By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

WWE Friday Night Smackdown
January 16, 2009
Upcoming PPV: Royal Rumble (second-to-last episode before PPV)

SMACKDOWN STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the sixty-sixth 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)


WWE Champion JEFF HARDY vs. EDGE (22 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Edge hyped the Cutting Edge segment multiple times throughout the show because his special guest was Jeff Hardy. He even said that he would make the Cutting Edge an event that Jeff Hardy would never forget.

-Edge opened the Cutting Edge by discussing how he hoped Hardy would be okay so that he can defend the WWE Title against him at the Royal Rumble. He then introduced Hardy.

-As Hardy walked onto the stage, pyrotechnics exploded all around him, enveloping the area where he stood. The sparks overwhelmed the scene, causing Hardy to stumble and roll onto the ramp before writhing in pain as he covered his eyes. Silence took over as Hardy was tended to by paramedics.

Analysis:

Sometimes it takes three instances for something to become clear, and that is exactly the case with Jeff Hardy's current storyline. Hardy has suffered tragically over the past few weeks with a seemingly incessant bad luck streak. First came the hotel incident, then the hit-and-run car problem, and now a fireworks malfunction. Although these things could be blamed on a particular nefarious character—and they likely will be—the idea of Hardy as just an unlucky guy with a really rough past that's stretching itself into the present is just as intriguing. Of course, WWE won't miss an opportunity to use these events to stage a new feud down the line against a future opponent of Hardy, but right now, when everything is assumed to be coincidental and innocent yet horrifying, the storyline is ramping up nicely. It's really interesting to think about what bad luck Hardy could possibly run into next.

Again, the notion of a series of three leading to some kind of revelation is pervasive in multiple stories in film, literature, and even comedy. The first event sets the stage, the second reinforces it, and the third makes it obvious that this is the perpetual path. For Hardy, this current pyro malfunction left him in a heap as he helplessly clutched at what could be severe damage to his eyes. It's a strong story that inherently absorbs sympathy from viewers. Plus, tragic bad luck certainly stacks the deck against a reigning babyface WWE Champion. It's interesting to see that WWE seems to be using this more for a future feud between Hardy and someone else rather than having all of these events bolster the current Hardy-Edge rivalry.

Although viewers are going to be naturally skeptical of Edge after he hinted at starting a fight with Hardy during his Cutting Edge segment, he made a strong case that he wants Hardy to be healthy and able to put his title on the line at the Royal Rumble. Why would the number one contender want the champion injured or unavailable on the eve of their title match? It's believable for Edge to be concerned—not for Hardy's health alone, but for what his health might mean to Edge's upcoming championship opportunity.

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

Previous Feuds
Edge: Kane, Batista, Vickie Guerrero, The Undertaker
Jeff Hardy: Umaga, Mr. Kennedy, Triple H, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, MVP

TRIPLE H vs. VICKIE GUERRERO (3 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Vickie Guerrero showed what happens to people who don't respect her by airing clips from last week's Triple Jeopardy. Triple H then came out to the ring, extended an almost believable apology, and handed her the nude pictures he had scoured the internet for.

-Vickie remained unsatisfied, so she booked Triple H in a match against Big Show with his Royal Rumble spot on the line. He then retaliated by putting the censored photos on the big screen for everyone to see.

-Livid and embarrassed, Vickie told Triple H that MVP has to win a Last Man Standing Match against Big Show in order for the Game to keep his Royal Rumble spot.

-Chavo brought Big Show into Vickie's office as she and Edge discussed the Rumble. Big Show claimed that he would not only take Triple H out of the Rumble Match, but that he would also win it and head to WrestleMania to fight for the WWE Title.

-Triple H told MVP that he needs to take this match seriously. MVP seemed confident that the winning streak would end. Triple H then added some extra incentive by holding up his sledgehammer in a threatening fashion.

-MVP defeated Big Show in the Last Man Standing Match when the action found its way to the stage. As Show was set to deliver a devastating chokeslam onto the metal stage, Triple H emerged from the back, striking Show in the spine with his sledgehammer. Big Show fell, MVP rose, and the ref counted to ten.

-Vickie was giddy backstage when talking to Triple H because she informed him that he wouldn't be participating in the Royal Rumble. Triple H noted that she banned him from ringside and did not mention anything about interfering away from ringside, so he's still in the Rumble. Vickie then booked him in a match against Vladimir Kozlov next week.

Analysis:

Clearly, this feud was the focal point of Smackdown despite it not being the rivalry centered around the WWE Title. Vickie's refusal to forgive Triple H and her subsequent call for further punishment made her character all the more insidious and heartless. The inclusion of MVP into the storyline based on the premise of his current predicament—a bad luck streak of his own—was a nice touch. It made logical sense for Vickie to shove the guy with the worst win/loss record on the roster into a match against the man who defeated Triple H just last week. As for the main event itself, the ending was fitting as Triple H not only got to physically retaliate against Big Show, but he also got to push Vickie's patience with his argument over semantics—that he would still be eligible to compete in the Royal Rumble because, technically speaking, he didn't walk to ringside in order to interfere in the Last Man Standing Match. Good progression was continued as Vickie booked his next challenge: a match against Vladimir Kozlov two days before the big PPV.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 9 [up 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Vickie Guerrero: Undertaker, Batista, Undertaker
Triple H: King Booker, Umaga, Jeff Hardy, Orton & JBL, Randy Orton, John Cena

ECW Champion JACK SWAGGER vs. MATT HARDY (3 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-In a rare visit to Smackdown, ECW Champion Jack Swagger teamed with Mark Henry to face Matt Hardy and Finlay. The match ended when Hardy caught Swagger with the Twist of Fate for the 1-2-3.

Analysis:

WWE's decision to feature ECW's new champion on Smackdown was likely a conscious decision made to promote their Tuesday night brand after this dramatic shift in champion. If I'm not mistaken, this was Swagger's first official appearance on the Smackdown brand, and it was important to present this new face on a show that gets more viewers than ECW. People who are intrigued by the idea of a relative newcomer obtaining the ECW Title in such a short time or who want to see Matt Hardy diligently vie to regain the title may now tune in to Sci Fi in the coming weeks. The tag team contest between Swagger/Henry and Hardy/Finlay accomplished a great deal, actually. Since Swagger won the ECW Title so decisively last week, there's no need to establish him as a guy who can defeat Matt Hardy any time they find themselves fighting one another. Instead, this week's win by Matt Hardy introduced the notion that they are on the same level—that either man can win. And that idea makes their future matchups all the more engaging.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8 [up 0.5 since ECW]

Previous Feuds
Matt Hardy: Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, MVP, Chavo Guerrero, Mark Henry
Jack Swagger: Tommy Dreamer

MICHELLE McCOOL vs. MARIA (14 weeks w/ 3 weeks hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Todd Grisham stood in for Eve this week to handle the backstage interviews. He talked to Michelle McCool, who said that Maria and Eve were jealous of her. She began to predict a Divas' Title win but was interrupted by Victoria.

-Victoria told Michelle that she may be able to bully other divas, but she doesn't scare Victoria.

-In what was Victoria's retirement match, the longtime WWE diva faced Michelle McCool. The match saw McCool deliver the Faith Breaker to pick up the weighty win.

Analysis:

After McCool's vicious attack on an unsuspecting Victoria last week, WWE allowed Victoria's last match to have some fire behind it. This didn't feel like a bout that was thrown together at the last minute; it felt like Victoria almost had a palpable grudge against the woman who turned on her last week. She almost assumed a babyface role here against McCool, and fans really wanted her to win. The match had a nice chance to develop, and the win really catapulted McCool's momentum. As for the feud Michelle has with Maria, it is still uncertain whether it's officially ongoing. Maria's been gone for over three weeks to sell her injuries. In the meantime, WWE has been heavily pushing McCool as Smackdown's—and possibly WWE's—most dangerous diva. Her attacks on both babyfaces and heels has effectively made her stand out amongst other members of the roster. But if this feud with Maria is going to continue, Maria must return soon before the fire burns out. And as for Victoria, she will be sorely missed; her contributions to WWE were truly impressive.

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

Previous Feuds
Michelle McCool: Victoria, Chuck Palumbo
Maria: Beth Phoenix & Melina & Santino Marella

United States Champion SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. THE UNDERTAKER (3 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

Nothing happened between Shelton Benjamin and The Undertaker, but Taker did appear in a video package to discuss the upcoming Royal Rumble.

Analysis:

As suspected, this feud is likely over. The short-lived nature of the storyline was meant only as a way to randomly pit two guys together so that WWE could hype the Royal Rumble Match.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a

Previous Feuds
Shelton Benjamin: Kane, CM Punk, Money in the Bank, Kofi Kingston
Undertaker: Mark Henry, Batista, Big Daddy V, Edge, The Big Show

WWE Tag Team Champions CARLITO & PRIMO vs. THE BRIAN KENDRICK & EZEKIEL (10 weeks w/ 2 weeks hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Brian Kendrick lost one-on-one against R-Truth. After the match, Ezekiel surprised Truth by clubbing him with his forearm. Ezekiel then gave Truth his finisher to avenge Kendrick's loss.

-There was no sign of the reigning WWE Tag Team Champions

Analysis:

It's probably safe to call this feud over as well. Perhaps the rivalry's remnants will find their way into the Royal Rumble Match, but WWE seems to be pulling Kendrick and Ezekiel away from the tag team division and opting to instead devise a singles feud between Kendrick and R-Truth.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a

Previous Feuds
The Brian Kendrick: Triple H & Hardy & Benjamin & MVP
Ezekiel: n/a
Carlito & Primo: Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder

MVP vs. MR. KENNEDY (2 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

No sign of Mr. Kennedy this week in any kind of MVP segment, despite all the segments MVP had.

Analysis:

MVP's defeat of Big Show (in a technical sense only) was likely the turn of his particular narrative as one big win may avalanche into a series of wins, thus concluding the current storyline. Plus, Triple H's reliance on him helped begin to establish a babyface side to his character. Notice the crowd reaction as they cheered for Porter during the Last Man Standing Match. It's a great start from which MVP can now propel into the next phase of his career. But where does that leave Mr. Kennedy? If MVP is turning babyface, it would be smart to keep the babyface bully, Mr. Kennedy, away from him. If those two are pitted against one another, fans will inevitably choose the more established babyface (Kennedy) over the newly turning one. Porter instead needs a strong heel force, such as Vickie Guerrero's wrath, to help him gain some traction as a good guy on Smackdown.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5 [same since last week]

Previous Feuds
MVP: Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Batista, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Great Khali
Mr. Kennedy: Jeff Hardy, Shawn Michaels, William Regal, Paul Burchill


CONCLUDED FEUDS

(1) Shelton Benjamin vs. The Undertaker
(2) Michelle McCool vs. Maria?
(3) MVP vs. Mr. Kennedy?
(4) Carlito & Primo vs. Kendrick & Ezekiel


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) Jeff Hardy vs. Mystery Attacker
(2) Triple H vs. Big Show
(3) Big Show vs. MVP
(4) MVP vs. Vickie Guerrero
(5) The Brian Kendrick & Ezekiel vs. R-Truth


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 "DH Smith" so that I know it's not junk mail.

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