By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

WWE Friday Night Smackdown
April 18, 2008
Upcoming PPV: Backlash (second-to-last episode before PPV)

SMACKDOWN STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the thirty-second 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 (9 weeks)

The hyped main event for this week's Smackdown was Batista versus The Undertaker as they turned the page in yet another chapter of their storied rivalry. Of course, WWE set up the match with video packages highlighting their history throughout the show. Also, they aired an interesting montage that clearly explained Vickie Guerrero's plan. As footage of Undertaker vs. Kane and Undertaker vs. Festus played, those clips were interspersed with Edge and Vickie relaxing with their spa treatments and their bedroom sex play.

In the main event, Batista and Taker went head-to-head as Edge, Curt Hawkins, and Zack Ryder watched intently from the front row of the crowd. Eventually, the action between Taker and The Animal spilled to ringside, and both men got counted out. Once the match had ended, The Deadman couldn't resist grabbing Edge and hurling him over the barricade (without any provocation, mind you). Everything then crumbled as Edge, Hawkins, Ryder, Chavo, and Bam Neely joined the fray. After the proverbial dust had begun to settle with just Taker and Batista standing in the ring, Vickie Guerrero came out to announce that next week, Undertaker would have to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Batista and that the winner would move on to face Edge at Backlash.

Highlighting Vickie's plan to bog Undertaker in big matches against bulky opponents like Kane, Festus, and Batista while providing a relaxing, recovering environment for her fiancé before their scheduled rematch at Backlash was handled well this week. The specific video montage of Edge's life of leisure juxtaposed with Undertaker's brutal battles in the past few weeks was particularly good in summing things up. The storyline revolves around the unbalanced playing field: Vickie is making everything so easy for Edge while Undertaker must fight each week in challenges that arguably worsen. Next week, Taker must fight Batista with the World Heavyweight Title on the line. On that note, it is interesting that WWE is deciding to put two major players of two very different feuds together in the last episode hyping Backlash. How will each storyline retain a certain degree of independence? Or is that not even necessary? Whatever the case, it's a unique situation.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 9 [up 0.5 since last week]

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

BATISTA vs. SHAWN MICHAELS vs. CHRIS JERICHO (3 weeks)

The show kicked off with a rare appearance by both Y2J and the Highlight Reel. Jericho introduced Batista before replaying video from Raw where he received a surprise Super Kick from HBK. Jericho's comments about his analysis of Michaels had him leaning decisively toward Batista, but The Animal didn't accept his support with open arms. "This is between me and Shawn, and I don't see where you fit into the equation," Batista said sternly.

Jericho's response was another session of psychoanalysis, but this time he directed it against Batista. Y2J noted that Batista was jealous that he didn't retire Flair himself because it would have been a passing-of-the-torch situation between mentor and student. He even mentioned that Batista was upset because Flair handpicked Michaels over Batista. Y2J went on to accuse Batista of being too cool to take his sunglasses off at Flair's retirement ceremony. After polling the audience about the situation, Jericho found himself on the wrong end of a Batista Bomb to close the segment.

No matter how you parse this entire storyline, Jericho's involvement feels out-of-place. Batista's logic about the whole Flair situation may have been askew, but his thoughts on Y2J were spot-on. From the beginning, it seemed as though Jericho was on Batista's side, but things quickly broke down when The Animal basically accused him of prying. It did feel as though Jericho was being far too nosey and publicly opinionated when he tried to analyze the situation by interpreting HBK's feelings.

And as for Batista, does it make sense for him to get on Jericho's bad side before the PPV at which Jericho will serve as the special guest referee? Perhaps cerebral doesn't quite describe Batista, but if Jericho is basically agreeing with you, why screw it up? Then again, Batista's actions can be attributed to the fact that he is an honest babyface who simply wants to handle the situation entirely on his own. Most people, however, would probably befriend Jericho for his support and enlist his biased officiating come Backlash.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7 [up 0.5 since Raw]

Previous Feuds
Batista: Edge, The Great Khali, Undertaker, Umaga
Shawn Michaels: Randy Orton, Mr. Kennedy, Ric Flair
Chris Jericho: Randy Orton, JBL, Jeff Hardy, Money in the Bank

THE BIG SHOW vs. THE GREAT KHALI (3 weeks)

Eve stood backstage with Big Show for an interview segment. She replayed footage of the Peace Offering Ceremony which saw Khali offer Big Show various gifts before he received a punch to the face for his troubles. Show, still seeming a little bitter from his WrestleMania loss, said that Khali thought that he could get in his face without any reaction, but that isn't the case. He then promoted his upcoming match with Mark Henry later in the night.

The Show-Henry match ended when Khali strolled to ringside to chop Show in the head, prompting the referee to call for the disqualification (and a win for Big Show). After hurling Show into both the ring post and the steel stairs, Khali managed to lift his gargantuan opponent into the air and drop him with the Khali Bomb to make a dramatic statement.

The interview segment with Big Show depicted him like a big guy between "good" and "uncontrollable." In many ways, he's not the heel he was built as when making his debut a few months ago. Yet, at the same time, he's also not a pure good guy; he has anger issues.

The excuse he used about why he punched Khali—which actually amounted to the first offensive move between the two since their stare-down feud began three weeks ago—turned out to be incredibly weak: it would take more than a goat and a chicken to make up for getting in Show's face. Khali seemed like a guy who made a mistake, backed off willingly, and felt the need to apologize in his own unique way. What does Big Show want from the guy? And after that punch to the face, isn't Khali's attack on Show almost warranted now (in a logical sense)?

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

Previous Feuds
Big Show: n/a
The Great Khali: Batista, Finlay, Hornswoggle

United States Champion MVP vs. MATT HARDY (3 weeks)

While Matt Hardy sat alongside Michael Cole and Jonathan Coachman on commentary, MVP fought Tommy Dreamer in what Cole claimed was the first ever one-on-one match Dreamer's had on Smackdown. Hardy explained, "This is more than just professional; this is more than just about winning a title. This is personal." He went on to discuss his interference in the Money in the Bank Match at WrestleMania, claiming that because MVP took away something very personal to him (his health), he decided to take away something very personal to MVP (the Money in the Bank briefcase). The Dreamer-MVP match ended when Porter hit his running boot to the face while Dreamer stood dazed in the corner. MVP made the cover and scored the win.

There is a sense of realism emanating from this particular feud. It has certainly lost its luster since ending after months of a heated, entertaining battle; but potential still exists beneath the surface here. Matt Hardy has returned as almost a flawed figure. He's an angry, bitter babyface who is perfectly willing to cause professional harm to the man he blames for his injury. The storyline is steady, but something hasn't quite clicked just yet. Although the United States Title is going to play a part in this feud, the importance of the rivalry is still finding its focus: a balance between title and heavy personal issues. This storied rivalry likely has the fuel to continue well beyond Backlash, but the key will be to find what works after viewers have already experienced an end to a very successful program between these two performers.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
MVP: Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Batista
Matt Hardy: Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, MVP

VICTORIA & NATALYA NEIDHART vs. MICHELLE McCOOL & CHERRY (3 weeks)

Cherry, accompanied by Michelle McCool, walked to the ring to new '50s music. This week marked her first official in-ring debut on Friday Night Smackdown, and her opponent was the veteran diva, Victoria. As Natalya and Victoria entered the ring, utter fear etched itself across Cherry's face. Victoria began by offering to let Cherry have the first punch, but she quickly reneged her offer by pushing Cherry to the mat. The entire match predicated itself on a vulnerable Cherry being beaten, battered, and bruised by the strength and skills of her veteran opponent. But at the end of the bout, Michelle McCool jumped onto the ring apron, leaving Cherry a brief second to capitalize on the moment by rolling Victoria up for the upset win.

Cherry is quickly becoming one of the most interesting characters on WWE television. She has a unique look, an entertaining gimmick, and mannerisms that differentiate her not only from other divas on the WWE roster, but also from everyone else in the company. It would really behoove the writers to put her issues with Deuce and Domino on TV to help enhance her character's development for viewers.

Apparently, there is a storyline occurring on WWE.com where Deuce and Domino are replacing Cherry with Maryse (I think). Perhaps that particular angle should be played out on television so that viewers can learn how this girl is progressing from her past as their roller-skating manager to a roller-skating, yet independent WWE Diva. In any event, her reactions are golden; she looks terrified whenever a heel diva enters the arena. Her facial expressions had her on the verge of believable tears during her match with Victoria, making it more engaging than it would normally have been. A storyline where Michelle McCool stands up as the lead babyface protecting and training Cherry could prove to be a successful narrative endeavor, and WWE should consider it. They are sort of hinting at that now, but it still feels as though Cherry and Michelle are just acting as equivalent teammates, which isn't quite the same.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Victoria: Michelle McCool, Kelly Kelly
Natalya Neidhart: n/a
Michelle McCool: Victoria, Chuck Palumbo
Cherry: n/a

FINLAY & HORNSWOGGLE vs. MATT STRIKER (2 weeks)

Matt Striker stood in center ring to deliver a promo complaining about how he had to go one-on-one with Hornswoggle, whom he referred to as a diminutive troll. Suddenly, Finlay and Hornswoggle's music interrupted Striker as he touted his accolades in education. The match included Hornswoggle juggling tennis balls before launching them at Striker and a series of squirt gun shenanigans that seemed to do little more than annoy the short-tempered teacher. The end of the match resulted in a win for Hornswoggle after Finlay nailed Striker with a shillelagh shot to the skull. Hornswoggle took advantage by ascending the turnbuckle and crashing down on Striker's sternum with the Tadpole Splash.

It's not convincing just yet that Matt Striker will continue to be the guy who jobs to Finlay and Hornswoggle each week in a feud-type of situation on Smackdown. This is technically the second week, and so far both Finlay and Hornswoggle have had the chance to pin poor Striker in singles competition. By the way, what ever happened to managing Big Daddy V? Where is that guy, anyway? Before we call this an official feud worthy of some analysis, let's see if it extends into next week.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a

Previous Feuds
Finlay: Kane, Rey Mysterio, The Great Khali, Mr. McMahon, JBL
Hornswoggle: The Great Khali, Mr. McMahon
Matt Striker: n/a


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) Batista vs. Undertaker
(2) Chavo Guerrero vs. Jamie Noble
(3) Vladimir Kozlov vs. ?


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.

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