WWE Smackdown TV Taping report
August 4, 2009
Long Island, N.Y.
Report by Mike Omansky, Torch contributor

DARK MATCH: Prior to the tapings, and thus first match of the night - Jimmy Wang Yang pinned Eric Estiban with a back flip off of the top rope.

ECW TAPING: took place after Wang's match; aired later on TV.

Superstars taping

(1) William Regal & Paul Burchill beat Tyler Reks & Yoshi Tatsu. Regal pinned Tatsu.

(2) IC champion Rey Mysterio beat Mike Knox via DQ due to outside interference by Dolph Ziggler, who was doing commentary. Interference came after Mysterio did the 619.

Smackdown taping

-- C.M. Punk does a good in ring promo. Talks about drugs, cigarettes, alcohol; how he'll win the title tonight from Hardy.

(1) World Hvt. champion Jeff Hardy vs. C.M. Punk for the title never starts - wrestlers go wild and brawl before the bell. Ref can't stop them. Loads of refs and Teddy Long run in like the Keystone Cops to break it up.

Vince McMahon then appears on stage. Notes that Teddy Long is on probation, and he can't keep order. Thus Vince needs to take over. He'll have a special enforcer for this match tonight, which Teddy should have done in the first place.

(2) John Morrison pinned Tyson Kidd via a flip off the top rope.

(3) Slam Master J (Jesse) pinned Charlie Haas with a frog splash.

(4) Dolph Ziggler beat Mike Knox, Finlay, and R-Truth in a four-way #1 contender match to the IC Title. Ziggler pinned Finlay to earn an IC title shot at Summerslam. Mysterio was at ringside doing commentary. Finish: Finlay slams Knox with the shillelagh, then gets hit from behind by Ziggler.

Backstage: Maria discusses relationship with Ziggler. He's really a nice, sweet guy out of the ring. Looking forward to his winning the IC Title at Summerlsam.

(5) JTG (w/Shad Gaspar) pinned Chris Jericho (w/Big Show) with a small package.

(6) Great Khali pinned Ricky Ortiz in a squash match. Kane comes out, throws Khali out, grabs his manager, and drags him out of arena. Khali revives and follows them out.

(7) World Hvt. champion Jeff Hardy pinned C.M. Punk to retain the World Title with Matt Hardy as ringside enforcer. Finish: Hardy is out of ring. Punk lunges out feet first, but hits Matt Hardy as Jeff ducks. A minute later in ring, Punk has it won and is going for the pin. At the count of two, Matt drags the ref out of ring. Punk gets up and argues with Matt. Jeff revives and pins Punk as Matt counts a quick three.

Matt disappears. Punk attacks and lays out Jeff. Jeff is put on stretcher, and in neck brace. Punk goes to the stage and demands that Teddy Long give him a re-match -- this wasn't fair; Jeff's brother interfered and counted a pin. Long says match will be held at Summerslam - if Jeff is able to compete - but it
will be Tables, Ladders, and Chairs.

POST-TAPING DARK MATCH: After the taping, Jeff Hardy retained the World Title by pinning C.M. Punk in a steel cage match with a swanton bomb. Match was under two minutes.

Here's how it happened: "Smackdown" goes off the air with Hardy on a stretcher, and with a neck brace. After it's over, Hardy jumps up, rips off the neck brace, and bolts into the ring
to show the fans he's okay.

Punk comes back out to the stage; says that we don't have to worry about a TLC match at Summerslam -- there will be a cage match right now. (Note: The cage match was advertised locally in the TV spots for this show).

Referees ran out hurrying with pieces of the cage. Punk on the microphone was yelling "faster, faster!" Cage was erected within three minutes. Hardy was already in it, as he was in the ring. Punk came in, and the match was over in a flash.

PICS NOTE: Wrestleslam.com sent word that they have pictures from tonight's Smackdown TV taping, including shots of Vince McMahon on stage, the cage match, and various ring intros. Check out the wrestleslam.com blog for pics from the taping.

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