Home ▸ SmackDown ▸ SmackDown review – 1/30/09

At the Royal Rumble, Matt Hardy cracked his brother Jeff over the head with a steel chair, giving Edge the WWE Championship.  On ECW this past Tuesday, we found out that Matt is no longer with the brand and is now officially a member of the SmackDown roster.  What will the elder Hardy have to say about his actions?  We’ll find out tonight on SmackDown!

Full review after the jump! 

SmackDown kicks off with a recap of the events in the WWE Championship match this past Sunday at the Royal Rumble.

Justin Roberts introduces Matt Hardy, who comes to the ring with the chair he hit Jeff with in his hand.  He walks slowly and doesn’t have music or a video.  He unfolds the chair and takes a seat in the middle of the ring.  He says he no longer has to share the spotlight with his brother.  Tonight is his night.  Tonight is his time.  For everybody waiting for Jeff to come out, you’re going to be waiting a while.  He’s at home, and he’s going to stay at home.  He’s always been Jeff’s big brother.  He’s always taken care of him.  It’s ironic that when Jeff became WWE Champion, these accidents started happening.  Some people even blame Matt.  Nobody can prove that.  You can prove what Matt did to Jeff at the Rumble – and that wasn’t an accident.  With one shot, all the pain Jeff put Matt through over the years went right back to him.  You have no idea how hard it is to take care of a brother who is nothing more than a constand mistake.  We have no idea how many times Matt was woken by phone calls wondering about Jeff.  Without Matt, Jeff won’t even be able to survive.  He’s a psychological wreck, while Matt’s never been healthier or happier.  If his survival means Jeff’s total destruction, so be it.  Jeff’s not the only one to blame for Matt’s decisions, it’s all the fans as well.  For over 10 years, Matt’s tried to get everybody to like him.  He’s signed autographs, taken pictures, everything, but it was never good enough to make the fans like him.  He’s been a role model, but all anybody cared about was the irresponsible, self destructive screw up known as Jeff Hardy.  From now on, the only person Matt cares about is himself.  He’s got one thing to say to Jeff.  He knows Jeff’s at home and watching this.  Matt makes a decree, there’s no such thing as the Hardy Boyz anymore.  He no longer considers Jeff his partner, and he no longer considers him his brother.

Cool segment – the whole thing was set to some ominous music as various pictures and videos of the Hardyz rolled over Matt’s words.

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

WWE SMACK OF THE NIGHT: R-Truth defeated The Brian Kendrick two weeks ago before being assaulted by Ezekiel Jackson

R-Truth makes his way through the crowd singing his Slammy-Award winning song, “What’s Up.”  The Brian Kendrick is out next, accompanied as usual by The Brian Kendrick.  The referee tosses Jackson before the match even starts, leaving Kendrick on his own to face R-Truth.

R-Truth def. The Brian Kendrick

Kendrick is on offense for the early part of the match, mixing up his attack between submission holds and strikes.  R-Truth hits a couple of moves, then drops Kendrick with the axe kick for the victory.

We’ll hear from the new WWE Champion, Edge, later on tonight.  For now, we’re going to kick back and watch the cool WrestleMania video package that aired this past Monday night on RAW.

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

We’ll get the trailer for 12 Rounds later on tonight.  Oh boy.

Chavo Guerrero is already in the ring.  Yep, his chances of winning look good tonight.  MVP’s music hits, and he walks to the ring with his hands up for some reason.

MVP def. Chavo Guerrero.

It’s a back and forth matchup to kick things off, but MVP turns it to his favor, tossing Chavo around a bit.  Chavo hits a rolling heel kick and takes control back in this match, working over the arm.  MVP catches an incoming Chavo with a flapjack-type toss and goes for some sort of maneuver, but Chavo reverses and goes for three amigos.  After “dos amigos,” MVP counters.  Chavo takes him down again though, and climbs the ropes.  MVP catches him, but Chavo knocks him back down.  MVP moves out of the way of the Frog Splash, then nails the driveby kick and picks up his second straight victory!

After the replay, Tazz is in the ring, and he asks MVP how it feels to be past his losing streak.  MVP says big things are poppin, because he’s back, and he wants his US Championship back.  When he gets it, he’ll truly be straight up BALLIN’!

We see the Umaga video package one more time – he’s returning to SmackDown NEXT!

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

There’s going to be two Elimination Chamber matches at No Way Out.  There’s even a video proving it.  And there’s qualifiying matches for SmackDown’s later on tonight.

UMAGA has new music, which is on VOICES: WWE The Music Volume 9, available now!  He’s also got some new ink.  And he’s in action, NEXT!

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

ROYAL RUMBLE replay promo – thank insert-supreme-being-here that tonight is probably the last time I’ll ever have to hear that stupid Kevin Rudolph song.

Jimmy Wang Yang makes his way out to the ring, and the bell rings to get this match started.

YOUMANGA def. Jimmy Wang Yang.

Defeated may not be the best word here.  How about devoured?  Umaga beat the crap out of Yang, and beat him with the Samoan Spike.

Undertaker vs. Mark Henry in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match is next.  Hooray.

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

WRESTLEMANIA 25 is just 65 days away!

Vladimir Kozlov gets another one of those cool video packages of him training that reviewers like me have enjoyed over the past few weeks.

The Undertaker makes his way out for his Elimination Chamber qualifing match, and I turned off my computer monitor, beecuase you just can’t get the full effct of his entrance if the TV isn’t the only source of light in the house.  Mark Henry is joined by Tony Atlas as he comes to the ring, and we’re set for action with the winner going on to No Way Out to challenge for the WWE Championship in the Elimination Chamber.

The Undertaker def. Mark Henry to qualify for the SmackDown Elimination Chamber

Both men are wearing black and gold in this one.  It’s back and forth early on, with Henry using his strength to his advantage.  Henry takes control, but Taker starts to battle back after a while.  Atlas gets involved, and gets a big boot to the chest for his troubles.  Undertaker drops Henry with a chokeslam and locks in the Devil’s Gate for the submission victory!

Up next, we’ll hear from the WWE Champion, EDGE!

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

We’re treated to a video package of Mickey Rourke’s media blitz surrounding his film “The Wrestler,” including his appearance on Larry King Live the other night, which I happened to catch, where Jericho throws down a challenge and tells Rourke that he doesn’t respect him.

Vickie Guerrero is in the ring, and she introduces her husband, the WWE Champion, EDGE!  He says that he doesn’t usually acknowledge the fans at all.  Tonight is different though, he’s going to open up a public discourse, and he’ll tell us why.  We accused him of attacking Jeff Hardy at Survivor Series.  We thought he ran him off the road, and that he tried to destroy Jeff with his own pyro.  Edge pleaded his innocence, and the fans called him a liar.  Some people even point blank told him that he wouldn’t walk out as WWE Champion at the Royal Rumble, but they were all dead wrong.  Because of that, he wants to open up the lines of communication.  He wants everybody to be able to tell everybody that they talked personally to the 7 time WWE Champion.  He wants everybody to stand up.  He wants them to say, “Edge, I’m sorry.”  He accepts their apologies.  He celebrated his championship win by watching his DVD, A Decade of Decadence.  He hasn’t done this for a while, but, why not… FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WITH FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY!  It’s a brand new 5 second pose!  He kisses Vickie while holding his WWE Championship high in the air.  The Big Show comes out to the ring.  He picks up Vickie and hugs her, much to the shagrin of Edge.  Show takes a look at the WWE Championship, and Edge grabs Vickie and leaves.  Show is in action, NEXT!

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

WRESTLEMANIA MOMENT: April 3, 2005.  WrestleMania went Hollywood in it’s 21st incarnation, which saw the very first Money In The Bank Ladder Match, and gave rise to the Rated R Superstar, EDGE!

Big Show is awaiting his opponent.  Who is it?  It’s Festus.

The Big Show def. Festus to qualify for the SmackDown Elimination Chamber

Show doesn’t quite know what to make of Festus, but when Festus tries to overpower him, Show takes advantage with a DDT.  Show dominates for a bit, before Festus hits a DDT of his own.  He’s still no match for the World’s Largest Athlete.  Show hits the flapjack powerbomb (that’s what I’m going to call it until it has a name), then punches Festus’s lights out, getting the pinfall victory.

When Jesse comes to check on Festus, Show gives him a chokeslam for good measure.

Up next, it’s the trailer for 12 Rounds.  If this review doesn’t continue past this point, it means Cena’s stupid movie trailer put me to sleep.

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

Trailer for the new movie “12 Rounds.”  It’s like the Marine, except Cena’s a cop instead of a Marine.

Eve is backstage and interrupted by Michelle McCool.  Michelle talks crap about how she beat Eve down a few weeks ago, which prompts Eve to slap her.

Up next, Triple H, Vladimir Kozlov, and The Great Khali face off in Elimination Chamber qualifying main-event action!

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

RAW REBOUND: Shane McMahon attacks Randy Orton

Triple H makes his way out for this Elimination Qualifying match.  The Great Khali follows with the Sultan of Sideburns, Ranjin Singh, in tow.  Vladimir Kozlov comes out, and we’re ready for international triple threat action!

Triple H won a triple threat match to qualify for the SmackDown Elimination Chamber.

Khali won a showdown between himself and Kozlov, sending the mad Russian out of the ring and us to a…

<COMMERCIAL BREAK>

Triple H is working over The Great Khali’s ankle on the outside of the ring.  Kozlov is also down on the outside.  The Game and the Moscow Mauler get back in and do battle.  Kozlov takes over for a bit, but The Game drops Kozlov with a DDT, which is apparently the move of the night.  Kozlov catches him running in and hits a fallaway slam for two.  Triple H battles back again, hitting the facebuster and the spinebuster before The Great Khali gets back in the ring and locks in the Vice Grip on The Game.  Kozlov rushes in and headbutts Khali in the chest.  Triple H dumps Kozlov out of the ring and hits a Pedigree on Khali for the victory!

End of SmackDown

My Thoughts: I need to wake up earlier than 7PM to review these shows.  I’m half asleep still and trying to review SmackDown.  It makes the show seem to drag, not that it’s a bad show at all.  Matt’s promo was something different.  Matt’s always cut good heel promos, and the fact that he did it while sitting in the middle of the ring with eerie music playing.  It came across pretty cool.  Edge’s promo was good as well.  It also gives me an opportunity to mention that “A Decade of Decadence” is a pretty cool DVD set.  I’ve still got to finish watching it, but I decided to get some of my older DVDs finished before continuing on.  The matches were short but to the point, and we’ve got two thirds of our SmackDown main event for No Way Out, with Edge, The Big Show, Triple H, and The Undertaker all confirmed.  We’ll see you guys next week for Monday Night RAW!

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