411’s WWE Smackdown Report 05.16.08

We kick the show off this week Edge and the Familia. We are also in my home state of Michigan as we are in Grand Rapids tonight. Edge gets on the mic and says last week was a medical miracle on how he was able to participate in the Championship Chase. This Sunday at Judgment Day, he will beat the Undertaker. The Undertaker has never defeated Edge without an illegal choke hold and on Sunday, Taker won’t be able to use it. This brings out Teddy Long. Holla! Long apologizes for being late and Guerrero goes off on him for not returning her calls. Vicky tells him where his place is and Teddy tells Vicky the reason he was late was because he was in Stamford at WWE Headquarters. He had a meeting with the board of directors as she blew them off. He told them about her relationship with Edge and how it effects everyone on Smackdown. Vicky defends herself but the board sees it differently. Teddy whips out a special announcement from the board of directors stating that because of her actions as general manager, especially stripping Taker of the title, she is either forced to wrestle her first match tonight or if she refuses to wrestle, she will be removed from power. Vicky fires Long but Long tells her she can’t because he quits. Long leaves but comes back to tell Vicky her opponent tonight is the Undertaker!

-Commercial-

Match #1: Chuck Palumbo vs. CM Punk (ECW)

If you need a new bike or one fixed, call 619-977-4884. Punk and Chuck lock up and Chuck gets several knees in the gut of Punk. Headlock takedown by Chuck followed by a one count. Chuck hits some shoulder thrusts to Punk in the corner but Punk counters and Irish whip to the corner by spingboarding over Chuck and gets some right hands in. Punk sends Chuck out of the ring and follows it up with a suicide dive through the ropes. Both men get back in the ring and Chuck gets on the attack by working on the back and then locking in a sitdown headlock. Chuck releases the hold and scoop slams Punk. Chuck misses an elbow drop and Punk gets a school boy for two. Reverse side kick by Punk followed by the running knee/bulldog combo for two. Chuck fires back with forearms but Punk hits a spinning side kick and then the springboard clothesline. Punk gets several kicks before Chuck catches the leg and nails a clothesline. Chuck goes for the suplex but Punk lands on his feet. Go to Sleep by Punk but Chuck land on his feet and nails a big fall away slam after catching Punk off a cross body. Chuck goes for the Full Throttle but Punk lands on his feet and shoves Chuck into the turnbuckle and follows it with Go to Sleep for the victory. Pretty short but not too bad between the two. They finally follow up on their mini-feud after forgetting about it.

Winner: CM Punk via pin fall

In the back, MVP interrupts the Famila and says the Championship Chase was BS. Finlay interrupts and agrees and also wants Edge’s miracle green tea for Hornswoggle. Big Show comes in and he is pissed as well. Vicky is upset they all interrupted her so she makes Big Show and Finlay vs. MVP and a partner of his choice. Chavo then asks Vicky if he was a pawn like everyone else and why he wasn’t in on last week. They agree to make a plan together.

-Commercial-

Match #2: Layla (ECW) vs. Michelle McCool

McCool shoves Layla down and then hits an arm drag. Catapult by McCool followed by a one count. Layla fights back with forearms but McCool hits a drop toe hold and works on the leg. Layla gets a headlock takedown on McCool until McCool grabs a hold of the leg in a vice like grip and Layla taps out.Michelle looks good here and they add a submission hold to her moveset so she has something to counter Nattie’s Sharpshooter.

Winner: Michelle McCool via submission

-Commercial-

The Animal, Batista, comes out and he is dress to TALK! Batista comes out and says that he thought he didn’t have to talk about Shawn Michaels but he watched RAW and then shows us the footage of HBK admitting that he lied about his injury. Batista tells HBK he is happy that is knee is feeling better, actually it was never hurt so that is why he is out here. Batista warns HBK that he is going to be at Judgment Day on Sunday.

-Commercial-

Match #3: Big Show and Finlay w/ Hornswoggle vs. Mark Henry and MVP

MVP and Finlay start off. Finlay takes MVP down but MVP quickly gets a headlock. Finlay drives him in the ropes, nails a drop toe hold, and gets his own headlock. Both men up and Finlay hits a suplex. MVP spits in Finlay’s face and gets some kicks in. Finlay fires back with a big time clothesline. Finlay hits an elbow to MVP’s face and then takes MVP down by the leg. Tag to Show and MVP is scared. MVP calms down and hit a right hand and runs to Henry for the tag. They lock up and it’s a stalemate. Henry gets a headlock but Show whips him off. Henry tries a shoulder block but Show keeps his ground. Side headlock by Show and then he shoulder blocks Henry down. Henry tags MVP in and leaves the ring apron. Show tosses MVP in and destroys him. Tag to Finlay and he hits a clothesline and a stomp. Finlay gets a few kicks in and then some big uppercuts and chops. Finlay knocks MVP down and then goes to the top rope. Henry distracts him allowing MVP to hit the running big boot. Henry attacks Finlay and rolls him back in the ring. MVP clubs the neck of Finlay and then locks in a chin lock. Tag to Henry and he steps on Finlay. Henry knocks Finlay down and tags MVP. MVP stops Finlay from tagging and gets some kicks in. Tag to Henry and he nails a headbut to Finlay. Finlay nails a jawbreaker but it has no effect on Henry. Tag to MVP and he locks in a reverse side headlock. Snapmare by MVP but he misses a knee drop and Show gets the tag. Show beats down MVP until Henry interferes but he gets tosses over the ropes after Finlay held the top rope down. MVP goes for a big boot but Big Show goozles him and nails the Chokeslam for the win. Solid tag team match between the two and it would of made for an excellent opener for Judgment Day. Hopefully they add MVP vs. Finlay or Show vs. Henry as a last minute match.

Winners: Big Show and Finlay via pin fall on MVP by Show

In the back, Vicky Guerrero changes her match with Undertaker. It will now be Undertaker vs. Vicky Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero, Bam Neely, Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder, and Edge.

-Commercial-

Match #4: Funaki vs. Vladimir Kozlov

The only redeeming part of this match is the Foley commentary saying how Kozlov is a mambo and limbo champion while singing a mambo song for Vlad’s entrance music. Vlad whips around Funaki by the arm before nailing an over head suplex and the revere DDT for the win. Like I said, Foley was gold but I am sick of Vlad.

Winner: Vladimir Kozlov via pin fall

-Commercial-

Match #5: Cherry vs. Maryse w/ Deuce & Domino

D&D dumped Cherry for Maryse setting this match up. Cherry gets some early offense with some strikes and a reverse neckbreaker. Maryse fights back with a drop toe hold and by using the ropes as a weapon. Side reverse headlock by Maryse and she even steps on Cherry. Cherry gets pissed though. She slaps Maryse around and nails a bulldog for the win. Too short but they are building Cherry up and I can’t wait to see what she can really do in the ring in a real match.

-Commercial-

Matt Hardy, Kofi Kingston, and Eve are talking in the back. Kofi congrats Hardy on his DVD and title win. Benjamin interrupts and says the Hardys are a thing of the past. Hardy brings up the past about Kofi owning Benjamin on ECW. And in the present, the only gold Benjamin has is his hair. Tonight they are going to go at it!

-Commercial-

Match #6: WWE United States Champion Matt Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin (ECW) (non title)

Hardy and Benjamin lock and the ref breaks them up as they get to the ropes. Benjamin controls early with a headlock and shoulder block. Benjamin slams him down and then mat wrestles Hardy. Modified armbar by Benjamin until Hardy fights back with some forearms. Splash/bulldog combo by Hardy for two. Benjamin counters a Side Effect into a reverse suplex for two. Benjamin gets a knee to the gut of Hardy and counters a Twist of Fate by throwing Hardy in the ropes. After exchanging pinning combinations, Benjamin locks in a body scissors. Hardy rolls out of it and nails a big clothesline. Side Effect by Hardy for two. Benjamin fires back with the Dragon Whip enzaguri. Benjamin goes for a suplex but Hardy counters with a Twist of Fate out of nowhere for the win. Solid match up and a longer slot on PPV would be awesome. With these two and the likes of Morrison, Miz, MVP, and Finlay, we could have a strong US Title division.

Winner: Matt Hardy via pin fall

-Commercial-

Match #7: La Famila vs. Undertaker in a Handicap Match

Before La Famila gets to the ring, Chavo Guerrero and Bam Neely walk off leaving Edge, Vicky, Hawkins, and Ryder alone. Taker takes out Ryder and Hawkins and stares down Vicky until Edge, Ryder, and Hawkins attack. They beat down on him in the corner until Taker takes out the Edgeheads. Him and Edge staredown and he gets triple teamed again. Taker fires back with strikes but another triple team slows him down. Edge mocks Taker and Taker goes for the “choke hold” but Hawkins and Ryder stop him. Taker sends all three men out of the ring though and walks to Vicky. Hawkins and Ryder get back in the ring and they get hit with a double chokeslam. Taker gets Vicky out of her chair and goes to chokeslam her but Edge nails a spear out of nowhere. Edge, Hawkins, and Ryder put Vicky back in the chair and leave. They stare down with Taker as we go off the air. Kind of a waste of time but I guess a good way to build for the match without giving anything away.

DRAW

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 and a point for winning the match (bonus points can be added with title situations and main event)
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 and then a point for winning so three points can be won in a Best Two Out of Three Falls Match (bonus points can be added with title situations and main event)

CM Punk, Michelle McCool, Vladimir Kozlov, Cherry, and Matt Hardy won singles matches by pinfall or submission (2 Points)

Big Show wins tag match via pin fall (2 Points)

Finlay wins tag match via partner (1 Point)

Edge, Undertaker, Curt Hawkins, Zach Ryder, and Vicky Guerrero draw in main event (1.5 points)

1. Undertaker (29.5)

2. Batista (20.5)

3. Edge (18.5)

4. ECW Champion: Kane (ECW) (16)

5. Finlay (14.5)

6. Vladimir Kozlov (14)

7. Rey Mysterio (13)
7. Big Show (13)

9. Curt Hawkins (12)
9. Festus (12)

11. CM Punk (ECW) (11)
11. WWE United States Champion: Matt Hardy (11)
11. MVP (11)
11. Zack Ryder (11)

15. WWE Tag Team Champion: John Morrison (ECW) (10.5)

16. Jimmy Wang Yang (9)

17. WWE Tag Team Champion: Miz (ECW) (8.5)

18. Chuck Palumbo (8)

19. Michelle McCool (7.5)

20. Chavo Guerrero (ECW) (7)
21. Jesse (7)
22. Shannon Moore (7)

23. Mark Henry (6.5)

24. Cherry (6)
24. Great Khali (6)
24. Natalya (6)
24. Victoria (6)

28. Big Daddy V (ECW) (4)
28. Hornswoggle (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. Vicky Guerrero (1.5)

35. Kenny Dykstra (1)
35. Ric Flair (Retired) (1)

37. Balls Mahoney (Released) (.5)
37. Layla (ECW) (.5)