Smackdown – October 17, 2008: Advance And Be Recognized
Smackdown
Date: October 17, 2008
Location: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 6,500
Commentators: Tazz, Jim Ross
We’re getting close to Cyber Sunday and the question now is who will be challenging HHH for the World Title. That should make for an interesting choice, as we get to see just how high Jeff Hardy can run up the margin for his win. Hardy has his hands full already tonight though as he has to face Vladimir Kozlov. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a recap of the wild ending last week, with Undertaker costing Big Show a World Title shot. That left Vladimir Kozlov to jump HHH, with Jeff Hardy making the save.
Opening sequence.
Here is Big Show, with Chavo Guerrero, who Show saying this isn’t going to go well. Show can’t believe that Undertaker has been messing with him again because they are going to fight at Cyber Sunday. The fans are going to be able to pick the stipulation, with the choices of Last Man Standing, I Quit and a Knockout Match. Tonight, Show is going to demonstrate all three of these things.
Big Show vs. ???
KO Match. Commentary doesn’t know who he is (I do, as it’s Joey Ryan) but he’s knocked cold in about ten seconds.
Big Show vs. ???
I Quit match and it’s another unnamed wrestler (Ryan Taylor, who wrestled under a bunch of names, including Tyler Rust and Rust Taylor). Show makes him give up with a cobra clutch in about thirty seconds.
Big Show vs. ???
Last Man Standing and this would be none other than a VERY young Matt Jackson (with Hurricane Helms popping up to mock Jackson’s sideburns). Guerrero sets up a table and Show chokeslams Jackson through it for the win at a whopping minute and a half or so. Totally fine segment, but more importantly all three options are realistic choices. KO Match is the most likely, but the other two wouldn’t be insane and that’s great to see.
Post match, Jackson is put in a neck brace and Taylor is still out cold on the floor. The devastating was a success.
Tag Team Titles: Colons vs. Curt Hawkins/Zack Ryder
Hawkins and Ryder are challenging. Carlito takes Hawkins down for a legdrop to the back but Ryder’s distraction lets Hawkins take over. Hawkins’ waistlock has Carlito in more trouble but he’s up rather quickly for the tag off to Primo. The pace picks up with a jumping shot to the face getting two on Hawkins as everything breaks down. A quick missile dropkick retains the titles in a hurry.
Rating: C+. That was quick and I was half expecting a title change. The good thing is that the Colons are a fine team who work well together and they do well when they’re given the chance to get in the ring. There is still hardly a tag division around here and a match that only gets a few minutes isn’t that interesting, but at least the champions were out there.
Video on John Cena’s recovery from neck surgery, as he was at the arena about five hours after the operation to visit the wrestlers.
MVP is focused on winning one more match as it gives him a big incentive package.
MVP vs. R-Truth
R-Truth hiptosses him out of the corner to start but gets sent outside for a crash. Back in and MVP’s chinlock doesn’t last long so R-Truth is back up with the spinning forearm. A shoulder to the ribs and an ax kick finish MVP off in a hurry.
Funaki comes in to see Vickie Guerrero and Big Show, who throw him out. Maryse, in a French maid costume, comes in and wonders why she is in a match tonight. Guerrero suggests that it’s for a chance to get a title shot. With Maryse gone, Great Khali comes in and is given a match with Undertaker. That doesn’t work for Khali, so Show gets in his face for some less than subtle threats.
Kizarny says…I have no idea actually but he seems to be on his way to Smackdown.
The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson come to the ring for a match but Kendrick has a TICKLE in his throat and can’t wrestle. Jackson can though.
Ezekiel Jackson vs. Super Crazy
After Hurricane Helms asks if Jackson’s tights come in the right size, Jackson runs Crazy over and finishes with a release Rock Bottom in rather short order.
Post match Kendrick celebrates and hits the Kendrick. On Crazy if that’s not clear.
HHH watches a clip of Vladimir Kozlov brawling with Jeff Hardy last week and says it shows him how much they want to be champion. If you want to do that though, you have to go through him and that’s not an easy task. Pretty simple promo here and I’ll take that over one of his long speeches.
Undertaker vs. Great Khali
Runjin Singh is here with Khali. Undertaker strikes away in the corner to start but gets reversed for the big chops. With those not really working, Khali knocks him down and grabs the vice grip. Undertaker breaks that up as well but here is Big Show to jump Undertaker for the DQ.
Rating: C. This was another match that didn’t have time to do anything, which is a theme tonight (granted that’s the point in some of the cases). At the same time, there is something to be said about keeping Khali’s matches short and WWE seems to understand that. This was about getting Undertaker vs. Show further along and it worked fine for a fast angle advancer.
Post match Show grabs a chair, but Khali slaps it out of his hand for Show costing him the match. Khali leaves but Undertaker gets the chair to crack Show in the back.
Next week: HHH vs. Undertaker. Ok then.
Maria vs. Maryse vs. Natalya vs. Victoria vs. Brie Bella
Say it with me: Fuzzy Dice On A Pole match and the winner gets a Divas Title shot against Michelle McCool. Natalya wastes no time in turning on Victoria and Maryse has to cut Bella off. Maria knocks Maryse down as well and gets the dice (which are bigger than her head) to win rather quickly. This was as dumb as it sounds.
Video on John Cena, who is just peachy. He’s on his way back.
Jesse & Festus vs. Ryan Braddock/Kenny Dykstra
The bell rings and Festus goes Festus, sending the rather big Braddock into the corner. Jesse comes in for an elbow and a headlock but Dykstra pulls him down without much trouble. The chinlock goes on and Hurricane Helms pops up to mock Dykstra a bit. Jesse gets up and brings Festus back in to clean house. The fireman’s carry flapjack ends Dykstra.
Rating: C. This was just a step above a squash with Jesse getting in his big move: the hot tag to Festus. That’s what he does as well as anything else but it’s not like they’re trying to say he’s anything better. I keep forgetting that Dykstra is around but he’s fine enough for a slightly named jobber.
Remember Kizarny? The one who was coming? He still is.
Maria runs into Michelle McCool, who is looking forward to their match. Maria doesn’t look overly convinced but Jesse & Festus come in. The latter has a flower for Maria, who seems appreciative. Scared, but appreciative.
Cyber Sunday rundown.
Jeff Hardy vs. Vladimir Kozlov
HHH is on commentary. After a quick promo about how he wants the title, Kozlov powers Hardy into the corner for the shoulders to the ribs. A powerslam gives Kozlov two and he sends Hardy into the post a few times. We take a break and come back with Hardy staying on the arm as this is totally one sided thus far. Some headbutts and a belly to belly give Kozlov two but Hardy is up for a quick Whisper In The Wind. Something off the top misses so Kozlov headbutts him in the chest for the fast pin.
Rating: C+. This was a total squash for Kozlov as Hardy got in a Whisper In The Wind and that’s about it. The idea here is an attempt to make Kozlov into someone that the fans want to see face HHH at Cyber Sunday so he squashed the person the fans REALLY want to see get the spot. That’s not likely to work, but at least they were trying.
Post match HHH gets in the ring for the staredown as WWE continues their efforts to try to make fans care about Kozlov. It won’t work, but they’re trying.
Overall Rating: C+. They weren’t exactly focusing on the wrestling here with a bunch of short matches. Instead the focus was on building towards the two big matches at Cyber Sunday and oddly enough, Big Show vs. Undertaker was WAY more effective. If nothing else, they had something kind of unique with Big Show demonstrating the matches and I’ll take that over another boring Kozlov match. Not a great show overall, but the big stories got the focuses that they needed.
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