By Lee Stevens, PWTorch specialist

Thank you for joining me as we put Smackdown "Under The Microscope." This is not a complete recap of the show, instead it's a closer look at some of the themes, events or maybe something you missed.

Memories

Please put The Microscope in the group which enjoyed Matt Hardy's promo explaining his actions against his brother Jeff. Solid delivery, proper tone, and fantastic use of old video of the brothers. They used not only classic footage of the Hardy Boyz in the WWF/WWE ring, they also had the nostalgic impact of the boyhood home movies of the two practicing on trampolines. Good use of the materials at hand.

Plus, an added bonus for perceptive viewers. In one of the clips, you clearly see Howard Finkle as ring announcer during a match with The Headbangers. Thank you, WWE. You don't have to get me anything for Valentine's Day now. Fink AND a Headbanger? You're too good to me.

The Dragon

This has been a good week for Ricky Steamboat. He was prominently featured on the WrestleMania recap and mentioned during the MVP match with Chavo Guerrero. Jim Ross compared MVP to Steamboat on a particular armdrag takedown. Both Smackdown references come on the heels of reports that Steamboat will be a part of the next class of inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania weekend.

The Dragon deserves the honor, but if you look only at his WWF career, it wouldn't be as clear of a case. His only title run came with the Intercontinental belt won from Randy Savage in a classic match at WrestleMania III, which he later dropped to the Honky Tonk Man. Expanding the microscope to his entire career, he held the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship twice and the Tag Team Titles four times. He was a two-time NWA TV Champ, and held the NWA U.S. Heavyweight Championship, along with the Mid-Atlantic version of the same belt. You can add the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the WCW U.S. Heavyweight Title, the World Television Championship, and several other tag belts, including the WCW World Tag Team Championship and NWA World Tag Team Championship.

Streaking

A fan reminded us of another important part of WrestleMania weekend with their sign proclaiming 17-0, in anticipation of The Undertaker adding another win to his string. Most people know about The Dead Man's WM win streak, including this week's opponent. Mark Henry was win #14 after a casket match at WrestleMania 22. During the streak, he has defeated two WWE Hall of Famers, Jimmy Snuka and Ric Flair, and has beaten Kane twice. Although his streak currently sits at 16-0, he's actually defeated 17 other men. He beat The Big Show and Albert in a handicap match at WrestleMania XIX.

The sweet science

After Big Show dropped Festus, we heard the call "Down Goes Festus," which was an obvious salute to one of the most famous boxing calls in history. When George Foreman surprised everyone by knocking down Joe Frazier in the first round of their heavyweight title fight, Howard Cosell yelled, "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!" It was the first of six knockdowns as Foreman went on to win the fight.

Although this is the more famous broadcast, it wasn't the first time Cosell used the line. Three years earlier, Smokin' Joe Frazier was fighting Jimmy Ellis and once again Cosell was ringside. This time, Frazier was on the winning end of a solid punch, prompting Cosell to scream, "Down goes Ellis! Down goes Ellis! He is beaten." Three years later the call would become a classic.

The Foreman vs. Frazier fight was held in Kingston, Jamaica, the "WWE home" of Kofi Kingston.

Despite John Cena's movie title, the fight was scheduled for 15 rounds, but was stopped in the second.

Strike a pose

I didn't assume Christian was going to debut at the Royal Rumble and I wasn't entirely positive that he would be revealed as the one who attacked Jeff Hardy, but when Edge started into his "Five second pose," I'll admit that I sat up a little straighter thinking that we were going to see a return. Needless to say, watching him make out with Vickie Guerrero did not provide the same enjoyment. "For the benefit of those with flash photography" would usually lead into a new pose between Edge and Christian which likely corresponded with another tag team championship run. The two held the belts seven times, during which they usually "reeked of awesomeness."

He's old

Tazz accused Jim Ross of "showing his age" when J.R. made the reference to Vladimir Kozlov and "From Russia With Love." The movie of that same title was released in 1963 and was the second James Bond film to star Sean Connery. This isn't the only connection between 007 and the squared circle. Former professional wrestler Harold Sakata played Oddjob in "Goldfinger," the movie which followed "From Russia With Love."

For the record, Ross was born in 1952. Tazz was born in 1967.

I'll see your Google and raise you a Microscope

During the same Kozlov match, Ross insisted that wrestling fans should do a Google search on famous Russian Olympic wrestler Alexander Karelin. If you're a loyal reader of "Under The Microscope," you're already ahead of everyone else. We talked about Karelin a month ago right here, but he's certainly worth another look.

Yes, he probably could

The sign of the week comes from the fan supporting the case of William Richard Afflis. The sign clearly states "Dick the Bruiser Can Whip You All." After playing for the Green Bay Packers, he wrestled in the Detroit area before buying the Indianapolis NWA promotion and renamed it the WWA. He was best known for teaming up with The Crusher and he reportedly gave Bobby Heenan the nickname "The Weasel." He was billed as "The World's Most Dangerous Man" and I wouldn't have been man enough to argue with him about the name. He died in 1991, but it was good to see at least one Indianapolis fan give Dick the Bruiser another moment on TV this week.

Vice Squad

At first glance, the Triple H vs. Great Khali vs. Kozlov match may not have been one for the vault, but I took the time to give it a second look. During the match as Khali used his giant hands in an attempt to crush someone's skull, J.R. correctly called it the "Khali Vise." Not to be confused with "Miami Vice" and certainly not to be confused with "Fuji Vice."



You can always find a positive in every situation, if you look close enough.

Lee Stevens goes "Under The Microscope" for Smackdown and Raw. You can leave comments below or e-mail him at GLStevens.Torch@gmail.com

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