Smackdown - June 29, 2007, San Antonio, Texas (taped June 26)
Report by Erich West, rajah.com reporter
Welcome to Monday Night Raw....I mean....Friday Night Smackdown....er.....RAW? Smackdown? Those were RAW performers I saw this past Friday night, I do believe. I check my calendar and local listings and find, to my relief, that I haven't lost three days and that it is Friday, June 29 and this is Friday Night Smackdown. So, what's up with all the RAW performers? It's not like this was a special event, like the appearance of John Cena on ECW in a "Champion vs Champion" match with Johnny Nitro. Something special like that is a reason to mix brands. But just parading RAW wrestlers on the show out of the blue? And with no announcement why? They just make their entrances and leave the fans scratching their heads?
Lately, I'm thinking the WWE has no idea what they are doing. Canceling an entire 3-hour program (RAW) because of the death of Chris Benoit and then replacing the time with a tribute to Benoit when the very unusual circumstances surrounding his death - and that of his family - left a lot of questions unanswered? Would it have been too much to acknowledge Mr Benoit's passing and then "on with the show" until more information was received? In any case, the McMahons have messed up everything they have done this past week (and for a long time before this), right down to sending a host of RAW performers (25% of the show, to be exact) to appear on Smackdown when fans are tuning in to see the Smackdown roster. And what of the Smackdown performers? Expecting to be on the show and then many are upstaged because of the McMahons' irrational decisions? Again, I ask, is this Smackdown or isn't it? That's a rhetorical question Vince, primarily because I know neither you, nor any of your ilk, have an answer. Let's get on with the show - what's left of Smackdown, anyway. I'm home watching on tape, so I don't get the benefit of a refund.
Ric Flair vs Carlito
Carlito, our first RAW "guest," appears to have gone through a transformation far more in-depth than that of face to heel. The reason? Despite dishing out some punishment to Flair, he's basically out-wrestled here. I'm thinking that the brilliant Uncreative Team is just sweeping Carlito's past under the rug and picking up a new angle for him. It's been clear for a long time that the Uncreative Team can't comprehend "continuity" of characters or storylines. So where we once had Carlito dominating the ring, now he looks less than skilled and getting trashed by Ric Flair. A lot of missed moves by Carlito and Flair makes him submit with the Figure Four. Winner: Ric Flair
Matt Hardy vs Lance Cade
Another "guest" from RAW, Lance Cade makes a good showing and actually makes me forget how annoyed I am that RAW performers are permitted to upstage what I tuned in for. Hardy gets a huge reaction from the crowd, as expected. But Cade gives the Hardy-based crowd some bitter pills to swallow as he tucks it to Matt Hardy with some great power moves and faking Hardy out to the crowd's chagrin. Hardy barely makes it out of this one with a Twist of Fate that he surprised Cade with. I'm not sure if it was intended for Cade to upstage the popular Hardy, but this match belonged to Cade, even though the winner was: Matt Hardy.
Chavo Guerrero, Cruiserweight Champion vs Jamie Noble vs Funaki in a Triple Threat Match
If my sense of continuity hadn't already been numbed by the WWE a long time ago, I'd be asking why Noble and Funaki are getting title shots rather than Jimmy Wang Yang. It's not like they don't beat title matches to death with the same performers, so where is the man who earned the right to be here? I'm sure there's an answer somewhere. Whether it makes sense or not is another matter. At least the match was all Smackdown performers. Chavo takes the match, pinning Funaki and retaining his Cruiserweight Title. Winner: Chavo Guerrero
Backstage, Vickie Guerrero, "in charge" as Teddy Long is planning his upcoming wedding with Kristal (you and I do these things on our own time) is blithely making what looks like a personal call on her cell phone until she's interrupted by World Champion Edge. Edge is understandably upset as he finds out he's facing Batista tonight, something he's foggy on as he seems to think that his win at Vengeance over Batista meant that Batista would never challenge him for his title. Vickie, equally upset at being interrupted, gives him the bad news, rather condescendingly, I might add. Apparently, the needs of the champ are not high on her list. And that news is that tonight's match is not for the title, so Edge must face Batista. Edge storms off, officially "under protest."
A promo for a new team, Jesse and Festus (God help us), a set of hillbillies right out of central casting, follows. Where last week I claimed my eyes were opening for the future of Smackdown, we are taking several steps backwards here. You'll forgive me if I ignore them when they finally make their debuts.
Deuce & Domino, Tag Team Champions vs Cryme Tyme
More infiltrators from RAW and we are on to tonight's tag team match. Domino gets bloodied early but this is standard Cryme Tyme stuff with a twist. JTG gets worked over, Shad comes in to clean house, but rather than win, Shad gets rolled up for a pin by Domino. Winners: Deuce & Domino, who revel in the ring until they learn their classic car is being stolen, all on videotape, by Cryme Tyme backstage. D&D make tracks as Cryme Tyme rolls out of the building with their wheels.
Kane vs MVP
What? Another match without a RAW wrestler? How did this happen? MVP arrives on the scene, trashing the San Antonio crowd with taunts of how much better he is than all of them. A setup for a loss if you ask me. And lose, he does, much to the crowd's delight. MVP does prove himself a worthy opponent, though. As well he should, being the US champ. Winner: Kane, in a non-title match, so MVP retains the US Championship Belt
Backstage we go and we find Mickie James and Victoria in a heated conversation, Victoria filling Mickie in that she's the wilder of the two. I'd bet the rent on that easily. Both in and out of the ring. "I'll kiss the next man who comes through that door," she says. Well, as you expected (this is the Uncreative Team, remember?), three undesirables show up, among them Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and the last being that disgusting, almost naked obese guy, who petrifies Victoria long enough for Ron Simmons to show up, who Mickie finally kisses. Victoria, understandably, stares in disgust at the fat guy in the speedo. Isn't this fun? As it is, we're missing a good deal of the Smackdown roster with the appearance of RAW people. So we devote further time to this nonsense? I'm hoping those people I see leaving the arena are headed to the box office.
Victoria vs Mickie James
Victoria once again shows why she's the best female wrestler on any roster. As far a diva matches go, this is real wrestling and Victoria is taking the lead for most of this match. Unlike the other RAW polluted matches, she loses to RAW's Mickie James after she misses a huge backflip off the top ropes, allowing Mickie James a rollup. Winner: Mickie James
A short backstage segment to introduce Eugene, a second-tier draftee from RAW. Eugene gets no interview time as The Great Khali interrupts the proceedings to say, through his translator, that he intends to have fun in the ring with Eugene. Eugene appears doubtful.
Great Khali vs Eugene
Eugene is always intended to be comic relief and here, with Khali defeating him in a squash that lasted less than one minute, the fans are astonished at the quick and devastating results. It would be like a circus clown being violently assaulted while he's performing. It's not funny and Eugene is supposed to be funny. I put another notch on the "failure" side of my tally sheet. Winner: Great Khali
Batista vs Edge
Edge runs from Batista at the outset, before taking the upper hand when the ref gets in the way, but Batista turns that around quickly. Why bother to declare that Batista will never face Edge again? What's the point? Because it's non-title? I shudder to think how they'll come up with the idea that Batista will once again challenge Edge for the title. In the meantime, this non-title match doesn't live up to Batista's promise that hell "punish" Edge, as he stated in a short backstage segment before the match. In truth, both of these men worked each other over and Edge certainly dispelled any myths that he's an unworthy competitor for Batista. Perhaps that was the point. Edge made two attempts at his spear, but Batista countered both of them, the first time with a spinebuster and the second time with a leapfrog that set Edge up for the Batista Bomb. Crowd goes crazy, natch. Now all they need to do is come up with a reason to get Batista back in a title match with him. I hope so, but even if not, Batista is exciting as hell to watch. Doing anything. Winner: Batista in a non-title match. Edge retains the World Championship Belt
And that's it for the third Friday Night Smackdown with the new roster. Ummm....new roster? Maybe this was RAW? I'm still not exactly sure but I hold out hope that next Friday night I'll be treated to what I tuned in for: Friday Night Smackdown.
