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WWE Friday Night Smackdown
March 21, 2008
Upcoming PPV: WrestleMania (second-to-last episode before PPV)

SMACKDOWN STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the twenty-ninth edition of Smackdown Storylines and Feuds.

For those wondering about the Intrigue Level system that I employ, you can refer to the numbers as follows:

10 (excellent), 9 (great), 8-6 (very good, good, pretty good), 5 (decent; has its good and bad qualities), 4-3 (needs work, poor), 2 (bad), 1 (terrible)


World Heavyweight Champion EDGE & Smackdown GM VICKIE GUERRERO vs. THE UNDERTAKER (5 weeks)

Flanked by Hawkins and Ryder, Edge entered the arena prepared for in-ring action. His opponent's music soon hit, and Funaki arrived as his opponent for the night. A smile quickly swept across the World Heavyweight Champion's face as he realized how easy his night would likely be. Cole noted, "Edge is making a believer, I think, out of a lot of people over the past few weeks, Coach. The Rated-R Superstar may be indeed a major threat to the Undertaker's incredible 15-0 undefeated streak at WrestleMania."

During the match, Edge was bluntly arrogant. After milking a few spots, he began to act like the Undertaker: he rolled his eyes back, mimicked Taker's famous gestures, and delivered a Tombstone Piledriver on Funaki for the three count. After the match, Edge grabbed a mic for a promo. "Tonight I step up to a whole new level, and by the end of the night, you'll all realize exactly what I'm capable of," Edge warned.

In the main event, Undertaker fought ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero. Chavo was accompanied by Edge, Hawkins, and Ryder, which had Cole and Coachman wondering what Edge's plans were. The Taker-Chavo match ended when Taker was able to roll Chavo into his new modified triangle choke submission for the win. After the match, Edge and his cronies entered the ring to attack The Deadman.

Once The Rated-R Superstar hit his Spear, it was all downhill for Taker. Hawkins and Ryder grabbed three chairs, and all three men treated Taker no better than a piñata. Undertaker was defenseless and vulnerable to the barrage of chair shots, which allowed Edge to clock him in the head. A sadistic grin etched itself on Edge's face as he stared at his most recent accomplishment. To conclude the brutality, he placed Taker's head on a chair and had Hawkins and Ryder hold him down. "15 and 1 Deadman," Edge screamed as he delivered a conchairto to his WrestleMania opponent.

All of Edge's talk after his match with Funaki didn't quite live up to the hype. Everyone realizes that with the help of two other men and a trio of chairs, Edge (or anyone for that matter) can take out The Undertaker. It's not that his show-closing assault wasn't good for the feud; in fact, it efficiently continues Edge's streak of impressive "up" weeks. The problem is that he ominously warned about something that just never manifested itself in a big way. Another problem is that Edge should really start rolling with big wins heading into WrestleMania, and a clean victory over Funaki isn't going to get him anywhere. The time for his cozy position as fiancé of the General Manager must take a hiatus as we gear toward the biggest PPV of the year.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8 [same as last week]

Previous Feuds
Edge: Kane, Batista
Vickie Guerrero: Undertaker, Batista
Undertaker: Mark Henry, Batista, Big Daddy V

BATISTA vs. UMAGA (2 weeks)

Smackdown commenced with clips of WWE's Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 video game. The footage depicted various signature moves between Umaga and Batista. It was a unique way to kick off the show, especially when you consider that the game has been available in stores for months. A Handicap Match was slated to take place pitting Batista against both Deuce and Domino. Before the match began, The Animal had a look of sheer intensity on his face. That intensity quickly found its way into the match, and Batista was able to win after giving Domino a Batista Bomb for the victory. He maintained a serious disposition even after the match had ended.

The big question when debating whether to put someone like Batista over two former WWE Tag Team Champions revolves around the argument about how it helps that particular person. Considering that Deuce and Domino have been inveterate jobbers for many months, another loss to a main event star doesn't particularly hurt them. In other words, if WWE decided to eventually bring them back as legitimate players, this particular loss wouldn't stand in their way after the dozens of previous defeats. For Batista, the win certainly put some steam behind him. The intensity he showed throughout the entire segment was well-done (and preferable over his general disposition of overconfidence).

It would have been nice, though, to allow him to cut a promo on this upcoming WrestleMania match. Fans are still unsure what the promoted "brand supremacy" actually means. If WWE just wanted it to be a big match between stars from the two big brands and nothing more, they wouldn't continue to insist on using that inexplicable phrase. A little light on the issue or even just Batista's general feelings on the match would be a welcomed addition to the feud, especially considering the language barrier when dealing with Umaga.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6.5 [same as on Raw]

Previous Feuds
Batista: Edge, The Great Khali, Undertaker
MVP: Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair

THE BIG SHOW vs. FLOYD MAYWEATHER (5 weeks)

The highlight video of Floyd Mayweather's career aired, followed by the video package that featured various boxing experts weighing in with their thoughts on Show-Mayweather at WrestleMania. The video features continued, this time with a recap of what Show did to Chris Jericho on Raw. In a WWE Mobile exclusive, Jericho was shown backstage after Raw last week. Y2J warned Mayweather that he may have bitten off more than he can chew. The Big Show then had what has become a pre-Mania Smackdown custom: a Show squash match. This week he faced three unfamiliar jobbers, winning the match easily with a series of punches.

Smackdown is clearly not the place to see anything exciting regarding the Show-Mayweather feud, but WWE wisely uses it to their advantage. With this constant barrage of video packages, WWE is trying to influence viewer perception of this big match. It really has a big fight feel. The squash match was nothing particularly special, but it does raise questions about how WWE is going to handle the booking of the WrestleMania bout. After all of these Big Show matches, how are they going to make Mayweather look like he has any chance? If he suffers a massive beat-down only to win the fight, it might still do damage to his reputation. I just can't see how this match isn't going to hurt one of them, but that's part of the intrigue.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7.5 [same as on Raw]

Previous Feuds
Big Show: n/a
Floyd Mayweather: n/a

United States Champion MVP vs. Intercontinental Champion CHRIS JERICHO (1 week)

MVP hosted his MVP Lounge with special guest Chris Jericho. Both men used their skill on the mic to provide an entertaining talking segment. After MVP had impersonated Y2J with all of Jericho's signature catchphrases, Jericho played on MVP's initials. He came up with a ridiculously long name that would—had MVP decided to abbreviate his name—spell out JACKASS. Getting back to Money in the Bank, MVP ascended the ladder to show everyone how he's going to win at WrestleMania, but Jericho pushed the ladder, causing Porter to freefall onto the ropes.

Pairing Jericho and MVP for a short feud leading up to WrestleMania was a smart move. They are the secondary champions on each of WWE's top brands, and the clash of their unique personalities can provide entertaining TV. Their similarities, however, don't end with just the titles. Both men also host talk show segments on their respective brands. So WWE has a lot to work with here. Maybe they can even play off these numerous similarities in some way to add more dimension to the rivalry.

The storyline is obviously stemming from the Money in the Bank Match, but it would be interesting to see this feud extend beyond WrestleMania if possible. Perhaps one of them will be drafted to the other brand in the next few months if WWE decides to use the draft this year. In any event, the potential for a good feud exists between these two; it just needs some time. There is a slight feeling that it's being rushed, but with the Jeff Hardy situation causing problems, this fit feels like their best bet for strong WrestleMania hype.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6

Previous Feuds
MVP: Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Batista
Chris Jericho: Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy

EVE vs. CHERRY vs. MARYSE vs. VICTORIA vs. MICHELLE McCOOL (3 weeks)

Backstage, Maryse walked up to Cherry while she was looking in a mirror. She mentioned how Deuce and Domino lost their match against Batista before hurling hurtful insults at Cherry. As far as she was concerned, the diva contest was rigged because she was the first eliminated. "Cherry, just be honest," Maryse said, "you're not a diva, you're a dog." As Maryse walked away, the camera lingered on Cherry, who looked almost heartbroken (not angry).

After a commercial break, Theodore Long, the Assistant General Manager of Smackdown, introduced all the remaining divas in the competition: Eve, Cherry, Victoria, and Michelle McCool. He announced that this week's competition would be arm wrestling. First, Victoria easily beat Eve, mocking her along the way. Then Michelle took out Cherry. And then Michelle and Victoria went head-to-head, but McCool managed to slam Victoria's arm down for the win after a protracted battle. Once the competition was over, Theodore Long announced that Victoria had been eliminated in the text voting this week. An angry Victoria took out her frustrations on Michelle, who fought back with a swift kick to rid the ring of her opponent.

Let's start with the interaction between Maryse and Cherry in the back. Before this week, Maryse had never assumed a clear role as either a babyface or a heel. If anything, she was represented as a subtle face brought in by Teddy Long who slightly influenced Vickie Guerrero to allow Batista to fight Umaga at WrestleMania. Now she's clearly a heel (and a harsh one at that). But WWE's intention is undoubtedly to push Cherry as a more sympathetic babyface. The reason I noted "not angry" in the description above after Cherry was bullied was because her reaction to Maryse's words are key to her character. Getting angry would be Kelly Kelly's reaction or the reaction from any other diva on the roster. But Cherry is different, and WWE is molding her character in a new, unique way.

As for this competition, I see it as a good thing. People are obviously going to argue that it does nothing and that these women should instead be wrestling in actual matches, but there are unequivocal benefits to these competitions. Since it's already been determined that it will end in a few weeks, what's the harm in having it? The upside lies in WWE's ability to allow some of these women to stick out more than they would otherwise. If they polled the average viewer about how much they knew about the Smackdown divas, the results would likely indicate that most people were completely unsure about Maryse, Eve, and Cherry.

This competition brought everyone out and is slowly helping them find their individual character. Sure, it doesn't yet include wrestling contests, but it will strengthen future wrestling contests. Let me list some of the benefits thus far: 1) Michelle McCool is being structured as someone with a lot of potential (as she's winning every event), 2) Victoria was able to show a lot more personality during these non-wrestling events (instead of having to stick to her straight-faced heel act in the ring), 3) Cherry is likely to grow an interesting gimmick where she is not as confident as the other divas, yet is perfectly attractive to viewers, and 4) Maryse is finding herself as a clear heel with something to work with and someone off whom she can play. Eve is currently the only one of these five divas that still has yet to stand out in one way or another. Overall, though, this short diva competition is worth the time and effort.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6.5 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Eve: n/a
Cherry: n/a
Maryse: n/a
Victoria: Michelle McCool, Kelly Kelly
Michelle McCool: Victoria, Chuck Palumbo

WWE Tag Team Champions JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ vs. JESSE & FESTUS (4 weeks w/ 1 week hiatus)

An unannounced WWE Tag Team Championship Match took place between these two teams on Smackdown. Jesse and Festus had a decent showing, but Miz used his Reality Check on Jesse to pick up the victory after Festus fell to ringside. So, the champions retained their titles yet again.

This feud is in a lull at the moment. It feels as if Jesse and Festus have fought Miz and Morrison far too long without any payoff. And the heel champions continue to rack up wins in title matches, making everything seem pretty pointless. With no announced WWE Tag Team Title Match announced for WrestleMania, where do we go from here? Will this feud resume after Sunday's huge pay-per-view? The main problem here is that they have practically abandoned any type of storyline here. All four of these men are decent characters, but nothing is being done to capitalize on their personalities. Even the events focused on Festus's condition seem half-hearted at this point.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5.5 [same as last week]

Previous Feuds
John Morrison & The Miz: Yang & Moore, Dreamer & Delaney
Jesse & Festus: Deuce 'N' Domino

CHUCK PALUMBO vs. KANE (3 weeks)

This week, Palumbo went one-on-one with Kane. During the match, Kane and Palumbo collided, causing both men to fall to the mat. Suddenly, The Great Khali's music hit, and he strolled to the ring with destruction in mind. First, Khali felled Kane with a karate chop to the head. He then delivered the Khali Bomb to both Chuck Palumbo and Kane. With Khali the only man standing, Mark Henry arrived to do some damage of his own. The World's Strongest Man blocked Khali's chop and hoisted him up. As Henry slammed Khali to the mat, the audience almost got behind him for being able to lift the monster. The segment ended with Henry standing tall as bodies littered the ring around him.

This mini-feud has turned into direct promotion for the 24-Man WrestleMania Battle Royal, which will award the winner a chance at Chavo Guerrero's ECW Championship. This transition is somewhat relieving since Kane and Palumbo's rivalry never picked up any steam. It looked like WWE planned a strong feud between The Big Red Machine and one of Smackdown's most hated heels, but the ball may have been dropped on Palumbo's character.

It's the likely result of having to make the right WrestleMania choices: Some acts must suffer as others are heavily promoted. In Palumbo's case, he was given a nice push with the Noble feud, but his next stint with Kane never delivered. Seeing monster heels like Mark Henry and Khali attack one another with an every-man-for-himself attitude is a nice alternative to a lackluster feud between just Kane and Palumbo.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5.5 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Chuck Palumbo: Chris Masters, Kenny Dykstra, Jamie Noble & Michelle McCool
Kane: Finlay, Big Daddy V, Shelton Benjamin


CONCLUDED FEUDS

(1) John Morrison & The Miz vs. Jesse & Festus?


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) MVP vs. Chris Jericho
(2) Maryse vs. Cherry


Thanks for reading, everyone. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, feel free to email me at newthtorch@hotmail.com. I greatly appreciate all the feedback that I receive, and I will respond to every email. Please insert a word in the subject line that deals with a wrestling topic or write something such as "WWE," "feud," or "Funaki" so that I know it's not junk mail.


Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.

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