By Jon Mezzera, Torch Specialist

I apologize for the lateness of this post. I wasn't home on Friday, or much of Saturday and didn't get around to actually watching Smackdown until Sunday evening. I wanted to get it posted before Backlash, but wasn't able to. Everyone likely knows the outcome of the PPV, but I am trying to write this "in the now" as I felt while watching it as it happened.

SMACKDOWN HITS

Edge's Promo: Edge made a few verbal miscues as he delivered his promo, but that was the only negative in what was otherwise a very positive opening segment. It was a well written promo that with those few exceptions was well delivered. This was a good follow up to John Cena's very good mic work from the night before on Superstars. You really got the feeling that WWE actually means it this time when talking about this being the end of the feud. It has been a great feud off and on over the last few years, but it is good that it is ending and both can move on from here.

Hardy & Kane vs. Hardy & Punk: This was a good 10 minute tag match that did a nice job of hyping the Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy I Quit match at Backlash. They had enough action against each other to tease what will happen at the PPV without giving away too much. The match was supposed to also hype Kane vs. CM Punk, but that match has the feeling of just being thrown together at the last minute, so the hype was really inconsequential. The real focus was on the Hardys where it should be. The match featured some good wrestling and had the right finish as Matt got a somewhat cheap pin on Jeff.

Big Show vs. Undertaker: This was far from a great match. In fact, my wife noted that she was bored by it. However, I am giving it a marginal Hit for a few reasons. For one, I actually enjoyed it more than their matches during their feud last year. For another, this was a great way to continue to build The Big Show as a dominant heel. He will presumably be the #2 heel on Raw after the draft takes full effect and he has now knocked out Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio and The Undertaker in 8 days. That is quite the accomplishment. WWE has done a great job of defining his right hand as a true knockout blow. Afterwards, Undertaker looked strong for being able to get up again after two of those blows, which helps him but didn't hurt Big Show's credibility either as he can rightfully claim to have knocked out the Undertaker. The final confrontation between them made me more interested is seeing them in another match than anything they did last year (or at The Royal Rumble when they fought off through the crowd teasing another possible match).

Batista & McMahon vs. Priceless: The main event was a solid tag match that did another good job of hyping a PPV match. It wasn't a great match, but it was good enough to get a Hit, particularly when you look at it as trying to sell the PPV. WWE's main goal in hyping the six man tag for Backlash was to create dissension between Batista, Shane McMahon and Triple H. They wanted the fans to have some doubt as to whether or not they will be able to work as a team. Clearly this played into the end of the match, when McMahon accidentally knocked Batista off the ring apron almost costing their team the match. I also liked a few spots during the match, particularly how Shane and Batista went for the double suplex, only to have Shane pause as he realized that Batista didn't really need his help, then continued on to help anyway. That was pretty funny. The end was strong too as Batista caught a leaping Cody Rhodes in mid air with a huge spine buster to help Shane get the win.

SMACKDOWN MISSES

Jeff Hardy's Promo: This bizarre promo just didn't work for me. I can understand it if it worked for some fans, but it didn't for me. It was a bit too out there. The make-up, the weird camera angle and movement, the mystery location and the music just added up to a headache for me. What it boils down to is this: the mood overshadowed the words. It was all about the mood, and I can't even recall much of what Hardy actually said. I was concentrating on everything else but what should be the focus of every promo, what the wrestler has to say about his upcoming match and his upcoming opponent. From that point of view, I believe this promo failed.

MVP vs. Ziggler Next Week: I'm assuming the reason that Montel Vontavious Porter will be on Smackdown next week, five days after the draft takes full effect, has to do with it being in New York and more convenient for Sherry Shepperd's schedule. I also wouldn't really care that much if next week were being presented as "business as usual." But, it isn't. It is being presented as the end of the draft period. It is being presented as if the brand split will once again be in effect starting with Raw. MVP vs. Ziggler wasn't even announced as being a one time only exception to the rule. It was announced as if it were just any other match taking place on next week's Smackdown. I don't understand WWE's lack of foresight to not set themselves up in a position to break their own rule five days after the rule goes into effect.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's WWE Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw, Smackdown, ECW, and Superstars each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

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