The Smackdown Low-down For 3/20/09

Pre-Show Thoughts/Events:

Tonight is the 500th Smackdown.

We open Smackdown up with a promo for the 500th episode of Smackdown. It shows us, in quick fashion, some of the great memories through the years – Stephanie slapping Linda, the Billy and Chuck wedding, the debut of John Cena, Stone Cold blowing up the DX bus, Edge cashing in Money in the Bank – so many happy memories. How do we open up the 500th episode of Friday Night Smackdown – by showing a two minute long Raw Recall with the Triple H and Randy Orton stuff.

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Triple H vs. Vladimir Kozlov:

Kozlov quickly locks Triple H in a waist lock. Kozlov really has it locked on as he has Triple H on his knees. The crowd is chanting for Triple H and he comes alive, getting to a vertical base and breaking Kozlov’s grip. Kozlov quickly forearms him in the back, sends him into the ropes, and gets him in a bear hug but it doesn’t last long as Triple H punches out of it, goes into the ropes, and hits his face-buster. Kozlov is in the corner and Triple H hits him with two corner clotheslines. Triple H hits a neckbreaker for a two and a half count. Kozlov crawls to the corner where he’s met with some right hands. Triple H has a whip into the opposite corner reversed on him and Kozlov charges, looking for a head-butt, but Triple H moves, letting Kozlov hit the turnbuckle. Triple H goes for the Pedigree but Kozlov counters with a back body. Kozlov gets up, charges, running into a Double A Spinebuster. Triple H pumps up to the crowd, hits Kozlov with a kick, and hits the Pedigree to win the match.

Winner by Pinfall: Triple H

Great match to start off the 500th episode of smackdown! Huge win for Triple H as we inch closer and closer to WrestleMania. Poor Kozlov, he is getting into a deep slump...and around the worst time to get in one, near WrestleMania.

Match Rating: ******** 7/10

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WWE United States Championship Match: MVP vs. Shelton Benjamin(champion):

Benjamin hits MVP with a stomp and goes for a short-arm clothesline but MVP counters with a backslide pin for a near fall. Benjamin quickly gets up and runs into a double leg takedown with a jackknife pin for a two count. MVP goes for a clothesline, which Benjamin ducks, and hits MVP with a sick backbreaker using the point of his knee. MVP doesn’t go down so Benjamin hits him with a T-Bone/Exploder suplex for a two and a half count. MVP is using the ropes to pull himself up as Benjamin anxiously waits for him to get up. Benjamin goes for what looks like Pay Dirt but MVP sidesteps him and hits him with the Hot Shot, dropping him on the top rope throat first. MVP then hits the Playmaker and pins Benjamin to win the United States Championship for the second time.

Winner & NEW United States Champion: MVP

I am so happy that MVP is the new champion. I just really hate shelton and his gimmick. Great match put on between these two.

Match Rating: ******** 8/10

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Shawn Michaels vs. Kane:

HBK goes for an inverted atomic but Kane counters into a Chokeslam attempt which HBK avoids and he finally hits his inverted atomic. HBK goes into the ropes and clotheslines him down before moving towards the top rope. HBK goes for his famous elbow but Kane gets his knee up. Kane is now going to the top rope and he comes off with a huge clothesline. Kane is now waiting for HBK to get up for the Chokeslam. HBK pulls himself up and Kane charges for the Chokeslam and gets met with Sweet Chin Music, giving Shawn Michaels the surprise win over Kane.

Winner by Pinfall: Shawn Michaels

HBK vs Kane...epic combination! This of course was another WrestleMania hype match. Putting HBK against Undertaker's brother, great match planning.

Match Rating: ******* 7/10

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Extreme Rules Match: The Brian Kendrick vs. Jeff Hardy:

Hardy exits the ring and gets the chair. Hardy comes in and throws the chair at The Kendrick. Hardy opens the chair up and goes across the ring. He charges, using the chair to hit Poetry in Motion. Hardy bounces The Kendrick’s face off the open chair a whole bunch of times and then hits The Kendrick with the alley-oop. Hardy now sets the chair up, kicks The Kendrick in the midsection, and this a Twist of Fate on the open chair. Hardy turns The Kendrick’s lifeless body over and goes to the top rope, hitting the Swanton Bomb. Hardy picks up the easy win.

Winner by Pinfall: Jeff Hardy

Jeff just completely destroyed The Kendrick. Jeff I think definitely was sending a message to his brother, Matt Hardy, tonight. Can't wait to see that match on WrestleMania.

Match Rating: ***** 5/10

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Undertaker vs. JBL:

JBL now locks on the Figure Four Leg Lock for the first time I can ever remember. JBL has great ring position right now. Undertaker gets pinned for a two count before sitting up. Undertaker absorbs some punches before grabbing JBL by the throat and getting him to his feet. Undertaker hits a knee to the midsection, sends JBL into the ropes, but JBL ducks the clothesline and chop blocks the injured knee, getting JBL a two count. JBL continues kicking the bad wheel of Undertaker until Take starts coming back with some right hands. Undertaker sends JBL into the corner, hits snake eyes and follows it with a big boot. Undertaker hits a leg and gets a near fall. Undertaker signals for the Chokeslam but JBL kicks him in the leg, goes into the ropes, and hits the Clothesline from Hell. JBL covers and gets a CLOSE two and a half count. JBL now goes to pick Undertaker up but gets locked into the Devil’s Gate, forcing JBL to tap out.

Winner by Submission: Undertaker

This was a decent match. Really I expected more from these two huge superstars but I guess age took over for this match. Undertaker winning by his Devil's Gate...now that is surprising. I am a little disappointed that the Main Event ended up being the least exciting match of the night.

Match Rating: ***** 5/10

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Summary of the Edge/Big Show/Cena/Vickie:

Edge said Cena wouldn’t understand – Vickie’s love is worth fighting for and he doesn’t know Vickie like he does. Big Show corrects him and says Cena doesn’t know Vickie like they do. Edge says, for instance, like when she’s asleep and all snuggled up and passes gas. Cena makes a comment and Edge says it’s cute, trust him. Big Show says that is cute, also like when he kisses Vickie on the back of the neck and she giggles. Edge says that’s enough and he’s heard enough out of Big Show’s fat mouth. Show tells Vickie that her “husband” should stop running his mouth or he won’t make it to WrestleMania. They get into a shoving match and Edge slaps Big Show. Edge says that’s truth and asks Big Show what he thinks. Big Show grabs Edge by the throat and accidentally pushes Vickie to the mat. Big Show throws Edge away to check on Vickie. Big Show stands Vickie up and Edge goes to Spear Big Show but he moves and he instead Spears Vickie. Edge is shocked and checks on her before being thrown away by Big Show. Big Show picks her up and Edge rips her out of Show’s arms. Show takes her back and Edge chop blocks his knee, sending Big Show and Vickie crashing to the mat. Edge asks Big Show what he just did and Big Show hits the Showstopper on Edge. Big Show then scoops Vickie up and walks to the back to conclude the 500th episode of Smackdown.

What's Final Thoughts on Smackdown's 500th Episode:

Very good Smackdown tonight with lots of WrestleMania advancement and a title change. We’re also just few short weeks away from WrestleMania and it was the 500th episode of Smackdown. That’s a formula for a great show. The Vickie, Edge, and Big Show love triangle was pretty funny tonight but the acting was really silly. It just felt really scripted and contrived. John Cena was pretty funny but the whole thing just felt so rehearsed that it hurt it and it wasn’t the strongest build for a Main Event but it’s not as bad as the Triple H vs. Randy Orton build. At least Edge hasn’t broken into Big Show’s house and thrown him through a fake window before getting arrested by the fakest and weakest cops they could find. The build up for Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels has been terrific and real old school. The build-up is very plain compared against the Main Events and that’s actually a good thing – we’ve got way too many gimmicks and complexities in our wrestling storylines anyway. All you need is a little flame, some good promo work, and some little teases, like HBK hitting Undertaker with Sweet Chin Music. They both had good matches tonight and I’m really looking forward to more build in the next few weeks. Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy is now an Extreme Rules Match so I’m excited about that. That’s definitely the right call. However I don’t like that we didn’t see Matt Hardy tonight. I feel that if the storyline is going to work, both men need to be on the show. Its working, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t help further the storyline any. I’m still really excited for that match. MVP, one of my favorites, is back on top with the United States Championship. I think MVP is a more complete package because not only can he wrestler, he can talk too. He just needs a new finisher. I would have liked to have seen a longer match, though, especially since this was a title switch.

Final Smackdown Rating:� ******* 7/10

Please join me next week for the next edition of The Smackdown Low-down. Thanks for reading!!