411’s WWE Smackdown Report 05.02.08

We kick the show off with Teddy Long. Holla! He announces that tonight on Smackdown, the WWE Tag Team Championship, United States Championship, and World Heavyweight Championships will be defended!

Cue theme music and pyros! We’re taped in front of a live studio audience in Atlantic City! Michael Cole is in the ring and he announces the new color commentator for Smackdown, Mick Foley!

Match #1: Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore vs. WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison (ECW) and Miz (ECW) for the WWE Tag Team Championship

Yang gets Miz in a waist lock to start but Miz becomes aggressive and knocks Yang down with an uppercut. Miz gets a few shots but Yang comes back with a clothesline. Tag to Moore. Yang hits a suplex and Moore hits a floating senton for a two count. Leg drop by Moore for two. Miz gets a club to the face and tags Morrison. Morrison hits an uppercut and then strikes down Moore in the corner. Whip to the corner by Morrison but Moore elbows him after a failed charge by Morrison and then Moore jumps to the top rope and hits a crossbody for two. Tag to Morrison and he nails a high drop kick for two. Yang locks in a wrist lock and then puts Morrison on the top rope. Yang runs up and nails him with a heel kick. He climbs up with Morrison and tried to hit a superplex but Morrison blocks it. He goes for a sunset flip off the top rope on Yang but Yang hangs on to the ropes and hits Morrison in the face so Morrison just drags Yang off hard. Tag to Miz and they get a double knee to the gut. Miz with a hard Irish whip to the corner for two. Miz locks in a kneeling abdominal stretch until Yang gets to his feet but Miz charges Yang in the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. Yang tries to fight back with some shots but Miz nails the splashing clothesline for a two count. Miz tags Morrison and launches Yang into Morrison’s forearm and Yang lands down on Miz’s knee. Morrison hits an elbow drop over the ropes for two. Morrison gets a chin lock in. Yang gets to his feet and then gets a quick roll up for two. Morrison drags Yang to Miz and tags him in. Miz hits a leg drop and goes back to the abdominal stretch until a jawbreaker by Yang. Miz tags Morrison and he gets to Yang’s foot. Yang misses the enzaguri but kicks Morrison away and tags Moore. Moore goes to town with heel kicks and hurricanrans to both Miz and Morrison but Morrison it’s a springboard heel kick. Miz and Yang fight on the outside of the ring while Moore counters a neckbreaker into a backslide. Morrison gets up at two and is able to hit the Moonlight Rise (Foley calls it that, it’s the flipping neckbreaker thing we’ve been calling the Palace of Wisdom) for the victory. **1/4 Pretty solid tag team match as usual from the two teams but it was a little slower than their usual affairs which isn’t a bad thing, I just prefer their faster stuff. Again though, solid match.

Winners and Still WWE Tag Team Champions: John Morrison and Miz via pin fall on Shannon Moore by Morrison

-Commercial-

We come back to the special ring announcer for the following match, Armando Estrada. He makes fun of Colin Delany and introduces him.

Colin Delany (free agent) vs. Vladimir Kozlov

Colin has the better entrance music in my opinion. Vlad knocks Colin down to start. Colin tries a double leg take down but Vlad doesn’t budge and tosses him. Big boot by Vlad and he gets a few more kicks. Colin gets a few kicks but Vlad nails a shoulder thrust and then drops Colin on the turnbuckle. Vlad punts Colin in the air off the top rope, catches him, and hits a fall away slam. Vlad nails the reverse DDT for the win. 1/2* I loved the punt by Vlad, but I’m still not sold on him and he still comes off as a generic big man.

Winner: Vladimir Kozlov via pin fall

In the back, Nunzio is lacing up his boots. Mark Henry comes in and he reminds him that he is the World’s Strongest Man and he wishes him luck. We are also reminded Nunzio still has a job.

-Commercial-

We get a replay of Natalya defeating Cherry last week.

Match #3: Cherry and Michelle McCool vs. Natalya and Victoria

McCool starts it off with Natalya. Foley reads a poem about McCool which is actually Bruce Springsteen lyrics. They lock up and Natie gets a headlock takedown. McCool tries a hip toss but Nattie takes her down. Tag to Victoria and McCool charges her into the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. McCool whips her off the ropes and gets a jackknife cover for two. McCool runs off the ropes and hits the spinning wrist lock arm drag. Tag to Cherry and she hits a cross body for two. Cherry gets a springboard sunset flip for two. She shoves Nattie off the apron and slaps Victoria before being tripped by Nattie. Victoria tags in Nattie and she get a sleeper hold applied but Cherry hits a jawbreaker. Nattie gets Cherry in her corner but Cherry fights out and tags McCool. She takes out Victoria and hits a few dropkicks on Nattie. Splash in the corner then a swinging neckbreaker for two. Huge kick to the chest by McCool . She goes to the top rope and Victoria knocks her down. Nattie gets a pin with the tights for the win. *3/4 That was pretty damn good for a WWE Divas match. All the ladies preformed well and Foley reciting Springsteen on commentary several times was classic.

Winners: Natayla and Victoria via pin fall on Michelle McCool by Natayla

We get footage from Backlash of Undertaker defeating Edge and pimp Undertaker vs. Great Khali for the World Title tonight.

-Commercial-

Match #4: Mark Henry vs. Nunzio w/Big Show (ECW)

Before Nunzio gets to the ring, be brings out Big Show as his outside enforcer. Well, they do go back as ECW members in 2006. Nunzio gets a few kicks but Henry catches a kick and knocks him down. Henry throws him around and hits the World’s Strongest Slam for the win. After the match, Henry is about to destroy Nunzio but Big Show runs in the ring and Henry leaves. Big Show challenges him to pick on somebody his own size. 1/4* Poor Nunzio was just a tool to enhance the Big Show/Henry feud.

Winner: Mark Henry via pin fall

-Commercial-

We get highlights of Matt Hardy defeated MVP for the United States Championship at Backlash.

Match #5: WWE United States Champion Matt Hardy vs. MVP for the WWE United States Championship

Before the match, MVP grabs the belt from the referee and looks at it. MVP gets Hardy in the corner and hits a few jabs. Lock up by both men and Hardy nails a headlock takedown. MVP counters into a pin for a one count. MVP misses the clothesline and Hardy nails a headlock takedown. MVP gets to his feet and gets Hardy into the corner. They lock up again and MVP gets behind Hardy and nails a club to the head. Hardy fights back with a kick and a few hits before a running clothesline. Headlock takedown to MVP but MVP get up, knocks down Hardy, and then hits a big clothesline. MVP mounts him and hits a few shots. Snapmare by MVP and then he locks in a headlock. Hardy gets to his feet and nails a jawbreaker. Hardy hits a bulldog and gets a one count. Reverse neckbreaker by Hardy and then a headlock takedown. MVP escapes the headlocks and gets a few kicks to the back. Hardy is in the corner and he comes firing out with some strikes. He chokes MVP with the middle rope and then gets a jackknife roll up for a two count. MVP gets up and drives Hardy into the corner. MVP misses the big boot but gets a clothesline. MVP knocks Hardy off the ring apron as we go to commercial.

-Commercial-

We’re back with MVP striking away on Hardy. MVP chokes Hardy out with his own arms until Hardy gets to his feet and is able to break the hold after whipping MVP over his head and then hits a Side Effect for two. MVP comes fighting back with some kicks and works on the neck of Hardy. MVP gets Hardy on the top rope but Hardy nails a tornado DDT. He goes to the top and hits a flying elbow for two. MVP slams Hardy into the corner and nails the running big boot. Hardy hangs off the bottom rope and MVP rolls to the outside and hits another running boot. MVP rolls back in and applies another choke to Hardy ad then mounts him with punches. Chin lock by MVP but Hardy gets to his feet only to be hit by a forearm. Hardy fights back with a few shots and hits the Twist of Fate out of nowhere for the win. **1/2 Good match but the ending felt weak. It will be interesting to see if the feud continues or not.

Winner and Still WWE United States Champion: Matt Hardy via pin fall

-Commercial-

We come back to Mick Foley in the ring and he introduces Batista. Foley thanks him for coming out and then talks about his match with HBK at Backlash. Foley then talked about the controversy surrounding the ending of the match at Backlash and we get footage. Batista says he respects HBK but does not like the way he got to the top. He said he let his guard down and HBK won. Foley then shows footage of HBK on the Highlight Reel where Jericho gives him the award for Best Actor in Sports Entertainment. Foley asked Batista if he thought HBK faked the leg injury and Batista responds by saying that it would make him sick to his stomach that HBK would fake it. He warns HBK that he better be hurt, or he will hurt him.

-Commercial-

Match #6: Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder vs. Jesse and Festus

Bell rings and Festus chases off both men and gets some headbuts to Hawkins. Scoop slam and tag to Jesse. Festus slams Jesse on top of Hawkins for two. Snapmare by Jesse but Hawkins gets the tag to Ryder. Jesse gets some elbows and mounts him with punches after a Lou Thez Press. Ryder jumps Jesse after Hawkins distracts. Tag to Hawkins and he kicks away. Hawkins slams him down and tags Ryder who gets a side chin lock. Ryder slams Jesse down and tags Hawkins. Hawkins hits a side Russian leg sweep and tags Ryder. Ryder tries to prevent the tag to Festus but Jesse hits a backdrop and tags Festus. Tag to Hawkins and Festus destroys both men. Running splashes to Hawkins and then a shoulder block. Running sit down bomb to Hawkins. Ryder distracts him and Hawkins hits him in the throat, still injured from Undertaker. Festus tags out to Jesse who eats a swinging reverse neckbreaker by Hawkins and Hawkins and Ryder win. *1/2 Decent little match. Ryder and Hawkins are molding well and we have follow up from the match Festus had with Undertaker.

-Commercial-

Match #7: Finlay vs. Julio Denaro

Finlay slams Julio and hits a headlock takedown. Shoulder thrust to Julio and then a few clubs. Julio gets a big right hand but Finlay hits a clothesline. Julio get a kick and an uppercut but Finlay launches him out of the ring. Hornswoggle drags Julio under the ring and Finlay drags him back out. Finlay rolls Julio in the ring and hits a running senton. Celtic Cross by Finlay and that’s over. After the match, Hornswoggle hits a Tadpole Splash afterwards.1/2* Fun little beat down by Finlay.

Winner: Finlay via pin fall

-Commercial-

We are set for Undertaker defending the World Title against Great Khali, but Edge and Vicky Guerrero come out and Vicky says the match is called off. She tells Undertaker that his choke hold is illegal in WWE and he has injured a number of wrestlers. From this moment on, Vicky has banned the choke hold. She tells Taker if he uses that choke hold again, there will be Hell to pay. Since he has had no remorse over the past injuries, she regrets to inform him that he has been stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship. Undertaker refuses to hand over the title so Vicky sends out Great Khali. Taker lays the belt down and challenges Khali to get it. Khali grabs the belt and Taker hits him with a big boot. He then locks in that LETHAL CHOKE HOLD. During this, Hawkins and Ryder run down and take the belt as Taker chokes out Khali. Vicky and Edge leave with the belt as Taker stares down.

Here are the rules of the 2008 Smackdown Wrestler of the Year Competition followed by who scored what tonight:
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.

1. Undertaker (28)

2. Batista (17.5)

3. Edge (14)

4. ECW Champion: Kane (ECW) (13)
4. Finlay (13)
4. Rey Mysterio (13)

7. Festus (12)

8. Curt Hawkins (10.5)
8. WWE Tag Team Champion: John Morrison (ECW) (10.5)

10. Vladimir Kozlov (10)

11. MVP (9.5)
11. Zack Ryder (9.5)

13. CM Punk (ECW) (9)
13. Jimmy Wang Yang (9)

15. Big Show (8)
15. Chuck Palumbo (8)
17. WWE Tag Team Champion: Miz (ECW) (8.5)

18. Chavo Guerrero (ECW) (7)
18. Jesse (7)
18. Matt Hardy (7)
18. Shannon Moore (7)

22. Mark Henry (6.5)

23. Great Khali (6)
23. Victoria (6)

25. Michelle McCool (5.5)

26. Big Daddy V (ECW) (4)
26. Cherry (4)
26. Hornswoggle (4)
26. Natalya (4)

30. Shelton Benjamin (ECW) (3)

31. Jaime Noble (2.5)

32. WWE Intercontinental Champion: Chris Jericho (RAW) (2)
32. Kofi Kingston (ECW) (2)

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

36. Balls Mahoney (.5)
36. Layla (ECW) (.5)