411’s WWE SmackDown Report 03.14.08

Welcome everybody to the SmackDown report. I had an awesome week this week. I got second row seats to RAW on Monday and it was a great show. Jericho vs. Hardy and Cena vs. HBK were great and I was pumped to see my boy Edge knock off CM Punk. I also got Hardcore Holly to wink at me, Lillian Garcia to laugh at me, met Super Crazy at the hotel I stayed at, and got Maria’s autograph after the show. Enough about that, let’s get into some SmackDown goodness. Here, as always, is the point system for the 2008 SmackDown Wrestler of the Year Competition:

1. The winner of each match will receive two points unless it is by count out or DQ in which they will receive one point.
2. The winner of a title match will receive an additional point for retaining and two additional points for winning a belt.
3. The winner of the main event will get an additional point.
4. The winner of a specialty match will get an additional point.
5. In a tag team match, a wrestler on the winning team that does not pick up the win will get one point. If the match ends in a DQ or a DRAW, both members of the winning team will get one point.
6. If the match ends in a draw, all wresters involved will get half a point for participating.
7. If it is an elimination match, each elimination is worth one point.
8. If the match is for example, a Best Two Out of Three Falls Match or an Iron Man Match, each fall is worth one point.

Maria kicks the show off this week. She tells her hometown crowd of Chicago that she is very excited about being in BunnyMania at WrestleMania. She then announces that she is there for the SmackDown Diva competition and introduces them all which include Victoria, Michelle McCool, Maryse, Cherry, and Eve. Maria announces that Maryse got the least amount of votes and she is eliminated. Maria tells the remaining four that they will be in an obstacle course tonight complete with sack race, barriers, and tire run. Eve is the first diva up and she completes the course in 23 seconds. Cherry is up next and she beats Eve with 22 seconds. Victoria is up next and before she completes the course, she celebrates too soon so she doesn’t finish until the 25 second mark. McCool is the last participant and she finishes it with 20 seconds. The times don’t matter too much though because the fans get to decide. So this was pointless. Winner should have immunity or something.

In the back, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels meet up in the locker-room. Flair thanks Michaels for coming to SmackDown to help him out. Flair is worried one of them might get hurt tonight because he wants both of them to be at 100% for WrestleMania. Michaels promises Flair that at WrestleMania, Flair will get his best.

-Commercial-

Match #1: Big Show vs. Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore

Yang and Moore jump Show right away but Show shoves both men down. He tosses Yang high into the air and then into Moore. Show gets both men in the corner and hits some big chops. He tosses Yang around and then proceeds to choke Moore. Show slams Moore into the turnbuckle and then catches Yang off the Moonsault attempt. He throws Yang into the corner and then knocks him down with a big shoulder thrust. He nails Moore with a right fist and picks up the win.

Winner: Big Show via pin fall on Shannon Moore
Points: Big Show wins via pin fall (2 Points)

After the match, Big Show tosses Yang out of the ring.

-Commercial-

Match #2: WWE Tag Team Champion John Morrison vs. WWE Tag Team Champion Miz in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match

They announce this as the final Money in the Bank qualifying match meaning there will only be seven men in Money in the Bank this year. Both men shake hands and Morrison tries to roll him up for two. They exchange quick pin falls early in the match until Miz nails a springboard clothesline. Morrison rolls out of the ring to catch his breath and reenters. Both men lock up and Miz nails the arm drag takedown into a headlock. Morrison gets to his feet and hits a backdrop on the Miz. Miz stays on top though with another headlock. Morrison gets to his feet again and nails a backbreaker. Morrison locks in a single leg crab but Miz gets to the ropes. Crowd is totally dead for this match. Morrison drops Miz on his back and begins to work on it. They exchange some rights until Morrison gets a roll up for two. Miz gets Morrison in the corner and hits the rope through clothesline for two. He goes for the Reality Check but Morrison runs around the ring. Miz chases him back to the ring. Morrison goes for Snapshot (I don’t know what the Hell he calls that neck breaker thing) but Miz counters with a modified spinning front Russian leg sweep. Miz gets Morrison up but Morrison knocks Miz down with a kick. Morrison this time hits the Snapshot and picks up the victory.

Winner: John Morrison via pin fall
Points: John Morrison wins via pin fall (2 Points)

-Commercial-

We come back and Finlay gets interviewed by Michael Cole. He says he can’t explain the feelings of watching his son in the hospital over something that Hornswoggle didn’t do. Finlay says he will never forget what happened and JBL will never forget the beating he will get at WrestleMania.

Match #3: Batista vs. WWE United States Champion MVP in a No Holds Barred Match for the WWE United States Championship

Both men stare down and then lock up. Batista powers MVP to the corner but MVP shoots a single leg takedown and then gets a headlock. Batista shoves him off and MVP rolls out of the ring. MVP rolls back in the ring and they lock up again. MVP gets a headlock but Batista takes him down. MVP rolls away from Batista. Batista catches him though and plants him into the turnbuckle and then nails a big boot. MVP comes back though with a drop toehold. MVP misses the big boot though and Batista hits a huge club to the back of MVP. MVP comes back with a belly-to-belly suplex and then kicking Batista out of the ring. MVP jumps at Batista but he catches him and drops Batista on the crowd barrier. Both men in the ring now and MVP wraps his chain around his fist and hits Batista in the head. He starts choking Batista with the chain but Batista gets out of the chokehold and knocks down MVP. Batista runs at MVP but MVP hits a drop toehold and Batista’s head hits the turnbuckle. MVP takes a turnbuckle pad off but could not slam Batista’s head into it as Batista over powers MVP and hits a powerslam. MVP rakes the eyes but Batista nails a spinebuster. Batista goes for the Batista Bomb but MVP rolls out of the ring. Batista goes after him but MVP nails him with a steel chair. MVP misses Batista with another shot and Batista slams MVP’s head into the announce table and starts to pound away on MVP. MVP gets back into the match by slamming Batista’s head into the turnbuckle but Batista takes it away with some headshots of his own. MVP gets a desperate low blow and hits the running big boot to Batista as we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

We’re back and both men are still recovering. MVP grabs a steel chair and Batista hits him with a Spear. Batista rolls him in the ring and only get a two count. Batista runs at MVP and he nails a boot. MVP runs at Batista and Batista returns the favor with his own big boot. MVP rolls out of the ring and as Batista goes through the ropes, MVP nails him with a steel chair and whips him into the ring steps. MVP takes the protective mat off the concrete. He goes for the Playmaker but Batista back body drops him on the cement and hits him with the chair. Batista rolls MVP in the ring and gets a two count. Batista hits some shoulder thrusts until MVP gets his knee up and rams Batista into the uncovered turnbuckle. MVP grabs the chair and beats down Batista. He goes to the top rope and Batista whips him down. Umaga hits the ring out of nowhere and hits Batista with the Samoan Spike and MVP picks up the pin fall.

Winner and Still WWE United States Champion: MVP via pin fall
Points: MVP wins via pin fall to retain a championship in a gimmick match (4 Points)

-Commercial-

Match #4: Chuck Palumbo and Great Khali vs. Jamie Noble and Kane

It was announced that all four of these men will be in the 24 Man Battle Royal at WrestleMania for an ECW Championship shot. Kane and Chuck start. Chuck gets some right hands and kicks until a side slam by Kane. Kane hits the uppercut and a big boot. Tag to Noble and he hits a cross body on Palumbo. Chuck gets up though and hits a big clothesline. He tags Khali and Khali chops the ribs. Noble tries fighting back but Khali knocks him down. Khali locks in the Khali Vice Grip but Kane breaks it up and brawls with Chuck. Khali hits Noble with the Khali Bomb for the win.

Winners: Chuck Palumbo and Great Khali via pin fall on Jamie Noble by Great Khali
Points: Khali wins via pin (2 Points)
Chuck wins (1 Point)

-Commercial-

Match#5: ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero, Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder, and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels

Before the match, Vicky Guerrero announces that this will still be a handicap match as ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero will join Edge, Hawkins and Ryder. Michaels and Flair jump the Edge heads before Chavo can enter the ring as we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

We’re back and Chavo finally gets into the cage. Flair and HBK chop away on all four men. Flair climbs the cage but Edge stops him. Flair chops Edge off the ropes and Chavo takes down Flair. Flair chops away on Chavo and Edge while HBK takes out Ryder and Hawkins. Edge finally gets momentum with some shots on HBK while Hawkins and Ryder double team Flair. Edge hits Flair with a Spear. All four men attack HBK and beat him down. Edge and Chavo tie HBK in the ropes and Edge hits him with a Spear into the cage. Flair tries to fight back but Edge grabs Flair and Ryder and Hawkins beat him down. All four mean pick up Flair and throw him into the cage. Flair is busted open at this point. Edge does a fake cover on Flair and then beats him down. Flair tries fighting back but gets beat down. HBK finally gets untied but Chavo chokes him. Flair gets to his feet and chops away until Edge attacks him. They tie HBK back in the ropes and Edge goes for a Spear but HBK kicks him. He gets out of the ropes and battles all four men until Edge whips him into the corner. Flair chops away on Ryder and Hawkins. Chavo holds HBK in the Tree of Woe and Edge Spears him. Edge beats up on Flair and slams him into the cage. HBK kicks away at Chavo and gets out of the Tree of Woe. He slams Chavo into the cage but falls down. Edge, Ryder, and Hawkins beat down Flair. Chavo goes for the Frog Splash on HBK but HBK gets the knees up. Flair low blows Edge and drops both Hawkins and Ryder on the ropes and they get hit in the groins. HBK flies At Edge and nails atomic drops to everybody not named Flair. He slams Edge and Chavo into the cage and takes out Ryder and Hawkins. HBK goes to the top rope and hits an elbow drop to Hawkins. HBK tunes up the band and Edge goes to Spear him but HBK throws him and Edge Spears Chavo. Flair low blows Ryder and Edge. Flair and HBK lock them in Figure Fours but Chavo nails both Flair and HBK with a Frog Splash. The lights go out now and Taker is in the ring as the lights turn on. Taker goes to Chokeslam Edge but gets jumped by Hawkins, Ryder, and Chavo. He double Chokeslams Ryder and Hawkins. He tries to stop Edge from escaping but Chavo jumps Taker. Taker hits him with a Tombstone Piledriver. He goes to stop Edge but he isn’t quick enough and Edge goes over the cage for the win.

Winners: Chavo Guerrero, Curt Hawkins, Edge, and Zack Ryder via Edge escaping the Cage
Points: Edge wins via escape in main event in gimmick match (4 Points)
Chavo, Hawkins, and Ryder win main event gimmick match (3 Points)

Better show this week and a good build towards WrestleMania. I’m still bummed no Hardy vs. MVP for WrestleMania but expect Hardy to cost MVP that match. I am also happy they made a realistic handicap match for once and the team with the advantage actually dominated. Guys like Edge, Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder, Chavo Guerrero, Big Show, and MVP make jumps this week in the SmackDown Wrestler of the Year Competition. Here are the standings:

1. Undertaker (14)

2. Rey Mysterio (13)

3. Batista (12)

4. WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Edge (10)
4. Kane (10)

6. Festus (9)
6. Jimmy Wang Yang (9)

8. Curt Hawkins (8.5)
8. Zack Ryder (8.5)

10. Finlay (8)

11. Chuck Palumbo (7.5)
11. WWE United States Champion: MVP (7.5)

13. CM Punk (ECW) (7)

14. Great Khali (6)
14. Jesse (6)

16. Big Show (5)
16. ECW Champion: Chavo Guerrero (5)
16. Shannon Moore (5)

19. Big Daddy V (ECW) (4)

20. Shelton Benjamin (ECW) (3)
20. Victoria (3)

22. Jaime Noble (2.5)
22. WWE Tag Team Champion: John Morrison (ECW) (2.5)
22. Michelle McCool (2.5)

25. Hornswoggle (2)

26. Kenny Dykstra (1)
26. Ric Flair (1)

28. Balls Mahoney (ECW) (.5)
28. Layla (ECW) (.5)
28. WWE Tag Team Champion: Miz (ECW) (.5)
28. Mark Henry (.5)