time. Mickie James walked into the room and told Long that she's very excited he chose to trade for her to come to Smackdown. She said if Jericho is looking for someone who can beat the Raw Divas, perhaps he should choose someone who's already defeated every Diva on Raw. McCool snottily excused herself, but bumped into "Glamazon" Beth Phoenix, who told McCool that she shouldn't expect to keep her title very long.

-Vince McMahon talked on his cell phone backstage. C.M. Punk walked up to him and he's not "feeling" the ten-man gauntlet match. He asked him to do something as Chairman of the Board. He said he deserves a one-on-one rematch. McMahon seemed to agree with his sentiments. McMahon said he admires his plot with the ref and Long to undermine Undertaker. He said he's all for giving Punk the match he wants, one-on-one, next week on Smackdown with Long at ringside and Scott Armstrong as the referee. Punk expressed mixed emotions and shook McMahon's hand.

[Q4] [c]

3 -- ERIC ESCOBAR (w/Vickie Guerrero) vs. MATT HARDY - Qualifying Match

Vickie Guerrero stepped out and exclaimed, "Excuse me!" She introduced "my new boyfriend," Eric Escobar. Cole talked about Punk-Taker next week and asked if he could come back to Smackdown next week. Grisham said he'd have to ask J.R. Hardy went on a flurry of offense and then did that silly celebration dance he does. Vickie pretended to have hurt her leg at ringside and distracted Hardy. Escobar threw Hardy into the ringpost and then schoolboyed Hardy for the win. Vickie celebrated by jumping up and down, showing no sign of injury. Grisham called it one of the great Smackdown debuts in recent history. Not sure if that's high praise or not.

WINNER: Escobar in 3:00. If this is how Hardy get utilized on Smackdown, wouldn't he rather have Tuesday's off? [c]

[Q5]

-As The Miz walked out, Cole lamented having to root for Miz at Bragging Rights. Grisham said he could just pretend. Cole said, nope, he had to root for him. John Morrison came out next. They sat next to each other in the ring. Morrison asked Miz if he got his U.S. Title belt at WWEShop.com. Miz talked about how when famous pairs break up, one goes on to fame and the other obscurity. They talked about "Mork & Mindy" and "Bill & Ted" and "Wayne & Garth" and "Regis & Kathy Lee" and "The Rockers." They were on target with the first two, and the last. Miz said at Bragging Rights he'll prove he's the Shawn Michaels and Morrison is the Marty Jannetty. Morrison said that's impossible beacuse Jannetty never had sweet merchandise like he's got. He showed off his t-shirt and said Miz's mom already has one. Morrison said there are two Jannettys - Marty & Mizzy Jannetty. Morrison said: "We're the Jannettys and we're awesome!" Morrison said Miz has never had a girlfriend. He said all he's done is conformed. He said he used to have the courage to dress like himself, like a loser, but now he's a "strange mixture of Michael Phelps, Mr. Ed, Pink, and Big Dick Johnson." He said put that all together and you get The Miz. Miz mock-laughed. He said, "Number one, I have great hair. Number two, the women love my pearly whites. And number three, I look good in trunks."

Morrison said, "If by good, you mean husky - the word moms use to call their kids not-fat when they really are." Miz denied being husky. Morrison asked the crowd to cheer if they think he's husky. They cheered. Miz said, "Really? Really? Really? All of these mistakes are just jealous." He said he will prove at Bragging Rights he's always been better than him. Morrison asked him to try to prove it right now. Miz said he wouldn't do that in this second-rate city and on this second-rate show, he'd do it at the pay-per-view. Morrison said Miz is boring. Miz took exception. He said he is the most entertaining and charismatic superstar in WWE. He said he's the reason people watch Raw and he carried Morrison for two years. He exclaimed, "I am the Miz and I am awesome!" Morrison said, "You are the Miz and all you do is run your mouth." He said for two years he got sick of hearing him. He said talk is cheap, and this is Smackdown, so he won't let him just ramble on. He told him to stand up and actually do something. They stood up and had a face-to-face confrontation. Morrison dared Miz to make the first move. Miz stepped out of the ring. Cole said that doesn't surprise him, knowing Miz's character. Morrison gave him one last taunt: "See you at Bragging Rights, Jannetty."

-They plugged Rey vs. Batista, then showed the exterior of the Rump Arena in Kentucky.

-A video package aired on the R-Truth vs. Drew McIntyre feud. [c]

4 -- R-TRUTH vs. DREW MCINTYRE - Qualifying Match

R-Truth sang his way to the ring. Cole hyped that Cena's final match on Raw ever might be Monday against Triple H. Truth slingshot dove onto McIntyre at 1:00, then they cut to a break. [c] A clip aired of McIntyre whipping Truth into the ringside steps during the break. Truth side-stepped McIntyre after the break and McIntyre flew to the floor. They showed Long and Jericho watching the match on the monitor again and talking. Truth went into a nice sequence of moves including a back flip, splits, and spring kick. McIntyre avoided a scissors kick, but Truth clotheslined him over the top rope seconds later. McIntyre knocked Truth off balance and Truth bumped onto the ringside steps. That looked nasty. The ref counted him out. Grisham said McIntrye made the ultimate impact of his young career.

WINNER: McIntyre in 8:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2

-Cole and Grisham talked up their respective teams which were now complete.

-They went backstage to Rey and Batista chatting about the match. Batista said Rey is like a little brother to him and it doesn't feel right fighting. Rey asked if he's scared. Batista said tonight is one thing, but at Bragging Rights with the title on the line, the title means everything to him, so he'll have to put their friendship aside. Batista talked about Punk and Undertaker being serious opponents. Rey said it'd be great if they could work together, but he's been World Champion before and he plans to walk out of Bragging Rights as World Champipon again. They hugged and Rey joked, "Take it easy on me, please."

-Cole plugged that a message from Undertaker was up next.

[Q7] [c]

-A video package aired on Undertaker-Punk. Then a video message from Taker aired with a very Halloween feel and theme. Taker said, "It has been said that history has a way of repeating itself, but not in my yard." He addressed Punk, Long, and Armstrong. He said the three of them have decided to tempt their own fates and wrest the holy grain from death's grip. He then held up the World Title belt. He said they need to know that once they enter Hell's Gate, there's no turning back. He said at Bragging Rights, he'll take Punk's soul. [c]

-Grisham plugged Raw highlights on WWE.com. Rey's ring entrance took place.

[Q8]

5 -- BATISTA vs. REY MYSTERIO

A minute into the match they cut to a break without anything but Batista and Rey circling each other having brief contact as they continued to smile at each other. [c] Rey tried to chop Batista down with kicks to his legs. He set up an early 619, but Batista ducked. He seemed to get a little upset by the early attempt and kicked Rey in the gut. Rey fired back, but Batista gave him a quick spear. Batista settled into a bear hug at 8:00. Rey went for a sunset flip, but Batista powered out of it. Rey knocked Batista to one knee and then kicked him. He hit the 619 on target. Batista fired back with a Batista Bomb attempt, but Rey rolled through and scored a pin. Batista complained to the ref that he lifted a shoulder as Rey celebrated. Rey and Batista chatted and hugged. A replay showed that Batista's right shoulder was lifted during the pin, but the ref couldn't see it.

WINNER: Rey Mysterio in 9:00.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- They told the story believably and had a strong finish that built some brief tension between Batista and Rey and gave Rey a dose of added credibility headed into the PPV, although the fact that Batista's should was raised tainted the victory.

-Afterward C.M. Punk ran out and took a cheap shot at Rey. Batista ran back to the ring and Punk fled through the crowd. The show ended with Batista and Rey smiling together again.

QUOTEBOOK

Chris Jericho: "I am the reason that all of you parasites are here tonight."

Michael Cole on Jericho: "He's a bit flamboyant and cocky for my taste."

Michael Cole, who was recently married: "I would love the opportunity to be able to break up with Maria."

Michael Cole: "Mike Knox is a nut job, some people think."

Todd Grisham on Eric Escobar: "His hair may not have moved, but his confidence went sky high after that win."

Michael Cole: "I know Vickie quite well... She's quite the cougar, let's put it that way."

John Morrison to Miz: "You think Smackdown is the second rate show and you think Raw is the A-show? All Raw is these days is a cheap version of Saturday Night Live, so if you want to tune in to see the amazing star power of Al Sharpton and Nancy O'Dell. Who's going to host next week? Big Bird? That's must-see TV."

[Batista art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch]

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